ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING VENICE

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING VENICE – CIAO VALENTINA

It’s always better to research as much information as possible before visiting Venice. In this blog post you will find all the tips to be totally prepared and fully enjoy Venice.

As a person who lived near Venice for the first 25 years of my life, I have been asked so many times how to get organised before travelling to Venice.

Venice is a unique destination and it’s a real shame that I’ve heard so many people complaining on return from their vacation and some of them complaining even during their stay.

But why?

The reasons are more or less the same in all cases:

“Oh, I went there in December and it was so packed! It’s crazy! I didn’t expect so many tourists in that period!”

“Really? What were you expecting? Venice in December is like going to Disneyland, basically you are in Veniceland!  I think sometimes my face says it all (I’m well known for my facial expressions).

I get other comments like: “What am I supposed to do during high water in Venice? Swim for the whole period of my stay?”. “Yeah, sure. Make sure you bring a bikini with you, it’s more comfortable than swimming all dressed up! Actually, bring two costumes so you give the other one time to dry.”

Other complaints include: “Are there real people living in Venice?”

“No hun, we are all fake,  just pretending for you tourists! In fact, as soon as you enter the city you find all of us standing to greet you like Nutcracker soldiers!”.

So, my dear tourists and travellers, I want to enlighten you with some helpful information about Venice so that next time you visit you will not be disappointed if we don’t welcome you like Nutcracker soldiers. You won’t need to worry that you’ll have to swim all over Venice in case of high water …and you will choose the right period to visit.

Trust me, I want you to come and be happy here in Venice! Really! 

• General Info about Venice
• When to go?
• Arrival in Venice
• Transport in Venice
• Money
• Electricity
• Public Toilets
• Visa
• Women and Safety

To start with, let me give you a bit of context so you don’t get lost:

Venice is part of the Veneto Region in north east Italy. It’s made up of 118 islands connected by 435 bridges, some public and some private. The total number of inhabitants are almost 261,000 but in the historic city of Venice itself there are around 54,000 inhabitants. So, yes, there are real people living here! 

When to go?

Always remember that the shoulder seasons are best for visiting, to avoid being caught in the middle of a loud and crazy crowd. For example, in spring between March and May, prices are reasonable with the exception of Easter. The temperature is (mostly) always wonderful at this time – you are avoiding all the crazy summer Italian heat too!

Summer is incredibly hot. From June to August Venice is unbelievably crowded and expensive because it’s Biennale di Venezia time (arts festival). If you want to feel like a true Venetian and want to avoid the crowds, I can recommend a trip to the lido to relax – there is much to do outside the main tourist areas.

Another great period to visit Venice is during autumn between September and November after the Venice Film Festival and hotel rates drop. The benefit of this period is that you can walk around without being pushed around by tourists. During the cooler evenings however, I recommend that you carry a jacket. 

In Venice, winter falls between December and February. I would recommend avoiding the December period due to the incredible number of tourists. January and February are perfect to visit because you will find less people as it’s also the foggy season. However, don’t let the weather scare you, cover yourself properly and you will be fine!

February and March are the months of the famous Carnival in Venice, definitely an experience that you don’t want to miss out on. Be ready to “fight” however with other tourists when finding a place to eat, sit and even queueing for toilets.

Now, to clarify the point that there’s no need to swim in Venice during high water – “acqua alta” – which occurs during Autumn and Winter seasons, especially during November and December. The high-water phenomenon happens rarely and lasts not more then 3-4 hours. You will be provided with a proper raised path through the main streets of Venice to allow both tourists and locals to carry on with their daily life. Public Transport will keep working too. To avoid high water, wait a few hours before visiting central Venice or, if you’re feeling brave, buy a pair of high boots and go out to discover Venice in a different way!

Arriving in Venice.

Here you have some options, you will either arrive via:

– Marco Polo Airport

– Piazzale Roma

– Venezia Santa Lucia train station.

From the airport you can take the Alilaguna Airport Shuttle which connects the airport with various parts of Venice. You can buy tickets online or at the airport. Check the map for the correct line to take There are 4 lines – blue, red, orange and green. The price is between €9 to €15 and the journey takes between 45-90 mins depending on the time of day.

Alternatively, you can take the water taxi which is definitely a comfortable and private way to travel around Venice but also pretty expensive – €120 minimum for up to 5 people including luggage. You can book the tickets online at www. Veneziataxi.it

From the airport you can also take the bus to Piazzale Roma which is the only point in Venice accessible to cars. From there you can take a vaporetto or water taxi.

From the train station you can access the Tourist Office Desk and the vaporetto, water taxis and gondolas are just in front if the station.

So easy!

Transport in Venice

Getting around in Venice is pretty exciting as everything is on the water. This is what makes Venice so attractive, I guess!

You can catch a vaporetto – this is the main public transport boat for locals and tourists and will transport you easily around Venice. Before boarding, check the large information sign to check the route to make sure you get the right line. You can choose the minimum 75-minute ticket for a cost of €7.50. If you are planning to use the vaporetto frequently, you can buy the ticket for 1 day, 2 days, 3 days and so on. Ticket machines are just in front of the vaporetto stop and the ticket must be validated/stamped before boarding, otherwise you can purchase the tickets on board. Make sure you advise the controller as soon as you are on board, otherwise be ready to pay a pretty high fine!

Water Taxis – to feel like a rich, famous movie star, these can be ordered from your hotel or you can find them near some of the vaporetto stops. Rates start from €15 but there are extra charges if you call them from the hotel.

Gondolas are the coolest way to get around, but get ready to splash the cash! Rates are €80 during day time, and €100 after 7pm.

Traghetto is the gondola service used to cross the Grand Canal, rates are €2 per person and the service starts at 9am and closes at 6pm. 

Now some extra information that is important to know, just in case you are coming from another country:

Currency

The currency used is the Euro and you can easily find ATM’s all around Venice. You can exchange money at banks and at the airport, just make sure to have your ID or passport with you.

Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere in hotels, hostels, shops and restaurants.

Electricity

You will find sockets for both Type F and Type L plugs.

Toilets

Oh, this is definitely a “NEED TO KNOW” fact:

Public Toilets are expensive – €1.50 for a wee-wee! – so make sure you get it all out before you leave the hotel! Otherwise, make sure you go to toilet every time you stop for a coffee.

However, my best recommendation is to stop off in hotels and museums. But keep it secret, ok? 

Visas

If you are coming from within the EU, you don’t need a visa. Nationalities like Canada, USA, Brazil, Japan, Australia and New Zealand can stay for up to 90 days without a visa. If you are from any other nationality, I suggest you visit the Italian Foreign Ministry website. https://www.esteri.it/mae/en

Women be Safe

Venice is a quiet island and the Venetian residents are nice and welcoming, however like most places, don’t be too trusting of anybody you don’t know. If men are insistent, just ignore them and never tell them you are alone, just in case! Make sure you dress up appropriately – well, not least because Italy is a fashionable country. Make sure you don’t wear socks with sandals! You will find yourself all over social media!

Don’t get crazy with prosecco and spritz, it’s very easy to drop into the canal and trust me, you don’t want that!

That said, I consider Venice a safe island if you travel by yourself and if you receive a compliment from a man, don’t get too stressed – a “Ciao Bella!” never hurt anybody. Italian men are always very complimentary. You will get used to it.

So, I am sure that if you put into practise all the information I have given you, you will be a happy tourist in Venice. Obviously, in a such delicate city like Venice, good behaviour and respecting the locals is important because yes, despite what some of you think, there are REAL people living there.

Read also how to spend your first day in Venice RESPONSIBLE VENICE – WHERE TOURISTS DON’T GO: FIRST DAY TOUR and your second day in Venice RESPONSIBLE VENICE – WHERE TOURISTS DON’T GO: SECOND DAY TOUR discovering less touristic areas. 

Or you can watch my videos on YouTube:

YouTube – Responsible Venice: Day 1

YouTube – Responsible Venice: Day 2

YouTube – All you need to know before visiting Venice:    

Venice is a delicate island, forever a victim of “overtourism”, so please RESPECT VENICE! Avoid going during high season and avoid the heavy tourist areas. You will find other information by visiting here: (blog post, all you need to know before visiting Venice).  

And remember: Live, Travel, Laugh and Repeat.

                                       in a responsible way