Venice Italy (1 Viewer)

[rascal]

I'm going there in May for work.  Besides the usual tourist traps any recommendations for things to do or restaurants?

Also, I'm an engineer from Oklahoma so I have little in sense of style.  Recommendations on what to wear when touring (I'll be staying for a couple of days for a mini vacation)?

 

[Chaka]

Y'know man, all I can say is dress comfortable, don't be shy and just be confident in being yourself.

They're just people and it's just a place. Choose places that look cool to you and own them.

It's a wonderful city, have a blast.

 

[ex-ghost]

Great city. Agree with Chaka, no need to wear anything special. I did not find the food to be spectatular compared to the rest of Italy, but it was still pretty damn good.

 

[msommer]

Also, if you tire of canals and pigeons, not too far away is Trieste and Koper (in Slovenia, but your Schengen visa works for Slovenia as well), I've never been, but have had both recommended to me

 

[JuniorGong]

Wear comfortable shoes as you should walk a lot and just explore. Make sure you negotiate with the gondola guys, they will come up to you offering rides and you can get them down in price quite a bit so just keep saying no.

People seem to have widely varying opinions of Venice but I absolutely loved it. Such an unique and beautiful place, enjoy!

 

[Aerial Assault]

The only city I've been to that seemed like another planet.  Just awesome.  In May, it will be hot and crowded, so dress comfortably.  If I can think of the name of the superb restaurant we ate at one night there, I'll repost.  Take a water tour - private if possible - of the lagoon.  

 

[Ditka Butkus]

Wear comfortable shoes as you should walk a lot and just explore. Make sure you negotiate with the gondola guys, they will come up to you offering rides and you can get them down in price quite a bit so just keep saying no.

People seem to have widely varying opinions of Venice but I absolutely loved it. Such an unique and beautiful place, enjoy!

This .... great walking city to explore....Have a map if you don’t have a good sense of direction..Lots of nooks and crannies...

 

[DallasDMac]

This .... great walking city to explore....Have a map if you don’t have a good sense of direction..Lots of nooks and crannies...

Yep. The back street and stopping for the local bar snacks (they have a name for it that alludes me at the moment) was our favorite part of Venice. Dinner right on the canal seemed a little touristy. But overall, we loved Venice. Quite relaxing compared to Rome, Florence, etc.

 

[Ditka Butkus]

Yep. The back street and stopping for the local bar snacks (they have a name for it that alludes me at the moment) was our favorite part of Venice. Dinner right on the canal seemed a little touristy. But overall, we loved Venice. Quite relaxing compared to Rome, Florence, etc.

The lack of having to dodge vehicles while you’re sightseeing is what was relaxing to me... It’s amazing how you don’t miss cars and trucks... Just peaceful strolling.

 

[DallasDMac]

The lack of having to dodge vehicles while you’re sightseeing is what was relaxing to me... It’s amazing how you don’t miss cars and trucks... Just peaceful strolling.

Big part of it for us too.

 

[jamny]

Loved Venice, can't wait to go back. Great city to just get lost in. We took the water taxi from the airport and it was like nothing I've ever experienced as you get closer and closer to the city. It almost doesn't seem real.

 

[culdeus]

Going in July. Have been before. 

I figure this will be one of the last times before flooding takes over. 

Haven't really thought thru an itenerary either.  We hit all the main stops last time. Probably will hit the outer islands during daytime. 

From what I can gather you should avoid the main areas until after 4pm when all the cruise people go back to their food troughs. The big sites stay open late so will try to catch them in pm.

I am staying at the jw which is on an island.  I think that's the right call.

 

[Atomic Punk]

Yep. The back street and stopping for the local bar snacks (they have a name for it that alludes me at the moment) was our favorite part of Venice. Dinner right on the canal seemed a little touristy. But overall, we loved Venice. Quite relaxing compared to Rome, Florence, etc.

Snack food is called chiceti. Just stroll up to a place, make your choice and enjoy with a glass of vino right on the street. Just stay away from the cuttlefish chiceti - grossest thing I ever ate. Map is a must. Wife and I got lost multiple times even though we were only a couple blocks away from hotel.

 

[DallasDMac]

Snack food is called chiceti. Just stroll up to a place, make your choice and enjoy with a glass of vino right on the street. Just stay away from the cuttlefish chiceti - grossest thing I ever ate. Map is a must. Wife and I got lost multiple times even though we were only a couple blocks away from hotel.

That's it! Thanks. We even did an organized chiceti tour one evening. Loved it.

 

[Aerial Assault]

It's actually "cicchetti."  (Sorry to be a pedant.)  Great stuff.  

 

[EYLive]

Venetians aren't that chic. Jorts, bucket hat, fanny pack, white socks with Crocs will help you blend in.

 

[Chemical X]

I am not a fan of Venice.  Its all tourists.  Virtually no local life remains, so a city that is just about gauging tourists has little appeal to me.  That said, it can be used as a base to visit some great places, including Padua, Verona, Modena and Bologna.  I recommend packing light, carry on only.  Bring a pair of boots, S.  Jeans.  DO NOT EAT IN TOURIST areas.  Try to find a smaller, off the beaten track place down an alley.  In St Marks you will be gauged.  People seem to enjoy Murano and Burano.  I didn't.  Blowing glass into something I cant afford does nothing for me either.  For shtick, go to Harry's bar and grab a 20 euro peach bellini.  Hang out and scope for Giada.  Take picture of her cans for me.

Tia

 

[Gally]

Venice was alright.  It was interesting to walk around and I headed down some alley's and realized it is just a neighborhood that has a lot of tourists running around.  I wasn't overly impressed but was glad I spent the day there.  I was in Italy for work and had one day to explore.  I spent that day in Venice.  I was there for about 8 hours as I took a train into the area and my return ticket was for the late train.  I was kind of stuck there.

I enjoyed walking around but I seemed to be able to get around the area in about 2 hrs. Then I had to kill 6 hrs for the return train.  Some interesting architecture but I didn't need to be there for 8 hrs. 

 

[DallasDMac]

I am not a fan of Venice.  Its all tourists.  Virtually no local life remains, so a city that is just about gauging tourists has little appeal to me.  That said, it can be used as a base to visit some great places, including Padua, Verona, Modena and Bologna.  I recommend packing light, carry on only.  Bring a pair of boots, S.  Jeans.  DO NOT EAT IN TOURIST areas.  Try to find a smaller, off the beaten track place down an alley.  In St Marks you will be gauged.  People seem to enjoy Murano and Burano.  I didn't.  Blowing glass into something I cant afford does nothing for me either.  For shtick, go to Harry's bar and grab a 20 euro peach bellini.  Hang out and scope for Giada.  Take picture of her cans for me.

Gauged?

 

[Phil Elliott]

We were in Venice end of April/start of May and it was actually quite cool as a cold front moved in. We loved it though. We stayed at a hotel on the far south end of the island. If I remember correctly I believe most of the homes/buildings first floors flood every year in late summer. Yes, lots of tours, especially on the outside of the island on the water. Stay in the back streets to avoid the tours. If you are flying in vs train, take a water taxi from airport to your lodging. Buy in advance online a water bus ticket, they have small ferrys cruising around the island just like a bus service www.venicewaterbus.com .Very easy to get around with the waterbus - just hop on/hop off. Visit the fish market in the morning. I loved Murano and the blown glass once you get past the first couple shops that are very touristy/expensive. Most shops still owned by multi generation families or so they say. Lots of little cafes/pizzarias/wine all over Venice. You can get around pretty quickly on foot also.  We enjoyed St. Marks Square and tour of Doge’s Palace. Lots of beautiful churches in the back streets. They should have lots of small quartet type chamber/classical music concerts in the churches at night. Although it was cool seeing the Rialto bridge, stay away from the nearby restaurants. The www.aperol.com spritz is the afternoon drink of choice. I found it a little bitter and drank limoncello spritz instead  . Lot of people don’t like Venice but we enjoyed it -definitely a little bit of a different life style living on the canals with no cars. When you are there, imagine life a thousand years ago when Venice was the trade center of the world.  Enjoy.