VENICE.
 The
photos and images of Venice change every day. There is
always something new and exciting to capture in your
camera.
Likewise, Venice is a magnet for artists, professional
and amateur.
Brian has visited Venice several times and describes
this amazing city.
VENICE
is an experience, not a destination.
On arrival at
TREVISO AIRPORT turn right
when you leave the Arrivals Hall and go to the
ATVO desk and purchase your
bus ticket. The fare (April 2009) is €6 single €10
return [valid for seven days]. Remember to validate your
ticket by inserting it in the slot on the yellow
box...see "old style" pictured on the right of this
page..below the
ATVO
counter.
As a single ticket on the vaporetto costs €6.50, it
makes sense to buy a Travel Card for durations ranging
from 12-hour cards at €16 to the 7-day card for €50.
If you are validating an old-style card, validate it at
the yellow box the first time you use it. You can buy
the Travel Card and your bus ticket at the same counter
in Treviso Airport.
The new style card is the IMOB card. It is validated
by holding it about 6cm away from the centre of the new
style box which will confirm validity by a ping sound
and the green LCD light at the top right-hand side of
the panel will flash. This must be done for every
journey you take.
The fine for travelling without a valid ticket is €44
plus the fare due. During the ten days I was in Venice
recently I had to produce my ticket four times for
random checks.
The bus journey to
PIAZZALE ROMA
from Treviso Airport takes approximately
one hour.
On arrival at
PIAZZALE ROMA follow the
zebra crossings (watch the traffic!) and go down the
steps/ramp to the gondolas at
SERVIZIO
GONDOLE.
The vaporetto you take depends on your
destination. Those travelling to the left go to
ST.
MARK’S SQUARE along the
GRAND
CANAL. Those going to the
right serve
GIUDECCA
and Islands in the lagoon. Take your time to
absorb this amazing city. Don’t rush. There are no
traffic jams!
Parents and persons of limited mobility should
note that Venice presents many obstacles for buggies and
wheelchairs. Venice is a
series of islands linked by stepped bridges. Also
heavy suitcases present problems and sensible walking
shoes are a must. High heels and the cobblestones do
not go well together either.
It is not unusual for queues of two hours to
form at
St. Mark's Basilica for a
10 minute rushed visit. However,
St. Mark's Basilica is
first and foremost a place of worship and is closed to
tourists during services.
The staff in the Basilica welcome those who wish
to attend the services and staff at the northern door
hand out service sheets in many languages.
If you show respect, dress appropriately,
remain in your assigned place for the service and
participate discreetly, you will experience a working
Basilica
in all its splendour. The Easter
ceremonies are particularly notable and the singing of
the
Capella
San Marco which echoes
through the domed ceilings is veramente indimenticabile
(truly unforgettable).
Getting lost in Venice is standard. Remember that
Venice is a conglomeration of islands connected by
bridges and follows no town plan.
An entire scene in the movie
"The Comfort of Strangers"
is devoted to the late
Natasha Richardson getting lost
in Venice.
The problem with a
map of Venice is that it features
streets that look the size of a standard street, but are
no wider than a pair of outstretched arms.
I recommend that you keep your map folded to encompass
the area you are visiting and keep it at all times
facing out on the clear side of a ziplok freezer bag.
If there is a sudden shower your map will not be
destroyed and it will not suffer in your hands on a
muggy day.
Venice has two main landmarks:
St. Mark's Square and
the
Rialto Bridge. Yellow directional signs display an
arrow for "Per Rialto" and the also for "Per San
Marco". One sign does not always lead to the other and
then the fun starts! Also enterprising shopkeepers put
up their own signs to mislead you in the direction of
their own shops!
However, you will eventually make it
to your destination. Just enjoy the experience..it is
part of the Venice adventure.
Your best friend in Venice is your
digital camera.
Bring it with you at all times. Men should secure it
to a belt, and the the ladies should consider putting
the camera strap around their necks.
Because the scenes change by the minute you will never
miss a
photo opportunity if you have your camera at the
ready. It is good manners to ask "Permesso?" for
close-ups of individuals and usually permission is
graciously granted, except for gondoliers who may say "No
Picture!"
On the
vaporetto make sure your camera strap is securely
held around your wrist. I have no doubt that the bed
of the Grand Canal is decorated with cameras, caps and
dentures lost by their owners when the vaporetto jolted
suddenly.
Another use for your camera. You found a lovely
restaurant in an out of the way place. You would like to
visit it again. Unless you have a brilliant sense of
direction or the instincts of a homing pigeon finding
that restaurant again may be quite a challenge. I
suggest that you take digital photos of landmarks on
your route back to your accommodation and they may guide
you back to your chosen destination (eventually).
While no city is ever completely safe, Venice is one of
the safer cities of the world, with a comforting,
visible police presence. However,
Venice is a magnet
for pickpockets. A wallet in your back pocket or a
purse on the top of an open bag is an invitation to an
experienced thief. Wear a money belt.
Venice is very popular with the customers of Lillis
Travel who wish to
join or leave a cruise from the port
of Venice. All the major Cruise lines including Royal
Caribbean and MSC Cruises use Venice as a base for their
magnificent ships. We can offer our customers a huge
selection of suitable hotels in Venice for that stay
before or after a cruise, and would be delighted to
share our knowledge of this magnificent city.
READ MAIREAD'S ACCOUNT OF A
CRUISE FROM VENICE TO THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN.
The best indicator of
prices in Venice is as follows:
a 500ml bottle of water can cost up to €3 in the St.
Mark's Square area, yet a 1.5ltr bottle (3 times the
size) may be obtained in a supermarket for a
little as €0.15...that is a 95% discount on the St.
Mark's Square price! Add to that the fact
that I have seen several notices advising that the
public water supply in Venice is of good quality and
safe to drink.
You won't find a
supermarket in the St. Mark's Square
area, but if you wish to stock up on essentials on
arrival in Venice there is a Co-Op supermarket in Piazza
le Roma, left of the Vaporetto Ticket Office, past the
Post Office, and behind the number 42 vaporetto stop.
Some
Post Offices close at 2p.m. and not all tabacchi sell
stamps for Europe. Ask for a stamp ("francobollo")
"per America" and you may be lucky.
The nearest approximation that Venice has to Grafton
Street is the
Calle Larga 22 Marzo,
behind the Central
Post Office. It has Versace, Gucci and Prada
outlets at or near the streets. Needless to
say,
fake Gucci and Prada bags are on sale everywhere
throughout central Venice. Not many people
are aware, however, that Italian Law provides for a fine for the purchasers of the fakes, but no
sanction for the seller.
The
Ferrari shop,
off St. Mark's Square, is a magnet for
racing enthusiasts of all ages.
Giudecca Island, south of Venice and visible from St.
Mark's Square, is where the Venetians live.
I have stayed in Giudecca in each of the last two years
and it has a totally different atmosphere to Venice
proper. One of the reasons for this is quite
sad. The present population of Venice is
just over 60,000 and dropping. In the 1950s
twice that number lived in Venice. Venice,
and Giudecca in particular, has the highest
concentration of pensioners in the whole of Italy.
This is mainly for reasons of work, difficulties rearing
children, costs of accommodation and transport
difficulties. However, it means that
Giudecca is an oasis of Italian calm just a 10 minute
vaporetto ride away from the crazily overcrowded centre
of Venice.
One is inclined to forget that Venice has a beach and
that beach is the
Venice Lido. I would
recommend that families with children and those who are
wheelchair bound should consider Lido as a base for
exploring Venice. Firstly, there is the
beach, admittedly not among the greats, secondly, the
pavements on the streets are wide and flat, and third,
there is vehicle access.
The most popular
excursions from Venice
are the morning
and afternoon excursions to
Murano,
Burano and
Torcello,
which usually cost €20 per person.
It is possible to get to Murano on the public vaporetto
(the fare is included in the visitor travel card) and
using this option would avoid the visit to a
glass-blowing demonstration and give the visitor more
time to explore Murano, which has it's own
Grand Canal.
Burano is the most attractive of the three islands
visited on the daily excursions.
Burano is noted for its brightly painted houses.
There a lots of displays of
local and imported hand-made
lace.
Because the jetty in Torcello is a brisk 10 minutes walk
each way from the Church, which has a very impressive
"Last Judgment", there is very little time for a proper
visit and visitors are warned that the boat will not
wait for latecomers.
Two sights in Venice are worth noting. Away
from the crowds of visitors in the inner Piazzas,
children are to be seen playing happily and safely in
the open. This is a rare sight in modern
times. The other is the Venetian love of
dogs. They are to be seen everywhere in the
care of their owners, without any dog-poo to be seen
anywhere. The breed of choice in Venice is
clearly the
Maltese Terrier.
In order to really experience Venice and Italy a basic
understanding of Italian is an outstanding help.
Given that it is multiples of times easier to learn a
new language at 6 than at at 60 + anyone in the latter
category should not be daunted.
Once you have overcome the decision not to be daunted,
the next step is coming to terms with the challenge.
Italian is not an easy language for English-speakers.
There are fifteen tenses plus the imperative and gerund.
Nouns, pronouns and adjectives have masculine and
feminine forms and agreement in gender and number also
extends to certain verbs in use. The Chinese
Water Torture is a holiday compared to the construction
of Italian compound tenses. Add to that a
verbal delivery that zips by faster than a Ferrari!
The important thing to remember is that learning a new
language can be fun.
For the past two years I have attended Diploma in
Italian Classes
under the aegis of NUIG at the Clare
Education Centre in Ennis, supplemented by a Residential
Week in Venice under the tutelage of
Instituto Venezia.
I have found the experience personally enriching and
rewarding and to others, of any age cohort, considering
Italian Lessons, I wish buona fortuna!
Do not miss your opportunity to visit the charming city
of Venice, while the Ryanair schedule to
Treviso is
still in place. Talk to us in Lillis Travel
about holiday options, Hotels, Cruises and Escorted
Tours featuring Venice. Just phone us at
065-9051046 [Mon-Fri 10-5.30] or
contact us by e-mail.
See also:
MILAN
FLORENCE |
The Bridge of Sighs has a very attractive
scaffolding in place for repairs at present. "Il cielo dei
sospiri" translates as "The Sky of the Sighs".
Book
City Tours to
Venice
View of Venice Island from Giudecca
Flights to Venice
Old style. New style
A Venetian Vaporetto.
We do not recommend Venice
for parents who have to drag buggies up and down the
bridges.
Travel Insurance to Italy
After the Easter Sunday
Ceremonies 2009.
Go this way...
...or that way...
...or the way the shopkeeper prefers...
...if you are confused you are in plenty of company!
Policing is visible
in St. Mark's Square.
MSC
Musica passes through the Venice
Lagoon.
You might pass this place and not know it was a busy and
reasonably priced supermarket.
Venice's very understated answer to Grafton St., but
worth a visit.
The Ferrari Shop is a
magnet for visitors.
Rush hour in Giudecca!
Venice Lido, the beach of Venice.
Burano is a lovely, colourful island, and well worth a
visit.
The Lion may the symbol of Venice, but the Maltese
Terrier has pride of place in the hearts of Venetians.
Learning Italian in Venice can be fun.
If you require further
information on holidays in Italy please
contact us or phone (065)
9051046
(Mon-Fri 10-5.30)
See also:
VERONA
CRUISES
|
