What is Venice, Italy like?

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promethius9594

Venice:
<<what it's like over there...
>>> People describe it as a state of elegant decay. The city has an almost magical charm. It's easy to get lost, however, as if you get away from the main canal the city becomes a jumble of poorly mapped "streets" (many of which might only be 3 feet wide).
<<the people
>>> They're italians!!! the people in Italy are amazing and I never felt unwelcome... okay, once, but that was in Pisa and caused by a homeless russian kid who was spray painting a swastika on a builiding and got mad that I didn't feel like giving him money.
<<weather
>>> HOT during the middle of the summer, tepid in the spring and the fall with a chance of some pretty serious rains. Don't go in the middle of the summer, alot of the canals can smell REALLY bad during that time of year. Best to catch early or late summer.
<<language,
>>>Italian, but in places like Venice most people who deal with tourists speak english fairly well anyway.
<<food
>>> All italian food is pretty fantastic. Venice, however, is expensive on the food market so be prepared to dish out a lot of dollars per day on chow. At any rate, be sure to get some of the seafood dishes, as Northern Italy offers some GREAT options on this.
<<tourists sites
>>>To be honest, you can see enough of Venice to be satisfied in just a day or two. Catch a day pass for the waterbusses along the main canal. you can stop at any number of churches, but be sure to catch the rialto bridge (and shop a bit there... free except what you buy), the Campo Salute and the church there (Free), San Marco's Square (free, cost to enter cathedral and tower, cost to feed the pigeons, also notice the pillars), the Bridge of Sighs (follow the main canal behind the cathedral, free to view), take a boat to one of the islands too (you can pick from tourist books. Then just don't be afraid to wander and get a little lost looking for buildings and restaurants that are a bit away from the main canal too.

Other GREAT places to visit in Italy:
1) Rome (5 days)
2) Florence (1 day)
3) Pisa (1 day)
4) Capri (2 days)
5) Pompeii (1 day)

ratth

We were there late September and it got quite hot but not unbearable. It rained once. We had taken the overnight train from Paris. Venice is beautiful and of all the places I have travelled it is there i want to go back. The streets are laid out in grids and you can work out where you are or want to go easily. Remember it is an island so you can't go too far. Tourism is what keeps it alive so the people are helpful. Maps are availabe everywhere. There are great information guys at the train station for immediate directions. We booked through expedia.com and got a deal with our last night free. Watch the tide on San Marco square as it rises and your feet may get wet which is fun as you have to walk on platforms, they sell disposable waterproof boots at the train station. I just loved the whole experience. My 23 year old daughter fell in love with Venice also. We bought Murano glass jewellery for our memories. Go see from a gondola where Marco Polo was born, where Casanova came from, the magnificence of the buildings and that they are built at sea.Oh I want to go back right now. I hope you go, and have a memorable experience as we.

ontheroadagainwithoutyou

It's magical-just go and be surprised-it's more fun that way!

VicToriA ::

big, exciting, romantic

Mark

W O N D E R F U L
http://www.ashka.eu/venice/venezia.html
:-)

Silver Flame

Venice wouldn't thrive if there were no tourist. It's fairly easy to get through seeing as everything is written in Italian and English. Think of it like and island made of tiny subdivisions. Each offers the same: street vendors, cafes, restaurants and such. It's all a matter of what landmarks you want to see. I went to San Marco and got pictures of the former king's church, and other churches. The shops were awesome just don't buy on impulse. The prices are outrageous but there are some shops that are much much cheaper. The more Italian you speak, the more you can bargain on prices. The gondolas are beautiful and are seen mostly inside of Venice, the canals. The only downfall is the blatant disrespect from the tourist. People threw their trash (bottles, napkins, wrappers) in the water instead of finding a trash cans. Depending on the time of year (I went in November) it's a bit chilly. Ok, there's another downfall, the smell of mold and algae. Then again, you're talking about a city that's been surrounded by water for centuries. If you need any other help, just get a hold of me. I have tons of pics.

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