Anyone been to Venice?

[RebeccaMillet]

My son has told me he wants to go in a Gondola. I’ve never been to Venice although think I may fancy it? Is it a great place, expensive, worth it?

I personally hated it. It STANK and was full of obnoxious Americans

Probably one of the worst places I've ever been.
Rude people over priced and depressing.
Many other European cities are much more interesting.

Expensive and crowded (like all tourist hot spots). Go off season - cooler and less mobbed.

It's different but quite lovely in December/January. VERY Cold mind you but I think (you'd need to google to double check) that this is out of Aqua Alta (high water when it floods) season.

It's a wonderful really interesting city that everyone should see once in a life time.

if you are able I would avoid high summer as waay too busy and also smelly.

They also have a Carnival which is a super busy time around Easter.

Go in springtime (easter holidays).

Flights with easyjet are cheap if you book far enough in advance. Should be under £100 return.

We stayed at the Plaza hotel in Mestre (its right opposite the train station, 4*, considerably cheaper than venice hotels). Trains take about 10 minutes and very frequent.

I love Venice.

Book a self catering apartment months well in advance to get affordable accommodation. Book the boat buses and museum card more than 30 days in advance for a big discount. Don't go to cafes and restaurants near the main attractions... Go off the beaten track. The gondola is a fixed rate of 80 or 90. Per boat not person. I think you can book a museums pass that includes a gondola ride. Go to dorsodoro and the islands. I love it Have fun!

It is expensive! Whatever you do do not buy food or drink in st marks square! Crazy prices!!

It is most definitely worth visiting! We have been twice and would love to go back. It is hand on heart the most beautiful place I have visited so far.

I'm going against the grain here but really wasn't impressed

January was quiet but Fricking freezing - although mulled wine on the grand canal helped.
July was really smelly, very busy and pigeons everywhere
October decent weather wise but I cried at the graffiti on Rialto bridge - just awful

It has some pretty areas and amazing historical gems, but so spoilt unfortunately

Go between the festivale finishing and the main tourist season starting, so match time. Stay out of the main areas. If you eat in the main areas it's more expensive but if you're happy to snack, not so much.

😂😂😂😂

Another one who thinks it's overrated, overpriced, overcommercialised and overcrowded.
And smelly, with dead pigeons floating in the canals.

We go often as my Dad is from the area.
It does not stink. This is a misconception held by people who have never been. There are lots of beggars which I'm surprised nobody has mentioned before. They are usually Romanian.
Bars Around St Marks will rip you off if they get a chance.
Lido di jessolo is a fantastic place for a family holiday and an hour from Venice.

I loved Venice , the gondola ride I went on was a bit disappointing though. Expensive for a quick trip round some back alleys.

I've been twice, once in early summer and once in January. January was much better, nowhere near as busy and crowded.

There's fantastic architecture everywhere you look and it's worth exploring off the beaten track, you stumble across pretty little courtyards with a fountain or something and stuff like that. And the paintings - even the smallest church has fantastic art and there's one place that I'd love to visit again - it has loads of amazing Carpaccios.

The islands are great and, if you have time, a trip to Padua, approx half an hour by train, is worth the effort. I loved the Scrovegni chapel.

I have been a couple of times, most recently I tagged it onto a stay at a beautiful family campsite in Tuscany we had been to before (Eurocamp type place). It was in the first summer of covid when Covid hit and Italy was briefly a 'green zone'. DD had never been and wanted to go so thought we should grab the chance when it was quiet!

It is expensive but we booked 2 or 3 nights in a cheapish (and quite basic) self-catering apartment directly on a canal. It was in the area where most Venitians live so a bit away from the tourist hotspots and better for it. It is lovely at night when things get quieter. We ate out at lunch for 2 of the days with a cheaper set menu, just wandered about, travelled to the islands, just soaked up the atmosphere rather than spending money on lots of entry to things. Did not bother with a gondola because we both thought we would find it a bit cringeworthy- but that is just us! We got the train from Florence (really cheap and 1st class due to DC's age at the time- some special deal). It was lovely arriving into the station.

You can stay outside and travel in as day trippers but I do think it is a city that you get the best from if you can stay a night or two.

I've been four times over the years, first time inter railing in the 80's and since with partners, friends and family.
I have to say though that it has never massively impressed me, yes it's unique but you can see pretty much everything in a day or two.
St Marks is, well, a square. Bridges are bridges, some nice ones I admit and canals are canals filled with different coloured water depending when you visit.
A gondola ride is maybe a bucket list tick but it's really just a boat ride on a sometimes smelly canal (it does stink on occasions)
The prices in restaurants can be ridiculous and why should you have to go off the beaten track when on holiday to avoid paying seventy quid for a plate of pasta and a Peroni?

DD is over there atm…she’s 19 and has gone solo, staying in a hostel (albeit single room with en suite) which has cost her about £300 for 4 nights.

Accommodation is basic but clean and pleasant, she’s been zipping around on the vaporettos, found reasonable places to eat and photos are gorgeous - she’ll be home tomorrow but would definitely go back.

Expensive, smelly and full of pick pockets! I was underwhelmed. Had a very poor meal and was unimpressed with the amount of fat on sale.

*tat! 🤣

Yes, it's lovely. I'd avoid peak tourist times if you can as it's very busy but very beautiful. Also go to Murano if you can too.

Our rule was to only eat in places that didn't serve spaghetti bolognese. Because those were touristy places. You can eat wonderful food if you are careful to avoid picture menu/English menu/classic crap 'Italian' food.

I had an amazing holiday in Venice in August, staying at this place: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187870-d198753-Reviews-Istituto_San_Giuseppe-Venice_Veneto.html?m=19905

Booked through Monastery Stays. It’s five minutes walk from St Marks Square and amazing value.

The hostel was that much?

At one point in my life, I lived in Trieste, which is about a two hour train journey from Venice, and I used to have to change trains there quite a lot. Yes, it is very touristy, so maybe she was a time when there are less tourists, not mid summer… I don’t think cruise ships are allowed to go there anymore, so it might be a little less busy than before. There are also some really nice places not too far away that you could visit as well, even Trieste and some of the beaches in that area.

Trieste is the home of coffee, and many famous writers, both Italian and foreign lived there, so it’s good for culture. as it is near the border, there is some influence from Slovenia as well.

just an idea about Venice, it is very very popular for Carnaval, but a good time to visit and some thing you don’t see every day.

She’s in a private room with en suite. There are shared options which would be cheaper but she didn’t fancy it, and as she’d originally planned to travel for longer over the summer decided she’d rather pay the extra.

As Venice goes it’s not unreasonable at all. She’s happy anyway and that’s the main thing.