Sockii's Venice: My Guide to the City of Water

^{All images on this page are by the author, sockii, unless provided by Amazon.}

To share all of Venice's lengthy history and reasons to visit would take many volumes of written text (and indeed, countless books have been written on the subject.) I have personally visited Venice four times over the past now 11 years, each trip ranging from a week to over two weeks (I was actually "stranded" in Venice during Hurricane Sandy in 2012...not much of a hardship!) As such I have a fair amount of experience navigating through the city, enjoying its sights and attractions, and never failing to find new unexpected delights and treasures to make each trip a special experience.

This page, and my goal here, is to share some of my recommendations and advice on how to make the most of your own Venetian holiday. I'll share some basic facts on top attractions, and link you to my more detailed articles on specific topics such as transportation, lodging and dining, and the other islands in the Venetian lagoon you should be sure to explore as well, should you have the time.

Venice is a city in Northeastern Italy, the capital of the Veneto region. It is not, in fact, just a single island but actually a collection of 118 islands linked by bridges and canals. These islands are located in the shallow waters of the Venetian lagoon, originally settled by refugees of Roman cities fleeing the mainland and Germanic and Hun invasions.

Venice's isolated location led to its growing autonomy from the mainland—and importance as a developing trade center between the East and the West. In fact by the late 13th century, Venice was the most prosperous city in all of Europe! Venice had developed its own government system not too dissimilar from the ancient Romans, with an elected "Doge" and an assembly of nobles acting much like a senate. Venice also operated with as much freedom as they could manage from the rule of the Papacy; you can see a great deal of Arabic influence in its architecture, and the first Jewish "ghetto" in the world can be found in Venice.

Venice's power began to decline in the 15th century, after the opening of new trade routes destroyed their "monopoly". The plague also devastated the city's population, not once but twice. In 1797 the Venetian Republic was conquered by Napoleon, ending centuries of independent rule. In 1866 it became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

The city fortunately, largely escaped damage during World War II, but today many worry that over-tourism may lead to irreparable damage to the city's cultural and historical treasures. The #EnjoyRespectVenezia campaign has been launched to encourage sustainable tourism while respecting the city and ensuring it can be appreciated for many generations to come.

After four trips to Venice over the past 11 years, I've picked my favorite guide books and spotlight them in the below linked article:

To explore the other islands of the Venetian lagoon such as Murano, Burano and Torcello, one can use the Vaporetto ferry system. Various lines serve different destinations, and the vaporetto can also make for an inexpensive way to tour the Grand Canal and sight-see from the water. You can learn more about riding the vaporetti around Venice on my page all about the water bus system:

A gondola ride is of course incredibly romantic and a traditional way to get around Venice. However, today it is an extremely expensive option - think 80 Euros or more - and primarily meant only for tourists.

For a similar yet inexpensive alternative, take a traghetto across the Grand Canal as the Venetians do. These gondola ferries cost only 2 Euros (for tourists, 50 cents for residents) and operate 7 different routes along the Canal. By tradition men stand and women sit on the traghettos, but tourists rarely follow these rules (it takes practice!)

Venice is connected to the mainland of Italy via the Santa Lucia train station, as well as buses that stop at Piazzale Roma.

From the airport, the Alilaguna ferry boat is an easy and inexpensive way to get to the major locations around the lagoon (book online before your trip and save some cash as well.)

Lastly there are the Venetian water taxis for those in a rush - and willing to spend some serious cash. The water taxis are strictly regulated in Venice and you can secure a booking either by telephone or via the water taxi website. It certainly is an elegant way to travel but be prepared to pay a hefty price for the luxury (a ride to or from the airport is about 120 Euros.) However, if you have a very early morning flight or other difficult connection to make, the water taxi can come very much in handy.

Make no mistake - Venice is not a cheap city to visit! Food, hotels, and transportation all tends to run higher in price than you'll find elsewhere throughout Italy.

However that doesn't mean you have to break the bank to enjoy this special place. There are lots of ways to save money, from seeking out alternatives to hotel lodging, purchasing discount travel and tourist cards, and looking for places off the beaten path to enjoy a meal

For my top 5 tips on how to Enjoy Venice on a Budget, check out the following article:

You've probably heard that "Venice is sinking"—and seen pictures of the city seemingly half under water. Well, it's not so much sinking as suffering from seasonal high tides known as the "Acqua Alta". Some say it is due to global warming and atmospheric changes; others say it is the oil refineries built not far away which are to blame. Whatever the cause, Acqua Alta can occur at any time but is typically most prevalent from late September to April, and particularly in the months of November, December, and October, in that order.

I have been in Venice during Acqua Alta and it can definitely put a damper on your vacation, if you are not prepared for the experience! Elevated walkways will help get you around some of the most commonly flooded, lowest-level parts of the city, but you will have to be prepared to get your feet wet to some degree.

I recommend packing a pair of lightweight collapsible boots or shoe covers for your trip, "just in case" (and for sure if traveling during the most common months for Acqua Alta.) Some extra plastic ziplock bags or vacuum storage/packing bags would be wise as well, just in case you might have to carry luggage around in flooded areas and have items to protect from moisture.

• Venice Glass Museum
  

  This museum traces the history of glass-making, the art for which the island of Murano (where the museum is located) is famous.

• Burano Lace Museum
  Learn about the history of lace making and artistry on the island of Burano in the Venetian lagoon.

• Ca' Rezzonico
  This 18th century palace on the Grand Canal is an important example of baroque architecture and houses works my important artists of the time, including Francesco Guardi and Giambattista Tiepolo.

• Mocenigo Palace Museum
  This unique museum explores textiles and costumes of the past, and has an entire section devoted to the history of perfume making!

• Ca' D'Oro
  One of the oldest palazzos on the Grand Canal, here you can view the collection of Giorgio Franchetti featuring many bronzes and sculptures, along with Venetian and Flemish paintings.

The churches in Venice are magnificent, and many are worth visiting for their art, artifacts, mosaics and history. However please take note of the etiquette you should observe while touring these beautiful churches:

It's somewhat disappointing—and misleading, in my opinion—that Venice does not have a great reputation when it comes to food as compared to other destinations in Italy. Many seem to believe or assume it is an overpriced "tourist trap" of a city, full of inferior restaurants serving sub-standard expensive food.

It is true that in the most touristy areas of Venice (specifically the San Marco Sestiere, and the areas around the Rialto bridge and Santa Lucia train station), you will find sub-par establishments overcharging you to eat frozen pizza and watery pasta. But a savvy tourist will get away from the crowds and in doing so find wonderful establishments serving authentic, well-made Venetian cuisine. Venetian food is quite unique, drawing upon spices and flavors of the Middle East and combining them with the region's bounty of seafood. There are also hearty meat dishes to try, like Venetian Liver and Onions, or Beef Carpaccio—invented here at the famous Harry's Bar.

My first article linked below points out some of the seafood specialties of Venice you should try in the city's restaurants, and the second some general guidelines for dining out in Italy, in general:

If you're planning a trip, you might also wish to check out my Venice restaurant reviews at my food blog, South Jersey Foodie. You'll find lots of detailed information on what I enjoyed ordering - and eating - throughout the city as well as some of the other islands around the lagoon including Burano, Murano and Torcello.

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