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[Travel] Venice In January
- Thread starter el punal
- Start date
thedonkeycentrehalf
Retired
- Jul 7, 2003
- 8,632
Amble around aimlessly and you will find interesting little things off the main tourist traps (including supermarkets if you want a snack or refreshment at normal prices). Murano is a great island to visit and worth seeing the glass blowing - it's a bit more impressive than the bloke who used to make glass animals on Queens Road.
If you don't want to stump up for the full gondola experience, get one of the public Traghetto boats that give a shared gondolas at around €2 each.
If you don't want to stump up for the full gondola experience, get one of the public Traghetto boats that give a shared gondolas at around €2 each.
Fourteenth Eye
Face for Radio
I went for the 1st time in April & absolutely loved it.
The gondoliers are all 80 euros for 30 mins but its just something you have to do.
My advise is to eat & drink on the other side of the Rialto bridge where you certainly get more bang for your buck & where you will find most of the locals.
It really is an enchanting place
The gondoliers are all 80 euros for 30 mins but its just something you have to do.
My advise is to eat & drink on the other side of the Rialto bridge where you certainly get more bang for your buck & where you will find most of the locals.
It really is an enchanting place
Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo
Waxing chumps like candles since ‘75
- Oct 4, 2003
- 11,098
I went with the then Mrs Shabadoo in March 2012. It’s an amazing place and I’d love to go back sometime.
We did a shared water taxi in the airport, it dropped us at the Rialto Bridge and we got a porter there to guide us to our hotel. On the way back we got a private water taxi direct from our hotel which was very expensive but a hassle free way of getting back to the airport at the end of a busy few days.
As others have said you’ll get lost but you’ll find so many things off the beaten track while trying to find your way back to your hotel. We took one of those pocket guides as the maps in them came in useful.
Eat where the locals eat but if you are going to do one touristy thing have a coffee and some cake at Cafe Florian in St Marks Square, it’s expensive but the cafe itself is stunning and has loads of history.
We did a shared water taxi in the airport, it dropped us at the Rialto Bridge and we got a porter there to guide us to our hotel. On the way back we got a private water taxi direct from our hotel which was very expensive but a hassle free way of getting back to the airport at the end of a busy few days.
As others have said you’ll get lost but you’ll find so many things off the beaten track while trying to find your way back to your hotel. We took one of those pocket guides as the maps in them came in useful.
Eat where the locals eat but if you are going to do one touristy thing have a coffee and some cake at Cafe Florian in St Marks Square, it’s expensive but the cafe itself is stunning and has loads of history.
We went in January 2019. Beautiful weather, although a tad chilly late in the afternoon. Quiet, but still a fair few in St Mark’s sq.
My favourite city in the world. In January there will be fewer tourists and it will be cold and unfortunately you will miss the annual spectacular Carnival 3-13 Feb in 2024. Also, the Vaporetto pass is great value and can be bought at the airport and is about £50-60 for the week and you can use it not just around the city but out to Murano and Burano and the Lido too.
Graet choice
Graet choice
Tony Towner's Fridge
Well-known member
Venice great but can be cold and damp in January. Bologna a great alternative, especially if you like your food! Or do both with the very good train connection.
TNBA
TTF
TNBA
TTF
HantsSeagull
Well-known member
been several times - usually autumn. Favourite city of those i have visited.
The more I think about Venice the more I think it was one of my favourite breaks. We went for the Biennale and this in itself was superb but every day we got up, had a long breakfast, wandered around and took in the Biennale, stopped for lunch, wandered more, stopped at one of the Osteria's I mentioned for wine and snacks, had a snooze and then went out for a long dinner. Whilst there are a lot of places which seem tourist traps (usually have menus on photos on them) it was really easy to find decent places with a little bit of research or just stumbling across them whilst walking.
I also remember there was an excellent food market there.
I also remember there was an excellent food market there.
I like Bologna a lot.
Nitram
Well-known member
- Jul 16, 2013
- 2,178
Have been 8 times, our favourite place. Mostly in Summer and have stayed in the Lido and Venice itself.
Never found it crowded, Brighton is worse.
As soon as you go off St Mark’s square, which is best visited first thing or late, then generally it’s very quiet. You can be completely by yourself even in Summer.
Have a look at the Ghetto area, and enter by the area by the original door which was closed at night to segregate the Jewish population.
Loads of small bars to explore which have snacks/tapas style dishes. Venice can be done inexpensively, or was pre-pandemic, I also recommend the Madonna restaurant, nothing fancy, near the Rialto for the Spider crab.
As said waterboat from the hotel is the best and most expensive way to arrive. You can get a bus for a few euros from the airport too.
It’s a fascinating place designed to wander and get lost in.
You can also get free entrance to St Marks by going to a Mass service, entrance at the side near a marble lion statue, although you can’t wander around after the service.
In the evening head over Rialto towards the fish market, where the original banks were, it’s now an area of small bars and restaurants where people meet at night.
Never found it crowded, Brighton is worse.
As soon as you go off St Mark’s square, which is best visited first thing or late, then generally it’s very quiet. You can be completely by yourself even in Summer.
Have a look at the Ghetto area, and enter by the area by the original door which was closed at night to segregate the Jewish population.
Loads of small bars to explore which have snacks/tapas style dishes. Venice can be done inexpensively, or was pre-pandemic, I also recommend the Madonna restaurant, nothing fancy, near the Rialto for the Spider crab.
As said waterboat from the hotel is the best and most expensive way to arrive. You can get a bus for a few euros from the airport too.
It’s a fascinating place designed to wander and get lost in.
You can also get free entrance to St Marks by going to a Mass service, entrance at the side near a marble lion statue, although you can’t wander around after the service.
In the evening head over Rialto towards the fish market, where the original banks were, it’s now an area of small bars and restaurants where people meet at night.
Nitram
Well-known member
- Jul 16, 2013
- 2,178
Bologna is a great place, very different to Venice. If you are going for a foodie experience it’s unbeatable.