Venice FYI Parts Closed

[Joanne Hoefer]

FYI:https://www.cntraveler.com/story/ve...pJobID=1382385451&spReportId=MTM4MjM4NTQ1MQS2

 

[Matt D]

Sounds absolutely Machiavellian. I'm totally sympathetic to the plight of Venetians who still live in the city, but this sounds like a terrible solution.

 

[Alpinista]

Venice is by far my least favorite place to visit in Italy. There is a "must see" imperative for any first time traveler to Italy, but I've never completely understood the love that multiple-time visitors have for the city. The crush of tourists is one thing, but the rude/mercenary attitude of the people in shops and restaurants is not what I see in any other part of the country (not even Rome) and is very offputting. Think we've been there 5 times for various reasons, but we flew into Venice on our way to Slovenia a few years ago and just kept going without taking the time to see the city. I'll yield the floor to those whom I know feel passionately that Venice is a dream destination

 

[Joe Baumann]

Not to offend any Venice lovers, but I have been there once and that was enough. I don't see the appeal either. There are so many other wonderful gems in Italy to see.

 

[Allen]

I'm endlessly impressed by the way this most complicated wonder of a city evokes such sincerely negative reactions. Like other oft repeat visitors, I find it easy to justify genuine feelings of either or both love and contempt for this unique place - but what a place!

 

[Ian Sutton]

Almost every complaint I see about Venice, is either directly or indirectly attributable to mass tourism and the ignorance prevalent amongst their number. I would include rude/mercenary attitudes as something often borne out of a lifetime experience of mass tourism. Italians can often be incredibly hospitable / generous to occasional tourists.

For those that love Venice/Venezia, what are your tips for avoiding the blight of mass tourism when you visit:
- Staying there rather than outside to make good use of early morning / late evening to visit more popular locations?
- Explore away from the main Canal Grande tourist trail/ Follow the side streets more than the main thoroughfares?
- Research strongly beforehand?
- Accepting the mass of tourists and looking beyond that?
- Any other ways you make it work well for you?

Regards
Ian

 

[Sharon J]

We have stayed in Venice so many times, I've lost count. Every time we leave, I say "that's enough," However, as time goes by, we begin to miss it. We always stay in apartments, as we can get away from the crowds, and just relax. We always try and avoid Saint Marks, except in the evening, when we love to sit at Florians with a drink, enjoying the lovely Orchestra. We now wander around off the beaten paths, totally enjoying the sights and sounds of the water lapping against the buildings, and Italian being spoken. Yes, it can be done. However, there are times, when we can't avoid the hordes of people. We also have a few favorite places to eat, which are off the beaten path. My husband speaks quite a bit of Italian, and I think that helps a great deal. I don't know many sentences, but I do try and speak as many Italian words as possible. They do seem to soften to our trying. Every time, we think we've had enough, Venice calls to us. We do, however, usually tack on our visit to Venice at the end of our stays at our other favorite areas in Italy. It easiest for us to fly home from there. No rental car returns, etc.

 

[GailS]

I've also visited Venice many times with more recent visits for around a week and always in an apartment. Most trips have been early May or September. I prefer to stay in the Dorsoduro closer to the Accademia or Salute but areas of Cannaregio or Castello can also be away from the worst crowds. I've seen all the "big sights" and only go back to them when crowds aren’t too bad. I do try to plan for activities away from the crowds often alternating peripheral days with those in the center. For example, I’ve twice taken a trip on a classic boat with Terra e Acqua. I have on my list to rent bikes and ride on the Lido and take the ferry to Pellestrina (I've biked from Punta Sabbioni before). A mix of the outskirts like this breaks up dealing with the congestion of the city. Like Sharon I avoid San Marco if I can and have had trips where I never walked through the square. It has taken a while to build up a set of reliable restaurants. I have had a couple of the worst experiences in Italy in Venetian restaurants though – including this as recently as this past December. For me I think a lot of the appeal is the pedestrian nature of the city. I know it fairly well now and know parallel routes to avoid the more congested streets. Early mornings and nights are still the best though– with fewer people out. After traveling there this past December I do think I will visit in the winter more often, even with the cold and short days. The lack of crowds was really nice.

 

[Fletch]

We will have a month in an apartment in October. We had 3 weeks there a few years ago ( one week with Shannon's Grapehops) and have wanted to return.

I’ve looked to see the cruise ships there during the month and one day there will be nearly 12000 passengers off the ships!
We plan a night or two away from Venice and will take the opportunity to do it then.
We aren’t the type of tourists that must tick all the boxes, and are happy to wander, visit cafes and bars. I have some things I want to do or visit but not in the main tourist areas.

 

[JustTravel]

We live in Venice three months every year and have met some wonderful people. Yes, it gets crowded at times but you can predict when and where, and so can plan accordingly. Our stay usually starts toward the end of October. When the crowd gets to us, we head over toward Via Garibaldi to San Pietro di Castello or Isola Sant'Elena.

For us, there's more to Venice than the Rialto bridge and Piazza San Marco.

 

[Christian]

Next week, we are going back to Florence. We land in Venice and will be staying there for the last 4 days of our trip. For us, it's simply unavoidable and it really is THAT incredible a place that we MUST to fit it into all of our trips to Italy, one way or another. Venice is unique. Venise is gorgeous and the light hits it in such a way that it becomes absoultely magical. Venice can be experienced almost alone. The key is to get up early or go to sleep late. When it comes to crowd, well, I always say that they are the proof that a place is amazing. Are crowds in Piazza San Marco any worse than in Times Square in NYC? No. And yet, we love New York! Crowds are part of travel and can be handled, really. You can avoid them, but if you do, you will not be in Venice.

 

[jan]

We arrived in Venice yesterday and walked from our Fondamente Nove apartment to Piazza San Marco this morning. The Piazza itself was crowded and the calles going in and out but, literally in 2 minutes, we were on empty streets. Gotta stay off the proverbial beaten path, I guess.