As one of the world’s most visited cities with 20 million tourists arriving each year (often seeming as if they are all there when you are), Venice is a destination that can be as overwhelming as it is magical. To help deal with the ever-increasing crowds, the city is even imposing an entrance fee for day-trippers starting this May, but it’s hard to imagine La Serenissima’s byways will be empty any time soon.
Venice is too alluring too skip, but what’s a traveler to do? Here Joyce Falcone, owner of Italian Concierge, specialists in custom itineraries in Italy, who has been listed since 2009 on Travel + Leisure’s A-List of the World’s Top Travel Advisers, talks about how to make the most of your visit to Venice when traveling in peak summer months.
1. Keep in mind there is more to Venice than the Grand Canal. “If someone visited Times Square in New York City and reported that it was crowded, is it fair to say it is crowded all over Manhattan? The same with Venice. For a varied representation of the city, be sure to visit some of its other sections, such as Giudecca, or Castello, where there is less foot traffic.”
2. "Don’t stay in the San Marco area. It is challenging to navigate the crowds in the San Marco sestiere (the district with the famous piazza of the same name) due to the small calle (streets) where you are literally elbow-to-elbow with tourists.”
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3. Consider a hotel on an island like the San Clemente Palace Kempinski, JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, and Belmond Hotel Cipriani. “Most of the five-stars away from Venice proper offer a shuttle boat. And do not overlook the peacefulness of Villa F or Bauer Palladio, both on Giudecca, away from the crowds and with private gardens.”
4. Or on the Lido. “I have stayed at the Excelsior on the Lido, best enjoyed in the summer months, to beat the crowds, use the pool, rent a cabana and spend the day at the beach. The shuttle was convenient too.”
5. Strategies for dealing with high hotel costs if you don’t have a lavish travel budget. “I still favor four-star hotels with a water view over an Airbnb, even though prices for four-stars in such sought-after areas as Venice and the Amalfi Coast are inching up to €500 per night. To obtain better pricing book early, prepay, stay longer, and don’t forget to purchase travel insurance. There are some really nice three-stars in Venice on the water away from San Marco, but I have not been able to book them for a few years now. They sell out a year in advance. Plan ahead.”
6. How to avoid tourist-packed restaurants.”Go to Venissa on Mazzorbo; Locanda Cipriani on Torcello; Gatto Nero on Burano; or Harrys Dolci on Giudecca."
7. When taking a water taxi: “Don’t be late to get into the boat, because the meter is running. And note, there is a 'difficulty fee' charge if your hotel is located on a small canal where there is the potential for the skipper to get stuck.”
8. Book a hotel that has water access so you can arrive by taxi. “You don’t want to have to travel to and from the train station with luggage on a [crowded] vaporetto. Taxi boats are pricey, but using them as your primary method of transportation around the city would be very convenient if you don’t mind the cost.”
9. "Travel like a Venetian and use the traghetti, a traditional [and inexpensive] way to cross the Grand Canal. Let’s call them a Venetian short cut. A traghetto is basically a gondola, one that you stand in as you travel. Look for the painted signs on buildings that say 'traghetto'.”
10. If you are traveling to your hotel by vaporetto, find out about.…the bridges. “Ask the hotel how many bridges there are to the hotel from the vaporetto stop. Going over one may be charming at first, but not repeatedly, when you are dragging luggage up or thumping it down a step at a time. (If you intend to use vaporetti, buy a pass since they become less expensive the more hours you purchase. You might also consider the Unica pass which bundles tickets for transportation and admissions to museums.)"
11. While there really is no off-season in Venice (or one of any length), the best good-weather time to travel is “from early September to early October. It’s still warm enough to dine al fresco, and weather permitting, you may be able enjoy lunch in the piazza into mid-October.”
For authentic Venetian experiences:
12. “Make sure to visit a bacaro [a Venetian-style wine bar with snack food] at least once for a glass of Friulano (white wine) and sarde e saor (fried sardines and onions) or baccalà mantecato (salt cod prepared to have a creamy consistency). Or if you are lucky enough, granseola (crab) in season.”
13. “Head to an altana, a rooftop terrace of a hotel or apartment building, to enjoy magnificent views of the city while having an Aperol spritz.”
14. “Walk the fondamenta (a pathway along the water) on Giudecca from Palanca all the way to Zitelle on a sunny day.”
15. “Put on your water gear and wander about when the city is flooded. (Download the app hi!tide Venice that will tell you where the flooded areas are and the tide schedule.)”
16. When renting an apartment, go high. “You never want to be on the lower floors because the lagoon water laps up into the foyer when the tides come in, especially during full moons. As in many cities there is an uptown and downtown; in Venice Dorsoduro is uptown and views of any water at all will cost more.”
17. If you want to stop by a beach in Venice when temperatures soar, head to the Lido. “There are public-access beach clubs available to all, at every price point. You do not have to be staying at the Excelsior to rent a cabana at the beach. You pay more the closer you are to the sea, and the first row of cabanas is expensive.”
[If you want to familiarize yourself with Venetian terms Visit-Venice-Italy.com has a great glossary. C.S.]
