It seems that everybody has Venice on their bucket list. The famous Italian city on the water is the world’s most coveted tourist attraction for many reasons. It is ancient, having been founded about 1600 years ago, and having continuously flourished as an enlightened republic, through the Dark Ages and the Middle Ages. It has been perfectly preserved, not only in terms of the architecture but also in terms of its unique way of life.
All the movement within the city is either on foot or by boats. Not even the commercialized twenty first century has made a dent in how the city lives day to day. Finally, it’s incredibly romantic, with every corner offering breathtaking views of stunning palaces and churches reflecting in the water, and every bridge being a perfect place for a romantic rendezvous. Hence, it is no surprise that Venice welcomes about 30 million tourists each year.
Hosting such a huge number of tourists in a relatively small labyrinthine medieval city is no easy task. Venice suffers greatly from overcrowding, pollution, and low-quality tourist experiences, tourist traps, and even downright scams that aim to take advantage of the less knowledgeable and less prepared among the travelers.
Therefore, we would like to offer you advice from the experts at GlassOfVenice.com on how to make the best of your trip to Venice, even if it is short, in order to appreciate all the beauty and uniqueness of this city while avoiding tourist traps and negative experiences. GlassOfVenice imports and distributes authentic Murano Glass around the world, and as such they work directly with many glass artisans on Murano island. After many trips to Venice and Murano they graciously share insider information with you to make your Venetian adventure memorable and fun.
To get the most out of Venice, especially in the height of the tourist season in the summer, you need to seek out the experiences that take you away from the crowds and into less known more authentic corners of Venice and the Venetian Lagoon. Since Venice is notoriously hard to navigate thanks to its network of canals and hundreds of narrow medieval alleys that lead to dead ends, most tourists are afraid of getting lost. They stick to a few well-known and easy routes that connect the most famous attractions and key destinations, such as Piazza San Marco, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, and the train station. As a result, these routes are overloaded with people and present few opportunities to see real Venice and avoid stress.
To see living breathing Venice here are our top 5 travel tips:
1. Veer off the beaten path into the areas further away. Venice has 6 boroughs or Sestiere, and those further away from San Marco Square, the train station, and Rialto Bridge, such as San Polo, Santa Croce, Dorsoduro and parts of Castello, are full of wonderful authentic restaurants and osterias, cute cafes, neighborhood bars, amazing architecture and also have museums and churches that are a pleasure to discover.
2. Do what Venetians do. Visit Rialto fish market early in the morning. You will see a colorful display of fish and seafood that was swimming in the Adriatic just hours ago. The fishmongers are moving fast trying to serve Venetians, who are picky about their seafood. They love their fish, octopus, razor clams, mussels, and crabs fresh and flavorful, caught in the morning for tonight’s dinner. Even if you won’t buy anything, you will experience the hustle and bustle of the fish market taking you back into the ancient times. Added bonus: just like on the paintings of Canaletto, all this action is set against the stunning backdrop of beautiful palaces lining up Grand Canal and seagulls hovering above. What could be more authentic and unique?
All the movement within the city is either on foot or by boats. Not even the commercialized twenty first century has made a dent in how the city lives day to day. Finally, it’s incredibly romantic, with every corner offering breathtaking views of stunning palaces and churches reflecting in the water, and every bridge being a perfect place for a romantic rendezvous. Hence, it is no surprise that Venice welcomes about 30 million tourists each year.
Hosting such a huge number of tourists in a relatively small labyrinthine medieval city is no easy task. Venice suffers greatly from overcrowding, pollution, and low-quality tourist experiences, tourist traps, and even downright scams that aim to take advantage of the less knowledgeable and less prepared among the travelers.
Therefore, we would like to offer you advice from the experts at GlassOfVenice.com on how to make the best of your trip to Venice, even if it is short, in order to appreciate all the beauty and uniqueness of this city while avoiding tourist traps and negative experiences. GlassOfVenice imports and distributes authentic Murano Glass around the world, and as such they work directly with many glass artisans on Murano island. After many trips to Venice and Murano they graciously share insider information with you to make your Venetian adventure memorable and fun.
To get the most out of Venice, especially in the height of the tourist season in the summer, you need to seek out the experiences that take you away from the crowds and into less known more authentic corners of Venice and the Venetian Lagoon. Since Venice is notoriously hard to navigate thanks to its network of canals and hundreds of narrow medieval alleys that lead to dead ends, most tourists are afraid of getting lost. They stick to a few well-known and easy routes that connect the most famous attractions and key destinations, such as Piazza San Marco, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, and the train station. As a result, these routes are overloaded with people and present few opportunities to see real Venice and avoid stress.
To see living breathing Venice here are our top 5 travel tips:
1. Veer off the beaten path into the areas further away. Venice has 6 boroughs or Sestiere, and those further away from San Marco Square, the train station, and Rialto Bridge, such as San Polo, Santa Croce, Dorsoduro and parts of Castello, are full of wonderful authentic restaurants and osterias, cute cafes, neighborhood bars, amazing architecture and also have museums and churches that are a pleasure to discover.
2. Do what Venetians do. Visit Rialto fish market early in the morning. You will see a colorful display of fish and seafood that was swimming in the Adriatic just hours ago. The fishmongers are moving fast trying to serve Venetians, who are picky about their seafood. They love their fish, octopus, razor clams, mussels, and crabs fresh and flavorful, caught in the morning for tonight’s dinner. Even if you won’t buy anything, you will experience the hustle and bustle of the fish market taking you back into the ancient times. Added bonus: just like on the paintings of Canaletto, all this action is set against the stunning backdrop of beautiful palaces lining up Grand Canal and seagulls hovering above. What could be more authentic and unique?
3. Visit other islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Our personal favorite is, of course, Murano. It is well known for glass-making, and the island is in fact full of artisan workshops and glass-making factories creating authentic Murano Glass vases and bowls, jewelry, figurines, sculptures, chandeliers and more by hand using centuries-old techniques and very basic tools. Murano Glass is a cross between art and craft, representing both the talent and creativity of the designers and artists, and the technical virtuosity and amazing skill of the artisans. If you get away from the main thoroughfares on Murano and follow alleyways deeper into the island you will discover a living breathing small town with Murano Glass art in the streets, squares and courtyards.
4. Go out early in the morning or late in the evening. Most visitors do not stay in Venice, trying to save by staying on the mainland in unremarkable towns such as Mestre, one train stop away from Venice. Therefore, they don’t arrive in Venice till 10-11 o’clock the morning and leave around 6-7 o’clock in the evening. Venture out around 7 or 8am to have the city basking in the morning sun or romantic fog or all to yourself, or after late dinner for an extra dose of romance on deserted Venetian streets.
5. When buying souvenirs, avoid the area surrounding Piazza San Marco and Rialto bridge, where stores are packed, prices are high, and unfortunately sellers often take advantage of unsuspecting tourists and not all merchandise is authentic. Buy Murano Glass in little out-of-the-way stores in San Polo or Santa Croce, far from the train station in Cannaregio, or away from the Grand Canal in Dorsoduro area. Try to pick shops where you can see the artisan at work, creating Murano Glass jewelry, figurines, or Christmas ornaments, or crafting real Venetian masks from papier-mâché right in the shop.
5. When buying souvenirs, avoid the area surrounding Piazza San Marco and Rialto bridge, where stores are packed, prices are high, and unfortunately sellers often take advantage of unsuspecting tourists and not all merchandise is authentic. Buy Murano Glass in little out-of-the-way stores in San Polo or Santa Croce, far from the train station in Cannaregio, or away from the Grand Canal in Dorsoduro area. Try to pick shops where you can see the artisan at work, creating Murano Glass jewelry, figurines, or Christmas ornaments, or crafting real Venetian masks from papier-mâché right in the shop.
Have you ever wondered why sometimes you hear polar opposite impressions of Venice from people? Why some rave about Venice and fall in love after the first visit, while others complain that the crowds are unbearable, the canals smell, the food is not good, and the prices are too high? The difference lies in how these people chose to spend their time in Venice. Those sticking with the tourist routes, afraid to get lost, doing the typical things recommended in every guidebook were probably in the latter category. But if you are not afraid of new experiences, willing to delve into the real culture and food of the places you visit, and ready to follow our advice, you will have a wonderful, fulfilling, and unforgettable time in Venice.