Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mingling After Hours
Venetians don't always have time to join the conversation during their workdays, but stick
around and you'll see a different city. Venice is best when caught between acts, after the
day-trippers rush off to beat afternoon traffic, and before cruise ships dump dazed new-
comers off in Piazza San Marco with three hours to see all of Venice before lunch. Those
visitors may never get to see Venice in its precious downtime, when mosaic artisans con-
verge at the bar for tesserae shoptalk and jokes over a
spritz
(
prosecco
-bitters cocktail).
The most sensitive happy-hour subject is still Mose (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromec-
canico), the controversial flood-barrier system currently under construction. But the com-
bined effects of industrial pollution and global warming are also taken very seriously in this
fragile lagoon ecosystem, and any effort you make to help mitigate the impact of travel -
stay longer, eat and drink local specialities, support local artisans, tidy up after yourself -
makes you a most welcome guest. Share your appreciation with Venetians, and they'll re-
turn the sentiment. 'There's only one Venice', explains one host as he pours another glass
of fizzy Veneto
prosecco
well past the mark for
un ombra
(half-glass). 'We might as well
enjoy it.'
VENETIAN ROAD RULES
Even though there are no cars in Venice, some pedestrian traffic rules apply:
Walk single file and keep right
along narrow streets to let people pass in either direction, and make way for any-
one who says
permesso
(excuse me) - usually a local rushing to or from work or school.
Pull over to the side
if you want to check out a shop window or snap a photo, but don't linger for long: this is the
pedestrian equivalent of double-parking your car.
Keep moving on smaller bridges
, where stalled shutterbugs can cause traffic jams. But feel free to snap away on
the Rialto and Accademia bridges - everyone loves photographing these Grand Canal views, including locals.
Offer to lend a hand
if you see someone struggling with a stroller or heavy bag on a bridge, and you may earn a
grateful
grazie!
