Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Phonecards
You can buy phonecards (€3, €5 or €10) at post offices, tobacconists and newsstands, and from vending machines in
Telecom offices. Snap off the perforated corner before using it. Phonecards have an expiry date - usually 31 December
or 30 June, depending on when you purchase it.
Stick to Telecom phonecards rather than the overpriced 'international calling cards' available in vending machines in
Marco Polo airport, which can charge as much as €1 per minute for local calls.
PUBLIC PHONES
Many orange Telecom payphones only accept
carte/schede telefoniche
(phonecards), though there are payphones that
accept coins around the Santa Lucia train station, Piazzale Roma, Campo Santa Margherita and Piazza San Marco.
There's also a bank of telephones near the post office on Calle Galeazza.
Time
Italy (and hence Venice) is one hour ahead of GMT/UTC during winter and two hours ahead during the daylight-saving
period, which runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. Besides the UK, Ireland and Portugal,
most other Western European countries are on the same time as Italy year-round; New York (Eastern Time) is six hours
behind Italy. To compare Venice with other time zones, see
www.worldtimezone.com
. Note that times are often listed
using a 24-hour clock (ie 2pm is written as 14 hours).
Toilets
Most bars and cafes reserve the restroom for paying customers only, so sudden urges at awkward moments call for a
drink-buying detour - but be sure the place actually has a toilet before plunking down your cash. Look before you sit:
even in women's bathrooms, some toilets don't have seats, and sometimes there is no toilet at all - just a hole with
footrests. Public toilets (€1.50) are scattered around Venice near tourist attractions (look for the 'WC Toilette' signs),
and are usually open from 7am to 7pm (sometimes closing earlier in winter).
Tourist Information
The useful monthly booklet
Un Ospite di Venezia
(A Guest in Venice;
www.unospitedivenezia.it
) , published by a
group of Venetian hoteliers, is distributed in many hotels and can also be viewed online. In tourist offices, ask for
La
Rivista di Venezia,
a bimonthly free magazine with articles in Italian and English, with a handy
Shows & Events
listings
insert. Another useful listings freebie in Italian and English is
Venezia da Vivere
(
www.veneziadavivere.com
) , which
you can check out online. You may find it in printed form in bars and shops. The Veneto section of
Corriera della Sera
(
www.corriere.it
) is also useful for current and upcoming events.
Tourist Offices
Azienda di Promozione Turistica
(Azienda di Promozione Turistica; 041 529 87 11;
www.turismovenezia.it
) has
several branches that can provide information on sights, suggested itineraries, day trips from Venice, transport, special
events, shows and temporary exhibitions. Official APT outlets providing tourist information include the following - all
open daily:
