Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
toward Fondamente Nove. You can take vaporetto #4.1 from San Zaccaria-Jolanda, or
#5.2 from the train station or Piazzale Roma, to the Ospedale stop.
Be Prepared toSplurge: Venice is expensive forresidents as well as tourists, as everything
must be shipped in and hand-trucked to its destination. I find that the best way to enjoy
Venice is just to succumb to its charms and blow a little money.
CrowdControl: Thecityisinundatedwithcruise-shipcrowdsandtoursfrommainlandho-
tels daily from 10:00 to about 17:00. Crowds can be a serious problem at St. Mark's
Basilica. Trygoingearlyorlate,orevenbetter,youcanbypassthelineifyouhaveabag
to check (see here ) . At the Doge's Palace, avoid the long line by purchasing your ticket
at the less-crowded Correr Museum. You can also visit late in the day, buy your ticket
online, or book a tour. For the Campanile, ascend late (it's open until 21:00 July-Sept),
orskipitentirely ifyou'regoingtothesimilar SanGiorgioMaggiorebelltower.Forthe
Accademia, go early or late—or you can reserve a ticket at least a day in advance by
phone or online.
Sights that have crowd problems get even more crowded when it rains.
Take Breaks: Venice's endless pavement, crowds, and tight spaces are hard on tourists, es-
pecially in hot weather. Schedule breaks in your sightseeing. Grab a cool place to sit
down, relax, and recoup—meditate on a pew in an uncrowded church, or stop in a café.
Etiquette: On St. Mark's Square, a “decorum patrol” admonishes snackers and sunbathers.
Picnicking is forbidden (keep a low profile). The only place for a legal picnic is in
Giardinetti Reali, the small park along the waterfront west of the Piazzetta near St.
Mark's Square.
Dress Modestly: When visiting St. Mark's Basilica or other major churches, men, women,
and even children must cover their shoulders and knees (or risk being turned away). Re-
move hats when entering a church.
Public Toilets: Handy public WCs (€1.50) are near major landmarks, including: St. Mark's
Square(behindtheCorrerMuseumandatthewaterfrontpark,GiardinettiReali),Rialto,
andtheAccademiaBridge.Usefreetoiletswheneveryoucan—inamuseumyou'revis-
itingoracaféyou'reeatingin.Youcouldalsogetadrinkatabar(cheaper)andusetheir
WC for free.
Best Views: On St. Mark's Square, enjoy views from the soaring Campanile or the balcony
of St. Mark's Basilica (both require admission). The Rialto and Accademia bridges
provide free, expansive views of the Grand Canal, along with a cooling breeze. Or get
off the main island for a view of the Venetian skyline: Ascend the Church of San Gior-
gio Maggiore's bell tower, or venture to Giudecca Island to visit the swanky bar of the
Molino Stucky Hilton Hotel (free shuttle boat leaves from near the San Zaccaria-M.V.E.
vaporetto dock).
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