Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The mighty Republic of Venice was home to the first great military industrial complex: a
state-of-the-art shipyard that could build a powerful warship of standardized parts in an as-
sembly line (and did so to intimidate visiting heads of state). While the Arsenale is still a
military base and is therefore closed to the public, its massive and evocative gate, the Porta
Magna,isworthalook(toseethegate,turnleftattheNavalMuseum—describednext—and
followthecanal).Atthewaterfrontendofthecanal,infrontoftheArsenale,standstheNav-
al Museum (Museo Storico Navale). It's very old-school and military-run, but anyone into
maritime history or sailing will find its several floors of exhibits interesting. You'll see the
evolution ofwarships,displaysonoldfishingboats,andgondolas(alldescribed inEnglish).
Cost and Hours:
Museum-€2, Mon-Sat 8:45-13:30, closed Sun, tel. 041-244-1399.
For a pleasant peek into a completely non-touristy, residential side of Venice, walk or catch
vaporetto #1 from St. Mark's Square to the neighborhood of Santa Elena (at the fish's tail).
This 100-year-old suburb lives as if there were no tourism. You'll find a kid-friendly park, a
few lazy restaurants, and beautiful sunsets over San Marco.
From roughly June through November, Venice hosts an annual world's fair—contemporary
art in odd years, modern architecture in even years—in buildings and pavilions scattered
throughout Giardini park and the Arsenale. The festival is an excuse for temporary art ex-
hibitions, concerts, and other cultural events around the city (for more information, see
Riding a gondola is simple, expensive, and one of the great experiences in Europe. Gondoli-
ers hanging out all over town are eager to have you hop in for a ride. A rip-off for some, this
is a traditional must for romantics.
The price for a gondola starts at €80 for a 40-minute ride during the day. Prices jump
about 30 percent after 19:00—when it's most romantic and relaxing. Prices are standard
and listed on the gondoliers' association website (go to
www.gondolavenezia.it
,
click on
“Using the Gondola,” and look under
“charterage”
). You can divide the cost—and the ro-
mance—among up to six people per boat, but only two get the love seat. Adding a singer
and an accordionist will cost an additional €120.
