Venice Local Tips

For a proper ride on a gondola, plan to spend about US$120 for 50 minutes of slipping through the canals.

Some of the best reasons to come to Venice are for the various art, film, and architecture festivals held every year. The International Film Festival is held every August and is considered as important in the film world as Cannes. The Biennale runs for the entire summer and showcases the best in contemporary art in odd years and architecture in even years.

A trip on one of the public “buses” of Venice is a must for a slice of everyday life with the locals. These giant ferries run the circuit along the canal and off to the various islands in the lagoon for a reasonable price.

Yes, you’ll find stupid T-shirts and rude underwear embossed with anatomically enhanced images of Michelangelo’s David, but head to the San Polo side and you’ll find a charming seafood market used by locals.

Don’t bother with the overpriced Internet access in the hotel rooms, There are plenty of Internet cafes all over town in case you don’t want to spend the money to get online at your hotel.

The main Post Office (Fondaco dei Tedeschi) is on the San Marco side of the Rialto Bridge. Stamps (francobolli) can also be bought at tobacconists (tabacchi).

There are many times of day when the Venice Lagoon is magical, but almost none is better than sunrise. Wake up at 5am one morning (just tell yourself you’ll take a nap) and walk along the Grand Canal to St Mark’s. It will be one of the few times you don’t see any people in the area.

There’s not much nightlife in Venice, but there are plenty of tiny halls with classical music playing almost every night of the week. If you like classical, particularly Vivaldi, you’ll be in luck. Just ask the concierge at your hotel, or look around at the various billboard areas all over town. Tickets are rarely more than 30 Euros.

Getting from the airport to your hotel can be confusing. If your hotel is on a canal, you can take a water taxi directly to your front door – but be warned, this can get pricey (prices start at 95€/$129 for two people with a total of two pieces of luggage; www.motoscafivenezia.it). A more affordable option is the bus, which makes the 20 minute trip from the airport to the city center every half hour (3€/$4 per person; www.actv.it). Alternatively, take the public Alilaguna watertaxi, which runs from the airport to pre-arranged destinations in Venice (12€/$16 per person; www.alilaguna.it).