10 Travel Tips to Make Venice Even More Magical

[x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; “][x_text class=”center-text “]by Danny de la Cruz[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”3/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]It’s difficult to put Venice, Italy into words because no description can capture the magic once you find yourself in this popular tourist destination. If you decide to add Venice to your travels, we’ve got some easy travel tips to keep in mind so that it’s even more memorable and magical. And I hope you enjoy this travel footage from my time exploring this floating city.

Think Twice About Luggage

The general rule in travel is that you pack light. This is even more important in Venice because you’ll have to deal with crossing numerous bridges and walking through narrow passageways–heavy suitcases and many pieces of luggage won’t make it a pleasurable experience. If you’re lucky to have a hotel directly on the Grand Canal, then you can pull up in your water taxi and the staff can help you with your luggage, but if your hotel is away from the Grand Canal, get ready for a trek up and down and around.

Travel From Marco Polo Airport

The fastest (and most exciting) way to get into Venice from Marco Polo Airport is via a private water taxi. In a matter of minutes, you’ll find yourself in the Grand Canal and the heart of it all. It’s fast, but not cheap and could cost around 100 Euros. You can only pay in cash unless you’ve booked online or made other arrangements through a hotel.

The alternative is the public water bus which is cheap, but it could take up to an hour to reach your final destination. Also, there are only certain stops along the Grand Canal so depending on your hotel’s location, you could be hauling your luggage over bridges and narrow passageways as mentioned above, so be prepared.

Getting Around

Venice is a walking city. Bring comfortable shoes, be prepared to cross bridges and travel through narrow passageways as you explore. It’s a small island so you can walk everywhere. For a more scenic alternative, the public water bus is another way to get from A to B. It’s cheap, especially if you go with a multi-day ticket, but note that depending on where you want to go, it’s a rather slow mode of transportation. But hey, vacations are meant for slowing down anyway, right?

Tourist Trap Eateries

If you don’t want to feel cheated, avoid the eateries and cafes around the main sights of Venice—the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco, to name a few. I’ve heard stories of people having coffee at a table in Piazza San Marco and paying exorbitant prices simply because of the location. Same goes for the restaurants. These locations are filled with menu items geared to tourists. Go off the beaten path and find local eateries where the locals are dining and you’ll have a much more genuine experience and at much more reasonable prices.

Ditch the GPS and Get Lost

If I had to pick my number one travel tip for Venice, it’s probably this one. Venice is a city meant for walking and wandering. It’s a city where you ditch Google Maps and just explore. Let one turn lead to another and you’ll never know what magical place you’ll discover. Even if you get lost, the locals are so friendly and you’ll always find a sign leading to the major tourist sights. It’s hard to really get lost on this tiny island.

Hotel Strategy

Venice isn’t a large so you don’t have to stay at a hotel right next to the major sights. Also, by picking hotels in other areas, you won’t feel trapped by the throngs of tourists depending on the time of year you’re visiting and pricing may be much better. If your budget allows, pick a hotel right on the Grand Canal for amazing views each day and for easy access.

Gelato

Aside from pasta, gelato is a must when in Italy. Fortunately, there is an abundance of gelato choices when in Venice. Our favorite of them all is Grom Gelato and luckily for us, there was one right around the corner from our hotel. For the purist in me, I love gelato simply scooped into cup–no need for all the extra toppings or cone. I simply want to enjoy the texture and flavor. One tip as you’re checking out gelato places, avoid the ones where the flavors are brightly colored. Gelato should be natural in color reflecting the ingredients/flavors from which it’s made.

The Early Bird

Ahh the crowds. Depending on the time of year, specially Summer, the crowds are inevitable in Venice. Aside from picking an off season to minize the crowds, wake up very early to get the city to yourself.  You may even find yourself with just the pigeons in Piazza San Marco if you get there early enough. The narrow passage ways around town will be all to yourself  and you can enjoy the sounds of the city as it awakens.

Free Views Are Even Better

One of our discoveries was stumbling upon the T Fondaco dei Tedeschi department store and their panoramic rooftop terrace. Located next to the Rialto Bridge, it’s a beautiful, upscale store with free terrace access that gives you amazing views of the city and the Grand Canal. There’s the much taller St. Mark’s Campanile in the Piazza San Marco, but there’s a fee to get in, so you decide.

Have Euros, Will Travel

If you’re going to use the private water taxis or take the plunge and do the gondola ride, you’re going to need cash since they don’t take credit cards. For the most part, credit cards are accepted in most places, but for these two unique experiences, cash is king. If you want to experience more of both, check out our travel video above.

For more on Venice, also check out our Travel Issue here.

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