Venice Italy

the purpose

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 08:24:00 -0700

this blog are officially for subject E-LEARNING
(ITE 3543)

that conducted by MADAM MAIZATUL ELIZA MANSOR

THANKS YOU

.Interesting facts.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 06:10:00 -0700

The rising water

In the fall, especially in October and November, it very often happens that the tide rises and the water overflows the banks of the canals, flooding the city: the foundations, the alleyways, the fields, the ground floor of the houses, the churches and the shops. The rising water is a problem for the Venetians but it is an unusual, exciting experience for tourists as it is a unique event. Seeing Piazza San Marco flooded by a still lake of water is most certainly a unique, magical moment, which has been immortalized several times over the years by famous photographers.

The names of the calli, campi and campielli (lanes, squares and little squares in Venice)

The Venetian Calli have unusual names that are usually either taken from the city's history or from an event that took place right on the very spot, or from the jobs of the people who lived in that lane or square. The names of the streets are written on small white squares that are placed on the outside of the buildings and that are called "nizioleti" (tissues).

Gondolas

Gondolas are one of Venice’s most famous symbols worldwide. This typical Venetian boat is extremely ancient and is the result of a series of extremely complex craft techniques. A gondola is 11 meters long and weighs 600 kilograms. In spite of its considerable weight it is quite ease to maneuver by just one person using a single oar. We recommend you visit the Squero(boatyard) at San Trovaso where gondolas are still made today by the master craftsmen using the ancient techniques.

.History and culture.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 06:09:00 -0700

The first human settlements on the Venice Lagoon islands date back to the 5th and 6th centuries, when the inhabitants from the mainland came to this semi-swamp area to escape the barbaric invasions that followed the fall of the Roman Empire. The populations coming from mainland Venice settled in the lagoon, fighting as hard as they could to survive: little by little this group of pieces of land surrounded by water took on the semblance of a real town, a town that was so unique and special that it would become the only one of its kind in the world. The new inhabitants built several rafts of various sizes, supported by strong wooden poles that were fixed to the underside. The rafts were connected to each other with wooden walkways and houses, buildings and monuments were then built on them.

When Venice had a big enough population to begin to deserve the title of city, it was then annexed to the Byzantine Empire, while maintaining its own independence. In 697, Venice elected its first Doge, giving life to a new government: the Dogado (Maritime Empire). However, the event that finally made Venice’s name in the world took place in 828, when two enterprising Venetian merchants stole the Apostle Mark’s body from Alessandria in Egypt, and secretly transported it to Venice. A huge church, consecrated in 1094, was built to house the remains of the Saint, who then became the patron saint of the city: the Basilica of San Marco.

Since the very beginning, Venice showed strong inclinations towards trade. This increased to the point that at the end of the 11th century, the city set up close trading connections with Byzantium. This was the start of the Republic of Venice, which was finally consecrated in 1202 through the 4th crusade that saw the conquering of Byzantium and then the islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The eastern city was sacked and the booty was taken to Venice, where it was used to decorate churches and palaces. The four bronze horses that still adorn the main facade of the Basilica of San Marco were also part of that booty.

After the 4th crusade, Venice gained a strong political role due to the fact that it now controlled a large part of the Mediterranean and it also increased its military power and its trading.

The city’s historical rivalry with Genoa exploded under the form of four wars that were fought one after the other until a truce was finally agreed at the end of 1381, when Venice beat Genoa in the famous Battle of Chioggia (1380). Venice then realized that it was necessary for the city to have bases on the mainland too and began to expand towards Padua, Vicenza, Verona, Brescia and Bergamo. Venice’s prestige grew at the same rate as the increase in the land it controlled and was thus given the name of Serenissima. However, danger was round the corner: the Serenissima was so busy expanding on the mainland that it did not realize that the Turks’ power was expanding rapidly, to the point where they took over Constantinople (Byzantium) and some cities on the Greek and Albanian coastlines.

The League of Cambrai was founded in 1508: this was a sort of coalition against Venice which most of the European powers joined. Venice managed to maintain some of its land after seven years of war, but it lost its control over the Mediterranean. In the 17th century, the Serenissima had to give up Crete, one of its historical lands and the whole of the Peloponnesus area to the Turkish Empire. In the period that followed, Venice’s political power was seriously damaged but there was a considerable increase of the arts and literature in the city, which gave rise to the creation of works of art by Tiepolo, Pietro Longhi and Canova and to theatre plays by Carlo Goldoni.

In 1797, Napoleone Bonaparte conquered Venice, and sacked the whole area, just as he did in the rest of the country. A short while later the Emperor handed over the city to Austria, a ruler that was never accepted by the Venetians: in 1848, the Austrians were run out of the city by a group led byDaniele Manin, and the second Republic of Venice was proclaimed. This new republic did not last for long, however, as Venice was annexed to the newKingdom of Italy in 1866.

.When to visit Venice.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:03:00 -0700

Foggy winter or smelly summer? There are lots of myths about when to visit Venice, so here's our guide to a year in Venice.

Winter in Venice: December and January

Winter in Venice is cold but magical, if you're prepared to wrap up warmly. I had liked the city on previous trips, but it was during a week in January that I fell in love. Of course there were tourists - there always are - but they were few and were mostly intent on their artistic itineraries. The streets were quiet, and local people went about their business or stopped to chat in the little squares. Some brave students huddled outside bars for their evening drinks; but most were tucked into the cosy interiors. This is hot chocolate season; time to retreat into a snug cafe, sip a steaming hot chocolate and maybe read a Venetian book. Perhaps it's over-romanticising, but at this time of year it's easy to feel connected to the city and its past.

Although there may be sunny days, the weather is likely to be grey and can be freezing. Venice gets very cold in winter, with a bitter edge to the damp air. You'll need lots of layers of clothing and a hat. Photographs will be grey, although they can also be superbly atmospheric: misty views, snow falling on the Grand Canal, shallow floods in St. Mark's Square (see our page on acqua alta). Less picturesquely, it seemed to me that the streets weren't kept as clean during the quiet season: there seemed to be more evidence of the local dogs.

Good points: quiet streets; cheaper hotel rates; authentic local atmosphere; hot chocolate in cosy cafes; atmospheric photographs.
Bad points: it can be bitterly cold and you may be uncomfortable spending too long outdoors. Dog dirt.

February

February is Carnival time, so the city is very busy and colourful. Accommodation is expensive and heavily-booked as tourists arrive to enjoy the spectacle. On weekdays we found the St. Mark's area fun and manageable. At the weekend even more trippers flood in by train, so the streets can get very crowded. Away from the masks and costumes though, the local areas of Venice are still quiet and peaceful. And outside Carnival fortnight, you can expect a more typical Venetian winter.

Good points: the Carnival.
Bad points: the Carnival.

March and April

March and April can still be pretty cold and quiet in Venice. I'd recommend that you try to avoid the Easter break, though, as the town is crushed under the weight of tourists arriving for Easter weekend - every European country is on holiday, and it feels as though most of them come to Venice. Although it can still be cold at night, spring makes itself felt with wisteria spilling over from hidden walled gardens and a good chance of sunshine. Local people gradually shed their thick winter coats.

Good points: sunshine; not too many crowds - as long as you avoid Easter.
Bad points: Easter is very busy, March is likely to be cold and April may still be cool.

May

May is an exciting month; when the cold has lifted and the sun becomes a daily visitor. The air is still fresh; hardy foreigners can head to the beaches on the Lido (where some businesses are still closed). May is really the best month for seeing Italy, with its sunshine, comfortable temperatures and flowers (not so many of these in Venice, of course).

Good points: sunshine; comfortable climate. Tourist services are fully operational but without excessive crowds.
Bad points: practically none, unless you are longing to bask on the beach.

June

June is the start of summer and Italy braces itself for its first heatwaves. The weather is usually fine, although it can begin to reach uncomfortable levels of heat. This is your last chance to visit before the real peak summer season. There should still be space on beaches and in the city, though, especially on weekdays. In odd-numbered years Venice hosts its Art Biennale, which runs from early June to November. The first week of previews and openings can be a busy time with luxury yachts, exclusive parties and drunk hangers-on.

Good points: warm weather; sunshine.
Bad points: possibility of heatwaves.

July

By July the hot weather is generally established. Mid-July is the start of the summer holidays for most European nations (who go on holiday at the same time regardless of whether they have school-age children). The Lido and the seaside resorts near the lagoon fill up with sunbathing families. The Festa del Redentore, which takes place on the third weekend of the month, is a massive party for Venetians. Tourists will enjoy the spectacle, but may be frustrated by the accompanying transport disruptions and early-closing businesses. The lagoon's mosquitoes are likely to be out in force by now.

Good points: Festa del Redentore; sunshine.
Bad points: crowds; daytrippers; heat; mosquitoes.

August

August is a strange month in Venice. Some tourists are kept away by tales of smelly canals, oppressive heat and horrible crowds, but others still flock in. You may encounter the odd whiff around Venice - stale damp smells in dark and narrow alleys, for example - but there is really nothing like those myths you may have heard. The city is reasonably hygienic nowadays. It can be very hot (although as we write this in mid-August 2007 it seems that autumn has started, with drizzle and cooler temperatures). And there are certainly large crowds of tourists, many of them families flocking in for daytrips from their holiday spots outside town. The most striking thing, though, is the absence of locals. Italians pack up and go on holiday in July and August, sometimes for more than a month. In residential parts of Venice you'll see shuttered buildings, shops and restaurants. Many businesses close for at least a fortnight - usually around the holiday peak of Ferragosto, the 15th August - and if you are looking for an affordable meal or ordinary shops you can become very frustrated. Tourist businesses tend to stay open, but many of those serving residents don't. More than any other time of year, Venice feels like a Disneyland where tourists have displaced locals. Unless you have no choice, I wouldn't advise Venice in August, especially if it is your first trip and you plan to visit the main tourist sights. You won't be seeing the city at its best. If you do visit in the height of summer, you'll want to escape from the crowds: consider booking a hotel in a quiet area and taking trips to unusual, non-touristy spots like the island of Sant'Erasmo.

Good points: Not many. The weather should be hot.
Bad points: like July: crowds, daytrippers, heat, mosquitoes. 'Local' Venice is away on holiday.

September

The Venice Film Festival takes place on the Lido at the end of August / beginning of September, lasting a week and a half. This doesn't make much of a difference to the main part of Venice, although you may find that expensive hotels are booked up by film industry visitors. The city comes back to life as Venetians return from their summer holidays and re-open their businesses. The weather is enormously variable. You may enjoy a late burst of summer, but temperatures can get much cooler, especially at night. Sudden rainstorms are a feature of autumn in Italy, and these can be devastatingly heavy. Mosquitoes are another hazard of the season; and visitors are well-advised to take precautions against bites. This is generally quite a good time to see Venice, though. You are likely to enjoy some sunshine and blue skies, without the crush of crowds or sweltering heat of high summer.

Good points: slightly quieter than August; local businesses re-open; the Film Festival.
Bad points: occasional heavy showers; mosquitoes.

October

October is a transitional month, before the arrival of the truly cold winter. The acqua alta season is under way so there may be some flooding during exceptionally high tides (around a full or new moon). Visitors will want to bring warm clothing, especially for the evenings, although layering is probably the key. Venice is a university town so you may notice gaggles of new students outside Dorsoduro bars.

Good points: fewer tourists.
Bad points: colder nights; those pesky mosquitoes are still in action.

November

November is the start of the winter, although generally less bitter than January and February. It's time to start appreciating the wonderfully rich drinks of hot chocolate that Venetians have enjoyed for centuries (Casanova swore by it). The Art Biennale (in odd-numbered years) draws to a close, although the music and theatre seasons are under way for those who fancy a dose of culture. On 21st November the festival of the Salute is celebrated, with a temporary bridge over the Grand Canal to the Salute church and a special mass.

Good points: Venice begins to feel like a 'local' town.
Bad points: cold temperatures and grey skies.

> Venice calendar - our guide to Venice for visitors throughout the year

> Average temperatures for Venice (BBC)

Day trips from Venice

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:05:00 -0700

Venice is such a grand tourist attraction in itself that many visitors venture no further. Or, mistakenly, they are led to believe that there is no point in staying more than a couple of nights or seeing more than the main sights. In fact, there is a lot to see in this region of Italy, the Veneto, and several of its most interesting destinations are within easy reach of Venice, which makes a good base for a wide range of excursions.

Around the Venetian lagoon

Firstly, and nearest to Venice, there are the lagoon islands. Heading northwards to Mazzorbo, Burano and Torcellomakes at least a half-day trip and is more enjoyable if you take your time. Reading our lagoon islands travel advice should help give you an idea of how to combine islands into enjoyable full-day tours using public transport.

Chioggia, a fishing town at the southern end of the lagoon - technically another lagoon island - makes an interesting outing as the journey there is so scenic. Again, Chioggia can be visited in half a day, but allowing more time will give you a chance to wander and perhaps to appreciate the town's famous fish market and seafood restaurants. Alternatively you can break your journey and explore either the Lido and/or the fishing island of Pellestrina. Read about travelling to Chioggia.

The mainland Veneto

Venice may be stuck out in the lagoon, but its rail links are good, with trains heading over the railway bridge towards the mainland every few minutes. Frequent bus services also run from Piazzale Roma, some covering long distances. Both bus and train prices are quite cheap in Italy so making excursions into the Veneto shouldn't make much of a hole in your budget.

Treviso is often overlooked by tourists despite having its own budget airport. It's just half an hour from Venice by train, and is a calm, prosperous town with a network of quiet canals, some interesting churches and good art.

Padua, a supremely fine art city, is also just half an hour away by train. If you want to see the Giotto paintings in the Cappella degli Scrovegni, you should make plans and book ahead.One of our favourite days out is to Vicenza, an hour away by train. It's a pretty town with a mellow atmosphere, and you can enjoy a pleasant walk between countryside villas and viewpoints.

There are famously lovely villas dotting the countryside of the Veneto, and some of these can be appreciated by taking an expensive boat excursion up the Brenta Canal from Venice to Padua. If you'd prefer to save money, the same villas can be reached by taking public bus services from Piazzale Roma. The grandest villa is on the bus route, and has the advantage of large gardens and a historic maze: the Villa Pisani, Strà.

For a very different, and less cultural, experience, beach-lovers can take a day trip to one of the Veneto's seaside resorts, such as Lido di Jesolo, north of the lagoon. Further north you come to the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region; some of the region's sites, including the ruins of RomanAquileia, can be visited as a day trip from Venice but the train journey will take a couple of hours.

For a more unusual day trip, you could head to one of the quiet smaller towns of the Veneto region, like the fortified towns Castelfranco Veneto and Cittadella.Monselice is a picturesque little town with a castle and a fortress on a hill, and the nearby Euganean hills offer pleasant views and footpaths. Browsing our Veneto section will give you some ideas of the destinations which can be reached from Venice, along with travel information.

Escorted tours

If you'd prefer to go on a guided tour with someone else to make all the arrangements, it's worth investigating trips organised by Viator. You can book online in advance for their outings, which include trips up into the Dolomites, visiting Cortina d'Ampezzo and tours of pretty mainland towns. You'll probably see more than if you were planning trips by public transport, but obviously you won't have the same leisure to wander. You can read reviews to see what other travellers have thought of their different excursions:

.The Italian Language.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:01:00 -0700

About Italian

Italian a beautiful language to speak and listen to; musical, fluid and emotionally-expressive. For Italians, their words are not merely tools to convey basic messages, but sophisticated descriptions of emotional states. Everywhere you go in Italy you'll hear Italians talking, arguing, complaining, chattering; a vehicle of communication that is strikingly different to the more minimal style of speech in the Anglo-Saxon world. English-speakers are often considered cold or withdrawn by Italians, simply because they say less.

Although every region has its own dialect with unique words and grammatical usages, the ability to speak 'good' standard Italian is regarded throughout Italy as an important mark of education. Italians are very sensitive to how their language is used and are prone to mock regional accents (other than their own) - these are considered more appropriate for private use than for public communication. When speaking to a foreigner, native Italian speakers will usually do their best to 'standardise' their speech.

Why learn the language?

Even if you're only in Italy on a brief holiday, it's worth spending a little time learning basic communication. Outside the major tourist sights, spoken English is not particularly widespread. Without at least a phrasebook you're likely to encounter problems buying train tickets, or finding the right bus stop. And you may also find important notices written only in Italian - for example: museum opening times, details of a transport strike.

A second major reason for learning some Italian is, of course, politeness. It is shocking how many tourists (and British and Americans are sadly big culprits) don't even make the effort to learn to say 'thank you' in Italian. No-one expects a foreign tourist to speak fluent Italian, and most Italians will oblige you with sign language or their few words of English. But it is simple good manners to be able to say 'Excuse me', 'please', 'thank you' and 'Do you speak English?' in the tongue of the country in which you are a guest. And it will do wonders for your relationships with Italians, who will wholeheartedly appreciate any effort made with their language.

Italian for beginners

1. Learn the simple pronunciation rules. Then you can say (and read) the name of your destination, read phrases from a guidebook and you'll be instantly less helpless.
2. Take a phrasebook and/or a dictionary with you, and carry one around in your bag. Otherwise you could be very frustrated if you find yourself in a non-English speaking environment, and need to ask for information.
3. Learn basic phrases and important words by heart: 'thank you', 'where is the bathroom?' etc.

Buongiorno - Good day
Buonasera - Good evening/afternoon - it is customary to use one of these greetings when entering small shops
Arrivederci - Goodbye
Per favore - Please

Grazie - Thank you
Scusi - Excuse me
Parla inglese? - Do you speak English?
Non parlo italiano - I don't speak Italian
Dov'è il bagno? - Where's the bathroom?

Speak Italian

Especially as an independent traveller, you will really benefit from speaking some Italian. From our experience, we can promise you that you will feel safer and more assured, discover useful and interesting facts, cope with unexpected situations, and meet with much greater friendliness if you speak a little Italian. Making new friends and understanding what is going on around you will vastly enhance your enjoyment of Italy. If you have the time, I'd recommend taking an Italian course. Being able to understand what's going on around you, and being able to communicate with Italians, will make your holiday a totally different and more valuable experience. If you can't go to classes near your home or you prefer to study at home, the BBC'sItalianissimo book-and-CD courses are a very good beginning (see links on the right). Even if you just study the first two chapters, you will find you've advanced considerably in terms of useful phrases and general understanding.

Finally, if you are serious about wanting to learn Italian, why not consider a language course in Italy? Language schools throughout the country teach Italian as a foreign language, and a fortnight in Italy learning Italian makes an interesting, educational holiday.

Cats in Venice

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:58:00 -0700

Photographs for cat-lovers

Cats in Venice lead secretive lives. On first acquaintance with the town, it is the pet dogs which seem to rule the streets, touring with their owners every evening in a human and canine passeggiata. But Venice is also home to a significant number of cats. At night, when the dogs and their humans are safely tucked up in bed you can sometimes see a sleek dark feline shape patrolling a canalside, or springing over high walls on the nightly hunt. There aren't many of the usual Italian 'wild' cats in Venice. Those that there are, you can generally find in the vicinity of San Lorenzo (see below). Most cats in Venice are pets and lead indoor lives. On sunny days you can spot them on window ledges basking in the sun.

If you - or your children - are desperate to meet Venice's cats, I'd suggest visiting the Acqua Alta bookshop (Castello 5176, Calle Longa Santa Maria Formosa), where you can generally find one or more of the resident cats curled up. Nearby, outside the church of San Lorenzo, are a few wooden cat 'kennels' where locals feed some stray cats. There is an organisation called Dingo (see links panel) which runs Venice's cat sanctuaries. One is situated on the Lido and the other is on the mainland. Note that cats in Italy are not always the pampered, tame and hygenic creatures you may be used to.

Shops for cat-lovers: in the San Marco district a souvenir shop on a corner between Calle Lungo XXII Marzo and Campo San Maurizio sells kitsch posters and prints of Venice featuring be-costumed cats. Between the Rialto and Campo San Polo, in Campiello dei Meloni, you'll find a nice cat-lovers' shop selling cat ornaments and knick-knacks, including pretty little painted tiles featuring cats in Venice. The Acqua Alta bookstore, as mentioned above, has real live cats.

.Practical information.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:56:00 -0700

Planning your trip

Firstly you should book your hotel well in advance to get a good choice and (hopefully) a good price. Look at a map and by the time you decide where to stay, you'll already have a rough idea of Venice's geography. Although it may spoil the fun of a holiday to plan everything first, with Venice it's good to have a idea of what to expect. Read up on how to get around and tourist attractions and discount cards and decide your priorities - - maybe you'll want to buy a travelcard or tourist card on arrival, or even in advance. We'd also advise you read our page on how to behave in Venice - the city is often up in arms over tourists' behaviour, even threatening fines and arrests, and not all of their rules are obvious.

On this page we'll gather bits of practical information and advice that don't fit anywhere else on our site. Currently featured: postal services; currency; cashpoints; credit cards; chemists; mosquitoes; laundrettes.

Postal services

The Italian postal system can move surprisingly quickly - our record is a postcard sent from Venice which arrived in the UK two days later. Postage to the UK and the rest of Europe costs €0.65. Ask for "un francobollo per l'Inghilterra" / "due francobolli" ... etc. Don't forget to write the country (Inghilterra, Gran Bretagna, Stati Uniti etc.) You can buy stamps in most shops labelled as tabacchi. If you encounter the sort of shopkeeper who takes pleasure in refusing tourists, then head for the central Post Office by the Rialto, on Salizzada del Fontego dei Tedeschi. The queue at the kiosk for stamps isn't usually too long, you may get prettier stamps, and you'll have visited an interesting building into the bargain. The Fondaco dei Tedeschi was originally the base of German merchants; the present building was constructed at the beginning of the sixteenth century and was once decorated with frescoes by Titian and Giorgone. There are post boxes all around Venice (though never when you're looking for one!). Normally there are two slots, 'Per la città' and 'Per tutte le altre destinazioni' - all mail that is destined to leave Venice must go in the latter one. The last collection on weekdays is at noon. For later collections visit the Rialto Post Office or the branch on the waterfront at Piazzale Roma, where the last collection is at 2pm.

Post is transferred around the city on boats: if you (or your children) are intrigued by the practicalities of watery Venice, watch out for the 'Servizio Postale' boats travelling down the Grand Canal, moored alongside the central Post Office, or collecting post at noon (lie in wait by a post box, then follow the postman/woman).

Currency and coins

Italy's currency is the euro (pronounced ay-oo-ro), which is divided into 100 cents (centesimi). Locals complain that it has made life much more expensive since its introduction a few years ago. Maybe, but it's also much simpler to use than the nightmarishly-tiny lira, which forced tourists to cope with prices in thousands. Try to keep a range of small notes and a selection of coins in your wallet - shop staff have a resistance to giving change, and will often demand you give them ridiculous amounts of extra coins rather than simply do their job. Customer service here is not what foreigners are used to: staff are quite likely to be rude or simply throw up their hands and halt the transaction if you can't present them with denominations to their satisfaction.

Cashpoints

Cashpoints / ATMs can be found in strategic spots around Venice and outside most banks. They're called bancomat, and there's a choice of language menus. A standard UK 4-digit PIN works fine - if you have any doubts or you're from a country with a different format, consult your bank before travelling. You should also check your bank's policy on overseas transactions, as charges can be steep - for example £1.50 per transaction. The maximum you can withdraw is generally €250. When queuing for abancomat you're expected to stand some distance away from the customer using the machine.

Credit cards

Credit cards are accepted in Italy, though they are not used as widely as in other countries. Italians are not terribly trusting and prefer to pay in cash. Some small hotels or B&Bs, even in Venice, will insist you pay in cash - check with them before your departure time arrives. Sometimes shopkeepers have the cheek to ask for extra ID with a foreign credit card, despite the international logos of Mastercard/Visa/etc. We're not sure if this is a new law or just officiousness; in all our years in Rome we were only asked once, and we've never consented to show our passport. Increasingly you'll be asked to enter your 4-digit PIN (even the suspicous shopkeepers will accept this as an alternative to ID), sometimes you'll need to sign. In supermarkets the cashiers ask 'Bancomat o carta?', as Italian banks have some system of cashpoint/debit-style payment. You can explain 'carta', or just wait for them to stick your card in their machine, when it should be obvious to them.

Chemists

A chemist's shop is called a farmacia, and they're identified by green crosses. You'll need to ask for what you want over the counter, so it helps if you take a dictionary. If there is any product you're likely to need which you'd find difficult or embarrassing to explain, take an old packet to Italy with you, or write down the full name to show the pharmacist.

Mosquitoes

Venice's lagoon is infamous for its dreaded mosquitoes, zanzare. If you're prone to bites and visiting in summer take some insect repellent or a repelling device with you, or buy them in a local supermarket. All sorts of techniques are recommended for avoiding mosquito bites - taking vitamin tablets seems to help (apparently it's one of the B vitamins they don't like), although we're not sure about the green tea shower gel, and drinking tequila seems impractical. Pharmacists (see above) can supply some pretty powerful creams to treat bad bites (punture), although you can expect to pay at least €7.

Laundrettes

There are several laundrettes around Venice. We've used the self-service Speedy Wash laundrette on Rio Terà San Leonardo, near the San Marcuola vaporetto stop, which is efficiently impersonal, and open seven days a week (8am-10pm). A normal-sized wash costs €6 and takes 35 minutes, and tumble-driers cost €3 for 15 minutes. The machine takes coins and uncreased €5 and €10 notes. Instructions are provided in a range of languages including English. There's a drinks machine and an internet cafe next door to keep you happy during the wait.

Street salesmen and fake handbags

Never be tempted to buy from the illegal street salesmen who clog up the tourist streets with their shoddy counterfeit goods laid out on a cloth. They are breaking the law - watch them sprint if the police approach. And so are you - if you buy from these criminals you too are liable for a massive fine, running into thousands of euros.

Venice Marco Polo Airport

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:54:00 -0700

Marco Polo Airport is Venice's official airport, and is just a few miles from the city.

Venice Marco Polo Airport

International flights to Venice usually land at Marco Polo Airport, 8 miles from Venice (Aeroporto di Venezia Marco Polo; IATA code VCE). Easyjet operate budget flights to the airport from the UK, and British Airways also fly there, with prices which can sometimes compete with the low-cost airlines. Ryanair fly to Treviso Airport, further away. Flight time from London is around an hour and forty minutes.

The airport is modern, busy and fairly efficient. Transport into Venice is straightforward, although services stop at night. You should think about your travel plans in advance, as travel within Venice can be time-consuming, and the location of your hotel will determine your best route from the airport.

Travel from Marco Polo Airport into Venice

Public boats and water taxis

A water taxi is by far the most romantic and glamorous way to arrive in Venice - especially if your hotel is one of the grander ones and has a water entrance. Unsurprisingly, this is a very expensive option and could cost as much as €100. There is a desk at the airport run by the Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia where you can organise a water taxi.

A cheaper way to arrive in Venice by boat is to take a public ferry. A ferry service called Alilaguna runs waterbuses (motoscafi) across the lagoon to a number of the major ferry stops in Venice, including San Marco (for the St. Mark's area), Zattere and Arsenale as well as the Lido and Murano. Check with your hotel to make sure you get off at the nearest stop to your accommodation: it's very tiring to drag cases around Venice's alleys and over bridges. If your hotel is in an outlying location, such as the Lido, an Alilaguna ferry may be your most efficient means of transport. Alilaguna run several different routes, distinguished by colour, so make sure you catch the best one for your destination. Ticket prices for single journeys vary depending on your destination - €6 to Murano or Fondamente Nove, €12 to other stops, with a reduced tariff if you have already visited Venice and got yourself a tessera di abbonamento (see our transport page for more information on season tickets).

It takes several minutes to walk (following the signs) to the ferry stops on the lagoon shore. Tickets for the ferries can be bought at desks in the arrivals hall - but when we arrived late and found long queues for tickets, we were able to pay on the boat itself.

Bus services into Venice

The cheapest transport from the airport into Venice is by bus, and there are two options which link Marco Polo Airport with Piazzale Roma (this is as far into Venice as you can get with land transport). Piazzale Roma is in the corner of Venice alongside the lagoon's road-bridge. Unless you are staying nearby, you will then need to use Venice's public boat services to continue your journey - this is why the Alilaguna ferry from the airport is often a quicker option.

Buses depart from a row of stops opposite the exits to the airport building; there are electronic departures boards.

An express coach service is run by a company called ATVO - the line is number 35, but it's clearly labelled for Venice (Venezia). It runs directly to Piazzale Roma, takes 20 minutes, and costs €3 (€5.50 return). Details and timetables for the buses are available on the airport and ATVO websites (see links panel on the right). They run approximately every half-hour, and the last departure from the airport is at 12:20am.

A local urban bus service, the number 5, also links the airport with Piazzale Roma. This is run by ACTV, is usually a low-slung orange or blue bus, and is the cheapest option, costing €2.50. It stops en route, but is still reasonably quick, with a scheduled journey time of 25 minutes (traffic permitting). The 5 leaves the airport every half-hour until 11.10, after which there are services at 12.10am and 1.10am (details checked summer 2007).

Bus tickets

You should buy bus tickets before you get on the vehicle - tickets for all the airport bus services are available from ticket kiosks inside the terminal building. There are also ticket machines by the stops, although I wouldn't rely on them working. Stamp them in the machine provided when you board the bus.

Taxis and late arrivals

It is also possible to take an ordinary taxi from the airport, but of course they can only take you as far as Piazzale Roma, after which you'll need to take a boat or continue your journey on foot through Venice. If your flight into Venice is delayed until after public transport has ceased for the night (around 1am) then your best option is to share a taxi with other passengers to Piazzale Roma. Expect to pay around €30. Within Venice a vaporetto (waterbus) service runs all night, although with reduced frequency and stops.

Onward travel to other destinations

A direct ATVO service, the 'Fly Bus', connects the airport with the railway station at Mestre, the mainland part of Venice - useful if you are staying on the mainland or heading off to another part of Italy. This is a major station on Italy's railway network, with trains heading to many useful destinations. A local ACTV bus, the number 15, makes the same journey, taking a few minutes longer.

If you are heading for Padua you can either travel to Mestre and onwards by train, or take the SITA bus service from the airport, departing every hour (every 30 minutes at peak times) and taking an hour and ten minutes. A seasonal bus service run by ATVO also heads up to the Alps. This runs from Venice to Cortina d'Ampezzo in theDolomites - Venice Airport is not a scheduled stop but can be requested in advance. Seasonal ATVO services also link the airport with a variety of local seaside resorts such as Lido di Jesolo and Caorle.

Airport shopping, food and facilities

The airport is quite spacious and modern, with a range of shops and eating places. After security there is the usual range of duty-free shopping, with a good choice of shops for travellers looking for an expensive scarf, watch or similar gifts. There is even the chance to buy pricey Murano glassware without cramming it into your regulation hand-luggage. You can find a hot meal either airside or landside. Before security there is a self-service cafe-restaurant, and another can be found upstairs after you've passed through security. Unfortunately these businesses don't keep such long hours as the airport, so if you have a morning or a late evening flight you might not find much open. The bar in the main departures area (after security) closes around 11pm, and serves hot, cold and alcoholic drinks as well as heated rolls and other light snacks. This is where you come if you have delayed-flight food vouchers. Upstairs there is a panoramic gallery with lagoon views; you'll find more shops upstairs, a bar selling snacks and pizza slices, and also the good, cheap self-service restaurant which serves pasta.

General information

I've found the airport to be fairly efficient - my one long delay here was due to fog in London, rather than any local problem. This is the most local airport for Venice, and it is more convenient than Treviso, though it has in the past been more prone to strikes by workers. I've also been suprised at the length of time it can take to travel to Venice by bus. Although the journey is usually 20 minutes, there is just one road between Venice and the airport so traffic problems can be critical; I spent an hour on the short journey one afternoon and wished I'd taken the boat instead (no traffic jams!).

The view of Venice from the plane

Try to get a window seat on the right-hand side of the plane when you're flying to Venice (BA's online check-in is very helpful). Usually the route before landing loops northwards and comes in to land over the lagoon - you can see the bizarre water/landscape of the southern lagoon, then Venice itself from a low height, then the northern islands. The airport is on the shore of the lagoon, level with the islands of Burano (recognisable by its leaning belltower) and Torcello (it's easy to spot the imposing, isolated cathedral). Staring down from the windows of the plane makes a great introduction to Venice. You can really appreciate the city's unique geography, its watery surroundings and the surprising smallness of the city itself.

.Venice Treviso Airport.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:53:00 -0700

The airport described by Ryanair as 'Venice Treviso Airport' is in fact the local airport for Treviso, a pretty town about 19 miles from Venice. It's an easy journey to Venice, with a special coach service.

About Treviso Airport

Treviso Airport (Aeroporto di Treviso; IATA code TSF) is a Ryanair destination with flights from London, Liverpool, Dublin and Shannon as well as other European cities. It's a small airport, despite its large new terminal building, which can only really handle one flight arriving at a time. It seems to us to be well-run, however, and the staff are helpful. The airport used to be called Sant'Angelo di Treviso, but recently it has adopted the name Aeroporto di Treviso Antonio Canova, after the local sculptor.

A new terminal building opened in early 2007. It's a large barn-like building with a massive first-floor departures hall, although the architects appear to have forgotten the airport's primary function. Departure gates, seemingly an afterthought, are clustered around a stairwell with no space for queueing and only a handful of seats.

Food, drink, shops and services

The best place to eat is upstairs in the departures area, before security. Next to the check-in area is a decent self-service bar-cafeteria where you can buy hot or cold drinks, toasted rolls, slices of pizza and pasta (it closes around 9pm). Pay at the cash till before ordering at the counter. It's quite a pleasant place to sit, with views over the road towards the mountains beyond. There's also a small shop selling books, newspapers and souvenirs - a better choice of these than you'll find after the security barrier.

After security, you'll find a typical airport duty-free shop, selling perfumes, alcohol and pricey foodstuffs. On our last visit we couldn't find books, postcards or the kind of cheap souvenir available outside. There are also small shops selling clothes, health and beauty stuff, not-terribly-interesting gifts, Italian football souvenirs and luggage. There is another bar with a few tables offering drinks and light snacks (rolls and cakes). There is a decent amount of seating on the first-floor level, although once you descend to the departure gates you'll find less comfort (see our complaint above). Toilets can be found both before and after security.

Bus travel from Treviso Airport to Venice

AThere are coaches specifically to serve each Ryanair flight, so if your plane is late there will still be a bus waiting. Return tickets are valid for a week and cost €9; a single is €5. At Treviso you can buy tickets in the airport's arrivals hall, validate them in the machine provided, and then simply step outside to find coaches waiting on the tarmac. In Venice you can buy tickets at the ATVO office in Piazzale Roma, underneath the car park building. You can't buy them on the bus.

The journey takes between 35 and 70 minutes, depending on the route and traffic, and we've found this a swift and efficient service with sufficient coaches to meet demand. Most of the services stop first in Mestre, Venice's mainland industrial zone - confirm with the driver if this is your destination as occasionally they run separate buses for each destination - before continuing over the road bridge to Piazzale Roma, Venice's transport hub. The return journey is from Piazzale Roma, bay D2 (check the timetable for the latest details). Most of the ATVO coaches are comfortable with air-conditioning, curtains to keep out the hot sun, seat belts - which should be fastened - and a hold for luggage. It's worth looking out of the window during your journey - the regular route passes some grand old villas on the plains between Treviso and Venice.
.

More transport options

Local buses run by Treviso firm ACTT stop outside the airport on the main road, and these will take you into Treviso. Bus number 6 connects the airport with Treviso railway station in around 15 minutes, and continues into the centre of town, stopping in Piazza Duomo. It runs approximately every half hour - timetables are available on the ACTT website (see links panel on the right). Tickets are cheaper (€1) if you buy them in the airport / railway station before you travel.

If you're planning to tour the area by car, you can collect a hire car at the airport from a variety of firms. Our car-rental partners are Auto Europe.

Early and late flights

The reliable ATVO bus connection to and from Venice means there's no real need to spend the night near the airport. In Venice, too, regular boat services operate both early and late, although you can save journey time by lodging near the bus terminal at Piazzale Roma. Treviso is a very nice town, however, and if you are spending some time in the area you may wish to spend at least one night in Treviso to see the town as well as to be near the airport.

Stranded at Treviso

If your flight arrives late you shouldn't have problems; the bus to Venice will be waiting. But if, like us, you arrive from Venice to catch a late flight, only to find it is cancelled, you may encounter difficulties returning to Venice. Try clubbing together with other passengers to request a bus (if there are enough of you, ATVO staff may be obliging). Alternatively you could consider staying in Treviso overnight. Buses from the main road and taxis will take you into Treviso, where you may be able to catch a train to Venice (the last usually leaves at around 11.45pm).

.Venice transport.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:50:00 -0700

There are just two ways to get around Venice: on foot and by boat. Consequently Venetians are a healthy and fit bunch, with (for Italy) an unusually effective and respected public transport system.

Arriving in Venice

Most tourists will arrive in Venice via the road and railway bridges, which cross the lagoon side by side and arrive in the north-western corner of the city. The road finishes at Piazzale Roma, where there are rows of bus stops in the main open square. There is also car parking, but as a hire car is an expensive and unnecessary option once you're in the city, consider carefully whether you need one. There is a tourist information office at Piazzale Roma, and a few yards away is the Grand Canal, lined with waterbus jetties. The railway station, Venezia Santa Lucia, is a short distance away on the other side of the wide canal, across a footbridge. This is also a busy ferry stop, named Ferrovia for the railway.

Get around Venice

Venice's Grand Canal, lagoon shores and surrounding islands are well-served by waterbuses: the workaday vaporetti and the faster motoscafi. Away from the large waterways, travel is on foot, so be prepared to do plenty of walking when exploring the smaller alleys and canals. Don't expect to get from A to B as directly or as quickly as you could in a normal, landbound city. Boats, including water taxis, must follow the navigable canals so journeys can be tortuous and slow. The Grand Canal winds through Venice like an inverted 'S', and the waterbuses which follow its course take some time to traverse the city. Similarly, pedestrians must find their way along a maze of alleys and are frequently impeded by dead-ends or by the need to find a bridge across an unexpected canal.

It is possible to tour Venice solely on foot, but if you are staying for any length of time, you'll find the vaporetti very useful. There will be times when you are the wrong side of the Grand Canal, far from the three bridges which cross it, and want to use a vaporetto to hop across. Or times when your feet are hurting from all the walking and you just want to sit down and admire the view from the outdoors seat of a boat. And the only way to see the whole of the Grand Canal is by water.

For the best way to get around, we recommend a comfortable pair of shoes, a very good map - including ferry routes - and a travelcard.

Vaporetti

The word vaporetto originally referred to little steamers which plied Venice's waters, but nowadays the term is loosely used to describe the city's various types of public ferry service. Other terms you may hear are motoscafo, battello (boat) and its Venetian dialect version bateo. Venice's waterbuses vary in size and comfort. Most have seats inside and out - the outdoors ones, of course, are the favourites of tourists. Sitting in the open at the back or front of a vaporetto is one of the very best ways of enjoying the Grand Canal. Round the outside of the island, waters can get choppy, making an outdoors seat rather more exciting, and sometimes damp. In the winter months, don't forget to wrap up very warm if you'll be spending much time on the water. Vaporetti can get very crowded, and tourists should be alert to the crew's instructions to move down inside the boats.

Some useful routes are 1 and 2, which run the length of the Grand Canal. The 1 calls at every stop as far as the Lido; the 2 is a faster service with fewer stops. Water buses 41 and 42 call at the cemetery island, San Michele, and at the glass-making island of Murano. At night there is a nocturnal service, the N, which follows the Grand Canal. The network is quite complicated so if you're planning a lot of travel it's worth getting hold of a routemap.

Boats stop and moor alongside a floating jetty (the word for mooring is approdo). At a major stop like Piazzale Roma there are many pontoons where boats pull up - check the numbers displayed on the stop, and the direction of travel. If you're at all unsure, query your destination with a member of staff.

Services are run by ACTV, who operate a bewildering range of fares. It's expensive to travel around Venice, and it's worth doing some research to make sure you don't pay more than you have to.

Fares and tickets

You should buy tickets in advance (stock up at a ticket kiosk by the major stops), although you can buy single tickets on board if you ask a crew member straight away. The first time you use your ticket you must validate it before travel by inserting it to be date-stamped in one of the yellow machines on the jetty.

Single ticket valid for 60 minutes - €6.50
12-hour ticket - €14
24-hour ticket - €16
36-hour ticket - €21
48-hour ticket - €26
72-hour ticket - €31

monthly pass (abbonamento) for €28 is obviously good value if you're staying for longer, but you will need to produce a passport-sized photo and a photocopy of your passport and purchase an ID card (tessera) which costs €8. The tessera can only be bought along with a monthly season ticket, but on future trips you'll be able to use the card to buy single tickets at discounted rates: e.g. a carnet of ten single tickets for €10. You're also entitled to reduced-tariff Alilaguna tickets, and to travel on the new residents-only vaporetto service 3 which runs down the Grand Canal and generally has empty outdoors seats. (Note that in 2008 the season ticket system is switching over to electronic cards called imob but the essentials should be the same).

There is an ACTV ticket office between Piazzale Roma and the canal which has ticket desks inside and outside, and this is a good place to sort out your travel tickets on arrival. If you have any of the Venice tourist cards you may be entitled to free or discounted travel. For example, under-30s can purchase a cheap Rolling Venice card, which then entitles them to a 3-day travelcard for just €18.

Traghetti

These are unadorned boats which run a ferry service at six points along the Grand Canal, crossing backwards and forwards. You can take a traghetto for a cheap and brief taste of travel in a gondola. Locals crowd on and make the crossing standing up, which can be nerve-racking when crossing the wake of a vaporetto. The traghetto services generally only operate in the daytime and a crossing costs €0.50.

Water taxis

Water taxis offer a costly alternative means of transport in Venice. They can also be hired for private tours. There are taxi stands on the Grand Canal and at Marco Polo airport - the telephone number for taxi organisation Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia is +39 041 522 2303. The council's website publishes a list of official tariffs (opens as a Word document).

Travelling around the lagoon

There is a network of ferries which travel beyond Venice itself, crossing to Murano and to the Lido and heading towards the remoter islands such as Burano and Torcello. On the Lido, the long strip of land between the lagoon and the sea, there are bus services also operated by ACTV.

Further afield

It's not too hard to travel onwards from Venice, but if you are planning daytrips in the Veneto you do need to consider the extra time it may take you if you have to begin your journey by crossing Venice on foot or by boat. Trains run from Venice's Santa Lucia Station all over Italy, although for some services you may need to change at the mainland station Venezia Mestre. Padua and Verona are among the interesting towns which can be visited by train from Venice. Buses depart from Piazzale Roma and cover the region.

Strikes

Our final piece of advice is to check to see whether a strike (sciopero) is scheduled on your travel dates - these are highlighted on the ACTV website. While the operators may be able to guarantee a limited service, it's safer not to rely on public transport during the hours when a strike is planned.

.Food and drink.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:48:00 -0700

A rip-off?

Venice is notorious for being an expensive place to visit, and food and drink will probably be among your principal expenses. If you don't know where to eat, or what to pay, the chances are that you'll be ripped off. On our page about budget travel: Free things to do, we suggest that budget travellers cut back on food expenditure, as in Venice it can be one of your least rewarding outgoings. But if you aren't on a really tight budget, you can eat well in the town by following our advice. Here we'll take a look at the different types of food and drink establishment, to help you navigate through the tourist traps and understand the choices available. You can actually enjoy decent food and good wine without spending a huge amount; we'll give you tips on where and how.

Restaurants

Eating a full meal in a restaurant is the most expensive food option. Although Venice is not renowned for its cuisine, it is infamous for its prices - horror stories abound of unwary tourists being charged hundreds of euros for dinner. But few travellers would really want to miss one of their most important holiday experiences: a good meal out, enjoying local food in nice surroundings. At the very least, an evening meal represents an opportunity to refuel while resting after a long day trekking around the monuments. So for Venice, the key is to be prepared. Avoid the pitfalls by taking a list of decent restaurants - we have a printable page of recommendations - and know what you're looking for.

There are a number of words for restaurant in Italy. Ristorante generally indicates a more upmarket establishment with some pretensions, while a trattoria is a more humble, traditional eatery serving local people with simple filling dishes. Food served in aristorante or trattoria will follow a traditional Italian pattern based around pasta, meat and seafood dishes (see our eating out page for more information on Italian meals). A pizzeria serves pizzas; not a speciality in Venice although there are one or two decent places. In Venice they usually have a brief non-pizza menu as well.

A lighter meal

An osteria (or ostaria) is similar to a trattoria, but with a slant towards drinking: instead of a full multi-course meal, you might have some wine along with a plate of food or a lighter snack. Don't go purely by name, though, as nowadays there is a lot of blurring of definitions. A place describing itself as an osteria might turn out to be a smart nouveau restaurant or an upmarket wine/food bar. Like the osteria a Venetian bacaro offers a chance to eat hot filling food in a less formal context; just a dish instead of a full meal. The busy Venetians frequently eat quickly and lightly, selecting snacks (cicheti) from a display at the bar, then eating them standing or seated on stools. Anenoteca is a wine bar, which will usually have a good range of wines by the bottle or glass and some snacks, or possibly light meals.

Fast food and self-service

There are a few American-style fast food outlets in Venice. We think it would be desperately sad to resort to them, so we're not going to publish their addresses. At the very least, try the Italian version where you can get a big slice of pizza with your fizzy drink, instead of a burger.

For fast food in a really Italian style, you can visit one of the city's take-away pizza shops. A hot slice of pizza costs around €2, and this is a good cheap way to have lunch on the move. In the more 'local' pizza shops, if you want a whole pizza, staff will prepare one while you wait. If you ask for a slice or a pizza 'da portare via' they'll wrap it up or put it in a box for you. Two of our favourite take-away pizza places are Algiubagio in Cannaregio by the Fondamente Nove vaporetto stop (a few doors along from the restaurant of the same name) and a small take-away in Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro (called Pizza al Volo - you can spot it by the munching customers outside). For a cheap sit-down meal, see our restaurants page for details of Brek, a cheap self-service restaurant near the railway station.

Bars and cafes

Bars and cafes have a very important function in Italian (and Venetian) society. The words are fairly interchangeable: anywhere called a bar or caffè will serve you hot drinks, soft drinks and alcohol. Some of Venice's bars open at 8am and don't close until 2am. In that time they'll have served breakfast coffee and croissant to workers, refreshments to tired tourists, rolls and snacks at lunchtime, pre-dinneraperitivi to Venetians, and late-night drinks to tourists and students. Some cafes are more focussed on their daytime clientele and will close during the early evening, while others will have trendy fittings and be more of an alcoholic rendezvous. This generally becomes apparent once you've looked at a few; but you'll find that whatever kind is open can serve you what you require.

Most bars sell a selection of rolls and sandwiches, some of which can be heated up for you. These are usually displayed in a glass cabinet or under the bar so you can take a look and see what you fancy. Some bars serve more complete meals, with hot toasted bruschettetopped with tomato, cheese or ham, or salads. These snacks are rarely wonderful, and aren't usually a bargain in themselves, but it's a quick and convenient way to eat and you avoid all the extra charges you'd pay in a restaurant. You can expect to pay from €3 to €5 for a heated roll.

If you sit at the outdoor tables of a cafe, there is almost invariably waiter service, and you will pay a slightly higher price than if you choose to drink on your feet at the bar. Naturally, bars in busy picturesque tourist spots charge more than ones in more 'local' areas. Away from St. Mark's and the tourist traps, you can enjoy a glass of wine for €2 or €3 (or even less in a truly local cheap spot) while sitting at a table and soaking up the atmosphere. An aperitivo (pre-dinner drink) in Italy is generally served with (free) snacks; in Venice this is usually just a bowl of crisps. Many bars don't have menus on display; although smart wine-bars will list their wines with pride. The cheapest thing to drink will be the house wine - just ask for red (vino rosso) or white (vino bianco). Sparkling Prosecco, a regional wine, is one of the most popular drinks here and is also cheap. Locals adore their spritz, a strong orange-coloured cocktail which comes in various versions but is generally very bitter.

Pasticcerie

A pasticceria is a shop selling sweet pastries and cakes. Italians take little trays of miniature cakes, cream puffs, fruit tarts etc with them to dinner parties, rather than wine. Really fancy goodies can be expensive, but most shops also sell small slices of things like chocolate cake and apple tarts which make a nice snack or an addition to a picnic meal. In Venice a pasticceria sometimes doubles as a small bar, where you might stand with a coffee or hot chocolate while munching a cake and chatting to your neighbourhood acquaintances.

Picnics and DIY meals

The Rialto market is a good place to stock up on fruit and salad. You could buy rolls and cheese/meat slices from a supermarket, but anotherr option is to find a shop that will prepare filled rolls for you. Ask your hotel receptionist if there is such a place near you. You're looking for an alimentari, a shop which will usually have cheeses and meats displayed under a counter, rolls in a basket at the back, and a tell-tale chopping/bread board on the counter. I usually leave it to the shop assistant to recommend a good cheese. These shops won't make up anything especially fancy, but for a roll with excellent cheese, ham or both, it's a good cheap way to eat. You pay for the ingredients, so a cheese roll may cost only €2 or less. I like this method of preparing for a day trip or an excursion to the islands.

The public water taps throughout Venice, as in the rest of Italy, are drinking water and it's perfectly safe, as well as free, to fill up your water bottle from them. Don't be scared into spending money on over-priced mineral water.

Be aware, though, that there are strict rules about picnicking in Venice, and you'll be moved on if you try to eat in a busy tourist spot, on a bridge (a cardinal sin) or anywhere near St. Mark's. Head to a little park or an out-of-the-way bench.

You sometimes see tourists sitting by the canals drinking from their own wine bottles. They probably feel smug that they've not been ripped off. However, the chances are they've paid just as much for their bottle as you will pay sitting elegantly at a comfortable table, admiring the view and participating in the city's life. Foreign 'alcoholism' is frowned on even in Venice, where locals certainly drink more than other Italians, so swigging from a bottle on a bridge or outside someone's home is seen as most uncivilised. In a cheap bar you can get a glass of good wine for €2.

.Venice Entertainment.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:45:00 -0700

Theatres

La Fenice Opera House

La Fenice, which (in)famously burned down a few years ago, has been rebuilt just as it was, all sickly gilding and pastel decor. Sadly the opera house is strapped for cash and can descend into chaos - a recent heavily-advertised production of La Traviata was hit by strikes and the threat of cancellation. If you're brave enough to book ahead, you can buy tickets online (this worked when we tried it). But note that some of the cheaper seats have little or no view of the stage.

Other theatres

Venice's other theatres, mostly sharing the programme of La Fenice or putting on drama in Italian, are probably of less interest to the foreign visitor. Teatro Fondamenta Nuove is an avant-garde venue which hosts occasional drama, dance and musical events. It's one of the few contemporary music venues in Venice.

Tourist concerts

There are a range of concerts put on for tourist audiences in historic buildings and churches around Venice. The quality of the music may be variable, the seats may be uncomfortable, and there probably won't be an interval or refreshments. But often these make appealing entertainment for the visitor. Tickets, which aren't cheap, can generally be bought from the venues before shows, or from a very useful music shop near the Rialto on Salizzada del Fontego dei Tedeschi, where you can also find more information on concerts. Look out for posters for more choices. Here is a selection:

Musica a Palazzo

Every night of the week a concert is performed in the Palazzo Barbarigo-Minotto on the Grand Canal. The small audience moves from room to room with the musicians, feeling almost like guests in the building's elegant heyday. Shows alternate, and visitors can see Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Traviata or a programme of love duets from operas. A ticket costs €40. We've been to a performance and can recommend it.

Musica in Maschera

A range of events are held at the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista. For variety, there is an Opera Balletto programme, performed once or twice a week. These concerts promise musicians (and a dancer) performing in masks and eighteenth-century costumes. The programme consists of popular highlights of opera and classical music, from Swan Lake to La Traviata. On other nights there is an opera season, also performed in costume, which includes operas like La Traviata, La Bohème and Tosca. Prices range from €25 to €40. The nearest vaporetto stop is San Toma.

Orchestra Opera di Venezia

Once or twice a week this company puts on an opera in the Scuola Grande dei Carmini at Campo Santa Margherita in Dorsoduro. As well as seeing either Così Fan Tutte or Il Barbiere di Siviglia performed in costume, the audience is treated to a guided tour in English of the Tiepolo museum in the building. Tickets cost €35.

Free events

There are quite often free events and performances around Venice, and it's worth looking out for posters advertising these. Some shows are put on as part of local festivals, while visiting choirs and orchestras frequently perform in Venetian churches. You can find more tips for a cheap holiday on ourfree things to do page.

.venice film festival.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 06:03:00 -0700

Venice Film Festival 2010

Venice Film Festival is an annual event which takes place at the end of August / beginning of September. It's one of the events organised by the Venice Biennale organisation, and is an important public relations event for the city. Although there are art-house films and prizes, each year there is a Hollywood element which attracts the paparazzi and gives the city a bit of glitz.

The 2010 Venice Film Festival runs from 1st-11th September. It opens with Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky. This is the 67th edition of the festival, which has been running since 1932 (the event skipped a few years). During its first years, there was a 'Coppa Mussolini' for the best films.

The Venice Film Festival's greatest accolade is the Leone d'Oro (Golden Lion) for the best film, which is presented at the awards ceremony on the closing day.
Getting to the Film Festival

As usual, the festival's headquarters is in the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido, a short boat trip from central Venice. This dated building may please lovers of twentieth-century architecture, but a replacement building is due to be built. Next door stands the former Casino building, and in the surrounding area there are various temporary and outdoors structures.

As well as the normal vaporetto services to the Lido, which stop at the main waterbus stop a 20-minute walk, or short bus-ride, to the north, there will be special ferry services for the film festival. A direct line runs every 20 minutes from the Ferrovia (railway station) to the Lido Casino via Piazzale Roma, Zattere and San Zaccaria, from 4:40pm until 1am (last ferry back from the Lido Casinò at 2:05am. Line 20 also serves the site.
Tickets and events

There are a range of season tickets for the Film Festival which entitle holders to different categories of showing in the different venues. The under-26s and over-60s can buy a special card which gives them access to exclusive films. These options are all pretty expensive. Individual tickets are for sale for films in the Palabiennale (a temporary pavilion) from €10 and in the Sala Grande from €12.

If you just want to absorb some atmosphere, there will be three big screens around the Palazzo del Cinema featuring footage and interviews from the festival. A 'Movie Village' hosting special events with stars, cafes and various commercial stalls takes place around the old Casinò building.

For full details of timetables and tickets, check the latest information on the official Venice Film Festival website (links panel on the right).
Booking accommodation for the Film Festival

.Festa della Salute.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 05:59:00 -0700

History of the festival

The Festa della Salute takes place in Venice on the 21st November every year. Like the Festa del Redentore, the event is a celebration for the end of a historic bout of plague, this one in the seventeenth century. A day of masses takes place at theChurch of Santa Maria della Salute, and a temporary votive bridge is set up across the Grand Canal, so that celebrants can cross the water from Giglio to a lane near the Salute.

The Festa della Salute today

This is a very busy day, and is very important to local people. Fur-wrapped and scarf-muffled, they walk through the lanes of Venice towards the bridge and the church, shepherded at times by 'traffic' police enforcing one-way routes. In front of the church is an array of little stalls selling candles for the worshippers: it's mildly amusing to see the solemn Venetians, heirs of traders, shopping around for the best deal ("Three for five euros"). After their stately progress through the church, where masses are said throughout the day, they re-emerge with more greeting of friends, to the sound of the ringing church bells.

The next port of call is fifty yards away, in a small campo where more market stalls are set out, these ones of more interest to the children who've been brought here by their parents. At these colourful stands, from solemn salesmen in white coats, you can buy sweets, doughnuts, toffee apples, candy floss and all sorts of caramelised fruit on sticks. Balloons are also an important feature for the younger Venetians, and they head happily home with giant helium balloons bobbing above their heads.

This is a religious festival, still taken quite seriously, rather than an excuse for a party like the Redentore. Although it's not wildly exciting for the visitor, it's touching to see the Venetians treading in the footsteps of their ancestors, pacing out their ritual route, greeting acquaintances and heading to the Salute to pay their respects as they've done every year of their lives.

Additional boats are put on for this stretch of the Grand Canal, all stopping at the Salute vaporetto stop; although the stop of Giglio opposite is closed for the day to make way for the bridge.

Festa del Redentore..

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 05:57:00 -0700

History of the festival

Between 1575 and 1577 Venice was suffering from a dreadful outbreak of the plague. More than a third of the population died. In September 1576 the Senate voted to erect a church dedicated to Christ the Redeemer as an offering and a plea for divine help. The following year, in July, the city was finally declared free of disease, and it was decided to celebrate Venice's deliverance every year with a festival and a church service.

Each year a temporary bridge, floating on pontoons, is erected over the Giudecca Canal between the Zattere and the Church of the Redentore. The religious celebrations are held on the third Sunday of July. The night before (Saturday) is a great party with feasting followed by night-time fireworks and the weekend finishes with a gondola regatta.

While the famous February Carnival is an event largely re-created for tourists, the Redentore is still an authentically local event, and is very important to the people of Venice.

The festival today

The times we give relate to the most recent celebrations; the schedule may vary slightly.

On Saturday evening at 7pm the 333m-long bridge, called the Ponte Votivo ('votive bridge') is opened and there is a special religious ceremony at the Redentore Church. Around this time you'll see boats and barges laden with festival-goers making their way along the canals to take their places on the water. Families sit around tables in specially-decorated boats. All kinds of vessel are hired out for the occasion, including transport barges. Some of these, packed with young revellers, moor cheek-by-jowl to create a kind of multi-boat disco. Those unfortunate enough to be without boats throng the waterside. Local people, some of whom have previously chalked 'reservations' on the waterfront, bring out tables and chairs and enjoy convivial meals.

.The Vogalonga.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 05:50:00 -0700

This is a huge and cheerful rowing event which takes place on a Sunday in May or June. . Thousands of participants row around a 30km course, reclaiming the lagoon from motorized boats.

The Vogalonga is a splendid, fun and thoroughly worthy event which takes place once a year in Venice and its lagoon. It's held on a Sunday morning in May or June. Like a protest, a get-together and a non-competitive race rolled into one, this is an event where rowers take over the lagoon and canals. They oust the destructive motorboats which churn up the fragile lagoon ecosystem and damage Venice's buildings, and for one morning the peace is disturbed only by the slap of oars, the shouts and songs of rowing teams and the applause of enthusiastic spectators.

Pretty much any kind of rowing craft can take part, and does, from canoes to dragon boats. In 2007, for the 33rd Vogalonga, there were a record 5,600 participants, in over 1,500 boats. Teams and individuals from the Veneto, from the rest of Italy and from many other countries join in and add to the party atmosphere. Spectators watch from any vantage point they can find, enjoying the entertainment and encouraging the tired rowers as they approach the final stretch along the Grand Canal. Some teams dress up in costumes, others, in the livery of their rowing clubs, raise their oars in salute. The atmosphere is jolly, with extra cheers for those who make a special effort, such as bringing an onboard bagpiper.

Watching the Vogalonga

The start is at about 9am in the Bacino di San Marco, the wide stretch of water in front of St. Mark's and the Ducal Palace. The 30km course extends over the northern lagoon, past the islands of Sant'Erasmo, Burano and Mazzorbo and through the centre of Murano before returning to Venice via the canale di Cannareggio and proceeding down the Grand Canal to the finish. A good place to watch from is the Cannaregio canal in late morning - unlike the Grand Canal, this has pavements right down both sides, as well as bridges to view from. There are cafes and restaurants where you can pull up a chair by the canal and applaud the rowing teams politely. Otherwise find a vantage point along the Grand Canal.

Bear in mind that public transport is largely suspended during the Vogalonga - this makes it harder to get about town, but does mean that you can use the redundant vaporetto stops as viewing platforms.

.carnival.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 05:31:00 -0700

Carnival, or Carnevale, has been celebrated for centuries throughout Italy. The name is said to derive from the wordscarne vale - 'farewell to meat' - which explain the function of the celebration: an opportunity to indulge and use up such treats before the start of Lent (like an extended Pancake Day).

In modern Italy Carnevale is generally a time for children, who are led, carried and wheeled around town dressed in costumes - from cute fluffy animal suits to musketeers and Harry Potters, leaving a trail of confetti, sweets and 'silly string' littering streets and piazzas. Sometimes the celebrations extend to organised events for the whole community, but on the whole it's not a very important time for adults.

In Venice, however, the tourist board and hoteliers hit upon a fantastic money-earner in the 1980s when they revived a picturesque version of Venice's past. In Venice it's the grown-ups who have most of the fun, with masked balls, costume parades and a slightly antiseptic nostalgia for more decadent times.

Carnival in Venice

However much the modern Carnival may be contrived for tourists, it's undeniably atmospheric to walk down a lane in Venice and pass cloaked and masked figures. The tourist board and hotels urge their guests to participate by wearing at least a mask as they tour the town. It can be an exciting time for children, as long as the dehumanizing masks don't scare them, and there are plenty of opportunities for fun. Young and old can admire the spectacle and select their favorite costumed characters, and there are plenty of opportunities to photograph your loved ones alongside dramatically-costumed carnival-goers. The city is very busy, particularly during the two Carnival weekends, and there is a genuinely festive atmosphere.

Since 2008 the Carnival has been organised for the first time by a consortium headed by the Venice Casino. There are lots of events scheduled all around Venice, with a programme available online and from the tourist information offices.

Free entertainment and public shows

Throughout the Carnival period there is plenty of entertainment to be had around St. Mark's Square and the adjacent Piazzetta. A programme of events takes place in the Piazza, open to everyone. A schedule is displayed on notices around the square (or pick up a calendar at the tourist office). Apart from the organised events, there is a lot of fun to be had costume-spotting. Costumed characters parade and preen throughout the day, happily posing for armies of photographers. Some are in greater demand than others; after half-an-hour's wandering you'll probably have your own favorites.

To add to the festival atmosphere, there are usually refreshment stalls in the Piazza selling snacks and drinks like mulled wine, local Bellini cocktails and the local specializing.

The grand opening celebration of the Carnival takes place on the first Sunday, with an event called il volo dell'angelo (the flight of the angel). This adaptation of an old tradition involves an 'angel' (in 2007 this was a female swimming champion; in 2008 the rapper Coolio; in 2009 fashion dynasty member Margherita Missoni, in 2010 an even more minor socialite) swinging on harnesses from the belltower into the Piazzetta San Marco. One of the big events is the afternoon parade of costumes on a catwalk in St. Mark's Square. If your costume is fabulous and you're feeling confident, then you can join in. I've seen participants from England, San Francisco, Brazil, France, Germany and all parts of Italy. The festival ends with a big celebration and fireworks above St. Mark's.

Masked balls and special events

There are a number of special events and balls held in Venice during the Carnival. Tickets are generally expensive and should be booked in advance, but if you've left it late, it's still worth calling around. Venice's opera house, La Fenice, hosted one grand event last year, and some of the smarter hotels also put on balls and parties.

Costumes and masks

If you've always had a secret hankering to wear fancy dress, then the Carnival is a perfect opportunity to indulge without attracting stares. Masks, cloaks and wigs are easily purchased at countless tourist shops and souvenir stalls. If you're looking for something more elaborate or authentic, visit one of Venice's papier-mâché workshops where good-quality masks are handmade. Costumes can be hired at shops throughout the city, but they may be in short supply if you don't book them promptly. For a one-stop Carnival shop, visit the Mercato delle maschere e dei costumi Veneziani, in Campo Santo Stefano. This little market is made up of stalls from some of Venice's artisan mask and costume workshops, and runs for the duration of the Carnival.

when you are in venice

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 05:21:00 -0700

Important advice for tourists

Venice is a city utterly over-run by tourists. Fair enough, money from tourism is crucial for the city. But Venice is also home to thousands of people going about their everyday business (and they're not all dependent on tourists for their livelihoods). So visitors should bear in mind that that is what they are - visitors - and make an effort to behave appropriately.

Plaintive little pleas from the council are plastered around the tourist sights urging tourists to behave with decorum. There is even a new awareness-raising 'decorum week' with a parade of boats down the Grand Canal. And the threat of fines for picnickers and bare-chested men. We won't advise you not to drop litter; that goes without saying. But some local 'rules' of behaviour are less obvious so we've done our best to come up with some advice that will help you to give tourists a good name.

Walk on the right

This is the norm in Italy, and in several other countries too. Visitors from the UK, where we favour freestyle walking, can take a long time to tumble to this. In Venice, where the narrow lanes are thoroughfares used by all, tourists and busy locals, this is absolutely vital. You should keep to the right, always allowing room for others to pass (stick to single file if necessary). Keep to a brisk pace on busy paths. If you want to stop to look in a shop window or consult your map, pull in, removing yourself from the stream of traffic just as you would if you were driving. Spare a few moments to imagine what it must be like for those who have to take these tourist routes every day to get to their office or run urgent errands.

Don't block bridges and don't picnic

On a similar note, don't obstruct bridges. If you must stop on a narrow bridge (and in picturesque areas, it's hard not to), keep out of the way and don't cause a traffic jam. Do not sit on bridges to eat your lunch unless you want to infuriate hundreds of passers-by. Public picnicking, incidentally, is frowned on in general and in some areas it's banned. In 2007 the police threatened to fine people attempting to eat in public places around St. Mark's Square; we've seen picnickers being moved on. Try to find an out-of-the-way spot where you can sit decorously on a bench.

Boat etiquette

And next, be considerate on boats. Venice's ferries get very crowded. Boatmen will often urge passengers to move forwards ('avanti!') and to find space inside the boat. Tourists who hang around near the gangplanks will prevent other passengers from getting on and off, and will win themselves no friends. Don't be too worried about getting through the crowds when you reach your stop. Once your ferry has moved off from the preceding stop, head for the exit, uttering a firm 'permesso' when you need to pass someone. Take off your rucksack when you're on a boat.

Dress decently

This is necessary if you want to enter churches or monuments. Women and men should basically be covered from the collar-bone to the knee, or as near as possible. Shorts and bare shoulders will generally prevent you from entering religious sites, though a scarf or sarong can save the day. We've seen tourists with sleeveless tops turned away after queuing at St. Mark's.

Don't dress for the seaside. If you're visiting the beaches at the Lido, by all means dress appropriately. But away from the sea, Italian men do not go bare-chested, and both men and women tend to cover themselves up more than the British or Americans. (Women often dress provocatively but not in a whole-expanse-of-skin way like Anglo-Saxons). Some Italian towns are so offended by tourists that they introduce by-laws banning bikinis and bare chests on the streets. Venice joined them in 2007: men - if you go bare-chested you will offend other people and you could get hit by a big fine.

Be polite As we mention on other places on Italy Heaven, we think it's only good manners to learn a few phrases in Italian - at the very least, you should master 'please', 'thank you' and 'do you speak English?'.

.Rialto markets.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 03:59:00 -0700

Choose from a colourful range of fruit, vegetables and fish, or just admire the fascinating stalls

The Rialto area was the first part of Venice to be developed, and it soon became a centre for commerce. The town's principal market was transferred here at the end of the eleventh century. Trading of all kinds took place, and this would be where Venetians and merchants could buy and sell exotic imported goods just unloaded from ships. In the sixteenth century, after a destructive fire, a complex of squares and porticoes was constructed to the west of the Rialto Bridge, with areas dedicated to different products. These are still recorded in the names of the local lanes and squares: Erberia (fruit and vegetable market), Naranzeria (oranges), Speziali (spices) and Pescaria (fish). Fish, fruit and vegetables are still sold here, from a colourful array of stalls where you can buy provisions or just admire the spectacle. The fish market is housed in a covered hall, the Pescheria, with fishy decorative features.

If you've read many books about Venice, you may expect the Rialto markets to be filled with whimsical US expats swapping life-stories and culinary tips with folksy stall-holders. Happily, there is still some authentic local atmosphere to be savoured. The old ladies from Cannaregio cross the Grand Canal on the vaporetto or the little traghetto gondola with their shopping trolleys each morning, and the markets are still a place where local people can shop for their daily food requirements at reasonably low prices. For tourists, it's a good chance to stock a rented kitchen or to prepare a cheap and healthy picnic.

Food shopping is a daily activity in Italy, and produce is expected to be very fresh. Here at the Rialto, many of the fruit and vegetables come, as they have always done, from the nearby island of Sant'Erasmo, so they haven't had far to travel at dawn. Produce is all labelled with its place of origin; if not the lagoon islands or the surrounding countryside of the Veneto, it is likely to be from elsewhere in Italy.

The markets are open in the mornings from Monday to Saturday; the fish market is closed on Mondays. Shoppers generally arrive as early as they can, jostling for service and fighting through camera-toting tourists. In the late morning you'll still find the fruit and veg stalls, though some of the fishmongers will have packed up. There are also several good food stores around the market area, selling gourmet foodstuffs, oils, wine, pasta and regional specialities.

The markets are located alongside the Grand Canal, to the north-west of the Rialto Bridge in the district of San Polo (the opposite side to San Marco). From the Rialto walk straight on, then dodge to the right through the lines of souvenir stalls. Pick your way through the colonnaded squares of the historic markets and you'll find yourself where the action is. On weekday daytimes the vaporetto number 1 stops alongside, at the Rialto Mercato stop. A gondola traghetto operates a ferry service across the canal to Campo Santa Sofia on the Strada Nova.

.Ponte di Calatrava: the fourth bridge over the Grand Canal.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 03:51:00 -0700

Until the nineteenth century, there was only one bridge over the Grand Canal: the Rialto. Efficiency drives then saw the erection of two more bridges (replaced in the 1930s) at useful crossing places. The Ponte degli Scalzi at the northern end of the Grand Canal serves the town's road terminus and railway station, and the Accademia crosses the canal's southern bend.

Way back in the 1990s it was decided to give the town a new, fourth crossing. The project was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, and in the absence of an official name (not yet announced) the bridge has taken his name, and is known as the Ponte di Calatrava. It will be a long sweeping form of glass and steel accessed by steps (we're not sure if the modesty of skirt-wearing women, in this area of loiterers, was considered any more than the need for wheelchair access).

.Accademia Bridge .

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 03:49:00 -0700

Accademia Bridge

Elegant wooden bridge over the Grand Canal with lovely views

The Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell'Accademia) crosses the Grand Canal towards its lower, southern end, linking the San Marco district with the Accademia gallery in Dorsoduro. It offers two of the best views in Venice, looking along the Grand Canal in each direction. On one side lies the dome of Santa Maria della Salute, and on the other is the quieter bend which eventually takes the canal towards the Rialto Bridge.

In a city of imposing stone architecture it is striking to come across a large, plain wooden bridge (another connects Venice to the residential island of San Pietro in Castello). The simple organic material is an appealing counterpoint to the marble splendours of the Grand Canal.

Although there are steady daytime flows of pedestrians, and a few illegal street-salesmen blocking the way with dodgy handbags (don't buy or you're liable to massive fines), this bridge still has much more atmosphere than the other bridges over the Grand Canal, and it is easier to find a peaceful moment here. Apparently Greg Wise proposed to Emma Thompson on the Accademia Bridge: it's a good choice if you can find a quiet time (try late evening).

Location

The Accademia Bridge is at one point of the triangle made by the principal routes through the San Marco district, and is around ten minutes' walk from each of the other two 'points'; the Rialto and St. Mark's. Around this area there are street signs to the Accademia which will lead you to the bridge. There is a vaporetto stop right next to the bridge, on the Dorsoduro side. The ferry stop, too, is called 'Accademia'. There is a tourist restaurant with tables right alongside the bridge, and plenty of local cafes and restaurants both on the Dorsoduro side and around Campo San Stefano, a minute away in the San Marco district.

. Rialto Bridge .

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 03:45:00 -0700

. Rialto Bridge .

One of Venice's most famous landmarks, the Rialto Bridge still comes upon many visitors as a surprise

The Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) on the Grand Canal is one of the most well-known sights in Venice, yet many tourists find themselves upon it by accident. I recently heard a young English visitor telling his girlfriend 'This is it. We're on the Rialto.' 'No we're not.' 'Yes we are!' There aren't many stretches of walkway alongside the Grand Canal, so the chances are you'll arrive at the bridge via some of Venice's long narrow lanes. You'll see a flight of steps ahead between yet more buildings, press through the crowds, climb the steps - and there you are at the summit of the famous Rialto Bridge.

The bridge is made of fairly steep flights of steps. Two rows of shops, opening inwards, divide the inner steps from two external balustraded flights. It's a solid and unromantic construction - I was surprised at the scale on my first trip to Venice. If you are planning a romantic proposal, this isn't a good spot to choose, unless, perhaps, you visit in the dead of night when the crowds are smaller.

Unlike most tourist attractions, the Rialto Bridge is actually visited by locals, largely because it is such an important crossing-place on the Grand Canal. Venetians stride over the bridge, cutting through the milling tourists and diving into the short-cuts which run behind the rows of souvenir stalls. Standing on top of the bridge as you await an overdue friend, you see all the world go by - including the less attractive faces of tourism: American students attempting to spit onto passing boats; pickpockets arrived in Italy for a life of crime; arguing couples; loitering elderly men vainly hoping to pick up foreign women.

The shops on the Rialto aren't terribly exciting: they are mostly jewellers and souvenir shops. Climb the exterior sets of steps, though, at the back of the shops, or head through the arches on top of the bridge, and you can really admire the setting, with fine views over the Grand Canal, busy with gondolas and ferries.

Location

The Rialto is in the San Polo district of Venice, joining it to San Marco. It's a central point both within Venice and along the Grand Canal. The vaporetto stop 'Rialto' is alongside, and the bridge is easily accessible on foot from pretty much anywhere in Venice. Wherever you go you'll signs pointing you to the Rialto. It's about ten minutes' walk from St. Mark's.

.Grand Canal bridges.

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 03:42:00 -0700

Grand Canal bridges

Rialto Bridge - the famous stone bridge lined with shops.
Accademia Bridge - attractive wooden bridge.
New fourth bridge over the Grand Canal - controversial new bridge, informally known as the Ponte di Calatrava after its architect, officially the Ponte della Costituzione.

. Scala Contarini del Bovolo .

noreply@blogger.com (farhana syazwani ramly) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 03:39:00 -0700

It may seem slightly odd for a staircase to be a tourist attraction, but in Venice all things are possible. This external spiral staircase is an attractive architectural curiosity which merits a visit.

In 2007 the staircase is closed to the public while restoration works take place. However, when we last checked the building could still be admired from outside.

'Scala Contarini' simply means staircase of the Contarini family, while 'bovolo' is a Venetian word for snail and describes the spiral form. With Venetian carelessness over names, it's also called the Scala del Bovolo, Palazzo Contarini.

The staircase and the loggia which adjoins it on the right were designed around 1499 by Giovanni Candi, who employed a mixture of Renaissance, Gothic and Byzantine styles to create a novel and pretty extension to the Gothic palace behind. External staircases rising from courtyards were a feature of the medieval city, and you can still see other examples around Venice. But none were this flamboyant. Rising from a small square, it comes as a surprise after the narrow approaches - try leading a friend here unaware and appreciate their reaction.

The staircase is in the San Marco district and its address is San Marco 4299, which of course is no help in finding the location. Its courtyard is called Corte dei Risi or Corte del Bovolo. The best way to get there is to find Campo Manin, south-west of the Rialto, where you'll find a small sign to the staircase.