A girl’s guide to… Venice

The only blog post you will need to read if you are visiting Venice. You can thank me later.

A girl’s guide to Venice

Venice. The name alone conjures images of romance and history, uniqueness and grandeur. For centuries, poets and artists have tried to capture its beauty in their work, and even today, people are still enamoured by this Italian splendour. I too could compose many a beautiful word about the city and describe it the way every other writer does, or I could tell you the truth.

Now, I don’t want to shatter any illusions, Venice IS an exquisite and special place, but when people write about it they tend to get swept away with the romance of it all. I am here to offer some practical advice, after all, how romantic is a gondola ride when you’re swatting away mosquitoes?

Know before you go

Get a map of the city and decide whereabouts you would like to stay. Learn about the districts – if you want all the major tourist attractions on your doorstep then the San Marco district is the one for you but the best way to ensure you have your dream trip is to do a little research before you go.

What to pack

  • Pack as lightly as possible. The only ways to get around Venice are by boat or by foot. The boats aren’t going to take you to your hotel door, so be prepared, you may have to lug your suitcase for a 15 minute walk through the hot, busy streets from St Mark’s Square to your accommodation.
  • Wear sensible shoes. You will be doing A LOT of walking during your visit. A trip to Venice is no time to break in your new pair of heels, regardless of how stylish the Italians are. Gladiator sandals may have been worn by the Romans but they still managed to blister my feet (yes, they were flat as well!) so a pack of plasters and some comfortable trainers are recommended.
  • Avoid becoming a mosquito buffet. Nothing can dampen a romantic evening dining at a waterside restaurant more than becoming the main meal yourself, so make sure you pack some insect repellent. You want to return home with a glowing golden tan, not itchy red bumps.
Don't feed the pigeons!
Don’t feed the pigeons!

Sensible spending

Venice is a pricey city, so unless you are a Dolce-clad darling, you may find the following few tips useful.

  • You will see street vendors trying to sell “designer” handbags to passing tourists. Do not be tempted. As well as being fake, they are also illegal and even buying one – if caught by the police – could land you with a hefty fine. That cheap “designer” handbag wasn’t so cheap after all, was it?
  • Beware of hidden extras. So you’ve just enjoyed a pleasant meal and received the bill when you notice you have been charged for something called ‘coperto’. You didn’t order this? Well, this is the cover charge which is in addition to the service charge (the tip) that they also add onto your bill. Cover charge is basically what you pay for the privilege of sitting in their restaurant – it could be the bread that the waiter/waitress brought over that you never asked for, or it could even cover the cost of washing the table linen!! If you want to avoid nasty surprises like this then look out for restaurants which state NO COVER CHARGE.
  • Try take-away. The price of even a margarita pizza in Venice can vary alot, so one of the best ways to eat cheaply is to get take-away. As well as being cheaper there is also no cover charge involved. Another idea would be to buy some sandwiches at a supermarket or deli for lunch and find somewhere nice to sit and dine alfresco. If you do decide to dine in, then skip the expensive desserts and head to the nearest gelateria to sample some divine gelato (Italian ice cream).
  • Avoid eating at the major tourist hubs. At the time of writing, a glass of coca cola at a café in St Mark’s Square will cost you around 9 euros. Unless you have a burning desire to tick the whole dining in St Mark’s Square experience off your bucket-list then I would avoid. Head out of the square and up into one of the side streets to find more reasonably priced refreshment. And don’t even think about eating that take-away baguette on the steps of St Mark’s Square – you may get fined!
  • Carry a bottle of water with you. Sightseeing is thirsty work but you don’t need to keep buying overpriced bottles of water, simply fill up from one of the many drinking fountains dotted around the city.

Lastly
Don’t forget to carry a map with you. Getting lost in Venice is part of the fun but at some point you’ll want to find yourself again!

Alfresco dining!
Alfresco dining!

If you like this, then check out my A Girl’s Guide To… series.

A girl's guide to Venice

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13 Comments

  1. This is really useful – The Bloke and I have been talking about going to Venice and I’ll keep this in mind when we plan our next trip… Stopping by from my blog party – thanks for sharing your link!

  2. Love to eat take away when travelling as you get the feel for the food without the expense of dining in. Great advice on Venice.

    1. Yeah absolutely! Especially in Venice. Thanks for your comment 🙂

  3. Really useful, I’m planning to go to Venice – probably next year. I will try not to go in summer, I’m not heat resistent. I recently read that going in January or February is fine, even if you have some hours of acqua alta. What do you think, is this recommendable?

    1. We went in June and it was far too hot but I hear spring time is ideal!

  4. While in Venice we bought some crusty bread and delicious cheese and had a little picnic down by the water. And, of course we ate gelato every day!

    1. Ooh yum! Gelato every day has to be done!

  5. Love this – haven’t been to Venice in about 18 years (ouch!) during the spring (and yes, that is ideal…), but I think nearly all of these things held true then, except for maybe the mosquitoes…9 Euros for a soda??? That is highway robbery. I remember it being about 1.65 Lire to the dollar when I was there..that tells you how long ago it was. I dream constantly of going back though….Found you on Suzie’s blog party on 4/11…glad I did!

    1. Thanks for your comment! Yeah 9 euro on St Marks Square… absolute rip off but some people are still willing to pay that for the experience!

      1. I prefer the look and don’t drink experience LOL

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