How to survive Venezia

Everyone knows that Venice’s Rialto Bridge is crowded and the restaurants are expensive. We’ve got a few tips for a pleasant stay that will make it easier for you to enjoy this unique city.

Accommodation

It’s a bit sad walking through the old streets of Venice and seeing only signs for tourist accommodations instead of names on doorbells. But who would live in such hustle and bustle? Looking for something quieter? Sail over to the island of Lido. In the former military observation tower, Sea Tower Torre Telemetrica Lido di Venezia, you’ll find beachfront lodging where you can watch the sunrise right from your room. (You an vook it via Booking).

Lido is more or less free of tourists outside the season: when there’s no film festival or beach season, you can peacefully admire the sea, local eateries, and the quiet fishing village of Malamocco.

Transportation

Public transport in Venice is expensive; a three-day ticket costs 45 euros, but it’s valid on the vaporetto boats, which can take you to excursion spots like the islands of Burano and Murano. From Marco Polo Airport, you can get directly to the port via a covered pedestrian bridge and head straight into the city by boat. For locals, boats are an everyday means of transport; visitors, of course, admire the vaporetto that much more. Sailing between the palaces in the historic center has a special charm, and traveling after dark is fantastic because the unlit city from the boat is simply breathtaking.

Tourists

If you’ve already seen St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace, and the Rialto Bridge, you don’t need to go there again. They look the same as ever, and even outside the season, there are still too many tourists jostling about.

Food

It’s not easy to eat cheaply in Venice, but you can eat well here. The most economical options are supermarkets, where you’ll often find excellent items in the deli section that you don’t even need to heat up (local specialties include a white cod spread and marinated sardines called sarde in saor). If you want to sit down in a restaurant, a classic tip for both locals and visitors is Trattoria Alla Rivetta—run by the same family for 50 years, now in its third generation In the center, All’Arca behind the Rialto Bridge is also nice.

Art

If you head to Venice before November 24th, you can still check out the Biennale. Be sure to visit both Giardini, where the national pavilions are, and the fascinating shipyards of Arsenale.

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