Best Place to Travel in Europe (Venice)

This is the 8th blog on the series of best place to travel in Europe. In the previous five blogs we discussed about Paris, London, Rome, Florence, Barcelona, Prague and amsterdam. In this blog we will discuss about Venice and what are some of the beautiful places worth visiting in it.

If you want to read our other traveling blogs click on the link below and enjoy.

Top 5 traveling places in the world
Most expensive hotels in the world

Venice

According to the World Report travel rankings, Venice is the ninth best place to travel in Europe. It is ranked as the #5 best place to travel for winter vacations. If you are coming from Florence to Venice, then it is the #2 best day trip from Florence to Venice. It is the #2 best place to travel in Italy. It comes in at #12 for best wedding spots in Europe. Similarly, if you are planning to travel for your honeymoon, then Venice is the 16th best place to travel for your honeymoon. These rankings are made by experts on the basis of user experience.

The best month to travel to Venice is from September to November due to low hotel prices and fewer tourists. The weather is cold in these months, but the above benefits are worth it. The peak time to visit Venice is in the summer when you can enjoy the sunshine on the beaches, but it comes with a cost, which is high hotel rates and lots of crowds. The rainy season starts in December, so do bring a pair of rain boots if you are planning to visit this season.

Here are some tips and tricks to save money in Venice. Try to explore Venice by walking as much as you can. You can save a few euros by not opting for public transport and buses. Try to take a bus to travel from Venice airport to the city. Going by bus will cost you between 10 and 20 euros while going by taxi or cab will cost you at least 100 euros. Book your bus ticket well in advance, otherwise, you may have to sit for hours with a stranger, which you might not like.

In Venice, service charges are 20 percent, so keep that in mind before going to any restaurant. Piazza San Marco is famous for its best sunrise, so try to wake up early in the morning, put on your joggers, and witness the sunrise on Piazza San Marco. Venice holds a carnival in January and February, and an international film festival is held in August and September.

The economy of Venice relies hugely on tourism. Make sure to refer your friends and share your exciting journey to Venice with them. In this way, more and more tourists will visit Venice, and the economy will be strengthened. Try learning some basic Italian phrases for better communication. Try to greet people while entering a store or restaurant will leave a positive impression on people.

Generally, meals last a long time in Venice, and the waiter might take some time to bring the bill to you. If, after finishing your meal, the waiter doesn’t come to your table, you can ask for the bill. Tipping is not common in Venice. Since the service charge is already present on your bill, there is no need to give a tip. If you ask for water and bread, you will have to pay for them separately, they are not free. Dinner in Venice starts at 7:30 pm and restaurants close at 10 pm.

Seafood, triangular sandwiches with different fillings such as meat and cheese, are famous here. The official currency is euro, and similar credit cards can also be used for shopping or at restaurants. Beware of pickpockets who roam busy places such as waterbus stations, etc. Similarly, females should also keep their purses in safe locations from where they can easily keep an eye on their things.

You can walk on the streets at midnight; it is safe, but you can get lost in the streets, so keep that in mind before going out at night. As mentioned above, booking a taxi is very expensive in Venice, so try to walk as much as you can. For a long distance, take a water bus or a boat as it costs only a few euros. If you are a US citizen,, you will need a passport with at least 6 months remaining. Visa is not required for US citizens unless the plan is to stay for more than 90 days.

Below is a list of some of the best place to travel in Venice.

• St. Mark’s Basilica
• Grand Canal
• Rialto Bridge
• Teatro La Fenice
• Companile di San Marco
• St. Mark’s Square
• Bridge of Sighs
• Doge’s Palace
• Academy Gallery
• Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

We will discuss some of these beautiful places briefly below.

St. Mark’s Basilica

St. Mark’s Basilica is the best place to travel in Venice, and everyone who is planning to come to Venice must visit the place. It is basically a church. There are many interesting stories about it. The church was built at this place to keep the relics of St. Mark’s, which were initially stolen and then recovered. There is a lot of mosaic work in the church that can cover 1.5 American football fields. These mosaics are made of gold, and when you enter the church at different times, the mosaics will glow and you will like it.

As this is the most popular place in Venice, try to arrive early in the morning when the church opens to beat the crowd. The church is open all seven days of the week. The timings are 9 am to 5 pm from Monday to Saturday and 2 pm to 5 pm on Sunday. The ticket price varies depending on how many places you want to visit in the basilica.

Grand Canal

The Grand Canal is considered the second best place to travel in Venice. It is one of the most popular places in the city and lots of photographs are taken here. The total distance of the canal is 2 miles. Some travelers recommend buying a ticket for gondolier to row around the canal, but there is a catch: the ticket is costly (100 euros minimum). An alternative is to use waterbus if you have a low budget or want to save some money. If you do not plan to walk, then buy a Venezia Unica City Pass, as one-way fares on public transport are expensive.

Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge is the most famous bridge which is used to cross the Grand Canal. It is the 3rd best place to travel in Venice. There are 3 other bridges other than the Rialto bridge which are used to cross the Grand Canal, but due to its history, the Rialto is still the busiest and most popular bridge in Venice. The construction of the bridge started in 1173 and ended in 1181. Until 1854, the Rialto bridge was used until the Academia bridge was completed in 1854. Its height is 24 feet. Most visitors recommend that the view from the top of the bridge is very pleasant.