Dos and don'ts when in Venice
Benvenuti a Venezia!
So about one week ago, I was lucky enough to take some time to go and visit the amazing city that is Venice, Italy. It is a city full of charm, history, and pride. However, while being there, I noticed that a lot of tourists did not respect this at all. Therefore this post about what you should and should not do in La Serenissima.
The don'ts
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| Venice from the San Marcus Campanile |
Don't go there without having done some research beforehand. Look up transportation, visiting hours, prizes or reductions so you can ask them right away. It might seem obvious for some, however, I can assure you most tourist did not know where or what when it came down to it. this led to situations where the workers on the Vaporetto had to try to explain to them how to go from San Marcus Square to the Rialto bridge in less than two minutes while checking that every body was getting on board safely.
Most storekeepers in Venice speak English (which kind of surprised me). This said, do not forget that you are in Italy and (like in France) not everybody got to learn English at school. Try to learn some useful phrases in Italian. Most Italians are happy to see you trying to get along with their language and will encourage you to do so. So if you bump into someone who does not understand your English, don't be rude or annoyed at them. After all, you are the one going into their country.
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| Murano |
You don't need to be the first one entering the Vaporetto, do you? A lot of tourists in Venice show a lack of respect towards the city and its inhabitants. This goes as far as making Venicians leave their
city because of mass tourism. Don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting you shouldn't go, but if you do respect them. There are some easy rules to follow when in this city (and you have them posted everywhere as constant reminders):
- Don't feed the birds. Especially when at San Marcus. In fact, the pigeons are not so welcomed by the municipality. Their droppings are quite acid, even more so when they are fed the wrong type of food, which leads to damages on the marvelous pre-renaissance buildings.
- Don't sit on the monuments. Venice is a city without cars, this means a lot has to be done by foot. After some hours of discovering the city, one might want a sit-down. However, don't just choose to sit on the stairs of a church or museum. Most buildings in Venice are older than they appear and are on their own artworks. You are better of sitting at a cafe's table and enjoying a good espresso.
- Don't go around underdressed. And with underdressed, I mean in your swimming gear. I know Venice gets quite hot in the summer, but visiting the city in your bikini will not make Venicians appreciate you more. Same for visiting churches. Usually, the Catholic religion is quite open to who is visiting, but you should still respect the place as it is a house of God, where religious people gather to pray. So don't go in there with your sexiest top ever, rather go for a t-shirt with short sleeves and a maxi-skirt or long pants. If you don't like wearing those all-day round, maybe choose a day to visit more than one church and pack a short with you. After visiting you can always change back.
Basically, try not do anything you wouldn't do or like people to do in your hometown.
The do's
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| Colorful houses in Burano |
When you are planning to stay longer than a day in Venice, you should invest in a Veneziaèunica pass. This allows you to use the Vaporetto at a way better price. In fact, if you don't have a subscription to the Veician public transport (ATCV) you'll pay about 7,50€ for a 75 minutes worth of travel. I chose the one week pass (I stayed 5 days) and had to pay 60€. However, I was constantly using the Vaporetto to go from one place in Venice to the other. You can also directly chose to add your bus ticket to go back to the airport at the end of your stay.
Enjoy what the city has to offer! Around every corner, there is something new to discover. Street names, districts, the colors, and specialties. Venice is full of places that your normal guidebook will not mention. Just take your time, explore, go where the average tourist doesn't. Try the Italian way of life while enjoying the warmth of the sun on your skin.
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| Sunset over the Dorsoduro district |
Why spending your money on things you can have everywhere when you can spend it on things that you will find only there? Just ass every big city, Venice offers world known shops like Sephora, Prada or Channel. But why would you buy that 10'000 € bag in Venice when you can have the same one where you are from? Look around a little and try to find local shops. I found this amazing jewelry line called Antica Murrina Venezia. The price range is about the same as Swarowsky and it is hand made with Murano glass.
I hope this tips will help you enjoy the city of Venice a little more. Never forget that as a tourist you are only a visitor in someone else's hometown and you should make the effort to respect their way of life. Sadly Venice has already changed a lot due to mass tourism, but if everyone tries just a little harder to understand the Venetian way of life, a lot of things would run smoother.
A la prossima!
A la prossima!
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| What you see through the little windows in the Ponte dei Sospiri |
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| Some of Venice's symbols: the duke, the lion, and the law |
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| A canal not far from my B&B in the Dorsoduro district |
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