Venice - Guide

Airports

Marco Polo

Easy Jet and many other airlines, like British Airways, fly to Marco Polo airport, which is also on the mainland, but only 12 kilometres north of Venice Island. From here you can catch the ATVO Flybus, which departs every 5 - 10 minutes for Mestre Train Station. A single ticket (luggage included) costs €2.50 and journey time is about 15 minutes

San Guiseppe

Ryanair fly from various destinations in the UK to San Guiseppe Airport, which is in Treviso, 30 kilometres north of Venice on the mainland. Once again, an ATVO Flybus service runs from the airport to Mestre Train Station. Journey time is quite a bit longer (about 50 minutes.) Alternatively, a No 6 bus will take you from San Guiseppe Airport to the main train station in Treviso. From there you can take a train to Mestre Train Station.

Around Venice

The only simply way to get around Venice Island is on foot. However, given that there are just three bridges spanning the Grand Canal, it can be quite tedious trekking to the nearest one. In such circumstances it’s worth taking a traghetto: a commuter gondola that cross the canal at strategic spots. Some operate from about 09.00 to 18.00, while others stop at around midday. A crossing costs about €00.40.

As for gondolas proper, they are as romantic as advertised, but charges are around €60 for 50 minutes with a maximum of six passengers, so it can be a pricey experience if you want to take a trip a deux. The prices also generally increase in the evenings.

If you would still like to have the water taxi experience without having to spend a fortune, bear in mind that the Cipriani – a luxury hotel on the separate island of La Giudecca – has a free motorboat running back and forth from St Mark’s Square. So if you don’t mind paying a fair amount for a beer or a glass of wine in the hotel’s bar, you can enjoy a brief taste of old world elegance.

Eating & Drinking

Contrary to popular belief, you can eat decently in Venice without breaking the bank. Having said that, there are a lot of tourist traps in Venice that should be avoided – especially along the Grand Canal close to the Rialto Bridge. However other sestieri do contain a number of establishments that serve quality food at reasonably good prices. Among the most promising places to scout around are the San Polo and Santa Croce districts between the Rialto and Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio. Further south, in Dorsoduro, you’ll discover all sorts of goodies around Campo Santa Margherita.

If you need a snack rather than a sit-down dinner in the middle of the day, the best place to go is an osteria, where you can order some cicheti (freshly made snacks) and an ombra (small glass of red wine.) Particularly recommended is “Osteria alla Botte” in San Polo. “Osteria San Marco” is somewhat more expensive, but its food is good enough to ensure that it’s still value for money. Alternatively, try “Pizzeria Ai Sportivi” in Dorsoduro. Aimed primarily at students, it’s generally regarded as offering the best takeaway pizzas in Venice, but isn’t at all expensive. It’s also situated in the Campo Santa Margherita, where there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy your pizza.

Many osterias also offer good, affordable evening menus. A full meal generally consists of an antipasto (starter), followed by the primo piatto, usually pasta, risotto or soup, and a secondo of fish or meat. You generally order a contorno (side of vegetables or salad) separately. Meals finish with a dolce (dessert), gelato (ice cream) or fruit and caffé. The “Osteria alla Patatina” is especially appealing and serves excellent ink squid risotto and spaghetti with clams, cooked with freshly caught Adriatic seafood.

If you’re tempted to go up market, in search of a classic Venetian experience – regardless of the price – try a Bellini at Harry’s Bar. It’s the city’s signature cocktail, a mixture of champagne and fresh peach juice, and was invented in the Bar.

Text written by David Cunningham, author of CloudWorld and CloudWorld At War