I have also added some useful info in the description on my map. E.g. the opening hours, costs, how to get there or what is recommended to do there. Please fully utilize it!
Transportation | Water bus | Water taxi |
Useful App (iOS) | Ulmon (Offline map)
What to eat! | Pizzas, pastas, antipasto plates of cured meats, cicchetti (Venetian snacks), gelato, almond cookies.
Info added are found in official website and is true as of July 2015, please check the official website again to make sure the information you have is the updated one!
*Note!*
Recommended place to eat 
Recommended place to visit
Find the compilation of tips I have to offer at the end of this blog posts!
From Salzburg (actually from Munich, because we took a normal train to there first and then change to sleeper train) to Venice, we took a 8-hours long night train. This is our first time on a night train. It was perfect for us as one very tiny room fits only 3 people, that means we had the whole "room" to ourselves. I took the top-most bunk which is the most spacious one though I can't sit upright because I'll hit the ceiling. The "room" also have a basin in the closet which we can wash our face in the morning. Although not the most comfortable place to sleep, it does save us a lot of time since we travel by night.
 |
| In case you are wondering, that is a ladder |
*No pictures, but you can google!* Out of our whole Europe trip, this was the best place we have rented (around 130€ for 3 person, yes, kind of expensive but the place was spacious). We rented a whole apartment which was equipped with a kitchen. The interior seems quite new and very clean. It just feels like we are living in some high end house despite the look of the building on the outside!
Random Souvenir Shops
Riding through the Grand Canal
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
Random sceneries
Night walk in town
Burano Island
Famous for the colourful houses.
We actually wanted to try the famous Jewish restaurant called Gam Gam Kosher, but we went there too late (I think they open until 10pm only) plus the restaurant was already full with people. Be sure to make reservations if you are planning to eat there. But anyway, we ended up eating at this restaurant, the food was actually pretty decent but the service could be a little better.
Pizza al Volo, Campo Santa Margherita
Delicious pizza which you can find at night. Highly recommended! Selling huge slices of fresh pizza for cheap price! €1.80 for a slice, €5 for the whole pizza! *Prices might change since I went there in year 2016*
Honestly, just don't come here if you have the choice. We were very hungry that time, so we just settled for this restaurant. There was quite a lot of people eating here, not because it is good or what, but because a tourist group reserved this restaurant. Food was really bad, it was expensive and the service was so slow. Very very bad.
Osteria Ala Ciurma
You're better of having finger food in Spain. The food was not fresh, bread was stale, and the fried food was a bit too oily and has a weird smell to it.
 |
| The main street outside our place |
 |
| Look at all the tourists |
St. Mark's Square
It was summer when we went there, and most probably this was the sunniest day in our whole Europe trip. There's not much shades on the streets, it was hot, there was so much tourist and some places were just too crowded. I think I almost got a heatstroke. The place is huge alright, but I think there wasn't anything special. I didn't really like it because there was just simply too much people.
Scala Contarini del Bovolo
I think when we went to visit this building, it was closed off. I am not sure about the visiting hour but the area seems quite deserted, there wasn't a soul hanging around the place. It's worth a visit I guess, since it's like a special something to Venice.
Random Souvenir Shops
Stumbled across this small little art souvenir shop, ended up buying a 1€ postcard from there because I just simply love the artwork on it, the material used was really good. I think we spend quite awhile in the shop. I wish I remembered the shop's name.
Masks seems like a big thing in Venice especially during the the Carnival of Venice (an annual festival held in the beginning of the year around Feb).
Riding through the Grand Canal |
| on the water bus |
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute |
| Just passing by |
Random sceneries
If you read other travel blog post about Venice, I am sure there is always a recommendation to "get lost" while in Venice. Well, as weird as it seems, getting lost is definitely a to-do thing in this city.
P.S. If you are looking for a gondola ride, I would advise you to skip it and save your money. Not only it is expensive (the gondola drivers are overcharging the tourists), but also the water traffic was so bad.
Night walk in town
Even though the street was badly lit, there are no shortage of tourists even at night. Venice seems more beautiful during these hours.
Rialto Markets
Like I said many times, market is a must to visit, no matter which city you are in while in Europe!
More random sceneries
I also bought a special ticket that lets us ride to all 3 well-known island around Venice; Murano, Burano, and Lido. I don't remember what the ticket package is called, but I bought it at the tourist information center just outside the main station. Is it worth it? It depends on what you want to see. I feel like visiting these 3 places in a day seems very rush but I guess each of the island has their own specialty. All 3 places offers very different sceneries.
Murano Island
Well-known for it's glass works, we visited the glass museum there.
Burano Island
Lido Island
People come here for the long stretch of beach.
Cioccogelateria Venchi
 |
| High-end gelato |
Pizzeria Ae Oche
Come here for some authentic Italian pizzas. People often order one pizza for one person, but for Asians, it was a bit too much.
 |
| Remember, they charge a fee if you are eating-in. This is a norm. |
Ristorante Upupa
We actually wanted to try the famous Jewish restaurant called Gam Gam Kosher, but we went there too late (I think they open until 10pm only) plus the restaurant was already full with people. Be sure to make reservations if you are planning to eat there. But anyway, we ended up eating at this restaurant, the food was actually pretty decent but the service could be a little better.
Pizza al Volo, Campo Santa Margherita
Delicious pizza which you can find at night. Highly recommended! Selling huge slices of fresh pizza for cheap price! €1.80 for a slice, €5 for the whole pizza! *Prices might change since I went there in year 2016*
Nuova Valigia
Honestly, just don't come here if you have the choice. We were very hungry that time, so we just settled for this restaurant. There was quite a lot of people eating here, not because it is good or what, but because a tourist group reserved this restaurant. Food was really bad, it was expensive and the service was so slow. Very very bad.
Osteria Ala Ciurma
You're better of having finger food in Spain. The food was not fresh, bread was stale, and the fried food was a bit too oily and has a weird smell to it.
Ristorante Africa, Lido
I remembered the food was a little bit more expensive, food is just mediocre.
Joey's Venice Travel Tips!
- It costs 80€ per Gondola ride (and may be higher!). In my honest opinion, gondola ride is overrated and there were plenty of "water traffic jam". It was neither romantic or anything special. If you are there during Summer time and plan to take one in day time, you can forget it. You'll end up with a heat stroke. Ride a Vaporetto instead (Water Bus) down the canal right before sunset for only €7 per ride.
- Bear in mind that as soon as you allow yourself to sit at the table and be waited on, instead of ordering and consuming your food at the counter, the prices for the same items go up - you can end up paying double.
- Venice is a nest of overpriced food. Try to stay away from main tourist trail and get lost in the back streets to find traditional tavernas serving Italian food.
No comments:
Post a Comment