Your Venice Questions Answered

The early 2022 Edition

At the beginning of the year, I asked my Instagram followers to send me their questions about Venice. I did this for a few reasons. First, I love answering questions. Second, I am never, ever, happy about leaving Venice and it makes the train trip back to Rome fly by. The other reason is that I am working on creating a five-day Venice experience and want to know what interests you about this entrancing and baffling city.

The answers to these questions are my personal opinions. They are not objective in any way. I want to hear what you think. Tell me about your favorite things and places in Venice in the comments

How to support residents and protect the city

I love that this is the very first question. The easiest thing to do is stay in Venice for more than a day. Stay in places owned by Venetians. Eat at places owned by Venetians. Buy things made by Venetians.

I have lots of resources in the guides section on Instagram and on my website.

There were a lot of questions about when to visit Venice

My favorite time is January right after the new year and before Carnevale. The city is quiet. You will probably get both deep fog and crystal clear days. On this last trip, we had 8 hours of fierce wind and rain. Thankfully it happened overnight. You need to be flexible and have a plan B, C & D because this is when many Venetians take a break and close their restaurants and shops.

I also love September.

Summer isn’t my first choice because I would always rather be at the beach, but even a Biennale weekend in July can be enjoyable. If you plan correctly.

How to avoid the crowds! Best neighbourhood for staying away from crowds with more local vibe (with places to eat) Rec's for experiencing anything less touristy? Best place to stay, that is not too tourist busy?

I am not a fan of crowds. Judging from the number of questions I got about crowds neither are you. The fact is Venice is a popular place. It gets crowded. Just because a place is touristy does not make it bad. You just need a strategy.

When you go matters, it’s quietest in the winter and busiest during Carnevale, at the beginning of the art Biennale in May, in the summer, and during the film festival in early September. Weekends are almost always busier than during the week. Wander in the far edges of the Castello and Canareggio sesteri. Explore the lagoon. Take a Vaporetto ride across to Torcello after you see Burano.

Best places with a view

Take a vaporetto ride across to the island of San Giorgio. The top of the 75m tall San Giorgio bell tower has a view across the canal of Piazza San Marco. You must book your 15 (free) minutes on the T Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop. The view from an outside table at Naranzaria of the Grand Canal, Rialto bridge and a gondolier station is hard to beat.

Local artists to support! Local business + production + craftsmanship stories / details

Piedàterre: Buy yourself a pair of handmade velvet slippers the color of a spritz. Perlamadre Design: Most of the quality glass that Venice is so famous for is made in factories and workshops on the island of Murano. The pieces of saturated matte finish glass that are crafted into sophisticated necklaces and simple earrings are all created in this corner shop that you will find deep in the sestieri of Dorsodoro. Plum Plum Creations: Venetian print artist Arianna Sautariello works in her studio located in the same sestiere where Tintoretto once painted. Rigattieri Liliana: Stock up on spoon rests in the shape of sheep, onions, asparagus and eggplants. The tiny bowls that look like artichokes, tomatoes and cauliflower are irresistible. If you can’t resist a soup tureen in the shape of a turkey or a full dinner service, they ship.

Have you a favorite place to stay in Venice? Best place to stay in terms of area? First time to Venice, hotel or apartment?

Hotel Flora is my idea of hotel perfection. It is near Piazza San Marco and is roughly equidistant from both the Accademia and Rialto bridges. It is owned by Venetians and Gioele Romanelli is the consumate host. He and his team have created a guide and experiences so that your visit to Venice is low impact and authentic. A word of warning. The secret garden in the back makes it very hard to leave the hotel.

When we visit Venice as a family we prefer to stay in an apartment so that we can make coffee in the morning and shop at the market. We have stayed at the Good Wine Apartments in Cannaregio on our last few trips. They are managed by Giacomo Vizzotto who also owns and runs the Hotel Marin. My favorite Venetian jeweler Marco and his wife Roberta have two apartments on the island of San Pietro that are perfect for Biennale trips.

Where to go to end an evening that is happening? What does one do in the evening in Venice?

Venice is not a late-night town. What nightlife there is happens in the Campo Santa Margherita, near the university. I hear there are nightclubs on Lido in the summer.

Where do the locals eat? Where are the best places to eat in Venice? Where is the great food? Had horrible meals the one time I visited.

This was another question that a lot of you had. I get it. Venice can be a difficult place to eat well. My best advice is to do your research and have a few places in each sestieri written down.

We eat at Ristorante al Covo every single time we visit. The seafood and shellfish from the nearby Adriatic Sea are delivered directly by local fisherman. The vegetables come from their cooperative on the garden island of Sant’Erasmo. The creative wine list highlights natural and biodynamic wines and intriguing small producers. It is imperative that you save room for one of Diane's legendary desserts. The natural wine and Japanese cichetti at at Osteria Giorgione da Masa was one of my best meals of 2021. Rosticceria Gilson is part diner, part take-away. The well priced choices here are vast. There are two separate stations, one with an array of hot and cold dished ranging from octopus salad, fried seafood platter and grilled scallops. Just point to what looks good and have a plate made up. The best Venetian snack is a mozzarella in carrozza, a deep fried mozzarella and anchovy sandwich with a tiny ice cold birretta, draft beer.

Favorite bacari. Best chicetti?

This is an almost impossible question, but here are three places I love.

Vino Vero has creative cichetti and natural wines. Osteria Salvmeria This former neighborhood delicatessen store turned contemporary casual osteria/cicchetti place on the via Garibalidi is perfect for sunset viewing and Biennale recovering. Cantina Do Mori has been pouring Prosecco and fixing cicchetti since 1462.

Best places for cheap aperitivo

Bacareto da Lele Fondamenta dei Tolentini 183, near the train station. Your choices are glasses filled to the brim of red or white local wine and if you get there before they run out, tiny sandwiches filled with prosciutto.

How much is it now for a gondola ride?

The price for a 40 minute daytime gondola tour is 80 euros . It goes up to 100 euro during and after sunset. In January that price was very much negotiable.

January… how cold does it feel? How windy? Fear of aqua alta begins in March, April?

First. don’t be afraid!

Second. Download the hi!tide Venezia app

Acqua Alta is usually brief and doesn’t affect every part of Venice. Piazza San Marco is the lowest point in the city. It will always flood first. The city sets up raised walkways “passerelle.” in places where there is high water.

It is cold in January, but a spritz will warm you up.

Is the cemetery island worth visiting?

It is absolutely worth a visit. The church, San Michele in Isola, was the first Renaissance church in Venice. Igor Stravinsky and Joseph Brodsky are buried here. David Chipperfield designed a modern extension to the island in 2018. Know that it is not a tourist site, but a functioning cemetery, and should be visited respectfully.

Why was Venice built in the water & not on land?

The simple answer is safety. People in the 5th century were fleeing barbarian armies. Armies that didn’t cross water. The lagoon marshlands islands & offered protection, then a place to settle & eventually became Venice.

How is cruise ship ban going? They destroy the city

I'm curious about the water quality. Is the water getting any better and rejuvenation? Can it be saved from sinking into the water?

The short answer is it’s complicated. The monstrous ships are no longer allowed in the Guidecca canal but millions are being paid to the cruise ship industry by the Italian government in compensation. You can keep up to date with the issues by following We are Here Venice and the Comitato No Grandi Navi.

Where to start as a first timer to Venice? I can answer my own question Tho…..You! Help plan a week for 1 in October! A 3-day itinerary.

I am a great start 😉 I can help you plan a few days or a few weeks. Send me an email at romeforexpats@gmail.com and let’s get started on your Venetian dream trip.

I am in Venice right now. About to get on the train back to Rome. Do you have more questions? Ask me in the comments.