OJW Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I'm taking the other half to Venice for 3 nights in May, has anyone been? Any recommendations on where to go / reasonably priced hotels to stay in? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 At that time of the year I'd be bringing a gas mask. The water smells dreadful in the heat. Plenty of decent shops and restaurants about. If you're interested in the history of the place, you could easily fill a week with things to do and see. Tea and coffee costs a fortune near the big attractions such as St. Marks square or the Rialto bridge. The back alley shops and restaurants offer better value. I stayed on mainland Italy, but travelled to and from Venice via taxi boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 May isn't bad - it's the height of summer when it can smell, July and August especially. Though allegedly improvements have been made to the sewerage and treatment systems in the last 5 years or so. But it all depends on weather conditions at the time. As Cannon has said, back streets are better value than the tourist traps. Vaporetto (water bus) are very good value, and can be used for sightseeing. You can book things in advance, from multi-day vaporetto passes to museum entry and even the tour of the Grand Theatre, and get good value here (official site) : http://www.veneziaunica.it/en Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted April 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Thanks guys. I will check out your link Robbiep. Flying back to London Stansted, only just looked where it is. Absolutely miles away! They should have called it Essex airport not London Stansted and I would have picked another one. Serves me right for not looking before booking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krugerandsmith Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I'm taking the other half to Venice for 3 nights in May, has anyone been? Any recommendations on where to go / reasonably priced hotels to stay in? Thanks Murano glass works. If your taking children make sure they don't knock anything over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Went some years ago. Beautiful city with its colour washed Marmarino walls, which is flaking off in places. Stunningly beautiful facades but it is basically an open sewer. San Marco eating is very expensive but if you're only doing it the once then worth it. Basilica is worth look a look as is a trip on a Gondolier ( keep your mouth shut if you fall in ) around the canals and the Bridge of Sighs. You can also get a boat trip around the city, which is well worth it as you get to see it from the water. Bag snatchers were prevalent in some of the back streets when we were there so keep a grip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickS Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I went a couple of years ago in August and it was fine as far as smells but very busy. A walking tour soon after you arrive helps you to orientate yourself and some attractions can be booked ahead so you skip the lines and save money. The Doge's Palace and the prison, palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en/home/, and The Peggy Guggenheim Collection, www.guggenheim-venice.it/inglese/default.html, are both worth seeing. Murano is great with "free" tours of some of the glass works (except the sales pitch afterwards can rival that of a timeshare! We stayed on Guidecca Island at the Cipriani but that is not a budget hotel - however there are quite a few places to stay that looked good and cheap places to eat. One place, on the waterfront looking across to the Piazza San Marco, was very cheap and where the locals ate. The marina also had a good fish restaurant that was reasonable. Have a good trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston72 Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 (edited) Lido de Jeslo, has some very cheaply priced accommodation and its just 30 mins from St Marco square by bus with the added bonus of a beach, If your Landing at Marco Polo airport its the number 3 bus you want.( or it was 4 years ago The Doges palace and the bridge of sighs are a must see, Gondola rides start at about 200 euro you can haggle but may get a shorter ride, be hugely impressed when your gondolier is Unbelievably well educated and explains he only work 4 months of the year as he likes to holiday in California for 4 months at a time!! explains the price of the gondola ride though Edited April 16, 2016 by Winston72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowdy Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I went a few years ago it was flooded!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Avoid the food in the airport departure. Expensive and very poor quality. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bad lindz Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 What the bloody hell has this got to do with the watching and shooting of Pigeons?! Never in my 37864 Days on this planet I have never encountered such an obscure off topic subject in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 What the bloody hell has this got to do with the watching and shooting of Pigeons?! Never in my 37864 Days on this planet I have never encountered such an obscure off topic subject in my life. At 103 years of age, you expect some incoherent rambling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 (edited) What the bloody hell has this got to do with the watching and shooting of Pigeons?! Never in my 37864 Days on this planet I have never encountered such an obscure off topic subject in my life. Being "off topic" means exactly that i.e topics having nothing whatsoever to do with the watching and shooting of pigeons. But then, at the ripe old age of 103 I suspect your brain isn't computing as good as it did when you were a lad! Edit Cannon did the sums before me. Edited April 16, 2016 by Bobba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 (edited) The airport is miles from the city so you'll need a taxi boat or bus to get from one to the other. There are fast taxi boats that are more expensive but worth it IMO. Then once you get to the city you can get about by the water taxis. Some of the outlying islands are worth a visit and are quieter than the main tourist spots. We went in January.. Beautiful light for photography, but very, very cold. As has already been said; avoid eating or drinking in the main tourist areas. It will make your wallet bleed. Edited April 16, 2016 by UKPoacher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 went a couple of years ago with the wife in August no problems with any smells, absolutely beautiful place, yes can be expensive around st m square but move out into the back streets and you will find all restaurants are family ran and superb food at reasonable prices. do the muranao island glass village, fascinating, no health and safety when we were there got to stand right next to a working glory hole, oooh errr missus!. the venecians generally holiday away in the summer and yes can be busy at times around main square. you can walk one end of venice to the other in a few hours just getting lost and wandering. very safe place, people very friendly. had to buy some buscopam from a pharmacy whilst there, had to brush up some italian to get it, pharmacist super helpful people all over. we stayed i the Ca Dogressa in the quiet quarter of city called Gigglio. was superb, quite expensive but we did stay in the main suit as we celebrating 20 years married. rest of the family ran hotel seemed fine, i would advise checking trip advisor for any recommendations and i can only speak from personal experience. we stayed in giglio which is very quiet and 15 minute walk you are into the busy parts, rialto bridge etc. we are back in June and doing a cruise from there. hope you have a great time. atb 7diaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 At 103 years of age, you expect some incoherent rambling Being "off topic" means exactly that i.e topics having nothing whatsoever to do with the watching and shooting of pigeons. But then, at the ripe old age of 103 I suspect your brain isn't computing as good as it did when you were a lad! Edit Cannon did the sums before me. Ever thought you pair have fallen victim to a cleverly baited hook? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I wouldn't call it cleverly baited. The irony was obvious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 You can stay on the mainland at the Hilton for the price of a 1 star B and B on the island. Mainland hotels usually give some sort of travel voucher too. At that time of year its crowded,pushy (big cruise destination these days) and expensive,and yes it can smell in May! I personally dont think it compares to Rome,and will cost roughly the same,but if you have already been to Rome then I suppose it has to be done. Its not somewhere I would return to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 You can stay on the mainland at the Hilton for the price of a 1 star B and B on the island. Mainland hotels usually give some sort of travel voucher too. At that time of year its crowded,pushy (big cruise destination these days) and expensive,and yes it can smell in May! I personally dont think it compares to Rome,and will cost roughly the same,but if you have already been to Rome then I suppose it has to be done. Its not somewhere I would return to. Can agree with much of the above, but would love to return, simply for the crumbling facades. Last time I was there wasn't the trip I envisaged. Was in Porec , in what was at the time, Yugoslavia, just before it all kicked off. We journeyed across to Venice via a hydrofoil which carried approx' 500 people. On docking I was the only person out of that 500 detained by customs staff. I smoked back then and had purchased 200 fags on board. This Italian customs bloke with sunglasses and a pistol on his hip made me empty my belongings on a table while I was surrounded by several others, and made me unwrap the carton of cigarettes. He then told me to unwrap each individual packet and empty the contents onto a table, until I eventually had 200 individual cigarettes loose in a heap in front of me. At this point all the others wandered off and he then told me 'ok, you go now', and wandered off himself. I then had to pick up 200 individual cigarettes and place them in my backpack ( no time or chance to get them back in the packets ) as 499 people were on the dock waiting. I had bought 3 rolls of 36 exposure film and was in my element snapping away like a good un; thinking of all the paintings I would create from the photo's once back home. Apart from the jobbies and used toilet roll floating around in the canals we really enjoyed the place. On boarding the hydrofoil for the return leg that evening we witnessed another boat of tourists unloading onto the dock, the customs officials for whatever reason were grabbing people and literally pulling them off the gangway attached to the dock and boat. One English bloke understandably took exception to this and pushed the official who grabbed him with the words 'Get your ******** hands off me; who the **** do you think you are?' and was quickly escorted inside the same building I had occupied. I have no idea what fate befell him. On returning to the UK I discovered my camera had developed a fault and not a single photograph had come out. Nice place. You'll love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 We have been twice and enjoyed it both times, although it is getting stupidly busy People always mention the cost and the smell. If you eat and drink in London or any major city you won't find it that expensive, and it doesn't smell any worse than anywhere else on the med You can get a table at Florians in St Marks and have a coffee and stay all afternoon if you want, it costs a bit more if the orchestra plays, but you will be warned about that. Like many places in Italy if you order drinks they will bring you little nibbles for free - so just relax and take it all in. We stayed here both times, very nice and walking distance from the main attractions. http://www.hotelbucintoro.com/?gclid=CIGm3MvSk8wCFesW0wodU0cHQg Murano is interesting but the hard sell spoils it. It is worth having a Bellini at Harry's bar is [if you can find it] just so you can say you have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJW Posted April 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 Brilliant, thanks for all the advice. I've been to Rome and Loved it. I was tempted by Florence or Tuscany but have always wanted to try Venice. Anyway, cheers, lots of links to follow up now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sussexboy Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 I can recommend Harry's Bar. Mrs Sussex and myself graced Venice with our presence for her 50th a few years ago (not that many you understand - just in case she's looking). We partook of a Bellini each, a coffee each and one slice of their famous chocolate cake between us. The quickest 70 euro I have ever spent on a snack. It was a fine experience though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrowningB525 Posted April 17, 2016 Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 My fiance booked through travel Republic. And stayed on murano island which is an easy water taxi and a lot cheaper. They stayed in the Lagare hotel. She said it was really nice and exceptionally clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_seagrave Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 The greatest Venetian pleasure is also the cheapest - just strolling round! Every building, door and window is worth a look. Even the undulating flagstones of the little bridges, side-streets and squares are uniquely charming. The crowds can be bothersome, but if you take your walking pace down a gear and go where you fancy, you're in for a treat. The Tintoretto paintings in the the Scuola San Rocco are spectacular, but don't overlook the many churches and smaller scuole into which you can step to see other exceptional art and architecture. In particular, Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni. Enjoy. It doesn't have to cost the earth. You can easily save a few quid each day by buying some picnic things at the supermarket for a light lunch, and you can then indulge more freely in the evening. LS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyefor Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 Forget the price. Just enjoy the place. Travel in cheap (Ryanair to Treviso then - IIRC- €5 for the bus) then spend the rest staying several stars higher than normal (I'd recommend the deals available at the Boscoli Dei Dogi - we named it the dead dodgy, but it truly was not). You'll love it. Buy Vaporetto tickets for 2 / 3 / 7 days and just travel around. Do the St Marks Square thing. Visit Lido (watch out for cars - strange things in Venice), Murano and Burano. Walk lots, look up lots and eat out in the back alleys. Black (squid ink) pasta is to die for, as is seared sushi grade tuna rolled in sesame. One of only two places that hugely exceeded expectations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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