Travel to Venice

Travel to Venice

Venice is unlike any other city in the world, not only because it is an archipelago of 117 islands connected by 400 bridges but also because of its canals and waterways; the only way to travel within the city. It is a romantic city with narrow waterways, gondolas, ancient squares, buildings, old bridges and fountains. As the gondola makes its way through the waterways lined with fabulous old buildings, the gondolier sings Italian songs andyou will fall in love with the charm of Venice. There is so much to see and do in Venice, from experiencing its rich culture to learning about its past, enjoying Venetian cuisine and fine wines to appreciating the splendour of the buildings.

Transportation to Venice

It is quite easy to drive to Venice, although the furthest point you can drive to withinthe cityis the Piazzale Roma. There are several motorway connections from within Italy and these also link to other highways connecting to cities in Europe. Take the A24 from Trieste and Turin, the A13 from Bologna or the A27 form Belluno. Use the state road 309 from the Adriatic coast, state road 14 from Trieste, state road 11 from Padua and the state road 13 from Treviso. Venice has a rather unusual system of transportation relying mostly on its canals and waterways. If you drive to Venice you will have to park your car at the Piazzale Romawhich offers plenty of indoor and outdoor parking facilities. Parking facilities are also available at Tronchetto, which is quite close to the Piazzale Roma. From here you can walk to the city or take a vaporetti (Venice water bus). Bus services are available to Venice but these are not very frequent and are usually delayed. Buses stop at the Piazzale Roma as well. Treviso airport, about 30 kms from Venice, or the Marco Polo airport, about 7kms from Venice, are the two closest airports to the city. Many international flights land at Marco Polo airport and from here travellerscan either take a bus or a water taxi to the city terminal at Piazzale Roma from where they continue their journey. Trains arrive at the Santa Lucia Railway Station which is at the beginning of the Grand Canal. From here it is just a short walk to the city centre or you can take the water bus from the piers just opposite the railway station.

What to see

Apart from its unusual waterway transportation system Venice is rich in manty architectural styles found in the churches and buildings near the square. There are also many museums and art galleries to visit. First time travellers to Venice will surely want to take a gondola and sail along the Grand Canal which is lined by buildings rich in different architectural styles. The Rialto bridge is an engineering feat, standing on 10,000 wooden pilings that have held it stable for more than 400 years. Visitors can enjoy some spectacular views of Venice once they have climbed to the top of the lighthouse Campanile di San Marco. There are several old churches tosee inVenice including the 18th century Church of San Simeon Picollo, the Church of San Stae that has sculptures designed by Trarsia, Baratta and Groppelli. The Basicilla di San Marco, at the Piazza San Marco, was built in 829. The remains of St Mark, the patron saint of the city, are entombed inside the church. The Baroque style Jesuit church, the 9th century Church of Santissimi Apostoli and several other churches are all worth viewing because of their magnificent interiors and workmanship. The Natural History Museum has been located in the Fondaco de Turchi buildings since 1924. The building has an illustrious history that began in the 13th century when Giacomo Palmieri fled to Venice.

Day trips

With exotic names like Murano, Burano and Torcello these lagoon islands will have travellers falling in love with what they have to offer. In 1291 Venices outstanding glass production was moved to the island of Murano. The trip to the island is interesting as you get a peek at San Micheles island where Stravinsky and Diaghilev are buried. There is a museum of glasson the island which is quite interesting. Torcell is very charming and has an air of romance and serenityabout it. The island is mostly unpopulated and this adds to its charm and mystery. Burano is yet another lagoon island with quaint houses painted in brilliant colours. The Lace Museum is located in the square and travellers can learn the different stages of making the favoured Burano Lace. There are also several other old buildings to explore whilevisiting Burano.

Activities and leisure

Try something different and join a short Italian cooking course as part of your leisure activities while in Venice. Cartolina Tours can arrange for cooking and wine tasting classes during your visit to Venice. Golfing is a popular pasttime with many Venetians and golf enthusiasts enjoying a round of golf at the beautifully landscaped Alberoni Golf Course, one of Italys top ten golf courses. There are beaches at San Nicolo, Murazzi and Alberoni that offer many different water sports. Those who love sailing can visit the numerous sailing clubs in the city. Many of these clubs also offer sailing and boating lessons. Shoppers here can chosebetween items from designer boutiquesor street markets. There are shops strewn all around Venice selling souvenirs, the glass work that Venice is known for,and fine fabricsamongst other things. The favourite places to shop are the areas of Rialto, Calle-de-Fabbri and Merceria. The Italians love their wine and food so travellers have many restaurants, wine bars, pubs, pizzerias, trattorias, cafes and bakeries to choose from to enjoy Italian cuisine.

Safety issues

Venice is crowded with tourists throughout the year and this makes it a perfect place for petty theft. Although there arent that many incidences of snatching handbags, pick-pocketing is fairly rampant. Travellers are encouraged to be careful of their personal belongings at all times. Having travel insurance will definitely bring you some peace of mind and will certainly be useful in a foreign country which you are not familiar with.