|
Shopping Venice
Venice has always been a
busy retail centre, with an emphasis on luxury goods and a flair for the
eccentric. The main retail areas are the Mercerie and the streets known
collectively as the Frezzeria, which wind between campo San Fantin and
piazza San Marco itself. The densest concentration of big-name fashion
houses is in calle Larga XXII Marzo, just west of the piazza, where Gucci,
Prada, Valentino, Fendi and Ferragamo huddle together. Calle della Mandola
is the street for books and glass beads.
| For antiques, nose around
campo Santo Stefano and San Marco. Look out for unique boutiques with imported
or hand-crafted items between the Rialto and San Polo
Most visitors to Venice land
at Marco Polo airport, 12 km from Venice . Many of them choose
the heading straight from the
city, but walking around
the backstreets is really what Venice is about. A few charter flights land
in different areas of Venice,
but the majority are bound
for Marco Polo. |
|
Vaporetto (water bus) is most
amazing method of getting around Venice; you won’t find too many public
transport routes as unforgettable as vaporetto. No 1's trip along the Grand
Canal . Get yourself a travel pass to ride the elusive vaopretto - single
tickets don't come cheap, and are less economical if you plan to spend
days travelling Venice and travelling every nook and cranny.
The classic gondola ride with
the opera-warbling operator is pretty touristy and expensive but the traghetto
is a commuter gondola that crosses the Grand Canal at strategic points.
It's quite a balance test for newbies, as you have to stand. Water taxis
(motorboats) are almost as expensive as gondolas, but their pilots don't
wear stripy shirts and bellow out 'O Sole Mio'.
|
Regular buses (yes, they do
exist) run from one place to another, but it's probably the least exciting
way to get around the city. Obviously, don't bring the rental car to Venice
- you'll just be paying to leave it in a car park for the duration, and
in a few car parks you’ll find yourself with a large fine afterwards. Taxis
- the regular four-wheeled variety - do operate from Piazzale Roma. |
The famous water-villages of
Venice post a threat to the historical buildings, which are slowly sinking
into the marshy ground.
It is believed that if construction
work does not continue, these buildings may, in turn, pose a threat to
the safety of locals and
tourists. It has been said
that “When this precious place sinks, the world will be the poorer”, and
also stated that Venice has a
bleak future. Looking on
the optimistic side, the villages are beautiful today, and are still open
to being admired for years to
come.
And nobody can forget the
romantic side of Venice . Although it can be excruciatingly hot and stuffy
in summer, when the
tourists flock, it is nonetheless
claimed to be one of the most romantic cities. With the image of an inky-blue
sky laden in a full
moon and dotted with stars;
above a glowing city-scape, seen from a tiled square bordered by Italian
words and Pizza
outlets, it’s no wonder.
Like every tourist location,
it’s not just tourists from the surrounding countries (countries, in this
case, located in Europe), but
all kinds of people can
be found, cameras at the ready, in Venice . The attractions in Venice include
many remarkable
structures; such as an impressive
array of bronze work, tapestries and paintings from the 5 th to 6 th century,
as well as a
whole handful of amazing
buildings and galleries showcasing the artistic side of Venice.
If you are looking for the
upbeat bars and restaurants, you cannot go wrong with the area surrounding
Campo di Santa
Margarita in San Polo. There
you will find an Irish pub, trendy bars that do the limbo and just plain
fun. The area is frequented
by students from the University
and is buzzing with life during the weekends as market stalls of fish and
vegetables open up.
The sea surrounds Venice
, and so, too, Venetian cuisine, which can be disappointing unless cuttlefish
and sardines are what
you're after. You don't
order pasta in Venice , you order lots of noodles with a dab of sauce.
Cichetti (chee-keht-tee) are
small portions of food served
in bars all over the city, usually with an ombra, which is a small glass
of wine. When you go out
for cichetti , you will
eat standing up, hopefully in a crowded room. Mosey up to the bar, where
all the cichetti will be
displayed before you. A
typical cichetto (this is the singular) might be a square of mortadella
on a toothpick, or a rice stuffed
tomato, or a ball of rice
stuffed with an olive and deep fried. Summon the bar-person, order your
glass of wine and point to
your choice of cichetti,
which will then be served to you. The bar-person will keep your tab going
and present it to you when
you are read
Venice Nightlife and Sex
The best stomping ground
for music bars and late-night restaurants is along the fondamenta Misericordia
in Cannaregio. The Iguana (041 713 561, closed Mon) serves Mexican food,
has live music, friendly staff and stays open late. Cantina Vecia Carbonera
(rio terà Maddalena, Cannaregio, 041 710 376) is a cool bacaro along
the Strada Nuova. A hip new bar-restaurant, Centrale (piscina Frezzeria,
San Marco, 041 296 0664, closed Tue), just steps from piazza San Marco,
has a futuristic design but is anachronistically housed in a 16th-century
shell. Campo Santa Margerita offers more mainstream fun with cafés
and bars. In general, party animals might be better off leaving the Grand
Canal and heading to the numerous bars and late-night discos on the Strand
at the Lido
Piazza San Marco: Head to cafe
Florian or Quadri for live music. Crowds gather to listen to popular tunes,
but you'll enjoy it more sitting down enjoying the magical scenery of Piazza
San Marco lit at night.
Casanova Music Cafe: This
is Venice's only Disco, located on busy Lista di Spagna in the Cannareggio
district. Although the space can feel somewhat cramped at times, it still
offers some reasonably eclectic music, ranging from Rock to House to Latin
American Music. Lista di Spagna, Cannareggio 158/a
Piccolo Mondo: Opposite the
Accademia cinema, this tiny club attracts a young crowd and is usually
packed and lively. Calle Contarini Corfu, Dorsoduro 1056/A
Martini Scala Club Piano
Bar: Enjoy live music while you dine in this elegant establishment. Dress
appropriately. Campo San Fantin, San Marco 1980.
Le bistrot de Venise: Venitian
cusine with some very ancient and succulent recipes. Enjoy a diverse cultural
programme while you eat, ranging from cabaret to poetry readings. Calle
dei Fabbri, San Marco 4685
Casino Municpale: The elegant
Palazzo Vendramin calergi is locatedon the Grand Canal (vaporetto stop:
San Marcuola). For a 10 Euros entrance fee (which entitles you to a 10euros
free casino chip), you'll get to bask in the magnificant 18th century setting
of the palace. Truly a memorable evening, even for non gamers.
List
of Universities of the World..... |
