Piazza San Marco – Venice – Photo By Robert Montgomery

You finally arrive in Venice, Italy for your dream vacation. After the saving, the planning, the packing, the long flight, you are finally there. You decide to sit and savor the moment in the Piazza San Marco with your first real Italian cappuccino. Then you try out one of the first phrases of Italian you learned in your “Travel Italian” class. Il conto per favore!

The cameriere brings out your check and you almost drop your nearly empty cup! 10€ for the cappuccino and a 20€ surcharge for sitting in the piazza. You have spent your daily food allowance in a 30 minute break.

Don’t despair. You can find less expensive places to snack (look for pizzeria’s and bars where you eat standing up) and there are a number of things you can do that are free and at least one that is inexpensive.

To start take this virtual video walking and boating tour of Venice:

1. Piazza San Marco

Chances are you have already found one free thing to do. Wander around Piazza San Marco. Just don’t sit down, if you do you will have to order something and it will most likely cost more than it is worth. If pigeon’s are your thing then you can wander among the birds, if not stick to the perimeter of the square.

2. Basilica di San Marco

Yes, the Basilica is free.  You have to pay a fee, though it is relatively inexpensive, to see the Pala d’Oro.

3. Bridge of Sighs

You have to buy a ticket to the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) to see the inside of the bridge. But you can get a great view of the Bridge of Sighs by standing on the bridge over a canal to the side of the Palazzo. There is a very crowded side and an uncrowded side, try them both.

Bridge of Sighs Venice Italy – Photo By Artorusrex

4. Ponte di Rialto

The Rialto Bridge is a great place for people watching and you get a beautiful view of the Grand Canal.

Rialto Bridge at Night – Photo By Artur Staszewski

5. Mercato di Rialto

The Rialto markets are an assault on the senses. Vendors are yelling to sell their products, the colors of the fruits, vegetables, fish and meats are vibrant and then there is the smell which is sometimes a wonderful aroma of herbs and spices and other times the not so wonderful smell of fish left out a little too long.

6. Wander the Streets

The streets of Venice are a narrow, winding, maze.  It does not take much of an imagination to transport you back to the 15th century. And it does not take much or long for you to get lost. When you are not sure where you are ask for Piazza San Marco and start over again.

Venetian City Life – Photo By Kieran Lynam

7. Window Shop

I know I say to this in every city, but there are glass stores in Venice that are like museums.

8. Venice Canal Watching

Stand on one of the bridges away from the tourist area and watch what happens on the canals. It is amazing to watch big screen TV’s, ovens and refrigerators being unloaded. It is also impressive to see the oarsmen navigate some of the larger boats through the canals.

9. Listen

Venice is one of those places where what you hear can be almost as interesting as what you see. You can hear sea gulls calling, gondoliers singing, motor boats putting along, vendors hawking goods and tourists speaking a world of languages. What you won’t hear are cars, buses or motorcycles.

10. Murano

Okay so technically it is not free because you have to take the vaporetto to the island. But the ride over is worth the money and once you are there you can spend the day exploring one of the Lagoon Islands. Look into one of the workshops and you will see glass makers at work.

Bridge of Sighs Venice Italy

After spending more than three years covered in scaffolding and advertisements the Bridge of Sighs in Venice has reopened.  In 2007 a piece of marble fell off the adjoining Doge’s Palace and struck a German tourist in the leg.  The restoration cost $3.7 million and included a cleaning and scrubbing as well as the restoration of the limestone.

In the 1600’s the Bridge of Sighs connected the Doge’s Palace to a prison.  According to folklore when prisoners crossed the canal on the bridge they sighed in despair as they approached their fate and thus the bridge acquired its name.

The Bridge of Sighs is a tourist favorite, though not so much over the past three years when it has been covered in not only scaffolding but large advertisements that covered the Bridge.  The advertisements partially paid for the restoration but blocked tourists view of the bridge resulting in much controversy and unhappiness among visitors to Venice. One is left to wonder if that is really an effective use of advertising dollars.

“It is clear that no-one likes to see the city’s buildings covered up and used for publicity. But if it allows us to save them, no-one can deny it is useful,” mayor Giorgio Orsoni said before the restoration was finished.

Latin-lover Casanova was the most famous person to cross the Bridge of Sighs to the prison in 1755.  Apparently not finding the prison to his liking Casanova was able to escape the prison after 15 months with the help of a monk.

Casanova is long gone, but the rest of us are once again able to enjoy the view of the Bridge of Sighs – that is if we can push ourselves to the front of the row of tourists that inevitably crowd the nearby streets.

Pages: 300 pages

Dimensions: 5 x .7 x 7.8 inches

Weight: 9.6 ounces

Maps: The maps in the Lonely Planet books are the best I have found in any guidebooks. There are city maps, regional maps and a country map. You can actually use the street maps to find your way around a city.

Pictures: There are a limited number of photos.

What I like about Lonely Planet Venice and the Veneto:

• If I could only buy one guidebook, this would be it. I think they provide the best information on how to get to places and what to do when you are there. They also tell you what you should see and do when you are there.
• I love the slightly irreverent tone of these books.
• The Table of Contents is great. They make it very easy to find whatever it is that you are looking for.
• There is a separate section on the “fragile lagoon” and the cities unique architecture.
• Suggestions for side trips to Verona, Padua, Vicenza, among others are provided.
• There is a good, though short language guide and Italian word glossary.
• There is information on where to find tourist offices (which are excellent places to pick up free maps), foreign consulates, medical services, what to do in an emergency, etc.
• Information is provided on how to get around if you are arriving by air, bus, train, car, etc.
• Tips on things to buy, entertainment, bars, gambling, where to see the opera, etc. is provided.
• Side Boxes contain interesting bits of information.
• Information is provided to suit every budget – inexpensive hotels as well as luxury hotels. They give you their opinions on where you should splurge and spend a few extra dollars and what is not worth the extra money.
• Information on how to get to the various sites is provided.
• There is a chapter on the Arts (Visual Arts, Literature, Music, Film, Theater and Dance).
• A section on walking tours is provided.

What I Don’t Like about Lonely Planet Venice and the Veneto:

• I can’t think of anything I would change!

Click here for Lonely Planet Venice & The Veneto (City Travel Guide)

Venice is a city beyond description and compare.  Or as the English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning put it in 1851: “Nothing is like it; nothing is equal to it, not a second Venice in the world.” – Reprinted from National Geographic Traveler

Pages: 272

Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches

Weight: 1.1 pounds

Maps: Regional Venice, Italy maps, limited number of street maps. Since the book is too heavy to carry with you there is not really a need for street maps

Pictures: Excellent pictures printed on glossy paper

What I like about the National Geographic Traveler Venice, Italy:

• This guide provides excellent background information on Florence and Tuscany – the history, culture, food, literature, cinema, architecture, etc. 
• These books are geared towards people who want more than just information on where to stay and eat. The writing is excellent and the book is packed full of facts about cities and sites. The book is written in the style of the National Geographic Traveler magazine, meaning it reads more like it is written by a travel writer than most other guidebooks
• National Geographic does not gear these books to travelers on either end of the budget spectrum i.e. they are not for the budget conscious nor are they for the luxury traveler
• One of the things I like best about the National Geographic Traveler series are the 3-D architectural drawings
• Contact information for the tourist information centers is provided
• Addresses, phone numbers and a cost guide are included for popular sites. Days closed is given, however, hours of operation are not provided for most sites
• Little pieces of regional trivia are scattered throughout the books
• There is a very short section on practical information to help you get around
• If you are only going to Venice, it is nice to have a book that focuses on that area only 

What I Don’t Like about the National Geographic Traveler Venice, Italy:

• This book is definitely too heavy to carry with you every day
• Although there is information on accommodations, restaurants and shopping other guides are more useful for this type of information
• I would not recommend this book if it is the only guidebook you are buying because it is lacking in the practicalities of getting around cities and regions.  It is the perfect book if it is your second trip to the region.

Support our site by purchasing National Geographic Traveler: Venice Guide Book from Amazon by clicking here:

Engineers love Venice – a completely man-made environment rising from the sea, with no visible means of support. Romantics revel in its atmosphere of elegant decay, seeing the peeling plaster and seaweed-covered stairs as a metaphor for beauty in decline. And first-time visitors are often stirred deeply, awaking from their ordinary lives to a fantasy world unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. –Reprinted from Rick Steves’ Venice, Italy Guide Book

Pages: 460 pages

Dimensions: 4.6  x  .8  x 7.9 inches

Weight: 13.6 ounces

Maps: Rick Steves includes hand drawn maps in his books which can be helpful in showing you the layout of an area but are not helpful in getting you to a specific place, especially in larger cities where more street names and landmarks would be helpful. You will definitely need a supplemental street map to accompany those in this book.

Pictures: There are no photographs to speak of

Rick Steves’ sense of humor is not for everyone, so I suggest you read an on-line excerpt on Amazon before you buy one of his books. Also, you should be aware that once Rick Steves suggests a hotel or restaurant Americans will flock there with their little blue books gripped firmly in hand.

What I like about Rick Steves’ 2013 Venice, Italy Guide Book:

• The Table of Contents in his city books are organized well unlike in his guidebook to Italy which only points you to the city and not to sites within the city.
• He covers most of the major sites of the city, including information on the islands in the lagoon.
• I prefer guidebooks that focus on a city or region so I do not have to carry big books around and this meets that criteria.
• People who like Rick Steves follow him with an almost fanatical devotion. I have to admit his are among my favorite guidebooks but I am always hesitant to try his small hotels for fear of running into a hoard of Rick Steves devotees.
• The Rick Steves guidebooks provide tips on hotels, restaurants, etc. that are out of the major tourist zones.
• The sites are rated and generally I agree with his ratings.
• Mr. Steves has loads of opinions and he is not afraid to share them. This is helpful for your first trip to Italy and maybe even your second, but as you make repeat trips to a country his advice can become annoying as you start to form your own opinions.
• Suggestions for day trips, walking tours and trip itineraries are provided.
• These guidebooks provide the names of budget hotels and restaurants as well as more expensive places to stay and eat and he often lets you know when it is worth spending the extra money.
• There really is a Rick Steves. It is nice to know that there is a real face behind the books.
• Rick likes to get to know the locals and encourages others to do the same. Strike up a conversation with the staff of a hotel or restaurant. Talk to the person sitting next to you on a train or waiting in line to buy a ticket. These conversations give you insights into the place you are visiting that you will not find in any guidebook. To encourage this Rick Steves provides names of hotel and restaurant owners which is a nice touch, one I have not found in other guidebooks. Since ownership of establishments does not change hands as often in Italy as in the US, chances are the names he provides are still current.
• Side boxes with helpful information are included. These boxes provide information on such things as tipping.
• The “Helpful Hints” section has useful information on avoiding theft, pickpockets, etc., a problem many of us have encountered.
• These books make for good reading before your trip and his folksy style makes you comfortable with traveling to a foreign country.If you have ever seen him on TV you get the feeling that if he can travel then so can I.
• His writing is conversational – you feel like he is talking directly to you.

 Click here to read an excerpt and reviews of Rick Steves’ Venice 2013 Guide Book on Amazon

Venice Italy Canal

The tax is levied based on the type of accommodation with visitors staying in luxury hotels paying more than those staying in smaller inexpensive hotels or at the least luxurious place of all, the campgrounds on the mainland.  The maximum right now is 5€ and it only applies for the first 5 days of your visit.  In other words, under the star rating system the more stars your hotel has the more you will pay unless you stay in a hostel which so far has avoided the tax.  You will also pay less on the other islands in the Venice lagoon or if you stay on the mainland.  The tax is less if you visit in the low season which runs from November 1 through the end of March.

Trying to put a positive spin on their tax the city of Venice has published a colorful brochure in nine languages, congratulating tourists on becoming “one of the city’s sponsors, contributing to safeguarding it”.

The revenue generated from the new tax “will help the city improve the quality of the tourist services” and go towards “salvaging the city’s cultural and architectural heritage”.  Local officials also have the right to use the tourist tax to support services, which raises questions about whether at least a portion of the funds will go to alleviate Italy’s large public deficit.

Rome was the first city to institute the “Contributo di Soggiorno” tax.  Since the tax applies only to tourists and not voting residents the tax is popular with local elected officials.

The new fees don’t apply to the majority of tourists who visit Venice since an estimated 70% to 80% of visitors to the city only come for the day but stay somewhere else.

Venice, like much of Italy is in desperate need of funds so I don’t mind the tax.  I do question the wisdom of only taxing overnight tourists who are already staying in the city and spending more money at restaurants, stores and tourist attractions than day visitors.  I think there should be a separate fee for visitors who only come to the city for the day.  Anyone who has visited Venice for more than a few days has seen what happens when a large cruise liner docks and thousands of people suddenly descend upon Piazza San Marco.

I wonder what Comissario Brunetti thinks about this!

Let us know what you think.  Is the tourist tax a good idea or not and who should have to pay?

Pages: 214

Dimensions: 8 x 4.7 x 0.6 inches

Weight: 11.2 ounces

Venice Maps: Detailed street maps of Venice. A map of boat routes is located on the inside of the back cover. Venice is a very difficult city to navigate and I have yet to find a map that can get me where I want to be. I generally get around my taking note of landmarks on my route.

Venice Pictures: Good pictures of most major sites

What I like about the AAA Travel Guide to Venice, Italy:

• These travel guides are spiral bound making them easy to open and read especially when you are moving around. Because they are spiral bound you can open the book to the site you are visiting and leave it there rather than continually having to flip through pages to find what you are looking for.
• The guide is for one city only so you do not need to carry a big book that has all the sites to see in Sicily, when you are only going to Venice.
• There is a short section on the history of Venice, local foods and how a city surrounded by water functions.
• These books tell you what you need to do in the first two hours after you arrive in a city and give the location of the tourist information offices.
• Each book has a “Getting Your Bearings” section for each part of the city as well as what to do if you have one day, two days, etc. They even have suggestions for lunch and dinner taking all the guesswork out of your visit.
• Highlights of museums and sites are bullet pointed .
• Tip boxes are scattered throughout the books giving you tips such as arrive early or buy your ticket on-line, etc.
• There is a section on excursions that includes trips to Padova, Chioggia, Verona and Vicenza. The book also gives an itinerary for seeing the Lagoon Islands in a Day and has short sections on Murano, Burano and Torcello.
• A section on recommended walks through the city is accompanied by maps. The directions are very specific i.e. walk straight ahead, turn right into Via del Monte alle Croci. It makes it easy even for those of us who can get lost walking to our front door from the end of our driveway.
• For each city there is a section on Where to Eat and Drink, Where to Shop and Where to be Entertained.
• The end of each guide is devoted to practicalities such as How to Tip, Clothing Sizes, Health information and a short Italian to English Dictionary. Because these books are small enough to carry with you the dictionary is actually helpful.
• Addresses, hours of operation, phone numbers and a cost guide are included for each entry.

What I Don’t Like about the AAA Travel Guide to Venice, Italy:

• If the books were just a little smaller they could easily fit into the pocket of a jacket. As it is, they are long enough that they will stick out of most pockets.
• It would be nice if the books included some out of the way places to visit. You get a good overview of must-see-sites but very little on lesser-known sites

Support our site by clicking here to purchase AAA Travel Guide to Venice on Amazon. 

The uniquely romantic city of Venice was built entirely on water and has managed to survive into the 21st century without cars. Narrow alleyways and canals pass between sumptuous palaces and magnificent churches, colorful neighborhood markets and quiet backwaters, unchanged for centuries. – Reprinted from Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide for Venice Guide Book

Pages: 160 pages

Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.5 inches

Weight: 7.5 ounces

Maps: There are very small maps of Venice including one showing the vaporetto routes.

Pictures: These books have pictures though because the books are small, most of the pictures are small

What I like about the Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide to Venice, Italy:

• The Eyewitness Top 10 books outline things to see in groups of ten. There are dozens of Top 10 lists in each book. You are given such things as the Top 10 restaurants in each area, the most beautiful churches, shops, markets, things to do with children, etc.
• When you consider cost, size, weight and information it is hard to beat these books
• The best thing about these books are that they are small enough to fit in your pocket
• The Top 10 Travel Guide to Venice includes information on the lagoons, Venice Lido, Padua, Vicenza and Verona
• Each item listed has a short description, a very short description.
• Addresses, hours of operation, phone numbers and a cost guide are included for each entry.  The information is up-to-date and accurate
• There is a phrase book at the end of each book. Because these books are so small you can carry them around with you and use the phrase book.
• The books provide you with interesting facts and trivia

 What I Don’t Like about the Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide to Venice, Italy:

• The print is small, very small. If you use glasses to read, you will need extra strength glasses to see the print in these books
• The information provided is good but it is very limited. If you read these books expecting to learn all about Italy you will be disappointed
• You are left to wonder what the 11th best thing to do or see is

 Help support our website by purchasing Top 10 Venice (EYEWITNESS TOP 10 TRAVEL GUIDE) on Amazon by clicking here: