Tips from the Venice Aiport...and an anecdote

After our week on the Amalfi coast, our next stop was Venice. We decided to fly, to save several hours otherwise wasted on the train.  Apparently we made the right choice.  Italians love everything about flying.  They cheer when the plane takes off, they cheer when it lands and they cheer when announcements are made.  They are generally happy people, not like us grumpy Americans.  And when the plane got delayed an hour they were only mildly annoyed, until the captain said they could unfasten their seat belts and feel free to roam about.  (Apparently they do not like to sit down.)  Instantly the plane was buzzing with activity.  No one wanted to sit still for a minute longer than they had to, especially if they could be up talking to their friends or other people.  I guess we should take a page out of that book when our plane gets delayed in the states.  Not only is it a great way to connect with your fellow fliers, it really makes traveling delays more agreeable.


Okay, back to the tips. 


Arriving in Venice:

When you get to Marco Polo airport there are a few transportation options to get to Venice. If you want to hire a private taxi it will cost you around 100 Euros.  (Believe me, there are plenty of other things to spend your money on in Venice.)  So you will probably want to take public transportation, i.e., the Alilaguna water shuttle.

The trip is approximately 45 minutes to get to Dorsoduro, which is where our hotel was located.  Get your ticket to the water shuttle at the big ticket counter before you leave the airport, or at the smaller booth out by the boats .  The water shuttle is a 7 minute walk from the airport (they actually have signs that count down the minutes as you go).  I found the path to be extremely well-marked and easy to follow, but if for some reason you have chronic directional issues or get freaked out by this stuff, this person has provided kindergarten-level step by step directions with pictures. If you don’t have a water shuttle map yet and are not sure which line to take, the people at the ticket window are very helpful.  Note: the water shuttle lines going to/from the airport (Alilaguna) are not the same as the public water buses (vaporetti) which run all along the grand canal.  

The streets in Venice are filled with cobblestones and bridges, so again I was reminded I should have looked at my own packing list and packed lighter.   I also should have gotten  a new, smaller, light-weight suitcase.  My motto is now:  PUT.   IT.   BACK!  Once again Skye was whizzing through the streets while I looked like someone who had just run away from home with ALL their belongings. 

 I was envious.  I am getting myself new suitcase for Christmas.  Won’t have any large trips before then.  I am turning over a new leaf.  If Skye can pack light, so can I.

Tips from this last trip

I am always looking for a fantastic dining experience.  Especially when I am on vacation in a place that is known for it’s great food.  Often however, if you get stuck in the tourist areas or simple just don’t know where to look, your meals are less than you hoped for.

In both Rome and Venice I found fantastic local guides to restaurants and nightlife.  Weirdly, I found them both in Museums.  So, the next time you find yourself abroad and are looking for some help in finding a great place to eat, look at the gift shop of a museum.  They might just have the skivvy on what you are looking for.

Venice.  What can I say, it is beautiful and has some of the most well known architecture going but absolutely has the worst maps for trying to figure out how to get around on foot.  We ended up finding our way because Skye has an IPhone and she used google maps to navigate us.  The published maps don’t have half of the street names on them and sometimes there are more than one of the same street in different sections of the city.  If you don’t have an IPhone, the water taxis are the best bet to get you at least close to your destination.  Or see if you can get google maps on your phone.  This will be especially helpful if you are only in Venice for a couple days and want to see as much as possible.

The little things.....

Skye and I went looking for the outlet for the Joid’art jewelry store and were pleasantly surprised to find this hidden little square called Plau di Pi in Las Ramblas.  There you will find a square with cute little shops and free concerts.  There are so many little streets in Las Ramblas you should try to explore them all, but this one is a find!

Definitely have a street map with you at all times.  Streetwise maps are fantastic.  They are sold at Barnes & Nobles and Amazon.  I found Barcelona a little confusing to navigate,  so having this will make a huge difference.

Buy your stamps at the local tobacco store.  There were not a lot of mailboxes around but they are bright yellow, so if you know that is what you are looking for, you will find it easily.  It took us a day or so to realize that is what they were.