Venice, Italy

Recommendations

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Stay...

Hotel Danieli. This is an exceptional hotel located just a few yards from St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace. The hotel is part of the Starwood "Luxury Collection" and it lives up to that billing.

The hotel was recently featured prominently in the movie "The Tourist" starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.

Even if you are not lucky enough to be a guest in the hotel, stop in the lobby for a drink or dine in the restaurant just to soak up the ambiance.

Tour...
Viator’s “Skip the Line Venice Walking Tour with St Mark's Basilica” is a good way to get an overview of Venice and its canals, streets, history, and neighborhoods. The tour also includes a skip-the-line entrance into St. Mark’s, which is highly recommended during heavy tourist times. This is a good start to any Venice visit since it will give you some orientation to the city and an idea of the places you may want to explore later in detail at a more leisurely pace. The guided tour of St. Mark’s also provides a convenient overview of the church, but you may want to arrange time to linger a little longer after the tour has concluded.
http://www.viator.com/

Travel Tips

  • There are no cars in Venice. Avoid the cost of personal taxi boats by riding the public water bus (vaporetto). 
  • Different vaporetto lines go to different areas around Venice at different speeds, so make sure you get on the correct line (and that it is going in the correct direction on that line). 
  • Purchase a vaporetto ticket for the length of your stay. That way, you can use the ticket when you arrive (to get to your hotel from the airport or train station), and continuously during your visit, including your return. This saves time from standing in lines at each biglietteria (ticket window). Remember to validate the card (waving it in front of the machine) before you board each time. The number 1 vaporetto is a great introduction to the Grand Canal and a way to see the city like a local.
  • Get lost. Be sure to wander the back streets, bridges, and canals of Venice, even if you are certain to get lost.  There is a picture worthy of a postcard around almost every turn. You can generally find your way back to St. Mark’s Square by following the yellow signs. Of course, you can politely ask a local for directions in Italian to find assistance returning to the major tourist sites.