World City Guide

In a biblical twist that is very apt in such a devoutly catholic country, Moses has come to save the day. Work on the long awaited project to ‘save’ Venice has finally got underway in earnest after years of political struggles. The city’s citizens have for decades endured flooded basements, wearing Wellington boots to navigate its waterlogged streets during acqua alta (flood tides), and chronic damage to some of its most impressive buildings, but finally something is being done to shore up La Serenissima (The Divine Republic). Environmentalists have complained that Moses’ 78 hollow sea gates may irrevocably alter the ecological balance of the lagoon, but the city’s citizens are more concerned about easing their aquatic travails. As well as the sea gates, many canals have been dammed for repairs, a forest of scaffolding has spread across all districts, and cranes now compete for attention with church spires on the Venetian skyline. Not even San Marco has been spared, with new flood barrier construction now blighting its waterfront flank.

The Divine Republic’s beauty still manages to shine through, however. Venice is still one of the world’s most thoroughly unique destinations, a city that inspires even the most jaded of travellers. Quite simply, La Serenissima is unlike anywhere else on the planet, with a collage of 116 islands connected by 409 bridges, where cars are banned and everyone, including postmen and the police, goes by boat. History is writ large in this northeastern Italian city and when visitors ease through the morning mists, on empty canals with grandiose buildings rising up on all sides, it is easy to slip back through the centuries, to the time of the Doges – the omnipotent rulers, whose influence spread well beyond the Venetian Lagoon. Venice then was an exotic melting pot of East and West, where traders and travellers, including Marco Polo, breezed in and out, peddling their silk and spices. Venice under the Doges was a land of unimaginable wealth, riches that were spent wisely in crafting some of Europe’s most memorable buildings, from the imposing Doges’ Palace itself through to the grand architecture of St Mark’s Square, famously described by Napoleon as the ‘drawing room of Europe’.

Away from the main tourist throng, another Venice appears, with narrow canals, women hanging out their washing and small osterias (bars) where locals, for once, outnumber tourists. The new smoking ban has done little to dampen la dolce vita. In the intense heat of a Mediterranean summer the city can just get too much and the tourist congregations too large. Many savvy visitors are now choosing to turn up out of season, in the colder months, when swirls of mist and frosty winds descend upon the canals. At this time, the beauty of this unique city emerges through quintessential Venetian experiences, such as getting off a vaporetto at a random stop and ambling down a deserted canal, sniffing out an unheralded trattoria, or bouncing across the Venetian Lagoon after a freshly mixed Bellini at Harry’s Bar, en route to dinner at the Hotel Cipriani. Perhaps the last word on Venice should be left to one of her most illustrious patrons, Henry James: ‘Dear old Venice has lost her complexion, her figure, her reputation, her self-respect; and yet, with it all, has so puzzlingly not lost a shred of her distinction.’

Getting There By Air

Venice Marco Polo (VCE)
Tel: (041) 260 9240. Fax: (041) 260 6260.
Website: www.veniceairport.it

Located just 12km (7 miles) from Venice, Marco Polo airport is the main hub of European and national flights to the Veneto region. It is easily accessible by land or water and when occasionally blighted by fog, planes land at nearby airports in Treviso or Verona. Marco Polo is one of the busiest airports in Italy. The three-floor terminal can cater for up to six million passengers per year.

Major airlines: Italy’s national airline, Alitalia (tel: (06) 2222; website: www.alitalia.it), connects Venice to Rome, Naples and Catania in Sicily. British Airways and budget airline Easyjet operate daily flights to London Gatwick, and British Midland to London Heathrow, while Lufthansa and Air France fly to other major European capitals and business centres. Alitalia/Delta run a regular code share service to New York. An increasing number of budget airline routes also connect the airport with regional airports in the UK.

Approximate flight times to Venice: From London is 2 hours 10 minutes; from New York is 9 hours 20 minutes; from Los Angeles is 13 hours 20 minutes; from Toronto is 10 hours 30 minutes and from Sydney is 20 hours 45 minutes.

Airport facilities: Facilities include branches of Italian banks, with ATMs (bancomat), as well as a selection of bars and eateries. A range of shops selling local handicrafts and specialist food stuffs, a post office, a 24-hour first aid service and a hotel reservations service are also available. Car hire operators include Avis, Europcar and Hertz.

Business facilities: Business-class travellers without luggage can check in at the Sala VIP Save lounge (tel: (041) 260 6577; fax: (041) 260 6282; e-mail: marketing@veniceairport.it), where there are televisions and telephones at their disposal. The Travelex Italia Business Centre (tel: (041) 269 8191; website: www.travelex.com) has meeting rooms, conference halls and work stations with secretarial services and other support facilities, such as translation services and mobile phone hire, available daily 0600-2200.

Arrival/departure tax: None.

Transport to the city: The most romantic way to arrive in Venice (weather permitting) is by motorboat (motoscafo). Travellers pay for the privilege (¬10) and the ride takes a little longer than the bus, but the approach to St Mark’s Square from the water is one that few will forget. The Alilaguna service (tel: (041) 523 5775; fax: (041) 522 1939; e-mail: info@alilaguna.it; website: www.alilaguna.it) departs hourly 0615-0010 and takes one hour. Water taxis, run by Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia (tel: (041) 522 2303; website: www.motoscafivenezia.it) are an altogether more upmarket option, with a price tag upwards of ¬80. A cheaper alternative is by land, on the ATVO airbus (tel: (041) 541 5180; website: www.atvo.it) to Piazzale Roma, which departs every 20-40 minutes 0820-0010 and costs ¬3 (journey time – 20 minutes). Cheaper still is the ACTV (tel: (041) 272 2111; website: www.actv.it) public bus 5, which costs just ¬1 and departs every 15-30 minutes 0510-2310 (journey time – 30 minutes to Piazzale Roma). Car taxis to Piazzale Roma wait outside the arrivals hall and cost approximately ¬15-18 (tel: (041) 936 222).

Getting There By Water

Port of Venice (tel: (041) 533 4111; website: www.port.venice.it) caters for freight traffic and passenger ferries operate out of the modern Venice Passenger Terminal, located to the west of the city centre (tel: (041) 240 3000; website: www.vtp.it). Facilities, including shops, banks and cafes, are available in the terminal.

Ferry services: During the summer, Minoan Lines (e-mail: info@minoan.gr; website: www.minoan.gr) operates daily services to and from Patras, on the Greek mainland, stopping (according to schedule) at the islands of Igoumenitsa and Corfu en route. There are also regular ferries to the Italian port of Ancona. The journey to Greece takes approximately 36 hours, including two nights on board. High season prices start at ¬72 one way, for a seat on deck. The price is double that for a cabin. Passengers must arrive two hours before sailing. For tickets, travellers should book online with Minoan Lines (see above) or through a travel agent within Venice. From May through to September, Venezia Lines run high speed catamarans between the Italian ports of Trieste and Lussino, the Croatian ports of Umag, Rovinj, Porec and Pula, and Piran in Slovenia (tel: (041) 242 4000; e-mail: sales@venezialines.com; website: www.venezialines.com).

Transport to the city: The port is within walking distance of Piazzale Roma (the city’s main transport hub) and is connected to the city centre by vaporetti (water buses) 41, 42, 51, 52, 61 and 62. There is a free shuttle bus to the Piazzale Roma on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Getting There By Road

Italy has an excellent network of motorways (autostrada), designated by the letter ‘A’. The main north–south link is the Autostrada del Sole, or A1, which links Milan with Reggio Calabria in the toe of Italy. Speed limits on motorways are 130kph (81mph) for cars of 1100cc or more and 110kph (68mph) for smaller cars and all cars when conditions are wet. All motorways are tolled and driving from Venice to Bologna will cost approximately ¬11. Those on a budget may prefer the strade statali, designated by ‘SS’, which are toll free and are often fast, multi-lane carriageways. The speed limit on these roads is 110kph (68mph), which is simply too slow for the speed-obsessed Italians and therefore a more leisurely drive for the rest of the world. Strade bianchi, small country roads, abound in the countryside around Venice, where visitors often stumble upon Palladian piles and medieval market towns.

By law, both driver and passenger must wear their seatbelts, if fitted, or face an on-the-spot fine of ¬30. Random breath tests can be imposed and the penalties for drink-driving are severe – the maximum legal blood alcohol ratio is 0.08%. Speeding fines follow EU standards and are levied between ¬30 and ¬300, depending on the speed. Driving through a red light is fined at ¬60.50.

The minimum age for driving is 18. All those without an EU licence must carry an International Driving Permit. EU nationals taking their own car will need an International Insurance Certificate, also known as a Green Card (Carta Verde). Automobile Club Italiana – ACI (tel: (06) 491 115; website: www.aci.it) provides further information.

Emergency breakdown service:
Automobile Club Italiana: 803 116.

Routes to the city: The main thoroughfare is the A4, which slices across the top of Italy from Turin, via Milan and Padua, to Venice. This intersects with the A13 from Bologna, which in turn connects with the A1 – the central road artery of Italy, passing through Florence, Rome and Naples. However, travellers who prefer scenery to speed may enjoy the SS11, which runs from Padua to Venice, along the Brenta Canal. After Mestre, drivers should take the exit marked Venezia and follow signs for the city centre (centro). Once across the bridge (Ponte della Liberta), cars must be left at one of the huge car parks in Piazzale Roma or on the island of Tronchetto. Parking in Venice is expensive at around ¬20-30 per day. A cheaper alternative is for drivers to leave the car at the San Giulano car park in Mestre (only open in the high season) and catch the train.

Approximate driving times to Venice: From Milan – 2 hours; Bologna – 3 hours; Rome – 5 hours.

Coach services: International coaches operated by Eurolines (tel: (055) 357 110; website: www.eurolines.it) travel to destinations across Europe, including London, Amsterdam and Paris. ATVO (tel: (042) 138 3671 (Piazzale Roma ticket agency); website: www.atvo.it) operates services to the nearby towns of Treviso, Verona, Padua and Milan. All coaches depart from Piazzale Roma, where there are few facilities, including an information office for walk-up enquiries. Bus passengers should use the nearby train station for other facilities.

Getting There By Rail

All trains to and from Venice are run by the efficient and good value Italian state railway, Trenitalia (tel: (147) 888 088; website: www.trenitaliaplus.com). Supplements are added to fares according to the type of train boarded (Diretto, Inter-Regionale, InterCity, Eurocity or Eurostar) and fares are calculated according to the distance travelled.

Santa Lucia Station (tel: (041) 785 570) is the first port of call for the thousands of travellers that pour into Venice each summer, with 2002 finally seeing the introduction of a semi-organised queuing system. Situated at the west end of the Grand Canal, the station was built by the Austrians in the late 19th century, finally uniting the island community with the mainland. The eyesore terminal building is a more recent aesthetic crime. Facilities include left-luggage, a bureau de change, an accommodation booking service and a small tourist office. By law, all train tickets must be validated by stamping them in the yellow machines situated on the platform before boarding – failure to do so can result in a hefty fine.

Rail services: Venice is directly linked by train to Bologna (journey time – 1 hour 35 minutes) and passengers can change here for Florence (journey time – 2 hours 40 minutes) and Rome (journey time – 4 hours 20 minutes). It is also within easy reach of Milan (journey time – 2 hours 45 minutes) and the smaller towns of Padua (journey time – 20 minutes) and Verona (journey time – 1 hour 45 minutes). There are international departures to neighbouring Germany, Austria, to the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, aboard the new ‘Casanova’ express train (journey time – 4 hours), and the Croatian capital, Zagreb (journey time – 8 hours 10 minutes). There are also regular services to Paris and London on board the legendary Orient Express (website: www.orient-express.com), with a spectacular trip via the Alps and five-star service on board.

Transport to the city: It takes roughly 30 minutes for one to walk to St Mark’s Square. It is a well trodden and interesting introduction to Venice but, for that picture postcard view, visitors should hop on a vaporetto (water bus) and make the first of many watery forays down the Grand Canal – vaporetto 1, 52 and 82 are among the routes serving both the station and St Mark’s Square, with vaporetto 1 the all-stopping service, perfect for a first trip along the canal, but a torturous experience for people actually wanting to get somewhere.

Getting Around

Public Transport
For a real sense of the city, a wander through the tiny side streets, over hump-backed bridges and into pocket-sized piazzas is a must for visitors to Venice. But if time is of the essence, visitors should consider using the extensive network of water buses (vaporetti), operated by Azienda Consorziale Transporti Venezia – ACTV (tel: (041) 272 2111; website: www.actv.it).

Tickets are valid for 90 minutes and ones that include travelling on the Grand Canal cost ¬5, while single trip tickets that do not allow the holder to travel on this waterway cost ¬3.50. A two journey ticket for any non Grand Canal route can also be purchased for ¬6. There is also a 24-hour pass available for ¬10.50 and a good value three-day ticket at ¬22 – both allow the holder to travel on the Grand Canal. If you are travelling with animals or large bags you should also purchase a ticket for these, which cost ¬3.50 each. Tickets and passes are available for purchase at most landing stations and selected newsagents and should be punched in the machine before boarding. Failure to provide a valid ticket when requested results in a ¬30 fine, plus the full value of the ticket. Tickets are also valid for ACTV road buses, which operate to Piazzale Roma from Mestre and the airport. ACTV operates a 24-hour service but not on all routes.

Traghetti (public ferries) are traditionally used by locals to cross the Grand Canal – there are only three bridges with another currently planned – but sadly they are an increasingly rare breed. A poor relation to the gondola, these wooden dinghies nonetheless conjure up some of the romance of old-fashioned Venice. A swift plunge of the oars and the journey is complete but at ¬0.40 per trip (many locals round up to ¬0.50) it is worth it for the chance to see Venice just as Marco Polo might have done. For travellers who cannot afford the expense or do not want to succumb to the cliché of taking a tourist gondola ride, a traghetti is a better option, although standing is de rigeur and the ride an unsteady one, not to be attempted after one too many Bellinis. The traghetti are run by the gondoliers co-operative in conjunction with the city council – there are no published times of operation.

Taxis
Water taxis have to offer the most expensive taxi service in Europe – there is a minimum set charge of around ¬15 – and the trip will only be a maximum of seven minutes. A brief trip along the Grand Canal will cost in the region of ¬70-80 and on top of this there are surcharges for luggage, extra passengers (over the standard four) and travelling by night.

Water Taxis (tel: (041) 541 5084) can be ordered by telephone but will have a minimum of ¬5 on the clock when they arrive. Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia (tel: (041) 240 6711; website: www.motoscafivenezia.it) also operates a water taxi service. Stands are located at the station, Piazzale Roma, Rialto, San Marco and the Lido. Official water taxis have a black registration number on a yellow background. Visitors are advised to stay away from illegal operators who charge what they want.

Taxis of the four-wheeled variety only operate between Piazzale Roma and the mainland. Since hailing a taxi can prove difficult, visitors find it easier to call for a pickup from a reputable company, such as Radio Taxi (tel: (041) 936 222), which charges from ¬10 for short trips. Visitors should beware of unlicensed taxis without the usual sign or meter.

Tipping is expected for both land and water taxis, with approximately 10% the accepted norm.

Gondolas
The Venetian equivalent of a limousine is the gondola. For the ultimate travelling experience, there is nothing like gliding under the Bridge of Sighs, leaning back in plush red velvet seats and listening to the gentle slap of water against the crumbling palazzi walls. First mentioned in the city’s annals in 1094, there are now just 400 of these sleek, flat-bottomed vessels negotiating the Venetian waters. The traditional cabins that once shielded lascivious English lords and their courtesans from prying eyes were done away with long ago. The gondoliers of today must rely on fine weather and long summer days for their business, which may account for the high cost of the ride. For visitors who balk at paying ¬62 for 50 minutes (more after 2000), the cost can be kept down by doubling up with other sightseers. All gondolas can carry up to six people and fees for additional services – such as musical accompaniment, costing an extra ¬100-130 – should be negotiated before setting off. Gondolas depart from St Mark’s Square, the Rialto, Piazzale Roma and the railway station. Fares are set by a central body called The Ente Gondola (tel: (041) 528 5075; fax: (041) 521 1534; website: www.gondolavenezia.it) and any complaints should be directed there. Bargaining down the price by 10-15% is sometimes possible, particularly in shoulder seasons, although this should never be attempted when there is a group of gondoliers gathered together, as this is deemed insulting.

Driving in the City
No cars are allowed in the centre of Venice at all. Even the emergency services operate by boat.

Car Hire
Cars are not allowed in the centre of Venice, although for forays into the surrounding countryside, cars can be hired at the airport or in Piazzale Roma. Major providers include Avis (tel: (041) 541 5030 (airport) or 523 7377 (Piazzale Roma); website: www.avis.com), Hertz (tel: (041) 541 6075 (airport) or 528 4091 (Piazzale Roma); website: www.hertz.com) and Europcar (tel: (041) 541 5654 (airport) or 523 8616 (Piazzale Roma); website: www.europcar.com). Rates are approximately ¬80 per day. Drivers must be 23 years or over (depending on the company policy) and carry an EU licence or full International Driving Permit. Basic insurance is usually included, although drivers are recommended to purchase excess insurance to avoid any excess charges in case of an accident.

Bicycle & Scooter Hire
No bicycles or scooters are allowed in Venice at all.

Business

Business Profile
For such a beautiful city, where real industry and economic development is hampered by its unique locale and unsteady foundations, it is unsurprising that tourism has emerged as the main bread winner. Tourists first started to flock to the Divine Republic in the days of the Grand Tour in the 19th century and now tourism plays an essential role in the economic fortunes of a city whose non-tourist related industries and trading importance have never really recovered from the demise of the Venetian Republic and the mercantile and trade success that went with it. It is perhaps Venice’s greatest tragedy that the city that once lorded over much of the Mediterranean and virtually had a stranglehold on southern Europe’s maritime economy, is now such a sad parody of its former self – a tourist theme park that relies on the hard currency of the very visitors who can make it unbearable at the height of summer. Put simply, Venice would die without its 15 million annual tourists, who literally keep the city afloat with their money providing over 70% of the city’s income and over 50% of local jobs. Shopkeepers, hoteliers and restaurateurs all depend on tourism to survive. Sadly, though, this over-reliance on tourism, coupled with the high cost of buying and maintaining property, is driving young people, who are needed to stimulate alternative growth, away from the city. In recent years, there have been mutterings about trying to limit the number of visitors, especially day trippers who contribute little to the city in economic terms. On ‘Black Sunday' in 1989 there were over 150,000 visitors in a single day. But any decrease in tourist revenue could see the city’s unemployment levels, which are currently around 7.8%, rise in line with the national average of 8.6% or above. Attempts to limit numbers have been somewhat overshadowed in recent years, with the September 11 attacks and the second Gulf War hitting tourist numbers, though they are now once again on the rise. The Moses project is certain to boost spin-off construction industries for the foreseeable future through to at least 2011, taking some of the emphasis off tourism.

Tourism still reigns supreme in Venice itself, while the ‘real’ industries have already moved out to Mestre and Porto Marghera on the mainland. Another worry is that environmental concerns are now also hitting these industrial areas, scaring off potential investors and the jobs they bring. The main economic activity in these struggling industrialised areas is chemical, petrochemical, engineering, textiles and, in one throwback to the halcyon days of the Venetian Republic, shipbuilding. One of the positive spin-offs of tourism is that the traditional industries of glass blowing on the lagoon island of Murano and of lace making on the nearby island of Burano are kept alive. There are few major international companies based in Venice. Big hotel groups, such as Starwood and Best Western, have a strong presence in the city, as do fast-food outlets, such as McDonalds and Pizza Hut. There are no major financial institutions, banks or the like, as they tend to choose Rome or Milan over Venice.

One interesting locally mooted project is a scheme that would see an underground railway built beneath the lagoon, speeding travellers around between the mainland and Venice’s various islands, opening up a string of new opportunities. For now this ambitious idea has not yet really made it to the drawing board.

The Commitato Venezia Vuole Vivere, Via Brunacci (tel: (041) 549 9111; fax: (041) 935 952), is able to assist with setting up both businesses and business contacts. Venezia Fiere, Campo San Polo (tel: (041) 714 066; fax: (041) 713 151; e-mail: vefiere@veneziafiere.it; website: www.veneziafiere.it), provides information on all conference and trade fairs held in the Veneto Region and can also aid those thinking of setting up an event. Lexicon, Viale Garibaldi 7 (tel: (041) 534 8005; fax: (041) 534 9720; website: www.lexicononline.it) offers a wide range of translation services.

There are a number of Internet cafés in Venice, but many demand a passport or driving licence before allowing use of their internet terminals. The Venetian Navigator, Casselleria (tel: (041) 277 1056, website: www.venetiannavigator.com) is one of the few that does not.

Business Etiquette
Venice is not a young city – few young people are able to afford the sky-high rents and cost of constant renovations, which have forced many citizens over the lagoon to Mestre. Despite its significant student population, the average age of the Venetian citizen is 46 and business accordingly is a somewhat conservative affair.

Meetings are usually held over lunch and are a relatively formal affair. Any evening meeting is even more likely to be formal and will include alcohol and local specialities. Those looking to impress are advised to take clients to one of the top hotels, such as the Cipriani or the Gritti, for dinner.

Business visitors are unlikely to be entertained at home or given a tour of the city’s nightlife – Venetians are domestic creatures who rise early to cross town while the city is still free of tourists and close their shutters around 2100. An island people, they can appear reserved and somewhat aloof. However, Venetians are also extremely proud of their unique little city and visitors may be richly rewarded with an elegant lunch in one of the city’s top restaurants or an aperitif and some of Venice’s famous cichetti (snacks).

Formality should be maintained for business matters – Italian associates should always be addressed as Lei (the polite form of tu), unless informed to do otherwise. Dress is conservative (a suit or blazer and tie) and punctuality is respected. Although many executives will speak English, it is advisable to conduct business in Italian, if possible – Italians usually appreciate a visitor who attempts to speak their language, however poorly. Normal business hours are 0900-1700, although much of the city (tourism aside) closes down in August, for the annual Italian summer holidays.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
The current maze of construction work has made getting around Venice a bit more difficult than usual, but it should present few real hardships for visitors and it is certainly preferable than the flooded streets of aqua alta. Often the best plan for sightseeing in Venice is to have no plan at all. Those who choose to follow a map soon end up on a one-way street with a watery end, or cut off by construction.

For initial sightseeing, it is advisable for visitors to get on one of the main well signposted tourist thoroughfares from the train station to St Mark’s Square, either via the Rialto or Galleria dell’ Accademia. As water is so integral to the city, another recommended way for tourists to get a feel for Venice and its layout is to take a vaporetto ride from Piazzale Roma, located in the far east of the city, right along the wide artery of the nearby Grand Canal to St Mark’s Square in the centre. The Grand Canal provides an insight into the very essence of Venice, with all sorts of waterborne craft, from vaporetti and speeding water taxis, right through to the more leisurely traghetti and, of course, the ubiquitous gondola.

All along the length of the Grand Canal are some of the most renowned sights in Venice, from the charming arch of the Rialto Bridge and the artistic treasure trove of the Galleria dell’ Accademia to the more modern charms of the canal-side restaurants and the avant-garde art Mecca of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Breaking away from the water, there are the attractions of St Mark’s Basilica, the Doges’ Palace, Basilica dei Frari and Scuola di San Rocco.

Elsewhere around the Venetian Lagoon are the enticing islands, such as Murano, renowned for its glass, Burano, famous for its lace, and Torcello, famous for looking much like Venice would have before the builders moved in. On a clear day, taking a vaporetto over the lagoon to the Lido is also recommended to see the city shimmering across the water with a hulk of snow-capped mountains as a dramatic backdrop. For repeat visitors day trips to the surrounding cities of Padua, Vicenza and Treviso beckon with good rail connections to all three.

Tourist Information
Azienda di Promozione Turistica (APT)
Giardini Ex Reali, San Marco (Venice Pavilion)
Tel: (041) 522 5150 or 529 8711. Fax: (041) 523 0399.
E-mail: info@turismovenezia.it
Website: www.turismovenezia.it
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1730.

Other tourist offices are located on St Mark’s Square, the train station and on the Lido, at Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta.

Hello Venezia (tel: (041) 2424; website: www.hellovenezia.it) can also provide information on transport, cultural events etc. in Venice. They have English speaking operators.

Passes
The complicated VeniceCard (tel: (041) 2424; website: www.venicecard.it) is split between ‘blue’ and ‘orange’ variations, with the former including public transport and toilets, and the latter providing access to some of the city’s museums. Then there are variations between senior and junior cards, with the junior card available to those under 29 years old, the disabled and guides. One-day blue cards cost ¬14 for seniors and ¬9 for juniors, with orange cards priced at ¬28 for seniors and ¬18 for juniors. Three- and seven-day passes are also available. Three and seven-day blue cards cost ¬29 and ¬51 for seniors, ¬22 and ¬49 for juniors respectively. The three and seven-day orange cards cost ¬47 and ¬68 for seniors, ¬35 and ¬61 for juniors. Transport to/from Marco Polo airport can be included for an extra ¬20. The Venice Card is available from railway stations, tourist information offices and online.

The Chorus Pass (tel: (041) 275 0462; fax: (041) 275 0494; e-mail: info@chorusvenezia.org; website: www.chorusvenezia.org) includes entry to 15 of Venice’s churches, including the spectacular Frari church and Palladio’s Santa Sede Redentore. The pass lasts for one year and costs ¬9, with proceeds going towards the upkeep of some of Venice’s most historic parish churches. This pass is available for purchase at the tourist office, which will also provide a full list of the participating churches and their locations. Passes can also be purchased from the churches themselves.

The excellent value Rolling Venice Card (tel: (041) 274 7645), available to those aged 29 or under and valid for one year, costs just ¬5 and gives a range of discounts at many of Venice’s attractions. The Rolling Venice Card is available for purchase from the railway station and tourist information offices.

Key Attractions

Basilica di San Marco (St Mark’s Basilica)
St Mark’s Square was memorably described by Napoleon as the ‘drawing room of Europe’. Here, visitors can sit at one of the elegant 18th-century coffee houses (Florian and Caffe Quadri, with tables spilling out into the sunlight from the shadows of the Renaissance colonnades) and peer at one of Europe’s most unusual churches, the golden Byzantine Basilica di San Marco. The basilica was founded in the ninth century, as a shrine for the relics of St Mark, whose body was smuggled from Alexandria in a barrel of salted pork. Formerly a private chapel of the Doges, the church was completely rebuilt in the 11th century, following a fire. Built on a plan of a Greek Cross, its Eastern appearance is enhanced by golden mosaics both inside and out, originally created by craftsmen from the Byzantine court at Ravenna. To see how the church appeared in 1260, visitors should take a look at the mosaic over the left portal – one of the oldest surviving mosaics on the façade. Also on the façade are copies of four bronze horses seized from Constantine’s Hippodrome at the sacking of Constantinople in 1204, which became one of the symbols of the city. The originals are now displayed in the Museo Marciano, inside the church.

The interior, lit by the expanse of golden mosaics, houses many of Venice’s greatest treasures. In the chapel north of the main altar is the venerated icon of the Madonna Nicopeia. Once worshipped by the Roman Emperors in Constantinople, she came to Venice in 1204, as their Madonna of Victory, whose blessing was vital for Venetian military campaigns. The golden screen behind the high altar – the crypt in which St Mark is supposed to be buried – is the Pala d’Oro. Decked with sapphires, emeralds and rubies and inset with enamels from Constantinople, it was ordered by Pietro Orseolo, the Doge who was responsible for the rebuilding of the Basilica. Before leaving St Mark’s, visitors should pause to admire the 12th-century pavement, a resplendent mosaic of glass and marble. Now filled with uneven dips, it is a fitting witness to Venice’s unique situation, as the weight of its history threatens to submerge it below the waves. The attempts to reverse this process are all too visible if you cast your eyes towards the lagoon. The waterfront by Piazza San Marco is currently blighted by much-needed attempts to shore it up, and looks destined to ruin many a tourist photo for some time to come.

Piazza San Marco
Tel: (041) 522 5205. Fax: (041) 520 8289.
Website: www.basilicasanmarco.it
Transport: Vaporetto 1 or 82 to San Zaccaria.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0945-1700 and Sun 1400-1700.
Admission: Free (Church); ¬2 (Pala D’Oro); ¬2.50 (Treasury).

Palazzo Ducale (Doges’ Palace)
The Doges’ Palace (once home to the elected leader of Venice, the Doge, as well as the city’s political nerve centre) is a must for anyone interested in the history of Venice and its former empire. A building seemingly too graceful for the dirty work of government, its pearly façade is best appreciated from the lagoon, in whose milky light her rosy complexion blushes beguilingly. A merging of Islamic and Gothic styles, the façade dates from 1365. In contrast to the stern fortifications of the castle that was formerly on this site, the undefended colonnade and arcaded balcony are a testament to Venice’s confidence and democratic outlook during the Middle Ages.

The interior is more Renaissance in style, dating mainly from the 16th century, when Antonio da Ponte was employed to refurbish the palace after the fire of 1577. The first floor is predominantly made up of the Ducal apartments, all but empty except for some exemplary paintings by Titian and Bellini. It is on the upper floors that the business of government took place and it is here that Tintoretto and Veronese were commissioned to create new paintings to highlight the power and wealth of the republic. The Anticollegio (or waiting room) holds some of the palace’s best works – Tintoretto’s Bacchus and Ariadne vies for attention with Veronese’s Rape of Europa.

Further on, the Sala del Collegio is dominated by Veronese’s ceiling painting of Venice Triumphant above the throne. But it is the Chamber of the Great Council (Sala del Maggior Consiglio), the huge hall on the third floor, spanning the length of the façade overlooking the lagoon, which holds the palace’s most dramatic work. Tintoretto’s Vision of Paradise (painted with the help of his son, Domenico) is the largest oil painting in the world, with a cast of 500 figures. Tintoretto junior is also responsible for the frieze of portraits of the first 76 Doges, made memorable by the blacked-out image of Marin Falier, the only Doge ever to attempt to overthrow the council and install himself as absolute ruler. Falier was beheaded for his pains but his notoriety lives on in this silhouetted image.

The Doges’ Palace is currently nearing the end of a five-stage restoration project, with the final completion date constantly changing. Concerted attempts are being made to keep as many of the museum areas as possible open throughout the running repairs.

Riva degli Schiavoni, San Marco
Tel: (041) 271 5911.
Website: www.museiciviciveneziani.it
Transport: Vaporetto 1, 6, 14, 41, 42, 51, 52 or 82.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1900 (Apr-Oct) and 0900-1700 (Nov-Mar).
Admission: ¬11 or ¬15.50 (only Museum Card or Museum Pass holders are admitted).

Rialto Bridge
Venice is historically centred on Rialto Island, the name of which is derived from the Latin rivus altus, meaning high bank. In the 10th century, a provisions market developed spontaneously on the adjacent island and so, in 1264, the first wooden bridge linking the two landmasses was built. This wooden bridge collapsed in 1444, from the weight of crowds watching a wedding procession. It was replaced in 1588, by Antonio da Ponte’s design for the single stone arched bridge, which beat off proposals by Palladio and Michelangelo. Da Ponte’s bridge retained the covered shops of the original – today the haunt of tacky tourist traps and hawk-eyed goldsmiths but once home to Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. Visitors may note how the bridge crosses the Grand Canal at an angle, in order to align with the axis of the Ruga degli Orefici (Goldsmiths’ Road). Until 1854, this was the only point at which the Grand Canal could be crossed on foot. If visiting during the day, make sure to return when it is dark, or even better misty as well, when the bridge really takes on an otherworldly atmosphere.

Ponte di Rialto, near Piazzale Roma
Transport: Vaporetto 1 or 82.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.

Galleria dell’Accademia
Many of Venice’s greatest paintings remain in the buildings for which they were created, but the most important art gallery, the Accademia, is still worth a visit. Housed in the former church of Santa Maria della Carita and the adjoining Scuola, the collection first opened in 1750.

Oils were the favourite medium of the Venetian masters. Frescoes, popular on the mainland, were unsuited to the damp, salty climate of the lagoon and soon perished. Instead, oils painted on wood or canvas (long used in Northern Europe) were exploited to new limits, with the artists demonstrating an unusual sensitivity to colour and light, no doubt partly influenced by the play of light on the lagoon. The small paintings in rooms 4 and 5 are some of the finest in the collection. Giorgione’s Tempesta, depicting a naked mother and child sheltering under a stormy sky against the ruins of an ancient city, is full of mystery. Little is known about the artist and the subject of the scene is unclear, but the interplay of dark and light conveys a deep sense of drama. The larger canvases by Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese in room 10 should not be missed either. Titian painted the Pieta for his own tomb, demonstrating his extraordinary ability to create light with his palette. Veronese’s bawdy picture, entitled Feast in the House of Levi, was originally painted as The Last Supper but the artist was forced to amend the subject after charges of indecorum. Visitors should allow time for room 21, to admire the drama and colour of the nine broad canvases in which Carpaccio has dramatically staged the Life of St Ursula.

Dorsoduro 1050
Tel: (041) 522 2247. Fax: (041) 521 2709.
Website: www.gallerieaccademia.org
Transport: Vaporetto 1 or 82.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0815-1915, Mon 0815-1400.
Admission: ¬6.50.

Basilica dei Frari (Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari)
The glorious Gothic Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, constructed around 1330, is primarily associated with the name of Titian, Venice’s painter son who is buried here, alongside the city’s celebrated sculptor, Antonio Canova. Titian made his reputation and crowned his early years by painting the huge altar piece, The Assumption of the Virgin, for the Franciscan brothers of the Frari in 1518. The view through the choir screen and wooden choir to the high altar influenced Titian’s choice of frame and composition. The best way for one to admire it is to walk slowly up the centre of the nave towards the altar. Titian also executed the painting over the Pesaro family altar in the north aisle. The inclusion of the flag and Turk in the painting alludes to Bishop Pesaro’s victory over the Turks at Santa Maura. Titian’s tomb, located in the south aisle, faces the large marble pyramid created for Canova, depicting St Mark’s lion paying homage to the dead sculptor. Ironically, the design, executed by Canova’s pupils, was based on Canova’s own plans for a new monument to Titian.

San Polo 3072
Tel: (041) 272 8611.
Website: www.basilicadeifrari.it
Transport: Vaporetto 1 or 82 to San Tomà.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1800 and Sun 1300-1800.
Admission: ¬2.50

Scuola Grande di San Rocco (School of St Roch)
The renown of the School of St Roch, one of the many lay fraternities established in Venice for charitable works, is the series of masterful canvases by Jacopo Tintoretto that decorate its interior. Founded in 1478, the school was dedicated to St Roch, following a particularly vicious outbreak of plague. Tintoretto won the commission to decorate the entire Scuola in 1564 and spent the next 23 years doing so, becoming a brother of the school.

The ground floor holds a series of large canvasses depicting scenes from the Life of the Virgin (1582-1587). In the upper hall, connected by Scarpagnino’s staircase, are representations from the Old Testament on the ceiling and New Testament on the walls (1570-1581). The art critic and famous Victorian thinker, John Ruskin, reserved his greatest praise for the Sala dell’Albergo (1564-1567), where the chapter met. On entering the room, the visitor is confronted with the stunning expanse of Tintoretto’s Crucifixion along the breadth of the opposite wall, one of the world’s great works of art. Tintoretto manages to capture the painterly equivalent of tempo, rendering the darkened landscape busy with vignettes of activity while the divine halo around Christ’s head, his face partly hidden as his head bows in death, dimly illuminates the scene. Visitors attending one of the cultural events in the building can nip through during the interval for a free peek at the master’s work.

Campo San Rocco, San Polo 3054
Tel: (041) 523 4864. Fax (041) 524 2820.
Website: www.scuolagrandesanrocco.it
Transport: Vaporetto 1 or 82 to San Tomà.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1600.
Admission: ¬5.

Scuola Dalmata di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni (Dalmation School of St George the Slav)
During the Middle Ages, the large Dalmatian (Schiavoni means ‘Slav’) population in Venice provided labourers for building ships in the arsenal and sailors for the Venetian fleets. Forming a charitable guild in 1451, they moved their seat to the School of St George in 1480, under the patronage of the Knights of Malta. Vittore Carpaccio, himself of Istrian origin, painted a series of celebrated and brilliantly imaginative canvases, between 1502 and 1508. Located in a dark hall on the ground floor since 1551, the canvases depict scenes from the lives of the guild’s patron saints – St George, St Tryphone and St Jerome. Based on tales from The Golden Legend, the images depict St George killing the dragon, St Jerome welcoming the lion into the monastery, the funeral of St Jerome and the revelation of the death of St Jerome to St Augustine. Carpaccio’s canvases demand attention through a combination of drama and extraordinary detail. The canal-side wall, complete with its relief of George slaying the dragon, is in a dire state, but finally work is underway to shore it up, as well as to stabilise the rest of the exterior.

Calle dei Furlani 3259/a, Castello
Tel: (041) 522 8828. Fax: (041) 520 8446.
Transport: Vaporetto 1 or 52 to San Zaccaria.
Opening: Tues-Sat 0930-1230 and 1530-1830, Sun 0930-1230 (Apr-Oct); Tues-Sat 1000-1230 and 1500-1800, Sun 1000-1230 (Nov-Mar).
Admission: ¬2.50.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Peggy Guggenheim’s collection of modern art is probably the most distinguished in Italy. The wealthy American heiress (a generous benefactor who helped promote Jackson Pollock amongst others) built up her collection between 1938 and 1947. Following the exhibition of the collection at the 1948 Venice Biennale, she bought the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, where she lived until her death in 1979, leaving her estate to the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation. The collection spans Cubism, European Abstraction, Surrealism and early American Abstract Expressionism, with works by a wide variety of artists, including Pollock, Picasso, Kandinsky and Dalí. The sculpture garden is particularly fine and enjoys lovely views over the Grand Canal.

Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Dorsoduro
Tel: (041) 240 5411. Fax: (041) 520 6885.
E-mail: info@guggenheim-venice.it
Website: www.guggenheim-venice.it
Transport: Vaporetto 1 or 82 from Piazza San Marco.
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 1000-1800; closed Tue.
Admission: ¬10.

Further Distractions

Torcello
Torcello appears almost deserted and it is difficult to believe that, between the seventh and 13th centuries, it was home to a thriving community of 30,000 who prospered from the wool and salt trade. The town’s decline began in the 14th century, when silt from the rivers turned the waterways around the island into swampland and brought malaria to the community. A visit to this ghost town provides a fascinating glimpse into the early beginnings and architecture of the Venetian lagoons. The main square can be reached by crossing the Devil’s Bridge, the only medieval bridge remaining in Venice, allegedly built by the devil in a single night. The austere façade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, linked by a portico to the Church of Santa Fosca and the Baptistery, conceals lavish mosaic wall coverings. Founded in the seventh century and rebuilt in the ninth and 11th, the complex pre-dates St Mark’s Basilica by two centuries. In the central apse, there is a beautiful representation of the Virgin and the Mystic Lamb, inspired by works in Ravenna. The most magnificent mosaic is on the wall over the main door and is an enormous composition depicting Christ and the final judgement. Torcello also has its own provincial museum, Museo Provinciale Di Torcello, dedicated to the island’s history and evolution with exhibits from different eras including Roman and early-Veneto times.

Torcello Island
Transport: Vaporetto 41 and 42 or ACTV 12 or 14 from Fondamente Nuove and Punta Sabbioni.

Museo Provinciale Di Torcello
Piazza Torcello, 30012 Torcello
Tel: (041) 730 761. Fax: (041) 730 875.
Website: www.provincia.venezia.it/assap
Transport: Vaporetto 41 and 42 or ACTV 12 or 14 from Fondamente Nuove and Punta Sabbioni. Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1200 and 1430-1730 (Apr-Oct) and 1030-1200 and 1430-1600 (Nov-Mar)
Admission: ¬3.

Burano
Burano sees its fair share of tourists in the summer months and many Venetians descend on this lagoon island at weekends. But on a quiet, sunny weekday, the island is nothing short of idyllic. Many of its narrow canals are lined with brightly painted houses, said to have been painted originally by local fishermen, so that they could find their way home through the murky lagoon mists. The main industry today is tourism, which is fuelled by the production of traditional lace, on sale from many outlets around the island. Once visitors have purchased the obligatory lace souvenir, the only other pursuits are idling around the charming canals and lazing away the day in the waterfront cafés and restaurants. A meal at Il Gatto Nero (tel: (041) 730 120), a popular trattoria serving food every bit as good as Burano’s more expensive and more tourist-orientated restaurants, is an experience to remember, although booking is essential to secure an outside table beside the canal.

Burano Island
Transport: Vaporetto 12.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Walks Inside Venice (tel: (041) 524 1706; website: www.walksinsidevenice.com) organises comprehensive English-speaking tours around the city. The company caters for small groups of up to 12 people and charges ¬65 by the hour (most tours are three hours long). Sights visited depend on the tour taken and include the Bridge of Sighs, the Doges’ Palace and the largely unspoilt Cannaregio District. Tours usually depart from the hotel in which the client stays or from St Mark’s Square (although not necessarily). Other cultural, historic and artistic tours can also be booked at tourist information offices. The tourist office has an excellent range of free brochures outlining suggested walking routes. Those preferring to explore by themselves can hire a GPS led audio guide from PlanetAudioGuide (tel: (041) 528 5051; website: www.planetaudioguide.com) daily 0900-2000. Alternatively, pick up one of the walking itineraries titled Easyguide and Map of Venice that are freely available at the tourist offices.

Boat Tours
Venice Walks & Tours, Via Villanova 27, Pordenone (tel: (041) 520 8616; fax: (041) 296 0282; e-mail: info@tours-italy.com; website: www.tours-italy.com) offers a boat tour of the Grand Canal, although this may seem unnecessary, seeing as the local ferry network is the most efficient and cheapest way of getting out and about on the water. However, no local ferry will include a glass of sparkling wine while whisking its passengers down some lesser-known canals in a luxurious motor launch. The 70-minute tour departs daily at 1630 and costs ¬40 per person (with a minimum of five and a maximum of eight people per ride).

Excursions

For a Half Day

Padova: Due to its proximity, about 35km (21 miles) west of Venice, Padua is often overlooked as just a cheap place to bed down while enjoying the delights of its more famous neighbour. But Padua is a thriving town, singled out by her ancient university (second only to Bologna in age) and the remarkable Cappella di Scrovegni, home of Giotto’s groundbreaking frescoes. Nicknamed La Dotta (‘the Learned’), Padua nurtured the great minds of Livy, Petrarch, Dante and Galileo and later became home to one of the chief medical schools in Europe – as witnessed by its crude Anatomical Theatre, the gruesome highlight of any university tour. Despite serious bomb damage in World War II, the arcaded streets surrounding the market squares (Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta) belong to the Middle Ages, when Shakespeare set his play, Taming of the Shrew, here. The market itself is a treat not to be missed, crammed with herbs, vegetables and flowers from the bountiful plains of the Veneto and divided by the Palazzo della Ragione, Padua’s ancient law courts, whose loggia shelters the purveyors of local cheese, hams and bread.

The Basilica of San Antonio (tel: (049) 824 2811) echoes the Byzantine influence of St Mark’s and is a popular spot for pilgrims who come to venerate the body of St Anthony. This building is something of an architectural elephant, lacking the delicate motifs of its Venetian counterpart, its interior gaudily daubed with mock Byzantine paint work. But the high altar by Donatello, as well as his majestic horseman, Gattamelata (whose statue fronts the church), are well worth a look.

However, most visitors come to Padua for just one attraction. The Scrovegni Chapel (tel: (049) 201 0020; website: www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it), sometimes called the Madonna dell’Arena, was commissioned by the moneylender Scrovegni as his passport to heaven. It may not have done him much good (the church denied him a Christian burial) but it has enriched the world of art. Giotto executed the chapel at the height of his fame and the resplendent frescoes echo his genius. The walls of the tiny chapel are painted a cerulean blue and vividly depict the Lives of Christ and the Virgin. Bold brushstrokes, a dramatic narrative and a revolutionary perspective combine to form one of Italy’s greatest masterpieces. Tickets include entrance to the city’s art gallery and cost ¬12.

Padua is just 20 minutes by train west from Venice. The APT tourist information office, Riviera Mugnai 8 (tel: (049) 876 7911; fax: (049) 650 794; e-mail: info@turismopadova.it; website: www.turismopadova.it), is open Monday to Saturday 0915-1745 and Sunday 0900-1200.

For a Whole Day

Verona: Wandering around the romantic streets, wistfully swooning past the balcony where Romeo wooed Juliet, visiting the home of the strapping young Montague and finishing with an emotional visit to the tomb where the tragedy of the young lovers reached its fatal conclusion, it is easy to get caught up in the drama of the world’s most famous lovers.

On any given day in Verona, tourists can be seen openly weeping with the emotion of it all. Strange then that Shakespeare never even visited the city and that the lovers were entirely fictional – something that many visitors do not seem to be aware of. It is a tribute to Verona’s beauty, however, that the romance still shines through, even when one is aware that its leitmotif is a myth. Today the city offers a spectacular opera season, in addition to the romance and grand passion of its rose-tinted setting. Dominating Piazza Bra, the Arena was built in the first century AD and is considered the best-preserved amphitheatre in Italy, after Rome’s Colosseum. Partially damaged by an earthquake, its pretty pink and white stone belies the brutal ‘sports’ that the amphitheatre was built for. Today, it is home to the famous outdoor opera festival, offering performances throughout July and August where visitors may even be fortunate enough to see a performance of Romeo and Juliet itself.

A wander through the city of Verona offers an abundance of bridges, piazzas and Romanesque churches. San Zeno is the king of Veronese churches, with its zebra-striped bell tower climbing out of the rosy rooftops and marking the spot where King Pepin the Short is buried. The façade is dominated by a 12th-century rose window depicting the Wheel of Fortune, a finely carved porch and a set of bronze doors that retell the biblical stories with such intensity that they have been nicknamed the ‘poor man’s bible’. Inside, standing on the altar, is Mantegna’s triptych – a dramatic painting created for the church, using the play of light from the window on the right-hand side.

Verona is located about 100km (62miles) west of Venice. The main tourist office, situated at Via dell’Alpini 11, Piazza Bra, near the Arena (tel: (045) 806 8680; fax: (045) 800 3638; e-mail: info@tourism.verona.it; website: www.tourism.verona.it), is open all year (Tuesday to Saturday 0900-1900, Monday and Sunday 0900-1500). Situated between Milan and Venice, Verona can be reached by a one-hour 45 minute train journey from Santa Lucia in Venice.

Sport

As in all Italian cities, football (calcio) remains the predominant passion among sports fans. The city team, AC Venezia (e-mail: info@veneziacalcio.it; website: www.veneziacalcio.it), was founded back in 1907, but these days its glory days seem behind it as it is languishing in the doldrums of the lower leagues after enjoying a brief flirtation with the top league, Serie A, a few years ago. During the season, the team plays alternate Sunday afternoons at the embarrassingly shabby Pierluigi Penzo stadium, L’Isola Sant’Elena (tel: (041) 238 0711), in the easternmost corner of the city. Tickets cost from ¬16 and are available at two branches of the Banca Antoniana Popolare Veneta – Campo San Bartolomeo, San Marco, and Strada Nova, Cannaregio.

It is the Lido that attracts the golfers, riders and tennis players, although only the most dedicated of fitness devotees brave the waters of the Adriatic or indeed, like Lord Byron, the even dirtier waters of the Grand Canal.

Fitness Centres: Those concerned with health and wellbeing should head off for a session at Palestra Club Delfino, Zattere (tel: (041) 523 2763; website: www.palestraclubdelfino.com).

Golf: The Golf Club Lido, Via del Forte, Alberoni-Lido (tel: (041) 731 333; website: www.circologolfvenezia.it), is considered one of Italy’s top 10 golf courses. Located just 10 kilometres (six miles) from the centre of Venice, it can be reached by vaporetto to the Lido, then bus B to Alberoni. Facilities include three practice greens and an 18-hole course. The club opens daily 0830-1800 (until 2000 in summer) and is accessible to non-members for approximately ¬55 on weekdays and ¬70 on weekends.

Tennis: Ten tennis courts are available to non-members at the Tennis Club Cai del Moro, Via Ferruccio Parri 6, on the Lido (tel: (041) 770 801). Players can reach the club by taking the Lido vaporetto and then bus B. Courts are floodlit and open until 2300. Guests pay around ¬9 per hour and reservations are recommended. A swimming pool and gym are also available at the club.

Shopping

From the pungent fish market to hand-blown glass factories, Venice may not be focused on shopping style but it certainly has some of Italy’s more interesting gifts. Once a trading post of silks and spices, the city’s shops are now filled with carnival masks, Murano crystal and hand-painted fabrics. Given the city’s popularity as a tourist centre, do not expect to find many bargains.

There is no set shopping district, although most of the fashionable haunts, including Benetton, Max Mara, Sisley and the more recently opened Calvin Klein, are situated on or off the main drag between the train station and St Mark’s Square. As well as the international designers, all of the big Italian names are present (Versace, Armani, Missoni, Gianfranco Ferre and Valentino) as well as a few more unusual clothing lines, such as Emilio Ceccato, Sottoportego di Rialto and San Polo, who specialises in gondolier’s outfits. Of the carnival masks, some of the best can be found at Emilio Massaro, Calle Vitturi, San Marco, where shoppers can watch them being made. The islands of Burano (lace) and Murano (glass) are also prime excursions for speciality shoppers. Glass is the most celebrated of the city’s industries. From chandeliers to jewellery, all manner of shapes and objects are reproduced in the delicate colourful glass. Prices vary enormously but tourists should expect to be fleeced in the elegant shops around St Mark’s Square and even on the island of Murano. Carlo Moretti at L’Isola, Campo San Moise, San Marco, and Lucio Bubacco, Calle Rughetta, San Polo, are two of the best designers. Other chic glassware outlets include Ma.re, XXII Marzo, Markus Art Gallery, Piazza San Marco, and Cesare Toffolo, Bressagio 8/A Murano. For the ultimate novelty gift, visitors should head for Giacomo Rizzo, Calle San Giovanni Crisostomo, Cannaregio, where there is a selection of local produce, including gondola-shaped pasta. Countless outlets around Venice cater for those with a penchant for overpriced and poor quality art, while there are some hidden gems, such as Galleria D’Arte L’Occhio, Dorsoduro 181, with large prints and originals by innovative Italian artists on sale. Papier mâché masks can be bought all over Venice with high quality masks offered by Papier Mâché, Calle Lunga San Maria Formosa and La Bottega Dei Mascareri, San Polo (Rialto).

Of the markets in Venice, the Fish Market (open 0800-1200, Tuesday to Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday) is the most memorable. Tucked away under the arches alongside the Rialto Bridge, visitors should aim to catch it in the early morning, when the dawn mists rise off the lagoon and piles of shimmering fish glisten in the sunlight. Dedicated bargain-hunters should also look out for the flea market, which appears infrequently in the Campo San Maurizio. Food shops in Venice often close on a Wednesday afternoon and many gift and clothes boutiques stay shut on Monday morning. In general, shops are open 0900-1930, with many smaller shops closing between 1300 and 1600. Sales tax is 12-14% depending on the value of the goods purchased. Non-EU citizens should retain receipts for goods over ¬154.94 to reclaim their VAT (IVA) at either Venice’s main airport or at nearby Treviso Airport. Global Refund Italia (tel: (0331) 283 555; fax (0331) 283 698/9; e-mail: taxfree@it.globalrefund.com; website: www.globalrefund.com) provides further information.

Culture

Venetian culture survives on the crumbs of its grandiose past. It rests firmly on its laurels as the home of Vivaldi and the centre of the world for music in the 16th century. Musicians dressed in foppish costumes entertain visitors with one-off renditions of Baroque music in local churches, while string quartets vie for space in St Mark’s Square. La Fenice, the home of Venetian opera and theatre, was devastated by a fire in 1996 and its rebirth has proved a delicate and time consuming process. Gone are the days when Carlo Goldoni, the prolific Venetian dramatist, produced 16 works in one year and had the critics rolling in the aisles. The theatre scene these days is a middle-class affair, with its cap firmly set at the euro-laden tourists. With the declining population and young people choosing to leave, Venice’s home-grown performance groups are virtually non-existent. The city has to rely on outside artists to spice up the cultural scene. Only the cinema keeps abreast of contemporary traditions when, every September, Venice welcomes the moneyed and the honeyed to the International Film Festival.

For information and listings, A Guest in Venice (website: www.aguestinvenice.com) is published fortnightly in summer and monthly during the winter season and is available from good hotels. Information is also available online (website: www.doge.it). Tickets for major cultural events are available for purchase from Ciaoticket (tel: (848) 888 444; website: www.ciaoticket.it).

Music: The city’s opera house has recently returned home after an eight-year sojourn to Tronchetto island during reconstruction work after a devastating fire in 1996. Epic performances are once again gracing the stage of Teatro La Fenice in Campo San Fantin (tel: (041) 241 8033; fax: (041) 786 580; website: www.teatrolafenice.it). The opera season is somewhat overshadowed by neighbouring Verona but the standard of the music is high. Tickets cost from ¬20 and are available at the theatre 0830-1830 (Mon-Sat), at Ve. La box offices in Piazzale Roma and Ferrovia Scalzi, between 0830 and 1830 (daily) and on the website.

Other music venues in the city include the Frari Church, San Polo 3003 (tel: (041) 272 8611; website: www.basilicadeifrari.it), which offers recitals from May to October (excluding August) every Friday at 2100, and La Pieta, Riva degli Schiavoni, Castello (website: www.vivaldi.it), known as the Vivaldi church, because it stands alongside the Ospedale where the composer taught. Not surprisingly, this is a popular and atmospheric spot for renditions of Vivaldi. Tickets costing around ¬20 are usually available on the door or at hotel receptions. For a serious art and music splurge, visitors should reserve seats in the Scuola di San Rocco, Campo San Rocco, San Polo 3052, where the Accademia of San Rocco (website: www.musicinvenice.com) gives regular performances of Baroque music on period instruments. Tickets cost upwards of ¬25 and visitors can book these in person or by telephone (tel: (041) 523 4864).

Theatre: For any aficionado of Venetian Commedia dell’Arte, a visit to the Teatro Goldoni, Calle Goldoni, San Marco (tel: (041) 240 2011; fax: (041) 520 5241; website: www.teatrogoldonive.it), is not to be missed. Renamed to mark the playwright’s death in 1867, this beautiful theatre offers a comprehensive repertoire of Venetian classics, including works from the rib-tickling Goldoni. Opening nights are often booked well in advance and seats must be reserved at the box office. It is advised that tickets be picked up at least an hour before the performance to avoid disappointment. Visitors in search of more alternative theatre should look to Teatro a l’Avogaria, Corte Zappa, Dorsoduro (tel: (041) 520 6130), the home of experimental theatre since 1969. Venetian professor Giovanni Poli, who died in 1979, was the guiding light behind contemporary theatre in Venice and has a strong following in the city. In keeping with his groundbreaking ideas, the theatre has no ticketing system but merely asks spectators to make a donation.

Dance: Classical ballet forms part of the season at Teatro La Fenice (see above) but otherwise dance performances in Venice are thin on the ground.

Film: The city has been the setting for many famous films, including Luciano Visconti’s Death in Venice (1971), Nicholas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now (1973) and, more recently, the adaptation of Henry James’ Wings of the Dove (1997) and Michael Radford’s adaptation of the Shakespeare play The Merchant of Venice (2004) with Jeremy Irons and Joseph Finnes. The final scenes of The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) were filmed aboard the Croatian cruise liner, the MV Dalmacija, in the Venetian lagoon. The Giorgione Movie D’Essai, Cannaregio 4612, Rio Tera de Franceschi (tel: (041) 522 6298; website: www.comune.venezia.it/cinema), a two-screen miniplex with over 300 seats, shows a range of films with many played in their original language.

Cultural Events: Two cultural names dominate the Venetian calendar – the Biennale and the Venice Film Festival. The Venice Film Festival was originally founded by Mussolini in 1932, as a reflection of Italy’s increasing global importance and despite the low-key influence of Italian cinema, the event remains the second most important film festival in the world, after Cannes. The cinematic merry-go-round takes place around the end of August and lasts 10 days. All the action is centred on the Lido where the paparazzi rub shoulders with directors and starlets in pursuit of the Leone d’Oro – the festival’s highest accolade. Films are shown in the Palazzo del Cinema, Lungomare G Marconi, and the Astra, Via Corfu, although tickets are only available by queuing at the door. A programme of events should be available in advance at the tourist office. The Biennale (tel: (041) 521 8711website: www.labiennale.org) is a forum for contemporary art, frequented by the enfant terribles from all over the world. From early Italian Futurists like Marinetti to America’s Robert Rauschenberg and Benetton’s Oliviero Toscani, the Biennale courts controversy at the many events they organise throughout the year.

Literary Notes: Venetian-born novelists are an obscure bunch, although many other writers, such as Henry James, have used the city as a backdrop for their novels. William Shakespeare set Othello and Merchant of Venice here, while Thomas Mann’s masterpiece, Death in Venice (1912), is one of the most resonant portrayals of 19th-century Venice, set in a particularly insalubrious Lido. Jan Morris brings her richly woven prose and evocative descriptions of the Divine Republic in her Venice (1974). Other books worth seeking out for their atmospheric descriptions of the city are Ian McEwan’s The Comfort of Strangers (1981), Frederick Rolfe’s The Desire and Pursuit of the Whole (1986) and James Cowan’s A Mapmaker’s Dream (1996), which centres on the famous map in the Libreria Sansovino. More recent works include Margaret F Macdonald’s Palaces in the Night (2001), a look at the artist Whistler’s time in Venice, and David Rosand’s Myths of Venice – The Figuration of a State (2001). Mary Laven’s Virgins of Venice (2002) is a fascinating insight into life in a Venetian convent in the Renaissance era. Francesco da Mosto’s Francesco’s Venice (2004) is an excellent hardback history of the city full of colour, life and first rate photography.

Nightlife

The unthinkable has happened and in January 2005 the new ban on smoking in public places such as bars and cafes took effect in the one of the last bastions of the smoking lobby left in the Western world. Even before the ban visitors expecting debauchery and nefarious nights in the licentious ‘City of Revel’, which Venice was once dubbed, were often disappointed. With so few young people able to afford to live in the city and most places set up for tourists, the city’s nightlife often lacks real soul. In short, visitors to Venice will often be hard-pushed to find entertainment beyond their plate of cuttlefish risotto. Most of the action takes place in the early evening, when Venetians take their daily stroll or passeggiata along the Riva degli Schiavioni or to their neighbourhood campo. Sometimes they stop off for an aperitif – preferably a glass of chilled prosecco, the local white wine that fizzes on the tongue. For a quick tipple, the swankiest venues are concentrated around St Mark’s Square, where you can spend your euros with decadent abandon. Other more bohemian areas are in the back streets of Cannaregio and San Polo, where you can swill a beaker of local wine alongside fishermen and students. The average price of a beer in Venice is ¬3-5. Punters have to be over 18 to drink and most pubs close at either 2400 or 0100, although some places stay open later, especially those attached to hotels.

Due to problems with noise pollution, Venetian nightclubs are virtually non-existent and those that do exist operate a well-honed entry system that favours short-skirted women. More places open on the Lido, in the summer, when you can rub shoulder pads with Hollywood’s glitziest. However, for the rest of the year, the best of the city’s bright lights are the lanterns on the boats twinkling in the lagoon.

For information and listings, A Guest in Venice (website: www.aguestinvenice.com) is published fortnightly in summer and monthly during the winter season and is available from good hotels (see ‘culture’ section).

Bars: Harry’s Bar, Calle Vallaresso, on the western edge of St Mark’s Square, is the home of the legendary Bellini – a cocktail of prosecco, fresh peach juice and a dash of grenadine, although this institution is not for the financially faint hearted: if you are hungry expect to pay ¬54 for a club sandwich! A Bellini at ¬16 seems positively good value in comparison. No introduction to Venice (or prosecco) is complete without one. The bar is owned by the Cipriani family and has played host to Hollywood’s most rich and glamorous. The two grand old dames, Florian and Quadri, on St Mark’s Square, with a ¬4.50 per person cover charge, may seem exorbitant for a coffee, but a bottle of wine with nibbles and a carafe of water comes in at around ¬40-45, which is not bad value for two when you add in the live classical music and the stunning panorama of one of the world’s most famous squares.

Campo Santa Margherita has, in recent years, become the haunt of Venice’s young and beautiful, with its smattering of trendy cafés and bars and slightly grungy ambience. Margaret Duchamp is one of the liveliest options on the Campo, with outside tables, a trendy interior and a decent pint of Guinness, while Imagina Caffe, is a favourite of the artsy crowd. The Taverna Da Baffo, Campo San Agostin, has once again become one of Venice’s most popular haunts. An added bonus is that, as it is not yet featured in many of the printed guidebooks, the venue is relatively tourist free, leaving Venetian hipsters an unmolested location for their nocturnal revels. The tables outside close at midnight but punters should beware at all times, the crotchety old woman upstairs has been known to shower rowdy revellers with buckets of ice cold water. Osteria alla Postali, Fondamenta Rio Marin 821, run by a Venetian ex-pilot, is a great place to lounge next to a cosy canal, sipping a campari bitter and watching the gondolas drift by. Vitae, Calle Sant’Antonio, is a real local secret, tucked away near the Rialto, that few tourists ever find. Intimate and stylish, this bar attracts the Venetian yuppie crowd.

Casinos: Venice has one casino but two locations. In summer, the Casino Municipale di Venezia (tel: (041) 529 7111; website: www.casinovenezia.it) welcomes beach bums and film stars to its home in the Palazzo del Casino, on the Lido. In winter, it closes its doors and retreats to the more refined surroundings of Palazzo Vendramin Calergi, on the Grand Canal – the last resting place of Richard Wagner, who died here in 1883. Games at both include roulette, blackjack, as well as video poker. Gamblers should be willing to dress up and put up. They also have to be over 21 years and a passport is required. The casino is open 1500-1430 (Sun-Thu) and 1500-0445 (Fri-Sat)

Clubs: Since these are few and far between in Venice, most young people head for Mestre, where there is more space and less noise restriction, or further afield to the student town of Padua. But if you are stuck in Venice and you want to dance the night away, the best option is Disco Club Piccolo Mondo, Calle Contarini-Corfu, Dorsoduro, where house music is enjoyed by a mixed clientele and entrance is around ¬8. Or try the Casanova Disco Club, Lista di Spagna, Cannaregio, a popular Venetian hotspot for rubbing groins with Latin smoothies, very near Venice’s railway station. Expect to pay ¬11, which includes a free drink. Internet facilities are also available at Casanova.

Live Music: Venues for live music in the city are scarce. Two of the best known are the late opening (until 0200) Bacaro Jazz, Salizada del Fontego dei Tedeschi, San Marco, for hot jazz and a cool clientele, and Paradiso Perduto, Fondamenta Misericordia, Cannaregio, a late-night joint that is popular with students and tourists alike. The wonderfully named Pizzeria 900 Jazz Club, Campiello del Sansoni, San Polo, is a nightmare to find but well worth the effort for the quality Italian and international live jazz.

City Statistics

Location: Veneto, northeast Italy.
Country dialling code: 39.
Population: 65,000 (city); 170,000 (including Mestre – metropolitan area).
Ethnic mix: Predominantly Italian, with Slovene-Italian and Albanian minorities.
Religion: 98% Catholic, 2% other.
Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin or three-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 2°C (36°F).
Average July temp: 23.5°C (75°F).
Annual rainfall: 854mm (34.2 inches).

Special Events

New Year’s Day Swim, a chilly swim in the Lido, 1 Jan, Lido
Carnivale, famous carnival culminating with an exclusive masked ball and mass dancing for the locals and suitably attired tourists in St Mark’s Square, in the 10 days leading up to Shrove Tuesday, Feb/Mar, city centre (website: www.carnivalofvenice.com)
Festa di San Marco, gondola race in honour of the city’s patron saint, late Apr, Sant’Elena to Punta della Dogana
La Sensa, re-enactment by the city’s mayor of the Marriage to the Sea ceremony, first performed by the Doge, Pietro Orseolo, who sailed out into the lagoon and cast a golden ring into the sea, Ascension Day, May, Venetian Lagoon
Vogalonga, 32km (20-mile) boat race from St Mark’s Square to the island of Burano involving any rowing vessel and any number of crew, Sunday following Ascension Day, May, Venetian Lagoon (website: www.vogalonga.com)
Palio delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare, at the Palio of the Old Maritime Republics, where four teams in traditional costume take to the waters to battle to protect their commercial interests, June, Venetian Lagoon.
Festa del Redentore, Venetians celebrate their deliverance from the plague of 1526, with a pontoon of boats, fireworks display and picnics on the water, third weekend in Jul, pontoon laid across the Giudecca Canal to the Palladio’s Redentore church from Sant’Elena to Punta della Dogana
Venice Film Festival, one of the world’s leading film festivals, Aug-Sep, Palazzo del Cinema, Lido (website: www.labiennale.org)
Regata Storica (Historic Regatta), procession of historic vessels along the Grand Canal, followed by a race between the city’s top oarsmen and gondoliers, first Sunday in Sep, Grand Canal
Venice Marathon, Oct (website: www.venicemarathon.it)
Festa Di San Martino, children patrol the streets in trick-or-treat style, mid-Nov, city centre
Festa della Salute, the church of salute (good health) was built to celebrate the passing of the plague of 1630. In mid-Nov, a pontoon is built across the Grand Canal to the Church of Madonna della Salute

Cost of Living

One-litre bottle of mineral water: ¬1.70
33cl bottle of beer: ¬2.30
Financial Times newspaper: ¬2.50
36-exposure colour film: ¬5.50
City-centre water bus ticket: ¬5
Adult football ticket: From ¬16
Three-course meal with wine/beer: From ¬27

1 Euro (¬1) = £0.68; US$1.19; C$1.39; A$1.56
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005