From the category archives:

Venice

Venice: Things to Do

My number one tip for Venice things to do? Walk.  Take a break from maps, guidebooks and lineups, and simply wander the streets.
Leave your list of “must see” buildings behind in the hotel. If you happen to stumble across one of the big attractions in your wanders and the lineup is not bad, pop in [...]

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Traghetti: Budget Alternative to Gondola Rides in Venice

If you want to experience riding in a traditional Venetian gondola, but you don’t want to pay the 100+ euros that a private gondola ride costs, try a traghetto  ride. A traghetto is a public transport gondola that takes you in a straight line from one side of the Grand Canal to the other side.
Taking [...]

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Venice: Vaporetto Tour on Grand Canal

One of my favorite Venice things to do is a vaporetto (water bus) tour on the Grand Canal.
On Day 2, before we went out to dinner, we spent a couple of hours doing just that. A Grand Canal vaporetto tour is a great budget alternative to the traditional gondola ride. (Riding the vaporetto costs only [...]

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The Kindness of Strangers in Venice

We’d just arrived in Venice after a 20 hour flight. Somehow I had mislaid the map with directions to our guest house. Tired and confused, I went into a tiny little snack bar. I figured since this was a tourist street the guy would certainly  speak English. Using my one Italian word, I said “Scusi” [...]

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Finding our Guest House In Venice

Even though I thought I was  organized, somehow I had forgotten to bring the piece of paper that had the directions to our guest house in Venice. At this point we’re 23 hours without sleep and trudging down a main tourist drag (Strada Nuova) against the current of a  sea of people.
It was magical
Nonetheless, it [...]

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Day 1: Nanaimo to Venice

It’s a long way from Nanaimo to Venice, and I wanted to make the journey as fast as possible.  Alas, my chauffeurs had a different idea.
I really should be grateful to them for hauling me out of bed at 3:30 for a 6:10 a.m. flight out of Nanaimo, which is only 30 minutes away by [...]

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Calli, Campielli e Canali: Ultimate Map of Venice

Calli, Campielli e Canali is generally agreed to be the ultimate map of Venice. With this book in hand, you will be able to find even the most out-of-the-way places in Venice.
However, it is distinctly more difficult to carry than the average map, because it is in fact a true book of 226 [...]

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Buy Multiday Pass for Water Bus in Venice

Another Italy travel tip is to purchase a multiday pass for the vaporetto  (water bus) in Venice. It’s a great deal that many tourists aren’t aware of or aren’t confident enough to use. Buying a pass allows you to get on and off whenever and wherever you want, without having to purchase another ticket. Lots [...]

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