Helping 30+ million Venice travelers since 1997 |
Top 11 Tourist Mistakes in Venice, Italy (and how to avoid them)
Mistake #6: Taking unnecessary toursToo many tourists arrive in Venice, climb into a sightseeing boat, and cruise along the city's waterfront while a guide with a microphone tells them what they're seeing: "On your left is the Ca' Bigoli, built in Venetian Gothic style by a 12th Century pasta trader who later became a doge. The interior, which you can't see because you're 50 meters away in a boat, was later redecorated with paintings by a student of Tintoretto..." (Are you bored by our fictitious example? Think of how bored you'd be if you were in the boat, and how annoyed you'd feel after paying 40 or 50 euros for the equivalent of a narrated vaporetto ride.) Our advice: Venice is a compact city that any reasonably healthy person can easily explore alone on foot. There's little reason to spend money on tours unless:
If you're willing to explore Venice on your own, start by purchasing a good street map of Venice (such as the Touring Club of Italy's 1:5000 series) and a sightseeing-oriented guidebook. Then start walking. Here are some ideas for do-it-yourself tours using public transportation:
Suggestions for escorted toursIf you do feel the need or desire for an escorted tour, see our Venice Tours, Transfers, and Day Trips page, which lists companies and individual guides. Next page: Mistake #7: Overpacking About the author:
Durant Imboden has
written about Venice, Italy since 1996.
He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching
Europe for Visitors (including
Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl
Imboden in 2001. |
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