A Month In Venice

Renting a car in Europe can be by far one of the most expensive parts of your entire trip. This is especially true if you want to have a convertible or a large van to carry all of your family members. So then what if I want to stay in Europe for longer than two weeks but still need a car? Well the best option that is still available is to lease your vehicle on a short term basis. This option is really only available to two car manufacturers Renault or a Peugeot.

The only reason that the short term lease program is available is that there is a loop hole in the French tax system that allows these auto companies to lease their cars for such a short period of time. This program came into place to encourage those that fled the war to come home to France and help rebuild the country.

One other advantage of using this program is that if you are under the age of 25 you can still have a car while in Europe. The minimum age to lease a car in France is 18 so this is really great for those young wanderlusters out there to really get out and explore the European Union.

One drawback however is that you must lease a car for at least 17 days. Anything less then this and you will not be approved. So if you are planning on spending any less time in Europe this is not the best option for you. Also I would like to point out that since this is a lease program and not a rental there are fewer places you can pick up and drop off your car. Even though you can purchase a car outside of France and still get this loophole I would like to point out that you will have to pay a small surcharge depending upon where you pick your car up. So ask around and see if you can plan accordingly to get the best value for  your money.

This should be a great option for those that are staying for a longer period of time and want to have a new car in Europe while exploring all of its culture and history.

Eating out in Venice or Italy can be daunting if you do not want to get cheated. To get a truly Italian experience it is always best to eat where the locals eat. This means that the menu will be written only in Italian and you are expected to know what all of these items are on the menu. If you have special dietary concerns then this will be even more of a struggle if you do not understand some of the common items on the menu.

Fortunately I have gathered some of the most common terms for you and translated them so that it should be much easier to understand when you to out. I am seriously considering a Italian word of the day email to help my readers learn Italian. Or perhaps I could find a sponsor that has this that will be of service to those that read my blog regularly.

Here are some of the more common dishes used.

Antipasti – Appetizer
Antipasto misto – a mix of appetizers
Carcifi – This is some sort of artichoke dish served in oil
Gamberi el fagloli – shrimp and white beans
Prosciutto – this is a cured ham that is normally served with melons but can be used in any appetizer dish

Minestre (Soups) and Pasta
Cacciucco – this is a spicy fish soup
Cappelletti – Small ravioli with a light broth
Frittata – An Italian omelet
Minestrone – This is a beef soup with vegetables and pasta
Panzerotti – This is ra avioli filled with mozzarella, anchovies and an egg mixture
Polenta – This is a cake made of corn
Spaghetti alle vongole – This is a pasta dish with a clam sauce

Meat Dishes (carne)
Abbacchio – milk fed lamb
Agnello – lamb
Anatra – duck
Arista – Pork loin
Cervo – Venison
Cinghiale – boar
Coniglio – rabbit
Fagiano – pheasant
Lingua – tongue
Lombo di malate – pork loin
Ragu – meat sauce
Vitello – veal

Fish (Pesce)
Aragosta – lobster
Aringa – herring
Baccala – dried salt cod
Branzino – sea bass
Brodetto – fish stew
Calamari – squid
Gamberetto – shrimp
Gamberi – prawns
Gamberi di flume – crayfish
Granchia – Crab
Sogliola – sole
Squadron – monkfish
Tonna – tuna
Vongola  - small clams

This is just a small sample of what is available. Perhaps I could include a new word with each new post so as to help us all learn the Italian language. I am really kicking around some ideas here and hopefully soon I should have something in the works. Well I hope this helped someone out there.

Padua is just a very short train trip away from Venice. I have previously discussed Padua as one of the cities to visit as a day trip from Venice. However I was wondering if some would like to live in Padua for a period time in order to soak up all its atmosphere. Padua has many nearby picturesque farms that you can stay in for a short period of time. These farms are known as Agriturismo villas. An agriturismo is a farm that rents out rooms for either a short or longer time period in order to supplement the income of the farm. Many of these farms provide full breakfast and dinners. Needless to say this is an experience in Italy many have taken advantage of and with good reason. 

So how do I go about finding an Agriturismo in Padua? Well I have found some really great sites that do some of the work for you. Villa Selvatic is a great website that provides unique stays in Padua. Another great resource would be self catering breaks which offers more than just Agriturismo’s but motels and hotels as well. 

Another site I would recommend for staying in Padua or any other city they serve is Only Apartments.com. This website seems to be fairly comprehensive and can offer you more options than some of the other less robust sites I have reviewed.

The final website I would recommend would be oh-holidays.com which again serves more than just Italy. A quick and responsive search engine and somewhat good set or results met my approval for finding short or long term stays in this city.

Living in Padua for a short or long period of time may be the best of both worlds as this would allow you to view the Italian countryside While the hussle and bussle of Venice may be ideal for some I am sure that others would like to enjoy a relaxing time viewing and touring all the surrounding areas of the Veneto region.

The island of Giudecca was originally called Spinalunga most likely after the shape of the island. You see Spinalunga means a long spine of rock which is pretty much the shape of Giudecca. This island is in the Dorsoduro district of Venice and it is right off the Grand Canal so it should be easy to get to.

The term Giudecca is derived from the Jewish inhabitants who used to live there at one time. Later the island became more of an industrial center with even a film studio located there. Now this is one of the most exclusive places to live in the entire Venetian lagoon as it is sought after for its many palaces with gardens that you do not see in the city of Venice.

This part of Venice is where most of the real inhabitants live and work. This is definitely not a tourist trap however there are more and more hotels opening all the time. If you want to really get a feel for living in the city I would stay on this island as the people here are real and the surrounding atmosphere is not catered to just tourists.

However you may wonder what is there to see on this island? Well for one you can see the historical gardens that you do not find anywhere else. As there are many short term apartment buildings here you should not have trouble staying for a period of time here.

I would like to point out that Giudecca is not just one island but it is a chain of eight islands like Venice all networked by a bridges. You may not see the ornate work that some of the other bridges have in Venice as this is a place overlooked by many tourists who only come for a day.

There are plenty of restaurants on this island and a lot of them are fairly good. You certainly should not find too many tourist traps here. However as this island is not as frequented by tourists the locals might not be willing to speak to you in English so having a moderate grasp of the Italian language will go far here. One of the eyesores of the island is the industrial section.  You see the industrial section of this island lost most of its work after the second world war. So in contrast with some of the main islands you will see some abandoned and ruined buildings in an old industrial park. It really does not add much character to the island and I am sure that eventually these eyesores will be replaced with something better, hopefully soon. One of the worst things the city rulers can do is turn this island into another tourist trap. I would much rather see this part of Venice kept as real as possible.

Sometimes even though you might be on a budget when visiting Venice it is good to indulge yourself and others in some really fine dining. With this city’s reputation of being one of the most romantic cities in the whole of Europe it just stands to reason that spending a romantic evening with the one you love to be a right of passage and something that all couples should do while here.

With this in mind I have gathered a few of the more indulgent places to eat to tickle your senses and hopefully spark the mood for a wonderful evening. Now just as a bit of warning these restaurants are not cheap and that is by Venice standards which is about 15% higher then the whole of Europe so please plan accordingly. Also since most of these restaurants are known for their high quality it is a good idea to make reservations well ahead of time so as to not embarrass yourself.

The Met
Hotel Metropole
041-520-5044
http://www.hotelmetropole.com
This is the only Michelin starred restaurant in the whole of Venice. So obviously the quality of the food is not in doubt and the elegant surroundings match the city and the food that they serve. Please keep in mind that the specialties center around the fresh seafood so if you do not like seafood I would stay away from this restaurant.

Da Flore
+39 41 72 1308
Considered by some of the locals of Venice to be one of the finest dining experiences in the city. A serious atmosphere pervades the restaurant as the food is taken very seriously here. They are famous for their scallops in penne or even their bigoli in salsa which is handmade spaghetti in a sauce of mixed anchovies and onions.

Harry’s Bar
041-528-5777
Discussed previously in this blog Harry’s Bar is by far one of the most famous destinations for American tourists. This restaurant is known for its relationship with Ernest Hemingway and other notable stars of the past and present. The food here can be a bit pricey and you must have reservations but the experience is second to none.

Harry’s Dolci
041-522-4844
This restaurant is more of a trattoria then a fine dining experience. Serving much of the same food as Harry’s bar with much less expensive prices. This is well worth a visit as the atmosphere alone can capture your heart and imagination. This restaurant is in the same family as Harry’s bar but since it is not as famous you can still get the experience of eating in a good restaurant without such a high price.

There are many more restaurants to share and I will in later posts. However if you are planning a trip to Venice in the near future I would really look into these restaurants. You can really wow someone you care about by taking them to one or all of these places.