A Month In Venice

In Venice eating out can be a bit expensive, just like everything else in that city. However there are some things you should know before you venture out. For instance a good rule of thumb on how to spot a tourist restaurant is by the prices of their wines. A local house wine will be relatively inexpensive which means no more than 7 Euros. If the restaurant lists wines in the 15 euro range and above then I would avoid this place at all costs. The best advice I can give is to find a trusted local and go to where he or she eats. Some good advice can be found online at International Living or other online travel forums.

Now in regards to the typical Italian meal it consists of many courses. The first course is the appetizer or antipasto this is then followed by a pasta dish or primo piatto believe it or not this is then followed by a second course or secondo piatto which consists of either fish or some meat and then if the customer is not completely overwhelmed there is a dish of vegetables or salad which is called a controno and who could forget dessert or dolce to end it all. How a typical Italian can eat this is a mystery to most Americans because in American the portions are much bigger and we do not spend as much time eating as most Europeans do. However I would like to point out that in Venice that the typical Venetian is not as obsessed with food as the other Italians are. In fact you will see many Venetians eating quick bites at small bars.

Tipping is another point of contention for many foreigners in Europe. In America it is customary to tip anywhere between 15-20 percent of the ticket while in Europe it is their custom to only tip a few Euros per person as there is an already included cover charge added to most bills. This cover charge usually consists of a 12% addition to the bill plus a charge for the bread and linens which should only be a few Euros added to the bill.

For vegetarians Europe is actually quite accommodating. I guess they do not have as much hang-ups with eating meat at each meal as some other countries do. However you may find that some Venetian restaurants do not offer anything for a vegetarian. This is when a solid understanding of some basic Italian dishes come in handy. Most places will be willing to serve some vegetarian pastas and it would behoove you to learn to name these dishes by heart as you may end up ordering something special for yourself if you can not find anything on the menu.

Hopefully in the future I will have a series on some of the better places to eat in Venice that are known for their quality and for their local flair as well. I know no one wants to be ripped off when on vacation and if I can prevent this I will.

Finding cheap accommodations in Venice Italy is not an easy task. Let’s face it the words budget and Venice Italy are not usually mixed in the same sentence together. It is certainly not what the town is best known for that is for sure.

However the following posts should help out the average reader in saving some money on their stay in Venice. It should certainly help out those students looking for budget accommodations as well.

Budget Hotels in Castello

Budget Hotels in San Croce

Budget Hotels in Cannaregio

Budget Hotels in San Marco

Budget Hotels in Dorsoduro

For those that want a longer stay be sure to visit my post on student apartments in Venice Italy. It is certainly worth a look in my opinion.

The San Marco neighborhood is the virtual heart of the city. Containing St. Mark’s square it contains some of the most visited destinations by tourists. This district or sesteri contains the Rialto Bridge which has many shops and expensive boutiques that not the average tourist can afford to shop. If you want a calmer part of this neighborhood then head towards the southern part of San Marco as that is visited by fewer tourists and is conveniently located near the Accademia bridge which leads to many other of Venice’s hot spots and must see destinations.

Below are five of the best budget hotels in San Marco although there may be many others if you are willing to look.

Al Gazzettino
San Marco 4971 - Calle de Mezo
A very small but cozy hotel that is run by a very friendly family. The décor is a mix of modern and antique with a not so surprising Italian flair.
Phone: +39 04 1528 6523
http://www.algazzettino.com/

Caneva
San Marco 5515 - Corte del Drio la Fava
A larger hotel with 23 rooms this is a must see! You see 17 rooms in this hotel face the canal and are available if you ask ahead of time. So how about that ? A budget hotel with canal views. Does it get any better then this?
Phone: +39 04 1522 8118
http://www.hotelcaneva.com

Hotel Riva
Ponte dell Angelo, 5310
On the corner of two canals this hotel is bound to suit anyone with a desire for a canal view room. Small but with air conditioning and quaint decorations this is a hotel that is ideal for those that want to explore the city and not watch television as there is none in any of the rooms.
Phone: +39 04 1522 7034
http://www.hotelriva.it/

Locanda Fiorita
San Marco 3457/A - Campiello Novo o dei Morti
This hotel is of course housed in a 15th century Palazzo. It is a charming hotel that is full of flowers during the height of tourist season hence the name.
Phone: +39 041 523 4754

Noemi
San Marco 909 - Calle dei Fabbri
An eclectic hotel by Venice standards you will find yourself surrounded with both Murano and Asian inspired decorations that surprisingly work together.
Phone: +39 041 523 8144

Staying in Venice is an expensive venture. However I hope my recent series on budget hotels in Venice have helped some of my readers. Alas this is really only helpful if you wish to stay for a couple of days or perhaps a week. What are you going to do if you wish to stay in Venice for an extended period of time? I have many friends who are artists and would love to stay in this city just to absorb the atmosphere and to hone their craft. What options do they have as students to stay in Venice? Well fortunately there are many good search engines and directories you can use to find ideal locations to stay and that will hopefully fit into a tight budget as well.

The very first place I would look is Venice Apartments.org as they seem to have the most comprehensive listing of available flats to rent. Not only will this site help you find a great apartment but they also have some “inside” information on how not to get cheated in this wonderful city. What I found to be particularly good is the tips and tricks section of the website as the information contained leads me to some new places to eat and see. That alone was worth the visit in my opinion.

The second place to look would be the great site of Venice By.com which is another hotel search engine. However they have a great listing of apartments that may overlap with the Venice Apartments.org. This site is different in its comprehensives listing of restaurants and local attractions that is sure to keep any person busy while staying in the area.

Lastly I would check out wenicevenice.it as a place to look for an apartment. This is not a comprehensive listing of apartments and the focus seems to be apartments in the Dorsoduro district. This district seems to be particularly popular with the student crowd so I would check it out if that is what you are looking for.

Hopefully this advice will help any student looking for an flat in Venice. Budget accommodations are not really easy to find in this city as there is a scarcity and a high demand from visitors. However do not give up there are many hidden gems out there if you are willing to search for them. Just keep looking.

The sesetri of San Croce is best know because it is just across from the bridge of the Santa Lucia station where many of the tourists of Italy enter the city. This part of town is known by its many older buildings that date to the medieval times. So needless to say that this part of town definitely has its charms. One of the benefits of staying in this district is that there are many small restaurants or trattoria’s all throughout so you know you will find a good place to eat somewhere. Because of the high amount of traffic that this district receives finding budget accommodations can be difficult.

Below is a listing of some of the best budget hotels of the San Croce region in Venice.

Al Ponte Mocenigo
Santa Croce 2063 - Fondamenta de rimpeto a Ca’
Having only 10 rooms does not mean this hotel lacks anything. Quite the opposite as you will find a wealth of antique furnishings and well appointed rooms throughout.
Phone: +39 04 1524 4797
http://www.alpontemocenigo.com

Casa Peron
Santa Croce 85 - Salizzada San Pantalon
A small hotel of only 11 rooms this place is filled with artwork throughout and a very friendly staff as this is a family run establishment.
Phone: +39 04 171 1038
http://www.casaperon.com/

Falier
Santa Croce 130 - Salizzada San Pantalon
Having 19 rooms this is another hotel to check out. Not a hotel lacking anything this place is sure to please even the most picky budget traveler.
Phone: +39 041 710 882
http://www.hotelfalier.com/

Hotel Dalla Mora
Santa Croce 42, Salizzada S. Pantalon
Another small but well appointed and well run hotel of only 14 rooms.
Phone: +39 04 171 0703
http://www.hoteldallamora.it/

Locanda Salieri
Santa Croce 160 - Fondamenta Minotto
A tiny hotel of 11 rooms this place is great if you want to have a balcony view of the Canal del Gaffaro which is sure to please some.
Phone: +39 04 171 0035
http://www.hotelsalieri.com