A Month In Venice

If you know anything about the country of Italy you should know that things do not remain constant for long. This is definitely the case for the public transit system in Venice called the Vaporetto that runs all throughout the canals and is the best system of navigating the city of Venice.

The ACTV has just posted up an update to their fares on their website. The details are just too numerous to go over and you should really think ahead or consult a local as to what is the best option for you to choose when purchasing a ticket.

Each ticket can be purchased in 12 hour blocks that are activated after the first swiping of the card. Of course the currency that is in use is in Euros as the Italian Lira as been completely phased out by now.

Here is the fare schedule:

12 hours – 14 Euros
24 hours – 16 Euros
36 hours – 21 Euros
48 hours – 26 Euros
72 hours – 31 Euros

Of course pick the card that is the most cost efficient for you to use based on how long you stay. Also keep in mind that you can purchase a month long card that gives discounted rates. If you are a senior citizen or a student there are also some other considerations as well. This I guess is a bit of housekeeping in order to keep this blog as up to date as possible.

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.

Venice’s history is centered on maritime activities. The cities very survival depended upon having a well trained group of maritime sailors who could outwit and outrun all around them.  Such history spawned Venice’s Historical Regatta which is meant to showcase the mastery of the sea and the ships that ride upon her.

The first Sunday of September is when this event takes place. There are many other Regatta’s from the various islands in the Venetian lagoon that are held all throughout the year but the true Regata storica takes place at this time.

This race is very similar in tone and shape to the Palio of Sienna. You see in this race like the Palio the boats are from their respective neighborhoods and each neighborhood turns out to root on their team of rowers who are competing for the honor of winning the race.

What is probably of interest of the tourists that visit at this time is the various processions of boats that proceed down the Grand Canal. First you have the bisonni or the 8 oared gondolas then the balotine which are 6 oared gondolas then following this is the decorative boats from the various rowing clubs. Following this procession of boats is a regatta for the children which is then followed by a race just for the women then a race of two oared gondolas which represent each neighborhood. At the regattas conclusion the whole of Venice comes alive with a city wide celebration that fills each canal and street with merchants and street entertainers.

If you are fortunate to be in Venice during this time I am sure you will not be bored with what is going on at this time. I would say that this festival would even rival the Carnival of Venice, although I may get some heat for saying this but I am willing to take it.