A Month In Venice

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.

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.

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 Cannaregio sesteri is one of the most convenient in the whole of Venice. This has its benefits and its drawbacks. Since this is such a convenient place to sleep many of the hotels are easily forgettable as they receive much tourist traffic. Also I would like to point out that many of the restaurants here cater to tourists so they are a bit overprices and mediocre at best. I am not saying you will not find some memorable gems in the mix but I do believe that they will be hard to find if you do not know any locals to show you the way. If you are coming by train then this is one region you should really check out as this sesteri is bordered by both the train station and the famous Rialto bridge on the other end.

Below is a listing of some of the more notable places to stay in this region of Venice.

Al Vagon
Cannaregio 5619 - Campiello Riccardo Selvatico
This hotel is central to the sesteri so it is very convient for any traveler who wishes to see the sights that are located within walking distance.
Double Rates: 60 to 110 Euros
Phone: +39 041 528 5626

Alloggi Gerotto Calderon
Cannaregio 283, Campo S. Geremia
This is a family owned and operated hotel consisting of only 12 rooms. They have been in
operations for some time and with the reputation that they maintain I would say they will continue to have a steady stream of customers.
Double Rates: 50 to 85 Euros
Phone: +39 04 171 5562
http://www.casagerottocalderan.com

Ariel Silva
Cannaregio 1391/A - Calle della Masena
This hotel is just off the main street of the sesteri and it is within walking distance of just about everything you might want to see in the city.
Double Rates: 60 to 105 Euros
Phone: +39 041 714 773
http://www.arielsilva.it/

Bernardi Semenzato
Cannaregio 4366 - Calle de l’Oca
This hotel is just steps away from the famous San Marco Plaza!
Double Rates: 50 to 95 Euros
Phone: +39 041 522 7257

Guerrini
Cannaregio 265 - Calle de le Procuratie
This is a pretty much of a standard hotel with little in the way of character as this hotel prides itself on its professionalism.
Double Rates: 55 to 150 Euros
Phone: +39 041 715 333

Hotel Arcadia
Cannaregio 1333D, Rio Tera San Leonardo
This hotels coms across as your standard fare from the outset but look deeper and you will see the wealth that is inside this restored 17th century building. Definitely worth a look.
Double Rates: 70 to 120 Euros
Phone: +39 041 71 7355

Hotel Minerva e Nettuno
Cannaregio 230, Tera Lista di Spagna
Perhaps a bit overpriced hotel to stay in during high season!
Double Rates: 45 to 115 Euros
Phone: +39 04 171 5968
http://www.minervaenettuno.it

Hotel Rossi
Calle delle Procuratie 262
Double Rates: 64 to 92 Euros
Phone: +39 041 715 164
http://www.hotelrossi.ve.it/

Hotel San Geremia
Cannaregio 290, Campo San Geremia
This hotel has some amazing views but that is just about all.
Double Rates: 50 to 120 Euros
Phone: + 3904 1716245
http://www.sangeremiahotel.com

Hotel Santa Lucia
Cannaregio 358, Calle della Misericordia
A very clean and friendly hotel run by mother and son. Marble floors throughout!
Double Rates: 70 to 110 Euros
Phone: +39 041 715 180
http://www.hotelslucia.com

Ostello Santa Fosca
Cannaregio 2372, Fondamenta Daniele Canal
Serving as a student housing unit this is more of a youth hostel.
Double Rates: 44 Euros
Phone: + 39 04 171 5775
http://www.santafosca.com

Residenza Ca’ Riccio
Cannareggio 5394/a (Campo dei Miracoli)
A charming six room hotel that is located near the Rialto bridge.
Double Rates: 90 to 120 Euros
Phone: +39 041 528 2334
http://www.cariccio.com/

Villa Rosa
Cannaregio 389 - Calle Misericordia
Very close to the train station this hotel would be best served as a place to stay before you leave the city by train.
Double Rates: 70 to 130 Euros
Phone: +39 04 171 6569
http://www.villarosahotel.com/

Okay so now you are in Venice, Italy and are a night owl so now what? Is this place designed for the elderly tourists? Does this place have any kicking clubs that I can go to? I am sure that if you are young and still active these are just some of the questions you may have asked if you are planning a trip. The answer to this question is maybe. It really is a crap shoot to find a place that is hip and active in Venice.

I am not trying to dissuade you from going if you are young, rather I just want realistic expectations. The best advice is to find a friend in Venice that shares some of the same interests as you do and follow their advice. Perhaps there is a club where you both can go and have a good time. For each individual this can really vary as much as the bars and nightclubs in the city.

Here is just some of the places that I have discovered in my research on the subject and through exhaustive verification.

Iguana
Cannaregio 2515, Fondamenta della Misericordia
This is a Latin club that serves Mexican food and offers dancing. There is live music on Tuesdays. They are open from Tuesdays to Sunday from 6pm to 2am with a happy hour from 7pm to 9pm.

Bacaro Jazz
San Marco 5546, Salizzadda del Fondaco dei Tedeschi
This is a jazz club that is open from Thursdays to Tuesdays from 11am to 2am. Food and drink is served at this club and you can eat until late at night. Obviously Jazz music is played in this club so if you are not a fan of that type of music stay away.

Il Caffe
Dorsoduro 2963 Campo Santa Margherita
This is a café by day and turns into a open air nightclub. This is a very eclectic place but it is not open as late as others. The hours of operation is from 7am to 1:20am from Monday through Saturday.

Piccolo Mondo
Dorsoduro 1056 CAlle Contrarini Corfu
This is a very small place that will be an acquired taste to many. The hours of operation for
this club is from Tuesday to Sunday from 10pm to 4am. Since this club stays open later I am sure there will be more drunk people around in the area.
This is just a small sample of what is available as the city has a variety of places that caters
to each and every desire that either the locals or tourists could desire. I would be extremely careful when visiting these places to start. Always be cautious and use some common sense and you should be alright.