One of the lesser known festivals in Venice is The Feast of the Redeemer. Originally it was to celebrate the end of the bubonic plague which ended in 1576 and ended up killing tens of thousands of citizens of Venice. Certainly not your typical celebration by any means as this is a celebration truly unique to this city.

This time of year is the only time when the island of Giudecca is accessible by foot as a floating foot bridge is constructed to allow for the Doge of Venice to cross to this island. As you probably can guess the majority of the celebrations for this festival occur on this island
as Giudecca becomes a center for activity in the city.

This celebration is marked by many fireworks that can be seen throughout the city but are best viewed in the Dorsoduro district. Also many Venetians choose to eat elaborate meals on their boats at night in the Grand Canal in order to honor those that died and to give thanks for those that continued to live on. What you might expect at this time of year is many bands and street performances similar to what you would see during a historical regatta or Carnvale. This celebration typically lasts for an entire week and begins about mid July around the 16th of the month.

For many Americans you can consider this a celebration of thanksgiving similar to what we have in November. Like in America this celebration is steeped in tradition and centers around the family. Unlike the American celebration of thanksgiving many festivities occur outside of the home and with other families that are also celebrating. So there is a contrast in cultures that exists between these two celebrations. For some that are just visiting I would check to see what your hotel offers during this time of year. Since you are not a local you might feel left out but sometimes a hotel will try to include you in the celebration and make you feel more like a local.

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.

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.

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 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.

Below is a listing of some of the better finds if you are on a budget in Venice.

Albergo Hotel Antico Capon
Campo Santa Margherita 3004/B
This hotel is ideal for the bar hopping types that need a place to crash after a heavy night of partying. Located in the heart of the nightclub scene on Campo Santa Margherita. Very reasonably priced considering the location.
Double Rates: 40 to 95 Euros
Phone: +39 041 528 5292

http://www.anticocapon.com/

Antica Locanda Montin
Dorsoduro 1147 – Fondamenta di Borgo
For the true art lover this hotel is just minutes from the Accademia Art Museum and the Guggeheim Art Museum.
Double Rates: 80 to 150 Euros
Phone: +39 041 522 7151

Ca’ Rezzonico Apartment Venice
Dorsoduro 2813 – Fondamenta Gherardini
This is a charming hotel consisting of only 6 rooms. Built and maintained in the style of 16th century Venice this hotel does not disappoint.
Double Rates: 80 to 150 Euros
Phone: +39 041 277 0653

http://www.casarezzonico.it/

Hotel Galleria
Dorsoduro 878 A
For those that want to get away from it all this is the hotel for you. Not a television in sight and furnishing that bring you back to the classic Venice style of living.
Double Rates: 110 to 165 Euros
Phone: +39 041 523 2489

http://www.hotelgalleria.it

Hotel Messner
Dorsoduro 216, Madonna della Salute
Located in the shadow of the Madonna della Salute church this hotel is ideal for the very religious.
Double Rates: 120 to 160 Euros
Phone: +39 041 522 7443

La Calcina
Dorsoduro 780 – Fondamenta de le Zattere ai Gesuati
For those that like to splurge now and then this hotel might just be for you. Since this hotel is so close to the Accademia galleries and other key locations you can really save some steps by reserving a room here.
Double Rates: 99 to 201 Euros
Phone: +3904 115206466

http://www.lacalcina.com/

Locanda Ca Foscari
Calle della Frescada 3887/B
This hotel is very convienient if you are coming from the train station as it is located only 10 minutes away. This hotel is on the border of Santa Croce and Dorsoduro so plan accordingly.
Double Rates: 65 to 98 Euros
Phone: +39 041 710 401

http://www.locandacafoscari.com/

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.

Here is my list in no particular order of some of the top sights to see while staying in Venice.

• Doges Palace
• St Marks Basilica (and St. Mark’s Square)
• St. Mark’s Campanille
• Harry’s Bar
• Palazzo Dandolo
• La Fenice Theater
• The Accademia Gallery
• Peggy Guggenheim Museum
• Santa della Maria Salute Church
• Campo Santa Margherita

I am not going to number these sights as each and every person has their particular preference for what they want to see whenever they visit a city. However a visit to Venice will not be complete unless you go to each and every one of these places in my opinion.

Also since these are the most visited parts of Venice keep in mind there will be crowds of tourists in the area and you will not get a true taste of the city if you only hang out in these areas. Rather it is much better to find out where the locals go to for fun and see where they hang out. This is the only way to get a feel for the true city of Venice and not what they show to the public.

The Accademia Gallery
The Gallery was founded in 1750 and was built as a school of sculpture, painting and architecture. Currently the Gallery serves more as a museum and displays artists such as the following Gentile and Giovanni Bellini, Bernardo Bellotto, Pacino di Bonaguida, Canaletto, Carpaccio, Giulio Carpioni, Rosalba Carriera, Cima da Conegliano, Fetti, Pietro Gaspari, Michele Giambono, Luca Giordano, Francesco Guardi, Giorgione, Johann Liss, Charles Le Brun, Pietro Longhi, Lorenzo Lotto, Mantegna, Rocco Marconi, Michele Marieschi, Antonello da Messina, Piazzetta, Giovanni Battista Pittoni, Preti, Giambattista Tiepolo, Tintoretto, Titian, Veronese, Vasari, Leonardo da Vinci, Alvise Vivarini, and Giuseppe Zais. So obviously for the art lovers out there you will not be disappointed by what this museum has to offer.

Peggy Guggenheim Museum
This art museum contains mostly the collection of Peggy Guggenheim, hence the name. This museum focuses more on the American modernists and Italian futurists. Works in this collection come from a variety of artistic styles including Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. Artists such as Dali, Picasso and Brancuzi can be found here. The museum is housed in an unfinished 18th century palazzo called Palazzo Venier dei Leoni.

Santa della Maria Salute Church
This is perhaps one of the most photographed churches in all of Italy. Being directly across the Piazza San Marco it is hard to miss. This church carries the status of a minor basilica.

Campo Santa Margherita
One of the largest and most attractive squares in the entire city of Venice. Named after one of the churches that fronts it on one side. Currently the church is being used as an auditorium for the nearby University. Since there is a nearby University and this is located so close to the residential district you get to see what the true locals of the city are up to. This makes this area free of the trinket shops you see all around the tourist areas of Venice.

Venice’s peak tourist season is from June through September. Now this usually means higher priced hotels and plenty of crowds. For some this is okay as some are used to throngs of tourists when ever they visit any place.

To avoid the high crowds of the peak tourist season the best time to go is from November through March however as Carnevale occurs in February for ten days avoiding the city then might also be a good idea.

I could go to Venice tomorrow if I had the opportunity to do so. For me there is no time that I would not want to visit. I am just simply enthralled by this wonderful city.