In search of the real Venice
Henry Sands avoids the tourist traps in one of the world’s most iconic cities
When an acquaintance suggested I took my girlfriend to Venice for our anniversary weekend, I was hesitant. He had just returned from taking his girlfriend on what sounded effectively like a stag weekend in Prague. I had always thought of Venice as a rather clichéd, tired and unimaginative destination. Earlier in the year, I spoke to an old family friend who, having married a Venetian women half his age, now lives in the city working as an art dealer. He described living there as ‘Horrendous. Absolutely awful. It’s like living in Disneyland and as a local you are treated as though you are Mickey Mouse everyday. The city is dirty, everyone tries to fleece you and all the best architecture is hidden in scaffolding.’ He was missing his Chelsea pied à terre.
Despite his description and my reservations, I booked anyway. It was off season and frankly I did not have the imagination to think up anywhere else. The place had mixed memories for me. I last went there on a fifth-form school trip. A nice man on a bridge offered to show me some tricks involving cubes and scarves. When I caught up with my group, I found all my money had gone. My teacher contacted my mother, full of concern for what had happened to me. But after he put the phone down, he said: ‘Henry, why don’t you just write c**t across your forehead?’
I spent an unsuccessful two hours on ‘trip-adviser’, the global hotel database, trying to find a reasonably central, affordable hotel which had rooms, even though it was more than a month in advance. Like most people my age, I am used to booking hours before departure. I start to sweat at long-term commitment but Venice is too popular a destination for spontaneity. Even the normally reliable www.MrandMrsSmith.com were unable to find us a room, which was a bit worrying as I had just booked the flights. I didn’t think my girlfriend would wear an anniversary weekend in the industrial hubbub on the outskirts of Venice. If Venice was like Disneyland, it would be rather like taking a small child to the gates but then spending the weekend playing ball in the car park. In the end I found a new hotel named I Q Suites which looked chic enough, although about 200 per cent more expensive than I had originally planned for. More importantly, though, they could guarantee us one of their four studio rooms for the weekend.
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Carlos Wigderowitz
April 9th, 2008 7:07pmHaving just arrived from a whole week in Venice I have to say that you have indeed lost most of the best the city has to offer. I have had my misgivings and certainly fell into a few tourist traps, but La Fenice was fantastic and I had the chance to buy a souvenir from Murano after a visit to the isles. The doge's palace is a magic place despite the visitors, it was busy but not crowded and the plethora of galleries can only be rivalled by Florence. Have you not paid £100 for your gondola tour? I paid twice...
Anyway, if you go to a place like this you might as well take the plunge - what you describe (in your own words) is more or less like going to Disney and trying to avoid seeing mickey mouse. Entering the park and staying in the less interesting toys
Courage man!
Fortinbras
April 11th, 2008 3:57pmI have been to Venice twice recently - June & November. At both times it was utterly magical. Even in summer the day tripping crowds are easily avoided. Late on our first evening our local campo [San Giacamo] was full of local people ... tangoing! While November was cold [a bit like being on holiday on the Bass Rock, in fact!] it was equally memorable. Entering Piazza San Marco late at night & finding it swirling with mist was just wonderful! Yes, there is a 'down' side to Venice, but it is so easily avoided.