Things To Do While You Spend Your Vacation In Venice
March 14, 2009 by Robert M Freeman
Filed under Flights
Venice is one of the most stunning cities in the world and is full of canals, gondolas and incredible architecture. If you have a plan to visit this city, the best time to visit it is in spring or fall to avoid the heat and tourist crowds. When you are in Venice, you can do many sightseeing activities like going to churches, museums, and other tourist attractions. You can also attend numerous events and other activities that are the specialty of this city.
The Voga Longa is a rowing competition which is held every year on the last day of May. The distance that has to be rowed is 32 kilometers, and this must be completed in less than three and a half hours to get a certificate. However, if you do not want a certificate, you can still participate for fun and take it as far as you like as long as you are in a human-powered vessel. This rowing race actually originated as a protest against the power boats that were taking over the canals, but has now turned into a festival. The racetrack goes through most of Venice, and people gather along the canals to cheer up the contestants.
The Regata ‘Storica takes place in September on the first Sunday of the month. This celebrates an occasion that took place in 1489 by exhibiting almost one hundred types of Venetian boats. There are also races, contests, and additional opportunities for people to participate in.
While in Venice, make sure you take a ride on the Water Bus called Vaporetto during the time of sunset. The beautiful view filled with the soft sunset light provides a fascinating picture, and is one of the best ways to remember Venice.
Though a Gondola is pricey, ranging from 80 Euro to 150 Euro you could bargain the price down to the lower amount if you are really interested in a ride. This is actually Venetian experience, so it is a better idea to budget for this prior to your trip, and don’t forget to take the ride. The best way to bargain the price as low as you could and then walk away, which will generally be followed by at least one gondolier, will follow you and reduce the price further. The discounted rate would get you less time, and fewer sights, so negotiate this with the gondolier in advance.
If you do not want a gondola ride, then you can cross the Grand Canal via traghetto. These are very cheap and are essentially gondolas that are too old to be used for that purpose. You can also visit the Rialto Bridge and the open air markets near it along with the Pescheria (fish market).
You can also spend a day on one of the islands (like Murano or Burano) which you can reach via the many boat services. The Glass Museum in Murano is worth visiting as is the Lace Museum in Burano. However, even simply walking around on these islands is a very nice experience, and sitting at a caf and relaxing is also a good idea.
Venice is a stunning city, so make sure you make the most of your excursion and plan it in advance so you can budget for the activities you certainly want to involve yourself in.
