LANGUAGE

Italian

CURRENCY

Euro

BEST TIME TO VISIT

September to November

NEAREST RAILWAY STATION

Venezia Santa Lucia railway station

NEAREST AIRPORT

Venice Marco Polo Airport(VCE)

EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER

112

INTERNET ACCESS

Wi-fi access is widely available in hotels, B&Bs and rental apartments, and increasingly even in cafes. If for some reason you don’t have access to wi-fi in your accommodation you can purchase a connection through Vènezia Unica. The cost of connection is €5/15/20 per 24 hours/72 hours/one week.

VISA

Not required for EU citizens. Nationals of Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the USA do not need visas for visits of up to 90 days.

Citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland do not need a visa to visit Italy. Nationals of some other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA, do not require visas for tourist visits of up to 90 days. For more information and a list of countries whose citizens require a visa, check the website of the Italian foreign ministry (www.esteri.it).

The standard tourist visa issued by Italian consulates is the Schengen visa, valid for up to 90 days. This visa is valid for travel in Italy and in several other European countries with which Italy has a reciprocal visa agreement (see www.eurovisa.info for the full list). These visas are not renewable inside Italy.

Permits

EU citizens do not need permits to live, work or start a business in Italy, but they are advised to register with a police station (questura) if they take up residence. If you are a non-EU citizen coming to Venice for work or long-term study, you’ll require study and work visas, which you must apply for in your country of residence.

HOTEL

Venice is divided into six neighborhoods called sestieri, four of which border on the Grand Canal as it winds through the city in a giant S curve. The fast and frequent Vaporetto boats travel the Grand Canal, along the perimeter of the city and to the outlying islands, so almost any place you stay is within easy reach of all the tourist attractions. Because you can’t take a taxi to your hotel – and even water taxis can’t reach those not on canals – the distance from a Vaporetto stop and the number of bridges (which have stairs) to cross should be a consideration in choosing a hotel.

Some locations in Venice are especially convenient for tourists arriving from the airport, as those boats arrive at San Zaccaria, just a short walk from St. Mark’s Square. If your hotel is in that row facing the Grand Canal, you’re almost home, and if it’s close to St. Mark’s, you can wheel your luggage there easily (although you may have some steps to navigate). Likewise, if your hotel is near any other stop along the Grand Canal or elsewhere, you can hop onto the Vaporetto at San Zaccaria and ride to your stop. If you arrive by train at Santa Lucia or by car at Porta Roma, you will also be handy to the Vaporetto on the Grand Canal. If your hotel is not near a Vaporetto stop, you will need to take a water taxi or perhaps hire a porter for your luggage.

LUXURY

The Gritti Palace, A Luxury Collection Hotel

Al Ponte Antico Hotel

Hotel Ai Cavalieri di Venezia

Belmond Hotel Cipriani

MID-RANGE

Hotel Londra Palace

NH Collection Venezia Palazzo Barocci

Hotel Antico Doge

BUDGET

Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo

Hotel La Fenice Et Des Artistes

Hotel Orion

COST OF LIVING

Venice is one of those places you just have to see yourself to believe. Lovely as it is, its main problem is its popularity compared to its size. The island gets so crowded during summer that half the people who visit in peak season come away hating the place. It’s crowded in other seasons too, but more manageable.

The city is also quite expensive by Italian standards, though it can be done on a moderate budget if you are careful. Hotels on the main island are notoriously expensive, but you can find reasonably priced places a few kilometers away on the mainland. There are a few hostels in Venice as well, though none on the main island itself.

Fortunately, much of the fun of Venice is just wandering around, so entertainment doesn’t have to break the bank. Many attractions are free or very cheap, so once you have a bed and some food you can get by on very little. If you are a museum person, you might consider if the Venice Card is right for you.

Food is fairly expensive as well, and finding cheap meals is difficult, especially along the main tourist walkways. Going deeper into residential areas can save you some money, which is very true of drinks as well. Venice hotels are at their busiest and most expensive during summer, with a particular spike in July and August. Prices tend to be a bit lower in spring and autumn, even though the city is still extremely crowded. During winter some deals can be found, sometimes by just walking around. You can find rooms cheaper than these prices, by quite a bit, if you are willing to stay 5 to 10 km from the main island.