Venice in March or April-OT

Venice, Italy? ;)

Dimitri

is

open.

Venice is busy (and everything is open) pretty much year-round. It's a little less busy in March-April than in the summer, and for that reason I prefer it then.

Yes. Sorry that I forgot to clarify--Italy.

Venice Florida is to crowded this time of year.

I'd suspect that the weather is nicer in April than it was when I was there in November several years ago, but be warned: Venice is a _major_ tourist trap. The sharks are all _above_ the canals, on dry land!

Don't get me wrong. Venice is an interesting city with a rich cultural and artistic tradition. However, if you're looking for a place to unwind and decompress, somewhere in the countryside might be better. Trading domestic stress for different stress isn't a great idea IMO.

If you're hell bent on going to Venice, I'd recommend that you follow the same advice I'd give you if you were bound for Las Vegas: leave your checkbook at home and take a credit card with a low limit.

Tom S

Ciò che ha detto dick ( snipped-for-privacy@nos.net) è così interessante, che devo dire la mia:

Was considering a trip to get away from stress with wife. What is Venice like in March or April?

Easter Holidays period.

Is it worth spending time in that time of year?

expensive stay there, but you can seek for a room in Chioggia, or Burano or other beautiful and less expensive villages in the surroundings. If you are not an art fan, Venice is a small city, and a couple of day is enough for a basic visit. In this case you can rent a car and visit the region of Veneto. Just a few suggestions: Verona and Garda lake, Cortina d'Ampezzo (in the mountains), Colli Euganei and a lot of other places you can easily find in any handbook. Let me mention some wines you can not miss maybe visiting directly the producers: Amarone and Valpollicella, Recioto of Valpollicella and Recioto of Soave, Soave (this last is also a beautiful village with one of the best producers- Pieropan- in the center), and -way not- Raboso of Piave.

I don't mind cold weather provided that all attractions are open.

Usually April is pretty warm there.

Luk

Hi Dick

h>Was considering a trip to get away from stress with wife. What is Venice

April tends to be rainy, but you get some splendid days. Avoid Easter at all costs and, personally, avoid Carnival, it is overrated, tacky and it's bloody cold and damp. March is nice at the end of the month, springtime tends to show up on time.

The ideal time IMHO is May or September.

Any time of the year is worth spending time.

Avoid tourist traps, they are all over the place.

When in Italy, go to a book store and buy the Slow Food guide to Venice, if you read basic italian it is very well done. Anyhow,m just don't trust your instincts, do research, be prepared, or else you have a 90% chance of being disappointed.

For eating, stick to the little "bacari" or other places where you can eat "cicheti", the venetian equivalent of tapas, or the trattorie and osterie where you will eat well for a decent price.

Around the SS. Giovanni e Paolo area, on the Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa at number 5525, Al Mascaron, 25-30 Euro not incl. wine, no cards accepted, but you will find delicious local food, little squid, scampi, minuscule octopus, sardines, pasta, grilled fish. And a very very good wine selection. Try not to act too foreign...

Do not miss going to the island of Burano (forget about Murano, unless you like glass, it is not pretty), and do try eating at the Gatto Nero, up to 40 Euro without wine, but the fish is divine and really fresh. Have not tried Da Romano recently but I am told it is also VG.

I hear good things about La Colombina, on the Campiello de l'Anconeta, not far from Rio Tera San Leonardo, the big street coming from the station.

Continuing along the main artery, by now called Strada Nuova, you come to the magnificent Ca d'Oro palace, but near it in a minuscule street called Calle del Pistor there is a place officially called Osteria Ca d'Oro but best known as La Vedova, 20 Euros max, very ancient place, you cannot get more typical than this.

Alla Patatina, a place for"cicchetti" around 11 o'clock, on the Ponte San Polo.

For higher class eating (book well ahead), try:

Corte Sconta, haven't been for 3 years, damn good and damn hard to find, on the Calle del Pestrin at number 3886 it is not far from the San Zaccaria vaporetto stop, 50 Euro and up, great food and local wines.

Fiore, two Michelin stars, expensive but veeeery good on the Calle del Scaleter, not far from the Rialto bridge and market, which you must see in the morning during trading hours.

Pastry shops: Venice spent a small period under Austrian domination, a sad chapter in its history with lasting delicious results: Venice has a pastry tradition in the austrian style, and they make Sachertorte better than in Vienna (shhh, don't say anything to Michael P.). Pastry shops are places to stop and have tea or coffee. Try Marchini, on the Calle del Spezier, between Campo Santo Stefano and Campo San Maurizio, This places prepares the breakfasts for the Orient Express.

Ice cream. Great at Paolin on the Campo Santo Stefano.

Cafes: must stop at Florian on St Mark's square, and go for a drink in the early evening at Harry's Bar (the original) on the Calle Vallaresso, near the vaporetto stop by the same name. Watch the beautiful people, be part of the scene ;-))) and try his famous "bellini" (er, a bit early for peaches in april...), but don't stay for dinner, prices are horrendous.

Have fun

Mike

I have spent 5-10 days in Venice in Feb. for the past 8 years or so, and spent a few Feb weeks in 89 or 90.

The city is now year around. No closing in Jan or Feb or March. Early March is still "brisk" . I would prefer to go in April or May, but I tie the trip to a trade show.

The single biggest problem with Venice is that very fresh fish and red wine are not the greatest combo. What to do witth the Brunello and Barolo.

I do not find the place to be that big a tourist trap, but then, I live in Wash DC. I have only had 2 bills jacked up.(one added a zero on the lira, which would have changed the pizza luncl from $40 to $400$). We are remembered at most places, and I am quite forgettable. We are treated like "special", even at the place we do breakfast.

I find a number of the places that serve locals, even a block or two from San Marco to be very decent, reasonable, and honest. Some even have a menu in very many languages(french, italian, english, russian, chinese, japanese, and polish)

I find very good wines at very low prices(particularly when the euro was at 0.83 US$).

Find Trattoria Aciugheta. They have cicchetti, but they have the most phemonominal wine list, and look at those prices. From the north side of San Marco, go two blocks east. It is on the north side, with a guy outside trying to get you in.

Get a coppy of Access guide to Venice. Go to every Pallazo(except the Fiat Museum one) that is open.

Go to San Zacaharria, get to the front of the line,get in the front of the boat, and ride the #1 up the Canal to the end(1hr or so) Get off at the end, wait to get to the front of the line, and ride back. The new boats do not have seating in the bow(front).

Whatever you do, do not stay >Was considering a trip to get away from stress with wife. What is Venice

There is life beyond Barolo and Brunello, and nothing goes with fish like many of the new wave of whites out of Friuli or Slovenia, quite available in Venice.

Agreed, good place, but remember it is divided into two sections, when you first arrive you think you are in an average cheap pizza dive, and that is what it is, but in parallel they run an authentic osteria, one of the best in Venice.

Avoid Mestre, yes, but Lido? You can find a decent hotel at a good price 2 minutes from the boat stop, and you are in San Marco in 10 minutes, a lot faster than from many places in Venice proper. Plus if you have a rental car, you can park outside your hotel, and not get taken by the outrageous parking fees in the big garage in Venice itself. No need to trudge around town carrying your bags for miles. I would say that Lido is a perfect option. Try the hotel Villa delle Palme.

Mike

Show up at noon, choose your wine, have it opened to breath, and get a table in the back. My wife and I are usually given one of the tables for 4.

Still do not like Lido, with all the bus traffic, etc.

Aha, a regular!

Of course, but .... well, I see it from the point of view of someone who spent 10 years in Cannaregio and 4 at the Lido.

Agreed that a big part of the charm of Venice is being in a world that is free from automobiles, so the Lido might seem to defeat that. And being able to shop for food at Rialto market is, still today, a rare privilege, so the shops at the Lido might seem ordinary.

It's just that I know that may people are (horror!) disappointed when visiting Venice, and so unless you have the means to arrive in Venice and take an ultra-expensive water-taxi to the Danieli, having the ability to drive up to your hotel is a lesser but significant luxury at a small price. At the Lido you can do that, and still be very close to the busiest parts of Venice, in fact, closer than if you are staying, say, near the station.

bye

Mike

thanks...these are great tips.

I will reconsider and look at May.

Hey, what about (Trattoria dell')Amelia?! A few years ago they had perfect seafood, and one of the best wine lists in Italy, the owner being the former president of AIS (Associazione Italiana Sommerliers) and A.S.I. (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale).

M.

Still supposed to be a great place. Cannot speak from experience, but I will try and change that soon.

Mike

Do that - and please report! When I was there the last time (10 years ago), the wine prices were extremely reasonable. I guess that has changed, alas ...

M.

had

owner

Sommerliers)

experience, but

I've never been there either, but my favorite restaurant in Venice is Da Franz. Do either of you know it?

You have your spelling wrong, try MESTRE, google gives 100s of answers for TRATTORIA AMELIA MESTRE

Mike

Feed google with "amelia mestre". The first hit gives everything.

M.

And the first (with "amleia mestre") sais it all. And the e-mail address even gives the clue to the owner: Dino Boscarato.

M.