Venice Questions

I am interested in buying Murano glass.  Where can I find the best deals?

In terms of Murano, our biggest piece of advice is that you really don't need to go there in order to get good quality glass. The glass museum on the island of Murano is the best way to see the highest quality pieces. Murano is very beautiful even aside from the glass, so we recommend visiting early morning during the week, when you won't be pushed in with all the crowds. We also suggest avoiding the glass shops on the Fondamenta dei Vetri, which is the main drag. The further into the island you go, the more apt you are to find something authentic, as, sadly, a lot of the cheap glass these days is actually made in China. The glass blowing demonstrations can seem fun, but unfortunately most often are followed by a hard sales pitch, which can be very off putting. The best way to ensure that you are buying genuine Murano glass is to look for the Vetro Artistico Murano trademark (www.muranoglass.com). There are many glass artisans in the lagoon who do beautiful and authentic work and you can often see working in their shops, such as jewelry maker Giorgio Nason and glass artist Vittorio Costantini, who works in the Cannaregio area.

I don’t have a car but would like to travel around the Veneto. Is this easy to do?

Yes, the Veneto is quite well connected via train and many towns are closely located, making it easy to move from one city to the next. For example, Padua is just 30 minutes from Venice and 45 minutes from Verona using high speed trains. Tickets are very affordable, normally run between 2 and 12 euro depending on the speed and class of train you decide to take.

I’ll be using the vaporetto frequently in Venice. Do you recommend purchasing a pass?

Yes, if you’ll be making more than one trip a day on the vaporetto it makes sense to buy a pass. A single fare ticket (good for 60 minutes) costs €6.50, so depending on your frequency of use and duration of stay in Venice you will want to look into a pass, sold in 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72-hour denominations. Current pricing is available via the HelloVenezia website.

I’m really interesting in taking a gondola ride. Can you book this for me?

We do not book gondola rides in advance, because it's really not necessary. Gondoliers are highly skilled and must pass a strict exam before being allow to take clients through the canals. Tariffs are set by the City of Venice, but you should establish a price before you get on board and you should only accept rides from official stands. Some of the more central stands are located on the Molo in front of the Doge’s Palace, in Campo Santa Sofia, at Piazzale Roma, by Rialto on Riva Carbon, Bacino Orseolo on the side of the Procuratie, and outside Hotel Danieli on Riva degli Schiavoni. Daytime tariffs are €80 for 40 minutes and then €40 for every 20 minutes after. Evening prices (7 pm to 8 am) are €100 for 40 minutes and €50 for every 20 minutes after. All prices are for up to 6 passengers. Those looking for the thrill of riding in a gondola for a fraction of the price should take the traghetto. These are old gondolas that locals use to cross the Grand Canal since there are so few bridges. The ride will cost you about 50 cents and is a good time saver when going from one side of the canal to the other.

Venice is so touristy, how can I experience the city as Venetians do?

Yes, it is a fact that Venice has a lot of tourists (and has for hundreds of years!), but you’d be surprised at how quickly you can discover quiet parts of the city with just a little effort. One way to experience the city is to actually spend the night in town. Venice takes on a whole different quality when the day trippers go home and leave the city much calmer; it’s a time Venetians take advantage of and so should you. If you aren’t able to spend the night, try exploring some of the more overlooked sestieri, such as Castello, Santa Croce, and Cannaregio. You’ll find plenty of interesting sites and chances are you’ll happen upon Venetian children playing soccer, locals mingling in the squares, and women buying fresh fish and produce from the smaller markets.

Do you have excursions to the towns surrounding Venice?

Yes, Context Venice runs private walks in many towns in the Veneto, including Padua and Bassano del Grappa, as well as a visit to wineries in the Valpolicella. These are designed for both clients making a day trip from Venice and those staying in the Veneto.

What is the best way to get to Venice from the airport? Do you provide airport transfers in Venice?

We currently do offer arrival and departure transfers in Venice. You can see our rates by looking under concierge services in Venice. There are also many ways to arrive in Venice from the airport via public transit. Buses (ACTV or ATVO) will drop you at Piazzale Roma, where you can then catch the vaporetto. For those wanting to travel by water, we recommend Alilaguna, a private company that runs a ferry from the airport to many central locations.

Where can you park a rental car when coming to Venice?

For parking your car, you have a few options. Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto are the main parking spaces in Venice, but prices can get high (and the lines long) during the busy season. A cheaper option would be parking in Mestre (the mainland town just over the bridge from Venice). The Garage Europa has a bus that will then leave you in Piazzale Roma (the journey takes 10 minutes). There is also the San Giuliano open air parking that has a water bus to the Rialto area. Finally, there is also parking at Fusina, which has water buses that depart every hour for Venice (the journey is 25 minutes).

Where can I store my luggage for the day?

There are several luggage deposits in the city, including the main train station, Marco Polo airport, Piazzale Roma, and the cruise post. We can refer you to two very informative websites with further information. The first, Venice for Visitors, outlines in detail all the different options in the city. Those arriving via cruise ship should also refer to the official site of Venice's port, which gives detailed information about the luggage deposits there. On average leaving luggage should cost about 5 euro per day per piece of luggage.

Should I be worried about acqua alta during my stay?

The most common months for acqua alta (or "high water") are October through March.  If you are coming during that time of year, it makes sense to bring good rubber soled shoes and boots.  Many hotels do have rubber boots that they provide their guests in the event of acqua alta, so you should check with them about this service. The high waters are tidal, so normally do not last throughout the entire day, but often occur first thing in the morning or late evening. The city is well equipped to deal with the water and you will find planks set up to create pedestrian pathways in areas of water. Flooding is not uniform due to the differing city levels and so certain areas remain largely uneffected by the phenomena.
If you do encounter acqua alta during your trip, it's certainly not something that should prevent you from enjoying your stay. If anything, it gives you a true Venetian experience!

Is Venice wheelchair accessible?

While visiting Venice in a wheelchair requires some patience and advance planning, it can be done! The city of Venice has a wonderful, downloadable map of accessible Venice to assist you in traversing the city. The Accessible Venice website also provides information about wheelchair rental, using public transit, as well as downloadable barrier free itineraries.

Can you take me into special rooms of the Doge’s Palace?

No, this is part of the Secret Itineraries tour that is run exclusively by the Doge’s Palace. The English visits take place at 9:55, 10:45, and 11:35. Visits can be booked online through the Musei Civici Veneziani. Scroll down to “Secret Itineraries” and click on “Visits in English” at the bottom of the page to bring up their calendar of availability.