Our Italian Buddy gives us some tips on how to face the crowds where visiting the Lagoon.
Venice has 56 thousand inhabitants, and is visited every year by 20 million tourists, it’s easy to see how the ratio among the two isn’t very promising for those of you seeking peace and quiet.
Tourist seasons peaks from May to September, with the exception of Carnival (depending on the year in February or March), and has its “worst” days on Mardi Gras and Redentore (third Sunday of July).
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend you to visit Venice in June-July-August, with August being the less crowded among those three, but also the hottest. Instead, my favorite months would be April-May and from the second half of the September to the first half of October.
Anyway, even in the most touristic months, you’re not doomed to be stuck among tourist crowds, you can always escape and it’s easier than you would imagine.
Avoid the most touristic areas during the day
Venice is not that big (about the same size as Central Park in Manhattan), but still most tourists hang in a very specific couple of places: San Marco and Rialto. Venice is not just those to places! There are plenty of other beautiful areas or attractions far from the tourist crowds:
– San Giorgio Maggiore is the island in front of San Marco. Has a fantastic campanile which is actually better than the one in San Marco, and allows you to have a clearer view of the city, with no queue and less costly.
– Zattere is the southernmost area of Venice, has a beautiful long walk, especially romantic in the evening, and takes you from Santa Margherita to Punta della Dogana, Chiesa della Salute and Peggy Guggenheim museum. From Punta della Dogana, you’ll also have a fantastic view of Canal Grande and San Marco on the left, and Giudecca Island on the Right.
– Campo Santa Margherita is the heart of local life. Near to the university and to Zattere, is visited almost only by locals, who like to gather here in the evening to drink Spritz and relax.
– Venice Jewish Ghetto is one of the oldest in Europe. North to Strada Nuova, the main tourist roads, is incredibly quiet. Perfect for a walk with your girlfriend.
– Burano Island is the perfect place for a quiet half a day far from the crowds. It’s one of my favorite places in Venice (see also our other post Top 5 things to do in Venice) and definitely a must see during your stay.
Get Lost
No, I’m not trying to offend you, I’m just saying that the real beauty of Venice is getting lost. As many other have suggested (also the link posted on top), the labyrinth of narrow calli is perfect for getting lost, even for locals. What may seem a bad thing, in fact is not, as it will take you on an “adventure” far from the crowds, through the real “local experience” of Venice.
Avoid restaurant and bars near touristic areas
We have also talked about this on our post on how to avoid tourist traps. Yes, Venice is a touristic city and as every other has traps. The good thing abo ut it is that there are plenty of locals who live or visit Venice for work and study, eating every day in the city. This means for you that there are also lots of excellent bars at restaurants where you can eat perfectly for an adeguate price. The golden rule, as we’ve said many times is just go where the locals go! If you enter a restaurant and all you can hear is English, French and German, just leave.
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