Lonely Planet Pocket Venice: Top Experiences - Local Life (Pocket Guide)

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The good news is it’s unlikely to return in 2023. Bassa marea is a typical winter phenomenon, usually occurring in January and February. Normally it only lasts a few days; it’s only thanks to that high-pressure area hanging over Italy that it has lasted several weeks this time. Also known as Pineta di Sant’Elena, the pinewood of Sant’Elena, this huge park is located on the island of the same name and just a bridge away from the Biennale area. Facing the waterfront, the Pineta is the perfect spot to reach when one wants to spend some downtime under the pine trees, staring out at the sea and at some breathtaking landscapes of the city. Like the Giardini Papadopoli, the Pineta di Sant’Elena is also equipped with a playground for children. Parco San Giuliano If you must, consider lighter, umbrella strollers to ease the pain and for optimal foldability on public transport. Until the Second World War, Ferrara had a renowned Jewish community; this was the setting for The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, by Giorgio Bassani, and you can still wander the narrow streets of what used to be the Jewish quarter. Learn the history of the community – both here and more widely in Italy – at the exceptional MEIS, or National Museum of Italian Judaism and the Shoah.

This pet-friendly boutique hotel inhabits the historic Lafayette Building near Philadelphia's famous Liberty Bell. Rooms at this property feature eclectic yet cozy decor to make travelers feel at home. Like most boutique hotels, the Hotel Monaco offers guests many freebies, including complimentary bike rentals, in-room yoga mats, coffee and tea service, shoe shine and kids' scooter rentals. When the water gets exceptionally low – 60cm below average – a handful of vaporetti are diverted down the Grand Canal. Transportation company ACTV sends out alerts via the Telegram app. If smaller canals are closed to traffic, that could also affect your water-taxi ride. Staying on Giudecca or Murano, for example, means paying €9.50 every time you want to get off the island – and even the further afield parts of the sestieri (six districts) may mean you prefer to get a vaporetto into town rather than walk it. Venice restaurants are expensive but there’s an easy way to eat cheaply (see below). Once you add it all up, a basic hotel can be better value. It’s more ethical to stay in a hotel, too – the explosion of Airbnbs and vacation rentals have decimated the housing market, meaning many Venetians have had to leave the city.The Gritti Palace is a luxury hotel in Venice, Italy. It was built in the 15th century as a private residence and has operated as a boutique hotel starting in 1895. Located on Venice’s famous Grand Canal, the iconic hotel offers stunning views of the Venetian lagoon and is just steps away from St. Mark's Square. The Gritti Palace features luxurious accommodations with a mix of classic and modern Italian design and dining options featuring local Venetian cuisine. The hotel also offers a range of amenities such as a rooftop jacuzzi, fitness center, spa and private boat tours. This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy. The coach drops you at Piazzale Roma, the vehicle terminus on the very outskirts of the city; from there you’ll likely have to get a vaporetto to your hotel, which costs €9.50 for a single (other options are available – see below). Boutique hotels offer a unique and personalized experience that larger hotel chains can’t match. These smaller, independent hotels often have unique decor, amenities and services that make them stand out. Boutique hotels also provide a more intimate atmosphere than traditional hotels. Guests can enjoy a more personalized experience with friendly staff members who are knowledgeable about the local area and attractions. Additionally, many boutique hotels are now part of larger chains, so you can book them with points to save money on your stay. Don’t miss Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a tiny, jewel-like church clad from inside to out in precious marble, or San Sebastiano, which was frescoed and painted all over by Veronese and is known as his ‘Sistine Chapel’. Eat standing up

There are several lines of vaporettos divided into four main categories, the most relevant to tourists being the "city center lines" 1 and 2, which sail along the Grand Canal. Venice is not stroller-friendly either, with numerous staircases throughout the city making for an exhaustive workout for parents. Its streets are canals. Its cars are vaporettos and gondolas. And that, mixed with the stunning buildings left behind by more than a millennium of history, might make it hard to think of Venice as a city with green spaces to enjoy. Probably the most well known of all the regattas is the Regata Storica, which takes place each year on the first Sunday of September. Located on the Grand Canal, it’s divided into two main events – a historical parade, made up of tens of boats and people in period clothing, and the actual race, which is divided into several categories depending on the type of boat. What is Venice like? For starters, it’s not a theme park, as many tourists seem to think it is. Like other major Italian cities, Venice has fines for bad behavior – but here, things that might be acceptable anywhere else could land you with a hefty bill. Swimming in the canals and sitting on the pavements to have an impromptu picnic can land you triple-figure fines, for example; walking around in swimwear, feeding the birds and even pushing a bicycle (not even riding it) also bring penalties.These places are iconic for a reason, of course – but they’re also full of tourists and prices are sky-high. Instead, follow the sound of the Venetian dialect to nearby places that are just as memorable but at a fraction of the cost. Often described as a mini Venice, Chioggia certainly shares a lot with La Serenissima – a settlement clumped over islands, linked by bridges – but where Venice has an elegant feel of decay, Chioggia is a living, working town. Instead of tourist gondolas, you’ll see fishing boats lined along the canals, and there are even cars driving along the streets. Don’t miss the church of San Domenico, where a painting of St. Paul by Renaissance artist Carpaccio sits in the dark, alongside votive paintings by fishermen. It’s a brilliantly atmospheric yet cheap day trip from Venice. In fair Verona, where we set our scene, little has changed since the 16th century, when Shakespeare set Romeo and Juliet here. The Piazza delle Erbe still hosts a lively market beneath its frescoed palazzos; the Adige river still loops around the elegant center; and the Giardino Giusti’s impeccably laid out garden hasn’t undergone anything more radical than a trim in 500 years. Juliet may not have existed in real life but her spirit lives on in Verona, where " Juliet’s House" – complete with balcony, of course – lures visitors, and a bronze statue is said to bring love to those who rub its breast (nobody could accuse Italy of being politically correct).