VENICE, ITALY : FACTS, FIGURES AND TOURIST INFORMATION



Venice facts and tourist information for Rome, Italy
VENICE, ITALY : FACTS, FIGURES AND TOURIST INFORMATION :
   
FACTS:
   Name: Venezia
Pronounced: ven-et-tsee-ah.
Region: Veneto
Population: Around 310,000
Area code: 041

  
 
AIRPORT:
Venice Marco Polo or Treviso airport (30km from Venice).
From Treviso: ATVO bus meets Ryanair flights and takes 70 mins. Or take Number 6 bus into Treviso, then pick up rail and bus connections to Venice.
From Marco Polo: ATVO or ACTV buses run to Piazzale Roma terminal; hourly Alilaguna waterbus to near San Marco; water taxi (expensive) or road taxi (not quite so expensive). Car drivers must leave their vehicle either on mainland or one of the big car parks: Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, Mestre or Fusina.


  
   
TRAINS:
   Rail terminus: Santa Lucia.

  
   
TRANSPORT:
   Pavement or canal – no motor vehicles! Water bus services 1 and 82 bisect the city north to south, running down the Grand Canal. Remainder of water buses avoid the centre, connecting outer areas and islands. There are two types of water bus. The vaporetti are large, and are used on busier routes, making frequent stops. Motoscafi are smaller and faster. There are also water taxis (expensive) and of course gondolas (very expensive, though very enjoyable).

  
   
TOURIST INFORMATION:
   Main tourist office, the Venice Pavilion in Palazzina del Santi, near Piazza San Marco.

  
   
EMBASSIES / CONSULATES:
   UK: Accademia Dorsoduro 1051 30123; Tel: 041 522 7207.
USA: (Trieste) Via Roma 15, Tel: 039 040 660 177.
Germany: Cannaregio 4201, Santa Sofia, Tel: 041 5237675.
France: Dorsoduro 1397, Zattere, Tel: 041 5222392.
Spain: San Marco 1812, Tel: 0415203709.
Netherlands: S.Marco 423, Tel: 041 5283416.


  
   
HOSPITAL / EMERGENCY:
   Pharmacists (farmacia) are qualified to give advice on minor ailments and to dispense prescriptions. There will always be a 24-hour one 'on turn'. Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers: Police 112, Ambulance113, Fire 115.
Hospital: Campo SS Giovanni e Paolo, Tel: 041 5294516

  
   
MUST SEE:
   Itinerari Segresti del Palazzo Ducale (tour of Doge’s Palace); the Grand Canal; the Basilica di San Marco and Piazza San Marco; the Lagoon, Murano, Burano, the Lido and La Giudecca; the Venice Carnival; gondola rides; Campanile and Torre dell’Orologio; Le Fenice theatre; Campo Santo Stefano; Dorsoduro; Squero di San Trovaso; the Rialto; Ca’Foscari; Palazzi Giustinian; the Ghetto; Campo San Zanipolo; Greek Quarter; Arsenale.

  
   
MUSEUMS & GALLERIES:
   Galleria dell’Accademia, Basilica di San Marco, Doge’s Palace, Guggenheim, Museo del Settecento Veneziano, Gallery of Modern Art, The Frari, Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Galleria Giorgio Franchetti, Museo Storico Navale.

  
   
WHAT'S ON:
   Quiet at night, with noise nuisance zealously policed, though many bars stay open until 1am or 2 am. The osterie musicali bars offer meals, reasonably priced wine and beer, and live music. There are English-style pubs, and late-night cafes and piano bars. Monthly newsstand title Venezia News has listings of opera, theatre, concerts and more.

  
   
PLACES OF WORSHIP:
   Hundreds of churches of course, but following are also architecturally, artistically or historically interesting: San Marco, San Salvador, San Fantin, Santa Maria del Giglio, Salute, San Trovaso, San Sebastiano, San Giacomo di Rialto, San Cassiano, San Polo, San Pantaleone, Sant’Alvise.

Synagogue, Rabbinical Academy, Cannaregio 2915, Tel: 041 715284
Greek Orthodox Church, Castello, Ponte dei Greci, Tel: 041 5225446
Lutheran Evangelic Church, Cannaregio, Campo SS. Apostoli, Tel: 041 5242040
Anglican Church of St. George's, Dorsoduro, Campo San Vio, Tel: 041 5200571
Chiesa Evangelica Valdese e Metodista, Castello, Santa Maria Formosa, Tel: 041 5227549

  
   
CUISINE & WHERE TO EAT:
   Venice’s merchant and imperial past means the city’s menu is crammed with unexpected and un-Italian delights. Pine nuts, raisins and pomegranates combine with its great strengths, seafood (very fresh) and very good risottos. Spinach, asparagus, pumpkin and radicchio, tiramisu, pork, polenta and gnocchi all figure, as do heavy rice and bean soups. Sweets and pastries are very good here, while the wines tend to be light and white, and Prosecco sparkling wine is very popular. Check out the Dorsoduro, San Polo and Canareggio areas, the best bet for dining away from the tourist menus.

  
   
BANKS & PAYMENT:
   Banking hours are usually 0830-1330 and 1530-1930 Mon. to Fri. MasterCard; Visa and Diners Club are all widely accepted. ATM availability is very good.

  
   
SHOPPING:
   Numerous designer outlets, department stores and good street markets; Mercerie area offers chic shopping; Calle Madonetta and Strada Nova have quality shops too; great open-air markets at Santa Maria Formosa, Santa Margherita and especially the Rialto.

  
   
AVERAGE min/max TEMPERATURES:
   Venice temperatures:

January: 1 - 6°C
February: 2 - 8
March: 5 - 12
April: 10 - 17
May: 13 - 21
June: 17 - 25
July: 19 - 27
August: 19 - 27
September: 16 - 24
October: 12 - 19
November: 7 - 12
December: 3 - 8

  
   
EVENTS & DATES:
   Carnevale runs for ten days up to Lent, culminating on Shrove Tuesday with a masked ball; feast of La Sensa in May, Sunday after Ascension, and including a marathon rowing boat race; Santa Maria della Salute sees prayers for the sick; La Festa del Redentore marks the end of the 1576 plague – a bridge of boats allows the faithful to walk across the canal, people picnic in boats upon the water, and a grand firework display keeps revellers up till dawn; Regata Storica sees the gondoliers competing in a trial of skill and strength; and the Venice Film Festival takes over the Lido in late August and early September.


  
   
POST:
   When sending mail underline the destined country and write the person's surname in capitals.
Main Post Office: Fondaco dei Tedeschi, near the Rialto bridge.

  
   
NEARBY PLACES TO VISIT:
   The Veneto region, Padua, Vicenza, Verona, Treviso, Castelfranco Veneto, Cittadella, Bassano del Grappa, Asolo, Maser, Conegliano.

  
   
DISCLAIMER:
  *All our information is correct at time of writing, however knowital.com and/or Ginestra Internet cannot be held responsible for any changes, omissions or errors of fact. We strongly advise you to check anything you're unsure of before you begin your holiday.