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Venice....any inputs?


Soulboy
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I'm pleased Rivieras was a faultless meal and I almost mentioned The Metropole hotel in my very first post!

I should have said that everything involving sitting down is expensive in Venice.  I'm surprised they don't charge people for taking a crap.

Seats outside all the cafes in the square were the subject of much debate back in 1994.  I know because we arrived in the middle of it.

The cafes got sick of people taking up their seats and spending very little.  This was at a time when tourism began to boom there.  So, they introduced a minimum seat charge.  It was 10,000 lire (I think that would be about €5 when they joined the Euro in 1999).  Waiters would approach and take your order.  If your order didn't meet 10,000 lire per person (per seat), they'd add the 10,000 lire to your bill.  I had read about it the day before I went there and we'd have spent more than that anyway, because as you say there isn't anything that is cheap there.  If it is any consolation, on the subject of your €15 cup of tea, I remember paying the equivalent of £6 for a cup of coffee back in 1994.  It was good coffee, but not that good. :roflmao:

I noticed the increased tourist numbers the last time I was there and it is certainly very different to the first time.  The people I had the problems with were French and Spanish, but I think you could have a problem with lots of nationalities where courtesy is very low on their list of priorities.

I think there are hotels with stuff for sale outside and gift shops on every corner of every major city nowadays.

I was in York yesterday and they shouldn't be worrying about the river flooding next time.  They should focus on the flooded streets of coffee shops.  It is becoming ridiculous.

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It is kind of eye watering when we had 2 cups of tea, a latte and by the time they've added the service charge and cover charge, you're paying close to €60. Made me think. How much does a teabag cost? At the airport buying exchange rates today, that's close to £70:roflmao:

Edited by S3Bangs
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They're masters of the art of putting your eyes out.

The gondoliers could solve the world financial crisis in a heartbeat.  Just empty their pockets. :roflmao:

I still love the place though.  I'm not even sure why.  It is a combination of so many things that are largely intangible.  It has an atmosphere and feel to it like nowhere else I've ever been.  

Paris and London come a close second for a weekend break, although they could also occupy weeks of time.  London has been tainted a little for me as I now spend so much bloody time there that I'm sick of the sight of it.

Cities are such personal preferences though.  For years I was told how much I'd love Vienna - and I hated it and everything about it.  Dump.

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Yep, as was I.

It was as dirty as any City I've ever been in, the locals were ignorant and rude, they rely on Mozart-related history and the trams (and the Bond wheel) to an excessive degree in my opinion - but it just wasn't a nice place.

I've spoken to other people who have been and loved it.  I just didn't get any of that whatsoever.  If I was to ever write a list of places I'd never go back to, it'd be one of the first on the list.

Edited by NewNiceMrMe
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Interesting. Fair enough.

Florence is the other place I've heard so much about.

It's our 20th Wedding anniversary in a couple years and I have tentatively earmarked a weekend away to Venice for it - although it will be in November - but was going to casually consider maybe Vienna (won't bother now at least for that occasion) or Florence,

That reminds me S3: what was the weather like??

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Weather was actually very nice all through our stay which was a bonus. Sunny on all three days throughout with no overhead clouds.

Temps were about 11 - 13 degrees during the day but dropped to about 1 in the evenings so the Ms just had a normal spring jacket (or a hoodie/gilet in my case) during the day and wrapped up warm when we went out in the evenings.+++

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On 2/17/2017 at 3:16 PM, Waylander said:

Interesting. Fair enough.

Florence is the other place I've heard so much about.

It's our 20th Wedding anniversary in a couple years and I have tentatively earmarked a weekend away to Venice for it - although it will be in November - but was going to casually consider maybe Vienna (won't bother now at least for that occasion) or Florence,

That reminds me S3: what was the weather like??

Florence is very nice, but very much like every other large Italian city, lots of narrow streets lined with designer shops, separated by the occasional square and church/cathedral, generally quite expensive but not on the same level as Venice.

 

Personally I really enjoyed Vienna, whereas I find Paris to be little more than a stinking dog shit lined crap hole full of ignorant ar$eholes! To each his own I guess.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Love Lake Garda, Sirmione is nice although generally the other end of the lake is nicer, Riva del Garda is our usual Italian lakes destination, it's far enough away from the water park/theme parks/Rock Star restaurant and caravan parks to not get all the noise, while still only a 45 min drive to take the kids to the parks for the day, and you can hire a speedboat just down the road in Limone.

 

My best mate got married in Malcesine castle too, great day that was.

Edited by Tipex
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Florence is incredible love it to bits just perfect and faultless in every day. But for me Rome is just stunning and its sheer scale of the ancient, what would be a bit tourist spot in Barcelona doesn't even get on the map in Rome. Everything makes me smile and it doesn't have to cost the earth either far from it, would go back again in a heart beat. +++ 

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  • 1 year later...
On 17/02/2017 at 10:48 AM, S3Bangs said:

Back now so I'll update as I said I would before I forget. Got back last night.

Stayed in a fantastic old style (The Metropole) hotel overlooking the Adriatic about 100m from Piazza San Marco which is the main square.

As others have said. Extremely beautiful place and being there from Valentines day till yesterday, I think the 2 nights and 3 full days we were there was the right amount of time. By the time we were leaving last night, I was ready to leave.

We arrived Tues morning around 11 am, checked in and took a wander round the city. Carnevale was on (Masked party was on) So around the square, professional poseurs in outrageous costumes and masks were milling around the square. A sight to see.

After watching them for a while, we just walked and walked prepared to get lost knowing we could always trace our steps back to San Marco Piazza getting to know a lot of the back streets and delving further into the city. It is here we noticed that absolutely everything is tourist driven. Taking in the intricacies of all the backstreets and bridges, there is always a hotel, a gift shop, restaurant or designer branded shop at every turn. Grabbed a Pizza at a place that reckoned it was the first Pizza store in Venice in 1847 or so. Pretty good stuff.

Early evening, we returned to San Marco. Sat in the square to have a coffee and a bun and watch the world go by in the early evening sun. Pretty expensive though  I must say at  15 for a cup of tea. That made my eyes water but had been walking a while and just wanted to sit down so didn't mind that one time.

Valentines evening we got the Vaporetto (the public ferry) about 2 km to the next stop to go to Rivieras as recommended by NNMM. (Try imagine trying to explain who NNMM is to the Ms):lol:. Faultless meal though I feel getting a seat would've been difficult if we hadn't pre-booked though.

Wednesday, we bought an attraction day pass for about  25 each to visit a few of the attractions. Visited the Doges Palace that's in the square. As we'd watched the programme recommended by Mook above, it was nice seeing everything in real life and knowing the history behind it. Also visited a museum thats in the corner of the square. Didn't get to visit St.Marks Basilica within the same square as by the time we got there, It had shut for some reason.

In the evening, walked to the Rialto bridge, over the canal and was just moving from one alleyway to the next when we came upon this small place and decided to go in. Spent the rest of the evening indulging in chicchetti (Italian version of Tapas).

Yesterday we visited the Murano glass factory in the morning, the hotel gives it guests a ride to the Island and brings them back. Its €15 each way if you want to do this on your own. Here you'll see how Murano glass is made and be taken around their store afterwards where you can buy a set of six drinking glasses for €750 , Chandeliers for €50k and upwards or a nice glass chess set for €5k. Unfortunately I didn't see anything that tickled my fancy.

On arrival back from the factory, we did the mandatory Gondola ride. Paid €120 for the longer route which took us through a lot of the back canals and up the Grand canal before doing a U-Turn upstream back to where we started from.

Grabbed lunch, picked up our bags around 6pm last night and left.

A nice break and the right amount of time in my opinion. Beautiful. Nice to not see a car for a few days and enjoy the place.

My one gripe! Feckin Chinese/Japanese/Asian (Im not pointing fingers) tourists.

Is it the norm for them to blatantly barge in to you as you're strolling around and them to continue as if nothing happened? Aaarggh.!!

I cant count the number of times this happened. I really felt like tapping one of them on the shoulder asking them did they not realise what they did and lamp em one!

Oh and my feet still hurt!+++:roflmao:

Does the Hotel Metropole have a grand ambience to it? The pix look lovely!

In early stages of planning a trip there for next year as per othe thread

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It does.

From memory, a lot of items on display, but you know you are in an old style grand hotel. 

I'm more of a modern style hotel person but I was quite impressed with it and the service was impeccable.

I think they turned over the sheets twice a day while there. You don't get that in many hotels these days.

I'd definitely go back there if I was to visit Venice again.

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