enice is unique to the world, there are other cities with canals – Amsterdam, Annecy, Bruges and there are floating villages in Asia – but nothing close to what Venice offers. It’s pretty incredible how unique it is.

That uniqueness has also been its downfall in the last century. The center of the city now has less than 10% residents. 90% are tourists – so Venice has essentially ceased to exist due to the influx of the rest of the world wanting to take part in what has now become a big theme park and gift shop.

1. Things to see

No idea how to fix this. Other cities have mandated only one rental per one residence – to keep it at a 50% mix, Or only renting out half of a residence, or demarking certain areas for rentals. However, it’s never good when the government starts defining what you can and can’t do with your private property. Now that the hotel business has been turned upside down – every residence is a potential hotel, and the drive to visit Venice has driven prices so high up that of course locals have taken the money and run.

Anyway, come to Venice, enjoy the gelato, St. Marks, the Bridge of Sighs, see some Opera, eat dinners, and buy some Murano glass – but know that you’re doing it with 90% other tourists and that the real Venice (or at least it’s people) is an era that has already passed.

The list of things to see are many, and normally the same from one travel site to the next, so I’ll just list them: Saint Marks Basilica, Grand Canal, St. Marks Square, Piazza San Marco, Doge’s Palace and Rialto Bridge. Many (many) other websites can detail the beauty of St. Marks Square or the Ponte di Rialto with better adjectives than I have.

A few places that we did find interesting:

Taking in a show at Teatro Le Fenice, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, an heiress who collected art in the early/middle part of the 19th century and rumor says she slept with over 1,000 men! The collection she put together (in-between flings) is truly impressive and makes a good half-day trip. As does the San Michele Cemetery Island where Stravinsky and Ezra Pound are buried.

If the Venice Biennial is going on – it’s a must to see. There’s a fine art and Architecture one (alternating), both are interesting but the Fine Art is more to my tastes. The setting at the Arsenale is stunning.

The square in the day

… and at night

Masks, hotel and gondolas

Gondolas at rest

Teatro Le Fenice

Setting sun

More Venice

Murano glass

2. Nightlife

Nightlife was difficult to find in Venice, as many times as I’ve looked it seems that the tourists want to go home and crawl into bed by midnight (or earlier). I’ve run into some bars, but not many and it’s certainly not a wild scene. If there is one, I’ve missed it.

Hotel bar

… and a few more drinks

3. Spend

Souvenir shops are ever few steps and filled with little curiosities you can bring back as keepsakes or gifts. Beware that much of the Murano glass sold is made in China – there’s a stamp that will tell you if it’s made in Murano – but that seems debatable.

Masks are another cool souvenir. Mask shops are open all year round, not just during Carnivale. Even though they’re massed produced there are still some pretty cool ones.

Glass in tie windows

4. Food

Tourist food is everywhere, and many of them offer good window seating to watch the crowds walk by. However, if you walk out of the central and down small alleys you can sometimes run into tiny squares, a single restaurant with tables set out. Also at bars, you can get tapas which are pretty authentic. You’ll know you’re at the right spot if people are standing up and having a good time with each other, not just sitting looking at the photos on their phones. 

Sweets

… and more sweets

5. Getting Around

You can walk through a lot of the main attractions and the canal boat (water busses) will get you the rest of the way. You can buy passes or single rides, but I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen people just walk on and never get caught. The prices per ride are fairly excessive for what you get. 7.50 euro per person per ride, 20 euro per day and 60 euro for 3 days. It’s a total rip off and getting more expensive yearly. My guess is that locals just don’t pay it.

6. Costs

Even if you eat at the worst of the tourist restaurants the prices won’t shock you. Harry’s bar and the like will come with a sticker shock for what you get. In general, the biggest expense will be your hotel or Airbnb

7. Tips

Gondola rides seem to be a must, and romantic, but it’s kind of eye-rolling, they supremely overcharge you for a short ride around the canals. For me, it’s good enough to go to the Pier and take photos of the gondolas up-close and then take pictures of others riding.

I loved Venice, the canals, boats, gondolas, shops, and food, I just felt bad that tourist scene (that I was taking part in) was helping to erase the genuine Venice that has existed for so long.