Venice at a Glance

Ahhh, Venice. Beauty, culture, romance, on paper it has it all and can truly be paradise for some of the locals. However, the amount of tourists greatly outweighs the amount of locals, and it shows.

There are a few telltale signs to show that a destination is a place where tourists can either be tricked and Venice, with all the great aspects, has a lot to look out for...

1. "Beware of Pickpockets" Signs

If you are visiting a typical tourist location you might see signs dedicated to remind you to watch your pockets and the rest of your belongings. It is easy to get caught up in the majesty and awe of the sights but seriously, you won't even see it coming. Wear your items intelligently and always be attentive.

2. Cover Charges on Tables in Restaurants

This is one that you can almost never avoid unless you ask before you sit. Otherwise, you will be faced with the extra charge of simply taking up space. Traveling can get expensive quick and these charges certainly do not help, so do extensive research or ask when you are there.

3. High Prices on Necessities

Not only are the prices high but almost nothing comes in bulk. There aren't many ways around this but no matter what you are going to have to eat and drink while traveling. Look around a few stores first before deciding which is best to go to for the remainder of your stay; or you will be stuck paying a lot more than you should. For example, one store that I went into was selling water bottles for 4 Euros. 4. For a water bottle. Granted, it was a large water bottle but after walking out he tried to bargain but I simply walked away. A store only a block or two down from this one had the same exact brand and size water bottles for 1 Euro. Be smart about your money or you will regret it.

4. Low Quality of Food

If you are looking for true Italian food, again, you must do some serious research before going anywhere in Venice. A lot of the restaurants and stores understand that they do not have to satisfy every tourist that comes in, therefore, they are able to get away with average (and sometimes worse) food.

Even though there is a lot to look out for, Venice is a beautiful travel destination and there is so much to see on its many islands so I would like to end this article with some positive aspects as well.

Many of the locals are extremely helpful and very kind people. I found many great vendors and restaurants during the trip as well as some great sights. Venice is a tough place to see everything because within each island it is all walking inside a labyrinth of a city. It truly is an adventure though and stumbling across a great place in a long alley is quite the rewarding feeling.

Listed below are some recommendations:

Basilica di San Marco (Pictured above): The main feature in a huge square of stores and vendors.

San Giorgio: San Giorgio is another island located close to the other islands within Venice. It has beautiful views of Venice and another large church as well as some great art features. It can only be reached by way of ferry but the ride across the water is certainly worth it.

Rialto Bridge: Here you can find some small vendors beside a large white bridge close to the center of the island.

As far as restaurants go, there were two great places that stuck with me after my trip. One place is more on the middle to high end level for price and is a fancier sit down restaurant. It is called "Muro San Stae" and offered some great options for traditional Italian and seafood. The other place is a strictly take out pasta and fried fish restaurant where I had some of the best fresh pasta I had throughout my entire stay. The outside is a bit unappealing, however, once inside it is clean and quite nice. The price is low and it is prepared very fast, it is called "Fried Land" (the name could use some work) and it is definitely somewhere to check out if you do go to Venice.

I hope this helped and thank you for reading!