Updated August 14, 2020.

It’s Travel Tip Tuesday! If you’ve been following along on Quick Whit Travel’s Facebook and Instagram, you know my sweet husband and I just got back from a whirl-wind trip to romantic Venice! I’ve always wanted to visit Venice, but it always seemed like an unattainable dream–but no more! Here are some tips for what to know before YOU go to Venice!

Terminology

• Alle: “to,” as in “toward.” So when you see “Alle San Marco,” you know the sign is pointing you in the direction of San Marco!
• Per: “For,” also as in “toward.”
• Ponte: “Bridge.” You will see this word a lot while in Venice!
• Grazie: “Thank you.” I used this a lot. Everyone we met was very helpful.
• Prego: “You are welcome.” They say this a lot, and it’s really nice!
• Buongiorno: “Good morning.”
• Ciao: “Hello.”
• Addio: “Goodbye.”

Getting Around

Getting to Venice

You will likely the flying into Marco Polo Airport on mainland Italy. Don’t forget to look out the window at the Alps if you’re flying from the north:

Must read: Why Air Dolomiti is My New Favorite Airline

From the airport, the most cost-effective transportation is by Alilaguna Water Bus for 15 Euro each way, or 27 Euro round-trip. They go every half hour, no the dot, and here’s the schedule:

More here: What to Know Before You Visit Italy

You can also take a Vaporetto Water Taxi for 115 Euro, or arrange for a private transfer with your hotel.

You Will Get Lost

Enjoy the experience! Literally every blog post and article I read about Venice said I would get lost on the winding streets and maze of bridges over the various waterways of the city. Don’t fight it, like it!

More here: Romantic Thigns to Do in Venice

Check Out My Guide to Gondolas

You’ll find everything you need to know about your gondola excursion there! It was picturesque, romantic, and everything I thought it would be! I hope you’ll love it, too! The cost is a deterrent to some, but for a once-in-a-lifetime, only-in-Venice experience, it was worth the cost.

Get all the details: Your Ultimate Guide to Gondolas

Saving and Money

You Can Fit 6 People in a Gondola

And it’s the same price as it would be for one person. so enjoy your ride at a discount when you go with friends—either friends you came with or friends you make while in Venice!

Your Ticket for Doge Palace is Good for Four Museums

It’s 20 Euro for your ticket, but you get admission to four excellent museums, and the Bridge of Sighs! The four museums are Doge Palace, the Museo Archeologico Nazional, the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, and the Museo Correr.

Keep reading: 10 Reasons to Visit Venice

Get Your Food for Take Away

This was a handy strategy! It’s definitely worth having a sit-down meal at a real Italian restaurant on your trip (and not as expensive as I had feared), but if you get food for takeaway, there is no cover charge and no added costs. There are stands set up just for this all around San Marco and other popular tourist areas.

Get hungry: What to Eat in Venice

Speaking of Cover Charge…

Here is the breakdown. This is our receipt from one of our meals. The cover charge was just two Euros per person. The way people talked, I was expecting at least 10 Euro per person!

Keep reading: The Ultimate Guied to Travel and Your Money

Tax and Tip

Both are included in the price you see on the menu. No surprises or hidden expenses—the price you see is the price you pay!

Other Items of Note

Venice Sometimes Floods at High Tide

We were warned about this before we went, but it was not a problem while we were there. Venice is subject to tides in the Adriatic Sea, so the streets will sometimes flood. There are platforms for people to walk on when that happens, and they must have been expecting high tides because the platforms were out and ready to be set up.

More here: 5 Practical Ways to Travel Sustainably

Floor Zero

This is common in Europe, but in case Venice is your first stop on the Continent, you’ll need to know that the ground floor is considered floor zero, not the first floor! If you hit “1” on the elevator, you will be confused when you step out into a hallway with rooms instead of a lobby. So hit “0”!

Keep reading: How to Plan Long-term Travel in Europe

European King Bed

This is one thing I didn’t know about until I got married. Imagine my disappointment on my honeymoon when I realized our king-sized bed was actually two beds pushed together! It’s the same in most of Europe, at least the places we’ve been! Each bed is between the width of American twin and double beds. Be careful not to roll between the beds–they will scoot apart!

More here: Romantic Things to Do in Venice

I hope this post has you extra prepared for your own trip to beautiful, historic, iconic Venice! For more, check out my Italy Page!

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