Venice, Sweet Venice!
“Venice isn’t for normal people. Us normal people live outside of the city and on the mainland,” a young man was explaining to a tourist outside Bar Zenzero on Campo Santa Marina, his English heavily accented.
I’m not convinced there ever was a time when Venice was quieter or a more serene place, but if there was, it was a very long time ago. Today the city is an ant’s nest of seemingly constantly lost tourists trailing backwards and forwards through the labyrinth of ancient streets and over a gazillion tiny arched bridges. Where small cargo barges and water taxis gurgle up and down the turquoise canals to and fro warehouses, shops, restaurants, concerto venues and hotels to keep it all stocked and touristed.
Yes, at first glance it is a place condemned to tourism with rude tour guides and aggressive selfie-stick merchants, but there is another side to Venice. You have to go look for it though. I went looking one morning early just before sunrise on Piazza San Marco.
I crossed over an empty Campo Santa Maria Formosa, over a canal and into the near-dark Calle Bande Castello. It felt strange to have Venice to myself – all deserted. The city was still sleeping and only a few early risers were busy inside their closed shops. Perhaps they too wanted to have Venice to themselves for a precious few moments. On the piazza itself a small handful of street sweepers waltzed musicless with their grass brooms. Occasionally shouting morning expletives to each other – perhaps to break the dawn silence or perhaps to encourage each other to get the work done before the hoards arrived.
Piazza San Marco is completely different so early in the morning. No people, no pigeons, no rose pedlars. I had it completely to myself. Without the crowds you’re naturally drawn to the buildings. The intricate mosaic’s on Basilica di San Marco seemed to be on fire. The disciples became alive in the dawn light to help Jesus down from the cross. He lifted His arm and welcomed me to the square, cross over one shoulder and blood dripping from the hole left by a rusty nail. He sat there all majestical and urgent, but still in a relaxed kind of way. Sparkly in the morning light. Just like Venice, a mind blowing city.
It might not be easy to get up that early, especially if you’ve sat out on a square somewhere until late into the previous night soaking in piazza-life and drinking several excellent glasses of vino della casa rosso (house red), but if you do get up before dawn and go explore, this magical city will reward you.
Sunrise over Venice is a playful dance between light and shadow. Across the lagoon from behind Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore a soft yellow spotlight shone through a hole in the Spring clouds and Palazzo Ducale started to glow. Only for a few moments though. I looked away for a brief second to admire a Chinese tourist’s astonishing ability to manouver three huge suitcases over the piazza and by the time I looked back the light has changed. It was all over. The sun hid again behind the clouds and Venice painted her secrets in a soft haze. If one’s lucky, she might reveal it again another morning.
Highlights
- Islands excursion to Murano and Burano. Try the Murano Glass Museum if only to see the impressive beads selection. Traditionally Burano is known for lace, but strolling around in the colourful village is a fascinating insight into island life – unexpectedly so close to Venice. Boats leave several times a day from Fondamente Nove.
- Sipping espresso at Restorante Omnimbus right on the Grand Canal. You pay a premium for the coffee (about 4 euros for a coffee), but the setting is unbeatable to watch life on the Grand Canal. Early in the morning is best when it’s still cool and the buildings cast shade over the tables. You also don’t have the tour groups and you can watch barges delivering wine, fish and all sorts of other Venetian necessities.
- Visit Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore for probably the best view of Venice. Entrance to the basilica is free, but most people hop over the lagoon to take an elevator up to the top of the clock tower.
- Sunrise on Piazza San Marco was magical. You will have the place to yourself and apart from a few street sweepers, you will experience it without the crowds.
- Sitting on Campo Santa Maria Formosa drinking apperitivo, chatting and watching the world go by in a quieter part of Venice.
- Taking a stroll around the Dorsoduro neighbourhood. This is Venice without the crowds and some of the best art galleries in town are here.
- Torre dell’Orologio can only be visited as part of an organised tour, but the views of Piazza San Marco and the Venice rooftops are unique. I was surprised that not many people knew about this tour, but it was well worth the fairly steep entrance fee.
The fine print
- It’s not easy to get away from the crowds and tour groups. Be prepared for rude tour guides! The best thing is to just stay out of their way and let them pass. It starts getting busy fairly early on Piazza San Marco, but by lunch time the place is absolutely heaving. Buy tickets in advance where you can. Lines are very long, but the advance ticket lines were almost empty every day.
- You will be charged a cover charge for many restaurants for sitting down, but once you sit, there’s no rush to move you on. Sometimes though it was worth it to pay cover charge for the setting or view.
- Selfie sticks and red roses will be shoved in your face all the time. Just say ‘no’ in a firm way and they’ll move on. They’re fairly aggressive, but will move on if you don’t show interest.
- Walking, walking, walking… you’ll do A LOT of walking.
And finally…
That young man on Campo Santa Marina was right, Venice isn’t for normal people and hotels in Venice are extremely expensive. Instead we opted to book a place through AirBNB and stayed in the Castello neighbourhood in a private rented apartment (if you’re new to AirBNB, it’s a great way to see a city and if you want, use our referral link to get a discount). The area is perfect with Campo Santa Maria Formosa just around the corner to experience that famous laid-back Italian square life. It’s a relatively quiet and calm part of Venice, but the main sites like Piazza San Marco and Rialto Bridge are still only about 10 minutes walk away. Vaporetto stops on Fondamente Nove are also a 15 minute walk for easy access to Burano, Murano and Lido islands.
