Your Own Venice

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About Venice

Venice, they say, is the most beautiful city in the world. It is certainly one of the most improbable cities, constructed atop more than 100 marshy islets in the middle of a lagoon, laced with 177 canals crossed by more than 400 bridges. At one time it was one of the largest cities in Europe, and in the vanguard of Western culture in fields from music to medicine, food to fashion. Between 1500 and 1600, Venice could count some 600 original patents; in the same period, France could claim only 100.

At heart, it is also a classic small town, now trapped in the body of a World Heritage Site. Only about 60,000 Venetians still live here, many living in their old neighborhoods with people they've known all their life. And with more than 1,000 years of history, they are intensely proud. As Ernest Hemingway wrote, "It's a tougher town than Cheyenne when you get to know it, and everyone is very polite."

Although it covers only about three square miles, Venice can be a little daunting at first. There are no cars, and the city comprises myriad twisting small streets and dead ends. This is part of its charm, for those who love to wander and savor the pace of a town that still works on a human scale. If you need them, though, there are many public "water-buses," or vaporettos, which run on scheduled routes (though here again, timetables, routes, and ticketing can be a bit complex). Often your quickest and most direct path will be on foot rather than by water. Pack light. Bring good shoes.

Venetian rhythms also need a little navigating. Stores can open later than in other Italian cities, sometimes as late as 10:00 AM, and close early (7:30 PM). And almost all stores close in the middle of the day, anywhere between 12:30 and 2:00, reopening somewhere around 3:30 or 4:00. Clothing stores are closed on Monday morning; hairdressers are closed all day Monday. Most museums close on Monday, but one of the biggest is closed on Tuesday, and another major site is open only in the morning. So getting the most of your time calls for some flexibility, and clever planning.

There is little violent crime, and women are safer and less hassled here than in many foreign (and even American) cities. But there are plenty of pickpockets, especially in the summer, so organize your valuables in order to thwart their evil designs. Take only what you need, and don't keep all your money and documents in one place.

You will see many vendors selling counterfeit designer handbags from sheets spread out on the street. The prices are attractive, even if the bags are bogus. But it is illegal to sell AND TO BUY these items. You risk a fine if you buy one -- one tourist was recently fined 3,000 euros. Better not even to stop. And no one in the history of human life has ever won the "shell game."

Fifteen million tourists came through Venice in 2006, and their most frequent question is "What time does Venice open?" (Second-most-frequent question: "What time does Venice close?") But Venice isn't a theme park, and while Venetians welcome visitors, they are annoyed by the presumption that everything is for sale and that they are merely background. It's their city, and it hurts and offends them to see people acting in a rude or thoughtless way. But anyone who shows the slightest enthusiasm or curiosity about them, their history, and their treasures is appreciated.

Don't be shy, but be respectful. Enjoy their city. After all, they do, too.