On this page we’ve collected questions about Venice we were repeatedly asked by visitors. If yours isn’t amongst them, do contact us here !
I have never been to Venice. Where should I start reading?
We have a post on the blog dedicated to all who visit Venice for the first time, or who haven’t been there in a while. Click to read Venice for first-time visitors.
When is the best time to visit Venice? How can I avoid high tides – acqua alta?
There is no best and no worst time for your visit … There will be fewer tourists and calm weather in March and November, and we’ve got a few tips for you to get to know, predict and thus avoid excessive high tides called acqua alta. Read more about high tides and how to predict them in this post.
Do you have recommendations for finding a hotel in Venice?
Yes ! If you are looking for a hotel in Venice, do contact Hotel Fontana, which is the partner and Venetian home base of La Venessiana :-). Diego and Gabriele Stainer will give you directions and help you enjoy your stay in Venice and the Lagoon. Contact them at info@hotelfontana.it or click here to call +39 041 522 0579 and take a look at their special offers here. To prepare your stay, we have created a special Travel Planner below which you can download for free. Download your Venice Trip Planner Kits.
I would like to book sightseeing tours in Venice? Can you help me?
Hotel Fontana is affiliated with a renowned travel agency in Venice, R & T Travel Service – Venice Travel Agency. Their office is based in Castello and they can also help you book tours beyond Venice. Contact them via phone click here to call +39 041 5221746 or at info@rttravel.it. La Venessiana’s Welcome to Venice Kit contains more personal tips to discover Venice.
Where can I taste historical Venetian food?
Historical Venetian food is divided into two different lines. One variety comes enriched with spices, exotic ingredients, and the other type of historical recipes is based on all ingredients the Lagoon has to offer. Fish, vegetables and finest herbs and blossoms … In the article below we explain what historical Venetian food is and where you can taste it in Venice. Read our Article on Venetian Food Culture.
Why was Venice built in the middle of a Lagoon?
Venice wasn’t constructed in one day but developed gradually. Since Roman times, the Lagoon was settled and the Romans built villas in the Lagoon to fish and hunt. More people started arriving in the wetlands and on the islands from the 5th century AD and officials from Byzantium had been present in the Lagoon ever since.
Why does Venice still look like in the 15th century?
Venetians had their own state, a Republic, from 421 – 1797. As a nation, they developed an architectural style of their own, mainly based on inspiration and ideas from the Levant. They also had to learn to build in a certain manner because constructing in a Lagoon on unstable ground required special techniques. What worked for 1,600 centuries is being continued to this day, no need the re-invent the wheel, so to say.
When should we come to Venice?
Come anytime, there’s no really unpleasant season with the exception for December and January. The light will be darkish and opaque though but we found that’s what many visitors love ! Any season of the year can be unstable, and Venice is known for brief yet hefty thunderstorms in summer. What you must expect, in particular between end-October and February, are bouts of exceptionally high tides (acqua alta). Summer, in particular August, can be very hot and humid, it wasn’t too hot in the last three years though.
Can I visit Venice during Acqua Alta (exceptionally high tides)?
If you have already arrived in Venice, you may find that you can’t reach certain areas in town for a couple of hours. Acqua alta usually doesn’t last longer than a few hours !! You might also need to walk on passerelle – wooden planks above the water. It may be trickier when you arrive in Venice during acqua alta. In that case you may find that you can’t go beyond Fondamente Nove because the San Zaccaria stop next to Piazza San Marco is flooded. Public transport usually works during acqua alta, but it may not reach all parts of Venice.
Does Venice have enough hotels to host her 30 million+ visitors a year?
In the very high season, for the Carnival weekends, during Biennale and regattas events, hotel rooms in town are short. Yet you could stay on the mainland (Mestre) or at the Cavallino peninsula near Iesolo in summer. You should find your perfect room if you book a few months ahead. That’s also important to take into account if you are planning to stay in Venice for longer than one week.
Which language do you speak in Venice?
Italian, of course, but also a dialect of the ancient language of Venice. This language is called Venessian, a Romance language just like Italian or Spanish are. This dialect is still spoken in families while all the street signs in Venice are in Venessian. Our blog has a focus on this language and in our culinary ecourses we will include lessons for you to learn the basics of our language.
What does Venetian fashion look like? Is there a special trend?
Venice has coined several fashion trends in the last few centuries. Lo scialle venessián – the Venetian black scarf is one example. Venice made extravagant shoes and exported them all over Europe for centuries. Today, it’s mostly jewellery and fashion made from lace, silk and damask. There’s a special fashion style created here in Venice, perhaps intermingled with glass beads, which you can embellish with other precious Venetian-made accessories. More articles on Venetian fashion will be available under the category “fashion” from spring 2017 on our Blog.
What’s the national Venetian dish?
It’s a sweet one, a fish one and a sweet-sour delicacy. The sweet pastry is fritole, the most ancient Venetian recipe we know of. Venetian merchants brought this recipe to Venice from Persia in the 12th century. Venetians adapted it, flavoring it in many delicious manners . You can taste your fritole during Carnival, on 21 November when the Festa della Salute takes place and on January 6.
The fish dish is baccalà. Venetian merchant Piero Querini brought stockfish to Venice in the 15th century and Venetians made a soft spuma (foam) from it which they called baccalà.
The sweet sour dish is sarde in saor, basically any fish flavored with sweet ingredients (raisins), pinoli and onions.
Do you have a question not included here? Contact us here !