We were staying in Eastern Slovenia this past summer when we decided to take a day trip to Venice. Originally we were going to drive to Porec, about 3 hours away, and take a Venezia Lines ferry across. However, we were told it's only about 5 hours to drive all the way so we went by car. The Slovenian "Autocesta" and to a lesser extent the Italian "Autostrada" are wonderful highways! So efficiently organized, they are truly a pleasure to drive.

We arrived in Venice with clear instructions to search out the Piazza Royale parking lot and leave our car there, and walk across the piazza, over a bridge, and into "the real Venice". However, just before turning onto the causeway bridge that would take us there, we saw some men who looked remarkably like traffic cops, dressed in long dark raincoats and white peaked caps, directing traffic in the opposite direction of the bridge leading into Venice. We thought there must have been a detour so we followed their directions, only to find we'd been rooked into the parking lot of a ferry company that offers a park and ride deal to Venice. So, rule # 1, not everyoen who looks "official" in Venice, is official!

Once we found the right parking place, we were impressed at how efficiently they managed to cram so many cars in! The cost is about 20 Euros for 24 hours. We had maps and guidebooks furnished by well-meaning friends and relatives, and a vague idea that we wanted to see the Piazza San Marco, the Jewish Ghetto, and a restaurant called "Brek" that was supposed to offer good food at a decent price. Finding all three took us from noon till about 7:00 PM.

We got lost repeatedly, went around in circles, but so what? Every corner we turned offered a postcard view. Suprisingly, once we found it, the Piazza San Marco was a bit of a let down. Not much to see but a lot of tourists and pigeons. The shops all sell ceramic masks and various Murano glass items, the best prices are from the street vendors, although I know that is not a popular opinion. We were able to buy my daughter a leather purse from a young man on the Rialto bridge, haggled down from 45 Euros to 10. If that's not your style, there are plenty of upscale shops that specialize in leather and glass giftware. In the Jewish Ghetto we found a great Judaica shop that sold whimsical Murano glass figurines and mezuzahs.

Throughout the day we toyed with the idea of a Gondola ride. We finally found a gondolier who gave us a 25 minute ride past all the usual sites for 80 Euros. The water is smelly, and the gondola listed precariously on my side, (no weight jokes please!) but it was worth it!

We end our day at "Brek", and true to the advice we recieved, the food was delicious and less expensive than some other options. It is a self serve kind of place, but beware of the washrooms, they are not clearly marked and my daughter and I ended up using the Men's room without knowing it until we left!

The kids enjoyed Venice, there was not a whimper about all the walking in circles and up and down bridges we did. By about 7:00 PM it looks like place is shutting down, but really it is shifting gears. The locals start to appear with their dogs, and everyone seems to have a dog. The restaurants start to fillup and although most gondolas are put away for the evening, you can still find one for a twilight ride, just expect to pay more!

Venice can be done in a day, but we did not take the time to go inside any of the attractions, or venture across to the other islands. I don't know if I would have wanted to stay in a hotel however, as everything does look really rustic and old. I am sure there are nice places to stay but they would probably cost a fortune. My advice would be to leave the "old" section and head to a hotel in the "regular" part of Venice, or stay in Padua about 30 minutes away.

If you want to really see Venice, get lost! Leave the map behind and just wander up and down its many streets. I went with a list of restaurants, sights etc.. and we did see them, but not in any order. We took a vaporetta the other way round with Venice Blue Card and saw so much more of the lagoons. We walked from Santa Croce to somewhere on the way to Rialto and ate at a fabulous restaurant canalside. Get off the beaten track and explore like Marco Polo.

Venice...Traveling were Husband & Wife (pregnant), we left our toddler at home with grandma & grandad.

Venice, the city for romance....it's true that when the sun shines the waterways & buildings have a certain feeling to them which make you feel glad to be there & all romantic. Numerous monumnets, pretty scenes, churches, galleries or cafes & once you see the prices the cafe's are the best place to stop as the resturants are expensive & lack presentation despite their very high prices.

We stayed in a lovely appartment one block from St Marks square, from the outside it looked like a derilict building but inside was furnished with new applicances & all the usual requirements. we booked the accomodation via Hotels-Direct-Venice. Venetian Holidays Apartments It was called the San Filippo. It would sleep six with a big double, two singles & a double fold down sofa bed. Large dining room, Lounge, Kitchen with full gas oven, large sink, fridge & a bathroom with good shower & wahing machine. Lots of hot water.
We were met by the owners at the water taxi stop went to check the flat & then paid them in Euro's had no problems & we were able to leave our baggage there all day on our last day rather than lugging it around with us all day. It was 670Euros for five nights which is a big saving compared to the hotels & I would say it was of 4star quality, with two private balconys which we squeesed two chairs onto one of to sip our wine & watch the world go by. The resturant underneath was the best we found, try the steak

I wouldn't bother buying a Venice-Card which is promotoed as the tourist card for transport & discounts as it's not worth it, you'll never re-coup the initial outlay.

Venice is full of tourists, the only locals apear to all be serving tourists & so unless you like being horded around book your own trip, transport & access to monuments is easy & cheap.

Unless your desperate don't go on a gondala, we didn't & feel more proud that we didin't fall into this tourist trap than if we had gone on it. However if you do go then ask to go up the quiet cananls not on the choppy grand canal as there's no romance in floating alongside the rubbish barge & the big actv transport boats.

Murano island is lovely, much quieter than Venice. This is where they manufactuer & sell glass objects of all shapes & sizes, we found it very interesting & the whole island was much cleaner than Venice. Pick up a free leaflet from on the of the men near St Marks Square they'll be saying 'Murano' & get youself a free taxi in one of those boats like in James Bond, have a look around one of the forges & wander around the island no obligtion to buy. To get back to Venice catch the actv boat
If you need to buy food in a supermarket they best one of the three we found was the Spar on Murano.

So to get around: From the airport catch the Alilaguna water bus it leaves at quarter to each hour so if your flight gets in at twenty past grab your luggage & walk to the stop which is out of the airport & turn left approx ten minutes walk but much better than waiting an hour for the next one or paying £35upwards for a private taxi etc. It's 11Euros each, you can pay on the boat or in advance the tickets cost the same so I sugggest you get on the boat then pay or you'll wait in a long que with the rest of your flight who haven't done any research, you can check the website for an up to date timetable www.alilaguna.it

In the main you can walk around Venice which probably gives the best insight into the layout. The local transport boats are the actv boats I suggest you get a 12hr pass & use it to get around then see if you want to use them the next day or just amble around taking it all in.

Don't leave tips as all the resurtants add on 12 or 15% service anyway & they don't work hard enough for this in the first place.

Most of all have fun, don't rush around, buy yourself a decent guide book like Frommers before you go & use it! I hope you have a lovely time in Venice, we did.

Pack light for Venice, as you will probably need to drag your luggage from a vaperetto stop to your hotel. It is perfectly feasible and nothing to worry about. Additionally, maps of Venice give the impression that the city is a rabbit warren of narrow streets and passages. It is true that the first day or so may feel as though you are in a maze, but you quickly adjust to the human scale of life in the city and find your way around easily by identifying familiar landmarks. (Turn left at Dolce & Gabbana, go past the ice cream shop and it's just past the gallery with the nudes in the window – that kind of thing!)
As a destination, Venice of course has much to recommend it. It is a very charming and atmospheric city in which to spend some time and if you are undecided, you really should try to stay in the city, as the atmosphere changes markedly once all the day trippers leave in the late afternoon.
Restaurants and bars were better value than I had expected from research and comments, it is fairly easy to avoid the obvious tourist traps – from our experience we can recommend Ristorante San Trovaso, between Accademia and San Marco, a place I shall remember very well for a memorable dinner on our first night in the city – the grappa on the house was a welcome touch! Trattoria Due Torre in Campo San Margherita was entertaining, providing good food and mad waiters in an open air setting, while the staple of pizza was good at Rosa Rossa between San Marco and Rialto. My conclusion was that fine dining is no doubt expensive in the city, but by sticking to the simple fare of pasta, pizza and other similar delights you'll eat well and economically.