Trying to tackle the labyrinth that is Venice can be a daunting task, especially when you only plan to have a three day stint to experience all that the city has to offer. So, if you are planning a trip to la Serenissima, here are a few tips to help guide you through the city like the locals do.
Walking is the best way to see Venice, especially if you go during Biennale season where stumbling upon free contemporary art exhibitions in abandoned houses, palazzi and lesser known churches is quite common. The best piece of advice anyone one can give you is to not be afraid to literally get lost. On the other hand, vaporetti (water buses) while convenient are often filled to the brim with tourists. But they can make for a good break when you are tired from ascending and descending bridges. They can also be a great way to take some excellent shots of the island itself and are a lot more affordable than Gondolas (over 80 Euros for about a ten minute ride as opposed to the 6 Euro Vap Pass that is valid for about an hour).
Note that Venice is made up of six sestieri, or districts, such as the boroughs of New York City or arrondissements of Paris. The word derives from the figure six, Venice having been historically cut up in six quarters in the 11th century: Cannaregio, San Polo, Santa Croce, Dorsoduro, San Marco and Castello. These sestieri are connected by an intricate network of 3000 calli (the term for street in Venetian), rio or rii in plural (small canals), 420 bridges and three official canals: Grand Canal, Cannaregio and Giudecca. Beware wanderers that only three bridges cross the Grand Canal: Scalzi, Rialto, and the Accademia.
See on panoramitalia.com
via Tumblr http://italianentertainment.tumblr.com/post/46425819527