Bars/Cafes/ Things to do in Venice?

[Droopy Brew]

Ok so i fell on my feet with work sending me to Venice for a course in mid April. I will be there for 5 days of the course and then another 5 days for recreation.

So, having never been to Europe, let alone Italy- can anyone with some first hand experience suggest places to go for a good beer , good feed or good time in Venice? I may look at a day trip elsewhere too if anyone has suggestions.

Cheers,

 

[Tahoose]

I don't really have any places for you to visit, but one of the best experiences of my life was by chance in Venice. After a rather big night I'll add.

The best way to see the city, and get a feel for how beautiful it really is. The trick is this; go to bed early and get up just before sunrise, Venice can be busy at the best of times. It can be that busy that you can be so focused on getting through the crowd that you miss the beauty of it.

In the 45mins that I was wandering around aimlessly between 5:30am and 6:15 I saw about 8 people total. 2 were ferrying bread from a bakery to the boat, ready for the morning deliveries, 2 were walking here and there and 4 were in st marks square. Normally there is about 10,000 people in st marks square during the day.

I grabbed a pastry from the bakery and wandered around untill I started making tracks for the hostel.

Check out the city during the day by all means, but do it at dawn aswell. You'll see what I mean.

 

[tavas]

Get away from the main square. There's some good restaurants away from the main tourist places. Shops around the main square sell frozen lasagne as "authentic" Italian cuisine.

Stay away from "foreign menu" as it will be shit.

Lots of pickpockets in Venice. Watch your back and don't wander too far alone at night.

 

[elcarter]

Turn left, turn right, keep doing this until you can't hear the crowd and are suitably lost.

It'a maze with absolute wonders within. Found so many holes in the walls with great coffee and nice beers with memories that will stay with you for a life time. Even the wines pumped out of 10L kegs, if only no luggage weight restrictions existed.

It's expensive and pretty much only for the tourist but nothing is quite like it.

Go with Tahoose early recommendation, it's solid gold.

If you can try and blend in, loose the backpack and hide the map and attempt to use the language to say hello and thank you. You'll be rewarded 10 times over.

 

[Droopy Brew]

Some great advice there and some of which I have picked up (ie steer away from the tourist places for quality and value food etc.) I tend to avoid the tourist areas wherever I go, especially if it is a cultural experience Im looking for.
Have started learning Italiano already and hope to be proficient enough to understand basic conversation.

Io bevi una birra

 

[buckerooni]

call me old skool but I like a mini map and a mini compass - especially in a serpentine place like Venice. I got a ciggie lighter that came with one on the top - handy!

would definitely recommend a day trip out of Venice to get the feel for a errr...more 'normal' italy. Unfortunately I spent about 5 weeks in 2005 cutting loose in the southern parts (along with a 2 day stop in Venice on my way into Austria) so I'm not much help for exact locations. Must be some magnificent sleepy seaside town within travelling distance

the thorn tree forum on the lonely planet forum can be good for up to date stuff, a bit more budget backpacker but can be a little bit more interesting than what tripadvisor (i.e. not just comments from middle class white people!).

totally agree on the language basics and I also felt that the locals appreciated being well dressed (I was not after 6 months on the road!) - beautiful city/beautiful people thing I guess.

lucky you!

 

[spog]

Birra pioneer/Venice , has some info on local brews.

 

[mckenry]

I was there in 2012. Here's a tip. DONT go over to the island by ferry (about 35 euros from memory) to see the glass artists doing their thing. You can see exactly the same in the main part of Venice.
As for beers, the best place I found was a little cafe near the bus terminal. It was faux Irish on the outside, but the beers were Italian craft. The obligitory Guiness and Murphys, but the rest was a pretty impressive line up. I've tried to find it on google maps, but cant work out exactly where it is now. It is not however the 'official' Irish Pub, Inishark. Unfortunately I was there at lunch, so couldnt get amongst them all.
Food - I tried a squid ink pasta, just because it was different. Eating black sauce spaghetti was weird and not that good really.
As others have said, just wander around - its not that big, but such a maze. Then delight in the scenes when all the illegal immigrants, selling knockoff handbags, take a phone call, pack their shit up in an instant and bolt. Then watch as 15 minutes later they all set up again.