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Avoid the crowds in Venice

by Miss Cook
(UK)

The charming Italian City of Venice may be a victim of its own success, with the tourist hordes crowding up its ancient waterways, narrow back streets and traditional roadside eateries. But that shouldn’t be a reason to put you off going there – it is popular for a reason after all.

Venice is a city unlike any in the World. A town built on water it’s iconic vaporetti (water taxi) snaking along the Grand Canal is as famous as the Statue of Liberty of the Eiffel Tower.

But as I alluded too, its popularity and the tourist dollar that comes with it, means it is spoiled by the heavy feet of the travelling hordes.

Unfortunately this is the price you pay for visiting such wonderful places, people will be out to get your money and a coffee will cost you three times as much with a view of St Marks Square than it would a few metres around the corner.

So as a traveller you just need to get smart. This can be as simple as changing the time of year you decide to visit. Summer high season sees the most visitors and the crowds can be suffocating, but so can be the heat.

With so much water around flying insects and unpleasant smells can hover above some of the canals. It is also the time where prices are at their highest, with prices on a par with even the most expensive of London hotels.

If you are able to The Best Time to Visit Venice is in spring or autumn, where the weather remains good but the crowds ease and the prices dip to slightly more realistic levels. Sites like Hotels.com offer deals all year round and away from high season bargains can be had.

Winters can be bitterly cold, though as the season with the least tourists it offers a different perspective to the city and perhaps a glimpse back to its quieter, less tourist trodden past.

The month to avoid generally is November as this is the when rainfall is at its highest and therefore Acqua alta (high water) warnings are at their most frequent. You can still get around thanks to elevated waterways but squares and paths often flood quickly meaning your route back to your hotel could be different, longer and wetter to the one you took out from it.