Venice is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It is visited by millions of people every year, and the holiday season never ends here. No wonder that Venice has become an icon because it is the only such city in the world. Full of elegance and richness stands out from other cities with its architecture. Canals, bridges, gondolas – for many people Venice is a dream city. However, under its beautiful face, it hides a sad truth. What kind of truth? Read our article – Venice at night, a sad story about La Serenissima – the brightest.
The brightest capital of Venetian rulers
Venice – the capital of the Venetian Republic, for centuries was one of the largest economic and political powers of the Mediterranean region. The Venetian rulers made every effort to make their capital “the brightest” – La Serenissima. We have to admit that it succeeded. Venice began to lose its importance politically in the 17th century, but despite the problems, it still had a flourishing culture. Today, being aware of the tragic situation Venice is in, La Serenissima sounds a bit like a bad joke.
A sad story about a dying star
Venice, once the brightest star among Italy’s most famous cities, is dying. Literally and figuratively. Literally, because according to scientists, if nothing changes, Venice will disappear underwater in 80 years. The sad thought is that our grandchildren will only be able to hear about Venice from our stories, books, and only see it in photos. It is said that work is underway to prevent this disaster, but the problem is the budget, which is empty. Another problem is that hundreds of people are fleeing from Venice. The prices raised by tourists are “deadly” for an ordinary Venetian. Nobody wants to live in apartments that are horribly expensive. Those on the ground floor are damp, and those in the attics are overheated. Maintenance also costs a lot. People often save themselves from bankruptcy by moving. Only gondoliers who earn a lot of money, but there is a maximum of 400 of them, and people associated with tourism can count on survival. In the 1950s in Venice lived 300 thousand people, today about 60 thousand. It is estimated that the last Venetian will move out in 2030, which will mean that Venice will become only a spectacular Disneyland on water.
Venice at night – a walk through the city of ghosts
To see and realize the serious problems Venice is facing, you have to see that city at night. During the day the town is colorful, full of life and cheerful. After 11:00 p.m. restaurants and shops are closed, only a few are opened, and then Venice falls asleep. The squares, bridges, and streets are quiet and peaceful. Closed all shutters, extinguished lights, water trams and gondolas covered with sheets, ghostly swaying on the water, make us realize how empty and sad this city is. No traces of the inhabitants, no life, only the spirits of the Venetians are walking through the streets, remembering the old times. And we, in the midst of this dream, walking quietly so as not to wake Venice before dawn, were absorbing this amazing atmosphere, wandering through the streets of Venice. Enjoying the peace and quiet, until La Serenissima will change its face again as soon as the sun comes up and illuminates the tenement houses.
Venice at night – some useful information
We will not write what we saw, because we did not visit anything concrete. This time, without any plan or list, we just went on a night sightseeing tour, just like that, walking ahead. Below, some practical information may be useful for someone.
- Free parking for motorcyclists is located just behind the bridge after entering the island. Right here. If you arrive early in the morning or in the evening, you will surely find a place for your two wheels. During the day it can be various.
- St. Mark’s Basilica is only open until 17:00. Admission is free – surprisingly! Just like in Santa Maria Della Salute. If you’re planning on getting into other attractions, it’s worth checking out the Venezia Unica City Pass. The cards are different and can be freely configured according to your needs. The cheapest one costs about 30€, the most expensive one 140€. Some variants entitle you to enter one of the most famous casinos in the world.
- In Venice, public transport is carried out using a system of canals, which you can travel through – luxury version – with gondolas, or – budget version – with water trams – vaporetto.
- A single vaporetto ride costs 7,50 € (valid up to 75 minutes), a full-day ticket 20€, a two-day ticket 30€, a three-day ticket 40€, and a weekly ticket 60€. Yes, it was a low-budget version, because for an hour of gondola sailing we will pay 80€, but if we want to prolong the fun, we will pay another 40 €. And it’s only until 19:00 because later we have the night rate, 100€ and 50€ respectively. It is worth to read the map below, so as not to waste time standing in front of the board, just as we do, wondering which line we should go.
- Most restaurants are open until 23:00. The night silence is from 24:00.
- Prices of main courses vary between 15-20 €. The cheapest option is pizza.
- Let’s not forget about “coperto” – the fee for setting the table in Venice is 2-5 € per person.
- Quite important, as for us – after 23:00 closed are not only restaurants, but also public toilets…
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