[Idyllchat] Thievery in Venice

Wed Jan 16 10:07:26 EST 2008

Pick pockets are going to be where ever there are big crowds because that's
when it's easiest to rob you. That said, Venice is much less crowded that
other cities unless you are there for Carnevale or the regatta. St. Mark's
can get bad dead in the middle of the summer, but you will be there in May,
so that's better. I've been there in August with the American and English
tourists, and I've been there in March with no tourists. There are
definitely a lot more people there in the summer.

As far as maps, if you want something before hand so you can check out where
everything is, go to Borders or Barnes and Noble. Go to their travel
sections, and they have maps. There is a series of maps with titles like
"Streetwise Venice" , "Streetwise New York", "Artwise Florence". They are
laminated and fold out easily. The Venice map has a vaporetto
map on the back with all the major lines and the Vaporetto stops and the
traghetto crossings are marked on the main map. For an explanation of what
the traghetti are, check out:
http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/traghetto.htm

Venice is the ultimate walking town because there are no cars. The first
time I was in Venice, we tried to cut through some neighborhoods and ended
up in some small alleyways. My big city instincts were screaming at me to
get out of there. The second time we went, we sought out these little out of
the way places. The difference between the two experiences is the
realization that there is no violent crime in Venice. You can get your
pocket picked (or your bag or purse), but you won't get mugged or anything
else of a violent nature. The second time around we would look down an
alleyway and say, "Let's see where this goes". It's fun, and the city isn't
that big that you will eventually come to someplace you know or a vaporetto
stop to take you to someplace you know. Doing the same thing after dark when
the day tourists have gone back to the mainland is even more amazing. Here's
a link to my Venice at Night slideshow:
http://www.untourscafe.com/photo/photo/slideshow?albumId=676822:Album:6509

The vaporetti are great at the end of the day when your feet are tired. You
can just jump on and ride it back to the neighborhood you are staying in.
You can also take them to the outer islands. Murano is like a Venice in
miniature. It has 2 big canals and lots of glass shops each boasting a glass
blowing demonstration. I've been to Burano as well, but not really any of
the other islands, but most are on the vaporetto lines.

There are WC's around most of the tourist areas, but you can take a tip from
the Travel Channel's Samantha Brown, "When you stop at a cafe for lunch or a
snack, never leave before you go." Most cafe's have customer only bathrooms,
take a break, buy a cappuccino and a pastry, then use their bathroom.

Venice is my favorite city in the world. I'm sure you are going to have a
great time.

  - Jay

On Jan 16, 2008 5:10 AM, Frank <frdangelo at charter.net> wrote:

>  Has anyone experienced problems in Venice with thieves?  Other than
> Piazza San Marco and possibly the vaporettos, I wouldn't think it would be a
> big problem.  I still will wear my money belt (always just below the level
> of my belt to make access for thieves and "me" more difficult).  I learned
> my lesson in Barcelona a few years ago while on the Metro.  We will be in
> Venice this May and hope to be a bit more relaxed regarding thievery than
> when we visited major cities and were constantly on the lookout.
>
> While walking around  Venice, is it difficult to find WC's? Is the
> vaporetto the best means of transportation and the cheapest?  Can anyone
> recommend a good walking map to buy while there or wear to pick up one ahead
> of time?  I'm told that the streets are a maze and getting lost is part of
> the experience.
>
> Thanks for all the warnings and suggestions.  Happy and safe traveling to
> all.
>
>                                                           Frank
>
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