- Song of the day
- How to pay
- Accommodation
- Snack of the trip
- Venice pet-friendliness
- Food recommendations
- What to do?
- How to pay for the toll roads
- Entrance
- Exit
- Parking
- How to pay for the toll roads
Song of the day
How to pay
Currency: EUR
Card-friendliness: 10/10Cards are accepted everywhere except at the local markets. I am sure this doesn’t come as a big surprise for anyone, given the nature of street markets around the world.
Accommodation
We stayed at hu Venezia Camping in Town, booked it through Booking.com
Although on the outskirts, with its proximity to the highway, the place is convenient for car travellers. Safe parking is included. 24/7 information point, easy but slow check-in. Unfortunately, although arriving after the check-in hour, we had to wait for our bungalow to be cleaned, resulting in having to put up with the bleach smell for a while. Not very pleasant, but the wonderful outside area and the nice weather made up for the minor hiccup. The nearest bus stop is about 15 minutes away, however, the camp offers paid hourly buses that go to town and back. The ticket from the camp to Venice is 2.50EUR per person, and from Venice to the camp, 5EUR per person. Public transport, on the other hand, is way cheaper, only 1.50EUR per person. The easiest way to deal with public transport tickets and public parking in Italy is through the app myCicero – it’s a lifesaver.
А swimming pool, a small supermarket, a laundry, vending machines and a restaurant are also available at hu Venezia. If you’re bringing a pet, keep in mind that there’s a 20EUR additional fee.
Snack of the trip
I’m not much of a snack person, BUT Fonzies has been my drug for the past couple of months. It is a very simple Italian snack made with corn and chees,e but the crunch is what sells it for me. Although there are other Fonzies flavours, such as pizza, nothing beats the cheesy original.
Venice pet-friendliness
10/10.
Lexi was welcome everywhere we went – public transport, restaurants, and shops. Just make sure that you bring a muzzle as it’s required for the boats, although we were rarely asked for it.
Food recommendations
In all honesty, we couldn’t find a spot we liked enough to recommend. However, we can give you some tips on what to look for.
Often at night, restaurants offer menu options that allow you to get several dishes for cheaper. Usually, there are handwritten signs outside if such an offer is available.
Aperitivo is another wonderful thing that Italy has to offer. Aperitivo hours are typically between 5 PM – 8 PM. A typical aperitivo costs anywhere between €5–€12. This includes a drink, served with snacks.
Go-to aperitivi include Aperol Spritz, Prosecco, Negroni, Bellini or a small beer; non-alcoholic options are also available.
Snacks vary between different regions. In Venice, you’re usually served crisps, olives, breadsticks, etc. In comparison, an aperitivo in Rome often comes with small sandwiches or fried appetisers like suppli – deep-fried balls of rice with meat sauce or mozzarella filling.
However, aperitivo and cena (from Italian, meaning “dinner”) had a child called apericena, which is happening to be gaining popularity around Italy. If the aperitivo is mostly about the cocktails, apericena is all about the food and could be a great substitute for dinner. Apericena hours are typically between 6 PM – 9 PM, and it costs between €10 – €20. The food could include pasta, bruschette, crostini, salads, risotto and many more. As apericena is a relatively new concept, there aren’t too many places in Venice that offer it, however, if you happen to be in Milan or Rome, definitely give it a go.
To be fully prepared for the Italian food culture, for your convenience, I have gathered the 9 things you need to know before dining in Italy. Don’t forget to check them out.
What to do?
‘No one forgets the first glimpse of Venice. Whether arriving by plane, boat, train, or car, there is that startling moment when one looks across the waves and finds what should not be there – stone towers, rich churches, and packed buildings rising out of the sea. The extraordinary beauty of Venice only adds to its improbability. How does such a city exist?’ – Thomas F. Madden.
This might not be the answer you’re looking for, but GET LOST. There isn’t a better city to do that. Get lost in their tiny streets and culture. Get lost in their art and colourful Venetian mask stands. Get lost in the churches. Get lost and let Venice surprise you with what you might find.
How to pay for the toll roads
If you come from a country that requires a vignette, the chances are that this will be quite new for you. The highways in Italy charge you by distance travelled rather than a single fee to use a highway. This is how it works.
Entrance
When you enter the autostrada (the Italian word for highway/ motorway), you will be welcomed by several booths. Unless your car has a toll box in the car (some rental cars do), you need to choose the ticket lane. You might need to line up for a little bit before you reach the ticket machine that will be on your car’s left side (sorry, right-hand drivers). Make sure you drive closely on the left so you can easily reach the already-generated ticket. In case you cannot see a ticket, press the button next to biglietto, and the machine will print you one. Important: Make sure to keep the ticket safe until you exit the highway, as this is your proof of entrance. If you lose it, you will be charged from the very start of the highway like you’ve driven through it all.
Exit
Before you approach the autostrada’s exit, you will be welcomed by warning signs to slow down, which will lead you to the exit booths where you will need to pay your toll. You will find yourself standing in front of four options to choose from: telepass, cards only, cash machine or a real-life assistant.
Telepass – the yellow signIf your car has the telepass toll box, all you need to do when you approach the correct lane is to slow down, wait for the machine to read your box and keep going.
Cards (Carte) – the blue signIf you choose this lane, you can pay only by card. The machine will be on your left side. You need to insert the ticket, check the amount due, insert your card and voilà. Very often the slot for the ticket and the card is the sam,e which was very confusing to me, however, there are indications, so you can’t really get it wrong.
Just make sure that your card works in Italy before you approach this lane, because it will be an absolute pain to drive back to change your booth. Cash – white sign with a drawing of cash and coins ONLY. Here you can pay both by cash and by card. Once again, you will find the machine on your left side. You need to insert your ticket, check the amount due and pay with cash and/or coins. Get your change and Go.
Real-life assistant – white sign with a drawing of a HAND holding cash and coinsHere you can pay both by cash and by card. Once you approach the booth, you will be welcomed by an actual person and from here on, it’s pretty straightforward. You will see how much you need to pay, hand him the cash or pay with a card and go.
Parking
As you may already know, Venice is a car-free city, however, it is possible to drive to Venice by car. What you will need to do is leave it in one of the parking areas outside the historic centre. Unfortunately, I have never used the free parking zones, they are for sure far away from the historic centre. I don’t believe that should stop you from choosing them, as you will need to use public transport anyway, just make sure you are not time-constrained.
For this exact reason, we have personally chosen to use one of the four parking garages. However, make sure to carefully check their conditions as some might be suitable for short stays and rip you off if you decide to leave your car for a couple of days. Usually, there are offers for 24 h+.
Contrary to what many people say online, the garages are not as cheap as cheap is a subjective term. I will put it like this, a 3-hour stay could easily cost you over 25EUR, it is up to decide if it’s reasonable. For me, it is only if you have no other choice.
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