One of the main issues that visitors in Venice have to face is that it is very crowded and that they have to walk excessively. Venice is a very unique city, one of a kind, since it was taken from a lagoon and due to the ability of the local population it became a very important naval force. Ever since its foundation, the main transportation means have been boats, which at that time represented a real technological revolution. People and goods could move around the city with ease in different types of Venetian boats. This is why not much attention was given to the development of streets and an infrastructure like in other cities.
As Venetian gondolas became expensive and only a tourist attraction, tourists are left only with the choice to walk and walk a lot. No means of alternative transportation, such as: bicycles, scooter etc., are allowed and in case you try to bend the rules you will get a fine.
An additional problem is a lack of benches in Venice. Due to the lack of space, and as Venice was constructed with the idea of using mainly boats for transportation, there are just a few benches mostly on larger city squares away from the main tourist routes. This means that tourists, tired and bitten by the summer heat, will have just a few occasions to sit and rest for a little bit. As a result you can often hear tourists complaining: “No one told us that we would have to walk this much”, “Thy did this on purpose in order to make people sit in expensive restaurants” etc. Even though the practice of sitting on the steps of different buildings is also forbidden, no one will fine you for it.
Additionally, obese people have an incredibly hard time moving around the city. Having all of it in mind, think twice before deciding to visit Venice during summer periods and prepare yourself for long walks.
Finally, it is also worth mentioning that the local population does not look at tourists with excitement. It is true that the city lives mainly off tourism, but on the other hand, they are not to blame that much. Remember that the locals have to go to work and that they need to get around the city during work. Therefore, keep in mind that however interesting a shop, a canal, a boat or a monument is, there is no excuse for blocking the narrow city passage entirely. Imagine a local person that needs to get to work, this person has to find its way through tens of thousands of individuals just like you. Additionally, be extremely careful when carrying an open umbrella. Excited about all the things in Venice, visitors usually bring very large umbrellas with them and are distracted while walking down the narrow city corridors. You could not imagine how many eye injuries occur in the city, and most probably, you will hurt a local, since they are usually the ones that walk faster and pay no attention to shop windows.
The advice we can give you is to always carry a map with you. Do not stop in the middle of narrow corridors in order to check the street. Plan your visit in advance, get an idea of what you can visit in one day and always keep yourself hydrated and make enough stops in order to rest, especially during the summer season. On our website you will get a good idea of attractions that can be visited, therefore with a bit of planning you will be able to make your stay in Venice much more enjoyable.
