LOCATION REVIEW
Magical Venice

BY MARTIN REECE MBE ARPS

The unique city of Venice has something for everyone. The opulence and Grandeur of Venice is breathtaking and is probably why it is included in the book “Unforgetable Places To See Before You Die” Venice is a magical place where you can wonder through history at a pace that is not interrupted or dictated by the motorcar. As they say, all the roads are flooded and the only way of getting around is by foot with the occasional use of the vaperetto (waterbus).

For those who have never been to Venice they will have preconceived images in their mind based on news clips or newspaper headlines. These images are usually of Gondolas, Canals, Venetian Glass, Venice submerged, the Venice Opera House Fire, the Carnivale and the Venice Film Festival. However, Venice is much more than that. It is also known to be one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Here are the names of a few famous people who have adorned Venice with their creative talents: the composers Vivaldi, Monteverdi and Albinoni; the painters, Canalleto Tinteretto, Titian, Bellini and Turner; and the writers Goldoni, Thomas Mann, Lord Byron, John Ruskin, Henry James, and Ernest Hemingway. You may ask why I mention these names. Well, it is because of their art and the city’s uniqueness that has helped to make them famous. The same uniqueness in its architecture has drawn filmmakers to Venice and the following films were set there--The Merchant of Venice, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Death in Venice, Don’t Look Now, Wings of a Dove and James Bond, just to name a few.

As photographers you will find photo opportunities at every turn, which literally makes exploring slow progress as you continually stop to take pictures. So you will need plenty of film or digital media. There are so many things to see so you will not have difficulty filling your time--looking at the architecture, Churches, Palaces, Museums, Galleries, Shops, Markets, and Islands, such as Murano and Burano. In fact you will have numerous excuses to visit Venice again and again to see the things that you missed on your first visit.

Venice does not have to be expensive if you go out of season, for example, between November and March. The weather can be good during these periods although you can get overcast days where the mist descends and creates its own atmosphere. Thanks to Ryanair, you can now fly direct to Venice Treviso Airport from Liverpool for as little as £45 return. I can also recommend a good cheap hotel, which is located only 4 minutes away from St Marks Square and easy to find. I have used the Hotel Anastasia on a couple of occasions and it was also tested in November 2005 by SLPS members who gave it a unanimous thumbs up. The cost of a double room is £74 and a single room is £52, these prices are very reasonable for Venice and include breakfast.

Venice is such a popular destination that over 12 million tourists visit each year, so it can be very very crowded during the summer months. It can also be very busy during Carnivale, which is held 10 days prior to Shrove Tuesday. Carnival is a great time to visit with the added bonus of the beautiful costumes and masks. It is like going back in time and or being on a film set which produces a really good atmosphere. Expect to pay higher prices for hotel rooms at this time because of high demand, so you should book early to avoid disappointment.

A good guidebook is essential to assist you in getting around and also to help you choose what you want to see. There are numerous guide books available but from my experience I can recommend the following guides in order of preference:- SpiralGuide Venice, Eyewitness Top 10 Venice, Insight Guide Venice and Timeout Venice.

Top Tips: Take a Good Guide Book and Map as well as a comfortable pair of walking shoes. Don’t forget to take plenty of film, digital media and batteries! I can guarantee that you will take more images than you anticipated.

Please send any comments to Martin