🇮🇹 Gone To Venice 2026 Handbook

 

MEET BEFORE WE GO!

Join our Community Call at 6pm CEST Saturday 29th February

🇮🇹GONE INTERNATIONAL MAP

Find it linked in our Whatsapp Group

✈️ ARRIVAL & GETTING TO THE HOTEL

Hotel: Al Mascaron Ridente

District: Cannaregio

Check-in: From 14:00 Friday

Check-out: By 11:00 Monday

Cannaregio is residential, calm, and local, a perfect base away from heavy tourist traffic.

Please check your own routes, below is a just a guide. 

🛬 Venice Marco Polo (VCE)

Option 1 – Alilaguna Water Bus (Recommended)

• Follow signs to “Water Transport”

• Take Orange Line

• Get off at Guglie stop

• Walk 5–7 minutes to hotel

⏱ ~60 minutes

💶 ~€15–18

Option 2 – Private Water Taxi

⏱ 20–30 minutes

💶 €120–150 total

Fastest, smoothest, most expensive.

🚆 From Venice Santa Lucia Train Station

• 15–20 minute walk

  OR

• Vaporetto to Guglie

🧳 Luggage Advice (Important)

Venice has:

• No cars

• Many bridges

• Many stairs

Bring luggage you can lift yourself.

Ideal: Carry-on suitcase + backpack

Large heavy cases will make arrival stressful.

🧳 PACKING LIST

March weather: 7–15°C (45–59°F). Cool mornings, mild afternoons, damp evenings.

Clothing

• Comfortable walking shoes (water-resistant if possible)

• Second pair of shoes

• Warm knit layer

• Lightweight waterproof coat

• Scarf

• Smart-casual dinner outfit

• Layers

For Gondola Workshop

• Flat shoes with grip

• Comfortable trousers

• Hair tie

• Sunglasses

• Small backpack

Avoid heels or slippery soles.

Essentials

• Travel adaptor (Italy Type F / L)

• Umbrella

• Lip balm

• Medication

• Blister plasters

• Reusable water bottle

TL;DR – Venice 101

Venice was built by refugees on wooden piles in a lagoon and became a powerful, wealthy republic for over 1,000 years before falling to Napoleon and later joining Italy.

It has its own language (Venetian) and gave us words like ciao and quarantine.

Common myths?

• It doesn’t usually smell – tides naturally flush the canals and sanitation is modern.

• It isn’t constantly flooding – acqua alta is temporary and well managed.

• Not everything is a tourist trap – some clichés are worth it, others (fake Murano glass, cheese-wheel pasta, plastic masks) are not.

NAVIGATING 101

Venice operates entirely by water. Public transport, taxis, emergency services, deliveries and waste collection all use boats. Walking is also essential for getting around.

Vaporetto (Public Water Bus)

Main public transport system across the Grand Canal and islands.

Operating hours: approx. 5:00 AM – midnight (limited night route available).

2026 Prices: Subject to slight variations, use as a guide only

• 75-minute ticket: €9.50

• 24 hours: €25

• 48 hours: €35

• 72 hours: €45

• 7 days: €65

Tickets must be validated before boarding. Travel passes offer better value than single tickets.

Alilaguna (Airport Water Bus)

Boat transfer between Marco Polo Airport and Venice.

Operating hours:

• From airport: approx. 8:30 AM – 11:00 PM

• To airport: approx. 6:30 AM – 7:30 PM

2026 Prices: Subject to slight variations, use as a guide only

• €18 one way

• €32 return

  Includes one large suitcase and one carry-on. Extra bags €4 each.

Traghetto

Short gondola-style crossing points over the Grand Canal where there is no bridge.

• Duration: approx. 30 seconds

• Cost: €2 per person, cash only

• Often standing room only

Not a full gondola ride.

Water Taxi

Private, fastest option. Most expensive. Best value when shared.

2026 Prices: Subject to slight variations, use as a guide only (up to 4 people):

• Airport ↔ Venice: €150

• Train station ↔ Venice: €80

• Burano/Torcello ↔ Venice: €170

Surcharges:

• €20 hard-to-reach locations

• €10 per person after 4 passengers

• €15 night fee (10 PM – 7 AM)

Capacity: up to 10 people and approx. 12 suitcases.

Gondola

Traditional 30-minute ride.

2026 Prices: Subject to slight variations, use as a guide only

• €90 (30 minutes)

• +€40 per additional 20 minutes

• After 7 PM: €110 (35 minutes)

Pre-booking not usually required.

Walking in Venice

Primary way to explore the city. Expect high daily step counts.

Address system:

• Organised by sestiere (district), not street

• Example: “Cannaregio 578”

• Numbers are not sequential

Key terms:

• Calle = narrow alley

• Campo = square

• Fondamenta = canal-side walkway

• Nizioleti = street names painted on building walls

🗓 WHAT TO EXPECT EACH DAY

Friday – Arrival & Welcome

Settle in. Gentle wandering.

Welcome dinner and introductions.

Low pressure. Easy start.

Saturday – Venice Foundations

Guided walk with licensed Venetian guide.

St Mark’s Basilica when the mosaics are illuminated.

Free afternoon.

Optional dinner.

Sunday – International Women’s Day

Morning coffee circle.

GGI-led walk and talk with professional guide.

Free time

Gondola workshop

Farewell evening.

Monday – Ciao for now!

Breakfast together.

Departures throughout the morning.

🌿 GROUP ENERGY & SOCIAL FLOW

This trip balances:

• Structured moments

• Free time

• Group connection

• Personal space

You are never required to attend optional dinners.

It is completely fine to:

• Skip something and nap

• Wander alone for an hour

• Join only parts of an activity

This is your weekend too.

👯 ROOMMATE MATCHING

If you’re sharing, we match thoughtfully.

You will connect before arrival so you’re not walking into a room with a total stranger. Our shared rooms often become the start of long friendships.

☔ WEATHER & FLEXIBILITY

Venice in March can be misty or rainy.

Rain makes the city reflective and quiet.. often more beautiful.

If weather shifts, we adapt. Covered cafés and indoor alternatives are always available.

💸 WHAT THINGS COST (Rough Guide)

• Lunch: €15–25

• Spritz: €6–9

• Museum entry: €15–20

Venice near St Mark’s is more expensive.

Walk 10 minutes away and prices soften.

🇮🇹 HOW TO BE A GOOD GUEST IN VENICE

Venice is not a theme park. People live here.

Walking

• Stay right.

• Don’t block bridges.

• Step aside for photos.

Noise

Sound travels across water. Keep voices low at night. 

Churches

Shoulders covered. Quiet behaviour.

Coffee Culture

• Order at the bar for lower price.

• Sitting costs more.

• Don’t rush but don’t camp without ordering.

Dress

Understated and polished is Venice's style but just be yourself, zero stress. Wear whatever you usually wear.

Photos 

Don't take photos of people without permission. Venetians can get upset if you are pointing a phone or camera at them (totally understandably!)

💬 USEFUL PHRASES

Buongiorno – Good morning

Buonasera – Good evening

Grazie mille – Thank you very much

Per favore – Please

Scusi – Excuse me

Il conto, per favore – The bill please

Even trying matters.

🧭 HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF VENICE

• Go out early (before 9am) (join Anne for very early morning walks)

• Stay out late (after 9pm)

• Get lost intentionally

• Look up at balconies and windows

• Have one slow, two-hour meal

• Put your phone away at least once a day

☕ INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY MOMENT

On Sunday morning we’ll gather for a relaxed coffee.

You are invited - never required - to:

• Share a woman who shaped you

• Offer a toast

• Sit quietly and listen

📚 GGI BOOK PICKS SET IN VENICE

• The Unfinished Palazzo – Judith Mackrell

• Venice – Jan Morris

• The Passion – Jeanette Winterson

• The Venetian Game – Philip Gwynne Jones

🚶‍♀️ WALKING & MOBILITY

Expect 8–12k steps daily.

Bridges have stairs.

Streets are narrow.

We move at a relaxed but steady pace.

If you need to pause or skip something, that’s always okay.

📱 CONNECTIVITY

• EU travellers: roaming usually included.

• Non-EU: consider eSIM or travel data.

• Hotel WiFi available.

🚨 EMERGENCY INFO

Italy emergency number: 112

Host contact: shared in WhatsApp

Venetian Cuisine – Key Information

Venetian cuisine is shaped by lagoon seafood and historic trade routes. It is seasonal, seafood-focused, and based on simple preparations. Dining culture centres on small plates, casual wine, and social eating.

Bacari & Cicchetti

Bacaro: Small Venetian bar serving wine and cicchetti. Often standing room only.

Cicchetti: Small savoury snacks, usually €1–€2.50 each.

2–3 = snack, 4–6 = light meal.

Common examples:

• Sarde in saor (sardines, onions, raisins, vinegar, pine nuts)

• Baccalà mantecato (whipped cod)

• Polpette (fried meatballs)

• Crostini with various toppings

• Marinated vegetables, cheese, octopus

Spritz

Origin: 19th century Austro-Hungarian period (wine diluted with water).

Standard recipe:

• 3 parts Prosecco

• 2 parts bitter liqueur

• 1 part soda

Common bitters:

• Campari (strongest, bitter)

• Aperol (lighter, fruity)

• Select (traditional Venetian)

• Cynar (artichoke-based)

Lower alcohol option: Spritz Bianco (white wine + soda).

Local Wine

Wine is typically served by the ombra (small glass).

Whites:

• Prosecco

• Soave

• Pinot Grigio delle Venezie

Reds:

• Refosco

• Raboso

• Valpolicella Classico

• Amarone

Pasta & Main Dishes

Common dishes:

• Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia (cuttlefish ink)

• Spaghetti alle Vongole (clams)

• Spaghetti Busara (prawns, tomato, chilli)

• Risotto di Go (lagoon fish)

• Polenta (often with fish or liver)

Local seafood:

• Schie (tiny brown shrimp)

• Lagoon white fish

• Moeche (seasonal soft-shell crabs)

Fresh fish is less reliable on Sundays and Mondays (Rialto Market closed).

Vegetables often come from Sant’Erasmo island.

Desserts

• Esse & Buranelli (Burano biscuits)

• Tiramisù

• Frittelle (seasonal, Carnevale)

Desserts are typically light and eaten with coffee rather than as a large final course.

Overtourism – Key Information

Venice has lost over 70% of its resident population since the 1970s. Fewer than 49,000 people live in the historic centre, compared to 25–30 million visitors annually. On most days, tourists outnumber residents approximately 3:1.

Impacts include:

• Reduced affordable housing

• Closure of local shops in favour of souvenir stalls

• School closures due to population decline

• Pressure on infrastructure and emergency services

Venice depends economically on tourism but experiences strain from high visitor numbers. Responsible tourism helps reduce negative impact.

Local Etiquette

• Support local, family-run businesses.

• Keep noise levels low, especially at night.

• Step aside on narrow bridges and streets to allow passage.

• Do not sit or picnic on bridges or church steps.

• Dispose of rubbish properly; carry it until you find a bin.

• Treat the vaporetto as public transport used by residents; give space and be patient.

Some free time ideas 

Saturday free-time options (pick 1)

1) Cannaregio “local Venice” loop (easy + relaxing, minimal planning)

• Coffee or bellini by the canal at Sullaluna

• Slow wander the canals (this area is perfect for “Venice without crowds”)

• Finish with cicchetti + ombra at a bacaro (sit/stand, quick and social)

2) Mini cicchetti crawl (foodie, high fun, 2–3 hours total)

• Start at Cantina Do Mori (prosecco + cicchetti)

• Add one or two more bacari nearby (keep it tight, don’t overdo the walking)

• End with a slow canalside stroll back

3) Concert night (culture without effort)

• Early dinner (simple and local-feeling)

• Interpreti Veneziani concert (Vivaldi, intimate venue)

• Optional nightcap at TiME Social Bar

4) Gondola “digestivo” (short, special, not tourist-chaos)

• Late afternoon gondola ride (avoid the busiest departure points)

• Then spritz in a campo and people-watch

Sunday free-time options (shops limited, so go for atmosphere)

1) “Quiet Venice” churches + canals (calm, restorative)

• Choose one quiet church or small museum moment (30–60 mins)

• Then a slow walk along a fondamenta (canal walkway)

• Finish with a spritz/ombra and a sweet bite

2) Pasticceria + reading hour (very Venice, very doable)

• Settle at a bakery café with coffee + something local (buranelli / tiramisù style)

• Read, journal, watch the boats go by

• End with cicchetti (2–3 bites each)

3) Piazza San Marco at night (best when it’s quieter)

• Easy dinner

• Late stroll through Piazza San Marco (different city after dark)

• Final spritz stop before bed

4) Easy “refined dinner” Sunday (no shops needed)

• Book a solid dinner spot (this is what Sundays are great for)

• Keep the rest simple: canals, bridges, one last gelato/pastry