Solo Travel Destination: Venice, Italy
We are pleased to present a new Solo Travel Destination Post from Emily, a member of the Solo Travel Society. Emily is from the United States and submitted the following report about Venice. Do you have a solo travel destination that you would like to recommend? Submit your description here, along with a few photos, and share it with fellow travelers!
Solo travel rating: 1.5 (1 is easiest, 4 is most difficult. Please see chart below)
Languages spoken: Italian, English
Passing under the Rialto Bridge.
Reasons to go: Everyone has heard of Venice, so I don’t know what to say here except that, yes, it’s fabulous and a must-see for all! Venice is one of the most visited cities in the world, due to it being one of the world’s greatest and most beautiful cities for art. Museums abound! And really, the city is a museum in and of itself. I read that the city has over 50,000 visitors per day and there is a definite reason for that!
The entire city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s not surprising, as it is perhaps the most unique city I’ve seen to date. I would also say that it’s one of the most romantic cities I’ve visited and for once, I was actually wishing I was not traveling solo through it…and that is rare for me to say.
St. Mark’s Square was just lovely and GREAT for sitting at one of the cafes surrounding it and people watching – and literally, I could have done that all day! Riding a gondola and vaporetti on the Grand Canal was a treasure I will never forget.
I downloaded free Rick Steve Audio Guides that told me all about the city. There was one that you could play while making a full circle loop on the Grand Canal in a vaporetti (canal public transport).
To get there, you can fly into Marco Polo International Airport, named in honor of its famous citizen, or take a train into Venice. The trains connect the city to Rome in 3.5 hours and Milan in about 2.5 hours. Florence is one of the stops, so be sure to check out that city, too, if traveling by rail!
To get around the city, there is a very cool vaporetti system (boat “bus system”) with 3-4 day passes available for unlimited use.
There is some concern that Venice is a sinking city, so visit while you can!
Gondola ride through a small canal.
St. Mark’s Basilica
St. Mark’s Square.
Solo Travel Destination Rating System
Safety - 1 (1 very safe, 2 safe in most areas, 3 be cautious at all times.)
Language - 2 (1 English is first language, 2 English speakers easy to find, 3 English speakers rare)
Navigation – 1 (1 easy to navigate by transit or car, 2 poor transit, car necessary, 3 not easy to get around)
Culture – 2 (1 Similar to North America or Western Europe, 2 Different from above but relaxed and easy, 3 Challenging)
Average Rating – 1.5 (1 is easiest, 4 is most difficult)
Pingback: Venice Was Not Made For Solo Travel — Flashpacker Guy