Eating in Venice

Betty, a gondola ride in Venice is a "must do". Unfortunately, its a tourist trap. Not quite a scam but close IMO. It will cost 100euro for up to 5-6 people. You would think that you could bargain with them but you usually can't. The St. Mark's square has dozens and dozens of gondolas. Try to find a quieter place. We chose the area near the Rialto bridge and even that area had a lot of gondolas. Our gondolier wasn't the best but overall, it was something we really wanted to do. Expect a 40-minute ride.

There is a good pizza/pasta place to the left of St. Mark's cathederal as you face it, it is near the clock tower -- don't know the name of it. Should be pretty easy to spot if still there -- was recommended by the RS tour guide I had a couple years ago. You should find other good places just strolling around -- I did.

I recommend a night-time gondola trip. Daytime is very crowded, nightime is serene and slightly creepy -- it's great. Not sure about the price though.
Actually anything in Venice at night is great -- walking around, listening (& dancing) to music in St. Mark's square, even enjoying a pricey drink there. Since you're staying close by, this should be easy.
Have a great time!

Be prepared that meals will be expensive. I think they were the most expensive meals I had of any of my Italy trips. Made Rome seem cheap. What I did was just grab a slice of pizza for lunch from one of the 100s of little places around followed by a gelati (necessity). That should be a few euros each. Then I'd look for a little bistro for dinner. Not much else you can do. There was a restaurant I went to where the meal was actually reasonably priced and the food was good. I don't remember the name but it is across the small canal from the Pensione Accademia where I stayed. It is only small and is very popular with queues each night. Its about 2 minutes from the Accademia vaporetto stop. If you look up the hotel website for the address. Sorry I don't have the name but it's worth looking for.

From what I found and heard is that all gondola prices are pretty much the same - no negoiation.

You will have a great time.

we did a private vaporetto in May 2004 it was 90 euro..we didnt have anyone serenading us on our vaporetto but we were surround by others who did, so that saved a few penneys!

There are many good affordable places to eat. Pizza is really street food, though, and pasta isn't the focus of Venetian cuisine - though it is available everywhere. After a while you'll be able to recognize good local options but with the short time you have, go in with the basic rules - avoid places with posted "tourist menus" get away - but only a couple of blocks from St. Mark's and the Rialto. Read Rick's discussion of the Ventian pub crawl. You'll find a very inexpensive variety of snacks - called cichetti - that are sure to be new and different. Don't worry about taking teens. Bars in Venice are really cafes. You'll be perfectly comfortable.

Our hotel recomemded a restarant/winebar that was good and compartively inexpensive called "Vino Vino". I just google searched it for you and found this New York Time review of it. Please check out his web site .....

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/italy/venice/restaurant-detail.html?vid=1154654632498

You could also ask you hotel for cheap recommendations of good food, that is how we found "Vino Vino". They don't take reservations, so you have to go early enough or wait for a table to open up like we did.

There are gondolas called the traghetto that act like bridges to transport you over the Grand Canal, if you are looking for ways to say you have experieced at Gondola ride without the great expense. My husband said it the cheapest gondola ride in Venice. To do a real ride, there are 4 of you so don't look at the whole price but divide it by 4... your girls will never forget it.
Make sure you go into St. Mark's Square at night and listen to the music from the cafes

(continued) Even if you have been to St. Mark's Square during the day YOU HAVE TO go there at night with your girls. Listen to the music either from outside the cafe or spluge and go in, either way you will have beautiful and magical memories. My husband told me Napoleon called St. Mark's Square the "living room" of Europe. Please make time to visit this incredible living room at night. Walt Disney tried to recreate it at Epoc; but, as for me the REAL thing is better.
Your girls are very, very fortunate you love and want to share wonderful place with them.

There are stand up places to eat in Venice. Stand up equals cheap so you can look for those. We just wandered off the beaten path in the evening and found a cafe that had a lot of local traffic. Local traffic usually equals good and affordable.

Remember Italian dinner time doesn't start until at least 7:30. Be prepared for that so you're not starving by the time the restaurants open.

I can never recite the places I eat because I don't pick them based on a name or address.

When I am in Venice I have at least one meal in the cafeteria attached to the train station. Meals are reasonably priced and it's easy to "pick and choose." Also, down that main street from the train station toward Rialto and St. Mark's there is a budget cafeteria-type place that serves pasta, meats, salads, etc. Reasonably priced. Neighborhood places have pizza to-go. Other than that, I recommend that you walk around your neighborhood and see what is available. Menus and prices should be posted outside. Eating your main meal between noon and 2 pm saves money.

Swan, do you know the hours of the cafeteria in the train station?

My husband and I enjoyed the Taverna San Trovaso when we visited Venice last October. It was recommended by someone on another website. Even though pasta is not a Venetian specialty, they did offer several pasta dishes. I enjoyed their gnocci with four-cheese sauce. (Gnocci is a potato-based pasta dumpling.) It had a nice, casual atmosphere and was medium-priced. Their website is www.tavernasantrovaso.com. We actually ate there two straight nights after not seeing anything else we thought we would like better as we strolled Venice.

Actually, Napoleon called the Piazza "Europe's greatest drawing room".

What's a drawing room, anyway? By the way, I read that the authorities have banned birdseed sellers in Venice. I'd be interested to hear if that is being obeyed. Have a great trip!

I ate at Vino Vino and it was good and reasonably priced. It's near the Fenice Opera House I think. Just stay away from restaurants near St. Mark's square - go over to the area near the Accademia or the area near the Rialto Bridge. There are even cafeteria type cafes there. Sometimes in Italy everything is priced separately, and you even pay for water or bread brought to your table.
I didn't splurge on a private gondola. But just look the public transportation - the vaporetto (about 4 euros compared to 100) from the train station down as far as I could. Do it just as the sun is setting, you will see the cafe's all lit up along the canal, and hear the sounds of Venice. Even with the noise of the motor of the boat -it's still magical.
Also take a traghetto (inexpensive public transportation)to Murano Island. It's fun, and I bet your daughters would like to see glass made, and buy the jewelry made there. I wish I would of bought more. Great place to get gifts for friends.

Betty: On many trips to Venice I was somewhat disappointed in the restaurants: crowded (with tourists) poor service & quality, THEN last year I was there with a friend who was very adept at seeking out some superb restaurants. She simply asked locals where to go, avoided the shopping areas surrounding San Marco and stayed in the nighborhoods.
But also, be aware, these places are very popular with locals and can be very busy - reservations or early dining are recommended.

David
San Francisco

A good start is to avoid any large square, the Rialto or San Marco areas. Castello has some inexpensive bakery/coffee shops and small restaurants. Between the Rialto--east of the bridge--and wending toward San Marco you should find some options. Also in the hump of land facing the train station. San Trovaso, behind the Accademia, is very good, most dishes could be shared with several people--side veggies are very large.

I ate at this tiny little restaurant literally right across the 5 foot walkway from Hotel Bernardi. CAn't remember the name of it now, but it was very reasonably priced (for Venice anyway) and had amazing food. Had all the food Rick Steve mentions in his "pub crawl" but also yummy pasta dishes. I went their twice during my 2 day stay.

The cafeteria-style place near the train station is called Brek. It's down the Lista di Spagna on the left as you walk from the train station. That's the busy street that you take as you head left from the station and pass the vaporetto stops and street vendors.

Brek is a great place for breakfast and has an extensive hot lunch menu for pretty good prices.

A great way to eat in Venice is Rick Steves Pub Crawl.Its in his book and provides a look at parts of Venice most tourists dont go into.It is an inexpensive way to eat.

Two places I liked in Dorsoduro were Al Profeta (Calle Lunga San Barnaba west of Campo San Barnaba) - lighter-than-air spinach gnocchi and prosciutto leg. The pizza there looked good, too. And Trattoria Due Toore on Campo Santa Margherita - sarde in saor, spaghetti in sepia.

Our favorite pizza place in Venice is "Tre Arches"
We have been there on 2 different trips and are going again before starting a RS tour in April.

It is not close to St. Mark's, so you see another area which is more of a "neighborhood" It is on the Cannareggio Canal, I know you won't be coming from the train station, but for locating on a map purposes, come out of the train station and turn left. Follow the Lista Di Spagna until you come to the Cannareggio Canal. Turn left BEFORE you cross the Canal and walk down 3-4 blocks. You can sit inside or outside by the canal. We have only eaten pizza there and really like it. We stay at the Ca Dogaressa which is directly across the Canal from Tre Arches. Have fun!