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Mistake 4: Following the crowd
From: Top 11 Tourist Mistakes
ABOVE: Waiting lines at popular attractions can cut into your vacation time, so bail out and explore Venice's quieter back streets when the mobs become unbearable.
Everybody who comes to Venice wants to see the Piazza San Marco, and for most people, deciding to visit St. Mark's Basilica is a no-brainer. Other monuments, museums, and attractions are iffier: Depending on your tastes, you may enjoy yourself more--and make better use of your time or money--by heading off the well-trodden path. For example:
The
Doge's Palace
attracts group tours and mobs of individual tourists who feel obliged to see
it, but during peak season or on holiday weekends, the entrance lines can be
horrendous. Admission isn't cheap, either. Unless you have an irresistible
urge to see large, ornately-decorated rooms with paintings by artists like
Tintoretto and Veronese, you may be just as happy visiting places like the
island cemetery of San Michele (inset photo) or the
Naval Historical Museum at Arsenale, which is a few minutes east of the
Doge's Palace along the St. Mark's Basin waterfront.
The
Rialto Bridge is an
impressive sight, and you'll appreciate the views of the Grand Canal from
its balustrades. Still, that doesn't mean you need to imitate the
lemming-like crowds who linger around souvenir stands and have lunch at
tourist restaurants near the bridge. You'll get a better feel for Venice
(and suffer fewer bruises from other tourists' elbows) by heading inland
from the Grand Canal and exploring typical Venice neighborhoods.If paying 15 euros for a small glass of peach juice with sparkling wine doesn't appeal to you, don't feel obligated to join the tourists of Temple Fielding's generation who splurge on Bellinis at Harry's Bar. (While you're at it, avoid the Hard Rock Café unless you're desperate for a t-shirt.)
Bottom line: Instead of following the crowds or a guidebook author's itinerary, follow your instincts and inclinations. Your best holiday memories are likely to come from watching daily life in Venice or discovering Venice's lesser-known sights on your own.
Next page: Mistake #5: Paying too much for transportation
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