Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

[TLCOhio]

Appreciate these follow-ups from Michigan posters, Barb and gfkcruiser.  Yes, location and price are important factors to consider when staying and planning to experience the wonders of Venice.  

 

From the New York Times five days ago, they had this headline: “The Don’t-Miss Shows and Pavilions at the Venice Biennale”  with these highlights: “When the yachts of billionaire collectors sail into the city and the vaporettos are full of hurried, multilingual aesthetes in head-to-toe black, it can mean only one thing: The Biennale is underway! The 58th edition of the world’s oldest international art exhibition opened to the public on Saturday.  As always, the Venice Biennale is a show of two halves. It consists of a principal international exhibition, curated this year by Ralph Rugoff and including about 80 artists; and a collection of 90 national pavilions, each organized independently of Mr. Rugoff’s show. Museums and foundations in Venice also put on their biggest shows during the Biennale, and in canalside palazzi rented for the season, you’ll find a pop-up masterpiece here, some sponsored schlock there.”

 

Sounds like an interesting time to be in Venice!!  If you are focused on art, this article offers many details and important background information from their newspaper's art expert.

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/arts/best-things-to-see-venice-biennale.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Kotor/Montenegro:  Exciting visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this scenic, historic location. Over 45,296 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Telegraph in mid May, they had this headline: “From waterside terraces and romantic restaurants to private jetties – the best Venice hotels with canal views”  with these highlights: “There’s no other city in the world that boasts quite such an impressive main drag as Venice and its Grand Canal. You’ll travel down it in your vaporetto or water taxi, you’ll observe the bustling boats from magnificent bridges. But there’s nothing quite like having a front-row seat at the Grand Canal spectacle from your hotel – or, even better, from your hotel room. Five-star grandes dames cluster along the waterway, but there are less exhorbitant accommodation options there too. Just make sure you’re very clear indeed that you want that view when you book.”

 

Eleven different hotel options are outlined and illustrated.  Interesting range of choices and potentials.  Much to consider when going to Venice, including about costs, location, etc. 

 

Full story at:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/italy/veneto/venice/articles/best-venice-hotels-with-canal-views/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 245,969 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Below is one of the pictures used to illustrate this article.  This is of the Gritti Palace that occupies one of the most scenic spots on the Grand Canal.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

[Hlitner]

LOL Terry,  you have expensive taste :).  We once looked into staying at the Gritti Palace but they were sold out of their "cheap" rooms which went for over $1000 a night!  At the time they had another relatively modest room available and it was only about $2500 a night!  Not sure that even included breakfast!  Suffice it to say we ended up in our tiny beloved Ca Doge.

 

Hank

[TLCOhio]

19 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

LOL Terry,  you have expensive taste :).  We once looked into staying at the Gritti Palace but they were sold out of their "cheap" rooms which went for over $1000 a night!  At the time they had another relatively modest room available and it was only about $2500 a night!  Not sure that even included breakfast!  Suffice it to say we ended up in our tiny beloved Ca Doge.  Hank

 

Don't worry, Hank, I am still very much Midwestern frugal and cheap.  Would NOT spend those mega dollars for a fancy place like the Gritti Palace.  I am always looking for value!!  Like to save money to do better private tours, nice meals, etc.  Such nice places are wonderful.  Much more affordable for me to walk through their fancy lobbies and public places.  That's affordable.  But, I prefer to stay where the value factors and location work best for my tight wallet.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 235,191 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[iancal]

We have visited Venice a number of times.  Either as a destination or passing through.

 

Our most enjoyable times in Venice is when we have walked and become lost.  Away from the touristy areas and to places where a the locals seem to live.  We have done the same in other cities where we have visited most of the main attractions.  We spend a day or two just rooting around.  Either jumping on a local bus or simply walking around for a day.  Venice is ideal for this.

[bennybear]

Glad to see this discussion.   Sorry I missed it earlier.  We have enjoyed staying in some converted palazzos,  the Best Western Ala for one,  with gorgeous murano chandeliers and a wonderful roof top terrace.   Round the corner from the Gritti.   But our favourite have been an apartmento near the Biennale and last time one in Cannaregio.  We love living like a local and buying pastries from the local bakery that you wouldn’t even notice most times of the day.  

 

Don't miss the Biennale,  we have been twice with our artist son and it is stunning.  Both the grounds and the rest of the city is alive with amazing art.  Some palazzos are open to the public to display art, absolutely stunning!  

[TLCOhio]

On 5/28/2019 at 12:15 AM, bennybear said:

Glad to see this discussion.   Sorry I missed it earlier.  We have enjoyed staying in some converted palazzos,  the Best Western Ala for one,  with gorgeous murano chandeliers and a wonderful roof top terrace.   Round the corner from the Gritti.   But our favourite have been an apartmento near the Biennale and last time one in Cannaregio.  We love living like a local and buying pastries from the local bakery that you wouldn’t even notice most times of the day.  Don't miss the Biennale,  we have been twice with our artist son and it is stunning.  Both the grounds and the rest of the city is alive with amazing art.  Some palazzos are open to the public to display art, absolutely stunning!  

 

Appreciate these great comments and follow-ups from bennybear and iancal.  Very interesting and helpful.  Keep it coming with such excellent sharing.    

 

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Independent today, they had this headline: “HOW TO SEE VENICE ON THE CHEAP”  with these highlights: “Venice is renowned for its high prices, and cases of tourists being shockingly ripped off abound. However, it’s possible to enjoy a visit to without incurring a huge dent to your wallet – aside from the tourist tax that comes into play this month.  Ditch the pricey gondolas for the excellent network of quick, regular, cheap vaporetti (waterbuses). Tickets range from singles (€5) to great value 1/2/3/7-day passes. The most scenic route (and with the best city overview) is line 1, which runs from Piazzale Roma to Ferrovia (Santa Lucia Railway Station) and on up the Grand Canal, passing the renowned Rialto and Accademia bridges.”

 

Many other excellent insights, tips and suggestions are offered.  Here is another good idea for riding their water buses: "Be sure to go at night, and stay on deck: gliding past a much-emptied Venice of atmospheric darkened side streets and beautiful historic palaces and other dimly lit buildings will invariably be a highlight of your trip."

 

Full story at:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/venice-cheap-italy-holiday-hotels-things-to-do-restaurants-a8935281.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 220,681 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

[LAnn]

Hi Terry, 

 

Just a note to thank you for sharing your meticulous research on Venice and providing a place for others to do so as well. I have been diligently copying and pasting in preparation for my trip in a few weeks. This is a wealth of information!

 

Thank you!

Lee Ann

[TLCOhio]

15 hours ago, LAnn said:

Hi Terry, Just a note to thank you for sharing your meticulous research on Venice and providing a place for others to do so as well. I have been diligently copying and pasting in preparation for my trip in a few weeks. This is a wealth of information!  Thank you!  Lee Ann

 

Hi, Lee Ann!!  Appreciate your great comments and kind follow-ups.  Yes, there is much to consider about Venice.  It's an amazing city!!  But, its history and architecture creates unique challenges. 

 

And, Venice is in the news right now!!  But, not the best publicity and these issues raise added, future questions.  From the BBC this morning, they had this headline: “Venice crash captain ordered 'all procedures to avoid impact' ” with these story highlights: “A recording has emerged of the captain of a cruise ship describing an engine fault causing the vessel to crash into a tourist boat in Venice on Sunday.  In a conversation with the harbour master, the captain of the MSC Opera says that dropping two anchors was not enough because the engine was 'locked'.   'We have activated all possible procedures to avoid impact,'  he says.  The crash left four people hurt and has reignited calls to ban large vessels from the city's Giudecca canal.”

 

As to the government battles/debates, here is what was shared in this BBC story: "The incident has sparked a row between Italy's two ruling parties. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of the right-wing League party blamed the populist Five Star Movement for stifling progress to resolve the issue.  Speaking at a rally in Tivoli, Mr Salvini said a solution to prevent such accidents - the enlargement of part of the canal - had been developed and shared last year, but the plans had been blocked "because a 'no' was received from a ministry, and it was not a ministry of the League". The Five Star Movement said in response that "if the League has a plan to solve everything tomorrow, they should present it", adding that they had seen no proposal from the party."

 

Full story at:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48496412

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 63,931 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

 

Here is the BBC graphic that shows the exact location where this crash happened in historic Venice.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

[BarbinMich]

5 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

. . .

Here is the BBC graphic that shows the exact location where this crash happened in historic Venice.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

Terry, thanks for posting the graphic above.  When I heard about this accident, I wondered what the MSC ship was doing in that area.  It was our experience and observation that cruise ships approached the docks (at the left in the photo) from south of the isle of Guidecca.  I do remember seeing river boats (the kind that was hit) docked in that area when I was riding by on a water bus.  Have you read anything about that?

[BarbinMich]

Oops!  I was wrong--we did exit the docks and went through the Guidecca back in 2011--just reviewed my photos from that cruise.

[TLCOhio]

7 hours ago, BarbinMich said:

Terry, thanks for posting the graphic above.  When I heard about this accident, I wondered what the MSC ship was doing in that area.  It was our experience and observation that cruise ships approached the docks (at the left in the photo) from south of the isle of Guidecca.  I do remember seeing river boats (the kind that was hit) docked in that area when I was riding by on a water bus.  Have you read anything about that?

 

Glad to hear that this BBC graphic was helpful.  Yes, in June 2011, we came in to Venice and traveled down that Guidecca waterway on the way to our docking location.  Plus, went down that same path in going out to the opening waters after an overnight stay in Venice.  It was a great, scenic ride in both directions.  Remember it all very well.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 246,329 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

From the AP/USA Today earlier this week, they had this headline: “Venice, Budapest crashes renew debate on cruise ship safety, calls to restrict ships in Venice”  with these story highlights: “Cruise industry officials long insisted that ship accidents wouldn't happen in Venice's busy Giudecca Canal, saying guiding tugboats and technology ensured safety.  The 65,500-ton cruise ship that crashed into a much smaller riverboat docked along the canal on Sunday proved them wrong.  Italy's transport minister ordered the head of the Venice port to Rome on Monday to discuss the accident, while Venice's mayor called for rerouting the cruise ships from the heart of the fragile lagoon city, if not from the lagoon itself.  But environmental campaigners say the only legitimate response is an immediate ban on cruise ships from entering the lagoon. They allege that officials have dragged their feet on addressing the environmental and safety dangers of cruise liners in the seven years since the Costa Concordia capsized off the Tuscan coast, killing 32 passengers and crew members.”

 

Interesting article and questions??!!  I had kind of forgotten about that terrible Costa Concordia accident/tragedy affecting Italy so directly.  This article also update about the river boat . . . "in Budapest after colliding with a river cruise ship, leaving 10 people dead and another 18 missing."

 

Here are more important details from this reporting: "Despite the debate that has raged in Venice over the regular passage of the behemoths, the historic city remains one of the world's top ports of call for cruise ships, with twice the traffic of any other Adriatic port.  Last year, cruise ships traversed St. Mark's basin and the adjacent Guidecca Canal 1,004 times, carrying 1.56 million passengers. That is down about 12% from seven years ago, both in terms of passenger numbers and passages."

 

Full story at:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2019/06/04/venice-budapest-cruise-ship-crashes-renew-debate-safety-danube/1338126001/

 

THANKS!   Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 235,790 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Sunday Times, they will have this headline tomorrow: “30 best cultural holidays in Europe”  with this sub-head: "From art and architecture to film festivals and classical concerts, here is the pick of Europe’s hot tickets". 

 

One of top Europe locations featured is Venice.  Here is the highlight featured for Venice: “It’s worth braving Venice’s summer crowds because its Accademia gallery is showing Leonardo da Vinci’s rarely displayed Vitruvian Man drawing (until July 14, gallerieaccademia.it). Usually kept in a vault, it depicts the human body’s proportions in a blend of mathematics and art. From there, tour the annual Art Biennale, with Britain’s entry — Cathy Wilkes’s sculptural installations and paintings — on show at the Giardini (until November 24, venicebiennale.britishcouncil.org). There’s also a new, 11-gallery art district on Giudecca island (giudecca-art-district.com). 
Where to stay The JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa has a dedicated culture concierge. B&B doubles cost from €395 (00 39 041 852 1300, jwvenice.com)”.

 

Full story at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/travel/30-best-cultural-holidays-in-europe-7tqm8vtjn

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For latest live/blog, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

 

For this article, below is the great visual from Venice used to illustrated this Sunday Times profile.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Daily Mail today, they had this headline: “The nation that's a work of art: Incredible images show why Italy is considered to be the world's most beautiful country” with these highlights: “Some say that Italy is the most beautiful country on earth. Any doubters might like to cast an eye over these incredible images of the Italian landscape - and then reconsider. The jaw-dropping pictures are all from a new book in Amber Books' Visual Explorer Guide series called Italy, by Claudia Martin.”

 

This includes a spotlight on Venice's glorious canals and palaces.  See one picture included below. Here is more as to what the author has summarized for Italy: "Claudia writes: 'The fifth most visited country in the world, Italy is steeped in history: Bologna is the world's oldest university, St Peter's Basilica in Rome is the world's largest church and the leaning tower of Pisa is the world's most tilting structure.  'But with its mountains and lakes, islands and beaches, the Italian peninsula is much more than its ruins and museum pieces in scale, beauty and power.' "

 

Full story at:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-7123617/Incredible-images-Italy-one-worlds-beautiful-countries.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Dubrovnik!  Nice visual samples, tips, details, etc., for this super scenic location. Over 45,703 views.    

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

 

From Venice, here is one of the wonderful pictures included in this media profile and book.  Look good and interesting?  Bring back nice memories from Venice?:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

[BarbinMich]

Thanks for posting the photos and links to more!  We have visited the country on a land trip (Rome, San Gimignano, Orvieto, Florence, etc.), on TA cruise from Venice, and on eastern Med itinerary from Rome so have enjoyed visiting those two cities and sailing by or visiting many places noted in the article: San Gimignano, the Amalfi coast, Mt. Vesuvius, Orvieto, Stromboli, Cinque Terre and Florence.

[TLCOhio]

On 6/11/2019 at 3:19 PM, BarbinMich said:

Thanks for posting the photos and links to more!  We have visited the country on a land trip (Rome, San Gimignano, Orvieto, Florence, etc.), on TA cruise from Venice, and on eastern Med itinerary from Rome so have enjoyed visiting those two cities and sailing by or visiting many places noted in the article: San Gimignano, the Amalfi coast, Mt. Vesuvius, Orvieto, Stromboli, Cinque Terre and Florence.

 

Appreciate this background, comments and follow-up from Barb in neighboring Michigan.  Here are a couple of articles/items that might be of interest relating to Venice and its challenges dealing with the crowds/popularity. 

 

From the New York Times earlier this week, they had this headline: “Put Off by Venice’s Crowds? Try the Oasis Next Door” with this sub-head: "Should tourism be limited in overcrowded European cities? The author ponders the issue as he explores Treviso, Venice’s quieter neighbor, where canals also flow."

 

Here are more of the highlights from this writer: “Treviso? For those who have actually heard of Treviso, the question is probably still — Treviso? Who in their right mind would willingly abandon Venice, home to a mind-boggling maze of architectural, artistic and historical treasures for a mostly overlooked destination best known for crimson radicchio, bright Benetton sweaters and The Fountain of the Boobs: a statue of a topless woman squeezing two arcs of drinking water — and on holidays, wine — from an ample bosom. And it’s not even the original.  But in one critical respect, Treviso’s scantiness is its salvation, just as Venice’s abundance is its ruin.  Nobody knows for sure how many tourists visit Venice every year. Some estimates are as high as 30 million, but the city, which puts the number at around 12 million (up from about 9 million a decade ago) says such outlandish figures count single people multiple times. In any case, it’s clearly too many tourists for a town hemorrhaging residents, so much so that newspapers are running out of 'Death in Venice' and 'Submerged City' themed headlines.”

 

From USA Today newspaper during this past week, the AP/Associated Press had this headline: “Cruise ships are target of Venice protest after canal crash” with these highlights: “Thousands of people have marched in Venice to demand that cruise ships be kept out of the Italian city’s lagoon. The protest Saturday was galvanized by a crash six days earlier involving a cruise ship that struck a much smaller river boat in Venice’s Giudecca Canal. The crash injured five people.  Some marchers carried banners that read 'Ships out of the lagoon.'  Others took to the Venetian Lagoon itself in rowboats and other small vessels to push a yearslong campaign to end cruise ship port calls. Environmentalists have complained huge cruise liners wear down the city’s fragile foundations in the Adriatic Sea and dredge up the lagoon’s muddy bottom.”

 

Full stories at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/10/travel/venice-treviso-overtourism.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/06/08/cruise-ships-target-venice-protest-after-canal-crash/1395502001/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 64,031 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

 

Below is the graphic from the above linked NY Times profile on Venice, its crowds, etc. Anybody been to Treviso?:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

[TLCOhio]

 From CNN, the cable news network this morning, they had this headline: “Venice becomes the front line in the battle against overtourism” with these highlights: “Venice received more than 36 million international tourists in 2017, a near 10% rise on the previous year. While travelers fuel the city's economy, they're also the primary contributors to Venice's biggest problem: overcrowding.  From April to October, an estimated 32,000 cruise ship passengers disembark here daily, according to the Port Authority. In August, an additional 465,100 day-trippers make their way to the city, adding to the chaos of an additional 2.2 million tourists who will stay overnight, according to recent National Tourism Agency figures.”

 

Here are a couple of other items from this story: "Many Venetians believe that everyone should have a chance to experience the beauty of their city, but say that a constant swell of tourists is ruining the experience for everyone.  Short visits put a strain on the city's overstretched infrastructure, and cheap Airbnb rentals have driven up the cost of accommodation and living conditions for locals, some of whom have decided to leave altogether."

 

Based on these statistics during the busiest April to October period, the cruise visitors are only about 6% of the visitors compared to the day-trippers.  A counter-balancing detail is presented in this story about how the cruise ships are responsible for creating 6,000 jobs in the Venice area.   Which is worse?  Or, better?  

 

What is next?  Here is what is stated in this article: "In September, a new measure requiring day-trippers to pay an entrance fee into the city of up to $11 (€10) will come into effect. Tourists overnighting in Venice will be exempt as a city tax is already included in the hotel rate. Residents, some 30,000 commuters, students and children under six will also not be required to pay."

 

This long article also shares other Europe developments: "In Belgium, Bruges is cutting advertising for day trips and reducing the number of cruise ships allowed to dock at Zeebrugge port. Amsterdam's soaring visitor numbers reached 18 million in 2018, prompting the Netherlands tourism board to halt advertising campaigns, stating that its focus is now on 'destination management' rather than 'destination promotion.' "

 

Full story at:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/venice-tourism-overcrowding-intl/index.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 47,254 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

 

Here are a couple of the visuals used to illustrate this CNN article.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

 

[BarbinMich]

So cruise pax are only a small of their "problem."  Guess I shouldn't be so surprised that more visitors arrive by some means other than a ship <g>.

 

On a personal note, I've been meaning to mention that I have some roots in Columbus on my dad's side of the family.  On a "genealogy tour" of my own, I spent some time there a few years ago driving by and/or visiting their home from the early 1900s, the nearby Conservatory, and Green Lawn Cemetery where they all reside now.

[TLCOhio]

On 6/15/2019 at 4:41 PM, BarbinMich said:

So cruise pax are only a small of their "problem."  Guess I shouldn't be so surprised that more visitors arrive by some means other than a ship.  On a personal note, I've been meaning to mention that I have some roots in Columbus on my dad's side of the family.  On a "genealogy tour" of my own, I spent some time there a few years ago driving by and/or visiting their home from the early 1900s, the nearby Conservatory, and Green Lawn Cemetery where they all reside now.

 

Great to know of Barb's connections in Central Ohio.  Yes, know the Conservatory, Green Lawn, etc., fairly well.  But, good news, I am not residing there now.  Prefer great cruise ships to those boring cemeteries. 

 

From the South China Morning Post today, they had this headline: “Seven Silk Road destinations, from China to Italy: towns that grew rich on trade” with these sub-heads: "Settlements along the route linking Europe and Asia thrived by providing accommodation and services for countless traders. Formally established during the Han dynasty, it was a 19th-century German geographer who coined the term Silk Road"

 

Venice and Marco Polo played a key role in this story and the trading operations. Here are more story highlights: “Trade enriched Venice beyond measure, helping shape the Adriatic entrepot into the floating marvel we see today.  Besides the well-documented flow of goods heading west, consignments of cotton, ivory, animal furs, grapevines and other goods passed through the strategically sited port on their way east.  Ironically, for a city built on trade and taxes, the biggest problem Venice faces today is visitors who don’t contribute enough to the local economy. Two thousand years ago, tariffs and tolls helped Venice develop and prosper. Now they’re needed to prevent its demise.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3016088/seven-silk-road-destinations-china-italy-towns-grew

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 46,077 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[TLCOhio]

From MSN News and Bloomberg News earlier this week, they had this headline: “The Long, Slow Death of Venice” with these highlights: “If you’ve been to Venice, you get it. Even the most jaded globetrotter can’t help but do a double-take at the sheer originality—and beauty—of the centuries-old city built entirely on water.  Yet even the quickest visit reveals that Venice is no longer a living city, with scores more tourists than actual Venetians crowding its lagoon, bridges and walkways. The numbers bear that out. The city’s population basically peaked in the 1500s, and though it rallied again to near 16th century levels in the 1970s, today there are just one third as many Venetians as 50 years ago.”

 

Interesting details and background about the long-term trends affecting this wonderful and historic city.  Here are a few more story details: "Once the Mediterranean’s paramount city state, Venice today seems powerless to arrest the trend of ever more tourists and ever fewer residents. But Venice can’t stop. More museum than modern city, it’s addicted to the cash the tourist hoards bring in. Traditional industries like chemicals and steel are disappearing and Italy’s development ministry has even declared the region as in industrial crisis. With little left beyond tourism, the city known as the Serenissima appears to have little choice.  Nearly 5 million tourists visited the city in 2017, compared with 2.7 million in 2002, according to data from the city’s hotels, which do not take into account the thousands of bookings with Airbnb Inc. and similar services."

 

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/the-long-slow-death-of-venice/ar-AADDrtw

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 222,458 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

 

Here is the chart from this story reflecting the population changes affecting Venice.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see this graphic larger/better!)

[BarbinMich]

Terry, the article refers to "Traditional industries like chemicals and steel are disappearing..."  When did the city ever have those?  I know there are or were such industries on the mainland near there.  --pause while I look at a map--  Ok, I see Venice is much more than the islands we tourists visit in the lagoon.  Much more of its territory is on the mainland.  Learn something new every day!

[Hlitner]

We have been visiting Italy (and Venice) for over thirty years and do not recall much "traditional industry" in the past 3 decades.  Some of those industries died because of environmental factors and the fact that many of those "traditional" products are more cheaply imported from other parts of the world (mostly Asia).    As to the population, we suspect that the lack of new construction (severely limited by local law) and the high cost of living has driven many younger folks away from Venice.  As BarbinMich pointed out, much of what is left of the heavier industries is actually located on the mainland (not truly part of Venice).

 

We think the "death of Venice" is been a myth perpetuated by those with certain agendas.  Venice continues to thrive as a major tourist center and its hard to imagine any change in that status.   Venice also has a thriving education industry with several schools of higher education.   DW and I often enjoy walking in the University neighborhood and relaxing at one of their less touristy cafes (the students assume we are professors).   Work continues on the major Venice flood control project...and if it is ever finished and actually works, the near annual flooding of Venice may become a thing of the past.

 

The controversy regarding cruise ships has been ongoing for at least 20 years and the debate continues.  We suspect that eventually the mega-size cruise ships will be banned from the Giudecca and likely relocated to some future facility located on the mainland (this will create other problems with transportation).  But this will have little impact on the total tourist numbers that continue to flood (pun intended) into this city.

 

Hank

[gfkcruiser]

When we were in Venice almost.two.years ago we asked a out the the flood gate.project..Tour guide said the project was not successful.  

Gail

[TLCOhio]

On 7/3/2019 at 5:51 PM, gfkcruiser said:

When we were in Venice almost.two.years ago we asked a out the the flood gate.project..Tour guide said the project was not successful.  

Gail

 

Appreciate these additional background items and follow-ups from Gail, Hank and  Barb.  When we did our 2011 sail-in, I do remember seeing that flood gate construction.  Looked interesting, but apparently it does not work.  Agree with Hank that there are always "agendas" being promoted.  Sorting it all out and figuring out "REALITY" can be challenging.  Yes, for certain of these "industries", they are not in the main part of Venice, but nearby on the mainland.  Had good friends now living in Salt Lake City who just recently visited and loved Venice.  They did lots of walking around and enjoyed the evening more than during the daytime period when day-trips overwhelm the busiest tourism areas.  It was their first visit. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For latest live/blog, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/