Practicalities For Your Next Visit To Venice

Before heading off to Venice, it is always a good idea to make yourself aware of general practicalities about the city itself.  With this in mind, we have put together a list for you covering the main ones which, hopefully, will be useful and informative.

Entering Venice :
Visitors from UK and EU do not need a visa but you will need to take your valid passport to enter.  For those resident outside the UK, a tourist visa will be required that will be valid for up to 90 days.

Emergencies :
If you are required to one of the emergency services, you will need to dial the following:

Ambulance : 118
Fire Service : 115
Police : 112

The above will have an English-speaking operator.

Money :
The currency to take with you on your Venice trip is the Euro.  If you do not wish to take cash, travellers cheques can be changed in a exchange office [cambio] or a bank.  However, try to find an exchange office as you will get a better rate.   You will find banks are open Monday to Friday 08:30 to 13:00 and then from 15:00 to 16:00.

Entrance Fees :
When visiting certain sights around the city, you may need to pay an entrance fee.  Many sights will take major credit cards, but to be on the safe side it is best to take cash with you for this purpose.

Post :
For that all important postcard home, please bear in mind that the Italian postal service has not got the best reputation for reliability.

Time Difference :
The time in Italy – and therefore Venice – is GMT+1 hour.

Electricity :
Plugs are the standard two-pin with the mains operating at 240V

Telephone :
When dialling into Venice you will need to use the following codes.  The dialling code for Italy is 0039 and then for Venice it is 041.  Therefore before the actual telephone number, you will need to dial 0039 41

Tipping :
It is becoming a more regular occurrence where a tip – or service charge – is included on your bill.  Look out for this and then decide whether you wish to leave a tip, but only do so if you are satisfied with the service you have received.

Safety :
Statistics have shown that the crime rate in the city of Venice is lower than other parts of Italy.  However, you should always be aware of how you are carrying items such as your handbag as pick-pockets can strike at any time [as with the case with the majority of cities].

We hope the above will better prepare you for your Venice city break.