Hello friends! Here is the “eternal tourist” Elena Likhach, went to see Venice. My husband was there once, he said that he was not delighted compared to the “rest” of Italy. Yes, and Oleg is busy at work, but I could not refuse to “change the picture”.
Think about it, there are more tourists in Venice than locals. It is called a tourist Mecca: 20 million tourists annually “flood” the city, 55 thousand people a day.
The season starts in May and continues until September. After Rome, it is the most visited city in Italy. Local residents are tired of the dense flow of tourists on the streets and squares. And also – constant humidity, wind and fog. Buildings are constantly being renovated. But dampness and mold still take their toll!
Add problems – the high cost of housing and lack of work. Every day, 20,000 people go to the mainland, and therefore the population in the historical part of Venice is constantly declining.
If you want to enjoy a calm atmosphere, without the hustle and bustle, try to be in the city before the start of the season, for example, in April.
April is considered the best month for the first visit to Venice, and indeed all of Italy! The air is wonderful, warm, smells like spring subtropics. You will want to inhale them for the future! There is no sweltering summer heat, the markets are littered with fresh strawberries and cherries. Fresh strawberries! One scent is worth it!
In June, a crazy time begins in Venice, as the Biennale opens (in odd years) – one of the most famous forums in the world of art, established in 1895. This art forum continues now for half a year, until November, and gathers the intellectual elite.
In September, the oldest international film festival, the Golden Lion, is held, founded in 1932 at the initiative of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
From November, fog and dampness descend on the city. The low season is coming. And until December, Venice is threatened by the main disaster – “aqua alta” – high water or flood. In January, there are practically no visitors, hustle and bustle; mysterious and fabulous because of the haze that enveloped the city.
And in February, the carnival begins. Its history goes back to ancient times. In the XI century, the Romans, after harvesting during the winter solstice, celebrated a holiday in honor of the god Saturn, accompanied by mass festivities. Slaves were allowed to sit next to their masters, and so that class prejudices did not overshadow anyone, everyone hid their faces under masks. Later, already in the XIII century, it was the last day before Lent. The very word “carnival” in Latin means “farewell to meat.” In Russia, its analogue was Shrovetide and Christmas time.
Until the end of the 18th century, the Venetian carnival remained the main event in the life of the city, but then interest in it began to fade. However, in the late 1970s, the holiday was revived for quite pragmatic reasons, because February is the low season.
I was lucky, I ended up in the city before the start of the season, in April, and was able to enjoy it in a relatively calm environment.
