You Love to Live on such Island

When you’re off to Italy for a holiday and you are stopping at Venice for the romantic part of your tour, you may be on the lookout for the best hotels in Venice. The very first thing you should know about Venice’s lodging is that it is quite expensive. These hotels are even more expensive than their counterparts in other Italian cities.

The really nice hotels are places to splurge on if you have ample budget in your pocket. There are smaller hotels that offer cheaper rate and there are alternatives to hotels if you’re not too picky about it.

Why are the best hotels in Venice expensive?

There are valid reasons why the rates for hotel accommodations in Venice are pricey. Since the city is logged in water, everything is transported via boats or handcarts. Every little toiletry like soap, shampoo, lotion or even towels, toilet paper, bag of coffee, or loaf of bread is delivered to the hotel using any water vehicle in their transport system or through walking deliverymen. The operational costs of running a hotel are much higher that’s why the best hotels in Venice are very expensive.

Although pricey, the hotel rates already include the taxes and also usually also include breakfast.

Where to stay and how to find the best hotels in Venice

Traveling in Venice is relatively easy since distances are short. The location of your hotel is not really that crucial like in Rome or Milan. You can cover most parts in no time at all, whether or not your hotel is in the center of the city or not. To help you find your way to good accommodations, here are some tips:

• The Piazza San Marco is the most popular tourist spot in Venice. This is your stop if you come by boat from the airport. Most of the stores and hotels here have higher prices because of the large crowd compared to other districts or sestieri.
• There are hotels near the Piazzale Roma and the railway station. These are best choices for tourists traveling by train. Just watch out for heavy pedestrian traffic between this area and the San Marco during the holidays and summer.
• Another place that is close to San Marco but is a bit far from tourist attractions is the Castello. They may not be the best hotels in Venice there but they are good enough especially during the peak season when it is really difficult to book hotels.
• Other areas of the Grand Canal that are less frequented by tourists include the Dorsoduro and San Polo – best bets too, during the peak season.
• The Lido, which is an island in between the Venetian Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea, is popular during the summer. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes via a vaporetto to get there. There are luxury resort hotels like the Hotel des Bains and Excelsior Palace, but there are places to stay in that are cheaper than in Venice.

Alternatives to the best hotels in Venice

If you have been to Venice and you are familiar with how high the rates are, you will want to look for cheaper alternatives for accommodations. The following are options if you decide to forego with the best hotels in Venice.

• Religious hostels / Convents – are religious institutes that offer rooms at low cost. There are dormitory beds too, for summer visitors. You can secure a copy of the listing of foresterie from the APT headquarters at the Piazza San Marco
• Hostels – like the Ostello Venezia is a bargain but you will spend some on the water bus fare. Accommodations are cheap for a waterfront location. You can get there from St. Mark’s Square, Piazzale Roma, or railroad station through the public water bus. It is open except during the last two weeks of December. It is located on the Giudecca island away from the center of Venice so weigh your transport costs too. Traveling with a group will be more economical.
• Camps – You can also grab a list of campgrounds from the APT. Most of these are in the sub-urban areas and one of the best locations is on Lido but it is exclusive for those with international camping cards or Rolling Venice cards.
• Apartment – is advised for those tourists who are staying for 4 days or longer. There are sleeping rooms, fully furnished family-size apartments, or palazzos.

The glory that was of ancient Rome never fails to fascinate anyone. Hearing the name reminds one of the colorful history of Rome from its wonderful days to the  fall of Rome.

Every year hundreds of thousands of tourists go to Rome Italy to have a share of the great culture, ancient Rome buildings, gods of Rome, and everything that the great city has to offer.

Holding a map of Rome is an excellent start for a foot exploration but knowing some facts about Rome Italy will make the journey more exciting.

What to Do in Rome

Rome is one of the loveliest cities in the world. It is an eternal city famous for its history, art, architecture, and its people.

When one goes to Rome, the options are endless. It is best to have a street map of Rome Italy and plot the locations that you want to see. If you are travelling as a group, it may also be practical to hire a Rome escort who can show you the ins and outs of the city. When in Rome, they can help you immerse into the culture of Rome and provide you details about the places that you will visit.

Rome is a picture perfect place for any vacation all year round. It is advisable though to travel around October to March or during the off peak season to avoid the big crowds.

Plot in your Rome Italy map the following famous and must see spots:

• The Colloseum and the Roman Forum – gladiator dressed tour guides can show you around this ancient rome buildings which may be the next best things to Vatican. You will see two sides of Rome by visiting these places. One will show you the brutality and superiority of rome in wars and the other the brilliance of the ancient Rome government in terms of business and politics
• 
• 
  
• The Vatican – the seat of power of the Roman Catholic Church. Aside from its religious significance, Vatican has a vast collection of paintings, sculptures, books, and other artifacts. One always wonders at the greatness of St. Peter’s Basilica and the power of the image of The Pieta by Michelangelo. The catacombs of the popes is also a must see place.
• 
• The Sistine Chapel – If you have a very limited time, make sure that you visit the Sistine Chapel. Pope Julius II tasked Michelangelo to depict the bible on its ceiling. The paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the most enigmatic and renowned painting from the Renaissance era.
• 
• The Pantheon- this ancient temple was built in AD 1125-128 to honor the gods of Rome. The place is still a church in operation that’s why visitors are requested to observed silence in respect of the devotees who may be worshipping in the Pantheon. The famous dome of ancient Rome has been imitated by modern architects the world over
• 
• Palatine Hill - this is just near the Roman Forum and is the location of the large villas owned by the rich Roman clans
• For a Imperiali – the inside of this building is like a museum, with lots of rooms of artifacts encased in glass. A hike to the top will give one a great view of the Vatican and the rest of Rome
•