Venice in times of Corona, what does it look like?
Last week (mid-July 2020) we went to Venice for a few days, some might wonder why right now? We have consciously chosen to visit Venice again while it is still quiet, due to the Corona measures. You read many stories in the newspapers and on social media about whether it is safe to go on vacation at all, so I would like to share our experiences.
The motorcycle ride to Venice
We set out in the morning from our home, near Como, on the Ducati. The weather was lovely, about 27 degrees and sunny. Our first stage took us via Lecco, Bergamo and Iseo to the Coco Beach Club in Lido di Lonate. We followed the beautiful winding back roads and then we enjoyed a quiet lunch on Lake Garda. The Coco Beach Club looked nice and the food was fine. It was not too crowdes here and the people kept enough distance. Once at the table or on your lounger, you can take off the mask again.
After lunch we drove on to Verona via the back roads. The first part was very beautiful, still along Lake Garda, but after that it was less fun with a lot of industry, roundabouts and 32 degrees. So we decided to take the Toll Road from Verona to Venice.
Arrival in Venice
You probably know that Venice is car and motorcycle free, so when we arrived we left the motorcycle in one of the parking garages. From there you can walk to the boarding point of the Vaporetto, the bus on the water, which takes you to the city in no time. A face mask is mandatory on the boat. Once you get out near your hotel, the search starts haha. The streets are very narrow and crisscross each other and the city is spread over different islands.
Due to the narrow streets, the GPS reception of the telephone is very poor and the hotels are not signposted on the corners of the streets. I therefore advise you to plan the route well in advance and to put the maps.me app on your phone. This app still displayed the position fairly accurately.
My opinion of Venice in times of Corona
Then my opinion about whether it is safe to go to Venice in times of Corona. In Venice it was already quite busy, not like normal of course, but because of the narrow streets it was sometimes quite difficult to keep enough distance. So it is up to you, how much patience do you have and / or do you put on a face mask? Of course you can also avoid the narrowest streets. It was absolutely no problem on the squares and the quays and we were able to enjoy all the beautiful sights without crowds. I personally would not pass up this opportunity because before you know it, the city will be flooded again with tourists from all over the world. In my opinion it is safe to visit Venice.
Tips for your visit
Tips for a visit to Venice: there are of course the San Marco Square (the museums were still closed), the nice shops, the many churches, the delicious food and the special people who walk around. A romantic trip in the Gondola should not be missed of course. De Gondelero told us there was about 20% of the normal number of tourists at the time. Be sure to also visit Burano and Murano, two islands near Venice that are famous for their glassware.
Soave, a gem along the route
After enjoying Venice for a few days, it was time to go home again. This time we chose to drive to Soave via the Toll Road. We had seen this town on the way to Venice from the Toll Road. Soave is a city with a city wall and a large military castle from the Middle Ages, the Castello di Soave. It is one of the best preserved and restored castles in Italy and well worth a visit. Furthermore, Soave is best known for its white wines and we had a really delicious meal at Enoteca il Drago. The only other tourists around were Belgians and Germans who were touring by bike.
After lunch and the castle visit we drove on home… .it was another unforgettable adventure!
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