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"Faqs"
Sometimes
we are asked questions that seem strange or even funny, to say the least.
However, if we stop to think about them, it isn't difficult to understand why
anybody from outside Venice has no idea about the habits and daily life of the
inhabitants and the characteristics of life in such a unique city.
That is why we have collected the most frequently asked questions the
Venetians are asked on these pages. As you will see, some might seem very
strange indeed ...
- but can you really only get around Venice on foot?
Yes, or rather there are no cars.
Apart from the car park at Piazzale Roma and the Tronchetto or in the area
around the port (not really part of the historic centre) the only true
alternatives to get around the city are
1) on foot
2) the waterways (boats, taxis, vaporetti...)
- but where do the Venetians keep their cars?
The luckier ones have a parking space in the two car parks at Piazzale Roma or
on the island of the Tronchetto and many more (probably the majority) have a
garage or open parking space in a car park in Mestre. It might seem strange
but most of us have to travel for over half an hour just to reach our four
wheels!
- but do all the Venetians have a boat?
No, on the contrary.
A boat (whether with oars or a motor) is very expensive, both to buy and to
run and places where you can moor your boat are extremely difficult to come
across. We have no figures but there are four categories:
1) Those who only own a car
2) Those who only own a boat
3) Those who own boat
4) Those who only have their two legs.
It should be noted that Venetians have a reputation as terrible and dangerous
drivers. In many cases this is not far from the truth since anyone living in
the city only uses the car when they go on holiday.
- can you walk around Venice or are there only canals?
This is one of the strangest questions.
Of course you can walk around the city. There are two independent ways of
getting around the city: along the streets and along the canals.
There are 410 bridges crossing the streets and canals (338 public and 72
private) three of which cross the Canal Grande (ponte degli Scalzi, ponte di
Rialto, ponte dell'Accademia).
- do true Venetians still exist?
Yes, the number is decreasing but they are still around.
In 1998 the population of the historic city centre was 68,80, 23.3% of the
population of the Commune of Venice.
- is there high water every time it rains?
No, it depends on many factors. If you want to know more, go to the page on
high water by
clicking here.
- what jobs do Venetians do?
I think nearly all kinds, perhaps with slight differences. There are doctors,
architects, newsagents, dustmen, taxi drivers (in boats), people working at
petrol stations (not many and only for boats), lawyers; there are also
supermarkets (smaller ones), cinemas (few and small). Perhaps there are some
professions that are exclusive to Venice (gondoliera is the first that comes
to mind) and some that don't exist (tyre dealer).
The most absurd question:
- "Excuse me, where is Piazza S.Marco?"
What's so strange about it? The person asking the question had been sitting in
their car and cannot believe that they are going to actually have to get out
of it to see S. Mark's...
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