Sunday Times Travel,
February/March 2003

True colours

Rob Ryan

An article on discovering Venice beyond Piazza San Marco, including this advice from Ann-Marie Doyle:

• Don't pay to site down at Caffé Florian on San Marco's when you can enjoy the atmosphere while standing at the bar for a third of the price - but don't perch on a stool or you'll be charged.
• Walk everywhere - Venice is smaller than you think, and walking is often quicker than taking a vaporetto.
• Seek out the less elegant-looking restaurants filled with Venetians, such as the Osteria ai Canottieri on the Cannaregio Canal, which serves the best fresh-caught fish I've ever tasted.
• Always carry a shopping bag - that way, gondoliers won't hassle you to take a ride and everyone will think you're a local.