We booked a self catering apartment a year in advance after careful research on various web sites. W

The Venice Carnival is an annual spectacle that all lovers of parties and dressing up should attend, at least once in their lives! You can go in your regular clothes and just watch, but it s much more fun to get fully involved.
In February 2012 my wife Sue and our friends hotels phoenix arizona Andy and April, set off for 6 days of fun and celebration. Whilst it s possible to buy or hire costumes on arrival, if you plan carefully in advance like we did, you can buy your costumes or fancy dress (as we call it in the UK) quite reasonably
Global Coach Tours takes all the hassle out of the scramble for flights and accommodation by offering a Carnival package with Cosmos from just £549, new for 2013. This wasn t on offer in 2012 so we booked it ourselves hotels phoenix arizona and overall we paid a bit more than you would with this package. However, here s how we did it.
We booked a self catering apartment a year in advance after careful research on various web sites. We booked the flights at least six months ahead with BMI one way and Easyjet hotels phoenix arizona the other direction. We bought return transfers by waterbus online which saved a few euro by getting them in advance. Finally we booked two activities in advance. A Venice carnival pub crawl and a Secrets of Venice Carnival and the Life And Times Of Giacomo Casanova . With a title that long we thought it had to be good. We had a FAB time on the pub crawl visiting hotels phoenix arizona four different historic bars the locals go to. The guide was very informative and a drink was included at each bar. In the last bar refills of decent red wine were available for 2 euros a glass!
hotels phoenix arizona One of the highlights hotels phoenix arizona of the week was afternoon tea at the Hotel Danieli   This was an affordable indulgence. For 35 euro you could have as many cakes as you liked and several glasses of Prosecco, the Italian sparking wine. The reason it s so special is the spectacular unrivaled view from the roof terrace. We were advised to arrive early, but were surprised that there was no rush for tables.
One thing to consider doing whilst you are in Venice must be the Gondola ride. A 20-30 minute ride will cost an average of 80 euro based on two people sharing. Singing will be extra. Instead of a highly polished hotels phoenix arizona vessel as in the picture below, you could have a shorter ride experience in a gondola ferry called traghetti   These are used by locals everyday instead hotels phoenix arizona of the bridges over the grand canal and cost as little as 50c.
Whatever time of year you visit Venice, there s never a shortage of shops, sights and sounds. If you can t make it to the carnival, check out our other tours of Italy with Trafalgar Tours, hotels phoenix arizona Insight Vacations, Cosmos Tours and Contiki hotels phoenix arizona Tours for 18-35s
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