Venice in times of COVID-19: Relaxed and unique
The queue of visitors in front of St. Mark’s Cathedral once again extends around the corner to the ferry boats.
At first sight, it looks almost like it always does. But only for a moment. Then it becomes clear that the people are not standing close together as usual, but at a distance.
Venice seems somehow relaxed, in the middle of summer. The numerous tourist groups that normally cross St. Mark’s Square are missing. There’s a clear view of the cathedral and the Campanile, the bell tower towering above the city. The Piazza can finally be seen in all its beauty.
St. Mark’s Cathedral attracts visitors even in the summer of the coronavirus pandemic
Ralf Müller, a tourist from Wuppertal who is visiting Venice for the third time, says that the city is ” alarmingly empty.” He has just arrived from the Lido, “also empty”. There the restaurant owners complained to him about the lack of visitors. On the other hand, the passionate photographer enjoys the “different” view of the sights. “You don’t just stand in front of them and take pictures, you can explore them more deeply,” he enthuses. German can be heard everywhere these days, some French and of course Italian.
Tourists from the USA and China are still not allowed to enter the country. But many Italians come to the lagoon city for a short vacation. They had expected even fewer tourists, say four visitors from Verona, enjoying an evening Aperol spritz aperitif next to a tributary of the Canale Grande.
It’s true; it’s not really empty. Since the opening of the border at the beginning of June, the number of tourists has been increasing again. But it’s no comparison to the past few years.
Venice at a breaking point
With 12 million overnight stays and twice as many day visitors, Venice was on the verge of imploding. Astronomical rents and a lack of living space, also due to the rapid spread of Airbnb accommodation, led the local population to shrink to 50,000. Some 10,000 Venetians abandoned the old town. Citizens’ initiatives such as “Generazione 90” have been fighting for years for affordable rents for residents and sustainable tourism.
At the beginning of July, the city planned to introduce a tourist tax that would cost between €3 – €8 ($3.50 – $9.50). But now, with the lack of visitors and the absence of cruise ships, this regulation has been postponed until next year.
Quiet times for the Canal Grande
We’ve never faced a situation like this before,” says Fabio Pilla, who has worked as a gondolier for 40 years. “We have been punished twice in Venice. First the big flood in November and then the lockdown. I’m making 10% of what I normally earn.” Many gondola terminals no longer operate at all. Change jobs? No, that would be out of the question. And what could he do in a city that depends mainly on tourism?
Venice is a vibrant city
This is exactly the problem, says Giovanni Leone. The architect is chairman of the “DOVE” initiative, an association of businesses, trade companies and residents of Dorsoduro, a district near the university. “Venice is a vibrant city,” he says, but many people, even the locals, are hardly aware of this, given the masses of tourists in recent years.
“During the lockdown, where we were restricted to our immediate neighborhood, it suddenly became clear that we actually have everything we need here, even without tourists,” Leone says with a wry smile. “We have an extremely well-developed, fast internet connection, so why don’t we motivate more young people not just to come as tourists, but to stay here longer and work in the digital sector?” With the initiative “DOVE” he not only wants to strengthen the solidarity in the quarter, it is also about developing an alternative concept to mass tourism.
Not crowded at all in the cafés on the Piazza San Marco
Slow tourism a possible alternative
“Venice is not a theater stage. You should come here and immerse yourself, meet people and experience for yourself what life is like here,” says Luisella Romero, a charming Venetian with a stylish hat. She works as a city guide and supports “DOVE”. Dosoduro is her neighborhood, this is where she studied and knows a lot of people, including many artisans who have small stores and workplaces.
“When I bring tourists to them, they are always delighted. They can talk to the locals and try out one or the other technique, like glassmaking,” says Romero, who sees this as a kind of “slow tourism” that benefits both sides and enhances the traditional handicrafts.
During the lockdown, she created digital tours. They were so successful that she is continuing them. “At the moment everything is going a bit slower anyway,” she says, but “in return, the tourists can discover the city in a different way.”
No one in this neighborhood wants to go back to the status quo, with masses of visitors. Even the salesman from Bangladesh, who works in one of the “classic” souvenir stores, is fed up. Sure, he currently sells much less, “but the cruise tourists, especially the Chinese, come in, take pictures and leave again.” He can happily do without that, he adds.
The Rialto Bridge in the summer of 2020
On the Rialto Bridge, one of the “must-see” sites in Venice, the atmosphere is quite different. Normally there is no getting through on the stairs of the bridge; now you can walk up comfortably and enjoy the view of the Canale Grande from both sides.
Some stores on the bridge are closed, however. The owner of a small but high-quality shoe store in the area says that he does not know if he will survive the year.
The situation is also critical for the hoteliers. Andrea Meanna runs a small hotel near the ferry station St.Toma. In fact, it is always well booked since its reopening in mid-July, because he reduced the prices. “We are earning 15% of what we did last year,” he says. After all, he still has a winery and sells Prosecco, but that can’t make up for the deficits.
What will the future bring? It should not be like before, believes Meanna: “We don’t need cruise ships. They’re useless, they’ll only wreck the lagoon.” He also does not agree with a kind of “tourist entrance fee.” Venice should be open to everyone, even those who don’t have much money. The biggest problem is that all of Venice has become a kind of extended hotel thanks to Airbnb. This must urgently be changed.
The Rialto Bridge in summer of 2019
Venice is redefining itself
Nevertheless, everyone is longing for tourists to return to Venice, including cultural institutions. The museums have opened again, the architecture and art biennales have been postponed to next year and the year after. In the Giardini, the center of the art biennale, there is now an exhibition on the history of all biennale sections, art, architecture, dance, and film. And every day there are guided tours on the history and architecture of the national pavilions. These are well booked.
Such an unobstructed view, without the bustle of the art world, will probably not be available again. Venice is in the process of reinventing itself; it seems. Defining itself between mass tourism and slow-down. What is clear though, is that Venice this year is unique.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Utrecht rather than Amsterdam
Just like Venice, the capital of the Netherlands Amsterdam (right), is swamped by visitors. To such an extent that the city has introduced bans, regulations and fees for tourists. In Utrecht (left), not far away, it is much quieter, yet the city offers almost everything that makes Amsterdam so popular: canals, a historic old town and Dutch flair.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Chioggia rather than Venice
Venice (right) is beautiful but is drowning in tourist masses. Every year, almost 30 million visitors come to the Italian lagoon city. If you want to avoid congested streets and long queues, you should visit Chioggia (left). Like Venice, this small fishing town offers Italian waterfront romance with plenty of bridges, canals, narrow alleys and colorful houses — but without crowds.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Seville rather than Barcelona
With 27 million visitors annually, Barcelona (right) is one of Europe’s top travel destinations. The “Rambla” promenade is particularly impacted by mass tourism. So why not instead visit the Palace of the Kings in Seville (left) and get swept away by a flamenco show in the evening. Sevilla is not exactly quiet either, but here you can still immerse yourself in real Andalusian life.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Split rather than Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik (right) in Croatia attracts thousands of tourists every day, many of whom come on large cruise ships, especially since the success of the TV series Game of Thrones, in which Dubrovnik served as one of the locations. Those who want to avoid the crowds are better off in Split (left). This city is also surrounded by beautiful nature, offers beaches and historical buildings.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Regensburg rather than Prague
Congested streets and long queues are part of everyday life in the Czech capital Prague (right). This is not quite so bad in Regensburg, Bavaria (left), although the city is architecturally similar and a popular destination for Danube cruise boats. There is also a cathedral, a UNESCO-listed old town and a famous bridge. The one in Regensburg even served as a model for Prague’s Charles Bridge.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Leeds rather than London
The city center of London (right) is partly so crowded that one has to battle through the masses. So why not visit another destination on the island, for example, Leeds, in the north of England (left)? Once a center for industry, the city now has a thriving art scene, a vibrant nightlife and plenty of shopping opportunities.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Porto rather than Lisbon
Six million visitors and a population of 500,000: Lisbon (right) also suffers from its popularity. An alternative is Porto (left), Portugal’s second-largest city. It is known above all for its export bestseller, port wine. But there is more: the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Baroque churches, narrow streets and high bridges over the river Douro shape the cityscape.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Bologna rather than Rome
Bologna in northern Italy (left) cannot quite keep up with the capital Rome (right), but the city is often overlooked. It is full of medieval buildings, has the oldest university in Europe and numerous museums. There are also many cafés and restaurants, which have played their part in giving the city the nickname “La Grassa” (The Fat). Here one eats with pleasure and in abundance.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Graz rather than Vienna
Vienna in Austria (right) counted 16.5 million overnight stays in 2018, and for those who think that is too much, Graz (left) is an alternative. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Top attractions are the Schlossberg Castle Hill, the Kunsthaus art museum and the Landeszeughaus state armory. And of course, coffeehouse culture like in Vienna can be found here too.
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Away from the crowds: 10 alternative travel tips
Menorca rather than Mallorca
Mallorca (right) is groaning under the pressure of tourist masses. Those who like it quieter should try Menorca (left), Mallorca’s “little” sister. The island is not a party hotspot, but a natural paradise. There are eight nature reserves and 200 difficult-to-reach rocky beaches. Thus Menorca has no potential for mass tourism but is instead more a quiet holiday destination in the heart of nature.
Translation: Susan Bonney-Cox
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/venice-in-times-of-covid-19-relaxed-and-unique/a-54772091?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf