When a lot of people think about a place to visit while they are on vacation, one notable place that they would like to visit would be Venice, Italy with over 26 million visitors a year.
Venice was found in many lists of overrated destinations including thetravel.com, traveladdicts.net, dailymail.co.uk, frommers.com, and nytimes.com.
Being overrated might not be a bad thing for Venice as it is still very popular and loved for a small island.
There are several reasons why Venice is overrated
- Gondola rides are overrated and overpriced and available in other places.
- Overcrowded until Venetians don't like tourists.
- Venice Food is overrated.
- Smelly Grand Canals during summer
Gondola Rides Overrated
While Venice offers a unique experience, the gondola rides are overrated and overpriced around €100 for 30 minutes for a private ride with many add-ons pricing. A private gondola ride is something you should only ride once at most in your life with the right person.
You can see how many people reviewed and found it overrated as it takes lots of factors to make it worthwhile
- Sitting with the right person, probably your potential spouse
- Having the right gondolier who is entertaining yet not disrupting
- Having the perfect weather and not raining, which is out of your control
- Venice not smelling bad, which can sometimes happen too
The main reason I feel gondola rides is overrated is that it is available in other countries too, and should not be the main reason for visiting Venice. Washington State also had a gondola ride available too (source https://smalltownwashington.com).
Venice is Overcrowded
Venice is made up of hundreds of islands but the actual population is small and around 261,905 as of 2017. The city is also small and cannot handle the huge crowd and at one point, local Venetians took the streets in 2017 to vent their frustration.
Rialto Bridge, one of the tourist attractions, is terrible to walk around when it is overcrowded. Getting hurried by other couples wanting the same vantage point you have on the Rialto Bridge can be a mood killer.
Many tourists come to the city to see the colorful architecture and the museums, but many noted that other than the museums and tourist attractions, there wasn't much to do in Venice.
Even more, one notable thing to note about Venice is the fact that the place is always overcrowded and for this reason, people that are claustrophobic find it hard to relate to the streets of Venice. It is a clear fact that the city is big, but asides that, there is nothing exceptional about the crowd of people that you see around, especially as you are prone to being a victim of pilfers and pickpockets.
Venice Food Is Overrated
The reason for this is not farfetched from the fact that many believe that Italians are better at meals and making meals tasty. The irony of this fact is that when you travel through all of Venice, you would realize that the place is only crowded, the meals in Venice are by far the worst in all of Italy.
Italian food might be overrated on its own and Venetian food is definitely not memorable. While many travels to Venice for its stunning architecture and Grand Canal, food is rarely mentioned because there is nothing to talk about.
Gelato is probably the most memorable food in my opinion but it is available in other countries too due to its popularity. Eating at the beautiful city does make a difference but the food is overrated.
Smelly Grand Canals in Summer
Venice used to have clear water until it became crowded with tourists all over the world.
Visitors during the summer might find a lingering smell in the Canal due to the amount of waste generated from tourism and the heat quickening the decomposing process.
Venice has over 140 small biological plants installed throughout the city for waste treatment. Even private residences and businesses such as hotels are required to have their own septic tanks in Venice to help alleviate some of the problems caused by sewage, but the sheer number of people and amount of sewage plus the outdated sewage systems have been causing a variety of problems in Venice. Read more about the sewage problem in Venice,
Saving Grace for Venice - Historic Buildings
Being built on water, Venice is a special place with many meanings in its buildings.
It is a very beautiful place, just that you cannot do much in this place especially during peak seasons. You can only walk around the many streets and bridges in Venice. If you are a typical lover of walking, you might like life around Venice.
Venice also has many bridges and also historic buildings at St Mark Square that have a picturesque effect.
Conclusion
Venice is a lovable place, but there are places in the world that are by far better than Venice, the reason for this is the fact that when you want to create memories, you need to look out for those things that you find in the city.
The reason why a lot of encomium is related to Venice is because of the many side attractions that you would find at the place. Most times, during the holidays, when you visit Venice, one thing that you would notice is the fact that the place is usually overcrowded and there are many people visiting places that they have at one point or the other being told about. While it true on the one hand that Venice has a lot of nice places, there are a couple of reasons why the place is overrated and this is the reason for this article.
