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To commemorate the Smithsonian Presents Travels with Rick Steves magazine — now on sale online, and at newsstands nationwide — Rick is blogging about the 20 top destinations featured in that issue. One of those destinations is Venice.
The challenge when visiting Venice is to see a community beyond the “adult Disneyland” quality of the experience for most tourists. If you know where to look, it’s not hard. Whether in the practical issues of actually living here, or in the unique characteristics of the people who make up the Venetian community, the city is more than postcard views and old buildings.
The cheapest place to moor your boat in Venice is a place without easy access. Boat owners climb along walls above canals like Italian cat-men to get to their private boats — the vessels that give them a parallel world apart from the tourist bustle.
If you’re excited about witnessing a high tide in Venice, be warned — the high waters bring out the elevated walkways and some fun memories…but they also force the city’s huge rats out of their secluded dens and into the open.
Handy signs on building corners let anyone who simply looks up know where they’re going, anywhere in town. But keep in mind that locals aren’t above using these signs to direct traffic to the seemingly logical route, while those in the know can get around quicker by unsigned, less congested alternate routes.
While Italian men in general can be mammoni (mamma’s boys), reluctant to leave the nest — to cut the cordone ombelicale (umbilical cord of a mama to cook and wash for them) — Venetians take this trait to unrivaled heights. Many men stay at home until their thirties. They leave only when they marry and are able to have another woman steer them through life.
I was talking with my Venetian friends, Antonella and Piero, over a glass of wine. The topic of conversation: macho and mammoni in Venice. I was impressed by the strong feelings Antonella had about the matter.
“What is macho?” she says. “There are no macho men in Venice. They are mama’s boys. We call this mammoni.”
Piero, as if he’s heard the complaint a thousand times, cries, “Ahhh, mammoni.” Pulling an imaginary cord from his belly and petting it rather than cutting it, he says, “It is true. I cannot cut the cordone ombelicale. I love my mama. And she loves me even more.”
Antonella says, “The Italian boys, 95 percent stay at home until they find a wife to be their new mother. Thirty, thirty-five years old, they are still with their mothers. Even if they move out, they come home for the cooking and laundry. This is not macho…this is ridiculous. ”
“Aaan-duh,” she continues, lighting a cigarette, “they want a wife exactly like their mother. If they find a woman like me, independent, with some money, perhaps beautiful, this is a problem.”
Piero nods like a scolded puppy. “Yes, this is true.”
Antonella says, “If I make my hair special and wear strong makeup, they will take me to dinner and take me to bed. But they will not look at me to make a family. They want to be sure their wife won’t leave them. A woman like me…it is too risky.”
I walked on the raised walkways the first time I arrived in St. Mark’s square…it was November…old ladies stopped and pulled their wellies from worn cloth bags and put them on when rounding new (sodden) streetcorners….they have “mammonie” in Ireland too but the name is not specifically assigned…the same thing goes on though…..they made a movie in America about the phenomenom there…..
I have been to Venice twice and just cannot find any magic. Crowds, pickpockets, heat, Japanese, boats, old buildings and pigeons, yes. But no magic. As for mama’s boys, why not ask the same about recent college grads in the US – both boys and girls? It’s just an opinion based on anecdotal evidence but I don’t many US young people maturing and on their own until 40 – altho there must be some?
My husband and I love Italy, will go back many times. But for some reason we did not care for Venice. It was a crazy maze. We felt like if we tried to eat in area’s that weren’t for tourists, the locals really didn’t want us there. Our hotel was probably the most unfriendly we have ever stayed at (Rick Steves suggestion). And very expensive in the tourist area. The locals always trying to get you on a “Free” boat ride to Morano to buy glass. Mind you we did all that. We will probably try it again some day, but I didn’t feel the magic!
All totaled I’ve spent 6 months in Venice….spread over 10 years. She has cast her spell on me!! Her nooks and crannies still hold mysteries for me. That said….I always avoid the summer and spring. There are trips that I don’t even go into Piazza San Marco. Over the years I’ve made many Venetian friends….I’m sure that they have made it a sweeter adventure. Rick you are so right re: mammoni. Most of the single people I know still live at home….woman too. I think there is a combination of reasons. The price of real estate is one of them…but all the singles agree….it’s nice to have Momma’s cooking and the laundry perks are ok too!! lol Everyone is very dedicated to his/her family….Momma and Pappa are well taken care of!! Thanks for your terrific post!!
Word to Judy, if you want some magic, next time stay at the Albergo Doni. That places oozes Old World Italy. I love Venice…I had a great two days when went in November a few years ago. The American college students working the Gugghenheim were especially helpful in advice of what do to in the city (in particular a young lady named Amanda–I still remember her). This best thing for me was to see Venice on my terms. So in that respect, interacting with locals, I couldn’t go wrong. Probably my most enduring memory was riding the vaperetto down the Grand Canal on a chilly night. I sat opposite a woman with her three young kids. Before too long, she looked at me, smiled and with out saying a word offered me a sample from her bag of chips. And she would do that the entire slow way down; just a simple act of kindness to which I could only say ‘Grazie’.
I think your experience of Venice is affected by when you go. I took a quick look in July one year to decide whether to go back, and was overwhelmed by the crowds. When I went back for a week in November, there were still a lot of people (but fewer) in the main San Marco-Rialto area, but I found lots of places that were much quieter, or even deserted. I found it an easy place to love.
I think the attitude you bring to Venice will determine your experience. Yes, it’s hot and crowded and there are pickpockets, but that’s so in every city in Italy. Venice is meant to be observed, watched as scenes in a play, interpreted as happy or sad, depending on you and the mood you’re in. It is not magic, it is simply there, eternally serene in and of itself and it doesn’t care one bit if you like it or not. Incidentally, the last time I was there (out of 6 or 7 visits) it was a first-time experience–a Rick Steves Tour, which I would highly recommend.
It’s early August and my wife and I recently returned to San Francisco from a 3-night-in-each-city tour of Rome, Montalcino, Florence & Venice. Venice was hot, like 104 degrees F (40 degrees C) and 90% humidity, but great to visit. On our second night the harbor turned crazy. Drawn my the noise on our way back from dinner we stopped into one of those big hotels and asked what was going on. He said the Festival of the Redeemer – to give thanks for the end of the great plague, which decimated so much of Europe. One of the large motor yachts tied up at the quay was named “Quantum of Solace”. I asked one of the crew who was guarding the gangway who owned the yacht – but he was too tight-lipped to say. So we joined a group of locals, got a little more tipsy than normal, and at 11:30pm watched one of the greatest firework displays we’ve ever seen.
We have a Rick Steve's tour planned to Venice, Florence and Rome from Dec. 22 to Jan 4. Who has been there that time of year and what did you think?
Went to Venice for 1st time last September with my daughter, loved the architecture,little alleyways, great city to explore by walking, caught opening night of La Traviata at Venice opera house(loved it,never seen an opera before, definite highlight). Only spent two nights, would love to go back someday.
We're going to Venice for 4 days in September….Can anyone give some directions on getting the "toilet tickets" for Venice, i.e., where to get them and how much are they? Also what is the best and/or cheapest way to get from Marco Polo airport to Arsenale stop[INVALID]is it by motoscafo or by land + waterbus?? Appreciate any help!!