Prague or Venice?????

ravenhead

HI guys,

bit of help needed, my b/f wants to bring me away for my birthday in the beginning of feb for a couple of days & has asked me to choose between Prague & Venice... I'm really stuck..
I know that Prague is very cheap & well worth a visit but I've always wanted to see venice!!!! I really don't know what to do, I don't want to get fleeced going to Venice, is it really as expensive as people say??

Any suggestions form people who have been to either city would be a great help....

thanks guys...

sanncoo

I've been to Venice and you won't be ripped off! It just brings home how much we are ripped off here! The only thing that was exp was the gondola ride (40.00) but you have to do that!

Loved every minute of my stay there in Aug 2003. I went with RyanAir using Stanstead as a hub......whole holiday for 1 week with hotel accomodation was around 700.00 each (that includes what we spent eating out and drinking). I reckon you both could have a really good long weekend there for half nothing!

S

ravenhead

sanncoo wrote:

I've been to Venice and you won't be ripped off! It just brings home how much we are ripped off here! The only thing that was exp was the gondola ride (40.00) but you have to do that!

Loved every minute of my stay there in Aug 2003. I went with RyanAir using Stanstead as a hub......whole holiday for 1 week with hotel accomodation was around 700.00 each (that includes what we spent eating out and drinking). I reckon you both could have a really good long weekend there for half nothing!

S

What about all these horror stories you hear of people paying mad prices for eating out & drink like €3.00 for a can of coke?? so is none of that true?

sanncoo

Nope! We certainly didn't find it....maybe in the 5 star hotels but not in the restaurants we ate in and we ate well every night.

I booked my hotel thru ratestogo.com and got a fantastic hotel deal. The hotel was down as a 2 star but was an old residence converted. The room was lovely. The bathroom was beautifully decorated, with a huge sit down massage shower, there was a chandelier in our bedroom and all floors were marble. There was just a breakfast room but we spent most of the day doing touristy things and really only used the room to sleep in.

I did a quick tot up:

Going on the 3rd of Feb to the 7th Feb (Thurs - Mon)

Stanstead to Venice Return 110.14 GBP or €157.00
SNN - Stanstead Return €170.64

Comes to around €327 for the 2 of you.

Hotel with ratestogo (not accurate as only allows you to book 20 days before departure date) use as estimate:

Staying in the same hotel I stayed in:

would cost you approx €410 for the 4 nights (Sat is pushing the price up) so flights and accomodation would cost you approx €360 each.

Eating out at night is cheap, we (went with my sister!!!!) would spend €50 - €60 a night for 2 on a good dinner - starter, main course, sometimes dessert plus wine.....

PM me if you need any help with this....

S

Beruthiel

I've been to both places, loved them both for different reasons
Prague for it's beauty and defo for the parties!

however
I believe everyone should see Venice, and if you are going with your boyfriend then you cannot get more romantic.
I was there last June, there were a lot of tourists but still it took my breath away and I loved every second I was there
I stayed in the most beautiful B&B on the Lido - where I recommend you stay as it is full of locals instead of tourists.

http://oasis.hotelinvenice.com/?source=-oasis%20b%26b%20venice%20italy

-we had the roof of the B&B which looked back over Venice, it was a wonderful - it was a tad expensive - 100 euro a night for the two of us, but well, well worth it!
pic:
http://www.boards.ie/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1284&sort=1&cat=3129&page=1

the vaperotto (sp) was 22 euro for 3 days, and you can travel on it as much as you like - which I did, cos I loved it so much
don't bother with the gondellas (sp) they charge something like 90 for 30 mins and you don't need it with the vaperottos anyway!

I got this pizza in the Jazz pub for 6 euro and the bottle of wine for about the same price
http://www.boards.ie/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1287&sort=1&cat=3129&page=1

sure venice is probably more expensive than the rest of Italy, but compared to Dublin it's as cheap as hell - just go down an alley and you will find cheaper meals.

Beruthiel

ravenhead wrote:

What about all these horror stories you hear of people paying mad prices for eating out & drink like €3.00 for a can of coke?? so is none of that true?

you will find that type of charging if you stick to the tourist spots - again, go down an alley and buy in a shop!

sanncoo

Beruthiel wrote:

you will find that type of charging if you stick to the tourist spots - again, go down an alley and buy in a shop!

Totally agree...if you just use common sense you won't be ripped off.

Padraig Mor

Have been to both (Prague twice) and would recommend Prague over Venice, although Venice is certainly well worth visiting. I would imagine (open to correction) that Venice is pretty dreary at this time of year and would prefer it during summer (despite hordes of tourists). Prague should be nice 'n' cold at the moment - you may even get snow! If visiting Venice, you may find it cheaper to stay in nearby Padua/Padova.

comet

I've been to both places, I think I'd say Prague even though its not as cheap as it used to be. Venice is one of those places I suppose everyone wants to see but "Padraig Mor" above has a point about the weather. Venice can get flooded badly this time of year, its a city that really sparkles in the sunshine but definitely can look a bit drab under grey skies. Whatever your decision they are both lovely cities so you can't really lose.

Moby

Been to both places both are great and worth seen.Prauge is beautiful but it has a sleezy side and the taxis rip you off big time ,Venice is beautiful too it does get flooded a lot now ,St Marks square is very expensive but furtheraway from it is not bad. Venice is a place you have to go to at least once in your life