Venice , the city of romance , turned out to be the city of nightmares for me when I paid it a visit in the fourth week of November 2016. I visited several European capitals (Paris,Amsterdam ,London,Berlin, the Egyptian capital, and New York..) , and Venice is by far my worst experience.
Tha nightmare started at the airport, especially with the behaviour of some of the airport security staff. Their extremely grim faces , discourtesy ( not to say disrespect ) to foreigners, aggressive way of doing , use of Italian (after having made sure that you don't speak it ) to give instructions about YOU to their colleagues to control you inside out just because you remarked that you needed plastic socks when they asked you to take off your shoes, or cream when they asked to do the same to your tight bracelets ; you are given CRIMINAL treatment even if your passport says that you have both family and professional status that make of you the most decent person in your country of origin. There was nothing romantic about the airport of the city of romance.
The hotel ( Ai Reali ) was another story. Like any other standard hotel, it was clean and tidy. But unlike any other cosy hotel, it was cold in terms of human interaction and variety. The breakfast was shockingly monotonous ; the same menu the whole week through. Housdkeeping was disastrous , and you had to do with the same sheets AT LEAST two nights. On our last day at the hotel, we had a phone call at 9am asking us to leave the room at 11am , or else we would be charged €50 any additional hour we would stay beyond 11am. When we checked the hotel literature. there was nothing of this policy.
Venice , the city , was another story. You are surrounded by almost hostile faces ; no one smiles ; no greetings in shops ; no assistance; no 'thank you' when you pay ; rude attitude ; you literally feel that you are being used ; all they want is your money, and after that you go to hell ; there was nothing romantic about the city of romance.
The restaurants' menus are not authentic ; you don't pay what you read ; there is always something extra ; they always find a loophole to make you pay more, and the explanation and justification are always ready. Without money , big money , the romance converts into a shock , the shock of your life.