Italian Buddy - Travel Venice with a local friend, saving money and time

Hi!

We are 3 Italian friends and we have an idea.

We live in Venice, one of the most spectacularcities in the world.
Venice is visited by 20 million tourists every year, among whom sixteen million come from other countries, which is almost 300 times the number of locals.

It is therefore inevitable for usto constantly see and meet people from all over the world.

We often stop to talk to them and give them information and with some of them we even became friends.

No matter which country they come from, everyone is charmed by this city that is truly uniquein the world. A place where there are no streets but “calli”, no cars but boats, and where the occasional tide and fog make the whole city even more magical.

Unfortunately,besides enjoying Venice, our friends have also told us about many bad experiences, that made their stay less enjoyable than it could have been.

The tips in the tourist leaflets are often confusing and incomplete and few people in the city speak fluent English. Many tourists, even ask for directions to shopkeepers, who often give vague answer because they are continuously asked the same questions.

Some other people even try to take advantage of tourists, withholding useful information that could save them money, or even short changing them.

We are also sure that you had read in the newspapers of tourists who were made to pay way over the top for a cup of coffee, dinners and gondola tours.

It would be a real pity, to miss out on some of the wonderful things that Venice has to offer because you spent more money than you had planned, or because you wasted too much time trying to understand this amazing but unusual city.

This is such a shame for us, that we have decided to try to do something about it, and this is why we have created the “Italian Buddy”.

Just imaginehow much easier and relaxing your holiday would be if you only had a local person you could trust by your side, with the best hints and tips to save money and time.

This person exists and it is your “Italian Buddy”

We are Italian Buddy: guys like you, who want to help tourists and protect the reputation of our city.

We want to offer a little guide, concise and direct, in which you will find neither cultural information, nor any advice on restaurants or hotels, like in traditional guides.

What you will find instead will bepractical and honest suggestions,that only locals could know, and that will help you savetonsof money and time. The guide will be made available in electronic and printed format, and will be released around the end of May 2015. We hope you will like this project and hope to get back to you in a few months with new Italian Buddy guides for other Italian cities. In the meantime we say “arrivederci” and we hope to see you soon in Venice.