Items filtered by date: July 2021

The Changes of Venice

Beautiful Venezia, Venice, the capital of Veneto, Italy. Where over 119 islands, with more than 150 canals wend their way through the city, joined by more than 400 bridges. Millions of visitors are lured to this famed city of islands each year.

The deep history of Venice dates back to 421, founded by the Venti who originally lived on the marshlands of the region in homes built on stilts. Throughout history, this city, built on the swamps has changed hands time and again. As the rulers changed, so did the culture, laws, and buildings that slowly rose to form an empire. All of the transformations lead to the mystique of Venice as you walk through the city, glide on the gondolas, or take vaporetti (waterbuses) to some of her famed sister islands like Murano, Burrano, and Torcello.

Now, to guard this island city and her beauty, the Italian Government has begun making changes as to how tourists can visit this gem of Italy. The first change will affect how you arrive from your cruise. For years many have voiced concerned about the fragile ecosystem of the lagoon and the damage caused by large cruise ships. Also, safety concerns have risen especially after an MSC cruise ship crashed into the Venice dock in 2019.

As of August 1, 2021, ships over 25,000 gross tons will no longer be able to dock near St. Mark’s Square. Ship berths, in the process of construction, will welcome the cruise ships soon in Marghera, an island across from Venice. Large cruise ships are expected to be received in Marghera in early 2022.

Adding to this, though tourism is a very important factor for businesses in Venice, there are concerns of over-tourism; too many people. For several years, the city has struggled with an overabundance of visitors, mostly during the summer, holidays, and festivals making entry and exit from the Venetian Island difficult.

In an effort to manage this congestion, Venice will begin installing turnstiles at the entry points of the island. Residents, workers, and students, will gain access with an app on their mobile phones without charge. For tourists, entry will be a bit trickier. Special access will need to be pre-arranged for your visit. The cost for access will be about 10 Euro per person. Once a specific number of tourists is reached, entry will close to those who do not have a reservation. This will take into account guests staying in hotels in Venice, as well as cruise passengers. They plan to begin testing the entry system in September in Tronchetto and expect the system to by fully operational by summer 2022.

While this may seem daunting at first, the Italian Government, local Venetian Government and residents of Venice hope your visit will be enjoyable. It does add another layer of planning, but that’s okay. You have the services of Rubinsohn Travel’s expert advisor to help with all of your travel planning.

Rubinsohn Travel wants to make sure that it’s the most memorable vacation of your life. Let us know when you’re ready to start planning!

Wishing you happy travels,

Adrienne Sasson, VTA

I Have A Relationship With…

One of my longest lasting relationships is with my passport. My first one was issued when I was 16 prior to my first trip abroad to Spain. Though I was excited about traveling, I didn’t take into account what this passport meant. A passport is your gift of freedom, exploration, and an opportunity to meet the world.

Since having that first a passport, it has never lapsed. It was too important to ever let it expire since it is the key to the world. So tell me, why have you let your passport expire? Has it been that long since you traveled? Have you looked at your passport lately?

Traditionally passport renewal was projected for 6-8 weeks. If you wanted it expedited, less time for it to be returned to you. However, now, due to drastic government staffing cuts, the time to process your passport renewal or to apply for a new passport can take anywhere from 12-18 weeks. Expedited passports projections are 10-12 weeks. In an emergency, you may be able to make an appointment at a government recognized passport agency.

Its very important to understand your passport. There’s more than just an expiration date, but let’s start there. Did you know many destinations you visit require your passport to be valid for 6 months from the date you return from the country back to the USA? If your passport doesn’t have this allotted time remaining, either airline staff will turn you back and not permit boarding or you will be stopped at the airport when you arrive for your vacation and sent home, at your own expense.

According to the US if your passport is damaged, it may be deemed invalid. The damage includes water damage, hole punches, tears, missing pages, and anything that may be obscuring the identification page. As you can see, it’s important to keep your passport in a safe place and in good order.

Several countries require visas to be attached to your passport. Some need to be affixed prior to travel and some upon landing at customs and immigration. Be sure you have empty pages as many require 2 pages, face to face, for the visa.

Invest in a good passport holder, but never laminate the outside cover. You must be able to remove the passport from the cover if requested. Also, never staple anything to your passport such as the return stub given to you by some countries for your exit. If you must, use a soft paper clip that will not damage the page.

Lastly, either scan your passport or take a photo of the ID page. This is useful in the event your passport is lost or damaged. It serves as proof of your passport in the event you need to go to a US Embassy in a foreign country. Getting an emergency passport will be that much easier.

Always remember to apply for a new passport or renewal with an authorized government agency. Though there are some trusted third-party services, unfortunately there are many which are not. Be careful not to fall into the wrong hands. Check on the credentials!

For more information on your passport, go to:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

Rubinsohn Travel wants to make sure that it’s the most memorable vacation of your life. Let us know when you’re ready to start planning!

Wishing you happy travels,

Adrienne Sasson, VTA

Rubinsohn Travel