The in laws bought my wife’s sister a trip to Venice for Christmas. My wife is joining her (I am home alone with Solarider.jnr) next weekend for 3 days.

I know Venice is a bit wet for a biking holiday, but being such a well travelled bunch, I thought I would ask what you would recommend, how to get from the airport to the hotel (Santa Croce, so north west Venice), what are the do’s and don’ts etc?

Any tips and advice very welcome!

Cheapest way to get about is the water ‘bus’ service. You can barter with the water taxis and gondola prices are just extracting the urine!

Get a Vaporetto.
Buy a 72 hour ticket, it’s not that expensive
http://www.veniceairport.it/en/transport/water-bus.html

The water taxi from the airport isn’t the cheapest option (that would be the bus) but it’s definitely worth paying for and gets you near the northern shore of the island.

As above, get a Vaporetto day pass and take that everywhere (very regular, fast and great views).

My favourite restaurant ? There’s an amazing pizza place opposite the cinema – full of locals and families…

Just walk around and get completely lost – there’s nowhere else like Venice, so just wander around randomly for a day and take it all in.

Also, get the ferry to the local islands. I recommend the furthest and quietest (about 45 minutes away) called Torcello – there are buildings there from the 6th century ! If you’re on the laguna in a boat when foggy with sunshine, it’s an incredible experience !

Don’t miss the churches. There’s some fascinating stuff in the small local ones, occassionally the odd “old master”. No 1 Vaporetto down the Grand Canal from the station is a great trip. Try to sit at the front outside.
There’s a great locals cafe on Murano on the main drag just around the corner from the stop. The hot chocolate was thick enough to stand a spoon in!
If they’re feeling flush then a drink at Harry’s is an interesting experience. Watch the staff roll their eyes if you order a Bellini!!

As per above, the Torcello, Murano, Burano type trips are worth doing. From memory it’s ‘abandoned island’, ‘glass-making island’ and ‘fishing village with painted houses island’ in that order 🙂

You should make sure you watch ‘Don’t Look Now’ before you go as well 🙂

Last time I went I drove into Venice (as you can) and parked in a multistorey – doesn’t sound as romantic does it!

Buy a days waterbus pass and visit the islands above, but while on Venice itself you can pretty much get everywhere on foot and it’s a great way to take in the atmosphere to just wander around and find hidden gems.

Venetians love their clock towers and you can get a lift to the top of St Mark’s Campanile in the main square for some great views.

Gondolas? There’s a supersized one rowed by two Gondoliers that shuttles over to the fishmarket and back (its a public service) Costs peanuts. I discovered it by accident and used it all the time. Don’t think its mentioned anywhere in the guide books. And the fishmarket is awesome – go early.

As others have said just walk and get lost.

You can hire bikes on the Lido (island) Yup, even romantic weekends require a bike ride 😉

We went to this a couple of times – abridged opera with a small cast and piano/string quartet staged in a palazzo, so you’re in different rooms for different scenes.

http://www.musicapalazzo.com/language/en/

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g187870-d1786823-Reviews-Musica_A_Palazzo-Venice_Veneto.html

Sat behind Duncan Bannatyne for one of them. He’s smaller than I expected.