Viewing 31 posts - 1 through 31 (of 31 total)
  • Venice – help us with our 'things to do' list
  • Alex
    Full Member

    First holiday without the kids 🙂 Four days in Venice, trying hard not to over-plan but making a list of stuff we might do once we’ve got over the novelty of not driving kids to school/work and someone else walking the dogs….

    we’ve been recommended the best views being from San Giorgio Maggiore church rather than crowding into clocktower in St. Marks square, and the rooftop bar at at the Hilton hotel on Guidecca island. We fancy a bit of a stooge round the islands as well, my better half is interested in glass blowing and there’s a bit of that going on.

    We’re staying right on the grand canal so intending to make use of feet/water buses. We probably have to do a Gondola I suppose but I’ve put my foot down on any singing 😉

    Last time I went was nearly 30 years ago backpacking round Europe. Staying in some dodgy hostel and all I remember it was stifling hot and pretty smelly (august). Hence going this time of year.

    Any other recommendations for stuff a bit off-beat or great places to eat / nice bars. Nothing too posh. Anything that won’t let me in wearing 5-10s is off the agenda!

    curiousyellow
    Free Member

    Watching this as I’ll be there in December!

    Garry_Lager
    Full Member

    I was there last year with the kids around Spring time – you basically have it in your first line, no need to overplan. It’s such a beautiful and fascinating place it’s great just to wonder around all day.

    Doge’s palace is a superb museum for the grown-ups, and our kids just about made it through without wilting – perked up in the dungeons.
    Thought the Lido was a bit average, tbh, although the kids were happy enough playing on the beach. Was there on a bit of a grey day so maybe didn’t see it in its best light.
    The food can be infamously mediocre, so trying to find somewhere good is an adventure in itself, we found a couple of decent places tucked away but nothing worth a recommendation [we were also in an appt so cooked a bit].

    Drew the line at a gondola myself but if you feel you have to do it…Might be an experience for the kids but tbh they’ll enjoy just being on the water buses (vaporettos).

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    jbproductions
    Free Member

    I’m going next week and haven’t planned a thing so also up for recommendations. 🙂

    huckleberryfatt
    Free Member

    Vaporetto to Burano, it’s lovely

    maccruiskeen
    Full Member

    Seek out examples of Carlo Scarpa’s architecture. The old Olivetti Showroom is in Piazza St Marco so a doodle to find (although it was home to a pretty hideous art gallery when I was last there). If that tickles your fancy then the Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a short, nice walk away and gets you away from the crowds.

    allthegear
    Free Member

    I left about an hour ago! The funfair is good. The swings go *really bloody high*

    Rachel

    llama
    Full Member

    Go to the market and have creamed salt cod sarnies + spritz from the bar down the bridge end that is basically just a cupboard in the wall

    Try to get lost

    Gondola ferry

    The secret tour around the doge is good

    Guggenheim

    Alex
    Full Member

    Thanks all. Adding to the list.. …

    martinhutch
    Full Member

    Getting lost is the best advice. Wander the backstreets, stay off the main Rialto/St Marks drag, which is purgatory.

    ElShalimo
    Full Member

    The old Jewish ghetto is a nice chilled out area and a good place for food too

    islander
    Full Member

    There in May. Just ace wandering around as is so nice. Prepare to get lost a lot. Can be following signs then they just stop. Lot of dead ends. So easy to get away from the crowds to. Very busy main tourist bits obviously.
    Islands of Burano and Murano deffinately visit. Water taxis very good value. Food massive let down, never found anything of note to be honest and pretty dear also.

    Alex
    Full Member

    I can get lost in the house so this will not be a new experience 🙂 Interesting on the Water Taxi’s, I’d rather take those than some kind of tour to the islands. In terms of food, good info but I intend to be mainly eating ice cream!

    teamhurtmore
    Free Member

    Treat yourself and book the evening exclusive tour of St marks. It’s expensive but amazing. It IS worth the money

    We were treated to Gondiola and were underwhelmed. It’s a trap in contrast

    Ditto glass tour – as they take you to high pressure sales rooms

    The art is awesome and the various churches plus the island. Also worth paying for the water taxi from airport

    Bregante
    Full Member

    The food can be infamously mediocre, so trying to find somewhere good is an adventure in itself

    Couldn’t agree more. We were there for 5 nights and the food was decidedly average.

    This place was excellent however.
    http://abeccaficovenezia.com

    stevemuzzy
    Free Member

    We went a couple of yeara ago. Actually found some nice places for food, just walk a few streets away from the main tourist stuff. I actually enjoyed a gondola and you are on it for a fair old while. We saw bridge of sighs and the grand canal then just meandered about. Loads to see! It is the busiest place i had ever been thoudh. Think city centre pay day before christmas…

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    If you go to Murano by Vaporetto for the glass. Wander around the corner and alongside the canal there and halfway along is a cafe used by the locals. Coffee and hot chocolate were both good when we were there last year. We managed to find a lunch spot close to St Marks that the Gondaliers used but I couldn’t find it again if I wanted to as it’s such a rabbit warren.
    Vaporetto 1 from the station end of the Grand Canal sat outside for the cheapskate tour to St Marks (set camera motor-drive to stun and thin them out when you get to a computer). There was a halfway decent pizzeria near Academia bridge but it may be closed when you are there. Sat alongside the Grand Canal and watching the world go by having lunch is rather good.
    Oh and coffee/drinks are cheaper stood at the counter in the café.

    Flaperon
    Full Member

    Pack mosquito repellent. The little bastards are everywhere at the moment, even though the evenings are cold.

    If you want to go to the mainland the tram is the easiest way.

    Public bogs close at 7pm. With that in mind I wouldn’t go swimming. But feel free to push any tourist using a selfie stick into the water.

    It’s also much, much quieter in the evening.

    john_drummer
    Free Member

    If you go at this time of year you might want to pack a pair of wellies. Aqua Alta (high water) can often be knee deep in places.
    Four days is probably more than you need to see Venice so get on the local train to Verona & have a wander round there. If you get bored of Verona then Desenzano del Garda is only 20-30 minutes further on the train, and a walk down the hill to Lake Garda

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Stay out of St Marks in the daytime.

    Wait for the masses to leave in the evening and then just go exploring

    johnny
    Full Member

    +1 for the taxi boat from the airport- if only for the transition from airport to Venetian-level transport!

    The nicest parts I’ve spent any time in are Dorsoduro and Murano. Only get into San Marco after the crowds have left. The recommendations for the Geto are also worth it- it is the origin of the word ‘Ghetto’ and the role Jews played in the commerce of Venice is some fascinating reading.

    A great thing to enjoy is ‘Cicchetti’. It’s like tapas/pinchos/aperitivo, as found in Catalunya/Basque coast/Milan respectively- basically bars with a plate of nibbles and plenty of booze. Google will find you some good ones, though some are majorly overhyped. We went to a great one in Dorsoduro, opposite a Gondola boatyard, and it was ace. Spritz and arancini all round.

    jate
    Free Member

    +2 for the water taxi.
    Murano and Burano.
    Guggenheim Museum is worth a visit particularly if you read up about Peggy Guggenheim first to understand the history; she had quite an ‘interesting’ life.
    If you like churches then go to San Zanipolo (Venice has two cathedrals and it’s the one people don’t visit so tends to be relatively quiet).
    An off beat place to go is the hospital library (yes really). When we first went many years ago we queued up at the main hospital reception and persuaded them to let us take a look. Eventually a man turned up with a mediaeval looking bunch of keys and opened it up for us (I don’t think they were used to tourists wanting to visit). I think it is now open on a rather more regular basis.
    It’s also worth getting up early (before 7) and watching the boats come in with the day’s food. There are no other tourists around and Venice feels like a real city rather than a theme park.
    I also quite like the Arsenale with the speed boat that has a torpedo as part of the bow and a seat that flips the driver out of the back just before impact. Quite mad.

    TiRed
    Full Member

    My favourite part of venice is the Guggenheim museum. Venice is crawling with tourists, and this museum is in a much quieter area. Some iconic paintings too. Also on the opposite side near the Armoury are a few quiet piazzas where the locals hang out. You might like to just let the kids play there for an hour. The glass museum in Murano is very good. We left a teen behind trying to catch a vaporetto. Sharpen your elbows and count the kids often! Eat on the Lido, again it’s quieter.

    Personally, I’d take the train to Verona for a day! Trust me. you’ll be glad of escaping the throngs after four days.

    EDIT: forget the kids, you’re leaving them behind 😉

    redmist
    Free Member

    I enjoyed the water taxi to Burano and pottering around there. An early morning jog through the streets was a great way to see the quiet city, take your phone for a map though when you get lost. I did the free walking tour of 3 hours, which was really good with a great guide, took us to places like the old ghetto and through the less explored parts of the cit, even crossed the Grand canal on a traghetto during the tour.

    markgraylish
    Free Member

    Brew pub! not what I was expecting to find such a great brew pub in Italy, nevermind Venice. Had a couple of boozy nights there a couple of weeks ago…

    Alex
    Full Member

    Thanks again. The original plan was to base ourself in Verona and do a couple of day trips to Venice. Can’t remember why we changed our mind! Possibly it was the same lack of forethought that caused us to book with Monarch Holidays.

    Yep, the one who has just had it’s ATOL license renewed for one day to see if they can convince the CAA of their ability to stay in business. Better to find out now than be stranded tho. And ATOL means we don’t lose any money if they fold.

    Might be looking for a different holiday if it all goes to rat-poo 😉

    martinhutch
    Full Member

    Might be looking for a different holiday if it all goes to rat-poo

    Rebook with Ryanair? 🙂

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    Ryanair if you want a bit of a bus ride to Venice.

    Alex
    Full Member

    We are definitely NOT going RyanAir. I’ve drive to Heathrow and fly BA if it comes to it. Which it looks increasingly like it might. Ah well while there’s uncertainly for us, you have to feel for the staff at Monarch as this is hardly their fault.

    We see what happens by midnight. Could be a busy day on the Internet tomorrow! And now the blooming dog has to go to the vet as well. Never rains etc…

    julianwilson
    Free Member

    Verona, Vicenza, Padova all lovely too with tons of history/churchy stuff, architecture etc and easy train rides from Venice too.
    And +1 for just wandering around off the beaten trail.

    john_drummer
    Free Member

    EasyJet & Jet2 also fly into Venice – there are two airports serving Venice, Marco Polo is the main one, I think Treviso is the other although not actually that close

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