Venice

Hi,

We arrive in Venice a day early. What is the best tour or place to visit in Venice?

Thanks

You need to do some reading.

Just about every inch of Venice is something of beauty or history.

Of course, San Marco and the Bell Tower are good place to begin.

Bridge of Sighs, Rialto Bridge, Murano glass, masks, and the FOOD...... don't forget to eat. :)

Here's a starting place, right on Cruise Critic:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=71

There's also good information here:

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/vi-index.htm

Get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports and see what he has to suggest. He also does a full book on Venice, which is great. You really need to come in two days early, as you will be very jetlagged the day you arrive, and fade fast. And half of that day will be spent getting your luggage and getting to your hotel. Unless you are the type who can sleep well on a plane. EM

For one day in Venice I would just use the internet. In addition to the two links noted earlier this link will take you to the Italy Ports Of Call Board where you can find a lot of information already discussed about Venice plus you can post your own questions too.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=595

Keith

I would buy a day pass for the vaparetto and hop on hop off any of them that go all the way out to Burano and Murano.

We spent several days in Venice before our cruise and it wasn't long enough. It was so much fun just walking and exploring, then we would get on a water taxi and hop off when we saw something of interest.

I was in Venice for only one night and part of a day. My best advice is to buy a pass for the vaporetto equal to the number of hours you have because it allows you to get on and off these boat-buses as often as you want. With so few hours available (and sleep-deprived) I took the number 1 vaporetto, which travels back and forth along the grand canal, the evening I arrived. This gave me an a overview, and by then I was so bushed I had to call it a day just after dark. But I set my alarm for 6:30 a.m.

Got up in the dark and made my way to the vaporetto stop, then travelled the #1 to San Marco. Everything was closed at San Marco, but dawn was just happening, and the whole huge square was deserted. I got to wander around by myself looking at everything with no one else around. Marvellous! When the sun rose and tourists started showing up and lining up, I left San Marco. Then I aimed myself at Rialto on foot, and wow! what an adventure and a feast for the eyes. I was wandering by the high-priced Italian designer store windows, every one with a gorgeous display, all in little narrow alleys. I felt like I was lost, but decided to get a coffee from a little hole in the wall. Delicious, with a biscuit. After about half an hour more of wandering blindly through one tiny alley after another, I came upon a little square with a fountain, and sat down to rest and look at my map (which proved useless). Some people were eating fresh raspberries and I asked where they got them. They pointed and I followed and suddenly I found myself in the Rialto market. I looked around there for about an hour - so beautiful - then got the vaporetto # 1 to Piazzale Roma. Near the vaporetto stop is a grocery store, where I bought some pasta for gifts for home and a couple of cheapie bottles of wine (which proved later to be quite delicious). By then I had to get to the ship.

So my advice is: Forget all the must-do's and must-see's. Don't waste precious time in line-ups. Everything and everywhere in Venice is worth the experience. It's all gorgeous. Wander. Observe. Enjoy. You will know you have to return, so don't worry about what you're missing.

I was in Venice for only one night and part of a day. My best advice is to buy a pass for the vaporetto equal to the number of hours you have because it allows you to get on and off these boat-buses as often as you want. With so few hours available (and sleep-deprived) I took the number 1 vaporetto, which travels back and forth along the grand canal, the evening I arrived. This gave me an a overview, and by then I was so bushed I had to call it a day just after dark. But I set my alarm for 6:30 a.m.

 

Got up in the dark and made my way to the vaporetto stop, then travelled the #1 to San Marco. Everything was closed at San Marco, but dawn was just happening, and the whole huge square was deserted. I got to wander around by myself looking at everything with no one else around. Marvellous! When the sun rose and tourists started showing up and lining up, I left San Marco. Then I aimed myself at Rialto on foot, and wow! what an adventure and a feast for the eyes. I was wandering by the high-priced Italian designer store windows, every one with a gorgeous display, all in little narrow alleys. I felt like I was lost, but decided to get a coffee from a little hole in the wall. Delicious, with a biscuit. After about half an hour more of wandering blindly through one tiny alley after another, I came upon a little square with a fountain, and sat down to rest and look at my map (which proved useless). Some people were eating fresh raspberries and I asked where they got them. They pointed and I followed and suddenly I found myself in the Rialto market. I looked around there for about an hour - so beautiful - then got the vaporetto # 1 to Piazzale Roma. Near the vaporetto stop is a grocery store, where I bought some pasta for gifts for home and a couple of cheapie bottles of wine (which proved later to be quite delicious). By then I had to get to the ship.

 

So my advice is: Forget all the must-do's and must-see's. Don't waste precious time in line-ups. Everything and everywhere in Venice is worth the experience. It's all gorgeous. Wander. Observe. Enjoy. You will know you have to return, so don't worry about what you're missing.

I appreciate your post as well as everyone leaving their advice. What a wonderful day you describe.

We stayed at the Hotel Arlecchino, just across a small canal from Piazzale Roma. After breakfast we crossed crossed the Grand Canal and just wandered along the canal and shopped in the Cannaregio District. Took the vaparetto #1 to St Mark's Square. We then took the Doge's Secret Itinerary tour. This took you through the Doge's Palace which was the seat of government in Venice. We went through the senate chambers, golden entrance and the back rooms where much of government business was done. We saw the court room, torture room and the jail cells including where Cassanova had been imprisoned. Many rooms in the Doge's Palace are no photography to preserve the paintings and murals on the walls. There is also rooms that include the weapons that had been used during the Venetian era. After leaving the palace we grabbed lunch in St. mark's Square. We then wandered many alleyways and shopped. We then took the vaparetto back Piazzale Roma.

While on the vaparetto down the Grand Canal you can see many beautiful buildings and bridges. The one place we missed that I would have liked to have seen was the Jewish Ghetto. Venice is a place where all you have to do is walk and you will see a lot. We found Venice to be very interesting and might have done more except for the jet lag, it took us a few days to get over it and we were on the cruise by then. Enjoy.

Myself and DW have returned home today after 4 1/2 days post cruise.

You can't scratch the surface in a day so my advice would be go even earlier.

Get the waterbuses, get lost down side canals and side streets, feed the pigeons in Piazza San Marco, spend hours trying to decide which mask(s) your going to buy, watch glass making on Murano or lace making on Burano, sit on a beach on the Lido, and, and, and. So much to do and so little time.