A few hours in Venice

We did spend just an afternoon in Venice four years ago. Walking around the narrow streets of Venice along its canals, going to Piazza San Marco and visiting the cathedral, and a short gondola ride would certainly give you the feel of Venice. You would be able to do this in a few hours, and maybe even have time for a quick plate of pasta in one of its many small lovely restaurants!

For our family it was enough, so try not to skip Venice if you are anywhere near!!!

yeah, why not I would actually say not to plan to do anything other than visit St Mark's square. I think the best part of venice is simply strolling the narrow lanes, and the further from the bridge central point I think thew more unique it becomes. You can stop for lunch when somewhere catches your eye and then for gelato too. Have a great time

You might want to cross the bridge across the canal as you exit the train station (as heading off to the left leading to Strada Nova is more commercial and less intimate). You can just follow the yellow signs to Rialto & San Marco, but if you have a map you might instead want to head toward Frari church, which is a real gem (closed in August). If you have a good chunk of time, you could then walk through San Polo and Dorsoduro toward Accademia, which is a bit more "real Venice" and far less touristed than heading straight to Rialto. Crossing the bridge at Accademia can then take you to Rialto, where you can get the views from the bridge, before following the packed ant-lanes to San Marco. From San Marco, it would be really worth taking a vaporetto all the way down the Grand Canal back to the train station (vaporetto #2 is quicker than #1 because it makes far fewer stops - - just be sure you find the right platform for the #2 that goes down the Grand Canal to the station, not other directions). If you are leery about the amount of time you have, start backwards, and take the vaporetto straight to San Marco, and then wander back to the station!

Thank you all for the swift responses.

Another question, do you think I could squeeze in a trip to the Museum or that wouldn't be practical?

You will need to store your luggage at the train station. Be sure to allow enough time to retrieve it as sometimes there are lines.
http://www.grandistazioni.it/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=09dd82a9ec4eb110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

Ok, but not a gondola ride! That's certainly the worst way of spending your only afternoon in one of this planet's most interesting cities as far as architecture and art and history (and atmosphere). You have to be aware that riding a gondola is tourists-only stuff of the very lowest order, while some of the best art and architecture that you're ever going to see in your whole life is lurking just around the corner.

@ Kybourbon the problem of where to leave my luggage never occurred to me! Thank you so much for bringing it up.

@ Franco, a 20-minute gondola ride wouldn't hurt don't you think? But I'm definitely more interested in the history and architecture of Venice.

90% of the people who spend only 1 day in Venice end up hating it. Do not bother if you cannot stay at least 2 nites.

<<<<<90% of the people who spend only 1 day in Venice end up hating it.

Though that's if they do the main tourist haul, which is worse than Disney (and is often done in a large group behind a guide holding high a pink umbrella). Off the beaten path is still magic.

I think month has a great deal to do with how satisfactory thiss will be for you. If it is mid-July through mid-September, not so much simply because of the human crush in some places. Before or after, it is a long way out of your way for a day, but if you follow dfourh's "reverse" route, you will experience some of the best.

The first time I went to Rome it was only a day and two nights, and I remember every single thing I did in great detail, something not necessarily true of other, more leisurely trips.

I did something similar to what the OP wants to do last September. I arrived on a Sunday morning at Venice Santa Lucia train station to find a long line at the "left luggage" desk, maybe a half hour long. Since I had given myself only four hours or so in Venice(!), I decided just to drag my two carry-ons with me.

Venice on this warm, sunny Sunday afternoon was a circus: lines and crowds everywhere near the train station. I considered taking a vaporreto waterbus but even those had long lines just to buy tickets. I wound up dragging my bags over to the Ghetto neighborhood which was almost completely quiet.

Fortunately, I had spent several nights in Venice on previous trips, so I knew how magical it can be. I kind of wish I hadn't bothered with this re-visit though and stopped somewhere else off the train.

I went to Rome Florence and then Venice and it just got better and better, as in I liked Florence more than Rome and Venice more than Florence. I don't think that an afternoon is enough having been entirely enchanted by Venice. I agree with Franco on the gondola front, complete waste of time and money, if you want to see the canals take a vaporetto (water bus). Same views, less of the eye wateringly expensive price tag - 80 euros for 40mins. Another compromise is taking the traghetto.

Sheryn6,

To which museum are you referring (wondering if you had enough time to visit)? I don't think I would trade time on such a short trip for a visit to any museum in Venice. In fact, I only visited the Accademia on my second trip to Venice, and my first trip was 3 days-long.

I know many posters here do not like gondole. I, however, have taken a gondola ride on each of my 3 trips to Venice. Yes, it is expensive, and yes it could be considered "touristy," but I am, after all, a tourist. Personally, I like to keep the gondola rides to the narrower back canals with only a brief portion of the Grand Canal. You can't see these canals and rios, from the water anyway, unless you are in a gondola or a water taxi. If you want to take a gondola ride, by all means, take 30 minutes and do it.

You could walk around Piazza San Marco and go in the Basilica, if the line is not too long. For a less crowded area (on the same side of the Grand Canal), I liked Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo. The impressive church of the same name is located there, and you could pop in for a gelato at Rosa Salva. I would also recommend Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (across the Grand Canal). The Frari has fine artwork, including a Titian and Bellini and the tomb of Canova.

The first thing DH and I did after offloading our luggage in our hotel was take the VAP down the Grand Canal. I went through at least one roll of film (it was a pre-digital time). Someone else can help you with the actual vap number. There's also one that goes all the way around-not sure how long it would take.

This was in March so not so many tourists. What month are you traveling?

The first time i went to venice i do was not a massive fan when i was there and hated how touristy it seemed, but on the way home we had to get up very early and walk through dead silent empty little lanes and to a VAP stop where we waited for half an hour with a gorgeous view of the grand canal, as we waited the locals were starting to wake up, not tourists, just the locals...hanging washing, sweeping lanes, taking their little boats out ready for a day on the water. We then took the VAP and were the only ones on for a while....the sun was rising and it was really pretty, calm and 0% touristy. That visit to venice was part of a 10 day Italy trip and that one memory for some reason always stuck in my head as one of my fondest, i can visualise it now.

i have since been back and made the decision to not plan anything. We stayed in the santa polo area on calle de l'Agnelia and spent along time just wondering around stopping at little coffee shops, crossed over little bridges, ate in the little places and had a lovely time and it seemed far less touristy. Ok so there were of course tourists but by wondering around the non-core-central sights was really nice, as it gets much quieter and the best food we ate were in those areas not St marks or by the Rialto. We did of course at one point cross over the rialto and walk through St marks square (which is worth seeing!!) but the things i think about are sitting by a tiny church, with a group of nuns next to me, or watching some older men play cards, visiting a restaurant by the outer waters looking over to guidecca island, or buying ice-cream from little places the locals used.

Venice is an amazing amazing place....go for it, if even for a few hours

To me the #1 thing to do in all of Europe and not just Venice is to take a boat ride down the Grand Canal - Venice's main street - do it by public boats that serve as buses in Venice - the parade of ancient facades of old palazzos silently slip by - hinting back to Venice's time as one of the world's most opulent and wealthy cities.

Hopefully you have at least six or seven hours; yes, the queue to drop luggage at the station sometimes can be daunting - - but do it anyways (and maybe walk to the far front of the train before it pulls in!); and the queues waiting for the vaporetto can be huge if you want to take the canal ride first - - but consider taking the vapo ONE stop the OPPOSITE direction, to Piazzale Roma, then re-boarding there - - some people even hold off boarding a full boat to be first onto the next boat at P.le Roma and get one of those nice seats up front; and HG001London's experiences and ideas are indeed the best of Venice - - though it's hard to contemplate not going where everybody else seems to be going on your first visit, it will be worthwhile.

I'm taking notes over here. I've been researching your suggestions and certainly dfourh's and HG001London's itineraries seem suitable for me even if it's just a few hour stay in Venice. I'll be going in October, would Venice be packed during that time?

Yes, Venice will probably still be busy in October. I'm not sure it has much of an off-season - just busy and REALLY busy times.

It will be busy, but you will not have to stand in line to walk from San Marco to the Rialto. The "street" is literally that narrow.

On reflection, I wish you could find a way to spend one night, 24 hours, because the early morning, as HG001London so eloquently points out, and very late evening are absolutely magical.

90 percent end up hating it? Great to know I make up 10 percent. Do it, it's the difference between seeing and not seeing Venice! It's all in your face, just wandering the twisting alleys, sitting with a gelato and watching the canal traffic (I think I got more fun watching the tourists wobbling around on the obviously touristy gondolas than going on one). If you want to get on the water, the vaparettos, or water taxis, aren't expensive and you'll be travelling with the locals. You don't have to tick everything off to get the essence of Venice.

I'll try to re-organize the itinerary. I have had to bargain with myself just to drop by Venice before I head to Rome.
Can I purchase the vaporetto tickets in advance like in a booth or online? Qeues can be a bummer. But one has just to live the experience of every part of a journey, I guess.

Hi Sheryn, I think it's fine to have a whistle stop tour of Venice as long as you don't judge it based on those few hours. I've seen comments on fodor's from people who visited and also a few friends who stayed a half day and left and the comments are I excitably that they didn't like Venice. So do visit but keep in mind that it isnt the ideal way to see Venice. I hope you love your quick impressions and then you can plan to return.

Here's a suggestion for what it's worth, after dumping your luggage take the vaporetto ride the full length of the Grand Canal and listen to a podcast at the same time. We used Rick steves podcast and despite his corny narration, it did provide good information.

When I was there, about 2 years ago, I just went to the booths outside the main railway station. I bought a 24 hour pass (was there a bit longer than you plan, but not much)- from memory it might still be a bargain. You just walk on and off the boars and show the pass if asked. They travel down the Grand Canal - like the 'main street' of Venice, and around the other one (I can't recall it's name) around what I'd call the 'outside' of Venice, where the cruise ships come in, and back to the start by the railway station.

Why not thinking about flying to Venice from Paris? That way you'll have a headstart. Don't think that flying is necessarily that much pricier than the train (if it is at all), but I guess the hotel in Venice can be expensive.

Sheryn6- I am also going to be in Venice in October. I never find it "overcrowded" in October.. just a little busy during the day.

Here is the link for a vaporetto map for Venice. Many suggestions above about taking a ride full-circuit on the vaporetto. I totally agree. http://www.hellovenezia.com/

But please make note of the differences between the "vaporetto" and "water taxi". The vaporetto is more like a water "bus" with many travelers on it, in close quarter.

The water taxi's are very expensive and are usually a small motorboat that can seat 8-10 at most and you pay $80 or so for just you and your party to go someplace specific.

The treghetto someone mentioned is a "standing" gondola shuttle. You get shuttled from one side of the canal to the other. But I find these few and far between in October.

I couldn't justify just one day, myself. I, too, think you should try to spend at least one night and two days.

Additionally, I don't know what time you get in from Paris, or what day. But if it is before 11am, I highly recommend you park your luggage and head over to the Rialto market. It so much says, "Venice"!! (Hopefully, you will be arriving Tues-Saturday. That is because the fish market is also set up on those days at the marketplace. No pesce on Monday. No market on Sunday.)

Buon viaggio!

Thanks cathies, capekidnappers, 111op, and sarge56 for your inputs.

Taking a flight instead of a train is an option I'm willing to look into. But I really don't want to stay overnight in Venice.

@ Sarge56, if I'll be taking the evening train from Paris I would arrive about 9 in the morning in a Saturday. It seems like you can't get enough of Venice. I presume that this upcoming trip is your second? Perhaps third?

sorry for the predictive text errors in my post!!

No probs cathies They were harmless

October is not the height of the tourist season in Venice. We went for an afternoon in September and we used the vaporetto and we found no long queues. July and August are the crowdiest months to go. If you do see a crowd near the public vaporettos, you can still go to the Piazza san marco stop with a private boat. There will be quite a few willing to transport you, of course you have to pay more, but still worth it not to miss a half day in Venice. Enjoy it.

"You just walk on and off the boats and show the pass if asked."

This is no longer the case. Now passengers scan their tickets or passes in the boarding area before each ride.

You can purchase your tickets online (and receive a discount) at VeniceConnected.com, but you receive a PNR code and still have to take that to a VeniceConnected booth or ticket machine on arrival to retrieve the actual ticket.

ellenem is correct. You must scan your ticket every time you board. There is a machine at every boat ramp entrance. Be especially careful at Piazzale Roma and San Marco. There are inspectors watching all the time!

Sheryn6- this will be my 4th visit, in as many years. I beg, borrow and most anything else to make sure I can afford a trip annually!

Anna_Galea: October is not the height of the tourist season in Venice. We went for an afternoon in September and we used the vaporetto and we found no long queues.

Perhaps it depends on the day of the week? Do people visit Venice more on the weekends? My day stop last September was on a Sunday, and the queues were miserable, which is why I didn't bother waiting for the left luggage desk or waiting in a long line just to buy vaporetto tickets.

Also, some vaporetto stops don't have ticket booths or ticket machines even though they do have the scanner (as I saw last fall). If you don't have a pass, you have to chance getting on with no ticket. That is why it is helpful to buy a pass that you can use all day (or multiple days if you buy that pass).

If you get on a vaporetto without a ticket (e.g. at one of the stops Delaine mentioned), you can (and must) buy the ticket on board from the boat guard.

@franco, just curious. Last year, I bought 2 3-day passes. My cousin and I got on every vaporetto together.

But in the middle of the 2nd day, my pass seemed to stop working. What does one do in that case? Was I ok getting on, since the pass had the date/time purchased? Or should I have gone back to the ticket booth where purchased? (train station)

sarge, in theory, you would have had to go to the booth no doubt (not necessarily to the one where you had purchased it, of course - any booth is fine). In reality, everybody would have accepted your pass if the valid date was stamped on it.

thx franco. I'll be back in Venice in October with my adult DD and my cousin. Maybe we can buy you a drink?

I was in Venice for few days this past September on my way to Dubrovnik.I hope to go back and take with me my younger grandaughter.I would love to show to her the beauty of Italy.
Have fun..

It has been five month my trip to Europe and already feel homesick.

Have fun..and enjoy Venice..Is an Enchanting city.

Sarge56, enjoy your trip and if you travel to La Bella Roma , please trow a coin in the Fountain for me.

kismet- absolutely, I will throw an extra coin for you! And how lovely it would be to take your granddaughter. My 7-year-old granddaughter talks of nothing else! She wants to go to Italy with her "Gamma" and her mom (my companion on two of my previous trips, and one of my companions on the upcoming trip). I hope to take her in a couple years, when she is 9. I think that's a good age to take her.

Yes sarge, nine is a good age to travel abroad.

My grandson was nine years old also when he came with me to Italy and France.

Her older sister was 7 when I took her for 3 weeks to Italy but she was quite mature for her age .

She adored Rome and wanted very much to be a Roman like me.
Brooke became my travel's companion since then and we always had a great time discovering new countries and new cities.

Her favourite places were The Roman Forum and Trevi Fountain.

Luckily we stayed at the Hotel Parlamento therefore we were able to visit the fountain at least twice a day..

Hi Sheryn,

I think that this is not a case where a rushed daytrip is better than no trip.

You will be rushed, harried and frustrated by the mobs.

You will write a trip report that tells us that you hated Venice and don't know why everypne says you should go there.

My suggestion is to take at least 1 night from Rome and stay.


I would rather stay 2 nights in Venice than a week in Rome.

Yes Andrew, it was on a weekday, a Tuesday. I am sure that on a Sunday Venice would always be crowdier, especially in the first two weeks of Sepember, when it would be still school holidays in many countries of Europe, and many would still be on vacation.

Hi guys, thanks for all your inputs. Actually I might think of sleeping over in Venice. It would be really nice to see Venice at night as well. Which spots would you recommend to spend an unforgettable evening in Venice?

Bookmarking - thanks for the wonderful information