Venice Itinerary Help, Please

Old Oct 1st, 2014, 02:57 AM
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Venice Itinerary Help, Please

The dart thrown at the "To where can we reasonably drive from Vienna?" map landed on Venice for the school fall break later this month (third week of October, to be exact). We've all watched BBC's "Francesco's Venice" and feel well-informed about the city's history. That was the easy part.

We are driving because DDog is traveling with us; our dog sitter is unavailable. I have scouted a parking garage on the mainland that is not as crazy-expensive as others (Serenissima). Can anyone comment good, bad, or otherwise on this garage? Or, suggest another garage?

We have rented an apartment in Canareggio, a few minutes' walk from a vaporetto stop. Presumably we'll find markets for basic groceries nearby.

Question 1. We love to cook, and will likely prepare dinners in the apartment. Has anyone discovered a special grocery in the neighborhood, or special groceries that you purchased? Or, a lovely trattoria or osteria (all budgets) in Canareggio?

The holiday is 5 full days and whatever remains of our arrival day. How to fill that time is the hard part. We're prepared for any kind of weather and for all kinds of walking. Some of the usual first-time tourist sights are on the agenda: Campanile, San Marco Basilica, Doges Palace (with Secret Itinerary Tour), Rialto Market, Burano and Torcello, and Guggenheim (DD and I enjoy modern art). Exploring Canareggio and Dorsoduro are also on the list, along with a Grand Canal vaporetto tour (day and night). We also have day trips planned to Padova (markets) and possibly Trieste (we have friends there); we have been to Verona on a previous holiday. Murano and gondola rides have been given a thumbs down.

Question 2. Has anyone traveled on traghettos? How was your experience? Riding a decommissioned gondola sounds fun.

Question 3. If you could only see one art museum in addition to the Guggenheim, what would it be? We are not art people, but appreciate a beautiful setting and lovely art. Should we have a week of rain, what would be the next few museums on your list?

Question 4. Frari Basilica and Santa Maria dei Maricoli are on the itinerary. As we prefer beautiful churches to art museums, what other houses of worship have you found inspiring?

Question 5. As an engineering and technical-steeped household, Venice's bridges will fascinate us, to be certain. Are there other "engineering marvels" in the city we might enjoy exploring?

Question 6. How long would a visit to San Michele (the cemetery island) take?

Thank you.
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Old Oct 1st, 2014, 03:46 AM
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Where in Cannaregio is your apartment located? It is a large section of town so there are a number of markets and restaurants that might work. The most obvious market is the large Billa Supermarket on Strada Nova at Campo S. Felice.

A traghetto is a quick ride. It gives one a taste of how Venetians navigate their city quickly to cross the Grand Canal where no bridges exist. You might combine a shopping excursion from Cannaregio to the Rialto markets with a traghetto between Santa Sofia and Pescheria.

Considering the churches you want to visit and your level of interest in museums, the Chorus Pass for visiting select churches might be worthwhile for you. All the churches on the pass have interesting art, are well lit, and paper guides to the interior are included. It is quicker to visit a church than a museum, so you may enjoy it more. I think the pass pays for itself after the third church, and the Frari and Santa Maria dei Miracoli are both included.

As engineers, you might enjoy a tour of the Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio) in Piazza San Marco. You must reserve ahead as it can be visited by guided tour only.

While the prices may be a bit out of date, my trip report from a few years ago begins with eight nights in Venice and may have some helpful information for you.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm
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Old Oct 1st, 2014, 05:14 PM
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Totally agree with ellenem re the Chorus Pass -"The Greatest Museum in Venice." We've visited Venice yearly for the past decade or so, and we always get the Chorus Pass, returning to many churches many times, but never feeling that we have seen it all. If you prefer beautiful churches to art museums, you can't miss! Two of our favorites, both on the pass, are in Cannaregio: Santa Maria Dei Miracoli and Madonna Dell 'Orto. You can purchase the pass at any of the 16 churches on the pass. We stay in San Polo, just a few minutes from the Rialto market, so that is where we mainly food shop, but we've also shopped at Billa Supermarket mentioned above. Recommend Osteria Al Bacco on Fondamenta delle Cappuccine for excellent food - especially seafood. Enjoy La Serenissima!
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Old Oct 1st, 2014, 10:18 PM
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It's really worth a trek out to the sumptious market in Padua, at least once. Then of course there are the fish market and vegetable markets at Rialto. The supermarkets in Venice are basic and reliable: http://www.eatingitalyfoodtours.com/...kets-in-italy/
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Old Oct 1st, 2014, 10:44 PM
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Thank you for the suggestions, especially for the Chorus Pass; somehow I missed seeing that in my travel planning. We will definitely make good use of that pass!

ellenem, I loved reading your trip report--I thought it was useful and interesting.

dfourh, loving food as much as I do, I'm pretty sure the markets in Padua will be a day trip.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 03:26 AM
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fourfortravel, It's nice to know the report is useful after all this time. Thanks.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 03:56 AM
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>

Definitely Ca' Rezzonico. It's beautiful and filled with light; Tiepolo frescoes on the ceilings. It was once Robert Browning's home.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 05:14 AM
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Architecturally interesting site:

The spiral staircase on the outside of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 07:31 AM
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Lucky you with a dog in Venice! It's the place I most often feel I would like one for ambling and fitting in purposes.

If you visit only one museum, the Guggenheim would be way down my list. The Accademmia holds the most wonderful paintings, but they are early and if you are not really into art, the Ca'Rezzonico is a good choice with its clever and decorative Tiepolo wall paintings.

Cannareggio is a very good area for eating out - which is your vaporetto stop?
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 08:07 AM
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adrienne, thank you. That is exactly what we're looking for and I've added it to the list.

mama_mia, I have the spiral staircase palazzo on the list!

tarquin, DDog is a lucky hound. He has roamed hither and yon with us around Europe, and I'm sure he'll be quite happy to roam Venice, cataloging all the new smells! As for the Guggenheim, DD and I enjoy modern art more so than most of the "Old Masters." She planned our city break last fall to Barcelona, and Fundacio Joan Miro was one of her favorite museums; I'm all for making sure that every member of the family enjoys the holiday, so to the Guggenheim we will go.

Our apartment is roughly equidistant between the San Stae and F.te Nove vaporetto stops.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 09:10 AM
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Don't just plan to see and do all the usual tourist sites. To us, the most enjoyable part of being in Venice is just wandering around the areas that are away from the usual tourist locales.

I highly, highly recommend this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Venice-Italy-H...eywords=venice

It was fabulous to have when we spent a week in Venice and gave us some great insights. Did you know, for example, that the reason there are very few places for tourists to sit and rest while walking Venice is due to lobbying by the restaurants. They want to force people to come in to spend money when they need a rest rather than being able to sit in public places for free.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 12:01 PM
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We visited Venice this past May and were very disappointed by the Accademia - expensive and not that impressive, especially compared to other museums in Italy. The churches are magnificent. Be sure to include the Frari church and Santa Maria Maggiore. Plan to be in St Marks's Basilica between 11:30-12:30 when the mosaics are lighted. The tour by an official St Marks's tour guide for 15 E was well worth the money. We easily got our money's worth out of a 3 day vaparetto pass as we enjoyed just riding up and down the canals at various times of the day and night. Have fun!
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 05:26 PM
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"Our apartment is roughly equidistant between the San Stae and F.te Nove vaporetto stops."

San Stae is on their other side of the Grand Canal from Cannaregio. Do you mean San Marcuola or Ca' d'Oro?
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 08:35 PM
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jules, I agree. We don't usually see all of the "must-sees" any time we travel, especially not if they are of little interest to us. Having DDog with us means there will be plenty of wandering! Thank you for the book recommendation.

ellenenem, yes, San Stae is on the other side of the canal; I only used it as a reference. The apartment is in the square created by the Rio di san Falice, di Santa Caterina, Ca' Dolce, and de Santa Sofia.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 08:41 PM
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You will be quite close to the Billa supermarket mentioned. Also you'll find bakeries and other food shops along the Strada Nova near there.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2014, 11:43 PM
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Also close to Alla Vedova, I Promessi Sposi, La Cantina, all good for cichetti and more. La Zucca is near the San Stae vap stop, and Anice Stellato is a bit of a hike on the Fondamenta della Sensa but is very good.
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Old Oct 29th, 2014, 02:05 AM
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We have returned from our Venetian holiday, and I wanted to write a note of appreciation for the suggestions provided. Thank you, everyone.

The timing never worked for a traghetto ride, but the Billa location was perfect. By the end of the week DDog knew how to walk there and back from the rental apartment!

I had mapped all the restaurant suggestions, but either tables were full or we were not near to any when hunger struck. Next time!

Saw the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo staircase; finding it took some navigation, but it was worth it.

The Chorus Pass was ideal for us. Though, we did not see all of the churches, so I guess we'll just have to return!

For those interested, the report is at
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...se-to-vici.cfm
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