Venice - Tour suggestions
#1
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Venice - Tour suggestions
Hello,
We are a family of 4 going to Venice in mid June (kids are 11 & 13). Interested in taking a tour if it is well done and not too expensive. 3 hours is probably the max for us. Is the Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries Tour worth it? If you have done it and loved it which tour group did you use?
Has anyone tried a walking/boat tour combo? Thanks in advance for your suggestions/comments.
We are a family of 4 going to Venice in mid June (kids are 11 & 13). Interested in taking a tour if it is well done and not too expensive. 3 hours is probably the max for us. Is the Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries Tour worth it? If you have done it and loved it which tour group did you use?
Has anyone tried a walking/boat tour combo? Thanks in advance for your suggestions/comments.
#3
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The Secret itineraries tour at Doge's Palace is about an hour and half so that didn't seem too long and provided access to non public areas. 3 hours was the maximum time we would spend on a tour for our group that is why I through that out there. I'm sure we will do plenty of exploring on our own.
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It's going to be hard to entertain the kids that age with anything that isn't kid oriented, but the Secret Itineraries tour isn't bad, especially if you have a good guide. (They'll probably like the torture room.) I'd suggest maybe have the kids have some questions for the guide, just to make it more interesting.
You might also try the group gondola ride, which I think is better than a single gondola ride. You can book it through a local travel agent or through your hotel.
Honestly, Venice isn't the perfect place for adolescents. A lot of what's fascinating to adults about the place is b-o-o-o-o-r-i-n-g to them. But you'll survive.
You might also try the group gondola ride, which I think is better than a single gondola ride. You can book it through a local travel agent or through your hotel.
Honestly, Venice isn't the perfect place for adolescents. A lot of what's fascinating to adults about the place is b-o-o-o-o-r-i-n-g to them. But you'll survive.
#5
Our kids were admittedly somewhat older than yours when we spent a week there a few years ago [click on my screen name if you'd like to read my trip report] but we certainly didn't get bored or run out of things to do, which included the Secret Itineraries Tour which we liked a lot and thought was well worth the money, especially as you get to see the rest of the palace at your leisure once it's over.
So I would recommend that to you, plus some of the things that we did, like visiting Burano and Torcello, climbing the campanile on Isolo San Georgio [cheaper and less busy than the one in San Marco], just jumping on a vaporetto to see where it goes and walking back, and the Rialto markets in the early morning. And the Basilica of course, which you can also book to see, for free, thus avoiding the queues.
Don't underestimate the fascination of being in Venice for the first time - it's a magical place - nor the amount of walking you are likely to do. IME pit stops for drinks, food and gelato are essential to keep up morale and to take the opportunity to use the loos too.
Hope you have a wonderful time!
So I would recommend that to you, plus some of the things that we did, like visiting Burano and Torcello, climbing the campanile on Isolo San Georgio [cheaper and less busy than the one in San Marco], just jumping on a vaporetto to see where it goes and walking back, and the Rialto markets in the early morning. And the Basilica of course, which you can also book to see, for free, thus avoiding the queues.
Don't underestimate the fascination of being in Venice for the first time - it's a magical place - nor the amount of walking you are likely to do. IME pit stops for drinks, food and gelato are essential to keep up morale and to take the opportunity to use the loos too.
Hope you have a wonderful time!
#6
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They might really enjoy learning to row a traditional Venetian boat. Check out rowvenice.com
Also, on my last trip I saw a family with 2 kids and the kids had little writing pads--they were doing a lion hunt and recording where they saw them. Lions are everywhere--the symbol of Venice.
Also, on my last trip I saw a family with 2 kids and the kids had little writing pads--they were doing a lion hunt and recording where they saw them. Lions are everywhere--the symbol of Venice.
#7
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Can someone explain what you get on the Secret Itineraries Tour that you don't get if you just go on your own. It seems really popular on this forum but a friend just went last month and said she saw the prisons, the torture room, went across the bridge of Sighs, etc. What do you miss if you do it on your own (other than the narrative)?
#8
isabel - the reason it's called the Secret Itineraries is that you are taken up into the Doges apartments at the top of the palace and other places to which the normal ticket does not allow access. it lasts about an hour and then you are left effectively where you would normally start.
That said, the last time I went which was with a group about 2 years ago, the guided tour included the dungeons and the Bridge of Sighs but not the upper apartments. So it may be that if you take the normal guided tour you get to see more than you would if you just buy the ordinary ticket and guide yourself. We did that many years ago and didn't see the dungeons or get to cross the Bridge of Sighs but the system may have changed.
That said, the last time I went which was with a group about 2 years ago, the guided tour included the dungeons and the Bridge of Sighs but not the upper apartments. So it may be that if you take the normal guided tour you get to see more than you would if you just buy the ordinary ticket and guide yourself. We did that many years ago and didn't see the dungeons or get to cross the Bridge of Sighs but the system may have changed.
#9
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Or for a boat tour:
http://www.vivivenezia.org/vivivenezia.org/Home.html
We really enjoyed this, and saw a completely different side to Venice.
http://www.vivivenezia.org/vivivenezia.org/Home.html
We really enjoyed this, and saw a completely different side to Venice.
#10
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Earnestly, read Casanova's memoires before you go and tell your kids some stories when you are there (especially the story when he was imprisoned in the Doge's Palace and how he got out - very entertaining for kids in that age). BTW, the Kindle ebook is free.
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JillDavis
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Jun 8th, 2010 05:48 PM