1 day in Venice
Aug 22nd, 2015, 01:07 PM
#1
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1 day in Venice
Venice will be the first stop on our vacation to Italy and we ewill only be there for 1 1/2 days. We arrive around 1pm and then are leaving the next day around 4-5pm. We have dinner reservations the day we arrive and other than that nothing planned yet. Looking for recommendations for things we must see in the short time that we're there.Guggenheim Museum? We were thinking of going to Murano? Is Burano and/or Torcello worth seeing?
Aug 22nd, 2015, 01:24 PM
#2
You do not have close to 1.5 days. Are you arriving by plane or train? If by plane you won't be to your hotel and checked in til mid afternoon at the very earliest (and that is if you take a pricey water taxi). Then you have about half the next day before you have to get to the train station. So no time at all to go out to the islands.
Aug 22nd, 2015, 01:29 PM
#3
gosh, gcoho, perhaps start with what it was that drew you to Venice in the first place - probably pictures of the Grand canal and st Marks.
so first of all I would take a trip down the Grand canal on a vaporetto [assuming that you aren't using it to get to your hotel, or even if you are!] getting off at the Academia and walking right to the eastern end of the Zattere, where it ends in a point by the Santa Maria della Salute church, and looking out over the basin of St Marks to take in the wonderful view that travellers used to have as they arrived by boat in Venice as immortalised by Canaletto.
Then you could visit the Guggenheim or the Academia, or perhaps better still, walk up to Ca' Rezzonico and see the museum which is laid out as an 18th Venetian century house which would give you a chance to explore the little streets of Venice. By this time hopefully most of the cruise passengers and coach tourists will be heading home, so perhaps after a spritz, walk over the Academia bridge to St Marks, and tour the Basilica. alternatively, make reservations to see it first thing the next morning, followed by the Doge's palace. in the evening wander around and get lost at least once - that's all part of being in Venice.
Another morning activity, if you can get yourselves up early, is a visit to the Rialto fish market - get there by 9am and you should be able to see the wonderful range of sea creatures that contribute to the venetian table. Then either spend the morning in the Santa Croce area visiting the church of the Frari and the nearby Scuola Grande di San Rocco, or jump on a boat and visit Burano and Torcello if you really have time. IMO both are much nicer than Murano - Burano is very pretty with its coloured houses [so that drunken fishermen would be able to spot they own house, so one story goes] and the Basilica on Torcello with its 1000+ old mosaics is just extraordinary.
oh dear - that's probably enough for 3 days, late alone one - but you won't run out of thins to do will you?
so first of all I would take a trip down the Grand canal on a vaporetto [assuming that you aren't using it to get to your hotel, or even if you are!] getting off at the Academia and walking right to the eastern end of the Zattere, where it ends in a point by the Santa Maria della Salute church, and looking out over the basin of St Marks to take in the wonderful view that travellers used to have as they arrived by boat in Venice as immortalised by Canaletto.
Then you could visit the Guggenheim or the Academia, or perhaps better still, walk up to Ca' Rezzonico and see the museum which is laid out as an 18th Venetian century house which would give you a chance to explore the little streets of Venice. By this time hopefully most of the cruise passengers and coach tourists will be heading home, so perhaps after a spritz, walk over the Academia bridge to St Marks, and tour the Basilica. alternatively, make reservations to see it first thing the next morning, followed by the Doge's palace. in the evening wander around and get lost at least once - that's all part of being in Venice.
Another morning activity, if you can get yourselves up early, is a visit to the Rialto fish market - get there by 9am and you should be able to see the wonderful range of sea creatures that contribute to the venetian table. Then either spend the morning in the Santa Croce area visiting the church of the Frari and the nearby Scuola Grande di San Rocco, or jump on a boat and visit Burano and Torcello if you really have time. IMO both are much nicer than Murano - Burano is very pretty with its coloured houses [so that drunken fishermen would be able to spot they own house, so one story goes] and the Basilica on Torcello with its 1000+ old mosaics is just extraordinary.
oh dear - that's probably enough for 3 days, late alone one - but you won't run out of thins to do will you?
Aug 22nd, 2015, 01:31 PM
#4
Unless seeing one of the islands is a priority for you, I wouldn't go to any of them. It takes too much time.
What day of the week do you arrive? Are you arriving by plane, train or car? And how are you leaving? I ask, because the 'meaning' of arriving at 1:00p by plane is different than arriving by train or car.
"Must see" recommendations are completely personal preference. If the Guggenheim Museum is a priority for you, you should see it. My first priorities would be the basilica and Piazza San Marco and ride on the vaporetto (water bus) down the Grand Canal, but I really enjoyed the Guggenheim too. Where are you staying and where are your dinner reservations? I ask, because there may be things between the two points that would be easy to see.
Have you looked at any guidebooks or Top 10 lists?
What day of the week do you arrive? Are you arriving by plane, train or car? And how are you leaving? I ask, because the 'meaning' of arriving at 1:00p by plane is different than arriving by train or car.
"Must see" recommendations are completely personal preference. If the Guggenheim Museum is a priority for you, you should see it. My first priorities would be the basilica and Piazza San Marco and ride on the vaporetto (water bus) down the Grand Canal, but I really enjoyed the Guggenheim too. Where are you staying and where are your dinner reservations? I ask, because there may be things between the two points that would be easy to see.
Have you looked at any guidebooks or Top 10 lists?
Aug 22nd, 2015, 03:11 PM
#6
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1st day
Go the Guggenheim
Have dinner.
Have a glass of prosecco in San Marco after dinner and listen to the music at night.
2nd day
Get up early and take the first ferry to Burano. Walk around. Have lunch. Take the ferry back. Leave Venice.
Go the Guggenheim
Have dinner.
Have a glass of prosecco in San Marco after dinner and listen to the music at night.
2nd day
Get up early and take the first ferry to Burano. Walk around. Have lunch. Take the ferry back. Leave Venice.
Aug 23rd, 2015, 01:19 AM
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I am a modern art buff. But frankly, with just 1 1/2 days I would not visit the Guggenheim.
Venice is so unique, use your limited time to see the city. A good start is the vaporetto (public water bus) through Canale Grande and around the island (line 4.1/4.2).
Of course, you will stroll over Piazza San Marco and visit the cathedral.
A priority would be visiting the Scuola Grande di San Rocco - it is absolutely striking and you won't see something similar anywhere else outside Venice.
And if you have time, the Palazzo Ducale would be on my list.
And then, just wander through the streets and alleys to soak in the special atmosphere of this wonderful city.
Venice is so unique, use your limited time to see the city. A good start is the vaporetto (public water bus) through Canale Grande and around the island (line 4.1/4.2).
Of course, you will stroll over Piazza San Marco and visit the cathedral.
A priority would be visiting the Scuola Grande di San Rocco - it is absolutely striking and you won't see something similar anywhere else outside Venice.
And if you have time, the Palazzo Ducale would be on my list.
And then, just wander through the streets and alleys to soak in the special atmosphere of this wonderful city.
Aug 23rd, 2015, 01:53 AM
#10
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Same advice
Especially if you come from a long flight, going into museums is a sure way to get you yawning.
We went into a (semi) private old palazzio that you can visit. It doesn't take much time but it gives a glimpse of how rich people lived at some time.
For the rest, just wander through the city !
Especially if you come from a long flight, going into museums is a sure way to get you yawning.
We went into a (semi) private old palazzio that you can visit. It doesn't take much time but it gives a glimpse of how rich people lived at some time.
For the rest, just wander through the city !
Aug 23rd, 2015, 06:23 AM
#11
>>I am a modern art buff. But frankly, with just 1 1/2 days I would not visit the Guggenheim.
Venice is so unique, use your limited time to see the city. A good start is the vaporetto (public water bus) through Canale Grande and around the island (line 4.1/4.2).<<
100% agree. I wouldn't spend the time for either the Guggenheim OR the islands. As it is you have next to no time IN Venice. Again -- w/ a 1PM arrival, passport control (if applicable), waiting for your bags, the Alilaguna water bus and getting to your hotel you will be lucky to check in by 3:30PM
Venice is so unique, use your limited time to see the city. A good start is the vaporetto (public water bus) through Canale Grande and around the island (line 4.1/4.2).<<
100% agree. I wouldn't spend the time for either the Guggenheim OR the islands. As it is you have next to no time IN Venice. Again -- w/ a 1PM arrival, passport control (if applicable), waiting for your bags, the Alilaguna water bus and getting to your hotel you will be lucky to check in by 3:30PM
Aug 23rd, 2015, 08:03 AM
#12
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It depends a bit on what you want to really see. You can see the big ticket sights, or you can discover how Venice works as a town. I think that in the time you have, forget the Doges Palace. Try to get to the Basilica first thing in the morning, when the entry line is not so long. The Rialto market is fun, again, a really early visit when fishmongers are gutting swordfish and scaling fish caught in the lagoon is good.
Forget Murano/Burano/Torcello. The travel time alone, there and back total, is close to two hours, probably more.
The Frari, as others have said, is special, my favourite church in all of Venice, pure soaring Gothic. Get a decent map, walk heaps, drink in small bars, try to understand how Venice works, discover the Venice of Marco Polo.
Forget Murano/Burano/Torcello. The travel time alone, there and back total, is close to two hours, probably more.
The Frari, as others have said, is special, my favourite church in all of Venice, pure soaring Gothic. Get a decent map, walk heaps, drink in small bars, try to understand how Venice works, discover the Venice of Marco Polo.
