24 hours in Venice - best use of short time?
 

We will be arriving in Venice by train around 3:00 in the afternoon and leaving ( by train) some 24 hours later.
In such a short time, we probally cannot visit galleries and museums, but still would like to see as much of Venice as possible.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Also, can you suggest a hotel under 200 euros in a good location for such a short visit ?

Specific hotels suggestions may be an exercise in frustration. Since you don't say when you are going, your best bet may be to just use oone of the hotel sites to see what is actually available and then come back with questions. We have been staying in apartments for years so can't help on the hotel front, but if you searcg the forum there have been lots of suggestions.

If you can manage it, try to stay up late and get up really early. The city changes dramatically as the sun sets and becomes even more magical. Take the vaporetto up and down the Grand Canal. The piazza San Marco is a very different place very late of very early.

By getting out and about early, you can go to the Rialto market to see them set up. See the bridge before the throngs of tourists.

In the morning, you should have time to tour the basilica and maybe the Doge's Palace. Have lunch and be back at the train station.

> would like to see as much of Venice as possible. <

"Serendipity" (noun) - The faculty of making fortunate and unexpected discoveries by accident.

Just walk, even aimlessly.

thanks.

Try Hotel Abbazia -- it is extremely close to the train station, very nice, and was under 200 euros last time we stayed there. The website is: www.abbaziahotel.com.

We liked it so much we're going back in June.

Might try Hotel Carleton Capri, behind Hotel Carleton, less expensive. It's across the Grande Canal from the train station, near San Simeone Piccolo.

Drop bags and catch vaporetto to Piazza San Marco. Tour Doges Palace and go to top of Campanile for views over the city.

Santa Maria della Salute is one of my favorite churches in Venice. Cross the Accademia bridge to get to it.

Check out the Rialto area for shopping. Bring lots of euros!

Wander the tiny streets and enjoy getting lost. There are plenty of signs pointing general direction of train station, San Marco, etc. so you can't stray too far off track.

The city changes dramatically with time of day, crowds, etc. and evening or early morning are my favorite times to just wander around.

Hi D,

>try Hotel Carleton Capri, behind Hotel Carleton,

The Carlton Capri is a very pleasant hotel. We got a good rate on a 4th flr room with a nice view, because the elevator only goes to the 3rd. (A porter brought our bags up)

To find the Capri, go left as you exit the train station to the Scalzi Bridge and cross the Grand Canal.

Turn right and look for Calle dei Bergamaschi on your left. The entrance is a very narrow gated alley that looks like the entrance to a home.

If you get to a bridge. Go back and look again. The street sign is painted on a wall, about 10 ft above the sidewalk.

((I))

We spent 36 hours in Venice in 2005. We got up early our only full day and went to Piazza San Marco before the tourists came and got a head start on seeing the campanile and the basilica.