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: <i>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.</i>

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.