How in the world can Venice NOT be the "real" Italy?

Regardless of whether you decide on Venice or Bologna, I would take a DAY train to Munich because the scenery will be absolutely spectacular. You'll miss all that on a night train, and night travel will probably screw up your clock.

With that said, my vote goes for Bologna for this trip.

I just got back to Paris, from Venice a few hours ago. I flew from L.A. to Paris, met a Parisian friend at CDG and we flew on to Venice together. Then one of my best American friends met us at the Venice Airport and we went to his and his wife's condo in Treviso a REALLY lovely city. I'd return there in a heartbeat. If I had to stay in a hotel, it would be in Treviso, without doubt. We took the train from Treviso to Venice which took 30 minutes and cost 3,40 euros round trip to Venice train station. Then you can either walk into Venice, about 30 minutes, or take the boat 6,50 Euros. We did both as we went two days, in a row, from Treviso.

Personally, I told my friend that you couldn't pay me to go to Venice in the summer. As we were walking through the tiny streets, it wasn't so bad. However, when we got to St.Marco Square, the first thing I said was, " Disneyland in July!". And this was just this past Sunday and Monday. He said that a million people can flood the place in summer and they stop folks from coming in at a certain point. I'm glad that I went, but it wasn't what I had expected. The most enjoyable part was lunch at Al Mascaron Osteria in the Castello area. It's at Calle Longo Santa Maria Formosa 5225. It's the street between the Hotel Scandinavia and a bar. The food was great and the service very personalized. It reminded me of Italian eateries when I went to Italy more often in the 80s. I'd return to Venice just to eat there many times over. Happy Travels!

I love, love, love Venice. It's such a beautiful and unique city. I would go back again in a heartbeat.

But I would not go in summer, especially just for a day and a half. It wouldn't do the city justice. Save it for when you can go for a longer amount of time, and in a better part of the year, as St.Cirq suggested.


Johanna

Guenmai you just made me nervous! I can only imagine how busy it will be in June.

Okay so I'm thinking about Bologna again. I know whatever we choose we won't regret it or have a bad time, it is Italy after all! I do know if we don't go to Venice this time we will sometime. After this trip we hope to only travel Europe in the fall and spring and there are several places around Venice I would like to go to.

So now I'm leaing towards Bologna...the train travel is less and the food sounds amazing!

Lindy,

Go to Venice. But if you can stay for longer than a day and a half...do it. Venice in the middle of the day, just around St. Marks...it's just OK.
The best way to enjoy Venice is to wander around the smaller areas during the day. We were there in July 2 years ago and the temperature was fine.
Sure, during the day the square is swamped with dang daytrippers and cruise ships. But if you stray away from that area you wind up getting whole squares and neighborhoods almost to yourself. It's amazing.
So to St. Marks at night when most of the daytrippers leave. Sit at Cafe Quaddri and get a glass of champagne and listen to the band.
You feel like a millionaire.

I'd suggest that you don't go if you are only able to find a day and a half. In that brief time, you would only discover the tourist/San Marco/Doge Palace/Rialto part of Venice. But if you could find three or four days, you would discover a town that is not a disney creation. Winter is the best time for Venice - cold, fog, quiet, fewer tourists, romantic. Spend a week there in mid-January and you will think the town belongs to you.

The first time I went to Venice was as a 21 year old backpacker. All we wanted was to "see the canalled city". So we dropped our bags at the station caught the boat to Piazza San Marco, wandered around for a couple of hours and left. after that I had no real desire to go back (I had seen it after all). The a couple of years ago I went back because we were taking our kids around Italy. My husband and I could not get over how much we liked it, and although we had 3 nights there we will definitely go back again. But this was in January, in the fog and rain and you could shoot a canon through Piazza San Marco and not hit anyone. It is magical in those circumstances.

I have also been tp Bologna which I love. The food is seriously great and there is lots to do there.

For you I would go to Bologna I ithink and save Venice for a time when you can enjoy it.

With a wedding coming up I know you don't have much time for reading but "City of Falling Angels" by John Berendt (spelling?) who wrote "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," or one or more on the Donna Leon Inspector Brunetti mysteries might get you in the mood.

I haven't been since I was very young and very poor and long to go back, even though I'm fairly poor once again!

Hi lindy. Admittedly, I haven't read each of these posts. But I did read yours. Since it's your honeymoon, if you just can't warm up to it, don't go. Honeymoon memories are precious. But, I can tell you that I was there with my husband and son, and despite the presence of my kid, it was STILL amazingly romantic!

If you go, be sure to stay in Venice itself, so that you can have the run of the city after the daytrippers have left. The first evening I walked into Piazza San Marco, I started crying. Venice (sans crowds) is simply magical.

To me....I'd give anything to have a wonderful, romantic time in Venice (with DH of course!). Just strolling down the streets - never knowing when you'll happen upon a lovely little square, watching the boats, stopping for a glass of wine.....

Oh well, maybe AFTER the kids are in college........

Go to Venice, for me it is magical,no other place is like it.Get away from the crowds and wander the streets at night.I've been there 2 times and can't wait to go back.i agree with azzure. the first time I enetered Piazza San Marco at night I cried.Even for us old folks it is still so romantic.

I forgot to add that I would add some extra time to Venice.

venice is heavenly.
You must go to see for yourself.
It is so romantic and captivating.
You will thank us.
You too will sprinkled with the magical fairydust.I promise.

I think you should go somewhere else for this trip - a honeymoon is special. Plus, you will probably be tired and stressed after the wedding and all that it entails, so adding to the situation by worrying that you aren't going to enjoy your honeymoon seems unnecessary. Venice will still be there another time.

I can't even begin to understand what you're on about.

You don't want to go to Venice. So why waste time and emotional energy fretting about it?

Personally, I'm a total Venice nut and find Bologna spectacularly underwhelming (though its cooking's good). But it's your holiday.

So where do you get all this crap about "everybody else says it is a much see" from? Everybody doesn't: lots of people loathe the place - especially Venetians, which is why practically none of them live there anymore. Even I loathe the place in July, when it's simply unbearable. In midsummer: it's not just like Disneyland (which I also loathe): it's infinitely worse. Smellier, hotter, dearer and more crowded.

As for "must see"? Is there some law that tells you where to go? Do you get beaten up by Immigration when you go to whatever country's home to explain why you found Venice missable?

There are just two rules in travel:

<b>1. There is no such thing as a "must see". The idea's a bloody stupid invention of third rate travel writers.

2. You've got the rest of your life to go and see somewhere you don't go and see now </b>

Actually, there is a third. Never accept fat-headed advice about travelling from other people. How do you know when it's fat-headed>? Well, a great indication is that the advice-giver uses "Venice in July" and "romantic" in the same sentence.

I also love Venice, but it's definitely a place to visit when there is an R in the month. To break that rule a little, I'd add May at the beginning and cross off September at the end.
It's also much more rewarding if you know something about the history of the City, its imperial past etc.
Some knowledge of art is also helpful, and many famous writers have written about it.

That said, I fell in love with it on a day trip and was determined to return.

I don't believe alloting 1.5 days for ANY destination
is sufficient.
DO let us know what the final decision is.

Like Flanner, I've never agreed with the concept of "must sees". I visit places because I want to go there, not because people say I should. I think Venezia is beautiful and magical, but if someone doesn't want to go there, that's their choice.
On my last visit to Italy, in July, my main objective was a trip to Isole Tremiti, a beautiful group of islands off the Gargano peninsula. Very few foreign tourists go there as it's presumably not a "must see". Everybody's tastes are different. There's no reason for everybody to visit the same places.