loveners

Hi Fodorites

Would love some help from someone who has been to the Venezia Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio).

My Mum suffers occasionally from vertigo and the tour comes with this warning:
"The interior of the Clock Tower comprises various small spaces linked by narrow and steep stairs; The visit is not recommended for pregnant women or for those who suffer from claustrophobia, vertigo or heart conditions and respiratory diseases. "

So, my questions are, what was your impression of its small spaces / narrow steps? did you feel uneasy?

and secondly, did you enjoy the clock tower tour?

With some coaxing, I have managed to get Mum into some places that are tricky for those suffering vertigo. Just trying to work out whether to buy a ticket for Mum or let her loose on the shops solo.

Thanks Fodorites

PalenQ

Just tell you mum that the clock tower toppled over around 1900 and killed one cat.

AlessandraZoe

Claustrophobia rather than vertigo is more the problem. Quite frankly, I like the views on the square (St. Marks Cathedral, the bell tower, just to name a few) that look AT the clock rather the view from the clock.

Let her loose on the shops.

PalenQ

what happens if she freaks out on the too narrow stairs and finds it is not easy to go down due to traffic coming up - seems too dicey a proposal and yes some of those stairs are rather tiny IME

Dayenu

There is another tower - an elevator takes you up, and no stairs, you just walk around and go back, it was 3 Euro per person. It's in a church, you walk to the back for the elevator, and on the way admire the paintings. It's on an island... I think something with the word "Maggiore" - give me a minute to find my report!

Dayenu

San Giorgio Maggiore – the vaporetto stop is right by the church entrance (and the ride is beautiful!). Inside, on the left side in the back is the ticket counter for the ride up to the observation tower. If you’re afraid of heights, close your eyes. The view of Venice is so worth going to this island! Just don’t be startled by the bells, they probably play every hour on the hour, and if you are at the top of the tower they are loud.

ellenem

The bell tower toppled, not the clock tower.

I think a number of people on this thread are confusing the bell tower with the clock tower. The clock tower is visited by groups of 12 or less. On my visited this past March, my friend and I had the tour to ourselves. You are escorted the entire way so there is no problem with running into people coming back the other way on the stairs. Even if one id decide to go back down when others were still coming up, there are rooms and landings on each of the four or five levels.

I am not fond of heights, but I had no fears on this tour. When you are on the roof, you are in an area that is well set back from the edge of the building, you can move closer to the edge onto a balcony, but it is not required to do so in order to complete the tour.

The first stair when you enter goes straight up and may seem tighter than usual, but not incredibly so. From there on the stair spirals, but I did not find it offputting.

This was one of my favorite thing son my recent trip. The tour takes just under an hour, so it would be easy enough for your Mom to pass the time nearby if she opts out. Here's how I described it in my trip report:

"At 11:00AM we are back at the Museo Correr, our guide arrives, and we discover that we are the only ones on the tour. (Cost: 7€ each, reduced from 12€ because we have the museum pass) Our guide walks us through the porticos of Piazza San Marco to a small door in the archway at the bottom of the tower. A guard lets us in and follows us throughout the tour. We will have just 50 minutes to tour, so that we will be out of the tower before the noontime bells begin to chime. 132 steps to the roof, the tour stops on each level to learn about the mechanism, its importance as the first “digital” clock, and the life of the timekeeper and his family who lived among the gears, wheels, and incredible noise. Eventually we are on the top, right next to the bell and Moors, with a fabulous view over Piazza San Marco and the entire city — a very special opportunity."

a link to the rest of the repot which includes 8 nights in Venice:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

loveners

Thanks everyone for sharing your tips and experiences. Learning about the San Giorgio Maggiore tower was also great. I've discovered that we can observe the monk's mass there on a Sunday. Just need to triple check the time - some say 8am, some say 11am on Sundays.

Thanks again.