I had previosly posted this message but found a typo. My apologies.

We will be winding up our trip in Italy in Venice in March. Due to ff ticket redemptiom scheduling limitations we are leaving 36 hours apart. We will be spending 3 days in Venice together, then he leaves with our youngest child and I will still have almost 2 full days before leave with my 7 and 10 year old. I think after 3 days the kids may need a change of scenery. any suggestions for a good day trip or overnight trip would be welcomed. Our flight doesn't leave until 9:00 pm and we will have returned the car. Thanks

This is a little tough because the area around Venice is not exactly beautiful. It always reminds me of northern New Jersey as seen from the Turnpike -- swampy and industrial.

HOWEVER. Verona is wonderful and a reasonable train ride away for an overnight. It has a big Roman amphitheatre and a museum in a castle with armor and a famous statue of a soldier of fortune (don't know gender of your children) as well as (entirely spurious) Romeo and Juliet associations. The Dolomites (part of the Alps) aren't very far in the other direction. Could anyone suggest a scenic train ride?

There is a big amusement park called Gardaland just west of Verona. The kids might like that.

Friends have said their kids liked Ravenna best of all, but I've never been there.

You might want to visit areas of Venice that you did not have time for. For example, Burano and Torcello are stunning and most tourists do not budget enough time to visit these islands.

Also, you might be able to arrange for the children to visit mask workshop or gondelier factory. If not, there are plenty of glass demonstrations on Murano or Venice proper to amuse the children.

There are some beautiful summer mansions along the Brenta canal just outside Venice. It is a very pretty drive, and one villa of note is Villa Pisani.

Verona is beautiful, and is just an hour away. There is the fake Romeo and Juliet balcony and gravesite, and the very real Roman arena there.

Padua is also beautiful. Of note, is the magnificent Scrovegni Chapel. St. Anthony's Basilica is also worth a visit there.

Ravenna is doable as a day trip. The most spectacular mosaics could be found in that charming little city.

If either son has an interest in architecture, Vicenza might be interesting. Andrea Palladio designed important buildings in that nearby city.

Thanks to all. I really love this site.

It sounds like a good opportunity to visit the less explored areas of Venice with the older kids. We love to wander and discover, and at least one of us loves to eat.

Any suggestions on a good Venice map would be appreciated. We are thinking about getting a fairly decent GPS system, would this work in Venice?
Thanks.

Nah, don't bother with the GPS -- the town is not that big, and half the fun is getting lost.

Even if you don't know where you are, just about every corner has a sign pointing towards the Rialto or the Duomo, or something major, so you can always get back to a familiar place.

Good point. If we don't know where we're heading ,how can we be lost?