Day trips from Venice
 

I'm looking for advice on day trips from the city, either by bus or by train. I have been considering Trieste and Padua, as I know they're quite close, though I am not adverse to going further afield. How feasible would, for example, a day trip to Rome be? Or Ljubljana? Does anyone have any other recommendations? I'm going next month (middle of January), so seasonal transportation will be a problem, I'm sure.

Also, is there anyone who has been to Trieste who knows if there are still any vestiges of James Joyce's residence there? I am a Joycean scholar and would love to chase up my 'old friend' there. (I have heard, for example, there's a cafe with a statue at a table where he used to sup regularly, but I don't know the name of it.)

Not Rome or Ljubliana, no way - just look at the map. But Padua is a must, about a half-hour by train, reserve here for the Giotti frescoes: www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it/eng/prenota_e.htm

And Ravenna works as a day trip - early fast train to Ferrara, slow train to Ravenna, walk to all the mosaics locations except the one in Classe (take a bus if you still haven't had enough...): www.turismo.ravenna.it/index.php?lang=2.

This will help with your JJ question:
http://www.units.it/~nirdange/netjoy...oyce/e_hp.html

Copy and paste this entire URL, for some reason Fodors only recognizes the first portion as a direct link:
http://www.units.it/~nirdange/netjoy...oyce/e_hp.html

The cafe in Trieste that you are referring to is most likely the Caffe Pasticceria Pirona:

www.pirona.it

verona, vicenza - the latter was delightfully surprisingly nice...padua, ravenna for the mosaics, are the easiest day trips of merit to me