To keep from packing and unpacking, my husband and I will be spending a week in Sirmione and a week in Venice. We will not be driving ourselves. Day trips to other spots on Lake Garda, Verona and Murano, etc. will be easy by bus or boat. However, does anyone have the name of a good guide/tour company for day-long trips from Sirmione and/or Venice? We like to leave the driving to someone else.<BR><BR>Many thanks!

Hi<BR>You mentioned Verona and Murano.<BR>What other day trips from Venice did you have in mind?

You can do the islands of Murano and Burano in one day trip easily by getting a boat from St Marks. Dont be tempted by a visit to the glass factories - tourist trap!<BR>We spent a week in Venice last year, visited the islands and just wandered throughout Venice. However, if you want to go outwith Venice, Verona is lovely and there are lots of other places you can go by train from Venice.<BR>

Actually, if you are interested in glass blowing and glass art (like I am) the factories on Murano are great. There's no requirement that you buy anything. Don't forget the islands of Burano and Torcello. There are a number of lesser known islands as well--check them out to see if they fit your interests. If you're going to be in Venice during the warm weather months, you might also visit the Lido of Venice.

<BR>The bigger tourist towns along Lake Garda (of which Sirmione is one) have travel kiosks. These offer various day trip- you can typically book the day ahead (taking the weather forecast and interest level into account).<BR><BR>Some I remember being offered were to Verona - and the Opera there, Mantua, Trento, Malcesine, Gardaland (ICK),and Riva (by boat).<BR><BR>Do try and get to the North end of the lake as the topography changes dramatically - beautiful mountains.<BR><BR>Also popular are Garda for shopping (there is a contemporary porcelain shop there. The workshop is in the hills behind Garda. Most of their work is for 5 star hotels throughout the world - fabulous).<BR><BR>Or take the new cablecar up Mt. Baldo from Malcesine. Many day hikes offered.

From Venice you can easily daytrip to lovely Treviso. I was there a few weeks ago for an exposition (Van Gogh) and found the town to be a slamm jewel. From Venice (Mestre or Santa Lucia) it is just a short train trip (some 20 minutes), the station is right beside the center. Treviso has canals just like Venice, to me it is what Venice should actually have been, or maybe was before the tourist hordes invaded it.

I understand the desire to do daytrips to see as much as possible.I recommend taking the vaporetto to murano and Burano but that is not really a daytrip it is rather local.<BR>Verona has some nice sights but if I had a week in Venice I would stay there for the <BR>remainder of the time.RR