Been away--I'm the one surprising my sister for her 60th birthday (she's never been anywhere, and I decided it's about time!), combined w/ several days alone w/ my husband. Bear with me. I have a complicated itinerary involving three of us coming and going. I'm the only one in Italy for 2 weeks--lucky me--I planned that well, didn't I? My husband and I arrive in Venice 9/20 and have 4 nights b/f my sister arrives, also in Venice, on 9/25. Am thinking of doing CT our first 4 nights in Italy (he's done Florence and Rome and isn't interested in spending any time in either place), back in Venice to stay one night b/f sis arrives, one additional night after she arrives (2 nights total). Husband trains it to Rome from Venice 9/26 and flies home on 9/27. Sis and I plan to play around Tuscany 9/26-9/28 (3 nights) (rent car in Orvieto or Florence) then train to Rome where we'll be for 5 nights 9/29-10/4. Back to the first party of the trip: Husband doesn't want to spend too much time in museums and loves being near the water (me too!) and CT sounds great. I've read lots of advice here on places to stay, etc. (which I need to study more), but my big question right now is how should we get to CT from Venice? It doesn't look easy from the maps I've studied--especially after the long flight from Chicago. Was trying to avoid another night in Venice b/c of price and the fact that we're going back there when we meet up with my sister. HELP! And, should I be booking hotels in CT right now?

I would try to help if I could just read it. Paragraphs would help. The CT is too far for you after arrival--why not Lake Garda.

Thanks, sorry about the format. It does look ridiculous. I'm new at this so I'll try to be more accommodating since I plan on doing this a lot more. I've seen your postings and you're the pro. I'll look at Lake Garda--know nothing about it.

Go to trenitalia site. You put in departing city and arrival city and they tell you best way to get there. You don't need a car for the CT but you may want to rent one for Tuscany with your sister. 2 nights in the CT would be O.K. but 3 would be better.

I would find something "near the water" that is both closer to Venice and with more convenient access than the CT, especially since you need to return to Venice to meet your sister.

All of you know Venice, already? Cause if no, none of you will see anything of it. Two nights in Venice for you, one each for DH and sis? I repeat, if you don't already have a thorough knowledge of the city and just have that insatiable desire e.g. to go for dinner at La Botte, you might as well skip Venice entirely; and if you and DH already know it, what are you planning with your sister there? One water bus ride, one coffee, and hop on the train?
What I'm trying to say is that if you DON'T have that thorough knowledge of Venice, you might just stay where you are till your sis arrives. There is water enough in and around the city, and you could enjoy the laguna in long boat rides. And as for the museums of Venice city, they are certainly great, but noone is forced to go inside; there is so much more to admire, be it sightseeing or just strolling around...

my dear franco, neither my DH nor I have ever been to Venice so I don't presume to know it at all; but I really don't think I want to stay there for 5 days and then a couple more so my sister can enjoy it too. I'm told by EVERYONE, that it's very expensive. (Maybe you know something we don't know. Please advise.) I'll listen to any suggestion you have except for one that calls for a lengthy stay there that would break the bank.

Maybe I don't have time to go to CT in between Venice arrivals and still give the city a respectable visit, so then what would you suggest? Is there an area near Venice on the coast (or not) that's interesting (but not Tuscany because we're doing that later) and not quite as expensive? thanks. I do appreciate your input!

I didn't find Venice all that terribly expensive. It just depends what you do with your time. Walking around is free, the vaporettos are cheap, there are casual restaurants to be found.

I've been to Venice twice and stayed 5 days each time, which was perfect for me. Could have easily spend another 5 days without running out of things to do.

Well, expensive or not, that's of course different for everybody, and I agree that many things are unreasonably expensive in Venice. But if you refrain from eating out too often, i.e. if you rent an apartment with a kitchen where you can prepare some meals for your own (I don't know anything about your likes and dislikes, but for me, it's much of the fun a holiday boasts to prepare my own meals with all the gorgeous ingredients I can buy on a foreign market - and there is hardly any market anywhere like the one at Rialto, and no, it is not expensive!). And as suze said, walking around is free, you don't need to go inside the museums (which you don't want to, anyway, but it also helps sparing money - entrance fees are high). And I was absolutely serious about the laguna - it is great for people who love the water, and water buses are doing many parts of it; if you buy a one-week-ticket, it's not too expensive. (Of course, the fun would be even greater if you could rent a small private boat with a driver for your laguna rides; but that's REALLY expensive.)
If you and DH really want to take a leave from Venice between your and your sister's arrivals, I'd rather rent a car and visit the Veneto - Palladio's villas are worth each and every detour, and there is plenty of coast for a day on the beach; also Lake Garda is doable. But to go as far as the CT for such a short time would be, for me at least, a hassle and not a holiday

I'm intrigued by the idea of going to Lake Garda for a couple days. Any suggestion for a hotel there, and is there a train there from Venice?

Lake Garda is on the main line from Venice to Milan and there are trains about hourly. It takes about 2 hrs. I think Desenzano del Garda is the larger station and it is possible to catch a ferry from there to towns up the lake. We stayed in Limone near the north end and found it to be delightful with several hotels right on the lakefront. I can't recall the name of the one where we stayed.