How long in Venice?
 

Hi. I need some advice on what the best amount of days is in Venice!

I've been before with my husband ( at the time for 3 days) and I'm now taking my daughter (almost 16) as a surprise for her birthday. She's a kid who is into everything, from gorgeous nature to museums and sites.

The choice I have to make is:

1. to be with her in Merano in the mountains, for 2 days, and then Venice for 2 1/2 days,
OR
2. to be in Merano for 3 days and Venice for 1 1/2 days.

(The only other possibility is extending the trip (incurring fee charges for the change of flights plus the difference in the more expensive flights) and having 8 days to play with between Merano and Venice. If I do that, how would you divide it?).

Thanks!

Thanks

Option 1, definitely.

Option 1

The big issue is not the "days" it is the nights, and the travel time, really - - plus where you are staying. Plotting out the transitions (train to vapo to bus to airport, etc.) is essential to really figuring out how much time you have really (but maybe you have already done this?).

If you have, then I think either option 1 or 2 is really fine. Either option gets you a "flavor" of Venice, and a fine flavor it is (unless you are staying right by the train station). Time up there in the German (the Italians claim it, but it is German) Alps is really fresh and friendly too. It is casual, and uncongested. Venice can be VERY congested.

Option 1 should work out to see the special spots in Venice and the enjoy visiting some of the museums and churches.

We have just returned from Venice having spend just 2 days there.

Venice gets crowded as the day progresses, so we decided to begin our day sightseeing early and thus were able to accomplish a whole lot in just 2 days.

We almost never stood in very, very long lines. So, I suggest to figure out what sights you want to see and then map out everything so you save lots of time. Once the tour groups begin arriving sometimes there were shoulder to shoulder people on the little bridges and small alleys.

But we had fun, saw everything we wanted, ate good food and enjoyed the weekend thoroughly.

Option 1, or better yet all 5 days in Venice.

I'm not sure why but Venice seems to be one of those cities everyone says "1-2 days is enough". I cannot fathom why.

I'm with you, suze . Venice is a dream that I could never get enough of!

We spent a week in Venice with our kids then aged about 20 and 17 and never ran out of things to do. I think that you are seriously underselling Venice in both itineraries.

I've been to Venice twice, once in the middle of a Switzerland trip, once in between Switzerland and Paris. I stayed 5 days each time. Barely scratched the surface. If I only had 1-2 days, honestly I'd skip it.

We spent 2 days in Venice as part of a 3 week Italian holiday. Of course we couldn't do every last thing, but 2 days was a good amount for us to get a taste and honestly 5 days would have been way too much for us. In fact, we've been back to Italy several times but never to Venice again and probably wouldn't unless we were travelling with someone who specifically wanted to go there. To each their own!

The Dolomites are gorgeous but I would spend as much time as possible in Venice. Of course I would rather extend the trip, but changing flight schedules can be very costly.

More is better when it comes to Venice; I agree with the "get out early, stay out late" philosophy, avoiding San Marco/San Zacharia at mid day to degree possible. Vaporetto around town for sure.

Consider spending time in Cannaregio -- not near train station but in the neighborhood cafes, along the canals,etc.

Even in the height of the tourist season, if you head away from San Marco you can soon escape the crowds. The area towards the eastern end of Castello round the Giardino vaporetto stop and the northern parts near St Gi e Pi [the hospital dedicated to Saints Giovanni and Paolo] are good places to escape the hoards, as well as Cannareggio.

My five days in Venice recently left me wanting more, but then I am generally the sort of traveler that can't imagine spending one or two nights anywhere.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. This is such a hard one.

dfourth, the options I set out are after taking travel time into account - ie. net time. It's a great point though, thanks.

annw and annhig, I actually booked a hotel in Cannaregio, thanks for suggesting that area.

I know this sounds ridiculous, but for some reason I just can't decide what to do. When I went to Venice with my husband, 3 days were fine. (On the other hand, we were on the way to Florence and then Rome and I was ecstatic about that.. This time I don't have that option).

I'm seriously consideing ( well, fantasizing) extending the trip by changing the flights...it's a bit crazy, but I don't want to feel the 4 1/2 day trip ( net) is too short.

So my question is: if I have 8 days to play with between Merano and Venice (Saturday to Saturday net time without travel - arriving Friday night, leaving Sunday morning), how would you divide it?

tamaraten - I don't think that we've asked what time of year you're going to be doing this trip.

do you both like walking? if so, perhaps a 4/4 split? but otherwise, I would definitely tend towards 3/5. There are some great shops in Venice which may well appeal to her - and you.

I don-t think it is at all crazy to consider changing the flights. Nor do I think this is a no-brainer. I would also have a hard time deciding.

I honestly doubt most people here have ever been to Merano. It's not in the Dolomiti. So maybe that is why they are so ready to give you an answer. Of course it is no contest if you've no interest in the other place.

A lot of this I think depends on what time of year you are going. How disappointed will your daughter be if all the time you spend in Merano is rainy -- or are you going over Christmas? You mention her love of nature, and do you think perhaps the natural environment of Venice would intrigue her?

If you change the flights I think I might split it down the middle if this is going to be a surprise that she hasn't had the opportunity to weigh in on.

Is there a reason you are choosing Merano over a location in the Dolomiti?

suze,

I hope you don-t mind my saying that if you really cannot fathom a trip other than the one you would take then if there is something to be skipped here, why not you skipping the thread? I see posts all the time about trips I can't fathom taking, but since so many other people take them and enjoy them, plainly those can be rewarding . It all depends on who the travelers are, not what the destination is. Travel is just as much about other people as it is about other places -- especially when you are traveling with somoene else.

Taking

annhig, sandralist and all, I'm now in Merano, king time by myself for a few days after a very difficult year.

My daughter is in Paris on a high school program, learning French.

She is supposed to leave Paris to fly home next Friday, August 1st and I was supposed to fly home the day before and be there when she returned. But then I thought of the surprise, of arranging her flight to Merano or Venice instead. First I thought Venice only, that we'd meet there, but now that I'm in Merano, at a beautiful place, I love it and think she could use the nature/tranquility for a couple of days.

I originally changed flights to return home from Venice on August 7th, but now I'm seriously considering changing it to August 10th.

Sandralist, thanks for the encouragement! I think she would really love both places.

She doesn't know of any of this yet. I plan on letting her know later in the week that she's not flying directly home- she's going to flip!

annhig, sandralist and all, I'm now in Merano, king time by myself for a few days after a very difficult year.

My daughter is in Paris on a high school program, learning French.

She is supposed to leave Paris to fly home next Friday, August 1st and I was supposed to fly home the day before and be there when she returned. But then I thought of the surprise, of arranging her flight to Merano or Venice instead. First I thought Venice only, that we'd meet there, but now that I'm in Merano, at a beautiful place, I love it and think she could use the nature/tranquility for a couple of days.

I originally changed flights to return home from Venice on August 7th, but now I'm seriously considering

annhig, sandralist and all, I'm now in Merano, king time by myself for a few days after a very difficult year.

My daughter is in Paris on a high school program, learning French.

She is supposed to leave Paris to fly home next Friday, August 1st and I was supposed to fly home the day before and be there when she returned. But then I thought of the surprise, of arranging her flight to Merano or Venice instead. First I thought Venice only, that we'd meet there, but now that I'm in Merano, at a beautiful place, I love it and think she could use the nature/tranquility for a couple of days.

I originally changed flights to return home from Venice on August 7th, but now I'm seriously considering changing it to August 10th.

Sandralist, thanks for the encouragement! I think she would really love both places.

She doesn't know of any of this yet. I plan on letting her know later in the week that she's not flying directly home- she's going to flip!

annhig, sandralist and all, I'm now in Merano, king time by myself for a few days after a very difficult year.

My daughter is in Paris on a high school program, learning French.

She is supposed to leave Paris to fly home next Friday, August 1st and I was supposed to fly home the day before and be there when she returned. But then I thought of the surprise, of arranging her flight to Merano or Venice instead. First I thought Venice only, that we'd meet there, but now that I'm in Merano, at a beautiful place, I love it and think she could use the nature/tranquility for a couple of days.

I originally changed flights to return home from Venice on August 7th, but now I'm seriously considering changing it to August 10th.

annhig and sandralist, and all, I'm now in Merano, alone, taking a few days after a very difficult year.

My daughter is in Paris, on a high school program, learning French.

She was supposed to fly home from Paris on August 1st, and I was supposed to fly home the day before to be there when she got home. Then I got the idea for her to meet me in Venice on August 1st instead of flying home, and we'd be in Venice until August 7th as a surprise.

Now that I'm in a beautiful place in Merano, I was thinking she should come here first, spend a few days with me here ( or a couple) and then we'd go to Venice together, thus the original 4 1/2 day question of splitting. Now I'm thinking of extending the flights until August 10th, thus the new 8 day dilemma!

Sandralist, thanks for your encouragement! I really think shed love both places. She too could use a little tranquility. I don't want to change around and go to the Dolomites- I prefer to stay put and then add Venice.

She doesn't know about this yet- I want to figure it out first. She's going to flip!

Sandralist, thanks for the encouragement! I think she would really love both places.

She doesn't know of any of this yet. I plan on letting her know later in the week that she's not flying directly home- she's going to flip!






changing it to August 10th.

Sandralist, thanks for the encouragement! I think she would really love both places.

She doesn't know of any of this yet. I plan on letting her know later in the week that she's not flying directly home- she's going to flip!