Lots of Venice Questions
 

Will be in Venice from 10/26-11/2/06; been there overnight in 2005 & did some wandering & some usual sights/tours. Will do the rest of the usual & the independent walking tours, but would also like to find some unique experiences (don't we all!). Please give me all of your suggestions.

1. Is there a place to view gondolas being built/repaired?

2. Know of any good, non-so-touristy shops for masks, lace, glass, tile art? I know - Venice = tourist! Ever heard of the small hand-made (supposedly) glass shop owned by Mauro Vianello at Calle della Mandol 3728? If so, any good in quality, really hand made, & price?

3. Know of any place that offers "hands-on" for mask making, art with tiles, cooking, or...?

4. Anyone been to the Gregorian mass on S. Giorgio Maggiore? If so, please give me your opinion & instructions. For instance, one piece of info says masses are closed to tourists; other says the Gregorian mass is at 11am - can we attend?

5. Anyone been to the cemetery island? If so, please tell me about it (I'm weird; I love to tour cemeteries & read tombstones!).

6. What is the Arsenale? Is there anything there to see/experience?

7. Anyone taken the Jewish museum tour, which includes the synagoge tour? If so, how was it? Only info I find says it is not worth it.

8. The Basilica interior lights - I've heard that sometimes they are "off" & it is too dark to really see anything. When are those times? Don't want to go there then!

9. Rialto Bridge - Our apartment is on the San Marco side; the hotel for checkin is on the opposite side. There is a vaporetto #1 landing on the hotel side at S.Silvestro, south of the Rialto Bridge. Anyone know this stop & area? How is the terrain; would hauling our luggage from there be easier than hauling it over the Rialto Bridge - twice? (Our hotel rec. taking #82 & getting off at the Rialto stop & crossing the bridge, twice!)

Or, does anyone know the San Marco side of the Rialto Bridge well enough to advise me if there is a place for one person to SIT with our luggage, while the other goes to the hotel & checks in? Not knowing how long it will take to find the hotel & checkin, I don't want the person with the luggage standing for a long time, especially after that long & sleepless flight!

10. Anyone know if the clock tower in San Marco is open? It was or is being renovated.

11. Any "different" types of tours you have heard of or taken? If so, please tell me about it/them.

12. Anyone watched the 12 minute "Intro to St. Mark's Basilica" video that is given in the "bag check" church next to St. Mark's?

13. Anyone take the tour offered inside the St. Mark's Basilica?

14. Anyone know where the Dalmatian School is located? Can't find it on my 2 maps or in my 2 tour books.

15. Anyone gone to Lido? What is it like?

16. Anyone been to the monastery island of San Francesco del Deserto? If so, were you welcomed by the monks & had good interaction?

17. Anyone checked a bag before going thru St. Mark's Basilica? If so, is it true that you got to skip to the front of the line?

Now that I have exhausted everyone, I'll say thanks in advance!

Julie

Let me just answer the question about the landing stop. There are a couple of cafes right by the San Marco side -- Rialto stop. I'd suggest one person stay there with the luggage, have a coffee and relax, and let the other one go do the "work". Much easier than lugging the stuff over that bridge twice!

Thanks Neopolitan. How about the other stop on the hotel side? Do you know about that terrain?

If not, at least we know there is a place to sit on the San Marco side.

Julie

I visit Mauro Vianello's shop when I am in Venice.He indeed makes the items right there in the shop.I have bought some lovely,unique things.Also,he's a hoot and will give you great recommendations for restaurants,activities!

Thanks, Massagediva. That is definitely one stop for us then! Looking forward to the visit & hopefully buying some nice, but not too expensive, souveniers!

Julie

Wow- you have done your research. Those are some great questions! I look forward to reading the answers. Thanks!
:)>-

The stop on the other side is also between a couple of restaurants, so yes, you could sit down, but I don't get the point of unloading your luggage there to carry across the bridge.

"Q #6. What is the Arsenale? Is there anything there to see/experience? "

The Arsenale was part of the naval shipyard during the heyday of Venice. Part of the Arsenale, the Corderie, is used as exhibition space for the Venice Biennale.

The Venice Architecture Biennale will be held during your visit. Worth checking out if you're interested in architecture.

http://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/

Q 17
I'm not sure of the location where you check bags for St Marks, but I do know they give you a pass which you show at the tour entrance. I booked advance reservations with St Marks online and also by-passed the line entering through the tour entrance. A friend entered at the same time with a pass she was given when she checked her bag.

7. Anyone taken the Jewish museum tour, which includes the synagogue tour?

We enjoyed this tour very much, but we're Jewish, so it represented our heritage, and is a nice change when we get over churched.

Julie,
3. Hands on tile mosaic workshops...Orsoni's. But I think that their workshops are 5 days in length.

5. San Michele...been several times. A beautiful cemetery.....full of history....look for Brodsky's grave.

9. Good advice about one of you staying with the luggage & the other going for the key.

16. San Francesco del Deserto is a wonderful visit. You have to call to make a reservation....and find transportation to the island.
Fr. Antonio (little Anthony) was our guide..he was a marvelous source of information...delightful. He was very happy to practice his english.
It is a beautiful peaceful oasis!!

My sister & I will be in Venice from Nov. 1st -16th....if you'd like to get together for a drink?
[email protected]

10. The clock tower has reopened.

11. We recently bought the Venice Chorus Pass, available at the tourist office along the water, just to the left of P. San Marco in a weird little modern building, if you are facing the water.

This pass allows entrance to a good many churches that charge admission, all over Venice proper. Comes with a map and descriptions, and we got to see a lot more than we previously had by hunting down the various churches. It was a very cool "self-guided" tour.

1. There's a gondola workshop (or 'squero') south of the church of San Trovaso, on the way to the Zattere. I don't think the building is open to the public, but they work outside in the yard, which you can see clearly from the opposite side of the canal.

You can also buy the Chorus Pass at any of the participating churches.

> 5. Anyone been to the cemetery island? If so, please tell me about it (I'm weird; I love to tour cemeteries & read tombstones!).

No, you are not the only one. Many tourists do that, perhpas on the way from Fondamente Nouve to Murano. Stravinsky is buried there. Its tomb is on the other end of the island from the vaporetto stop. Also an interesting view of Venice from there. For me it's also a bit like visiting Lido away from hectic tourist center of Venice.

> Anyone know if the clock tower in San Marco is open? It was or is being renovated.

It has been open again since last May. There was a big ceremony with some celebrities including Claudia Cardinale.

> 14. Anyone know where the Dalmatian School is located? Can't find it on my 2 maps or in my 2 tour books.

That's Scuola di S. Giorgio degli Schiavoni. I visited the place in Castello.
http://www.invenicetoday.com/art-tou...le/giorgio.htm

> 15. Anyone gone to Lido? What is it like?

Not bad to be there occasionally. In Nov, there is no beach crowd so can be a relaxing experince. A view over Venice from there is not bad either.

The first time I went to il Lido was last year. I totally hated it. It was loud, busy and dirty. I promised myself I would never go back. Of course, this was in Summer, on a Sunday, around 5 pm.

However, I was in Venice again last month because I really wanted a break from all the sightseeing, so I decided to give il Lido a second chance. I totally loved it. Of course, I went in Autumn, on a Thursday, around 1 pm.

I had ice-cream at a gelateria on the main street (Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta), and I was surprised when I got to the beach. There were very few people and, after walking for half an hour, I found a deserted spot near the Excelsior Hotel beach and it was great. The water was still and clear, and the beach was so peaceful that I wanted to go back the following day.

If you have time and you're interested, go there. If you don't like it, you just have to take the vaporetto back (it's a 10 minute ride). However, Venice is so beautiful that, if this is your first time, you'll want to spend every single minute of it in the city.

People usually hate il Lido, even my bookguide advices not to "waste our time on that disapointing island", but next time I go to Venice, I'll totally reserve a day for it.

> People usually hate il Lido, ...

Really ???? If it's YOUR opinion, I'm sorry I think you are wrong.

> even my bookguide advices not to "waste our time on that disapointing island" ...

Your guide seems down right wrong or too biased. True there are varied opinions but not that oneway negativity.

Q8 - When we visited 3 times in one trip the Basilica lights are usually dimmed (not off) and only once lit up in full - and that was only for 15 mins or so. When they are fully on it is absolutely stunning. When dimmed you ca still see the mosaics but the overall effect is more limited. Our hotel told us the timings are v. unpredictable so it is pot luck.

Q15 - we went to the Lido in winter. It felt like a holiday resort in winter! Good views but that was all.

Thanks for asking all these great questions that I didn't know I had!

Don't miss the beautiful glass in the shop in the Castello area. There are two locations but I only went to one of them. The lasy I met, Ketty, spoke beautiful English and was very informative. Alice in Wonderland was the name of the shop. You'll find lovely glass and mosaic pieces.
www.alicefinearts.com