111op

Hi, I was thinking of skipping this, but I just found out that there're a series of works by Bosch in the Palace, so I probably should stop by and take a look.

I've checked the prices here:

http://www.museiciviciveneziani.it/f...ione=biglietti

It looks like I can buy a combined ticket for Museo Correr + Palace at 11 euros. I don't have time for anywhere else. Is this cheaper than buying separately?

According to this link, the Palace closes at 7 (ticket office closes at 6) (even on Sundays). Does this sound right to anyone?

http://www.museiciviciveneziani.it/f...rari-indirizzi

If I want to just show up and pop in and take a very quick look, would 5-ish be ok? What would be the best to avoid lines? What are the lines like?

Let's say if I go to Museo Correr and buy a pass there (presumably there'll be fewer people), with the pass can I just walk into the Palace?

I don't think that I want to commit to a visit by making a reservation in advance.

Needless to say, I don't have time for the Secret Itineraries Tour.

Thanks!

111op

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks.

caroline_edinburgh

I did book in advance as we were also going on the Secret Itineraries tour. But it would have been quicker not to have booked ! There was nobody queueing at all, but for our pre-reserved tickets we had to go to 3 separate desks. This was at 9am (with the tour booked for 10.45). I actually found the S.I. tour more interesting than the 'normal' parts of the palace.

111op

Thanks caroline. I don't have time for the SI tour -- but well, there's always the next trip. What you wrote about the Palace sounds encouraging and I'll just wing it when I get there.

caroline_edinburgh

The palace was busy when we finished the tour at about noon but I think you'd be fine c.5pm : I would imagine all the tour groups will have gone by then.

The thing that struck me generally about Venice was how many tour groups there are : not something I'd ever really noticed anywhere else. So I think if you go places earlier than the tour groups start, while they are having lunch or later on after they've gone, it's fine.

Having said that, the one place there were *always' long queues was St Mark's Basilica - even an hour before they opened. Booking a slot in advance was the best advice we received. You go in through the separate tour group entrance at the allotted time; and when we went, there was only us going in at that time (1305). Also they evidently don't let in many people at a time so it was really nice and quiet inside, despite there still being a long queue outside.

111op

Thanks. Venice is a tourist magnet.

A few months ago, I saw this documentary on Venice:

http://www.parnassusworks.org/

And it's pretty sad -- the city itself has a small population, and the tourist crowd is now many times that.

I'll book a slot for San Marco through alata.it. That's probably the only thing I still need to book. My understanding is that I won't get that much time inside the church -- but given my tight itinerary, I expect it all to be a blur.

RufusTFirefly

Caroline--if you want to see another spot with LOTS of tour groups, try Rothenburg o.d. Tauber. It's like an invasion every morning.

caroline_edinburgh

The booking for San Marco says you get 15 minutes but nobody is checking. I'd say we spent about 40 minutes, including paying extra to get into the part behind the altar with the silver screen thingy (sorry, don't have any reference material to hand & no time to look it up !), going up the tower & outside, & a brief look at the museum upstairs.

Rufus - er, where ?

111op

That sounds good.

That's the Pala d'Oro you're referring to, I think.

40 minutes sounds about perfect. I'm thinking of a 2:25 reservation, and the boat for San Lazarro leaves at 3:10.

smalti

Hi, 111op!

Last March in Venice, we bought passes at Museo Correr which covered the museum and the Palazzo Ducale, and the Nat'l Archaeological Museum and the Biblioteca as well. I'm sorry that I can't remember the price, but it did make getting into the palazzo quicker and easier.

We, too, had only a short time at the palazzo (less than 2 hrs.), in our case because we lost track of time at the Correr. We missed quite a bit, including any works by Bosch (I did see a painting by Pieter Brueghel in the Correr).

Because we were at the palazzo as closing time neared, we were given the bum's rush, along with everyone else, by the guards, and were hustled into the courtyard a few minutes before the actual hour.

As to San Marco, we too found that noone stopped us from staying for an hour or so. I didn't see the Pala d'Oro (dang it), but I did keep cutting back to look at the same mosaics again. Yes, I was a scofflaw, but not as bad as the people who were taking pictures (in full view of a "No Cameras" sign).

Hope you're able to see what you like, and that you have a great trip!

111op

Thanks smalti for the feedback! I'm looking forward to the trip.

I think that Correr has a work by Pieter Brueg(h)el the Younger, but I'm not positive. I was skimming Michelin Venice the other day. Supposedly the only Bosch paintings in Italy are the ones in Palazzo Ducale (according to Michelin Venice).

I'm planning to get the guide before leaving (or at least xerox the relevant pages).

I won't "lose track of time." I'll probably be using a stop watch (just kidding). It sounds like you had a nice trip!

Sue_xx_yy

Hi 111op. I wouldn't risk leaving it till as late as 5 if you have something you're really interested in seeing. Lines are one thing, but the watches of Italian museum officials sometimes keep very strange time. In other words, you want at least 2 hours in the Palace - not 1 hour 45 minutes - even if you skip the Itineraries tour, and especially if you want to see a special exhibit.

Thank you for the link. I personally think that while we tourists put a strain on Venice, the real enemy is the very thing that makes her unique; the tight little alleys and canals, and the low-lying situation vis-a-vis the sea. Florence and Rome get lots of tourists, too, but the tourists haven't driven out the locals from those cities.

111op

Hi Sue, the documentary on Venice is interseting. It argues that the infrastructure on the island is really geared towards the tourist. For example, there's a segment on how there's very little for care for newborns (complicated birth deliveries are done in Mestre, if I remember right). The population on the island is steadily declining (about 70-80,000, I think). The tourist population has grown exponentially (14 million now?).

Also there was an interesting case made about how dangerous to the environment the speeding water taxis are.

So it's not just an influx of tourists because the lack of infrastructure is making it difficult for the locals. But it's a bit of an evil cycle. People realize that they need to cater to tourists to survive, and then there are more tourists, etc. It's like a fossified museum. I had a friend who calls Venice a Disneyland.

I really can't get to Palazzo Ducale any earlier -- because I'm going to go to San Lazarro, and the boat (#20) leaves very infrequently. I think it comes back at 4:45 (so won't return until 5). And actually I probably need to go to San Zaccaria first because the church closes at 6.

I guess if I miss Palazzo Ducale, it's ok. I'll be back in Venice again, but I'm quite curious about the Bosch paintings there.