We?ll be in Venice between 1/9 and 1/14.

What?s the best way to find out when certain museums/attractions/etc will be closed? Also, what?s the best way to spend a day visiting Murano, Burano and Torcello?

Thanks!

Hi
Except for holidays, basic info on when attractions are open are closed can be found in many guidebooks and websites.
If you click at the top of this screen on Destinations and go to the Venice section, you should find lots of that sort of information.
also, www.aguestinvenice.com
has calendars of events and hours of admission

www.actv.it has vaporetto (water bus) schedules, including the routes that go to the lagoon islands.
Doing all three in one day will be pretty hectic. The boat ride to Torcello takes about 80 minutes alone.

If you have to pick and choose, Murano, although the closest to the main part of Venice, is less compelling to me unless you want to do some serious shopping for glass at one of the factories. If you're just looking for glass souvenirs or one bowl, there's plenty to be bought in Venice proper.

I have a file on Venice; if you'd like to see it,email me at
[email protected]

Hi,
We spent a week in Venice last January and had a great time. Did not find any problems with closings, in fact everything seemed to be open and there were very few tourists....almost none. The weather was sunny and clear almost everyday (we could even see the Dolomites across the Lagoon), though cold and often raw from the dampness. We wore our winter coats with turtlenecks and sweaters as well as scarves and gloves. We went to Murano and actually spent most of the day there walking the three small islands that make it up. It was also very cold on the water, but if you dress warmly it is not a problem. It was easy to pick out the "tourist" restaurants as they were empty and had the waiters outside asking you to come in. We headed for places with people in them as they were almost all locals at that time of year. It really was a magical trip and we felt that Venice was there just for our own enjoyment. Make sure you have hot chocolate overlooking Piazza San Marco at Cafe Florian. It was the most expensive hot chocolate we ever had, but worth every euro. We also splurged on a private guide our last day there, he specialized in decorative arts and architecture and was fantastic. He arranged a spectacular lunch and also invited us to the grand opening of a new gondola building yard owned by the first American gondola builder/craftsman, which was quite a treat. Have a wonderful time.

Do make a point of planning for really unpleasant weather. You may have nice sunny days, but rainy, cold, and windy could make for an unpleasant trip if you're not prepared, particularly as Venice would be an expensive place for the impromptu purchase of extra clothing. I would seriously suggest lightweight long underwear and waterproof boots, in addition to waterproof jackets and sturdy umbrellas.

I agree with elaine that side trips to the other islands are probably not the best use of your time on this trip.

One of the advantages of visiting Venice in January is that numerous hotels offer discounted rates. For example, the Pensione Accademia discounts its superior double rooms by 100 Euros, its standard doubles by 50 Euros, and its single rooms by 45 Euros during select periods during the winter months.

Thanks for your advice, guys. One question that's been nagging at me is just how much to bundle up. I live in Chicago and our winters are just brutal. I have a few coats for varying levels of cold, the warmest of which is a long down-quilted thing which I generally only wear on the coldest (40 degrees and below) days. I don't want to underdress, but I don't want to sweat my way around Venice, especially since we'll be on the move a lot. My other alternative is a knee length wool peacoat. Would that be sufficient, paired with hat, scarf and gloves?