Thanks everyone for the additional responses.

I now know that this really isn't (at least my idea of)a day trip.

global_guy: thanks for the slovenia ideas. I'll take a look at those as well.

Back to planning and surfing!

Cheryl

As expected, some think 3 days in Venice is OK, and some don't. It's always going to be a personal thing.

To explain where I'm coming from, we cover many locations initially, we then (years later) return to those we liked for a more in-depth coverage and extend the superficial coverage a bit further. Given the cost and distance from our remote corner of the world, we can't do "in-depth only". We simply couldn't get there often enough to see much beyond a handful of places if we did that.

Our upcoming trip (in Sep/Oct) for example, is a fairly indepth look at places in UK & France that we loved on earlier trips, followed by a quick jaunt across the top of Italy and into Slovenia & Istria, none of which we've done before.

A future trip (if we're lucky) will then cover these last countries in greater depth, and extend further into...Hungary?...Romania?....

I realise we could head south into Tuscany this time, rather than east into Istria, and indeed maybe we will...it'll be a decision we make on the day...but my feeling right now is toward the former. Variety this time, consolidation next time?

Twoflower; If you'd like any recommendations for your upcoming Slovenian visit, feel free to ask. I don't know where you're at with planning, but I've been there a few times.

Thanks global_guy, and, yes, any suggestions are most welcome. At the moment we're thinking Llubljana and Bled in Slovenia, but if you have any other ideas...?

We like smaller places as a rule, but Llubljana appeals because my impression is that it might be like Prague was before Prague got too touristy. Is that a fair assumption?

...for example, what are the words for petrol and diesel in Slovenia and Croatia?

Hi Twoflower,
I would consider the drive through Triglav National Park as it's quite dramatic and gorgeous, and there are a couple little things to see on the way.

I would budget a little time in Bled to enjoy some of the outdoor activities like rafting, if that's your idea of fun. The Slovenian outfitters working in Bled were very professional and alot of fun, not to mention a fraction of the price of what you'd pay in North America.

Try to go to Gostilna Pri Planincu for dinner in Bled. They have good local dishes in large portions at a decent price and the atmosphere is rather authentic too. I can't comment too much on other restaurant in Bled sinec I end up going back there time and time again.

You could go to Piran for a day.

I have been to Putj and wouldn't recommend it unless you've seen the other things in Slovenia first. It was small and quaint, but it's main draw is the outdoor thermal baths which seem to be a hit with locals.

Finally, I would highly recommend the Skocjan Caves as being worth a detour. The caves are on the UNESCO list and I can't imagine anyone, including those who have been to a few caves, not being impressed by their size and geological features including a roaring underground river.

We love Venice. I think Venice is very do-able in 3 days. And I think it is quite possible to spend weeks. Just depends on the traveler, the itinerary, the total time involved, etc.