The Veneto plus Venice- excursions by train?
 

You may get some ideas of where to go by train from Vincenza at these train-oriented sites: www.ricksteves.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.seat61.com. Verona, Lake Garda, and Padua would be easy - at Garda take boats for the day around the lake. Bologna is an easy day trips and to me one of the most underrated cities anywhere - great on rainy day as many sidewalks are covered; or go to Trento in Dolomites and take mountain train to Male.

Verona, Padua, Lake Garda (boats between Desenzano and Garda as well as between Malcesine and Riva will run), Trento, Mantova, Ferrara......

The most alpine areas of the Veneto are north of Belluno: Agordino, Zoldino, Cadore (Cortina d'Ampezzo, Misurina).
But these places may be a bit far away for day trips

Padua is the obvious choice as it has a small historic centre with lots to see and people watching. March is not the best time for this sort of thing but there may be days up to 18C with luck. Going a bit further they could also go off to Ferrara of say a round trip of Chioggia (on the Venice Lagoon) catch a Vaporetto (ferry across the lagoon) to Venice proper and then back to Verona on the train (it would probably take a day but more interesting than just going and coming back. Just south of Padua area group of three large hotels with natural spas in the basements ( I think you can book in for a day ticket) and might also be a chance to get out and about if the weather is rough.

I don't know anything about where they can go from Vicenza, but I do know a little about Venice having returned from my 5th visit there in the space of a year just a week ago.

You're right that the Hotel Santa Clara is reasonably easy to get to from the airport as it is right on the edge of Piazzale Rome which is where land ends and Venice begins and where the [land] buses stop. From the airport they should take the dedicated ATVO bus, [costs €8 pp for a single, runs every 20 mins and takes 20 mins] from right outside the airport building to Piazzale Roma and then it'll be a short walk to the hotel. However they will have to take a vaporetto [water bus] to get to the railway station [only one stop from the Piazzale Roma to "Ferrovia" i.e. station] at the end of their stay, or walk across Constitution Bridge. By then they should have got the hang of the vaporetti so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

The easiest way for them to get around Venice will be by vaporetto and with 3 nights there, a 48 hours vaporetto pass would be a good idea and costs €30 each; given that every full fare journey is now €8 they will soon have got their money's worth. That way they will be able to go further and see more, and to hop on a vaporetto when they feel tired, which may be an issue for your DD who needs treatment.

Vaporetto passes includes boat travel to remote islands like Torcello and Burano? Two really neat places - gives great view of Venice from afar over the water - an awesome sight.

Vaporetto passes includes boat travel to remote islands like Torcello and Burano? Two really neat places - gives great view of Venice from afar over the water - an awesome sight.>>

yes Pal, they are covered by all the vaporetto passes - and they are very expensive to get to if you buy individual tickets. But they can be hard to fit into just 2 days in Venice unless you are very keen to see the prettily coloured houses on Burano and the 1000 year old mosaics of the Basilica on Torcelllo. I love them but I'm not sure that they'd be my priority on a 3 night/2 day trip.

I'm not sure I would choose Hotel Santa Chiara for a three night stay. It is so busy around there and being right next to Piazzale Roma sort of takes the romance out of it all.

Might be better to cross the canal (on a vaporetto) and stay at one of the hotels in Cannaregio close to the train station, there are plenty where there are no bridges to cross and you can also get a porter to take luggage for you. It is busy on that side too but some hotels are down side streets and they will not see any cars or buses. Another idea would be to leave most of their luggage in the left luggage office at Piazzale Roma, and take only what is needed to a more central hotel.

I like Hotel al Ponte Mocenigo in Santa Croce. It is right by the San Stae vaporetto stop, less than a minute walk with no bridges. The Alilaguna Arancio line from the airport also stops at San Stae.

Sue4 - I too wondered about the wisdom of staying at the Santa Clara, [which I've never stayed at] but in the circumstances I think that it's as good a choice as any. And the girls can easily escape from the immediate area by walking south or east when after less than 5 minutes they will be in the heart of Venice.

That seals it, I think, Sue4. It would be a problem for virtually ALL other hotels in Venice. It will be much easier for them if they don't have to grapple with their luggage on the vaporetto or lug it over a bridge to get back to the Piazzale Roma. And as i say they can very quickly hop on a vaporetto or walk for a few minutes and they will be in Venice proper very quickly.

The office for buying vaporetto tickets [they should ask for 2 x 48 hour passes] is on Piazzale Roma on the left just before the ramp/steps that go down to the vaporetto stops on the grand canal. Very easy to find.