Top 10 List for Venice, Italy
Jul 17th, 2009, 09:44 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Top 10 List for Venice, Italy
My husband and I (55+) will be visiting Venice for 3 days in May of 2010. What are the top ten sights to see? We are into arts, churches somewhat and different unique sites. Also, I love ice cream. We will be staying at the Westin Excelsior. What are some good gelato places around that area? Does anyone know a good restaurant for lasagna? It is very hard to find good lasagna in New Jersey. Just doesn't compare to homemade like grandma used to make.
Thank you ahead of time for the advice.
Jo Juice
Thank you ahead of time for the advice.
Jo Juice
Jul 17th, 2009, 09:52 AM
#2
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Venice is not the place to go to find what most Americans think of as "Italian food," like lasagna. The culinary tradition in northern Italy is very different from southern Italy. Think rice and fish in northeastern Italy, not pasta and tomato sauce. I suppose there might be some restaurants in Venice that try to please visiting tourists with pasta dishes, but it wouldn't be what I'd look for in Venice.
Jul 17th, 2009, 10:07 AM
#4
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 2,367
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You might enjoy one of the guided tours by this man. www.venicescapes.org. He is an American who has lived in Venice a long time and we had a wonderful half day tour of church art in Venice with him last year.
Other sites we enjoyed a lot that not everyone gets to is the Peggy Guggenheim museum (modern art in her house) and the Ca’ Rezzonico (venice palace which is now an art museum).
A new art museum we did not see is http://www.wallpaper.com/art/punta-d...na-venice/3450
Another one we missed is the naval museum. That topic is so important to the history of Venice and the museum is supposed to be good.
Finally, for planning, if you haven't seen his book or BBC series, we loved Franceso da Mosto's Venice.
As for lasagne in Venice, don't know if you can eat it there but in a kitchenware shop there I bought a cool serving tool, like a cake server stainless steel but it has the word "lasagne" punched out on it.
Other sites we enjoyed a lot that not everyone gets to is the Peggy Guggenheim museum (modern art in her house) and the Ca’ Rezzonico (venice palace which is now an art museum).
A new art museum we did not see is http://www.wallpaper.com/art/punta-d...na-venice/3450
Another one we missed is the naval museum. That topic is so important to the history of Venice and the museum is supposed to be good.
Finally, for planning, if you haven't seen his book or BBC series, we loved Franceso da Mosto's Venice.
As for lasagne in Venice, don't know if you can eat it there but in a kitchenware shop there I bought a cool serving tool, like a cake server stainless steel but it has the word "lasagne" punched out on it.
Jul 17th, 2009, 10:46 AM
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 2,367
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is photo "proof" lasagne is available in Venice, but I have no idea where. http://www.travelpod.com/travel-phot....jpg/tpod.html
Jul 17th, 2009, 10:49 AM
#7
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 2,367
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And from Barilla pasta website there are regional variations on lasagne including for Veneto http://www.barillaus.com/Home/Pages/...OvenReady.aspx (Scroll down to bottom of that page.) (Now, laurie_ann, get off the google and get back to work!)
Jul 17th, 2009, 10:52 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How many days will you be there? Our visit last October was only for 3 days and we found ourselves so captivated by just wandering around that we never did much in the way of actual "sightseeing." Venice is a sight in itself! We did walk to the Peggy Gugenheim and totally enjoyed both the museum and the long stroll along the Grand Canal, with lots of stops to purchase miniature watercolors from local artists, some time at the Naval Museum and just sitting on the benches along the canal and watching the world go by.
We're returning with our daughter and two teen-age grandsons at Christmas and plan to be more organized
so I'll be picking up the 10 Tips book.
As for restaurants, Venice is one of those places that it's just nice to kind of come across a restaurant with a good-looking menu board. We travel off-season so it's easy to stop by places that seem to have a good local crowd and get a table. This is something I wouldn't do in Paris, London or Rome, but Venice just--to me--seems to encourage a very casual, slow, laid back attitude. You will love it!
We're returning with our daughter and two teen-age grandsons at Christmas and plan to be more organized
so I'll be picking up the 10 Tips book.As for restaurants, Venice is one of those places that it's just nice to kind of come across a restaurant with a good-looking menu board. We travel off-season so it's easy to stop by places that seem to have a good local crowd and get a table. This is something I wouldn't do in Paris, London or Rome, but Venice just--to me--seems to encourage a very casual, slow, laid back attitude. You will love it!
Jul 17th, 2009, 11:25 AM
#9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I ordered a vegetarian pizza at a small restaurant on a side street in Venice and got a cheese and tomato pizza with canned carrots and peas on top.
I did get a good chocolate chip gelato (gelati?) on a side street not far from Piazza San Marco. I don't think you'll have much trouble finding good gelato.
I did get a good chocolate chip gelato (gelati?) on a side street not far from Piazza San Marco. I don't think you'll have much trouble finding good gelato.
Jul 17th, 2009, 11:35 AM
#10
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sites we enjoyed (not necessarily the 'top ten' you may be looking for): San Marco and San Marco Square: tour the church and then have a drink and people watch and listen to the music; Doges Palace: book your tickets and possibly a tour, see the bridge of sighs and prison ; wander the jewish quarter, sit in the square and look carefully at the sculptures around you and on the walls; walk along the water on Dusoduro: stop for gelato and relax; Santa Maria church across the grand canal from the Westin Regina; patio at the Westin Regina for a glass of wine at sundown; Accademia galleries: check to see if any rooms/works are off limits due to restoration; gondola ride: but catch one off the beaten path away from the grand canal, you'll still take that route but the back waterways are fascinating and the costs can be less; Get lost and find the farmer's markets, fish markets, gondola workshop and remember, you're on an island and will eventually find your way!
Jul 17th, 2009, 05:11 PM
#13
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, for Florence I'd say these were/are our top ten: Accademia/David, Duomo, Uffizi gallery, Ponte Vecchio, Pitti Palace, window shopping in the high rent district(!), people watching and having a glass of wine in the piazza near the Uffizi (watch for really high prices but its worth it), the outdoor market/rubbing the hog's nose to ensure a return to florence, fiersole for a day, the american military cemetery just outside florence, day trip to Pisa or Sienna, climb the duomo dome, the bronze doors, michelanglo staircase...there is so much to see and do! for really outstanding leather goods, go to Anna Pitti shop across the street from the Pitti Palace.
Jul 17th, 2009, 08:37 PM
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,460
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I like the lasagna at Taverna San Trovaso in Dorsoduro and Al Garanghelo in San Polo - both pretty tradition renditions (meat, bechamel sauce.) La Zucca in Santa Croce has a changing pasta menu with, usually, a really wonderful and rich lasagna using local produce. I've had some pretty substandard lasagna in Venice, but I would go back to these three places in a heartbeat on a lasagna quest.
