Venice for 1 an 1/2 days is it worth it ?
Mar 29th, 2006, 06:31 PM
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Venice for 1 an 1/2 days is it worth it ?
My wife and I will be traveling to Italy for the 1st time, trying to get an overview, so please understand we already know we can't see it all . I am planning on flying into Venice and out of Rome.
I would really like to see Venice, because well who wouldn't. We will arrive at 11:30 am via plane from Chicago , with a connection - 14.5 HRs of travel. Then travel to our hotel. I am sure we stay awake and spend the late afterrnoon and evening with a leasure walk and dinner.
Day 2 we would see as much of the City as we could , and we understand we will never see everything, but what we see we will enjoy.
Day 3 will be a train to Florence at around 10:30 am , and we say good bye to the beautiful city of Venice.
Need to know is that short of a time frame worth it , or must I work it out to stay at least 1 more night.
I would really like to see Venice, because well who wouldn't. We will arrive at 11:30 am via plane from Chicago , with a connection - 14.5 HRs of travel. Then travel to our hotel. I am sure we stay awake and spend the late afterrnoon and evening with a leasure walk and dinner.
Day 2 we would see as much of the City as we could , and we understand we will never see everything, but what we see we will enjoy.
Day 3 will be a train to Florence at around 10:30 am , and we say good bye to the beautiful city of Venice.
Need to know is that short of a time frame worth it , or must I work it out to stay at least 1 more night.
Mar 29th, 2006, 07:24 PM
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A question like this cannot be answered without knowing what are the consequences. It seems like you already know the answer, but don't know what to cut. Tell us what decisions you're facing.
That said... you have the makings of as much as many people get to spend in Venice - - and you have four of the (possibly) best hours in Venice: the hour before bedtime (nights one and two) and the first hour you wake up (days two and three); moreover you may be inclined to be up at or before sunrise on day 2, and that is an extraordinary time to go discovering La Serenissima opening its eyes and stretching to wake up. Get out and walk for an hour before you do anything else - - you can come back and shower, breakfast, go back to bed, whatever else you night want to do. It's a splendid experience.
Would a third night be better? Sure, as your first day you may find that you are sleep-deprived, grumpy and tired. That's why I typically do not receommend flying into Venice - - it deserves a better slice of your trip, once you have adjusted to Italy, a new time zone, a new language, currenecy and the like. Still, make the best of what you have chosen for yourself.
But insisting that you find another night without knowing the bigger picture of your trip... is like advising someone at the North Pole... to go south.
Best wishes,
Rex
That said... you have the makings of as much as many people get to spend in Venice - - and you have four of the (possibly) best hours in Venice: the hour before bedtime (nights one and two) and the first hour you wake up (days two and three); moreover you may be inclined to be up at or before sunrise on day 2, and that is an extraordinary time to go discovering La Serenissima opening its eyes and stretching to wake up. Get out and walk for an hour before you do anything else - - you can come back and shower, breakfast, go back to bed, whatever else you night want to do. It's a splendid experience.
Would a third night be better? Sure, as your first day you may find that you are sleep-deprived, grumpy and tired. That's why I typically do not receommend flying into Venice - - it deserves a better slice of your trip, once you have adjusted to Italy, a new time zone, a new language, currenecy and the like. Still, make the best of what you have chosen for yourself.
But insisting that you find another night without knowing the bigger picture of your trip... is like advising someone at the North Pole... to go south.
Best wishes,
Rex
Mar 29th, 2006, 07:30 PM
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i think it is worthwhile, but make sure you get a central hotel--not far from the grand canal would be my choice...venice is not very big and in one day you could see quite a bit....i would spend the day walking around rather than visits to any specific locations like museums....i would eat a qucik sandwich for lunch and keep moving...
Mar 29th, 2006, 08:04 PM
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Even if you do get another night, it won't be that much more time, so I think the key to either plan to see and do just a few things, and really enjoy them and take your time with them, rather than try to get through a checklist and rush around.
Perhaps you already know your top 3. For me, I would skip some of the big indoor time consumers -- skip a tour of the Doge's Palace, skip the Accademia museum unless painting is very important to you -- and skip anything with a line to see a view. I'd also say skip the tourist markets around the Rialto bridge. I would also suggest you skip all the recommended eat treats -- like a bellini at Harry's bar or committing yourself to this or that restaurant -- in favor of wandering the streets and getting by with whatever's handy to eat.
Topping my list of things to see in Venice would be the Basilica San Marco, Titian's Assumption at Santa Maria dei Frari and at least one of the scuolas (probably San Rocco). A walk up to the Jewish Ghetto or deep into the Arsenale or Dorsoduro away from the crowds, will give you plenty of pretty memories.
And for your final morning in Venice, I strongly reccommend you pack up the night before and make the effort to get up before dawn and visit Piazza San Marco when it will be empty and you can see how extraordinarily beautiful it is. Grab a cup of coffee at the bar from Florian's when it opens, then get back to your hotel to pick up your luggage before getting on your train. You can doze on your way to Firenze.
What would you have to give up to spend another night in Venice?
Perhaps you already know your top 3. For me, I would skip some of the big indoor time consumers -- skip a tour of the Doge's Palace, skip the Accademia museum unless painting is very important to you -- and skip anything with a line to see a view. I'd also say skip the tourist markets around the Rialto bridge. I would also suggest you skip all the recommended eat treats -- like a bellini at Harry's bar or committing yourself to this or that restaurant -- in favor of wandering the streets and getting by with whatever's handy to eat.
Topping my list of things to see in Venice would be the Basilica San Marco, Titian's Assumption at Santa Maria dei Frari and at least one of the scuolas (probably San Rocco). A walk up to the Jewish Ghetto or deep into the Arsenale or Dorsoduro away from the crowds, will give you plenty of pretty memories.
And for your final morning in Venice, I strongly reccommend you pack up the night before and make the effort to get up before dawn and visit Piazza San Marco when it will be empty and you can see how extraordinarily beautiful it is. Grab a cup of coffee at the bar from Florian's when it opens, then get back to your hotel to pick up your luggage before getting on your train. You can doze on your way to Firenze.
What would you have to give up to spend another night in Venice?
Mar 29th, 2006, 08:25 PM
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Hi Mikey, well I was going to say what Neopolitan said, I concur 100%.
And agree with the other posters and especially nessundorma.
You will be arriving in Venice, of course you want to visit this beautiful city for a bit. And if you do not try to see all the sites and just let yourself wander around I am sure you will be so happy with your decision. You may find you enjoy it more than those that try to take in all the "have to sees" and stand in line and keep looking at their watch.
And agree with the other posters and especially nessundorma.
You will be arriving in Venice, of course you want to visit this beautiful city for a bit. And if you do not try to see all the sites and just let yourself wander around I am sure you will be so happy with your decision. You may find you enjoy it more than those that try to take in all the "have to sees" and stand in line and keep looking at their watch.
Mar 30th, 2006, 04:42 AM
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An interesting thought:
Last time we were in Venice we ran into my partner's dermatologist, his wife, and two young daughters. Seems they were in Italy for two weeks, staying near Lake Garda, and decided at the last minute to come to Venice for the day. That was it -- one day in Venice. So now what do they say their favorite thing in Italy was? Venice! They actually don't realize how much they missed. They only think about what they saw, which to them was wonderful.
So this is a glass half-empty, half-full thing. Those of us who have spent time in Venice will know what you DIDN'T see, but you will only revel in the wonderful things you DID see, no matter how little time you do spend there.
Last time we were in Venice we ran into my partner's dermatologist, his wife, and two young daughters. Seems they were in Italy for two weeks, staying near Lake Garda, and decided at the last minute to come to Venice for the day. That was it -- one day in Venice. So now what do they say their favorite thing in Italy was? Venice! They actually don't realize how much they missed. They only think about what they saw, which to them was wonderful.
So this is a glass half-empty, half-full thing. Those of us who have spent time in Venice will know what you DIDN'T see, but you will only revel in the wonderful things you DID see, no matter how little time you do spend there.
Mar 30th, 2006, 05:07 AM
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I think it can be worth visiting Venice for 1 and 1/2 days if you know what you're doing - and quite obviously, you do already know it:
- You'll get but a superficial impression of the city, and even as a superficial impression it will be incomplete.
- You'll see about 2 percent of what Venice boasts.
- You'll have to come back.
If you know about these premises, and accept them, just go. Important thing is that you don't try to judge Venice by what you will see on this trip (recently, a poster said that one afternoon in Venice was all he needed, and that the city wouldn't deserve a longer stay - just because HE had only spent an afternoon there. Understand what I mean?), just try to catch a few impressions that make you curious to come back and see more.
And given these premises, stick to nessundorma's excellent advice (welcome back, nessundorma!) and avoid the crowded sights, or at least most of them. DON'T make that typical Canal Grande - S. Marco - Rialto tour without visiting anything anywhere else, or you will end up with bad feelings about Venice (if you decide to go exclusively where everyone goes, you can't complain about the tourist crowds - being part of them!).
I'll add to nessundorma's shortlist: the Scuola di S. Giorgio degli Schiavoni (with Carpaccio's masterly paintings, and without tourists); Casa Goldoni, the house where Carlo Goldoni lived (excellent and actually refreshing little museum, no visitors); maybe S. Giovanni Elemosinario near Rialto, or S. Salvatore, with more terrific Tizian paintings. And I wouldn't skip the Rialto markets - before noon, they're by no means for the tourists, but for the local housewives, and especially the fish market has no equal.
- You'll get but a superficial impression of the city, and even as a superficial impression it will be incomplete.
- You'll see about 2 percent of what Venice boasts.
- You'll have to come back.
If you know about these premises, and accept them, just go. Important thing is that you don't try to judge Venice by what you will see on this trip (recently, a poster said that one afternoon in Venice was all he needed, and that the city wouldn't deserve a longer stay - just because HE had only spent an afternoon there. Understand what I mean?), just try to catch a few impressions that make you curious to come back and see more.
And given these premises, stick to nessundorma's excellent advice (welcome back, nessundorma!) and avoid the crowded sights, or at least most of them. DON'T make that typical Canal Grande - S. Marco - Rialto tour without visiting anything anywhere else, or you will end up with bad feelings about Venice (if you decide to go exclusively where everyone goes, you can't complain about the tourist crowds - being part of them!).
I'll add to nessundorma's shortlist: the Scuola di S. Giorgio degli Schiavoni (with Carpaccio's masterly paintings, and without tourists); Casa Goldoni, the house where Carlo Goldoni lived (excellent and actually refreshing little museum, no visitors); maybe S. Giovanni Elemosinario near Rialto, or S. Salvatore, with more terrific Tizian paintings. And I wouldn't skip the Rialto markets - before noon, they're by no means for the tourists, but for the local housewives, and especially the fish market has no equal.
Mar 30th, 2006, 05:23 PM
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Thanks everyone. I will be going in late September.
My trip will consist of Venice 2 Nights.
Florence 3 Nights ( 2.5 days when you figure the train travel from Venice )
Sorrento 3 Nights ( 2.5 days whit travel time )
Rome 4 Nights (3.5 days with the travel time from Sorrento)
We want an overview, we will be traveling via train, and wil have a private driver for day trips, from Florence , and Sorrento
That said .. I welcome your comments, and suggestions.
The one thing I DON"T Like about my plan is the travel from Chicago to Venice 12.5 Hrs with 2 hr lay over in Brussels airport.I welcome comments about option 2 - Fly in and out of Rome non stop, & board a train to either Venice or Sorrento, which is probably about the same travel time, maybe longer since I will have to make my to a Train station after a long flight.
My trip will consist of Venice 2 Nights.
Florence 3 Nights ( 2.5 days when you figure the train travel from Venice )
Sorrento 3 Nights ( 2.5 days whit travel time )
Rome 4 Nights (3.5 days with the travel time from Sorrento)
We want an overview, we will be traveling via train, and wil have a private driver for day trips, from Florence , and Sorrento
That said .. I welcome your comments, and suggestions.
The one thing I DON"T Like about my plan is the travel from Chicago to Venice 12.5 Hrs with 2 hr lay over in Brussels airport.I welcome comments about option 2 - Fly in and out of Rome non stop, & board a train to either Venice or Sorrento, which is probably about the same travel time, maybe longer since I will have to make my to a Train station after a long flight.
Mar 30th, 2006, 05:46 PM
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Mikey, when I fly to Venice it is from SFO. I have about 3 hours to change planes in Amsterdam..actually being able to walk around, use the restrooms, get something to eat, get through security etc. makes the time go by quickly. If you want to see Venice it makes more sense IMO to fly into Venice and home from Rome.
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