Venice: Guided tour for Doge's Palace or going on your own?
Apr 11th, 2007, 04:29 PM
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Venice: Guided tour for Doge's Palace or going on your own?
Greetings Fodorites! I'm in the process of planning my first trip on my own to Italy next month (17 days,Florence,Pisa,Lucca, Siena,Verona,Venice, Rome)for our family. Have learned so much about how to do this from all of you --- grazie, grazie. Still unsure about many things, particularly train travel, but here's my question of the moment. Is is worthwhile to book a guided tour of Doge's Palace & Secret Itinerary (eg, www.tours-italy.com)or just make my own reservations and use Rick Steves' guidebook? Thank you for your help.
Apr 11th, 2007, 04:43 PM
#3
I think you're going to get both answers here. Some people love tours and feel they enjoy the sights so much more with guides and all the info they provide. Others think they do just fine with a guidebook or rented audio guide.
With your first-time Italy itinerary, you'll be faced with this question many times, especially for your time in Rome. Perhaps you need to first decide how much you'd be willing to spend on guided tours during your entire trip and then figure out where/when you want to spend it.
With your first-time Italy itinerary, you'll be faced with this question many times, especially for your time in Rome. Perhaps you need to first decide how much you'd be willing to spend on guided tours during your entire trip and then figure out where/when you want to spend it.
Apr 11th, 2007, 06:16 PM
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I wouldnt bank on this being a thrilling tour, "secret" or otherwise. We didn't find the interior of the Doge's palace to be particularly interesting, so our tour felt long. So much more in Venice to see...
Apr 11th, 2007, 06:21 PM
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Well, this is just my opinion, but I can't imagine finding the interior "not particularly interesting," and I didn't even take the Secret Tour. The point is, the Secret Tour is exactly that, you have to take a tour to see that portion of the palace. Then you can tour the rest on your own, or I suppose there are tours for the rest as well, but the Secret Tour portion is separate.
Apr 11th, 2007, 06:22 PM
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I meant to add that you don't have to book the Secret Tour with a separate company, you can book it directly with the palace and one of their guides takes you through. I don't know if you can tour it with an outside company.
Apr 11th, 2007, 06:23 PM
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Thanks, jjkbrook. I think I started to have second thoughts about booking this tour and all of these replies have helped clear my thinking. I'll just try to get reservations directly at the palace. I had actually been thinking about more relaxed and easy going times in Venice after being in Florence for 7 days with several day trips. The only actual guided tour we are taking is the Scavi Tour; the rest is on our own.
Any other recommendations for Venice? We were thinking about going out to Burano and Murano.
Just have to say a big thanks to everyone who share their travel experiences on this website. Reading the posts has helped give me the confidence to take this trip on our own. I am so grateful!
Any other recommendations for Venice? We were thinking about going out to Burano and Murano.
Just have to say a big thanks to everyone who share their travel experiences on this website. Reading the posts has helped give me the confidence to take this trip on our own. I am so grateful!
Apr 11th, 2007, 08:21 PM
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We did the Doge's tour and had booked directly in advance. It was an interesting tour but I felt the main advantage was having a chance to learn about and explore the Doge's palace away from the crowds. When the tour was over and we had a chance to walk through the rest of the palace on our own, we had to battle the hordes. I find it hard to experience a place under those circumstances.
I enjoyed the Scavi tour for the same reasons. In St. Peters there were so many other tourists in the above ground area of the church, it was easy to get distracted. But on the Scavi tour, there were only 3 of us with the priest and it was much easier to appreciate the history and significance of what we saw.
I enjoyed the Scavi tour for the same reasons. In St. Peters there were so many other tourists in the above ground area of the church, it was easy to get distracted. But on the Scavi tour, there were only 3 of us with the priest and it was much easier to appreciate the history and significance of what we saw.
Apr 11th, 2007, 09:16 PM
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mama mia, Thanks for your comments about Doge's Palace. I'm not a fan of big crowds, either. I can only imagine the crowds at the Vatican, especially on a Saturday when we'll be there. Did you go through the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel after your Scavi Tour?
Apr 12th, 2007, 03:36 AM
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Hi kk,
Secret Itineraries tour of Doge’s palace Phone number is 011 39 (0)41 520 9070. English-speaking operator.
You will not be charged for your tickets if you don't go on the tour.
Online bookings are at http://tinyurl.com/z3jy2
>We were thinking about going out to Burano and Murano. <
How many days in Venice?
Burano was pretty.
Murano has a glass museum, if you are interested in Venetian glass; or you can watch glass being formed. Otherwise, it can be skipped.
Secret Itineraries tour of Doge’s palace Phone number is 011 39 (0)41 520 9070. English-speaking operator.
You will not be charged for your tickets if you don't go on the tour.
Online bookings are at http://tinyurl.com/z3jy2
>We were thinking about going out to Burano and Murano. <
How many days in Venice?
Burano was pretty.
Murano has a glass museum, if you are interested in Venetian glass; or you can watch glass being formed. Otherwise, it can be skipped.
Apr 12th, 2007, 11:33 AM
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Hi ira. Thanks for the web address. I will make those reservations directly. We will be in Venice from Monday afternoon, 5/28 to Thursday morning, 5/31; coming from Verona then off to Rome after Venice, 5/31 to 6/5. Monday the 28th is for travel, walking around. My son's college choir is singing a mass at the Basilica of San Marco at 6:45 pm, then has a 9 pm concert at the Church of San Giovanni Elemosinario. Tuesday is going to be Doge's and Guggenheim and whatever else appeals to us. Wednesday my son's choir returns back to the states but my son will join me and his twin sister, that's the day we were planning on going to Burano and Murano. Thursday we leave for Rome.
Any other things you would recommend? I was planning on getting our Eurostar tickets to Rome online before we leave for Italy.
thank you so much!
Any other things you would recommend? I was planning on getting our Eurostar tickets to Rome online before we leave for Italy.
thank you so much!
Apr 23rd, 2007, 05:45 PM
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The trains are so easy and up to 4 trips can be booked at once www.trainitalia.com We took train from Venice to Florence (not very scenic) and one from Florence to Rome. MAKE SURE it is an ES train (fast train with no or few stops). They are clean and the e-mail print out is your ticket on board. I was very nervous my first time but would not hesitate to do the rail system again. In fact my sister is taking my 16yr old in June and I booked the train tickets for them 2 days ago. Is first class worth the difference in money then second class? Questionable, but you do have nicer seat and your luggage at with you instead of in a cargo type area. First class Venice to Florence to Rome was 182EU for both tickets. I can not stress enough, make sure it is an ES type train!
Apr 24th, 2007, 06:59 AM
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Thanks, sahardee. What website did you use to book your train travel? I registered at trenitalia and never received a password; now when I try to register again I get an error message that the name already is in the system. I'm trying to book a nonstop ES from Florence to Verona, Verona to Venice, and Venice to Rome.I like the idea of having my luggage near me so I'll probably go with first class. Thanks for giving me the scoop.
Apr 24th, 2007, 08:55 AM
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If you have a chance while in Venice, take the vaporetto to San Giorgio Maggiore. It is a very small island across from St. Mark's Square. The views from the bell-tower at the top are amazing, and as well, the church inside was so quiet and was a nice respite from the crowds of the more touristed area across the lagoon. If you take the #82 vaporetto from the San Zaccaria stop, and tell the ticket person that you are just going to San Giorgio, it is only 2Euro one way (as opposed to 6Euro). The San Zaccaria stop is the second vaporetto stop to the left if you are standing outside the main entrance of the Doge's Palace and are facing the lagoon.
BTW, we took the Secret Itineraries Tour, booked directly through the Palace, and thought it was well worth the few extra Euro over the regular price of admission. I would highly recommend it!
BTW, we took the Secret Itineraries Tour, booked directly through the Palace, and thought it was well worth the few extra Euro over the regular price of admission. I would highly recommend it!
Apr 24th, 2007, 09:28 AM
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On our visit in 2006, we paid for the audioguide provided at the Doge's Palace. Unlike many other Italian museums, we found lengthy English-language didactic panels in each of the public rooms and even hallways. There was good information included.
We realized that the audioguide was just the didactic panels being read aloud. Initially I thought, 'How silly--we could have skipped the audioguide and just read the panels.' I then reconsidered; since the panels were so long, I might not have bothered to read the whole panel.
In any case, I think the audioguide or didactic panels might provide enough nformation for you to enjoy a visit on your own.
We realized that the audioguide was just the didactic panels being read aloud. Initially I thought, 'How silly--we could have skipped the audioguide and just read the panels.' I then reconsidered; since the panels were so long, I might not have bothered to read the whole panel.
In any case, I think the audioguide or didactic panels might provide enough nformation for you to enjoy a visit on your own.
Apr 24th, 2007, 09:32 AM
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I prefer to get a good guide book and read up on places. Then I wander around at my own pace. I've been on a number of such tours and the local guides tend to drone on and own. They love to do this while standing in one place and I spend more time watching other people wandering around.
