Arriving Venice mon april 20th at 11:17 from Florence
departing next day at 2:30

Is it best to take Gondola ride/ traveling w/83 yr old and 2 teens really wanting this experience
in the am or evening? Approx. cost?

Lines for St Mark's do they tend to be longer in am or pm?

Rick Steeves book mentions to skip line go to bag check in at Ateneo San Basso
would you agree?

Other ideas would be great for our quick glimpse in paradise.
thanks k boston

Hi 888,

I don't recall the entirety of your itinerary, so you can fill in the details as to where wlse you will be going..


>>venice in a day! <

DON'T DON'T DON'T DON'T

You won't have enough time to get to know Venice.

You will be squeezed in amongst a whole bunch of tourists.

Take a day from Florence, or Rome or even Paris.

Give Venice at least 2 nights.

thanks Ira
I agree...I have been to venice before

on this trip we will be traveling from Naples and thought to break up trip
stop in Florence see David climb the Dome have dinner
awake and travel to Venice
we could forgo Florence
but thought it better to break up trip
traveling w/an 11 and 13 year old

I know it sounds rushed
but I also think it can be done!!
8888

I see no reason to make people go to Venice for longer than they wish to. I especially would want to know how well the 83-yr-old is going handle lots of stair climbing, plus getting in and out of a gondola.

Is there some reason you want to go all this distance? I suspect the 11 year old and 13 year old will have plenty of chances to see Venice another time in their lives, when you are not rushing an 83-year-old along with you, doing train travel.

I know that many, many 83 year olds can run circles around 20 year olds, but I'm not sure many enjoy long train trips like that. Naples to Florence one day, then getting on a train the next day? And leaving the next day? What is your whole itinerary?

Hi 8888mom,

I took a gondola ride during the day and enjoyed it very much. I do not remember the cost, but remember being pleasantly surprised. I went to St. Mark's in the afternoon, and the lines were not bad at all.

Have a great trip!

If you are traveling around easter or Italian holidays, lines around San Marco can be hours long, all day long.

my wonderful 83 yr old mom works full time walks everyday and has more energy than me!
my daughter is studying in rome where we will spend end of our trip
but plans are
arr rome2 nites
sorrento bus to Positana 1/2 day
capri next day
then train to Florence/David/Dome/Dinner
next day Venice
plans for Venice Walking/Walking/Gondola ride/St. Marks

we will not do museums in Venice or others in Florence except for the David at ACc.

I've read reports of gondola rides being pegged at about 80 euro during the day and 100 euro at night. Bargaining is possible. I have no first-hand experience, however. (I would rather spend that money on food, and view the canals on foot or from the public watercraft!!)

Just one comment/query: Why stay in Sorrento with such limited time when your focus is Positano?

We were there in August so things were mostly closed up, but it seemed that when we were done with dinner and thought about a ride, they were all closed up. But again, that might be because it was August.

So if that is a make or break it activity, I'd do it during the day and get it in the books. I enjoyed just taking the vaporetto water taxi down the Grand Canal at night. The lit up palazzos were beautiful.

The tour groups get to cut in line for St. Marks. Not really cut, but they have a separate entrance. A nice walking tour might be a good thing for your limited time.

we picked Sorrento
at first b/c friends had reccommended the 7 Hostel to us

we had only planned on staying in Sorrento and visiting Capri

but from the sounds of it
we will now add on the sita bus trip to Positano
for a half day visit and probably dinner

I too think the valparrato is the way to go in Venice
but the kids are sssssssoooo looking forward to the Gondola!