Venice : Trying not to overplan
 

Our group of 4 will be in Venice 2 full days late September. I am trying not to overplan too much so we can just walk and enjoy but my husband is nervous about the 'September crowds' so I am trying to work around that as best as we can....
We are meeting a friend in Cannaregio on the first morning to see that area. That is unchangeable as he leaves later that day. In the afternoon I would like to just relax and perhaps pre book entry to St Marks Basillica.
Need advice for Day 2... I have long wanted to see Burano and had planned to head there early, beat the crowds, relax and have lunch. However we also want to visit Doge's Palace and it seems you can't prebook 'skip the line' tickets for the afternoon and crowds will have built up hugely.
Should we plan to head to Doge's Palace early and wait till late afternoon to visit Burano?

Yes.

I don't see a problem with that. IMHO, the DP is best toured early. Even if you're on a tour, you can wander around on your own for awhile after the tour.

What time is your tour, and how long do you plan to stay at the DP? If the tour is early, I'd say there's a good chance you'll still be able to get to Burano for a late lunch and then wander around. And if not, no problem. The plan still works.

The crowds on Burano aren't bad. The worst part is lining up for the ferry back to Venice. It seems as if everyone wants to leave at the same time, and you'll get the usual louts trying to jump the line, etc. Just relax and realize you're in a place most people would give an arm and a leg to experience.

I agree. See the DP early in the morning and then take a vaporetto to Burano for a late lunch. Just don't plan on lunch too late because restaurants may close by 2, 2:30. I think this is a very doable plan.

Another reason to see the Doge's Palace in the morning is that September is still summer, and if it is warm, the palace can heat up as time goes on during the day.

I am sympathetic to your desire not to "overplan' but if your husband is crowd-averse, you don't have to "plan" to avoid the crowds, but you should come armed with a list of half-a-dozen bolt holes that you can make a beeline for in case you run up against a brick wall of humanity everywhere you turn.

With some research you can find out of the way museums, libraries, bars, islands, churches and campi that are usually fairly empty. Don't 'plan' to go there. Just know they are there in case you need them.

If there's anybody "overplanning" in this instance I would say it's your husband, frankly. "September crowds?" Where did he come up with that one?

Some places are going to be popular regardless of the time of year and San Marco is one of them and for good reason. Even with all those visitors running around I have yet to feel like a sardine but I agree with those who have said you need to go early in the day. Now, if your husband is one of those people who thinks he has to sleep in until 10 then you ARE in trouble.

Just playing devils advocate but we spent 4 nights in Venice and found so much to do that we never made it farther than San Giorgio Maggiore! I strongly recommend getting up and going early in Venice-no matter what time of year, it is packed by 10am.

I agree with everything said above. FYI, weekends get even more crowded with tourists from Italy!

I've been in Venice many times but have never made it out to Burano, there has always been so much to see in the city itself. My advice is to stay up late. Venice is magical at night and as so many of the tourists are day trippers it's much quieter after 9pm, for me this is the best time to see St Marks.

Cannaregio is a lovely area to walk around, we enjoyed seeing the synagogues which you can visit which have a fascinating history.

Arsenale is also an interesting place to wander and there are FAR fewer tourist when you head in this direction.

im starting to sound like a broken record, but try to spend some time at the biennale locations

I would expect Venice to be extremely crowded in September. It would be highly unusual if it wasn't crowded -- really crowded -- in September, more so than in other months. Dukeys sarcasms are bizarre. Your husband has a legitimate concern.

There are many reasons why Venice is crowded, and more than half of them are really depressing and have nothing to do with the rewards of travel.

As for when to go to San Marco, last year, a regular Fodor's poster went to Venice in the last part of September, and stayed in the San Marco neighborhood. She arrived in the evening, and found it wonderful. She got up the next morning, and this is what she reported:

"Then out to see things in daylight . . . and the contrast between last night and mid morning is astonishing. Last night there were people around but no crowds/masses. A 10AM the entire San Marco/Grand Canal area is crowded like - take your pick: New Orleans at Mardi Gras, Edinburgh at Hogmanay, any winning city after a Super Bowl victory. Just thousands of people. The lines at the Basilica were already out to the canal. I am sooooo glad I booked a small tour for tomorrow -- some of the folks in these massive lines looked really miserable."

There is really nothing wrong with planning to avoid the crowds in Venice if you are sensitive to how your trip goes. Some people cannot deal with other people's sensitivities, including their need to sleep in on their vacations. Do what makes you and your husband happy! Ignore the travel blockheads. Venice is lovely in the evenings, so if you want to sleep in do so, and catch up with piazza San Marco when you can enjoy it.

Pictures of piazza San Marco in September

http://www.impresamia.com/wp-content...11/Venezia.jpg

https://storieveneziane.files.wordpr...08/2vjzuxl.jpg

The difference between 7am and 10am in Venice is astonishing! Same goes for the evening-it's literally a different world.

We returned from a week in Venice 10 days ago.
Some days San Maco was jammed but not all the time.
We managed to walk into the Basilica without waiting ( around 4:00 PM.)
Same happened the first half time in Venice several years ago.
I would not get up at 7:00 AM to meet the Pope .