Fritch

I am looking for input on Venice vs Naples/Pompeii. Last year we rented a house in Tuscany for 2 weeks and stayed in the area doing small towns, Cinque Terre and Florence but then did a 3 day trip to Rome. This year we are rented the house again (again in late September) and are looking to go to either Venice or Naples/Pompeii for a 3 day excursion. As background to help with advice, we loved hiking Cinque Terre, ruins in Rome, small back roads in Rome and are not really into art. (I think we are the only people who don't think David is amazing.) Right now I'm thinking:
Pros to Venice - close, on everyone's must see list; downside is how touristy it is and the importance of staying in the back roads to enjoy it. It also sounds a bit like Amsterdam which I've been to.
Pros to Naples - food sounds fantastic (We love to cook and might take some cooking classes) and Pompeii sounds fabulous since we liked the ruins in Rome.

Thoughts? Thanks! Fritch

mimipam

Well, I think you have given the correct pros and cons. You must decide. Venice is special and I did not feel it was like Amsterdam at all. St Mark's Square is quite impressive as is the church itself. I'm not sure you would want to spend three days there from what you say. Pompeii is indeed fabulous. There is the archeological museum in Naples also which has things from Pompeii. Seems a lot of people on this site do not like Naples but I did but was only there for two nights. From Naples you could also maybe go to Sorrento, Capri or down the Amallfi coast. Personally, I would have both on my list if I had not been to either one. Naples has some robbery/crime that is talked about a lot. Happy travels!!!

adrienne

Venice is nothing like Amsterdam.

If you're not into art then don't go to Venice as it's so incredibly beautiful it's like being in a picture gallery of your favorite artists.

There are many parts of Venice that see few, if any, tourists. Most of the tourists are gathered around St Mark's square and Rialto Bridge.

Sounds like Naples and Pompeii are what you're looking for.

Luisah

"Venice is nothing like Amsterdam"

Apples and oranges.

jubilada

"Not being into art art" often means not enjoying looking at paintings or sculpture in museums. IMHO the experience of being surrounded by art in Venice is very different , and I don't think it is at all like Amsterdam. That said, I have never been to Naples or Ponpeii so can't comment, but just from reading your post you seem much more excited by the latter two so I'd say go for them.

jubilada

Pompeii, of course, not Ponpeii. Sorry.

Fritch

Okay - now you have me thinking. Maybe Venice for one night and a 2 day trip down to Pompeii area but avoid Naples.

Good to know that Venice is not like Amsterdam - that was the opinion of a couple of friends - thus a good reason to ask this board.

Thanks for the feedback! Fritch

adrienne

<< "Not being into art art" often means not enjoying looking at paintings or sculpture in museums. >>

We have no idea what the OP means by not being into art but I include architecture in my definition of art. Especially in Venice.

Luisah - I'm wondering why you quoted me and then used a cliche to say what I already said. Am I missing something?

Sassafrass

Venice: nothing like Amsterdam. You may be sorry to have only one night. If you do that, get there as early as possible the first day, and depart late the next day.

Naples: I love Naples, but if you only have two days, spend one seeing Pompeii and possibly Herculaneum, and another on the Amalfi Coast. It is so beautiful, you will definitely wish you had more time there.

zeppole

Hello, Fritch!

Amsterdam instantly reminded me of Venice, for the beauty they share. And guess what? I live in Italy, go to Florence as often as I can, and I cannot work up enough enthusiasm for "David" to see the one in the Accademia. Small world, eh?

AND?

I'd pick Napoli and Pompeii hands down.

About the one place we differ (I love untouristed places) is that I am really into art. That's the only reason I go to Venice -- and it makes me a total weirdo! Everybody else goes to "wander and eat gelato." -- !!!! I spend all my time tracking down the art I've wanted to see all my life, and then getting out of there as fast as I can! If you are not into seeing the incredible mosaics, the Titian, the Bellini, the Giorgione, the scuolae, the stonework, the Tintoretto, Torcello --- you'll have to talk to somebody else why the consider Venice a "must-see". I don't know why they go. (I've never taken a gondola ride and I can't stand the vaporetti.)

Personally, the Amalfi coast bores me (I live on the Italian Riviera) but Napoli is full of incredible, jaw-dropping surprises. I could spend a week in Pompeii and all the related excavations nearby, and I could three weeks in Napoli. And you're right: The food is AMAZING. I often read people post asking about cooking schools in Tuscany and I ask: "Wouldn't you rather learn to cook like a Neapolitan?"

But that's just me. YOU are taking this trip. Venice has been known in history as "La Serenissima". Nobody would call Napoli anything even close to "serene." And it's nothing like hiking in le Cinque Terre, believe me. If you loved the peaceful car-free quaintess of le Cinque Terre, and can't stand motorcycles and concrete, you might be better off in Venice.

zeppole

PS: What part of Tuscany do you keep returning to -- and for what? That might give you a clue. If you spend all your time avoiding Tuscany's modern features -- cars, motorcycles, brightly lit storefronts, graffitti, immigrants -- and stick to wandering in quaint villages and find empty piazze atmospheric, you might enjoy Venice -- but don't just do a day there.

If you enjoy dipping into the no-name towns (to tourists) towns of Tuscany where the locals shop and gas up their cars and wash them, and hang out at bars with plastic chairs drinking a no-name red, you might not mind Napoli.

bilboburgler

Pompeii is good but Naples itself is like a third world city I assume held there by organised crime.

ira

Hey F,

Disregard what bilbo said.

Truman Capote described Venice as "a box of bonbons".
Naples is more like an Italian ice.

Do one or the other, not both.

If you wish to see what one of the major jewels of Western culture looks like, in preference to having another slice of pizza, I suggest Venice.

mamcalice

If you have never been to either, Venice! Three days is the perfect amount of time for it. (It's not at all like Amsterdam). It is unique. Pompeii is fascinating but not for 3 days. Three days isn't enough time for Pompeii, Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Capri. You should plan a trip to those places when you have a week or 10 days.

colduphere

Our family is 3/4 into "ruins" and 1/2 into "art". That would argue for Naples/Pompeii. But it didn't work that way for us. Venice is amazing. Who cares about the tourists? Buy a Venice Connected pass in advance and enjoy yourself.

Mimar

I vote for Venice too. Unlike Amsterdam, there are no cars in Venice. All transportation is either on foot or by water. That makes it uniquely calming, at least when the tourists go home. And uniquely beautiful. And Venice might sink. Better go now while you can.

Naples and Pompeii are adjacent to Sorrento, Capri and the Amalfi Coast. A little farther down the coast is Paestum, a wonderful collection of ruined Greek temple. This area really needs more than 3 days. Save it for when you have more time.

isabel

Well Venice is a world class must see - it's just so different from anywhere else and so incredibly beautiful. But if you are hesitant about it for some reason and you have three days I suggest you stay in nearby Padua and do a daytrip into Venice. It's less than half an hour by train and the trains run almost constantly. Padua itself is a wonderful small city, less touristy than Venice. If you ended up liking Venice you could go back the following day, but if not you could just see Padua, or take a short train ride in the opposite direction to Verona.

The one thing I would say if you did this, go into Venice very early and/or plan to stay into the evening. The cruise ship day trippers are hell. Even with them you can wander a few streets off the main tourist route and be all alone, but seeing Piazza San Marco is best done when it's not wall to wall tourists and in Sept it will be between about 10 and 5.

Luisah

<<Luisah - I'm wondering why you quoted me and then used a cliche to say what I already said. Am I missing something?>>

Adrienne: I didn't intend to offend. I used the cliche to agree with your comment. I thought of writing that the only similarity is that both have canals, but thought the cliche said it.

I also liked your comment "it's so incredibly beautiful it's like being in a picture gallery of your favorite artists." That's how I feel about Venice.

sandra3120

Zeppole - if only for the art and architecture, Venice is a jewel and as others have said there is no place like it on the planet and certainly not bloody Amsterdam apart from the canals. If "ruins" are an attraction, then extrapolation of that indicates an interest in history and Venice's history is fascinating. I think most people don't bother to learn about its unique history and get stuck in day-tripper hell, moping along the calli and never looking up and over the groundfloor shops and to my mind, that's a real shame. Its governance was unique and being such a closed society, rules for inheritance were entirely different: the most likely male to succeed and manage the noble house and fortune, not the firstborn, was chosen to head the family. Only that male was permitted to marry and produce other potential heirs, while the other males were consigned to lesser roles and palazzi, all to preserve the fortunes of the families in perpetuity. Likewise, the rules governing which females might marry were very strict, political and business connections being of the utmost importance in those alliances, which meant the majority of the females of noble birth were consigned to convents since the rules for marriage among the nobility were so strict. And we aren't even talking about the Doges and the limitations on their lives, nor how Venice defied Rome through history. It was a separate city-state far moreso than the others in Italy, with a unique geographical location as well as government, entirely self-sufficient and a major world trading center - the center of a vast empire. As Napoleon said, St. Mark's Square is the world's most beautiful drawing room. Now add the history with the unique architecture and you have a positive jewel and for those of use, like you, who can be fed through our eyes with art - what more can you ask? I second Peter's recommendation (from another post) to get hold of the book Venice is a Fish - a most unconventional guide to Venice and its history and you may regard it with a new sparkle in your eye. Clearly, I'm among those who think Venice is something not to be missed and have no trouble ignoring the poor souls who sail in for a day and wander around buying souvenirs while missing its most unique flavor and then comparing it to Amsterdam.

Sandra

Fritch

Wow - some great input - I love this site for trip reports and honest feedback. Since I like to be outside, I think you make a good point that I like "outdoor artwork" and not being stuck in museums all day.

I think I will head to Venice for 3 days and select a different year to go back to southern Italy and enjoy everything it has to offer in a separate trip from Naples to Sicily.

I will start digging into good places to stay in Venice that are off the beaten path - any recommendations?

Thanks everyone! Fritch