Post cruise Venice suggestions???

[debldp]

We have three days and three nights time to tour after our cruise. We will have already had three days in Venice. We are considering...Lake Como (Bellagio), or Dolomites or Tuscany. It will be early June. Please offer any workable suggestions or comments.

[riffatsea]

From WHERE do you fly home?? That would influence my suggestions.

[debldp]

We fly home from Venice so we need to drive to a destination and then return to Venice for an overnight by the airport. Thanks for this prompt response!

[pete_coach]

Well, 3 days....I would certainly put Florence on the things to do list. A day and a half in town, a half day on a tour to a Tuscan winery and countryside and then back to catch the plane home.

[debldp]

Well, 3 days....I would certainly put Florence on the things to do list. A day and a half in town, a half day on a tour to a Tuscan winery and countryside and then back to catch the plane home.

 

Will there be time to go south of Florence to Sienna also?

[debldp]

When we were in Venice, we did a 3 days excursion to the Dolomites...what a fantastic area!! They really are so close to Venice (a couple of hrs. appx). The best thing is to rent a car and drive yourselves there. We stopped at Brunico and Cortina both worth places.

June will be a good time not so crowded and expensive...

 

 

I read that the Dolomites might be cold and that their season does not start until July...??? They may have been referring to hiking. Did you do hiking? I imagine the scenery of the drive itself could be amazing. I will have to research Brunico and Cortina.

Thanks for your suggestion!

[TLCOhio]

We have three days and three nights time to tour after our cruise. We will have already had three days in Venice. We are considering...Lake Como (Bellagio), or Dolomites or Tuscany. It will be early June. Please offer any workable suggestions or comments.

 

All three of these options are super excellent!! Wonderful potentials. I am most experienced with Lake Como/Bellagio and Tuscany. Much depends on what you seek in travel style.

 

Lake Como is beautiful with its water, charming seaside villages, interesting architecture, more "laid-back" setting, etc. Getting there would probably be easiest and best by car or a combination of rail and car. Probably about three or so hours away from Venice. We stayed in Bellagio at the wonderfully located and nice Hotel Du Lac. Their website is: http://www.bellagiohoteldulac.com

 

By contrast, Tuscany has more diversity with its many, many different countryside towns, history, fascinating churches and buildings, wine tours, etc. You take the roughly three hour train ride to Florence and get a car to see Tuscany from there.

 

What's best? My view and strong suggestion is to do . . . BOTH! Probably not possible on your schedule. It's largely a personal choice and what you most need and want after your cruise. Below are just a few of my visual samples for these two areas. I can provide more pictures and added details, if needed, on both places.

 

Also, check out this posting that I did with many, many pictures and details on Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226&highlight=venice

 

Also, here's a good resource, Venice Tourism Office:

http://www.turismovenezia.it/venezia/eng/default.asp?lingua=en

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 33,935 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Here is a sampling of three of my visuals from visiting nearby to lovely and charming Bellagio. First, is a scene from a royal estate just south of Bellagio. Second are two views from the nearby, the across the lake town of Varenna. You can see how the "drama" of the mountains and the lake make things so beautiful. This is a very relaxing and interesting setting for starting or finishing a tour of Italy where you will experience certain of its busy and intense cities.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sienna is just one of many great towns and historic sites in Tuscany. San Gimignano is another super charmer in that area. Below is the famed Tower over the plaza (with its horse race), plus the spectacular church (outside and inside) in Sienna.:

 

 

 

 

 

[pete_coach]

Will there be time to go south of Florence to Sienna also?

Oh yes, there certainly is. There are full day and half day tours available from Viator or other tour operators. As well, you can just take public transportation to Sienna and walkabout on your own or, as you have a car, just a drive down the highway. One thing I must mention, parking in Florence is horrendously expensive. Most hotels will offer valet parking but be aware that they do not park on premises. The parking lot may be a long way form your hotel. There is not very much parking in many of the cities and what parking there is, will cost an arm and a leg, as much as 45 euros a day (and unbelievable gas prices LOL). You may wish to take a train from Venice to Florence and use public transport or taxi.

I have used http://www.viator.com/florence in the past and will certainly use them in the future. They are a reseller of local tours in various cities. The thing I like about them is that I can prepay and plan my stay in each city well in advance.

[debldp]

Thanks to all for the great information.

 

We were planning to go by car because we do not want to hastle with bags and train schedules.

We were also hoping that the drive itself would be worthwhile.

If we have time, when we are returning to Venice I was hoping we could make a stop in Verona. Am I being too ambitious?

[cinanina]

Amazing pictures TLCohio :) beautifullllllll

[Marfisa]

We have three days and three nights time to tour after our cruise. We will have already had three days in Venice. We are considering...Lake Como (Bellagio), or Dolomites or Tuscany. It will be early June. Please offer any workable suggestions or comments.

 

Let me suggest you to spend your three days in Veneto region! Apart from Venice, there are several other beautiful cities like Padua, Vicenza and Verona... but not only for museums.. food and wines are great! :p

[Blue Elephant]

Lake Garda is quite close to Venice and beautiful. Not as well known as the other lakes.