Reasonable # of days to tour Venice?

[wantocruisemore]

Still trying to plan around our cruise out of Venice next May. I originally thought of 1 nt. pre-cruise in Venice, 7 nt. cruise and then 5 nts. post-cruise in Venice and then fly home. One DD will be joining us from Barcelona the day before cruise (or morning of).

 

Now I'm wondering if we really want to stay that long in Venice post-cruise? Although wandering around looking at churches and architecture is nice, that is only going to hold my DH's and DDs' attention for a couple of days. The Isle of Murano with the glass is a definite must visit though. What are other must sees in Venice?

 

An alternative I just came up with is for post-cruise to take a train from Venice to Rome and then spend a few days in Rome and then fly home. We were a week in Rome last year pre-cruise and loved it. There's so much more we would love to see in Rome.

 

I also checked plane fares. It is pretty much about the same for us to go US-Venice-Rome-US as it is to go US-Venice round-trip. Train fare also looks very reasonable too.

[6rugrats]

I think that's a long time to spend in Venice. I wouldn't spend more than a couple days, and then go to Rome.

[Keith1010]

Whatever you do I would put days on the front end. If it's Venice arrive three days before the cruise since the first day you won't have too much time. This gives you a couple of full days, gets you over the jet lag and if there are any issues with luggage you have time to get it.

 

Keith

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I agree- 3nights pre cruise Venice will suffice. If you are doing flights out of Venice roundtrip (and you can't change them)- I highly recommend visiting some "off the beaten track" places if you have 5 more nights in Italy. I think Florence would be a great base for those that want to see vineyards and you can easily do day trips from there to Siena, Lucca, etc. sans luggage. Or if you haven't been to Rome- that's a city that requires 5 nights IMO and you can fly home from there. You can train back to Venice and taxi to the airport from the train station (Mestre) easily to catch your return flight if it is too late to switch it.

 

As for Venice- the "must see" place IMO in Venice is Burano the lace making island. Murano is just the glass factory- so if yu want to be pestered to buy high priced Murano glass- go there. If not, there are free glass blowing demonstrations (with no pressure to buy) at #139 in St. Mark's Square.

[TLCOhio]

Whatever you do I would put days on the front end. If it's Venice arrive three days before the cruise since the first day you won't have too much time. This gives you a couple of full days, gets you over the jet lag and if there are any issues with luggage you have time to get it. Keith

 

Good, wise tips and suggestions from Keith and 6rugrats. Arriving just a little earlier in Venice would be smart. Five days in Venice would probably be too long. As noted below, I love Venice, but there are so many, many other options in Italy, including doing that potential Rome pre or post option. Florence is also wonderful as a pre or post option.

 

Don't miss the great views and experience in doing the Venice sail-out. Below are a few visual samples to get you excited.

 

Since Venice is one of your key stops, you might look at this earlier posting that I did on the Italy board that shows many options and visual potentials for this city that is so great for "walking around", personally sampling the great history and architecture. This posting has now had over 14,720 views and I appreciate those who have dropped by and tuned in. Don’t be shy in sharing any questions or comments.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

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

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 102,454 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Don’t miss the Solstice sail-in or -out for Venice. This was our view from the top of the ship as we approached the historic center of Venice. On a beautiful day, as we enjoyed, this is so spectacular!!!:

 

 

 

Here is Punta della Dogana, the former Venetian Republic Customs House, sitting at one of the city’s most prominent spots. The 1676-built building stand on a triangular footprint next to the domed basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. It is at the eastern tip of Dorsoduro Island where the Grand Canal and the Lagoon converge. For hundreds of years, the Dogana received precious cargo from distant lands. At the top, front corner, it was originally a watchtower and has a statue of Fortune catching the wind was a weathervane and stands atop the golden globe/ball. It was reopened in 2009 as a contemporary art center.:

 

 

 

As we sailed into Venice on the Solstice, here is one of the views up a smaller canal, with a stone bridge, people and various buildings providing that great sampling of this unique city’s charm and architecture. It is much more just a few historic buildings there. It’s all over!:

 

 

 

On the sail-in on the Canale della Giudecca, this was the view from the top on the ship's port side. Lots of interesting sights and architecture on this side of the ship, too! This view shows the tower and a side of the San Giorgio Maggiore, one of the most impressive Venetian buildings by famed architect Andrea Palladio. Its first stone was laid in 1566. It contains a number of paintings by various artists, including Tintoretto.:

 

 

 

During the sail-in, here we are making the turn towards where our ship did its docking You can see some of the distant oil refinery structures in the areas much farther from the historic city.:

 

 

 

On the sail-out from Venice, here is a little more "arty" shot/scene through the glass on the top deck as people line up to see the various buildings and these historic sights!:

 

[wantocruisemore]

Terry, thanks so much for you lovely photos. I had remembered seeing them on another post and was going to try to search to find them.

 

Here's our situation - Cruise leaves Venice on a Sat. One DD is in Barcelona that semester and her program ends the day before our cruise departs Venice. Plan is for her to fly up day/evening before or early morning of cruise from Barcelona. We will not know further of her schedule til she gets to Spain in Jan. and checks on exams. We had planned to come to Venice one day early just so we don't run into problems flying in from US the day of cruise. If we come in too early then DD will not likely be able to get in from Barcelona in time to tour much. That's why we were putting more on the end. Then, a friend of hers from the States is flying over to meet us 3 days after our cruise gets back into Venice. She doesn't know her exact date because of college exams. We just know when the academic calendar ends for spring semester. DD & friend are then going to travel by rail to Milan, Geneva and eventually up to Paris where they will eventually fly out of back home. Due to work obligations (& fact the 2 girls want to travel some alone) DH, other DD & I will fly home about 5 or 6 nights after the cruise returns.

 

Does that make sense? I really am starting to agree that 5-6 nights in Venice is too long. And I like the idea of the lace island instead of the glass island. Although, I am sure everyone would love to see the glass made.

 

I actually thought of Florence since I loved it years ago. But for some reason the other members of the family said no.

 

We do not have any plane reservations yet. We just actually changed cruises. Originally we were going to go out of Barcelona but the more we thought about it the more we wanted to go to Istanbul and Dubrovnik. We also liked the idea of cruising out of Venice since I'm not sure how much longer that will be allowed.

 

Thank you for the great advice.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

It sounds like you want to make Venice your base of operations and that might not be a bad thing. If that is the case- make sure you stay near the train station- that way you can do some day trips to Verona, Padua and Florence- which I think you will exhaust Venice and the environs in 3 days. Venice is one of my most favorite places BTW but 3 nights is plenty. The sail in and out of Venice is one of the best cruise experiences- Istanbul is the other.

 

Happy Trails.

[TLCOhio]

Terry, thanks so much for you lovely photos. I had remembered seeing them on another post and was going to try to search to find them. Here's our situation - Cruise leaves Venice on a Sat. One DD is in Barcelona that semester and her program ends the day before our cruise departs Venice. Plan is for her to fly up day/evening before or early morning of cruise from Barcelona. We will not know further of her schedule til she gets to Spain in Jan. and checks on exams. We had planned to come to Venice one day early just so we don't run into problems flying in from US the day of cruise. If we come in too early then DD will not likely be able to get in from Barcelona in time to tour much. That's why we were putting more on the end. Then, a friend of hers from the States is flying over to meet us 3 days after our cruise gets back into Venice. She doesn't know her exact date because of college exams. We just know when the academic calendar ends for spring semester. DD & friend are then going to travel by rail to Milan, Geneva and eventually up to Paris where they will eventually fly out of back home. Due to work obligations (& fact the 2 girls want to travel some alone) DH, other DD & I will fly home about 5 or 6 nights after the cruise returns. Does that make sense? I really am starting to agree that 5-6 nights in Venice is too long. And I like the idea of the lace island instead of the glass island. Although, I am sure everyone would love to see the glass made. I actually thought of Florence since I loved it years ago. But for some reason the other members of the family said no. We do not have any plane reservations yet. We just actually changed cruises. Originally we were going to go out of Barcelona but the more we thought about it the more we wanted to go to Istanbul and Dubrovnik. We also liked the idea of cruising out of Venice since I'm not sure how much longer that will be allowed. Thank you for the great advice.

 

Appreciate this added background. You've got some "challenges" in making things come together for all of the people and interests involved. BUT, nothing is too complicated and/or impossible to put together, make flow, etc. And, since you've not yet bought your air tickets and have time, you can deal with, manage the many various needs and logistics.

 

Keep these good questions rolling along!! Lots of great ideas and people are here on these boards and they are happy to help. Don't be shy!! The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. Keep researching and planning. It will be very helpful for when you do your actual trip and that experience.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 102,454 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[wantocruisemore]

Appreciate this added background. You've got some "challenges" in making things come together for all of the people and interests involved. BUT, nothing is too complicated and/or impossible to put together, make flow, etc. And, since you've not yet bought your air tickets and have time, you can deal with, manage the many various needs and logistics.

 

Keep these good questions rolling along!! Lots of great ideas and people are here on these boards and they are happy to help. Don't be shy!! The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. Keep researching and planning. It will be very helpful for when you do your actual trip and that experience.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 102,454 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Thanks so much for the help!

 

It was due to the benefit of this board that I was able to plan and have a great Med cruise & stay in Rome for an extended family of 9 last summer. I've learned that planning is the key. We DIY some and then got private/tours/guides where we needed it most. We hope to do the same this time with my family.

 

I also want to plan it ahead of time prior to purchasing the tickets. But it looks like Venice will be a primary base, at least around the cruise. Plane fare is about the same whether I fly round trip Venice or into Venice and out of Rome.

[sola7]

The other post-ers beat me to some of the same points, but here's my two cents worth anyway. I agree that spending five days JUST IN VENICE might be too long. The city is beautiful, but a bit maddening with the crowds, etc. You can get a great experience in three full days. But I also agree that there are plenty of day trips near Venice to justify staying there and not having to pack up and move to another location. Padua, Verona and Ravenna are all worthy trips, easily accessible. Bologna is the culinary capital of Italy and probably do-able as well. The Dolomites are jaw-dropping and within a few hours, although public transport is not ideal for visiting the mountains.

 

I vote for staying in one location, doing some research on nearby locations, and making full use of the train system to see the area rather than trying to explore an entirely different part of Italy. Just one man's humble opinion.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

The dolomites are absolutely stunning- I second that thought! Merano (not to be confused with Murano) is the most beautiful place on Earth. But it requires two or three transfers by train to get there. If you rent a car- you can get there in under 3 hours and the trip through the Dolomites is breath-taking.

[TLCOhio]

The dolomites are absolutely stunning- I second that thought! Merano (not to be confused with Murano) is the most beautiful place on Earth. But it requires two or three transfers by train to get there. If you rent a car- you can get there in under 3 hours and the trip through the Dolomites is breath-taking.

 

Another option might be to consider the Lake Como area and then flying out of Milan. Below are some visuals samples for what you could see and do there. If it's good enough for George Clooney and others, maybe it possible for you.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 102,454 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

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.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CintiPam]

Three days for Venice itself plus two day trips out to Padua and Verona would make for a great itinerary IMO. That's what we did a few years ago.

 

Take a look at Rick Steves' Venice guidebook from your local library to see whether you would be interested. The Scrovegni Chapel in Padua is amazing and the entire town of Verona very charming.

[KirkNC]

We are doing a four day precruise in Venice next year. We found plenty to do plus plan on not being in a hurry. Visiting the islands is one day in itself.

[kazu]

We are doing a four day precruise in Venice next year. We found plenty to do plus plan on not being in a hurry. Visiting the islands is one day in itself.

 

I think you have this well planned with the right amount of days Kirk!

 

We did three days precruise in Venice & could have used that fourth day. There is lots to see and enjoy. :)