Venice tours?

[Kathy130]

Our ship docks at 1pm. It is there overnight, but that's the end of the cruise. We'll be out early, since we have a flight leaving Venice at 11:30 am. I realize we won't see everything and won't try to. However, has someone had a similar situation, and booked a tour for a few hours. We will be able to go back out at night for a gondola ride, but just want to maximize our time there.

 

We have booked some private excursions for the other ports. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Kathy130]

Maybe I should be clearer. Are there any private tours of Venice that people have used and had positive feedback?

[chipmaster]

Maybe I should be clearer. Are there any private tours of Venice that people have used and had positive feedback?

 

I found Venice the easiest port to DIY.

 

You can take a shuttle/water-taxi to San Marco square. From there the biggest attractions are right there to a simple 10-20' walk at most. Actually walking the narrow walkways and looking out over the adjoining narrow canals is what is the best experience.

 

Gondola's are everywhere for hire and cost about 100 Euros for that very Venetian experience. I would suggest NOT to do it at night but about an hour before night fall to get the best light. Doing the narrow back canals I don't think will be worth it unless the moon is full.

 

San Marco square is also very fun at night to see the bands playing.

[jpthomas27]

I would skip the tour and head over to St. Mark's Square for the afternoon / evening. Most likely you would have time to see St Marks Basillic and Doge's Palace with no problem, and maybe have time to head up the clock tower for a great view. Then hang out at the Cafe's for a dinner and some drinks, the atmosphear in the square at night is supposed to be great!

 

If I only had 8-10 hours in port (basically) that is probably where I would spend my time.

 

Getting there should be easy via the water bus system. You can also get tix in advance for St Mark's Basillica and Doges Palace so you won't have to wait in line when you get there. The Basillica is free I believe, but the Palace has a fee. If you do a searh for "St Marks Basillica" and "Doge's Palace" there are tons of threads with links and explanations of how to get the tix.

[nparmelee]

There are some tours, many people choose to do Venice on their own since it is very small and very walkable. The ACTV water bus system is good, you could even buy a 12 hour pass and ride it as much as you like (16 euros for the pass, 6.50 euros for each ride), the number 1 or 2 water bus from P. Roma down to St. Mark's will give you a Grand Canal cruise, you can also download podcasts to describe the canal sites as you go). For a short visit, the Grand Canal, St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace in St. Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge and Bridge of Sighs are the common sites people try to see. Try to spend a little time just wandering a bit too. What is it that you want to see in your time there? Since your time is limited, just decide your priorities and you can easily do it yourself. If a tour is still how you want to do it, it would help to know what you want to see as some of the available tours concentrate on different things. Viator dot com has fairly good descriptions of many of the available tours to give you an idea of what is possible.

[rebeccalouise]

The best thing about Venice is walking. You can take the water bus from the port to St. Mark's Square- don't do the ship's transportation. There is public transportation there for 6 Euros per person and it is easy to use. Then leisurely walk back to the ship. That is what is fun about Venice- getting lost in the maze. But all you have to do to find your way back to the ship is follow the signs to Piazzle Roma and the ship terminal is about 1 mile from there. In fact, from Piazzle Roma you will probably be able to see part of your ship peeking out.

[hylasgirl]

We booked the Secret Itinerary Tour of the Doge's palace and did it on our own. It was definitely a highlight of Venice for our group. I think I booked them on the site "weekendinvenice.com" It is not expensive and you really get to tour some things that aren't on the Doge's Palace regular tour.

 

Venice is extremely easy to wander. Get a good guide book and decide what you want to see. The island is not that big. You can wander all of it... get lost... enjoy! There are little arrows everywhere that point you in one direction or another... St. Marks... Rialto Bridge. It really is hard to get completely lost, and it isn't like you can go anywhere.

 

Take a vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal. Also... it may be touristy, but there is nothing like a gondola ride. awwwww... I want to go now!

[CathyCruises]

Totally agree--Venice is THE perfect place just to wander. I think a guide is completely unnecessary here. If you want to book the Secret Tour, here is the direct link: http://www.museiciviciveneziani.it/frame.asp?sezione=itinerarispeciali. However, having done it, I probably would not do it again if I had limited time, as the OP will have. I would just do the regular tour. We missed seeing the beautiful ornate parts of the palace because all our time was spent on the Secret Tour, which is interesting if you like attics and prison cells. We were in a hurry when it was over and just blasted through to the outside, missing what looked like beautiful rooms in the meantime.

 

But to me, Venice is not about museums and attractions--it's such a special place I could wander there for days! We checked into our hotel, walked off without a map, and just meandered around for hours. When we were exhausted we took the vaporetto back to our hotel, rested up, and went out and did it again!

 

Cathy

[4friends]

We booked the Secret Itinerary Tour of the Doge's palace and did it on our own. It was definitely a highlight of Venice for our group. I think I booked them on the site "weekendinvenice.com" It is not expensive and you really get to tour some things that aren't on the Doge's Palace regular tour.

 

Is it true the secret itinerary is not for the claustrophobic? I am not true claustrophobic as small spaces are OK as long as I have control. If I were in a narrow corridor or stairway with people in front and behind, making it difficult for me to leave if I wanted, that would be a problem. If there was enough space for me to walk around or away, that would be OK. I would love to do this tour but don't want to book it and find myself in an uncomfortable situation. Any insight would be appreciated.

[CintiPam]

We booked the Secret Itinerary Tour of the Doge's palace and did it on our own. It was definitely a highlight of Venice for our group. I think I booked them on the site "weekendinvenice.com" It is not expensive and you really get to tour some things that aren't on the Doge's Palace regular tour.

 

Is it true the secret itinerary is not for the claustrophobic? I am not true claustrophobic as small spaces are OK as long as I have control. If I were in a narrow corridor or stairway with people in front and behind, making it difficult for me to leave if I wanted, that would be a problem. If there was enough space for me to walk around or away, that would be OK. I would love to do this tour but don't want to book it and find myself in an uncomfortable situation. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

It's been just over two years since I took this wonderful tour, but there indeed are a few tight places. I remember one extremely small chamber we all barely fit into used by one of the government officials plus the cell where Casanova was confined. We all had to stay together so I don't know if you could opt to walk around/away at those points.

[DDawson]

Venice is extremely easy to wander. Get a good guide book and decide what you want to see.

 

I think this is absolutely the best info out there. At the end of your cruise, you might be "done" with museums, palaces, ruins or castles. In that case neither the regular nor the secret tour of the Doge's palace are going to be a big hit.

 

Possibly you are the type of person who could never get tired of museums & palaces. If that is you, then by all means purchase the pass that gets you into all the areas in St Marks Square plus some other museums. As previously stated, this is an easy place for a DIY kind of tour.

 

Maybe you are the kind of person who would rather just wander the area and find your own little slice of heaven.

 

What ever you end up doing, I hope you will be able to return to Venice at some time in the future so you can explore all it's wonders.

[skisteamboat]

Since you will only be there for a short time, I would just wander around San Marco Square and then take a street and see where it goes. Since you are on an Island, you will not get "lost". I have done that every time I have been in Venice and never been disappointed.

 

Still if you want something more structured, just get a guide book and pick out what you want to see. Even if you don't get to the specific places you want, there is so many places to wander, you will have a good time. Getting a Vaporetto pass is a good idea to just make the loop of Venice if that's all you have time for. We stopped at a nice canal side restaurant for lunch and watching the canal traffic. Best Iced Coffee my wife EVER had in her life according to her.

 

Cheers

[samavarcruiser]

Info on Venice

 

http://www.visitvenice.co.uk/venice-tourist.html

[samavarcruiser]

Info on Venice - 2

 

http://www.comune.venezia.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/EN/IDPagina/1

[descal13]

My husband and I loved wandering around on our own. We did do a Doge's Palace tour that was wonderful. A highlight was cruising down the Grand Canal, and going up in the bell tower in St. Mark's Square. We did a gondola ride, but we didn't even get to sit together and that was a drag so we probably wouldn't waste the money again - it was about €85 PP. No bargain. Strolling the back streets was so interesting, finding little bridges and picturesque little squares. Some friends booked the Secret Itineraries tour online of the Doges Palage - maybe book that or a similar tour, but don't be afraid to do the rest on your own. Another poster is right - it's the end of your vacation. You'll be wiped out so make it easy on yourself. It will be our last port, too, and we are all about no pressure that day.

[nparmelee]

We did a gondola ride, but we didn't even get to sit together and that was a drag so we probably wouldn't waste the money again - it was about €85 PP.

 

An example of when just doing it on your own is a better deal. Depending on time of day it should have been 80-100 euros for the entire gondola, not per person, and you could have sat together.