3 Days in Venice

Greg, IMHO, you have done quite well with your planning. Hard to make suggestions on such a good plan. I especially like the siesta part.

Looks pretty good. (BTW, Dorsoduro, not Dusodero.)

I think that looks fine as well. With all of your time around St Mark's built in, I'd consider going up in the Campanille if the line isn't too outrageous. The reason I suggest that is that besides giving you wonderful 360 degree views of the whole city, it's one of the only towers you'll visit that will have an elevator. Almost any other tower or dome you want to get to the top of (in any city), you'll have to climb. The elevator here makes it really really easy. In fact, if you did that first thing in the morning on Day 2, you wouldn't have much of a line at all, plus you could still skip any line at St Mark's Basilica with your checked bag. We went a little before opening (9:00am) a couple of weeks ago and were up top by 9:15am. Not sure if your Doge's Palace Tour includes the entry to the Correr as well (the "regular" tickets do), but I kind of liked that museum as a quick overview of Venetian history with a lot of neat maps and a pretty extensive coin collection of all the old currency. Might be worth an hour if you've already paid for it. Just a couple of things to consider. Otherwise, it looks like you're pretty well covered. Your afternoons/evenings look like great times to wander.

Thank you everyone. I even double checked the spelling of Dorsoduro and still got it wrong:) I have considered the Correr Museum. Its kind of a toss up right now. I'd certainly find some of it very interesting. The Campanile is on the list if we have time and are up for it. I don't mind climbing towers, but elevators are good...

Glass furnaces traditionally shut down around noon. So if you want to see a production demonstration you should get there earlier. You might want to flip day one and two. If you want the richest experience at the market get there very early, between 06:00 and 07:00. the earlier the better. Even then the vegetable market will be already set up, but the fish market will still be unloading and icing down the catch.

I am assuming Day 1 of this itinerary is not Day One in Europe. If it is Day One in Europe, your plan to see Murano and Burano is a bit ambitious as you will be too tired to enjoy it.) I would skip the Grand Canal cruise Day 1 and head right to Murano and Burano. We added in Torcello (lovely!) and it was a 6 hour tour. Allow yourselves plenty of time. Move your Grand Canal Vaporetto tour to Day 2 before dinner. St. Mark's Square is more charming at night the later it gets. Consider skipping Ca'Rezzonico. It's a beautful palazzo, but IMHO skippable in favor of more wandering time. Frari Church is one of our favorites in all of Italy. Maybe head over to San Giorgio Maggiore for the view back to the main islands of Venice (best done in the early morning) and a trip up the very under-utilized bell tower there. Or walk the Riva degli Schiavoni out to St. Elena for an away-from-the-crowds perspective, I am also fond of going to the Basilica in later afternoon. In the morning, the cruise tour groups descend and it is madness. About 3:30 or 4:00, there is a lull and it is easier to get in. We tried this technique on two visits and it worked.

Greg, your plans look great. A couple of suggestions for other great art, should you have some time on your hands. The island of Torcello is really pleasant, very few inhabitants, less touristy, and it has a VERY early church with some lovely early mosaics; it's also an enjoyable ride out there (beyond Murano and Burano). Padua, with the Giotto frescos, also is a wonderful art experience.

If you are going out to the smaller islands on day one this must be a repeat trip to Venice, Greg? If not, I'd suggest to flip days one and two.... The glass museum has some really cool glass... If you are up the tower at S Marco (with usually long queues) you can't see that tower. If you go up, as we do each time we visit, the tower at San Georgio you can see it all and have great views of Venice and the Lagoon.

I have revised my itinerary based on the info that the glass blowers do their work in the morning (Thank you Ron). I have swapped parts of Day 1 with Day 3. Day 1 will be the first day on the ground. My intent is to take it easy and stay away from napping in the hotel. The vaporetto should be good, because we will get some air. I hope to be more fresh when we get visit San Marco on Day 2. I am hoping to spend time at the Rialto Market early on Day 2 or Day 3. Any advice? Arrive in Venice Marco Polo at 9:35AM Get ATVO blue bus to Piazzala Roma Check into hotel near Piazzala Roma Brunch Shop for essentials Grand Canal Vaporetto #1 (slow) to San Marco Scuolo San Rocco Frari Church Ca' Rezzonico Dusodero for dinner Vaporetto #82 back to hotel near Piazzala Roma Crash from exhaustion Day 2 9:45AM St. Mark's Basilica Tour (Check Bag) Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries Tour Lunch Near St. Marks Bridge of Sighs La Fenice Opera House (walk by) Siesta Dinner St. Mark's Square Day 3 Vaporetto #82 (Fast boat) to San Zaccaria – Jolanda Dock Vaporetto #41 to Murano Glass factory demonstration and maybe glass museum Faro Dock to Burano if time Siesta Dinner Gondola Ride
St. Mark's Square

The Bridge of Sighs is a "walk past" - it takes only a minute to see. My concern about your itinerary is that day 1 includes a lot of indoor sights which require some concentration. For me, that would mix very badly with my jet lag. I'd want to spend more of day 1 just wandering around Venice, and shift the Scuola San Rocca, the Frari Church, or both to day 2. As with so many other cities (Paris, Prague, and Rome come to mind immediately) having a set itinerary is nice, but it's important to be willing to chuck it all and just enjoy the experience of being in Venice. As long as you're flexible enough to do this, you'll be fine with your plan.

I agree with Harold about leaving time to wander around. Aside from the jet lag issue, the best site in Venice is the city itself. Leave some time for the back streets tourists don't usually go on; it's a different world. Rick's book actually has a great tour through some of those streets and through the Ghetto, if you are not comfortable just wandering. We enjoyed the tour--we even stumbled across an honest-to-God supermarket, which just seems so anachronistic in those surroundings.

Bring a compass. I couldn't believe how much I used mine throughout our trip. It has become one of my essential travel accessories.

Greg, nothing wrong with your plans that I can see. One thing to remeber is that Venice is one of the best cities in the world for just strolling, sitting at a cafe and people watching, and getting "lost" in the local neighborhoods. Try not to overschedule. TC

My favorite thing to do in Venice, besides just hanging out in cafes and wandering around aimlessly is to get up really early (about 5) and watching the city wake up. Even before the market people start setting up. It is so amazingly beautiful to watch the sunrise over the city. I prefer sunrise to sunset... less people and I have the city to myself to photograph. A perfect morning...