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day early in to Venice

We are arriving a day early for our Best of Venice, Florence & Rome and are looking for ideas in what to do that won't be covered in the tour. Day trip? Romantic Restaurant? any other ideas. We will be in Venice in Late July

Posted by
311 posts

Just walk around. The best day we had was getting lost walking around.

Posted by
5953 posts

Just walk around and get over jet lag
Visit Rialto Market in the am
Visit Frari church

Posted by
2 posts

I would recommend going to one of the islands not in your tour itinerary. You might not have time or energy otherwise. Also if you must visit a museum or site that is not on the tour, get it done then. I can’t wait to go back!

Posted by
7181 posts

Venice is too rich a destination for a daytrip! But that would be Villa Pisani. Contemporary art is not for everyone, but there are single day tickets to the Venice Biennale available. You can't see everything in the Biennale in a single day, however. I'd concentrate on some of the national pavillions and the Arsenale.

Posted by
583 posts

Looks like you'll be visiting one of the islands as a group (whichever is "your guide's favorite").

My suggestions:

  1. Yes, walk around with no particular goal! On another thread, Roberto shared this interesting info on where the tourists are (and aren't) if you'd like to wander in peace:

    The map in the article below shows the presence of pedestrians in the various Calle (streets) based on mobile phone tracking data. As you can see the crowds tend to concentrate on Piazza San Marco, Riva degli Schiavoni in front of the Giudecca Canal, Rialto Bridge, Frari, train station, Piazzale Roma, and the main streets (which more or less follow the grand canal) connecting these main landmarks.
    https://www.avvenire.it/agora/pagine/big-data
    As you move away from that corridor, the City is actually fairly desert. Get a good map because in those areas you won’t find too many people to direct you to the right place.

  2. Be up early or out late, to enjoy Venice before the day trippers arrive or after they leave.

  3. A few hours before sunset, take the vaporetto across to San Giorgio Maggiore church facing the Doge's Palace, pay the nominal fee to take the elevator to the top of the campanile, and be rewarded with stunning views across Venice in the golden sun. Vaporetto back, walk to Palazzo Bauer Hotel, and enjoy an expensive sunset drink-with-a-view at their rooftop bar, Septimo Cielo, while watching early evening give way to night across Venice. Magic!

ETA: The app CheBateo can help you know which vaporetto to take. Also, to be courteous to locals while wandering, please don't stop or sit on any of the pedestrian bridges, and please stand to the side in an alleyway if you hear "Attenzione" from a worker trying to get by with a delivery handcart.

Posted by
6429 posts

The suggestion in #3 above is a good one. San Giorgio is a great church and the view from the tower is excellent. Much less crowded than the Campanile. The island you won't visit on the tour would be Murano. The Frari Church is also a good suggestion. The Peggy Guggenheim Museum if you like modern art. Santa Maria Salute Church is well worth seeing. Or get a vaporetto pass and combine walks with rides all over the city. You'll have a couple of free afternoons on the tour, the first one would be good to visit the Doge's Palace if you want.