Day trip from Venice

Padua is an easy day trip. It has a classy elegance to soak in, and a couple must-see sights in the Scrovengi Chapel (advance tickets required) and St. Anthony’s Basilica. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with chilling in Venice an extra day too.

Are you thinking of doing this on your way to Venice, or as a daytrip from Venice after you arrive? I would not recommend the latter at all. With a short time in Venice, and expensive hotels there, I believe that one should stay in Venice and enjoy her beauty. A trip to Bolzano will take you 3 hours 20 minutes each way and is not cheap.

However, as stops along the way to reach Venice, it works. The good news is there is luggage storage at the Bolzano station—-we used it to make a quick visit to the Iceman museum on our way to Venice from Alpe di Siusi. There probably is at Verona too, although we did not use it.,

Venice to Bolzano by train will be almost four hours each way (via Verona). Padua is much more realistic for a day trip, with the Scrovegni Chapel, the Basilica, the university, several good piazzas, frequent train service to and from Venice.

But, if this is the Venice-Florence-Rome tour that I took several years ago, it will give you only two full days in Venice. You could easily spend several more days exploring where the tour doesn't go -- the Frari Church, Ghetto, San Giorgio Maggiore, Santa Maria, Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Naval Museum, Ca'Rezzonico, Correr Museum, Doge's Palace...you get the idea. I had four full days there before the tour started (including a day in Padua).

Although I thought the iceman was fascinating and the museum first class, a 3 hour plus train ride, one way, would take up most of your day. Unless it’s on your bucket list of must sees, I would look at a map of cities closer to Venice and ask about towns that are closer and see if they have something that interests you. Or even something like taking the water taxi to Murano to see the glassworks. It all depends on what ‘your’ interests are.

Thanks everyone! I think we will do a Padua day trip instead. We will have two almost full days in Venice before the tour and will do more activities in the city.

Anyone with feedback regarding the tour of the anatomy lab/university in Padova?

I did a tour of Palazzo Bo at the University of Padova. Thoroughly enjoyed it. It was around graduation time so it was nice to see the graduates all dressed up. One thing to keep in mind, you get to "see" the anatomical theater briefly but do not get to walk into the theater. So it's a very, very brief visit for the anatomical theater part.

https://www.unipd.it/en/bo

Good to know. Thank you