I want to share some of the hints and helps that worked so well for us....
Never underestimate the power of doing your homework! My husband was constantly amazed and in awe of me :-) EVERY time we walked PAST the long, winding lines of people and went right in various museums and galleries. Somebody here had given me the direct website for the Borghese Gallery as well and while I called over late one night and scribbled done a confirmation #, I was practically quaking w/ anxiety when the gal started typing in our name & number - a quick nod, smile and out popped our tickets! Same with St. Mark's, Galleria, and Uffuzi. It just makes you wonder why on earth all those people are wasting hours standing in line when a quick sit on the internet to reserve/pay gets you right in!
Another wonder - how DOES that work?! - leaving your bag at the "baggage check" spot around the corner from St. Mark's Basilica and you walk right in. We even stayed far longer that RS's "hour" mention, and nobody said a word. Yes, we walked and got lost and found ourselves again in Venice. We stayed in a jewel just outside the tourist rim, caught the fish market at Rialo, and stood in a traghetto as we crossed the Grand Canal. We got our "vaparotto" pass right at the airport, so our first bus ride into Venice along with all boat trips were covered. We followed the crowds back and forth between the dueling orchestras on St. Mark's Square every night and throughout the entire trip NEVER missed a single day without gelato-and still never got to all the flavors...
Buying a 5euro phone card and confirming our B&B places was easy and fun as well - to be finally talking with these people at long last.
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
Louise, I couldn't have said it better, or as well. At least half of my trip is the time I spend planning and figuring out stuff. Occasionally I get stuck somewhere with no plan (maybe in the middle of a strike) and panic for a moment. Then my own experience, and trust that I can handle the routine dilemma, kick in and I get the info I need to continue on. My guess is that some people just don't want to do the work and planning. In my judgement, spontaniety is over-rated when it comes to an expensive trip within a limited time-frame. I spend my days in a more-or-less spontaneous way once the basics of travel, lodging, passes, etc. have been covered.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Loiuse,, yes, we did the RS hint about checking bags and then being able to skip line at St Marks Basilica,, it was scary trying it , but it worked perfectly.. and we avoided a massive line. No one should ever put down us worker bees who do our homework!
Posted by
Charlotte, NC
49 posts
Louise,
I am enjoying your reflections - it takes me back. I also agree that planning and preparation are key to an enjoyable trip. The anticipation brought on by the planning, the day dreaming I find myself into after hours of reading about a possible destination - all this makes the trip last longer. The trip basically starts the minute we start planning and not the minute we arrive at the airport. I savor everything about my trip -from the time I write down my top 5 destinations, to buying the airline tickets and of course living the trip in real life. Thanks for taking me back in all of your " Debriefing" posts!
Posted by
Milford, NE, USA
13 posts
At which "jewel" did you stay in Venice and what did it cost?
Thanks!
Posted by
OP
Sonora, CA, USA
100 posts
Lisa, it was the Hotel Mocenigo - the only "hotel" we stayed in the entire trip. We paid 145.00euros and it was only a 7 minute walk from the Rialto Bridge and maybe another 5 to St. Mark's. The website is:
http://www.alpontemocenigo.com
From the main vaparetoo place (Piazza Roma I believe), it was stop #4. We got out in front of the San Stae church, walked to the left to a small bridge and down a few yards and there was their own bridge right into the place. A lovely little courtyard where we had breakfast every morning, including warm apricot scones and fresh cappuchinos. The rooms were gorgeous, everything accented in rich wood and brass. Free internet outside our room during our stay and the most gorgeous bathrooms. From the beginning, we knew we'd have to change rooms for night #4, and when it came, they said they'd made other arrangements so we could just stay in the same room. Enjoyed getting to know Walter and Sandro as well. They were rated highly on TripAdvisor and RS book as well. I'd stay again ANY time!
Posted by
St Louis
411 posts
How does the "baggage check and get in" at St. Mark's work?
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Maggie,
We did the baggage check in thing to get into St Marks and not wait in line. We were on a RS Family tour , and our guides told us how to do it( for our free day).
You are not allowed to bring any bags or knapsacks into the church. So, when you are at the very front of the long line with your bag, they will tell you to go and check your bag,, and the bag check is about 50 yards away, down a side street. You go into this cloakroom sort of place, give them your bag, they give you a chit of paper, you take the paper back to the front of the line, they let you go right in, since they assume you had just been at the front of the line. We went straight to cloakroom, got chit, went in church.
We could not beleive it would be so easy, but it is ,, and the thing is , I can't for the life of me describe where this cloakroom is to you now,there is no big sign or anything, and its just a hole in the wall type place,but once you have the chit , in you go. You could just watch for a few minutes and see where people walk off to ,, follow them and do the same.
I guess it is sneaky now that I think of it, but since our guide told us to do it we just went along. Since I had a child with me I just wanted to skip the long line in the major heat anyways.
We talked with serveral of our tour members that night and they all did it too and thought it was a great "tip".