RS Venice Grand Canal Cruise

I think your plan to visit three islands in one day plus doing the Grand Canal cruise is an ambitious one. We've found the vaporettos to the islands to be crowded and time consuming. I think that will take the entire day once you also allow time for more than a cursory look around on each island.

However, the Grand Canal at night is lovely -- we did a round trip from our hotel, admiring the lights along the way. And since you've paid for the 24-hour pass anyway ...

Since you are going to be in Venice for 5 nights why not purchase a multi-day pass? If my memory serves me correctly I think there are 2, 3, 5 & 7 day passes. I would think you would want to use the Vaporettos to explore the many other places and sites of Venice during your entire stay.

While Venice is quite walkable, Robert made a good point about the multi day vap. pass. It will save a lot of time in certain situations, and is a god send if you are "walked out" and need to take it easy.

I recently spent 4 nights in Venice and bought the 3 day pass. I felt it was well worth it. Taking the vaparetto in the evening is a wonderful way to end the day.

The last few days on a longer pass are much cheaper than the first day. It will be much cheaper to buy all the time at once than to decide part way through that you want another couple of days.

I enjoy being on a boat anywhere in Venice. Around the "tail of the fish", or along the Giudecca Canal, or out to the islands, or a dawn trip along the Grand Canal, or a sunset trip along the Grand Canal, or a mid day trip on the Grand Canal, or down to Tre Archi - it is all good.

I've been riding the Grand Canal, and all around the Lagoon at least once a year for over a dozen years, I know all the buildings between Ferrovia and the Arsenale very well, and I never tire of it.

The first time or two that I followed Rick Steves' tour of the Grand Canal the boat went too fast and I couldn't keep up and look around - there is so much to see. It might take you a trip or two to see it all.

If you can get a boat that has seats forward of the wheelhouse you can try to nab one for the best view. Or on the stern. You can stand up on the stern, which you are forbidden from doing in the front seats because that blocks the Captain's view.

There's a chance that after the first 24 hour jaunt you may want another. Or not. YMMV

I would modify Laura B's description of the Grand Canal after dark. Some palazzi are nicely lighted and perhaps have parties inside, but it also becomes obvious how many places are not lighted and/or inhabited. So I wouldn't want it to be your only view of the Grand Canal.

But with the amount of time that you're there, I think you can "afford" to also take a ride down the Giudecca side of Venice, rather than always doubling back on the Grand Canal. The view is less palatial but still interesting, and you may even enjoy seeing the cruise ship port.

I agree that you may want a longer vaporetto pass.

Many thanks to all of you for your responses! I think I was caught up in getting all of the value I could out of the one-day pass and forgetting about the quality of my time. Patricia, I definitely don't want to rush our visit to the islands. Thanks for the reality check! TC - good advice about using the vaporetto when we're walked out. All of you have convinced me that a three-day pass would be a good idea for us. And, Nigel, thank you for your description of the other routes. I think we'd enjoy trying them out. (I had to Google YMMV😊.)

Since you think you now may be getting (at least) a 3 day pass, I would also add in a visit to the island of Torcello. Interesting Cathedral (founded in 639) with mosaics, a bell tower to climb if you wish and other interesting sights to be seen there. Besides which, we thought it was just simply a very pretty, relaxing and bucolic island. San Michele was fascinating! A multi day pass will give you the freedom to explore the islands more fully and at your leisure. When we did the RS Grand Canal route, we let a vaporetto or two go by until we were able to time our access to sit in the front of the boat. Are you planning on listening to his audio tour for that? It was really good back then and i'm sure even better now. As I recall, the tour covers both sides of the Canal and it's much easier to see what he's describing about if you're in the very front. Have fun! I know you are going to enjoy your time in Venice.

Definitely purchase a vaporetto pass for your entire stay. As Nigel said, it doesn't cost that much more than a shorter one, and at €7.50 per individual ride, it doesn't take many for a pass to pay off quickly.

Now with a pass for your whole time there, you are free to go where you want, when you want. If you want to take 5 rides on the Grand Canal by day and by night to see what you missed, or if you want to go to Murano, Burano, and Torcello on 3 separate days, or if you want to ride 2 stops because you're tired, you can. Once you're there, you'll see that this freedom is well worth a few extra euros.

Andi, you do know us, and, of course you're right. Advice taken! Harold, this quote says it all, "Once you're there, you'll see that this freedom is well worth a few extra euros." I'm completely reworking our schedule for Venice! Again, thank you all so much for your good advice!