Two and a half days in Venice

What is 'necessary' depends very much on your own interests and motivations for choosing Venice. If you post something about that, you are likely to get more meaningful replies here.

That said, I love museums, monuments and architecture. So for me, San Marco, the Guggenheim museum, the Scuola Grande Di San Rocco, and the Academia are my favorite memories. The walking tours in the RS guidebook were good, too. But really the entire place is so completely astonishing, that you will have a great time if you do most anything. Whatever you choose, never let other people make you feel bad about your trip because you didn't see what they think are the 'necessary sights'.

Two suggestions:

1. Go up to the balcony level in San Marco and watch the sun highlight the gold mosaics. It is pretty incredible. Then go outside to the see the horses and overlook the piazza.

2. Go out to San Giorgio Maggiore and go up the campanile (it has a lift). Great views of the city, the laguna, and Guidecca.

Thanks Gordon!

I'll second the campanile at San Giorgio. Our first visit we stood in line almost an hour at San Marco camp. and then you can't see much of the Doge's Palace/Bridge of Sighs. Last trip we went across to San Giorgio, no line at all and amazing views.

My other rec is to get up and go out early - you can have breakfast when you get back. Head out at 7am and go to rialto and marvel at the lack of people. Walk over to St Mark's Sq and share the square with maybe a dozen people. Admire the Bridge of Sighs without fighting thru elbows and selfie sticks that will dominate by 10am. Trust me, even if you aren't a morning person, make an exception for Venice for one morning.

We also really enjoyed Santa Mara Gloriosa dei Frari church. I've seen so many churches that they all kind of blur, but something about this one stuck with me - maybe it was the art for some reason.

...and stay out late - I hope you have a place on Venice proper to stay. Nothing like wandering the canals at nights, listening to the water lapping, seeing the lights reflecting off the water, enjoying the dueling orchestras in St M Sq. Get lost for an hour and just wander the canals away from the maddening crowds - that's when you fall in love with Venice, not when you feel like sheep going to slaughter in the craziness that is Rialto or SMS at midday.

(Can you tell I LOVE Venice?!)

Many thanks, Nicole!

Ditto Nicole about getting up at 7, and walk Venice ending at St. Marks Square no later than 8. It's so peaceful and quiet...I just loved it. We stopped at a couple cafes for expressos on our way to St. Marks...so quaint! It's amazing that by 10:00 it starts swarming with the cruise ship tourists.

Something else we did that was a little pricey, but very special and memorable. We went and had a wonderful dinner at a hotel close by St. Marks. Then around 10:00, we went and sat at the Florian. Get dressed up that night for dinner. Pay the money, and sit and listen to that wonderful orchestra in that magical square. Order some proseccos, then coffee and dessert....you won't believe the gorgeous presentation. Spend at least 90 minutes there. It will set you back 110 Euro, but it was worth being served by impeccable career waiters, who are so professional and soaking in the romance. I actually got teary eyed one time listening to the orchestra.. Sure you can stand around and listen for free...no thanks..I want the whole experience., who knows if I will ever go back.

Since you have 2 full days, I would definitely go on a tour. I really wish we had done that. We went on several in Rome, and I think we would have gotten do much out of it.

Nicole jogged a memory. Going out early and watching the city come to life is an experience. The way the commercial vendors deliver their wares is interesting. Boats and carts that move up over the bridges. Fascinating.

We walked out around Dorsoduro and watching the locals fish in the laguna. That was fun. It happened to be during a light acqua alta and most were in very high boots. Some actually caught fish!

Our 2nd visit to Venice we took an overnight train from Salzburg to Venice, arriving at something like 8am or so. We decided to walk from the train stn to our B&B in San Toma (which we had stayed at the previous visit so we knew where it was and only had carry on suitcases). It was interesting at that time to see the men out collecting the garbage and deliveries being made and boats being loaded and unloaded with deliveries and you realize it's not like at home where the truck can just pull up to the door and drop stuff off - they have to load stuff on handcarts and wheel it thru the streets and alleys and over bridges.

The 3rd visit in 2012, which is the time I made hubby get up early to go out (6:30) I vividly recall a woman walking ahead of us to the vaporetto stop at San Toma and a huge rat running across the alley in front of her. She jumped about 5 feet in the air. That was also the time, heading back at 8ish to the B&B for breakfast that we saw the school age children getting on the vaps and heading off to school - made you realize that there are actually people with lives living there, and not just tourists - tho with the population slowing falling, you'll see less and less of that.

I think so many people get stuck in the tourist part of Venice and never see anything else. For me - it's interesting to watch the day to day goings on - that didn't really happen until visit 3, and I do know that it may be the only time you ever go and it's hard to see everything. Morning is the best time to just sample a little bit of daily life...