Venice Biennale

The Biennale, whether Arts or Archi, is pretty enormous. You’d need a day to do justice to the Giardini, where the national pavilions are sited, and another day for the Arsenale. Perhaps not a whole day, but you would feel disappointed (and quite footsore) if you try to do both in a single day.

Along with the Giardini and Arsenale, there are a bunch of other venues scattered around Venice, Giudecca, La Certosa and even at Forte Marghera.

So it depends how much it grabs you. I was in Venice at the tail end of the Architecture Biennale two years ago, so had only four days to visit. This year, I’m going for sixteen days, arriving Sunday 25th September, staying at an apartment close to the Frari. I’m thinking probably a couple of days at each of the Giardini and Arsenale, another five days for the venues in Venice, plus a day trip to Padua where there is a magnificent new green house in the gardens (and buying linen at a street market for my wife). I’m also going to San Vito de Altivore to see the Brion mausoleum designed by Carlo Scarpa, Venice’s most notable modern architect, and also to Possagno to visit the museum where Canova’s plaster models are held. Scarpa did the extension to the museum, and he has a special way of working with light. There’s maybe something on at the Fortuny museum as well, but I’m struggling to find out what’s happening at the various venues.

I’m not an architect, having had a career as an engineer working in water treatment, think sewerage. But somehow, I’m able to engage with architecture, and I can understand the vernacular.

A bit of a long winded answer to your very straight forward question, I’m afraid.

Both the Giardini and Arsenale are closed on Mondays!

We were in Venice for a week last September and attended some of the Arts Biennale. We did do both the Giardini and Arsenale in one day, but as Peter notes it was too much to see everything in that short of time. We spent the day hopping among the various pavilions and exhibits, and it was wonderful, but we missed a lot and were ready for a Campari spritz or two by the end of a very long day. As Peter also points out, there are a number of other venues scattered around Venice for the Biennale. These were equally as enjoyable as the main venues. It was fun to explore the city by using the Biennale map to seek out some of the more remote venues, or to just happen upon them while out walking, which is our main activity whenever we're in Venice.

Please share the dates for the Venice Biennale? I have heard about it for years and now I will be in Venice for 2 days/nights on a RS tour of Italy. Perhaps, I could go. How cool would that be? The dates I will be there is Oct 13 and 14.
Thanks!

Great information! Thanks so much - this all helps a bunch. Never been to Venice, so this will be quite an introduction.

The Venice Biennale runs from May 28 to November 27, so your October travel dates will be perfect.

Wonderful! Now I need to find out the details of location, etc.

Judy, here is a link to the brochure for the Architecture Biennale 2016.

http://web.labiennale.org/doc_files/15mia.pdf