Venice in 2 days?

I'm always puzzled by comments from folks who didn't like Venice or who say one or two days is enough. My best guess is that they just didn't venture off the (swamped-with-tourists) path between the Rialto Bridge and San Marco. That route is a zoo, well supplied with tacky tourist shops and bad, over-priced food. Venice is wonderful for wandering; you just need to walk away from that clogged path. Plus you have the islands, and the museums, and the churches...

Avoiding pricey, mediocre tourist food was a challenge even 25 years ago. Checking out current reviews should help. Unlike most of the rest of Italy, just wandering into a restaurant that catches your eye in Venice may not yield good results.

To me, two days would be the rock-bottom minimum, and three or four would be better, but I am an inveterate wanderer.

I don't like two night stays anywhere. They just don't give you enough time to get settled and get your bearings of any city. And Venice? It's worth more than two nights. It's my favorite city anywhere - it's magic. I've returned there more than anywhere else - I just love to wander and marvel at how beautiful it is.

Those were my thoughts exactly!!! Im shocked when I hear this. I will make note to "wander off the path"... after those two main sights, were out of that main area!!!

Any particular routes you took that you fell in love with? Any restaurants stand out?

Best,

Steven

You are actually staying in Venice only 2 nights (we seasoned travelers like to count nights on the ground), which in my book is even below the generally recommended minimum of 3 nights.

Two nights is actually one full day only, plus some hours on the day of arrival and on the day of departure, which to me are kind of worthless days, because the day of arrival you will need time to check in, unpack, get settled in your hotel, get oriented. If you arrive directly from another continent after a long flight you will also need to deal with jet lag. The day of departure is another wasted day because you will need to do all of the above in reverse, then make your way to the station to catch a train. Both days will therefore give you very few hours to tour the city.

I don't know if you have time to change your itinerary at all, but if you have the time to do so, it wouldn't be a bad idea to stay 3 nights instead of 2. That extra full day might give you even a chance to visit the nearby islands of Murano and Burano, which will give you a glimpse of what Venice must have been like before mass tourism.

I would be arriving at 9 AM Friday morning. Figure I have the afternoon/at night atleast.
Saturday is a full day.
Sunday we would leave in afternoon for Varenna on Lake Como, say 1-2 PM. So we have the morning.

I CAN take a day off Varenna. We were planning on taking a cooking course there - do you know of any in Venice?

I had an entire day dedicated to a cooking course in Varenna. If I can do it in Venice, I will get another full day there.

Let me know your thoughts.

Appreciate the insight.

Best,

Steven

I am slightly on the fence on this one and will play a little bit of Devil's Advocate on Venice.
We recently just visited and only stayed 2 nights in Venice, when leaving I did not feel the time was too short and had we another night would have allocated it elsewhere other than Venice.

We cut back what we would see there and I got very little sleep though which is how I made it work for me.
We did do the things on your list.
Also partially to maximize time we opted for taking the expensive private water taxi both on arrival and departure from our hotel.
Did not go to any of the other islands Murano/Burano and if we had another day would definitely have done that.
I do feel like we missed out a bit on that but, the tours to those islands most seem to do seemed a little too organized and think I would enjoy them more at the hours I would not be there, so maybe not.

Found daytime Venice annoying, just too crowded and feels somewhat fake (has kind of a made solely for tourists feel at times) ; most store keepers don't seem Italian for example.
The Negatives: honestly not sure I have been to a more crowded place in my life, St. Mark's square, Rialto bridge and most of the main drags between you feel like a sardine in a can and the tour groups are god awful. Restaurants abound and you can get any type of food you wish, sadly there are more tourist trap bad restaurants than good authentic ones which for Italy is really not the case anywhere else. Sure you can do your research and eat good food at good places, it is just the point that in Venice there is actually bad food in Italy. It's position on the sea and the tides can take their toll on the exterior appearance, it is incredibly hard to upkeep I am sure, some areas are beautifully maintained others a little decayed.
The Positives: I woke up an hour before sunrise each morning and explored the city properly and it was magical at those hours. Sunrise from St. Mark's one empty morning and from the Accademia Bridge the next
Not just the natural beauty to see the deliveries via boat and the town start to wake up was really unique and memorable.
I also explored after dark and it was also magical then, extremely safe and easy to be in manageable crowds or all alone.
We stayed in the Campo Piazza Santa Maria Formosa which was a very nice area ; it got busy but not St. Mark's busy and had a little more authentic feel than most other spots.
A gondola ride is unquestionably overpriced but it is hard not to have an ear to ear smile as you are whisked through the canals on a private gondola.
My plans of walking all day and til 11 PM and then back on the streets at 5 AM surely does not work for most but in 2 nights stay I covered a lot of ground and knew my way around without getting lost (that is the sign, your first few walks you feel totally confused) probably saw more than many tourists that stay 3-4 nights.

Did I love Venice, yes parts of it but not sure I will ever return ; not that I would turn down a chance to go just other places call me back more. I encourage anyone to go, there is no other place like it on earth but understand how some could love it and others dislike it.

Venice is a fascinating place - you will not run out of things to do, even with three or four days. In addition to all the fantastic churches and museums, it's fun to just ride the vaporetti, and there are some great walks. I think the question comes down to how well you think you'll tolerate the down-sides of Venice. As others have noted, it can be crowded and very touristy, particularly during high season, it is expensive, and it can be hard to get good meals. I did research on restaurants in advance of my trip last year, and the food I was served was OK, but certainly not as good as I can make at home. If you value good food and you can afford it, I would recommend that you stay in a full service hotel, and ask the staff to book restaurant reservations for you.

Steven, unless you're a foodie not interested in much of Venice's history, I personally wouldn't take a day or even an afternoon out of the only two full days you would have (if stealing one from Varenna) for a class. Exploring one or two of the islands might give you a different perspective of the bigger picture. Just a thought?

I personally think 3 nights in Venice would be perfect for a first timer. Murano/Burano would be a nice addition for that length of stay. Of course you can do Venice in the time you have allocated, but you will have to limit the places you visit.

If you arrive at 9am, after a flight, the airport procedures take longer than expected and the airport is far.
Whether you want to cut Varenna or not is a matter of personal taste. You need at least a full day (2 nights) to see lake Como, at least Varenna and Bellagio.

I am not the type who would spend a day at a cooking class while in Italy, especially if it's a short trip. My wife is a great gourmet cook who enjoys that and could spend entire vacations taking cooking classes, but we go to Italy to visit family every year, sometimes 2 times a year, so she's not pressed for time.

If your cooking class is the one at Il Caminetto with Chef Moreno, do not give it up! It is a great experience, and does not take all day. He is a fantastic teacher.

We were picked up in Varenna around 10:30 and then dropped off at the old castle around 2:00. We looked around the castle ruins ( particularly nice as the raptors were on display) and then walked back down to Varenna. One of our favorite days in Italy.

As for Venice, we have been there three times---the first for five days (honeymoon), the next for a full month, the most recent for a week. We love the city and have learned ways to deal with the negatives (the hordes of day visitors from the cruise ships that fill the streets on certain routes). We stay in apartments and mostly cook for ourselves, buying vegetables from the same vendor at Rialto Market who soon came to recognize us. We have dined out 7-8 times and honestly have not had a bad meal. But we (a) read reviews and choose carefully, (b) get away from San Marco area, (c) reserve in advance, (d) dress well and speak Italian to the waitstaff, and (d) order two courses each and not the cheapest things on the menu, plus a bottle of water and a bottle of wine. Which of these actually helps us get nice food and attentive service I cannot say, but the combination does seem to work. The cost is generally around €100 so dining out is not something we would do every night in Venice.

I hesitate to recommend specific restaurants because our tastes may differ, but forum member Laurel has a good list. She is away for a while but may respond to a Private Message. Or perhaps someone can find a post with her list.

Two days in Venice is much better than no days in Venice. Venice is one of my favorite cities in Europe. You will not be sorry if you go.

Rick's books, Italy or Venice, have some good walking routes that will take you to some of the calles away from the mobs. Definitely suggest you read his entire section on Venice to get loads of helpful information about everything to see and do in Venice. Also download his free audio tours for excellent descriptions of what you are seeing.

I just did 3 nights there and wished there was a 4th. Had a great meal at 6342 A Le Tole as recommended by our Airbnb host. Was a fantastic meal. It is close to the hospital.

My family is spending 3 nights / 2.5 full days in Venice next June. After scheduling a few private tours and things to do on our own, I wish I'd done 4 nights / 3.5 full days. I wanted to see the islands but feel I would need a full day to see them without feeling rushed. So, we will not be visiting the islands on this trip as I want to take my time to explore Venice proper. Hope this helps.

Well, I'd disagree. I've been to Venice 10 or so nights over 4 visits, and hope to go back for a week for Carnivale in a few years. No place like it (in my opinion). The best part were the return visits, to be honest - because we had already seen 'the big stuff' - the most interesting is getting off the beaten track - going out early (trust me - go out one morning at 7am and enjoy St Marks Sq and Rialto before the tourist hordes have descended). Also, hang around at night as well - love it.

For me, the perfect first visit would be 3 nights - then you decide if you want to return. I think people who dislike it never get off the tourist track between Rialto and SMS, and go out when the hordes are out (after about 10am or so) - that is the time to get to the far reaches of Venice. Maybe they are also there when it is hot and supposedly smelly (never had a smell issue when we've been there in Sept).

For meals - one of our fav spots (which we will return to) was All Amarone - https://www.allamarone.com/ A little off the beaten track - but not too far from Rialto - we stumbled on it our last night there on our last trip. It gets great reviews on Trip Advisor. Nice portions and not crazy expensive compared to the restaurantss by Rialto and SM.

Also wanted to add - we've been in many churches in many areas, but for some reason, Santa Maria dei Frari (Frari church) has been a favourite - can't explain why - just - the art work, the lack of crowds...

From what I am reading - get off the beaten track, get out early, stay out late. Maybe a day trip is in order to beat the masses.

Going to write down those two restaurants, this was excellent insight.

Has anyone else been to Varenna? I will be doing a lake tour, seeing Bellagio and Mennagio and a few other sights. The il campno cooking class is what we were looking into it, but not sure if dedicating an entire day is worth it over an entire day in Venice.

Its always tough trying to figure out what is "more" important to experience, with limited time away it makes it challenging.

Thank you,

Steven

A lake tour, Bellagio, and a few other sights sounds about right. The best thing about that area is it is great for kicking back and just relaxing. Personally I'd add an extra day in Venice. It is a truly unique place.

Think that is what I am leaning towards TC. We will be doing a boat tour for a full day in Varenna, get to see Menaggio and Bellagio and few other gorgeous sights on the lake. Obviously Varenna is tiny, can just walk around and relax enjoy a few good meals.

Steven,
I'd also vote for 3 nights, but at least 2 before you head elsewhere. We were just in Venice in early October, and we were there for just one night. We took a shared water taxi from the airport (which my husband calls a must-do, as the experience itself was great fun), then we went to mass at St.Marks (while it was all lighted inside...which makes a huge difference in the beauty), then toured the museum/balcony/saw the bronze horses upstairs). We also took the advice in the RS guidebook and took the varparetto up the Grand Canal, waiting for one where we could get seats in front of the wheelhouse. That was great fun, and we actually did a loop. Fun talking to locals who were on the same vaparetto, heading home from work, etc. Then quick dinner and early to bed.

We walked by the wonderful restaurants that are recommended in the RS guidebook, one was closed on Sunday night, and the another was booked up. Other interesting ones did not open until 7:30 or 8pm, and we were feeling the effects of the time zone changes, so we had a light dinner and were in bed early.

The next a.m. we visited Doge's Palace (where we were actually offered a senior discount), then we meandered around the shops on St. Mark's Square, etc. and then it was time to head toward our small ship for boarding.

We arrived on a Sunday and left on a Monday. There were things we would have LOVED to do, but time did not permit. We would have loved to climb one of the bell towers, and we would have loved to go to one or two of the islands.

The hordes of people probably would vary based on WHEN you are going. I don't think I spotted your WHEN. Other than right at the waterfront in front of the large hotels, I was surprised it was not more crowded. St. Marks Square was brisk but not hordes, and we had maybe a 15-minute wait to get in Doge's Palace (no reservations/no advance tickets...arrived around 10am). We may have just been lucky.

Our hotel was the Hotel Le Isole, which is an easy (no more than 5-minute) walk from the vaparetto stops off the Grand Canal, and about that much time (or less) to the heart of St. Mark's Square. It was an extremely quiet location,convenient, but in some ways it seemed like miles away (lack of crowds). We would absolutely stay there again. Price, location, cleanliness, great breakfast, very kind staff. The only thing we had wished for was a larger bathroom...ours was rather tiny, but it worked. We had a balcony overlooking one of the small canals, as well as a large window (that opened) overlooking the other approach on the same canal, and my husband had great fun watching the gondoliers prep for the day, as well as watching the equivalent of the UPS delivery boat, and the laundry boat make their stops.

I'd heard some people say they would not give Venice more than a day, but we left wanting for more. Our ship actually returned to Venice, so it was lovely seeing Venice again in the very early morning as we sailed into port.

Enjoy your trip.

"il campno cooking class"--- do you mean the Il Caminetto class I described above? Do they have an all-day class in addition to the 3.5-hour lunch class we enjoyed?

We were very happy to take the class that day because the lake was so hazy we could not see across from our lakefront balcony in Varenna. A lake tour to see the scenery would have been a bust that day.

I don't know how often that happens, but Rick does describe it as "lazy, hazy Lake Como.". And of course it cannot be predicted in advance. The next day was nice and clear, so we rode the boat across to Menaggio to swim ( the water at the little Varenna beach did not look clean enough for swimming, but on the other side it was fine---not as many ducks and swans around).

We have also enjoyed the walk up to the old castle and back by a different route, making a loop. And the walk to the little river--only a mile each way, but the trail is away from the traffic on the road.

I think two full days in Venice is sufficient, but I'd rather have three. Venice is unique and beautiful, but the crowds are awful. You want to give yourself time to work around that. We did Doge's Palace one day and Murano the next. Murano is so peaceful and I picture it being what the rest of Venice is without the hordes of tourists. I wish we could've seen the other islands, make time for that!!

Certainly you can see the Basilica and Ducal Palace in a day or two. Just like London, where you can see Tower Bridge and Nelson’s column in a morning, or New York which can be explored in depth in less than a handful of days. Or not.

It takes a while to get a handle on Venice, to figure out how to get from place to place, how to avoid the hordes who arrive on the cruise liners and creep around the city in parties of thirty or forty.

There is an education to be had in Venice if one spends the time. Venice is the only city in the Western world that is completely pedestrianised, leaving aside the vaporetto service and water taxis. You can see how the city works as a social entity, how people relate to each other when they are not stuck inside a car.

Sure, tick off the big ticket things, the Rialto, Ducal Palace, the Piazza, San Marco, and then the less known things start to grab you. The Tiepolo Stations of the Cross in San Polo, the Crucifixion shown in fourteen frames of brutal reality, or the ice house in the garden of the Hotel des Doges. The Arsenale if it is open, the world’s first purpose built armaments factory. The State Archive, containing some 75,000 metres of shelving, documents from around 1500 resolving issues of drainage or trademark violation.

“Modern” Venice has a lot going for it. The Biennale if modern art or architecture is your thing. Or take a tour with venicekayak.com, and see a whole different Venice.

It helps to have some sort of agenda when you visit, some sort of theme. One visit, I decided to see every Tiepolo painting in Venice – about fifteen different venues including the Armenian monastery in the lagoon. Last trip, two and a bit weeks, was about architecture, particularly modern architecture.

So give yourself, if you can, more than two days. You don’t have to take a ride in a gondola, though.

Give yourself more than two days if possible. It can be done in two rushed hectic days, but you will enjoy slowing down in this most unique city. I have been three times. Solo, with my wife and with my family. My last trip, I was able to get off the beaten path and I really enjoyed it the most. The islands of Murano and Burano adds a different light to this community. They can be visited by vaporetto by yourself.

Get up early wander around as the city wakes up, visit St. Mark's and the Doges Palace at opening. The turn and get out of there. We love the Friar church with the paintings in situ. It has never been crowded when we have been there so this would be a great third destination after St. Mark's and Doges Palace. Sit up front on a Vaporetto along the Grand Canal.

Great food can be found at cicchetti bars. Our favorite is Osteria al Portego. They have the best tiramisu. We also did a cicchetti crawl along the cicchetti strip near the fish market, each one has different specialties, in one nearly everything was fried, in another, it was all sandwiches. It was a great variety. Most of the cicchetti places were filled with locals.

You will notice how quiet the city is without traffic.

Look for the police boats, fire boats, ambulance boats and delivery boats.
Visit St. Marks square, in the morning, with the crowds and then go by later in the evening after the crowds have left.

A tip for the crowds between Rialto Bridge and St. Marks Square, there are lots of alley's that are parallel to the main walk way that everyone uses.

We also really enjoyed our visit to Burano - we hit Murano to explore the glass shops and Burano is - well, I love photography, so it was just a gorgeous jelly bean coloured place. Our first time in Venice we only had about 30 hrs (one night and a late flight out)...we made the dumb mistake of heading to Murano...in the late afternoon - just around when things were closing, so we wasted a good chunk of time getting there and back for about 30 min of looking around - I didn't do my due diligence. If you only end up going for 2 days, Murano/Burano (and Torcello as well) may take up too much time.

Also - we have done both St Marks bell tower and across the lagoon - the San Giorgio bell tower. The line for SG was non-existent and we had the added benefit of being able to see across the lagoon to SMS and the Bridge of Sighs. Then again, we were up in SM bell tower at the top of the hour when the bells rang - loud, but an awesome memory. We waited prob 30 min in line at SM bell tower.

I think someone mentioned getting a vaporetto pass - we found they always paid for themselves after a few trips.

If there is a big line up at Doge's Palace, you can get a combo ticket with the nearby Correr Museum - you can buy the ticket there and bypass the line at Doge's (unless something has changed in the last 6 years). And the Correr Museum was really interesting as well, in it's own right.

Also, 4 trips and we still haven't done a gondola ride - just can't justify the cost...

Count me biased: I love Venice.

If this is your first visit to Venice you really need to experience the crowds to understand what everyone is talking about. If you arrive in the airport, take the bus to Piazzale Roma and follow the signs to Piazza San Marco. If you arrive by train, leave the station and follow the signs to Piazza San Marco. Then you have seen the crowd and can leave this area alone between 10:00 and 17:00.

I like to wander eastwards along the water and follow Via Guiseppe Garibaldi to the Arsenale (or go to Biennale area if that interests you), then north, west, north, west, north, west, north, west to the water and west along the water. Finding a random restaurant along the way and leaving most of the day tourists behind.

We were just back to Venice this year (3rd time), and both of us think it's in the Top 2-3 cities in Europe. If your first stop in Europe is at Venice, definitely stay 3 days. It is a magical place (away from the tourist Rialto-to-San Marco path). We stayed at the Hotel Ala this year which is very convenient for the Aliguna boat from the airport, near San Marco, and you don't need to carry your luggage over bridges from the boat dock near the hotel.

I see the "tourist spots" on your list. Actually we haven't been to the Doge's Palace, yet. There's so much fun putting away the map and exploring, getting lost, enjoying Venice, stopping for lunch at an outdoor café, and then looking at the map to head back. As an example, we headed for Ca'Rezzonico one day during our last trip, veered off in the wrong direction, stopped for gelato and enjoyed the Dorsoduro neighborhood before stopping for lunch. We ended the day by going to San Marco in the evening when the day crowds were gone and danced in the piazza - a lovely day!

We've been to Varenna and would easily give up that day to Venice.

Enjoy your trip!

Wife and I visited Venice in early November 2011 and stayed 3 nights. That was the right amount for me and she said 2 would have been good for her. Heading back with my young adult son in July 2017 and are planning 2 nights. Also, visited Varenna for 2 nights following our visit to Venice in 2011. Best time in Venice was pub crawling with a local Italian couple we met one night. Best time in Varenna was hanging with another American couple (the only other travelers in town) and the locals in a little storefront place. Ciao!