Venice - Itinerary Check Please

There is a resturant on Murano you might want to try. We make it a point to eat there almost every time we visit the island.

It is the Ristorante dalla Mora on Fondamenta Daniel Manin. Lots of locals eat there and it's on a canal. It's easy to find if you use google maps to check it out ahead of time.

I think your schedule is wonderful. Plenty of down time, free time, time you can fill with new activities, should you so choose.

It’s obvious you’ve put a lot of thought and a lot of work into this; I can’t wait to see what you have planned for Florence.

Is this in August? (I think so based on one of your prior posts.) Plan to do as much as possible before lunch, have lunch late-ish, then take some time out of the heat. It is truly uncomfortable in the afternoons, so pace yourselves. Get out early. The best time to wander is as the city is waking up. We like to go out at 6 AM, walk and find a cappucino, then return to our lodging for showering and breakfast.

Also, dine late, after the sun is down. Make reservations!

It is great you haven’t tried to plan every minute and that you are spending several days in This fabulous city. We’ve been a dozen times and would go back in an instant!

Meant to add a recommendation to see the Frari Church. Rick Steves has a self-guided tour in his book that is insightful,

You might want to research the Chorus Pass, which covers entry to at least a dozen less famous but worthwhile churches, whose entry fees are generally 3 euros each, I believe. You may not be in Venice long enough for the pass to save you money, but I think you can find an online list of the days and hours those churches are open.

I don't remember whether they are common in Venetian churches, but many Roman churches have coin-fed light boxes to illuminate frescoes or mosaics. I suppose that's likelier in churches with no entry fees, but I'd still try to keep some 1-euro coins available.

I have no reason to think you'll have a problem on Burano, but some of the less busy vaporetto stops have neither a ticket-vending machine nor a stuffed ticket booth. Therefore, I'd recommend buying the 72-hour passes at the first ticket sales point you see.

Vaporetti between Murano and Venice proper are not terribly frequent, I think, so check the schedule to be sure you can get away from the island for early explorations if you want to.

If you go to Google Maps and search for supermarkets, locations will pop up, though generally without any clue as to size. There's a Despar market on Murano upstairs in a building at Fondamenta del Vetrai 14 (west side of canal). There's a sign down at street level. That one was closed on Sunday last September. It's nothing to write home about, but it exists.

Also on Murano there's a Coop at Fondamenta Rivalonga 27, apparently open every day. I haven't been to that one, but I suspect it's larger and nicer than the first one I mentioned. This one is extremely close to the Hyatt Centric.

In Venice proper there are quite a few supermarkets. I especially like the looks of the Despar Teatro Italia, which is in a former theatre building that has been nicely restored. It's in Cannaregio on Campiello de l'Anconeta. It definitely has a good selection of sliced meats and cheeses. There's probably a deli counter, but I'm not certain about that. It's worth popping in if only to see the decor. There's a branch of Gelato di Natura on the same square.

If you are a music lover, you might want to see the Vivaldi 4 Seasons concert in Venice. We did so in April, and it was really the highlight of our time there. It takes place in the "Vivaldi Church", or Chiesa della Pieta. It was just over an hour, and the music was wonderful.

That Vivaldi concert sounds wonderful! I can't seem to find the official website to buy tickets. We are there September 19/20 and I'm seeing conflicting info whether there are concerts scheduled that week.

@hacksaw_bridles0z

A website to book tickets is https://www.introducingvenice.com/activities/vivaldis-four-seasons-concert#:~:text=During%20the%2018th%20century%2C%20this,concert%20of%20The%20Four%20Seasons.

It doesn't appear to be bookable during your dates in Venice.

Seems as if they go around to various cities. You may want to find the schedule and see if you can catch them elsewhere.

Good plan, not too rushed. Sleeping in Murano will complicate each day but it must be worth it to you for the hotel perks. And it would be an ideal place to spend that first jetlagged day after your flights (if coming from North America).

Sights I enjoyed that aren't on your current list include the Frari Church, SS Peter and Paul Church, Ca' Rezzonico, the Accademia, the Correr Museum, the Ghetto, and the Rialto Fish Market (early morning if possible). You'll have enough time for all these if you want, or pick your favorites.

We got our Vivaldi tickets through Get Your Guide. Tickets were 25Euro each, for seats in the middle of the church.

Good luck.

Thank you all for such great suggestions!!

I will add those that fit for us, to the agenda.

Great idea to buy the ACTV at the first place we see a ticket machine, or store. They have locations on Murano, so we will just get it the day we arrive. If I understand correctly, it activates only the 1st time you use it; not when you purchase?

I have found where to purchase breads/meats/cheeses etc. Here are some of the my findings in case it helps others:

• Drogheria Màscari - reviews and information indicates this is the oldest food shop in Venice. Looks like they may have locations in Murano as well.
  • COLUSSI(called emilio colossi - Family-owned bakery dating back to
    1840
• Tuesdays this place makes Lasagna (hopefully they still do) - BALDIN. Otherwise, they make
  breads, some special flavors, pastries, biscuits
• ALIANI - CASA DEL PARMIGIANO - - Great olives, amazing cheeses, cold meats, small but top selection of olive oil
  • and Ostaria dei Centopoveri - for lunch/dinner (We have so many on
    our list but this one looks like a real winner. -- Oops this one is in Florence, not Venice.

Is Venice like Denmark where there it is in the air to purchase local goods & have a picnic in one of the many beautiful parks?

Is Venice like Denmark where there it is in the air to purchase local
goods & have a picnic in one of the many beautiful parks?

No, Venice does not have a lot of green park areas near the tourist spots. In fact, The city of Venice frowns upon picnicking in the major tourist areas. Here's an excerpt from Europe for visitors. com:

Where can we have a picnic in Venice?

Officially, it's illegal to loiter in the street or in public parks
while eating, but you're unlikely to be told to move on as long as you
observe three cardinal rules:

Don't picnic or sit in the Piazza San Marco.

Don't picnic or sit on bridges and church steps.

Don't drag out a picnic blanket and hamper. (Just nibble your sandwich
as a local might do, and remember to toss your litter in a trash
receptacle.)

Thank you so much for this update on picnics in Venice.

I think we will wait and enjoy anything purchased at the above, back at our accommodations

.

IMO the Doges Palace is well worth visiting. You had a question mark on that, but I think you would miss a lot without it. Enjoy your trip!

Get the app Chebateo for vaporetto routes and timing. Use it to plan excursions.

hacksaw_bridles0z

That Vivaldi concert sounds wonderful! I can't seem to find the
official website to buy tickets. We are there September 19/20 and I'm
seeing conflicting info whether there are concerts scheduled that
week.

I think this is their official website: https://www.ivirtuositaliani.eu/en-gb/vivaldi-church

It seems they just sell tickets through GetYourGuide though.

It looks to me like Sept. 20 is bookable?

+1 for the Vivaldi concert! That church was one we walked past almost every day and went inside one day to check it out. On a whim I purchased tickets for the concert that night. My husband was salty at first, but then agreed it was well worth it. Very cool. I would also add that the Peggy Guggenheim Museum was excellent.

Thank you @James, but I believe the one you are seeing available on get your guide is not in the Vivaldi Church. It’s a different performance. I’ll keep checking the calendar though and see if the Vivaldi Church one adds more dates. Thanks for looking for me though!

What do you know!? They added more dates and I was able to book it. Really looking forward to it.