Venice Off The Beaten Path Suggestions

We enjoyed our rowing class at rowvenice.org a lot!!

Also we like walking along the canal in Canareggio. Look at the map - it's smaller than the Grand Canal, but bigger than the little skinny ones.

Kim

The lagoon islands of Burano, Torcello and San Michele.

Venice is perfect for photographers! Do you have photos of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo? If you can pick the dates, the Venice Regatta is fun - I think it's the 1st Sunday in Sept.

Photoworthy...well, isn't it all?! For me, I just love wandering away from the crowds and thru the back alleys. Over to San Giorgio (across from San Marco) and into that bell tower affords magnificent views of st marks and the bridge of sighs...bonus...cheaper and likely no line as opposed to the waits at st marks campanile. My #1 tip...up early. Not sure what time of year you will be there, but up and out with the sunrise will give you crowd free (yes...even at Rialto and st m) photos and of course the beautiful golden hour sun.

I actually love checking Pinterest and Instagram for photo ideas...

Walk out to St. Elena and on to the Basilica di San Pietro di Castello.

Walk anywhere in the early morning (as mentioned above). It's great fun with good photo opportunities to see teh city waking up and being provisioned for the day.

We take a lot of inspiration from the book "24 Great Walks in Venice." It will get you away from the crowds and into corners you didn't know existed.

Definitely visit Torcello, the original settlement in the lagoon. Burano is also a beautiful city/island.

photos: the fish market at Rialto, but you have to be there early AM.

Have you been to St Mark's Clock Tower?

http://torreorologio.visitmuve.it/en/home/

The best time of day in Venice is dawn. You'll be out with a few other photographers, maybe a jogger or two and an artist with her easel.

Thank you for all the great suggestions. I was considering the clock tower tour & will add it to my list. And yes, when in Venice, we always get up early & explore the St. Marks Square area without the masses of tourists. We also love the early morning activity of the market area,

The Fondazione Giorgio Cini, a gorgeous building and research library on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore (next to the church). Its purpose is research into Italian subjects, but it has an interesting exhibition programme - art, antiquities, history - and It also has the beautiful cloisters designed by Palladio. I think the building and grounds can only be visited by guided tour (check the foundation 's website) but the exhibitions are open to the public.

There is this also, don't know what it does, but a sister inlaw said it was a good tour.
http://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en/pianifica-la-tua-visita/secretitineraries/

For Photo Stuff you want to be on Burano. :)

There are walking tours for fans of Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti.

There are also a number of local festivals. I pulled this list from Fred Plotkin's "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler".

La Sensa... This is the day when Venezia renews it's marriage vows with the sea. It's held forty days after Easter Sunday.

Festa del Redentore... Third Sunday in June to celebrate the eradication of the plague

Sagra di San Pietro di Castello... last week of June in the Campo di San Pietro

Sagra del Pesce di Burano...Third Sunday of September. Fish, polenta, wine, and a regatta

Sagra del Mosto di Sant'Erasmo... First Sunday in October. Celebrates the wine harvest. We went to this one. It was very local, a Venetian version of small town fundraisers in the U.S. with plenty of food and the very young wine.

Festa dei Morti... Remembering the dead on the first of November

Festa di San Martino... 11-November. Children march through town banging on pots and pans to commemorate San Martino

Festa della Salute... 21-November. Celebrating the end of another plague