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Venice Questions

My husband and I are traveling to Venice for Carnevale. We will be there for 8 nights. I’m having a hard time planning our day to day itineraries. Any advice appreciated! Also, are we going to have to get tested before returning to the states? If so, where do we go to do that?

Posted by
1025 posts

This link will take you to the events which can be booked: https://www.venice-carnival-italy.com/book-events/

As far as testing requirements, your guess about what tests will be required in the middle of February is as good as anyone's guess. Perhaps if you communicate with the Carnivale folks, they can give you a better idea of what to expect.

Posted by
6 posts

We don’t want to do only Carnevale activities. (I didn’t make that clear) I’m looking for day to day advice for the island altogether. Also, which day trips are the best? I know the Murano//Burano ones are popular. What about day trips to the alps or Florence?

Posted by
1045 posts

Venice is one of those magical places where discoveries appear very frequently, and sometimes unexpectedly. For organized visiting, I would suggest having you vaporetto pass for the full week, buy the church pass, see the Doge's Palace and San Marco, take a day trip to the other islands. But mostly I would urge you to roam around and try to get lost. Venice, for me, is not a museum where you walk around and look at the art. Rather it is a time-travel experience where you find yourself in another century, another culture and another mindset. The only escape is the TV in your hotel room or the train to the mainland. Enjoy being wonderfully 'trapped' in Venice!

Posted by
5955 posts

Ditto what Robert said

Here is suggested itinerary for Venice to get you started.
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/venice-itinerary

We love Burano and Torcello. Murano is a bit of a tourist trap, very crowded as well.

Most if not all tourist sights will need prebooked timed entries. You will need your passport and CDC vaccination card to enter restaurants, museums, ride trains etc

Can't see a day trip to "the alps" as being best use of time especially in February.
Florence is a 2+ hour train ride- a bit too far for a day trip IMO- the days are short in February as well and Florence needs much more than just a day.
Other day trips a bit closer would be Padua, Vincenza, Verona and Bologna

The testing requirement NOW for returning to US is negative test result one day before your departure- I can't see that changing by February. Your hotel can help you find a test location, there is also a testing site at the airport (I'd want to be sure so wouldnot wait til last minute) and most pharmacies offer tests.
There is also the self test option- Binax home test but it must be the proctored version. Your airlines should have that info

Posted by
583 posts

I loved Venice when I was there earlier this year and hope you enjoy your visit too. I thought Rick’s guidebook was very helpful so I hope you have access to that or another good guide book.

One recommendation: a highlight of my visit was taking in the view of Venice from the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore church just across the lagoon. It’s an easy vaporetto ride and nominal fee to take the elevator to the top of the bell tower. I was there a few hours before sunset, and the late afternoon sun cast a beautiful light on The Doges’ Palace and the Piazzetta di San Marco. That photo is now my screensaver and I just gaze at it in awe of La Serenissima.

Posted by
870 posts

I agree that Burano was delightful……did not take in Murano as we did not want a huge tourist pitch to buy any of the glass……but seeing the island of Burano’s brightly painted houses and watching the lace being made was such a memory!

Posted by
1167 posts

The new testing requirement is still vague but one interpretation would be that the test has to be within 24 hours of your departure from the gateway airport, not your initial departure city. That would mean, for example, that unless you have a non-stop from Venice that it would have to be within 24 hours of your departure from Rome or Paris or Milan, or wherever else you are connecting through. I don't think this has been clearly thought through.

Posted by
5955 posts

The new testing requirement is for ONE day not 24 hours- no need to interpret that any differently.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p1203-covid-testing-tightens-intl.html

Today’s announcement means that beginning December 6, all air travelers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, will be to be required to show a negative pre-departure COVID-19 viral test taken the day before they board their flight to the United States. For example, a passenger whose flight to the United States is at any time on a Sunday would need to have a negative test taken at any time on Saturday.

If your flight leaves Venice any time on Wednesday - you must be tested any time on Tuesday.
Even if you have a plane change somewhere in Europe you are still boarding that second leg on Wednesday so Tuesday's test is still good.

Posted by
1156 posts

Definitely do a day trip to Verona. It's really quite lovely, and you will enjoy it. We like Venice, but we would not enjoy 8-days there as others would. Day trips will break up your time.

Posted by
317 posts

Good day,
I'd suggest a day trip or two to a nearby town. I've always enjoyed Padova whenever in Venice but there are some other sites worth visiting nearby. Ravenna, Vicenza, Verona & Ferrara a wonderful places to spend a day/part of a day. Each of these towns are easily accessible by train from Venice. Another suggested itinerary (one that I have enjoyed) is to spend one day in each of the sestiere over the course of a week. Currently you will need a negative COVID test result to fly back to the US the day before your return flight.

Good luck!

Posted by
2431 posts

Robert mentioned the church pass - that’s the Chorus Pass: https://www.chorusvenezia.org/en/pass
Certain churches, which are scattered all over the city, are covered by this pass. The emphasis is on appreciating the art they contain - you can pick up a guide to the art, in the language of your choice. I loved going all around the city to find these churches. Edited to add: you can buy the pass at one of the participating churches, although a larger one would be more likely to have someone on duty - I got mine at Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari.

Posted by
26840 posts

I loved Ravenna and its mosaics, but I wouldn't recommend it as a day trip from Venice. Most trains take over three hours each way. Unless you want to get up early enough for the 7:40 AM train (arriving at 10:27), your earliest sub-three-hour option is the 10:26 AM departure that doesn't get to Ravenna until 12:48 PM.

Edited to add: I'm a big fan of Padua. It's extremely close to Venice and has a lot of sights; Rick devotes 33 pages to it in his Venice guidebook. If you want to see the Scrovegni Chapel, you must get the ticket at least a day in advance. I don't know how often it actually sells out, but I don't think same-day tickets are sold.

Posted by
2281 posts

hey hey jgbarre1
many things you can do, i'm sending you these sites to look at. we spent 7 days and kept busy.
eatwith.com/venice
many different activities like cooking classes, having lunch/dinner in a residents home, food tour with aperitif
tasteatlas.com/venice
traditional places to eat in venice
tasteatlas.com/best dishes in venice
tripsavvy.com/a travelers guide to chioggia
a fishing port on the lagoon sometimes know as little venice. take a bus from piazzale roma or the train.
chioggiatours.it
email them for english version unless you read and understand english
camacana.com
learn how to make a venetian mask
isoladiburano.it/en
lots of info about burano, my favorite. go early with a water bus ride, walk around with so much to see and do, loved the shops, getting the burano cookies, having lunch (keep tack of opening hours) we stopped at mazzorbo island first, had a glass of wine and an appetizer, walked the small island then across the bridge to burano. we went on our own, did want a tour or a guide, i feel you are always at their mercy what they want you to see and do.
streaty.com
couple food/wine tours
destination360.com/cicchetti tour
alessandro is no longer doing these tours unless he's taken time off, his website is down
tripsavvy.com/best places to go in northern italy
list of towns/villages to see from venice and what you can expect
withlocals.com/venice
click highlights and look at treviso charms: history, tiramisu, and prosecco
take an afternoon away from venice and see another small town. also check out what else is offered
visitproseccoitaly.com
4 good friends did this tour out of venice to the gorgeous/colorful hills of prosecco road, tasted a lot of private owned prosecco and couple places, had lunch at a nice restaurant with a view, fabulous guide and driver, oriana, born and raised there.
gpsmycity.com/guidecca island walking tour
put name of area and will give you a self guided walking tour
ilburchiello.it/en
take a boat ride down or up the brenta river, read what tours are available, have a relaxing day just cruising.
you got lots of things to see and do, hope this helps with planning itineraries. enjoy your researching and have a great time.
aloha

Posted by
1220 posts

“You don’t have to actually DO anything in Venice; it is enough to simply be there.” Well, that’s what my friend Philip Jones thinks, he’s a writer and lives in Venice. His novels set in Venice are fun.
Sure, that’s OK for Phil, but the visitor might seek more.
A couple of books to take a look at, besides the usual Rick/Lonely Planet/DK/etc guides.
“Venice” by Jan Morris. First published in 1960, regarded by many including me as the best book ever written about Venice, and
“Secret Venice” by Jonglez, about ten bucks on Kindle. That book has all sorts of quirky details, grouped geographically. That little volume has drawn me all over Venice.
Now, any guide book will give you the big ticket items, Doges Palace, Basilica, Rialto etc. And there a bunch of second rank places that are worth a visit.
In no particular order:
Torcello, via vap from Burano. The site of the oldest buildings in the lagoon. You can climb (no elevator) the campanile there and it is special. Check out how the bell ropes have worn slots in the floor. Going to Burano from Venice, get off at Mazzorbo and walk over to Burano, do the same on return.
The Querini Stampalia Foundation.
The George Cini Foundation on San Georgio (plus campanile with elevator).
The Tre Oco (or Tri Oci) photo gallery on Giudecca.
The sacristy of San Polo, great Stations of the Cross by one of the Tiepolo boys.
The Frari church, Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin, one of the world’s paintings, and the monument to Canova.
For this Gentile, the Ghetto is special, and it is the world’s first Ghetto.

One could go on forever, which is why our first visit to Venice was for six nights, two years after that we stayed for a couple of months.

Posted by
1220 posts

I forgot.
The hospital library is a knock out. Historical displays, plus the most beautiful painted and gilded ceiling.
Also the crypt of the Church of San Stefano. Go at low tide, as the tide rises the crypt takes water.

Posted by
6 posts

I love all of this advice more than you all know! What an amazing place to support and educate each other while we travel, which is exactly what we plan to do for years to come. Is there a way I can reach out to you individually about certain pieces of advice?

Posted by
26840 posts

If you click on the other poster's name (appearing in blue on a PC screen), a new screen will pop up. Look for the "Private Message" header. Click on the next line down, which reads "Send xxxx a Private Message".

Posted by
1220 posts

Hi JG, I have sent you a message. Should show up in yr email.
Cheers
Peter

Posted by
6 posts

Thank you everyone who responded! You all most definitely shaped and encouraged my trip planning. Please keep talking to me and keep the planing fresh. I am taking major notes on every word you guys say. Keep it coming!!

Posted by
6 posts

Some of you have quite clearly spent hours helping clueless travelers like me. Thank you. Grazie. We don’t deserve your time.

Posted by
1220 posts

Three things to get.
1. A paper map of Venice. Mapping apps in Venice can be pretty ordinary, and while people say “getting lost in Venice should be on yr to do list”, it can be frustrating. If you have a paper map, it is easier to ask for directions.

  1. For an eight night stay, a great time for Venice, do get a seven day vaporetto pass. Just being able to hop on a vap to cross the Grand Canal from say Saint Marco to Salute is great, otherwise it is a half hour crowded walk via Academia.

  2. The app Chebateo? (which boat). The app links to the vaporetto routes in real time, so gives line numbers and changes if any. Give it a go, plug in say San Basilio and Burano and see what it gives you.

Posted by
1220 posts

Don’t be afraid to engage with history. Shakespeare writes
SCENE I. Venice. A street.

Enter SALANIO and SALARINO
SALANIO
Now, what news on the Rialto?
SALARINO
Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd that Antonio hath
a ship of rich lading wrecked on the narrow seas;
the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very
dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcasses of many
a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip
Report be an honest woman of her word.

The Rialto, the New York Stock Exchange, the Dow Jones, the FUTSI, and Lloyds all rolled into one. Commerce on the street. Go softly, you can still hear the echoes of that if you listen carefully. The history of Venice lies in her bones.

Posted by
1220 posts

Venice has a history of accomodating visitors. The knights of theFourth Crusade, 1202, fetched up on the Lido, broke, starving, horses look like skin and bones. They petitioned Doge Dandolo :”For the love of God, provision us, take us to the Holy Land”. Dandolo, ever a Venetian, responded “On what terms?”
A deal was cut, Christian city, Constantinople invaded, and there you have the two columns in the Piazetta.
OK, you will visit, and Dandolo will not extract a deal. However, Venetians are not often found on the wrong side of a deal.
There are a gazillion guides to Venice, I suppose Rick’s contribution counts a little. His follows in a long line, from Corryat recommending the Leon Bianca hotel, just behing the Damosto palazzo on the Grand Canal. The Leon Bianco no longer trades, I believe, but the Corte Leon Bianco still exists. Corryat wrote his guide in 1600 or so.
Yep, we are besotted.

Posted by
197 posts

As far as itinerary, I'll add Verona and Vicenza are on easy and fast trains from Venice. I loved Verona, especially since I am into Ancient Roman history. When in the Venice area, I stayed in Verona for a night, and visited Vicenza as a day trip.

Glenn

Posted by
16028 posts

I am late to the party but see you have been getting excellent advice. The more you read and learn about Venice in advance, the more you will appreciate and enjoy it. I suggest you not have a detailed itinerary in advance; have a few specific sights or activities in mind (and booked in advance if appropriate), and let the rest unfold day to day when you are there.

For a daytrip out of the city, I suggest you keep that to the closer towns of Padua, Verona, or Vicenza, and skip the long trip to Florence or Ravenna. Padua, etc. are served by regional trains which are cheap and easy to buy on the day of travel based on a last-minute choice. You may find, once you are in Venice, that you do not want to leave . . . .

I will give links for a couple of things you might want to book in advance:

Doge’s Palace Secret Itineraries tour ( highly recommended)

https://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en/the-museum/layout-and-collections/secret-itineraries/

San Marco “skip the line” timed tickets (I set the site to English but it is still partly in Italian. But you should be able to figure it out. I recommend the basilica plus the loggia with the famous horses—-the upstairs area gives you a wonderful overview of the interior, and a closer look at some of the ceiling details. We time our visit to coincide with the illumination time, but I do not know if they are doing that these days.

https://basilicasanmarco.skiperformance.com/en/store#/en/buy

Clock tower—-this is one we have not been to yet, and we may not go on our next visit (in March) due to the cramped spaces inside. This first link is informative only, not for buying tickets.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-dell-orologio-venice-clock-tower

You can poke around this Atlas Obscura website for more interesting things to see in Venice.

https://www.tickitaly.com/tickets/venice-clock-tower.php

Posted by
398 posts

If you want to see the canals from a different viewpoint, check out Venice Kayak. You don’t need experience but it’s not for the sedentary. But then, neither is Venice! On e you paddle from the island where they’re based across to Venice proper, it’s easy enough and a great view of the city.

Also recommend Torcello! That was my favorite of the three main islands off Venice. The small church is lovely and there are lunch places off the main path, which is a great place to sit outside if weather is ok.

Posted by
3067 posts

If you are really looking for one more thing to do, take a trip out to Chioggia on the outer reaches.
Vaporetto to Lido, then bus along the island, then a ferry while you're on the bus.
It takes a couple of hours to slowly make your way there, but you will see no tourists, just people living their lives.
Nothing much to do when you get there but have lunch and a wander round.
It has canals too.
Just a nice meandering day out, especially on a bright sunny day.

https://www.tripsavvy.com/chioggia-travel-guide-1547258

Posted by
2431 posts

It has already been mentioned that you can go up in the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore for fantastic views. Also, the church itself, designed by Palladio, is very beautiful, inside and out, and hosts the Giorgio Cini Foundation for modern art, so you could see that too while you’re there.