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In the ongoing quest for a short Mediterranean style break, flights for Man to Marco Polo airport look good timings and pretty cheap. Also, an abundance of hotels, (lots also through the Tesco x3 clubcard vouchers scheme!).
I hear mixed reviews about Venice, we won't be going as an anniversary or romantic needs, but I've always wanted to see it. Anyone been and can offer a overview, things to see etc, is it grim under the surface, will I get mugged? Transport around the main areas seems covered off with a waterbus ticket, and it looks fairly compact anyway.
Is it now just a day predominantly a destination for cruise liners?
is it grim under the surface
It will be busy, but actually, the reverse of what you say is true. If you trot along the main drag between the bus terminal and San Marco, and the other hotspots, it will be crowded, unpleasant etc, but two streets away it can be peaceful and charming, and you won't get charged astronomical amounts for an ice cream or a coffee.
Have a look at some of the less popular areas, the outlying islands, and if you want to do the popular bits, go early or late, before or after the crowds have been disembarked from their cruise ships.
Book ahead if you want to do the Doges' Palace.
I’ve been to Venice twice on short breaks and both times stayed in Mestre, on the mainland, at the western end of the causeway. Ok it’s not pretty but it’s cheaper than the city itself, and a bus along the causeway is only a few Euros each way.
Hotel Delfino. There’s another slightly more upmarket hotel next door. It’s also handy for trains to/from the old city and inland to say Verona, Lake Garda, and beyond
I dreaded it beforehand, but absolutely loved every minute.
Get the water taxi to/from the airport if you can. I was there a long time ago so no idea what it'd cost now. Probably more than the flights.
There's a nice looking hotel on Murano, which sounds like a destination island in itself. I'll take a look at Mestre, appreciate the tip.
We went 15 years ago. It is a fantastic place! We bought the Lonely Planet Guide and just explored either on foot or by water bus. Expect to cover a lot of ground!
Stayed in Dorsoduro district at the Hotel Pausania, about 100m from the Church from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (actually the da Vinci museum).
Eating wise the Campo Santa Margherita was a lot better priced than around Rialto or San Marco. This was 15 years ago, so things may have changed.
been a few times both in June, it can be very busy, hot and stinking, as martinH has said, step a few streets back and its far more charming.
I found it much nicer and less frenetic towards the NE of the city, up near the old @45.4393794,12.3399206,18z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1svenice+ospedale!3m5!1s0x477eae2400000075:0x16f1a9e6aa2ebe4b!8m2!3d45.4393794!4d12.3417127!16zL20vMDM4ZHdq?entry=ttu">hospital. It was a bit of a respite from the crowds.
Also try to avoid the restaurants where they're trying to drag you in off the streets, as I found them to be overpriced and lacking in ambience; they'll also often try to hurry you to free up the table again. There are plenty of decent ones in the backstreets (can't remember the name of the one we used as it was a few years ago now, but it was much more chilled than those in the main piazzas).
Treviso is a nice day trip from Venice if the crowds are too much
If you fancy a night away from Venice at a beach/old town Caorle is quite nice.
As above stay away from the main drags and wander the back streets. Hop on to the other islands round and about.
Worth going to the main square, but probably wont spend much time there.
It does get very very humid and hot. Narrow streets and canals !
I was there in Jan, empty and so much better for it. Previous visit had been August many years prior and never again!
Its worth allocating a morning or evening to 'just wandering' without an agenda - follow the alleys and see whee they take you.
The water taxi from the airport was 27E return (if you were staying out that way) but seemed to be just one per hour - sure there will be more in June. We went back in the dark and the city is quite a sight all lit up!
I'm looking forward to the next trip but it won't be a summer visit!
We visited last August - it was blazing hot but still enjoyable.
Day trip to Burano and Murano is a must - Burano isn't a full day, Murano a bit bigger with more to do.
As others have said - if you go one street back from the main drags it is often much nicer.
I went in October. Rain the whole time I was there, and Aqua Alta to boot. So I was getting wet from above, and getting wet from below. Not pleasant.
April was much better
I went in November a few years ago. I was a bit dubious before I went, expecting a tourist trap, but I completely loved it. You can just wander round and get lost in the streets, pop into churches to look at the renaissance masterpieces, pop into cafes for a four euro prosecco or spritz.
I would stay in Venice itself if you can - it is incredibly atmospheric at night as the crowds just disappear (back onto their coaches and cruise ships) and it's easy to imagine being there centuries ago. There's really nowhere else like it.
The food is good and good value if you stay away from the restaurants in St Marks and other obviously tourist places. And did I mention the four euro proseccos?
Over 10 years ago that I went, but loved it. We stayed in the 'Jewish Quarter' which was called Canareggio iirc?
Seem to remember a restaurant near there called Alla Bacca which was absolutely brilliant. We walked everywhere, Gondola was about 80 euros for 40 minutes back then so god knows what it costs now. Rialto/St Marks were fairly hideous so I'd avoid there.
Vaporetto No.1 from the station towards Piazza San Marco, sit at the front, motor-drive set to stun and fill your memory card(s). As others have said places like Rialto Bridge and San Marco will be rammed during the day especially if a big cruise ship docks. Evening time can be quite nice when they all go back to the buffet on board.
Always (if you can) drink coffee and spritz stood at the bar as it's cheaper.
Music and a sit down in Piazza San Marco will be expensive but is worth the cost for the people watching.
Ideas for places to visit in the Stanley Tucci food programme on Venice.
It does get very very humid and hot. Narrow streets and canals !
My abiding memory. And smelly too.
Been a couple of times, most recently last autumn.
Back streets are nice, tourist bits are miserable hell holes. After a couple of times , won’t ever be going back tbh, far nicer places to go. Who really cares about a glass factory?
Hotel Cipriani is nice if a tad spendy.
To recommend something completely different to the OPs question, currently in the lounge at Lisbon - a much much nicer place than Venice. Would highly recommend.
Lovely place to visit and wander about. We'd go looking at stuff in the morning, then head back to our room for a siesta, before heading back out when the cruise passengers had gone.
So somewhere central, with air con FTW! 3 or 4 days and you're done.
We went for a few days and thoroughly enjoyed it. We had an apartment in the San Polo area, with a little balcony perfect for looking out over the crumbling rooftops over morning coffee.
Take a wander to St Marks area early morning to avoid the crowds and watch newlyweds getting pics taken. Other than that, avoid.
Eating out up around the hospital area was reasonably priced and good.
Generally wandering around taking in the overall weirdness of the place is great.
Take a boat to Murano and stop off en route for a wander round the cemetery island.
Sounds like the cruise ship bods have it right! Have a shuffty round for a few hours then sod off! 🤣🤣
OP - from your previous forum topic it sounded like you want to get away from it all for a few days and relax. Venice would be the polar opposite.
Do it
Yeh muffin, that was the thought. Venice came to mind in an ever widening search through hotels and flights with decent times. But yes, it might be a bit of a bun fight and I’m thinking it might be bedlam, and rather hot, neither of which I particularly enjoy. Might be one to reserve for spring next year.
Mrs TJ and I went for a few days staying in Mestre. I loved it, she didn't.
Go to Tuscany instead. Flight to Pisa (avoid, tourist hellhole) and rent a car. Stay in somewhere like SanGimignano, Certaldo (Alto if you can, new town is a bit industrial but then take the cable car up to Alto and have breakfast on a terrace there) and spend a day In Lucca, another in Siena, another in San Gim/ Volterra
Wonderful part of the world, food to die for, historical, slow paced.......
All of the Med is very hot at that time of the year, esp with climate change.
How about one of the Baltic countries? They have beaches, very nice hotels reasonably priced...? Or some kind of lake in southern Germany...?
Go to Verona instead and see an opera in the coliseum. It’s an easy train ride. Venice will show you how ants feel. The hilight for me, and I’ve been a couple of times, was the Guggenheim museum. The quieter parts are lovely. The main sites are just heaving with people.
Even my two teenage sons loved the opera spectacle
Thanks all for the advice....circumstances again dictate that June is a non-starter and July and August sound like it would be unbearably hot for me, and busy. So, looking at the end of September, and probably not staying on Murano, instead somewhere on the main island.
I’m looking at a trip end of July, my brother has rented a boat- so my boys are staying in that, me and the misses will go s****y hotel in the centre
Any recommendations?
We are going again in a few weeks
I think this will be our 6th visit
We don't spend much time actually in Venice but on the neighboring sand spit lido which is just lovely and a great rest up from the tourist areas
Make a trip to Choggia at least once a visit
Murano is worth a visit but not so much Burano
I didnt think I would enjoy it but its become a host of beautiful memories for me
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<li style="text-align: left;">We're having a few days in Treviso just now. Weather is changeable but not too warm. Very relaxing going to get Daisses ice cream and look at the Pinerello shop. Then south to Ca Savio for a week at the beach, and Venice for the last few nights.
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><p style="padding-left: 40px;">Get a water bus pass. That will let you visit the smaller islands. You don't have to go far to escape the crowds. The canal next to the main one has a few restaurants and there's a lovely church and water boat sports club and gardens across the water from the main square . Go to the top for great views of the city and Dolomites. Try and get a night time boat from the liDo to the main city. Venice biennale gardens are interesting if you like art.</p></p>
Edit - echo what @plumber says about the Lido. I was in Venice for a week and used to escape there in the afternoon for it's beach and the strip of food places. It felt like a different place from the main city. A good slower pace rather than being crowded in.
It sounds clichéd but really do have a trip on a gondola. It's so peaceful.
If you think it's too expensive just share a ride with another couple. It shows you what Venice is really about and is completely unique.
Stray to a back street and get a really decently priced meal....just avoid buying anything in St Mark's Square.
We’ve booked for the last weekend in September, staying at a nice hotel in Cannaregio. Looks easy enough to get the bus from the airport then shuffle with the bags, I think.
Should be cooler, perhaps quieter, so looking forward to just getting a bit lost in the place. The lido was on the list of things to see, and Murano, and doges palace. Any suggestions for restaurants would be appreciated. Mrs Rock tries to have gluten free, and it appears that this is pretty well catered for, based on reviews and what not.
One of the grimmest places I have been.....not a fan...... Treviso down the road was more interesting and had a lovely evening there. Go to Verona or anywhere else. Italyhas some great places, Umbria is fab. Sulmona is quietish and a great getaway from it all.
We weren't mugged, assaulted or anything odd, it is rammed with tours and people, and grim. Grim tourist hell but it was also like that in the 13 th century.
If you do go, Go to st mark's Square but read the history and understand how Venice was in essence a plundering merchant state, a model not dissimilar to England in c17th.