Venice - is there enough to see and do for 2 days?
 

We are taking a short trip from Paris to Rome and Venice, then leaving for home from Milan. I'm wondering if I should plan on 1 full day in Venice or 2. We have very little time in Italy and I want to spend our time wisely.

I have 2 full days booked in Rome, then heading to Venice on the last evening fast train for 2 full days in Venice. Then we will head to Milan by fast train first thing in the morning of our departure (plane leaves at 4 pm).

As I'm reading about must-see Venice sights, there doesn't seem to be a lot to do there. Is that accurate or am I missing something? St. Mark's Basilica, The Doge's Palace, take a gondola ride, anything else? Is Murano Island worth the day trip? Should I add a day to Rome and just do 1 day in Venice?

I want to see and experience Venice and the canals but there must be more to Venice than what I've been reading.

Hi,

I have spent a week in Venice and loved it ( both in August 2020- quiet due to covid and December 2022- mostly nice but one day where it rained all day)
I stayed on Guidecca island ( at the hilton ) about a 15min public vaporetto to St Mark;s square
It is nice just to wander around the sestieres of venice ( quarters) away from the major sites and you will find something interesting. Lots of bridges and small squares including a three arch bridge and a bridge with no handrails

The Ponte d'Academia is beautiful and you can get beautiful photos
Riatlo bridge
I loved the eastern part of venice ( Sant' Elena) , The Giardini and San pietro island
The Salute basillica and San Giorgio Maggiore are beautiful
You could probably do a lot of major sites at a reasonable pace in 2days ( 1 day you would be dashing around)
Burano ( beautiful coloured houses are worth a visit) and Murano are worth a visit -maybe not with only 2 days

Regards

TBS

Also 2 days in Rome is not enough either so I think you may need to carefully plan which sites you want to see

What month are you planning to go?

It depends on your interests and point of view. I've been to Venice many times and never been bored. And I've never even gone to a fancy restaurant or taken a gondola ride, except for the little traghetti gondola ferries across the Grand Canal. However, art and architecture are among my main interests, I love just endlessly poking around, and I've never gone in summer. In my opinion (and probably the opinion of many Venice fans), Venice is most rewarding when viewed as an experience, not just the must-sees.

If you do get bored and have any interest in art or architecture, you could consider the Accademia Gallery (Venetian painting from medieval through 18th century), the Guggenheim Collection (modern art), the Frari church (wonderful Renaissance paintings), Ca' Rezzonico (18th-century art in a grand palazzo with ornate carved furnishings), or the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo (sometimes called the Zanipolo; lots of sculpted tombs of doges), for starters. I could go on and on about churches but won't.

Some non-culture-heavy ideas include riding the vaporetto up the Grand Canal and seeing the variety of palazzo facades, or taking the elevator to the top of the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore (one stop across from San Marco by vaporetto) for an astounding view of the city. For history, there's the Correr Museum across Piazza San Marco from the Basilica and even included in the same ticket with the Doge's Palace. Or just walk, as has already been suggested.

Or all this just may not be to your liking. Tastes differ, of course.

That all sounds like the things I've read about to do. Why would you say the Murano and Burano islands might not be worth it for a 2-day visit? I am now thinking to hit the major sights in one day and going to one or both of the islands the next day?

And yes 2 days in Roms is also not much and that's why I was wondering if I should do 3 in Rome, take the last night fast train to Venice, the next day in Venice, then the last late night train to Milan to head home.

Middle of October this year.

The top of the bell tower was also something that sounded like we should do. We do love seeing churches and architecture but do not know much about it so we enjoy learning using audio guides.

Also I'm trying to organically hit Marriott Titanium this year - is there a centrally located Marriott anyone can recommend?

Just to be clear, I'm talking about the bell tower (campanile) of San Giorgio, not the one in Piazza San Marco. The San Giorgio one gives a much better view, across the basin to San Marco and beyond. I think it costs about 6 Euro now, but I think it's worth it if it's a sunny day.

One thing I'd recommend is simply to get lost.

Move away from the 3-4 places the tourists cram into, and simply walk around. The Ghetto - the "original" Jewish ghetto - is particularly interesting. Get over to the Giudecca island. Maybe even go see a football match if the local team is playing, it's quite an interesting atmosphere. If you're an early riser, a ride on the No. 1 Vaporetto from the station to Giardini along the Canal Grande is amazing.

Hi
I personally feel that there is more than enough to do on the main island for 2 days before going to Murano and Burano. With 3 days you have more time to explore but you can do it if you want to on the 2nd days.

There are a few Marriott hotels in venice ( some can be pricey). I would look in the Marriott hotel forum for ideas

The AC hotel is close to the railway station. There are other hotels on the mainland ( bus or train to pl roma then water bus or walk)
The JW marriott is on a separate island ( hotel water bus to St Mark's square)
Regards

TBS

I could not agree more with you. So much to enjoy in this magic place that is Venice. Two days is nothing. Same comment for Rome.

Agreed. Burano is super nice. But with only 2 days, Burano is out of reach and OP should concentrate on the main island. Murano : no interest.

As you are going in October (assume 2024) you will have the opportunity to visit visit the
Venice Biennale https://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2024
This is so special. I have traveled to Venice every year for the past 20 years , with exception of pandemic years and a family illness., Our stays were any where from 10 days to weeks. With all of our visits I am sure we did not see everything. With never did visit Murano but did visit Torcello for the delicious food at Locanda Cipriani.
With 2 days, suggest skipping the islands and consider staying in Canarregio district or Castello. San Marco area is always too crowded. I also recommend skipping the gondola ride and ride the #1 Vaporetto along the grand canal, A stop at the accademia will take you to the Dosedoro district (another good area to consider staying). As you get off the Vaporetto you will see signs directing you to the Peggy Guggenheim museum which is small and unconventional with a nice outdoor area., Continue walking and you arrive at Santa Maria Del Salute and also the former Customs house, There are such splendid areas to explore,

October = moeche (venetian lagoon crabs that molt and are soft shell in Spring and Fall (October)) = Yum

Oh, the moeche. So delicious. Nothing comparable, even Maryland soft shell crab.

There in an understanding about what a Zen Garden is actually about - yes, there are the rocks that are meticulously selected, but the fundamental essence of a great garden is the space in between.

You can go “do” destinations and tick off highlights and take snapshots of renowned buildings and sites. There’s also the delight of managing to “be” in destinations.

Venice keeps drawing me back, my upcoming visit in October will be my third just this year.

No cars on the roads, plenty of alleys and nooks and corners outside of the drag paths where the majority of tourists corral themselves, and endless surprises and glimpses of other eras in a metropolis that was never caked over in soot in the way every other European City was smudged black by the smog of industrialisation, it is endlessly captivating, endlessly rewarding.
In between the myriad of ripples of its History, it is an extraordinary place to simply “be”.

Italians have a phrase "la dolce far niente" (the sweetness of doing nothing). I tend to associate it with being in the country, the beach or smaller towns/villages. It's not doing nothing and being bored but doing nothing and luxuriating in it. And it doesn't mean doing nothing as in a vacuum but rather doing for the joy of it. Venice is one of the few "big" cities where la dolce far niente comes naturally. Not at the hectic tourist points that tourist both flock to then complain about but rather in the back streets where you can be the only person on the street and it looks as if you've been transported back 400 years. Where you can just wander about and appreciate the beauty and tranquility of Venice and the micro of the moment is everything.

This is going to sound awful, but ah well. Those places you named in the first post? This is Venice, and here they are, circled. Spend one morning in that circle, see those things, and then get out of that circle and never go back. Wander around that much larger area and see what you see. I will note that I did not circle Ponte Rialto, because it is useful to cross the canal. But if you were to never see it because you kept going east, or you only glanced at it because you passed it going north, that would also indicate you're doing some excellent wandering.

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