We are headed to Italy on a biking trip, and will be in Venice for maybe 2 full days plus, and Verona for 1 full day plus. Turns out we are in Venice during the Venice Film festival, so I gather it’s important to make some decisions and buy tickets ahead of time.
I’m looking for specific tour and/or restaurant ideas. We like outdoor stuff and architecture, and a walking tour with food would be fine, but are not interested in cooking or other lessons for this trip.
If it helps for suggestions, we are staying at Duodo Palace Hotel in Venice and Hotel Gilberti in Verona. These are pre and post trip add ons to the biking trip.
We were in Venice with the kids in 2015 (right after younger kid graduated college - fun celebration, also including Rome and Munich). Our son found a wonderful concert with mostly Vivaldi concert in an old church. He based his selection on reviews. At the time it was about $25/ticket.
The Doge’s Palace is very interesting to visit, right in the San Marco plaza. Do the guided tour if possible to get a lot more fun history. I agree about a ferry to Murano or Burano. Burano is super cute but I don’t think there is really anything to do other than see it. I liked Murano better because I love all the glass.
If you get a gondola, head away from San Marco and find one in a sleepier neighborhood. You’ll see them everywhere. You’ll avoid literal gondola traffic jams, which are a total waste of your investment. We picked one up on Canareggio and floated by the homes of Titian and Tintoretto.
The best thing to do in Venice is just walk around everywhere.
If you are Jewish we did a tour of the synagogues and the Jewish neighborhood. Also did a walking tour that was donation based. It was good not great.
I follow Elizabeth Minchilli on Instagram and her website. I found a lot of good info on some different parts of Italy including a meat restaurant in Venice. We aren’t seafood eaters and it was a nice find.
Are you interested in a 90 minute pub crawl? We did one with the
Is guy, Alejandro, who has actually been on Rick Steve’s. He has a dry sense of humor and is very nice. It was a nice way to spend 90 minutes before dinner and go to a few places. He was cracking my son’s up.
De Pisi’s at the Hotel Bauer is very nice, but ask to sit outside. It’s on the Grand Canal fairly close to St. Marco’s. Hotel Bauer is njce to walk thru and they have a rooftop bar we went before dinner.
Also…pay the money and sit by the orchestra outside of the Florian. Yes, it’s a bit pricey for dessert and drinks, but absolutely wonderful way to spend an hour or so. We all loved it. I think it used to be 9 euro to sit, but IMO well worth it.
Get up early one morning, and go for a walk around Venice. It’s quiet and magical. We hit all the cafes on our walk. St. Mark’s is empty. Get in line at the Campanile Bell Tower at 9, so you don’t have to wait. The view is spectacular.