An afternoon in Venice
Discussion
I'm off to Venice for a corporate do in November. Arrive Sat night, conference Sunday morning, posh dinner sunday night, leave monday morning.
This means that I've got Sunday afternoon to myself!
What things should I do/go to/see in an afternoon to make the most of my visit? Never been to Venice. Unlikely to go again (unless i win the lottery).
I'll be staying at the Hilton Molina Stucky Hotel, which seems to be on an island separate from the main bits of Venice. Apparently there is a free water taxi to the mainland, but I don't know whereabouts it docks.
This means that I've got Sunday afternoon to myself!
What things should I do/go to/see in an afternoon to make the most of my visit? Never been to Venice. Unlikely to go again (unless i win the lottery).
I'll be staying at the Hilton Molina Stucky Hotel, which seems to be on an island separate from the main bits of Venice. Apparently there is a free water taxi to the mainland, but I don't know whereabouts it docks.
We spent an afternoon there recently, got a water bus from one side (station/mainland) to the other, near to St Mark's) then we had food & drink canal-side, then walked all the way back through the lanes, which took a fair time.
I hadn't been before and was very pleasantly surprised, lovely, interesting place.
I hadn't been before and was very pleasantly surprised, lovely, interesting place.
Whilst it's not enough to really SEE Venice an afternoon will be plenty to get a feel for the place and, I suspect, convince you to go back for a proper look.
Approaching St Mark's from the sea is one of those iconic moments. You've seen it in movies, on TV, on postcards, but nothing really prepares you for how unutterably cool it actually is, imo.
I've only been to Venice once (well two separate days in one holiday staying on the Lido), but it remains one of the greatest places I've ever been.
Lots of places have a good reputation, but when you get there, something about it isn't up to scratch, it may be that the bit you really want to see is only a small part of a boring city or there are loads of tat sellers there or it's dirty, smelly and unpleasant or it just isn't as good as you thought it'd be.
I expected some or all of the above to be true for Venice, but honestly, it was BETTER than I imagined it could be.
Go up and view St Mark's square from the catherdal, buy a (stupidly expensive) drink on St Marks (leave that 'til the crowds have left, you'll probably have time before dinner), wander around the backstreets, over the canals, take a ride down the Grand Canal on a water bus, have a couple of amazing Gelattos from the small shops in the back streets, just soak up the atmosphere.
M.
Approaching St Mark's from the sea is one of those iconic moments. You've seen it in movies, on TV, on postcards, but nothing really prepares you for how unutterably cool it actually is, imo.
I've only been to Venice once (well two separate days in one holiday staying on the Lido), but it remains one of the greatest places I've ever been.
Lots of places have a good reputation, but when you get there, something about it isn't up to scratch, it may be that the bit you really want to see is only a small part of a boring city or there are loads of tat sellers there or it's dirty, smelly and unpleasant or it just isn't as good as you thought it'd be.
I expected some or all of the above to be true for Venice, but honestly, it was BETTER than I imagined it could be.
Go up and view St Mark's square from the catherdal, buy a (stupidly expensive) drink on St Marks (leave that 'til the crowds have left, you'll probably have time before dinner), wander around the backstreets, over the canals, take a ride down the Grand Canal on a water bus, have a couple of amazing Gelattos from the small shops in the back streets, just soak up the atmosphere.
M.
Also, depending on timing, have yourself a drink by the canal when the mega-cruisers slide out around sunset...just surreal looking up at 13+ storeys of aluminium and glass and steel as you sit by a centuries old landscape. Seen from sea level / pavement they're large. Very large.
We enjoyed just mooching around - get away from the main tourist hot spots and the city is quite peaceful and just lovely to look at.
We enjoyed just mooching around - get away from the main tourist hot spots and the city is quite peaceful and just lovely to look at.
Harry's bar is worth a visit just to say you have been. Don't wear shorts though as they wont let you in. It is a bit of a let down really as it is just a bar. Gets filled up with celebs and fat producers during the film festival but then us plebs wont be able to get in then!
The cost of food and drink decreases exponentially with each metre you move away from St Mark's square.
Worth just walking around and taking in the sights.
We stayed in the Hotel Panorama on the Lido. Had a nice roof terrace where you could watch over the entrance to St Mark's square and all the cruise ships sailing in. There were also some very large mega-yachts parked up including Larry Ellison's and that one that looks like a tall ship.
The cost of food and drink decreases exponentially with each metre you move away from St Mark's square.
Worth just walking around and taking in the sights.
We stayed in the Hotel Panorama on the Lido. Had a nice roof terrace where you could watch over the entrance to St Mark's square and all the cruise ships sailing in. There were also some very large mega-yachts parked up including Larry Ellison's and that one that looks like a tall ship.
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