Venice Travel Forum

This will be our first trip to Venice and there seems so much to do. Would we be crazy not to go to the Dodges Palace? Thank you

Hi,
ere is another reference a few days ago regarding the Doges Palace. Check that out as there is a good suggestion for the Secret Itineraries tour which I have book marked for my trip later in the year.
Enjoy

I wouldn't call you crazy not to go see the palace, but it's really one of the more glorious things to visit in Venice. There are good tours, and it's easy to get to. Venice is a great city to just walk around in and soak in the atmosphere of each area.

I've just returned from Venice. I didn't bother to go to the Doges Palace, although I did nip into Basilica San Marco as soon as it opened (9.30) before the hordes of tour groups arrived (and they did, even in early April, not long after I started queuing).

It's up to you, of course, but you may find that spending time exploring less crowded areas (basically, anywhere away from the San Marco/Rialto district) is more pleasant and enjoyable anyway (and a little bit cheaper for coffee/food etc; Venice is expensive). I certainly did. There are hundreds of churches, alleyways, buildings, canals and works of art to see. I particularly liked the Cannaregio and Dorsoduro areas. And then there are the islands........

I doubt you'll see what I saw: a group of English Morris dancers performing in a Venetian campo! (My pages have photos to prove it!)

Enjoy Venice.

>a group of English Morris dancers performing in a Venetian campo!>

LOL!!!

It's true.....as I walked into the campo I heard the jingle of bells....then saw men with flowery hats at a bar.......and lo! They did perform (with hankies and sticks, fiddle and accordian) in front of a faintly bemused and entirely random crowd of locals and sundry tourists.

Was great fun in a truly surreal sort of way.......have made a travelogue on my Venice page!

We all like to see different things, but I see the Doge's Palace as the first thing one should visit in Venice. It is mind boggling as it has everything from decadent splendour to the gloom of the dungeons and of course, this is the only way you will get to cross the Bridge of Sighs. It depends entirely what your preferences are, but if you like history and architecture, then don't miss the Doge's Palace. I've been through it on both my visits to Venice and it was every bit of good the second time as the first. If this sort of thing is not to your liking then skip it, you'll enjoy Venice anyway.

So far I've been to Venice twice and I've not yet been to the Doges'Palace. It's been on my to-see list, but there are so many other beautiful buildings, smaller churches, architecture in the lesser known parts of Venice, that I've skipped the palace.
I loved to walk around, go to Burano and Torcello, walk around when Venice was waking up, there's just not enough time to see all.
Make a list of the things you absolutely want to see, go to Venice and decide once you're there.

I would do the Doge Palace and the Prison tour. You can do it rather quickly if you do not go with a guide. It doesn't take that long and it is SO worth it. There is art work and a courtyard that will just leave you in awe.

I also recommend the Frari church.