Venice Travel Forum

Is Venice worth the effort to go to from Tuscany? In early October 2008, we are planning on flying from Canada to London then Ryanair from London to Marseille, France and spending 5 days in the Provence and then driving to Tuscany to spend 6+ days (Lucca, Pisa, Montalapacino, Montepulciano, Pienza, and Siena).

We are wondering if we should spend our last 1 or 2 nights in Venice (Thursday/Friday? We could fly out from Venice on Saturday early am to London and back to Canada. Total = 14 days but 2 for travel from Canada and 1 day back so 11 days.

I feel like since we are going all the way to Italy we should go to Venice as it seems so romantic but then I know it is also crowded, $$, etc. Basically it needs to be worth the time and effort to get there otherwise we will just spend the time in Tuscany and fly out from Pisa.

So thoughts on Venice??

Two days would be perfect for Venice and its worth the time. It is touristy, but also very beautiful. I would do it again if I were going to Italy.

larry

I would say that it is worth the effort to see Venice but not if you are exhausting yourself. :-) It`s out there on it`s own but it can be expensive and busy.
Perhaps you could stay at Lake Garda and travel to Venice for the day and then fly from Verona.

i think venice will dissapoint you if you come from tuscany where things are a lot more authentic and where you can enjoy the sights a lot easier than in crowded crowded venice.

Yes it does! imo
October may be less crowded then usual. And Venice has always something magical.
Both in summertime goldplated by the sun (do you know the colours of Canaletto's paintings?) and in winter (my best visit was in cold february with masked people coming out of the blue from the fog).
BUT be aware that will be very hard to leave from Tuscany (especially if you find fine weather) because it can stole your heart.
Ciao!
marco

Ciao Stephanie


will you be back soon? If not, my advice is: GO!

Is venice touristly and crowded. Yes and no.

If you just go from the railway to Rialto and then San Marco, yes. It is... (BUT NOT AFTER DINNEr, when all the daytrippers are gone: a readon to stay at least one night).
But if you go towards Zattere in Dorsoduro, and evem better Cstello and St. Elena, or the northeasrter side of Cannaregio... no, it isn't. It's a real town, magic and unique. Just look at it with the right lenses. I have some pics taken in the afternoon of a supposedly crowded day of July in my Venice page.. and there was noone around. You just have to be in the right places.

BTW, i higly you reccommend to study its history of venice, if you wanna undestand it... Because it had am history quite different from the rest of Italy, and that was why Venice is unique.
Wikipedia has a decent summary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice

Anyway, enjoy Italy and the lovely Provence!
Francesco

I also think it is worth the time, effort and money.
October will not be too crowded and if you think it is, take the firts alley or road (left or right) and just stroll around. You will enjoy.
Don't forget to visit the small island of Burano with its lovely coloured houses!!

happy travels
Jaap

so hard to be near Venice and not visit at least once. Would agree with above that if you are not planning on returning soon it is worth the trip, especially since you have an available flight home from there.

Yes, go, it's beautiful.
Yes, there are more tourists per square foot than anywhere I've been, but it's worth it.
It's easy to just wander, get lost and be a bit more alone. Shouldn't be as bad in October as other times.

Venice is a beautiful and unique city. I would not miss it.

We visited in October, so it was not so crowded but I am sorry I did not spend more time there. We were there only 2 nights and it was not enough. And I would stay in Venice itself, not Mestre. Venice in the evening, when a lot of tourists are gone, has a different atmosphere.
As someone else mentioned, read about the history of Venice before you visit. It's fascinating.
Have a great trip.
Jeannette

I have seen with much pleasure Florence, Siena, Luca, Pisa, San Gimignano, Volterra and other best places in Tuscany but if I had to choose between these towns and Venice I would choose Venice even if it would be my fifth visit there.
If it was my vacation I would stay one night less in the Provence, one night less in Tuscany and stay two nights more in Venice.

I agree 100% with Breughel. Skip a night in Tuscany and Provence to have more time in Venice. You won't regret it.
Jeannette

October should not be too crowded in Venice. I was in Venice in late April and early May the year that I went. The tourists crowds had not yet arrived so I got to really enjoy the beauty of Venice. And I agree with Jeannette. Stay in Venice so you can walk the streets in the evening and enjoy the charm of the city.

Larry

Last summer I went to Venice for a week after two weeks in Tuscany. It is very different and has its own fascination. I wasn't going to go because I had heard bad things but I am so glad a friend talked me into it. Yes do see Venice. Just be aware that the Alilaguna (airport waterbus) does not leave real early and if your flight is real early you will need to take ground transportation to the airport and staying near Santa Lucia train station (on the islands) might be your best bet. Here is the alilaguna schedule http://www.alilaguna.it/?funzione=1&contesto=1&valore=8&modo=6&fascia=1

You are going to my two favorite places in Tuscany - Lucca and Pienza. Make sure you go into the really old part of Pienza and be ready to be stunned by the views. There is a great cheese store a hundred or so feet inside the main gate. Please check my Pienza page for some photos. Have a great time.

to answer this question, ask yourself. Ifi DONT gho now, will I make the time to go back again?
I asked myself this quesion once of Granada, and I have not yet been, but I will.
venice is a long way for you. I wonder what you will see/do in provence? I predict you will take the 2 days. Its enough for a taste, but not enough to satisfy. maybe thats the best way!!

Depends on why and how much you want to go.

If it's somewhere that you really want to visit, then I think I'd go if I was coming from as far away as you.

If you're thinking of going because of some vague feeling that you 'should' see it, then maybe you'd enjoy your time more in Tuscany. As others have said, it is quite a trek. And of course there are the crowds and the expense. Lots of people (though they do seem to be a minority) don't like Venice at all. Don't go if you're not overly bothered about it.

If it's the former, then the crowds and the cost needn't bother you too much. The backstreets are much calmer (I found myself feeling like the only person in the city in some streets during my own October visit) and there's plenty to see just walking around. Restaurants are much cheaper away from the main touristy sights. The other islands in the lagoon are also more relaxed. October is a perfect time to visit - not yet cold but not the peak season crush either.

Well, it is nice to answer someone's question who is a REAL member of VT, rather than all of those who just signed in, have no name, no birthday nor country of residence! So I will add my 2cents worth...........I have been to Italy several times(length and breadth), but fortunately for weeks at a time; so it is a little difficult to imagine going somewhere so totally unique as VENICE for too short a time. My opinion, probably best to have 3 nights. I flew into Venice on RyanAir last year from Barcelona, and at that time, the bus trip from the airport they use was about an hour, if you fly out that way.
Also agree with most others who say that October should not be so crowded, also the weather should be fairly nice, not too cold yet. Again, as you are young, you can maintain the energy to cram in lots of places in a short time; but to me that is not 'TRAVEL'; that's playing tourist and adding notches, so it depends upon your goals.

2 days in venice is like two days in rome just enought time to see a few things. but not enought time to really see enought of venice and some of what the surrounding area has to offer.

Thank you for all of your opinions. I will definitely be going to Venice and I think I will add an extra day as well. It sounds like my kind of place! I especially love getting lost down alleyways, etc. Perfect!!!

And unlike some cities, don't worry about getting lost--you can't walk THAT far, you're on an island! :)

But you are pretty much guaranteed to get lost.. (I hope i will anyway).. just dont need to woory about ti.

I am going tomorrow, so if I havent re-apperaed here in 7-10 days send out a search party!!