Your tips in Venice please

[Frenchgirl]

Off to Venice next week for 5 days (Monday to Friday) with dd (6 and a half)
dh went years ago but it's my first time

so what are your tips and fab secret places (I won't tell anyone else )

Can't wait to go as we've had a sh*t two months...

thanks Albert, great tips
what a life you lead!!!

will print this thread before we go

robinpud! You're quick
Will let you know how it was when we get back

Gem13, am not sure when he was there, but probably around 82/83
must have been a surreal experience Pink Floyd on the lagoon!

We took DD (3) to Venice in January for five days and had a wonderful time - I started a thread saying that it's the ideal place to take small children - no traffic, lots to look at in the street, plus the Italian love of children. We found it extremely easy to get around and to find friendly places to eat, too. I'd second all the advice about avoiding the Piazza San Marco area when looking for restaurants. Our hotel helped us book restaurants initially, but we soon found some nice places on our own.

Look out for guide books aimed at people with small children. 'Venice for Kids' would be great for your dd (though was a bit old for ours). They sell it in the bookshop at the Accademia Gallery (and probably elsewhere too). We used one aimed at younger children, which we found in the same shop - can't get it now as it's on DD's bookshelf in her room and she's asleep. Lots of non-obvious places to visit - such as churches, toy-shops, ice-cream shops etc.

thanks Oldiemum, sounds like you had a fab time
dd is really excited about it, I just hope her feet don't ache too much from all the walking I am planning to do....

really love the idea of just getting lost there
not many places where you can actually do that!

dh is going to be so impressed with you lot!!

If you like modern art or just want to see a few classics go to the Peggy Guggenheim museum (much more fun than the Academia!)some Jackson Pollacks and Max Ernst - it's right at the bottom of Venice next to the big white church ...(Santa Maria de la Salute?) your dd will love the funny man on horseback outside! He has a very big (ahem) willy and is looking up to the sky - more comic than porno honestly!

Also - go up to the top of the campanile (tower in st.marks square) you can see all of Venice, all the water surrounding the islands but not a single canal! (it's the angle...)

Also, watch 'don't look now' (the film with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie - not dd though, it's a thriller) it will give you a lovely atmospheric feel for the city - you can't beat it after dark, it kind of shuts down and becomes very eery after the day visitors go.

thanks Rach69, I love modern art (dh not too fussed probably but hey)
will have my camera ready for the 'funny man'

yes, I watched it ages ago

also want to read those Donna Leon thrillers set in Venice

can't believe no-one has mentioned Torcello!

Get a vaporetto out there and have a look at the mosaics in the Basilica- they are far better than the ones in S Marco.

Well have booked the hotel, sorted out the car hire and made enquiries about staying on a farm in the dolomites. Just need to find a place to stay in Bologna and we are sorted. Well done Frenchgirl we needed a push. please come back with lots of tips- my dd is 9 and ds is 5!

glad to have helped robinpud!
I promise to update on our return

docincognito, my brother mentioned Torcello too, so I guess we'll have to try and get there too.

We found \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/3833114908/qid=1141076798/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_2_10/202-9226203-2943828\this} to be much better than the Blue Guide as a guide to buildings, by the way, though it has no practical info on places to eat etc. We also enjoyed reading \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684871904/qid=1141077011/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_0_2/202-9226203-2943828\this}.

Hello all,

can anyone recommend any cheap apartments in Venice? like the rest of mumsnet we're going to venice in the next few weeks and would prefer to be self-catering.

many thanks

Thanks Oldiemum, these look great
I have been reading the recent BBC book on Venice (didn't see the series though) and a very nice French book as well

bump for addle's query!

addle if you use the link to the hotel that frenchgirl gave, you can search for apartments there. We found some decent ones on there last night.

Just thought of a few more things to add. Yes, go up the Bell tower in Piazza San Marco but even better is the Bell Tower on the island opposite (San Giorgio Maggiore) because a) there are no queues b)very few tourists c) you can look staight across to the Basilica - the 'postcard' views of Venice.
Go to Torcello on the same day as you go to Burano because it is only about 10 minutes further (you get the vaporetto from Burano) The mosaics are great, DS loved them. On Burano, pick a colour each and wander around seeing how many houses you can find in that colour (orange, purple, bright blue etc). My favourite restaurant is La Zucca, just off campo Giaccamo del Oreo, not really Italian food per say but great food and a good price - not really for children though and it's more of an evening place than a lunch one. Good family restaurant is on the corner of Campo San Polo, good pizzas and salad and if DD finishes before you she can charge around in the Campo whilst you carry on eating. Another traditional drink, which I don't like but is very popular is a Spritz made with white wine and Aperol. Oh oh oh I sooooo want to go back!

frenchgirl/robinpud

thanks for that link - i'll check them now!

Albert thanks again for so many great tips! I can already picture us doing all this!!!!
Dd's cello teacher is italian and used to go to Venice regularly on school trips

Jealous. Went 3 years ago in Feb. Loved it.

hehe.....

Aaaah, Venice! We're off to Friuli for Easter, but will visit friends in Venice for the day (at least one day... may have to go back.)

Definitely go to Torcello. The Lido is kind of nice out of season too (we went in December once and literally everything was closed except one pizzeria which contained only the owner and his family having their lunch... and us!) - quiet, but very atmospheric.

Try the Giandiuotto at a place on the Zattere. Can't remember the name, but it's famous. Ask at the hotel and they'll know what you're talking about.

If you're after art, I'd recommend the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Not too big, so your dd shouldn't get too bored.

Have fun!

Frenchgirl... the cello teacher's school trips have reminded me... Italian school trips are an institution. In April (or thereabouts - inevitably when we'll be there this year!) every schoolkid in Italy (or so it seems) sets out on a 'gita scolastica' and you can't go anywhere without tripping over bored 13-year-olds and hassled teachers.

Thanks Ellbell, am very impressed with everyone's knowledge!
lol at the bored italian teenagers