Venice recommendations with DD

[liveeverysecond]

Looking to take DD to Venice for a long weekend after she finishes her GCSEs in the summer. Looking for recommendations of an area to stay or any hotels, along with things to do please. Currently looking at San Marco. TIA

Pick a hotel with a Vaporetto stop close by, it makes it a lot easier. I stayed in the Bauer Hotel when I went. It was just around the corner from St Marks, on the Grand Canal, but also had an entrance up a smaller canal so you could get water taxis direct.

My favourite place was the Peggy Guggenheim museum. There are so many things to do though, so research based on your interests and target those.

It is lovely to just wander through the streets, alleys and canalside paths especially the ones which are not so touristy. Take comfortable shoes, there's a lot of walking.

We stayed on the Lido and got the water bus across to Venice every day.

I'd second Lido Di Venezia. I love Venice but it does get super hot and busy in July/August so Lido is perfect. The best things to do are just wander, whilst enjoying spritz, ice cream, cicchetti and Prosecco! Glass making display on Murano is cool!

I would advise not staying on the lido if you have never been before and only have a few days.

Agree with above poster. Don't stay on the Lido if you only have a few days. You need to just wander around Venice.

We stay in the Cannaregio area as it’s much more Venetian rather than touristy.

This apartment, La Musa, was fab for us with our son a couple of years ago. https://www.booking.com/Share-3bi0dlI

There is a local bakery to pop for breakfast bits, a supermarket tucked in the back of one of the canals and some fab bars for cicchetti and a glass or two of wine.

Easy to walk to all the sights, first stop on the water bus from the airport and quiet at night.

One thing we loved doing was learning how to row a traditional Venetian boat with https://rowvenice.org. We did an evening trip and our son rowed back up the Grand Canal under the Rialto Bridge - incredible memory!!

Another great thing to do which remarkably was free is booking this rooftop viewing gallery next to the Rialto bridge https://www.dfs.com/en/venice/mobile/service/rooftop-terrace

We go 3/4 times a year and these are what I would do to make it special!

For a special treat get a private water taxi from the airport. The trip is expensive at around E150 but you will remember it forever.
Also, take the vaporetto to Burano to Al Gatto Nero. We booked well in advance.
https://www.gattonero.com/
Take a trip to the bar on the roof of the Danielli, much better than Harry's Bar which is not worth seeing IMO.
https://www.jollyroger.it/galleon-dinner-cruise/ is worth doing.

The usual sights can all be accessed by tickets bought in advance and are all worth doing.

Just walk around and take in the atmosphere.
We have stayed in an apartment, and hotels. I would stay in La Columbina if you want San Marco, but there are lots of nice hotels at all price points.

For a special treat get a private water taxi from the airport. The trip is expensive at around E150 but you will remember it forever.

This! Dh and I felt like we were in a movie.

And a private gondola ride is a must, ideally as the sun sets - it’s beautiful there. One of the only places I’ve been to that more than lived up to expectations.

As bit of a hidden gem , an amazing and huge sculpture, a pleasant walk through the "urban" side of Venice or you can get a water taxi.

Cafe on site.

Building Bridges Lorenzo Quinn

This is the best guide book I've ever used, Venice for Pleasure. There are four walks, and I still remember many of the little vignettes we discovered whilst exploring the city with it.

www.accartbooks.com/uk/book/venice-for-pleasure/

Op ..thank you !
And everyone else !!

This is really helpful for a trip I am planning in July as well .
.
I was having wobbles about doing it ...but this thread has just encouraged me 😀😀..

If the OP doesn't mind me asking...

How bad would it be to have no/dodgy/not working AC in July?? In an apartment..booking.com sort of thing.

It could be 35 degrees so pretty horrible without A/C. We stayed at the Palazzo Barbarigo in the San Polo area. Perfect hotel.

The standard airport water bus is fine. The No1 vaporetto does the whole of the Grand Canal. Just sit back and admire the buildings. The Traghetto gondolas go across the Grand Canal and are used by locals - who stand up! Gondola trips are mega bucks. Go like a local!

The Doge’s Palace, the campanile in St Marks square, the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo (hard to find but a gem), The Scuola Grande Di San Rocco for the paintings, the Rialto and markets, the Guggenheim and just wandering. All worth it. Plus a concert anywhere! Have fun and buy a decent guide book.

I've stayed in both Drosoduro near the Academia bridge/ Campo Santa Margharetia and Canneregio and can recommend both. The streets around St Marks square and Rialto bridge can get quite choked up but if you're slightly away you still get all of the wonderful atmosphere without the full on crowds. The best part of Venice is just wandering and getting lost anyway.

It can get very hot but there's lots of shade too as some of the streets are so narrow. Evenings are the best as lots of daytrippers leave and it quietens down.

Enjoy, it's one of my favourite places in the world

Best to stay somewhere not on San Marco but close to a bridge/vaporetto stop. We stayed in Dorsoduro near the Accademia bridge. The location was perfect - lots of nice not too overpriced restaurants round there too.

Recommend a trip to Murano to watch the glass blowing. The Leonardo da Vinci museum. The evening classical concerts in the church just over the Accademia bridge (can’t remember its name). Lots of gelato! Vaporetto rides - I wouldn’t bother with a gondola personally. Doge’s palace & tower.

Getting so excited...and confused 😕 🤔 🤔!!

Need to book flights soon as they are creeping up in price !

But .. accomodation is confusing me !

St Marks .. you you are all saying stay away from..
Yet it is the cheapest?

I would be amazed if it is the cheapest, it’s the tourist epicentre! If you’ve found somewhere cheap there, there will be a catch - and even if there isn’t, you’ll pay another way eg the restaurants there are generally tourist traps/overpriced.