Extra day in Venice - where to drive out to?

[6Travel]

We have 2.5 days in Venice and would like to take a day trip for one of those days. Where do you recommend driving that is within 2 hours of Venice? Do you recommend any tour companies to take us on such a driving tour or should we simply drive ourselves?

[lisiamc]

You could take the train to Verona - definitely worth a look, and easy to reach from Venice.

 

Lisa

[6Travel]

Thanks. What do you recommend we do and/or see in Verona?

[agabbymama]

There is a balcony that they call Romeo & Juliet balcony. There is an arena (similar to the Colloseum but on a smaller scale) that is still used

today for concerts, etc. And there is a huge castle (Castlevecchio) I

think it was called. We walked all over. The gateway into the city was a nice old arch of stone too. If I remember correctly, you would see the arch as you leave the train station and head into the center of town. Look for the information center, and they should be able to provide you a map to the other sites. You can't miss the arena.

[lisiamc]

Ooh, lots of nice things! There's the Arena di Verona, built by the Romans, where they have operas these days; Juliet's house, a house restored to the period of Romeo and Juliet; the church of San Zeno Maggiore; and the Castelvecchio, once a military building, but now an art museum.

 

Verona is one of my favourite cities, interesting, but small enough to see quite a bit in one day.

 

Lisa

[newcruiser551951]

Vicenza is also a very nice city to visit. (I was stationed in the U.S. Army there from 1974 - 1977.) The Teatro Olimpico which was built in the 1500's is there. There are also many nice villas built by Palladio. Oh, how I wish I could remember the names of the restaurants and the special pizzeria (by the rail-road tracks) we used to visit quite frequently. :)

[ab0si]

Padua, Vicenza, Verona -- listed in increasing distance from Venice are each worth a visit. However, I would recommend taking the train rather than driving (or being driven).

 

Other places of interest in the Veneto include Treviso and Chioggia. I would be more than happy to spend the day in any of these towns.

[anval37]

We have 2.5 days in Venice and would like to take a day trip for one of those days. Where do you recommend driving that is within 2 hours of Venice? Do you recommend any tour companies to take us on such a driving tour or should we simply drive ourselves?

 

If you want to spend a day out of Venice I suggest you to drive to the Alps Mountains and especially to the Dolomites, enchanting places with wonderful landscapes, valleys, nice little towns.

We were there a few years ago and instead of driving ourselves on those roads, we hired a car with driver through http://www.italydrivinguide.com

The driver we had spoke a very good English and drove a brand new Mercedes Sedan.

The food there is great and "Grapa" too!!

[Alsacienne]

Padua and Ravenna - just a little further - are worth visiting.

[moyaroo]

Just to make the recommendations complete, Trieste North and east of Venice is interesting just for the fact that it is so obviously not supposed to be an Italian city (Ask anyone in Slovenia)

 

For the record I would choose Verona. walking along the river Adige, the old roman theater across the river looks like all of the backdrops I ever saw for R&J. Love that town

[axel26]

I'd also recommend Verona and Padua, although Verona can take an entire day. Regardless, get yourself a copy of Rick Steves' Venice book (don't need the 2009 version) and look in the back. He provides three suggestions on where to go for day trips and specifically what to see. The chapels and churches have such great frescos. We stayed in Mestre coming off a cruise as the Mestre train station is very easy to get to from nearby hotels. The train was convenient.

[gunther]

Hi 6TRAVEL

 

There are beautiful actractives not so far from venice.

You may get in touch with tourist operator that will arrange excursion or sightseeing for one ortwodays according to your needs.

 

Gunther

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We have 2.5 days in Venice and would like to take a day trip for one of those days. Where do you recommend driving that is within 2 hours of Venice? Do you recommend any tour companies to take us on such a driving tour or should we simply drive ourselves?

[rian90]

If you want to spend a day out of Venice I suggest you to drive to the Alps Mountains and especially to the Dolomites, enchanting places with wonderful landscapes, valleys, nice little towns.

We were there a few years ago and instead of driving ourselves on those roads, we hired a car with driver through www.italydrivinguide.com

The driver we had spoke a very good English and drove a brand new Mercedes Sedan.

The food there is great and "Grapa" too!!

 

This sounds wonderful! Is it possible to take the train to the Dolomites from Venice? A driver sounds expensive!

[anval37]

This sounds wonderful! Is it possible to take the train to the Dolomites from Venice? A driver sounds expensive!

 

 

You can also take a train from Venice to Belluno if I remember correctly and then a bus to Cortina but I don't know how frequent they run now.

We investigated about this but we preferred a private tour to be sure to go back on time to the ship...Maybe you can look for someone to share it in order to split the chg..

[superdave57]

Knowing nothing about the train travel, what would it cost approx to catch a train roundtrip to Verona and if we were to rent a car, is that fairly easy to do in Venice or since we drive on the wrong side of the road, you would stay away from driving...

[taxatty]

The train to Verona is not that expensive--you can check the Italian train web site (trenitalia) for prices. I would doubt if a reservation would be necessary. The Verona train station is a 10-15 minute walk or a short bus ride from the center of town (the Roman Arena), and from there everything can be seen on foot.

 

I would rent a car to see the Dolomites area (it's beautiful) as the trains don't go through much of it and with a car you don't have to deal with bus schedules. You don't drive on the "wrong side" like in England. Some of it is typical mountain driving with with hairpin curves, but nothing terrible. Renting a car in Venice at the main transportation center (Piazzale Roma) is easy, the roads are well marked, and it's a short vaporetto trip or a doable walk from the main train station.

 

Les

[ab0si]

Knowing nothing about the train travel, what would it cost approx to catch a train roundtrip to Verona and if we were to rent a car, is that fairly easy to do in Venice or since we drive on the wrong side of the road, you would stay away from driving...

 

Continental Europe drives on the right (as opposed to left) side of the road -- the same as in the major countries of North America (Canada, Mexico, U.S., Texas). The only exception to this is Istanbul where, in theory, they do it this way also but in practice drive on the left, right, center, and other places.

 

You pick up and drop off rental cars at P.Roma. Driving to Verona is actually quite easy but I really do not see the point in it as the train is so easy.

 

I do agree with renting a car if you choose to see the Dolomites. As mentioned, getting around there -- any place except the main cities and those are not the reason for visiting the region -- requires transferring to a bus.

 

You are faced with an embarrassment of riches here. Many good choices (including several not even mentioned yet). You might want pick two choices and decide when you get there. for example, going to the Dolomites if the weather is bad would, imho, not be the best choice.

[Wakkyj]

Just out of curiousity, are you looking for a day trip from Venice because you've already seen the sights and are looking for something different or because you don't think there's much to do in Venice? I only ask because there are so so many things to see and do in Venice that you could fill 4 or 5 days easily. If you haven't been before you might want to leave your day trip plans flexible so that you can make a change in case you find you want to spend more time in Venice once you get there.

[superdave57]

Just out of curiousity, are you looking for a day trip from Venice because you've already seen the sights and are looking for something different or because you don't think there's much to do in Venice? I only ask because there are so so many things to see and do in Venice that you could fill 4 or 5 days easily. If you haven't been before you might want to leave your day trip plans flexible so that you can make a change in case you find you want to spend more time in Venice once you get there.

 

 

Wakkyj, plan to get there 2 days early and see Venice ( as much of it as I can), take the cruise and spend 1 more day there when I get back. I thought about using that day and do a day trip. Since most of you are suggesting Verona, I may take that as an option. I hope to be flexible and base it on how well we do with Venice. The thing that I am finding is that time is valuable so I will have to make a judgement call on which to do. All of you have provided me some great info... I thought Verona might be something my daughter would be interested in... Dave in Houston

[franu]

Having spent much time in the area, I agree with Wakkyj. Unless you have spent much time in Venice, you would probably still be busy for 2.5 days. I have been there countless times and include places that I have not yet seen every time.

 

You did not state what sort of interests you have. What are you looking for? Is it museums? Or lovely scenery? Is it architecture? This will help us help you.

 

If you would like an interesting city close to Venice, Padova (Padua) is half an hour away by train. It has a lot to see for a day.

 

Another option is to take the vaporetto (water bus) to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Fran

[crushice]

We will be in Venice first time. Can anyone please tell us how to get to the hotel from the airport? Has anyone tried that hotel? We will only be there for 1 night before our cruise. Any "must see" sights? Thanks for any info.

[ab0si]

crushice:

 

I am assuming you mean Hotel Campiello. There website gives the options:

http://www.hcampiello.it/inglese/dove-siamo.html

 

 

There are too many "must sees" for you to see. If you are flying in from overseas, you will be too tired to enjoy trudging around any way. So, go to S. Marco -- very close to the hotel, and people watch for a bit.

[superdave57]

franu, Realistically, I will probably spend the entire 2.5 days in Venice.. I do want to visit the islands. I have kids so I don't think their attention span warrants too much time in museums. I like scenery and architecture. My bet they will get more of a kick on the boats. I guess my problem is that I have been waiting to get here for over 30 yrs.

[rian90]

I am thinking we might like to rent a car in Venice and drive into the Dolomites and possibly even stay one night there. My husband and I love mountains and scenary much more than cities although we will spend a few days in Venice as well.

 

Where would be the best town in the Dolomites to stay while avoiding some of the more adventurous roads? Are their any good websites with information on the Dolomites?

[deniuh]

Try this one for Dolomite info site:

http://www.dolomiti.org/dengl/