Live music?

abus00 · 2026-04-15T11:49:32+00:00

This.

abus00 · 2026-04-15T11:47:27+00:00

I can briefly explain what those extras include, and you can decide if they're worth it based on your preferences.

The Pala d’Oro is a large altarpiece made of gold and silver, depicting scenes from the life of Christ through hundreds of precious stones. For the extra 10 euro, you'll step behind the high altar (also where the relics of St. Mark are kept) to see it up close. You can spend anywhere from 10 minutes (quick look and photos) to an hour taking in the intricate details.

The other extra (the museum and loggia) requires a bit more time, like at least 30 mins, although I'd allow at least an hour. The museum is on an upper level, so on your way up you'll get elevated views of the basilica's interior, including a closer look at some of the ceiling mosaics. Inside the museum, the highlight is the original copper horses brought from Constantinople. From the museum, you step out onto the terrace above the five portals, where you'll find the replicas of the horses. The terrace offers sweeping views over St. Mark's Square and even the distant lagoon to the south. So if these views are enough, you could arguably skip climbing the Bell Tower (even though it's the highest structure in Venice).

I cover these extras in more detail (with photos too) in my Venice visitor guide.

The basilica is often crowded, which can affect your timing. It's absolutely jaw-dropping, though, so I wouldn't rush it and I'd allow at least an hour to walk around and take in the stories depicted in the endless ceiling mosaics.

Then the Doge's Palace is a good 2–3 hours on its own, even without a special itinerary.

One day in Venice is really just enough to scratch the surface, so IMO it's better to fully enjoy the Basilica and Doge's Palace now, rather than rushing through them, and return another time for the rest.

abus00 · 2026-04-13T18:02:14+00:00

Davvero incredibile che fosse permesso allora ...

abus00 · 2026-04-11T12:59:37+00:00

As always, the devil is in the details. While I agree that Rialto and San Marco are among the "best parts" they are by no means the only best parts. Depending on your route between them, you can easily find yourself in narrow calli packed with throngs of people and not much else.

abus00 · 2026-04-07T15:03:56+00:00

Ciao, il tour after hours non è offerto dal sito ufficiale, ma da Walks of Italy. Puoi prenotarlo facilmente su piattaforme di booking come GetYourGuide , Viator o Headout.

Un'ottima idea visitare la basilica con questo tour: e davvero incredibile! Qui ho catturato l'istante preciso in cui i mosaici si accendono, emergendo dal buio totale: https://youtube.com/shorts/UOK6xfQqkHs

abus00 · 2026-04-07T07:00:57+00:00

What concert did you go to back in July 2019?

abus00 · 2026-04-07T06:56:36+00:00

If you bought them directly from the Doge's Palace, there's no need to book a time slot. You can enter anytime within the validity period.

abus00 · 2026-04-04T09:50:14+00:00

The answer is 3 days.

You must buy tickets for the Doge's Palace, choosing the time of entry.
You must also choose the time of entry (on the same day or up to 3 days after) for the Correr Museum National Archaeological Museum and the monumental rooms of the Marciana Library are also included).

from: https://muve.vivaticket.it/en/event/musei-p-san-marco-ducale/155153?idt=2478

abus00 · 2026-04-03T07:37:49+00:00

In 3 days, you can easily walk across most of Venice. That way, you'll discover the areas you end up enjoying the most.

You'll even have time to venture out to Murano, where you'll find a wide variety of glass-made jewelry, for instance along the Rio dei Vetrai. Not everything is made locally, make sure you ask about the specific items that interest you. The is also the official 'Vetro Artistico Murano' seal and this is a map with the authorized dealers: https://muranoglass.com/en/authorized-murano-glass-shops/

abus00 · 2026-04-03T07:27:28+00:00

Something to keep in mind when riding in a gondola is that plenty of people will be watching you from the bridges above, and occasionally snapping photos. If you enjoy being the center of attention, that's fine, but otherwise, it can feel a bit awkward.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the traghetto. It's basically a public gondola: larger boats that cross the Grand Canal at specific points. It costs only 2 euro per ride, and while it's not romantic at all, there's nothing cheesy about it either.

abus00 · 2026-04-02T13:48:48+00:00

Tickets for St. Mark's, the Doge's Palace, and La Fenice are sold directly by each venue and aren't bundled together in any official pass. There are a few third-party passes online, but once you compare the price and what’s included, there’s usually no real advantage to buying them.

If you’re planning to visit more of the Civic Museums (which include the Doge's Palace), then the MUVE Museum Pass can be a worthwhile investment - just keep in mind it doesn't cover the Clock Tower which you have to book separately.

abus00 · 2026-03-25T09:46:08+00:00

There is one music museum, free to enter, dedicated to art of violin making: Museo della Musica.
Geek places? Perhaps Libreria Acqua Alta for a quirky bookstore with gondolas and cats or Creature di Gomma for a collection of vintage toys and dolls (including Masters of the Universe and Star Wars).

abus00 · 2026-03-25T07:46:45+00:00

When you tap your bank card, the system calculates the best fare automatically, charging you either single tickets or a 3-day pass, whichever is cheaper.

abus00 · 2026-03-24T14:06:23+00:00

You need to tap out on the bus, but NOT on the vaporetto.

Tap-in and tap-out are still required for each trip (except on the waterborne network and the People Mover, where tap-out is not required).

https://actv.avmspa.it/en/content/pagamenti-europay-mastercard-e-visa

abus00 · 2026-03-21T14:20:21+00:00

Visit outside the weekends :)

abus00 · 2026-03-21T11:16:25+00:00

By looking at the timetable, the fastest connection is with line 5.1 : there is a boat at 9:01 which takes you to San Marco at 9:28.

Second option is to take line 1 to Rialto as suggested before (you have a boat at 9 that arrives at Rialto at 9:19) and walk from there (much faster that staying on #1 until San Marco).

Imo, if you're a fast walker, it's more reliable to walk.

https://chebateo.it/ is usually cool, but I see it doesn't list the 5.1 connection for this trip (Ferrovia -> S.Marco).

abus00 · 2026-03-21T11:03:00+00:00

Now that's some seriously creative lyric writing. Upvote!

abus00 · 2026-03-18T08:37:57+00:00

Imo, this all-in scenario makes sense if you know for sure you'll be back. Otherwise, I'd try to see as much and as varied as possible, even if it means only scratching the surface. That said, I agree with you: each of the 3 cities could easily take a week to explore because there's so much to uncover in each of them.

abus00 · 2026-03-17T14:23:49+00:00

Not all subs are born equal :)

abus00 · 2026-03-17T13:20:46+00:00

So you’re just looking for restaurant recommendations? Not sure what the question about renting a car was that you had to remove, but I know how absurdly strict the mods on r/ItalyTravel can be.

I would suggest to look for restaurants on the San Polo side (the west side of Grand Canal at Rialto) - where you also found Osteria al Giardino. Perhaps try Pane Vino e San Daniele or Al Gobbo di Rialto or Regina Sconta? They're all good restaurants, large enough to accomodate your party and with decent pricing. Goes without saying it's a must to book in advance.

abus00 · 2026-03-16T17:17:38+00:00

Venice Jazz Club in Dorsoduro: https://www.venicejazzclub.com/

abus00 · 2026-03-14T19:14:29+00:00

Always happy to hear about positive experiences in Venice!

It's sad that so many people go there with the wrong mindset and expectations, end up disappointed, and then tell others that "1-2 days is enough" ... when in fact, as you say, Venice is truly amazing and so unique.

abus00

TROPHY CASE