Venice Day Trip

Alternative 1
1) Train from Milan in the morning (around 8 or 9am) - arrives at Venice St Lucia train station 2hr 35 minutes later (or 2hr 20mins if you take the fast train). Do not get out at the wrong stop!
2) Take Waterbus No.1 or 2 (vaporetto) from Train Station to Piazza San Marco. Cost: 6,50 Euros
3) Enjoy sights at Piazza San Marco, including St Mark's Basilica (free admission, reserve tickets ahead) and Doge's Palace.
4) Walk (and get lost) to Ponte Rialto. It should take less than 10 minutes if you don't get lost.
5) Enjoy sights and sounds of Ponte Rialto and Rialto Food Market (if it is still open).
6) Continue to walk in the streets of Venice towards the train station. Journey should take at most 25 minutes (provided you don't get lost as well. Hint: keep looking backwards to see if the signs still say "Rialto")

Alternative 2
1) Train from Milan in the morning (around 8 or 9am) - arrives at Venice St Lucia train station 2hr 35 minutes later (or 2hr 20mins if you take the fast train). Do not get out at the wrong stop!
2) 25 minutes walk to Rialto (follow signs!) from the train station.
3) Enjoy sights and sounds of Ponte Rialto and Rialto Food Market. You can probably get your lunch there as well.
4) Continue to walk in the streets of Venice towards Piazza San Marco (follow signs on corner of buildings as well). The journey should take less than 10 minutes if you don't get lost.
5) Enjoy sights at Piazza San Marco, including St Mark's Basilica (free admission, reserve tickets ahead) and Doge's Palace.
6) Take Waterbus No.1 or 2 (vaporetto) from Piazza San Marco to Train Station. Cost: 6,50 Euros

Doge's Palace

For centuries the Doge's Palace had three fundamental roles: as the Doge residence, the seat of government and as the palace of justice. This was where some of the most important decisions for Venice's, and even Europe's destiny were taken.
References: http://www.italyguides.it/us/venice_italy/doge_s_palace/doge_s_palace.htm
Opening hours: 7 days a week, 9am - 7pm
Entrance Fee: 17,50 Euros (admission to Museu Correr as well)

Secret Itenararies Tour @ 21 Euros
Take the Itinerari Segreti and you discover these hidden passages, also the administrative offices of the men who ran the Venice of medieval and Renaissance times. You’ll even visit the city gaol, and the very cell from which notorious lover Giacomo Casanova made his escape in 1775.

Pre-purchase tickets at http://www.tickitaly.com/galleries/doges-palace-venice.php

St Marks, Venice

St Mark's Basilica
Interior: Contains a wealth of paintings and sculpture. St Mark's body is contained in a sarcophagus beneath the altar.
Belltower: Once a lighthouse for ships, but now offers the best aerial views of Venice.
Opening hours: Daily, 9.45am - 4.45pm; Best time to visit is in late mornings (11.30-12.30), when the mosaics are lighted up.
Admission charges: Admission is free, but queues are expected to be long. So reserve your spot at http://www.alata.it/eng/booking/sanmarco.asp. It's free!
Getting there
1) From Piazzale Roma (by the water-bus lines): 1 (40mins), 52 direct (20mins), 82 direct (30mins)
2) From Train Station, Santa Lucia (by the water-bus lines): 1 (35mins), 52 direct (25mins), 82 direct (25mins)
Note: Backpacks and cameras are not allowed inside, so deposit them first before you join the queue.


St Mark's Square
"Visit it, just like everybody else does!"

Things (I want) to do in Venice

Venice Day Trip...gotta pack lots and lots of things into one short short day...
1) St Mark's Basilica & Square
2) Grand Canal
3) Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale)
4) Rialto Bridge & Market
5) Venice Lagoons

Europe 2009!

Cities I'm visiting:
1) Barcelona
2) Milan
3) Venice
4) Rome
5) Florence
6) Foxtown (Switzerland)

# Days: 12

Month of visit: May 2009