<p>My D has 10 days to spend in Venice with a possible side trip to Milan to see another friend this coming November. Ideas, anyone? I am sure someone who frequents the Cafe’ has been and has some suggestions. Thanks…</p>
<p>I did a very quick trip to Venice so I don’t have a lot of suggestions but wanted to say I liked it. It’s a unique city without the cars and with all the canals. I’m sure she’ll do this but I suggest doing some wandering on some of their back ‘streets’ (really walkways). It’s not really that big of a place and is a more ‘walkable’ type of city. I think she’s going to like it.</p>
<p>If she can do some side trips and hasn’t been there, I recommend - </p>
<ul>
<li>Florence</li>
<li>Pisa (a quick visit to see the leaning tower)</li>
<li>Cinque Terra National Park (Riomaggiore and the other towns here) along the Mediterranean</li>
<li>Rome if she can swing it </li>
</ul>
<p>Milan struck me as more ‘city-ish’ and not as appealing as a place to visit except for it’s huge cathedral in the center. </p>
<p>There are of course lots and lots of other places to see, most of which I haven’t seen. The Rick Steves books are good for pointers of what to see/do for trips like this.</p>
<p>Like the previous poster said, lots of walking and wandering. If she likes photography, there is so much atmosphere to try to capture. I like it in the fall/early winter because the fog feels so moody and the crowds have really thinned out. There are some more inexpensive places to eat near the university. She could also check for musical performances in the little churches. Vivaldi is often being performed somewhere.</p>
<p>A day trip to Verona would be easy.</p>
<p>If she likes to read mysteries have her take a look at the series by Donna Leon featuring the detective Inspector Brunnetti. The books take place in Venice.</p>
<p>Vicenza for great pottery and gold -Approximately 35 minutes from Venice.</p>
<p>I whole-heartedly agree with ucsd<em>ucla</em>dad - Venice is a very cool city to just walk around and take in the sights. Its also worth it to do the super-touristy things like a gondola ride and to go tour a Venetian glass factory since it will be her first time.</p>
<p>I didn’t really like Milan either. Not much to see or do.</p>
<p>Pisa was worth the quick stop we made just to see the tower and bask in the touristiness of the immediately surrounding area.</p>
<p>Florence is an absolutely beautiful city and well worth spending some time in if possible. And Rome is… well, Rome. As an Latin and ancient history buff, I could’ve spent months there.</p>
<p>I have a lot of advice, but to be brief:</p>
<p>In Venice, get away from St. Marks. See places on the other side of the Grand Canal. Tourists head for the Guggenheim & the Accademia museums, which are worth seeing - I prefer the former - but go to Scuola di Rocco. It’s usually empty and contains Tintoretto’s best work. Go to the Ghetto. The house museums on the Grand Canal are often special. I suggest checking the list - from Ca’ D’Oro to Ca’ Pesaro, etc. </p>
<p>If a trip to Milan is planned, by far the best stop to or from is Verona. It’s on the road, halfway there and is beautiful, beautiful. The old walled city is fun to explore, complete with the old Roman theatre where they do opera. A great place. Another stop on the way is Bergamo, particularly the upper city - it’s a two level town - but Verona is worth a visit on its own. You could also recommend - as has been mentioned - Vicenza. Think Palladio. The central square is a great space.</p>
<p>Milano is busy, busy and the traffic is killer, with driving made more difficult by the way the streets change name every block or so. Other than The Last Supper - which I would say “don’t bother” to - the big attractions are the central Galleria, a huge vaulted space next to the Cathedral, the shopping area where the designers are (nearby), and the Brera Museum, which has a number of masterpieces. The Sforza Castle isn’t really much to see, IMHO.</p>
<p>There’s plenty to see, and people have mentioned a lot. But you can’t visit Italy without having at least one gelato.</p>
<p>I second just walking around all the little back “streets” away from the crowded areas. You can’t get lost, you invariably end up somewhere, often near where you started from. </p>
<p>For a first visit, going up in the Campanile ( has elevator) is really worth the view, as is the Basilica interior, but the lines will be bad in summer. </p>
<p>Try to find the movie “Don’t Look Now”, a terrific psychological thriller that takes place in Venice (Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland)</p>
<p>Get up at dawn and watch the deliveries come in. Eat the pastries hot. Watch the locals walk their dogs. Eat breakfast standing up at a coffee bar.</p>
<p>Do the museum at St. Marks. Do the museum at the Doge’s palace, especially the weapons and prison section.</p>
<p>Buy the trip pass for a few days so you’ll take lots of boats; take lots of boats. Go to Murano and Burano. For a fabulous meal, go to the Black Cat (Gatto Nero) restaurant in Burano.</p>
<p>I lived in Venice for six months and (off season) it is my favorite place to be. With just ten days, she might want to keep her side trips as local day trips. There is plenty to see in the Veneto. Verona, Padova (Padua), Vicenza, and Mantova (Mantua) are all great visits. Be sure and check on the tides and whether the aqua alta will affect her visit and possibly make water proof boots a requirement. Venice generally has some wonderful concert series in the churches. There is nothing like hearing Vivaldi performed in San Marco. Tickets and schedules can be found at information booths. She will also want to try to get tickets to a concert or opera at the historic reconstructed La Fenice.</p>
<p>We only spent a few days there about 6 years ago, but…</p>
<p>The City itself offered wonderful walking tours at modest prices. They left from San Marco plaza–don’t know if they still do. We took one and wished we’d signed up for at least one more. </p>
<p>One of the most enjoyable things we did was taking the boat out to Murano Island,where the jewelry is made. The trip itself was very scenic. Our time on the island was limited, but we did visit a small museum which I enjoyed.</p>
<p>Ten days in Venice sounds heavenly to me. The key to getting around is to learn to use the vaporetti as busses. With a multiple use pass, you can hop on and off. Once you get the hang of it, it’s like the NY subway, but with extraordinary views.</p>
<p>I’d agree that Milan is a big city with less appeal than some of the smaller towns near Venice. I’d recommend trying to see an opera in Verona and Giotto’s frescos (the Scrovengi Chapel) in Padua/Padova. Vicenza is also of interest.</p>
<p>There’s so much art in Venice that it’s hard to pick favorites but I’d say don’t miss the Tintorettos at the Scuolo di San Rocco.</p>
<p>^Unfortunately the opera season in Verona is over by the end of summer.</p>
<p>thank you all! Great ideas, I will compile and give to the D. And assured, she will have at least one gelato. Probably many!!!</p>
<p>just a quick note on Milano…if your daughter has the opportunity to stay a few days it might be worthwhile. It is not my favorite place, but I am not a young hip attractive girl. That job belongs to my D and when she stayed for a few weeks with equally hip and attractive Italian friends, she had a fabulous time. It is a modern fast paced place for a young student. Not so much for the old and terminally un-hip like myself.</p>
<p>Forgot to mention that trips to the other Venetian islands are fun and generally pretty quiet. Look them up.</p>
<p>This month’s National Geographic has an article on Vanishing Venice:</p>
<p>[Vanishing</a> Venice — National Geographic Magazine](<a href=“http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/08/venice/newman-text]Vanishing”>http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/08/venice/newman-text)</p>
<p>My H and I took a trip to Venice last year. I recommend getting a map and wandering around, let yourself get lost and then try to find your way back. It is such a great place and I second the idea of gelato, lots of it.</p>
<p>A note on Italian gelato. Look for the word artiginale, which means locally made. Or, check the pistascio gelato. It should be a pale gray green. If it is neon green keep walking!</p>