Looking for recommendations for what to see/do in Venice? Any recommendations on places to stay? Money is not an obstacle within reason.

Looking for any thoughts on train vs. plane for Venice to Milan?

Also looking for recommendations for what to see/do in Venice? Any recommendations on places to stay? Money is not an obstacle within reason.

Thanks to everyone in advance… we're working on putting a pretty big European trip together.

If you love architectural history, great food and wine - Venice is your place.

We stayed at a little boutique hotel - Ca Maria Adele. It was magnificent and the service was impeccable. It is adjacent to Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute.

Places to visit - Piazza San Marco, Basilica di San Marco, Doge Palace. It's a very touristy zone, but the architecture and history were truly amazing. But there's great stuff everywhere. Lots of shopping, little markets.

Restaurants - too many great ones to list, but we had an exceptional dinner at Ristorante Cantinine Storico.

Wine bars - there's one on every corner.

Enjoy!

We had two fantastic meals in Venice last year.

- nice dinner at Ristorante da Ivo
- big seafood lunch at Paradiso Perduto.

Recs for Milan:

Visit the Duomo.

Botanical Club has very good cocktails.

Al Cantinone
Via Agnello 19
In the fashion district near the Duomo

Train is very easy from center to center of both cities. I wouldn't mess with flying. I felt like both cities can be adequately seen in about 2 days. The most fun we had during our trip was actually a half day (roughly) in Verona, which is an easy train stop midway between Milan and Venice. Wonderful little town.

https://venicevenice.com/

Bookmarked as we'll be in Venice in early June. Doing a guided cicchetti tour one evening, of course doing Doge's Palace & San Marco.

Agreed. Train is so much simpler and most likely faster. Two days max in Venice. One of the more overrated spots in Italy.

Last year I was doing 2 week rotations to Milan and did a lot of traveling in Northern Italy.

Trains are the way to travel regionally unless you go to Southern Italy, then suggest taking a plane. Download Trenitalia app to purchase tickets and research the planned strikes, they are announced ahead of time.

I stayed in a lovely hotel in Venice right on the grand canal, I highly recommend it: CA' NIGRA LAGOON RESORT VENEZIA. Amazing old Venetian Villa with a beautiful courtyard and pretty close to the train station.

For Milan, definitely check out Navigli. It's an area on a canal in Milan with amazing restaurants. https://www.thetravel.com/best-restaurants-in-navigli-milan/

At the top of the mall next to the Duomo is a good restaurant with amazing a views: Maio restaurant, really amazing place to hang out on the patio with spectacular views.

Also, if you have time, visit Stresa on Lake Maggiore. It's a magical town on the Swiss boarder with amazing hotels.

Consult the Michelin list and see where you can get in.

Have fun! Italy is the best!

Edited: link added

04aggiegirl said:

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I stayed in a lovely hotel in Venice right on the grand canal, I highly recommend it: CA' NIGRA LAGOON RESORT VENEZIA. Amazing old Venetian Villa with a beautiful courtyard and pretty close to the train station.

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We're staying at Hotel Canal Grande which looks to be on the same block/campo. Will be there for 3 nights (get in late-ish on the first night so that barely counts).

So you liked the location? Easy to get around, get to St Mark's? Hoping to check out the Cannaregio and Dorsoduro areas too. Maybe make it down to the Guggenheim.

It is a bit of a walk to St Marks but I loved the location. I walked to St Marks twice in the same day, since I had to go back to grab a battery back up and a jacket, and it really wasn't an issue. I love walking though, but there are always water taxi options.

I didn't get to make it over but hear Murano is amazing too.

Casino de Venezia. Oldest operating casino in the world. In town casino is European styled and located in building that composer Wagner died in. Second location by airport is like a Vegas casino.

Venice is pretty dead at night, so this can be a fun way to burn a couple of hours after dinner. We turned $40E into $1600E so we had a pretty good time.

The best experience we had in Venice was here - https://www.ostemaurolorenzon.com/

An eclectic chef...amazing food...incredible gin collection...great wine choices...and outside of the tourist zone.

We stayed at Hotel Ca' Zusto a nice boutique hotel. 22 rooms all named after Turkish princesses.

We enjoyed our dinner at Ristorante Antica Besseta

Thanks everyone for all of the info…. Truly appreciated!

Wahoo82 said:

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Venice is pretty dead at night

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That's when I find Venice to be most magical. Find a wine bar, have a few drinks, then walk along and hear the water splash up from the canals against the centuries old buildings. Less tourists, too. It's beautiful at night.

Went to Venice in December. Possibly one of my favorite places I've ever been. Extremely unique. Wasn't too crowded at the time. Stay at the Gritti Palace, especially if you have Marriott status. I was upgraded to a ridiculous suite and never wanted to leave the place. So much charm and the bar and patio in the water of the Grand Canal is truly beautiful. I'll have to get my wife's itinerary but all the meals we had were very good. Some of the best seafood I've ever had. I'll be sure to add those restaurants.

Lots of great and useful info!

Booked Grand Canal for hotel in Venice…

Does anyone have any hotel recs for Milan?

amg405 said:

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Lots of great and useful info!

Booked Grand Canal for hotel in Venice…

Does anyone have any hotel recs for Milan?

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A few years ago, we stayed at a suite in the Park Hyatt in Milan, which was very nice, and the location is tough to beat. Right next to the Duomo and the Galleria (make sure and take a spin on the bull parts, for luck). The Scala Theater and the original Campari bar is right there, too. The concierge set us up with a good tour of the city (including the Last Supper by DaVinci and the Sforza Castle and park area). I had really only used Milan as a place to fly into, and go on to Como, Venice, Portofino, or other places, but it turns out it has plenty to do and see itself.

I used Hyatt points for the Park Hyatt, which made it reasonable, but there are places with more character and a local feel you might check out, as well. My practice is to only use Hyatt (or other hotel) points on hotels usually outside my comfort zone value-wise.

Watch the Stanley Tucci episodes and go find the restaurants. We did that in Venice two weeks ago. It was great fun and well off the beaten path.

Wandering around Venice at night is one of my favorite things to do in Italy. Once the daytime crowds clear out it is a completely different experience.

Venice was incredible. We were there about a week ago...such a unique place.

We are staying 2 nights at the Park Hyatt in Milan- - super nice hotel. We are going to do a city tour and visit Duomo, etc tomorrow before we head to London.