Anonymous wrote:Venice is tiny and horribly over-run with tourists. There is no off the beaten track.

Not in January, if going before Carnival starts.

Anonymous wrote:We wandered into the Vivaldi church while we were exploring and were told about an evening concert, which we attended. It was one of the best things we did in Venice. The one we attended was at San Vidal.

Same!

Anonymous wrote:I've been there at the end of December. It will be cold. Be prepared to bundle up for warmth.

Yep, I went in late winter once. Cold, dark and wet.

We wandered into the Vivaldi church while we were exploring and were told about an evening concert, which we attended. It was one of the best things we did in Venice. The one we attended was at San Vidal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:- Make masks at Alberto Sarria Masks
- Go to the Jewish Ghetto and Jewish museum
- Rialto market in the morning
- Go to a Venice soccer game if they are in town
- Go to the smaller islands on the Vaporetto or do a boat tour with Classic Boats https://www.classicboatsvenice.com/lagoon-tours/
- Guggenheim museum (touristy but not too bad if you book in the morning)
- Ghost tour https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/1873485
- Visit the last gold beating factory https://www.homofaber.com/en/artisans/marino-menegazzo-goldbeating-italy
- Search the Homo Faber website for other artisans that you can visit
https://www.homofaber.com/en/

Can I hire you as my travel planner?

Ha, ask away! Always happy to help.

I've been there at the end of December. It will be cold. Be prepared to bundle up for warmth.

Anonymous wrote:Stuff other than Gondola or churches / palaces (unless it is a VERY neat POV for the tour). Already doing a gondola ride (yes, i know it's touristy but we're there, we're doing it). We're doing churches and things already in Rome and Florence.

We like food, animals, history, spooky.

We'll be there in early Jan.

Illegal bootleg trip to Poveglia.
Yes it can be done and it doesn't get any spookier.

Anonymous wrote:There are no off the beaten paths in a city as crowded as Venice. Enjoy it for what it is.

Eh, we were there in July and wandered away from the crowds, found ourselves in a neighborhood without tourists walking around alone. We had a nice lunch at a restaurant with locals and the neighborhood bakery stayed open to allow us to load up on desserts just as they were closing for the day. We just enjoyed walking around, soaking it in, and eating.

Pro tip: eat dinner across the water and enjoy the view of Venice after dark.

Haven't been in years, but it is one of my favorite places. It's one of those places that you don't need an agenda--just wander around and absorb the atmosphere. You can actually get turned around and lost--and that is part of the charm.

I will say that I was there once in December. Out hotel lobby flooded, but the water receded quickly. The workers had hip boots on and worked and hours later it was fine. Just missed breakfast and couldn't get out of a few hours.

While wandering around, we walked into a small church, saw children playing, clothes on a line, I guess you could say, we saw Venetian life. That was the charm. People really do live there.

This gorgeous glass mosaic workshop in Murano https://vianellonadiamurrine.com/pages/glass-workshop
And rather than just riding in a gondola, learn how to row it! https://rowvenice.org/

Anonymous wrote:- Make masks at Alberto Sarria Masks
- Go to the Jewish Ghetto and Jewish museum
- Rialto market in the morning
- Go to a Venice soccer game if they are in town
- Go to the smaller islands on the Vaporetto or do a boat tour with Classic Boats https://www.classicboatsvenice.com/lagoon-tours/
- Guggenheim museum (touristy but not too bad if you book in the morning)
- Ghost tour https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/1873485
- Visit the last gold beating factory https://www.homofaber.com/en/artisans/marino-menegazzo-goldbeating-italy
- Search the Homo Faber website for other artisans that you can visit
https://www.homofaber.com/en/

Can I hire you as my travel planner?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Venice is tiny and horribly over-run with tourists. There is no off the beaten track.

I've been to Venice, I know how crowded it can be. But I also have been to other very crowded places and there is always something off the beaten track.

Sure, but only when those places are not a teeny little island.

Don't you mean off the beaten canal things to do in Venice?

^^oh, and visit Ca' Rezzonico. Great museum to see whst it was like to live there.

Been there in January a few times. I love it then. It will be cold so bring a coat and it gets dark early. It is crowded everywhere but fewer people are in Dosoduro, the Guidecca island and the Lido island. These places also tend not to flood. Murano may flood somewhat (glass blowing/glass stores) but it's worth a visit. We went to the cemetery island one year but it was freezing and definitely macabre. Avoid the Rialto area which is super touristy and St Mark's which may flood but go to Florian's and have coffee indoors. The area by the Accademia is often less crowded if you go into the back areas between the bridge and the Zattere (I believe this is slso part of Dodiduro). Away from St. Mark's toward the end of the island where there is a park--those neighborhoods are somewhat quieter and in the other directio San Stefano is a nice square. Vaparettos are slow and the trips to the islands can take a while but I always like the trips myself.