Venice

[OLAS]

Took advantage of Ryanair's €2 each way offer during the week for me and the good lady. Going mid-January Sun-Tue.

Is the bus from Treviso airport the best way to get to Venice itself? Have only used this airport as a hub for Scotland games before but seen a fair few buses - as well as public transport.

Highly rated hotel is booked next to the square so will be very central.

Venice seems pretty much like the best tourist trap ever. Not too bothered with that - quite keen on stoating about for the two days.

Apart from the top-end touristy stuff, is there anything off the beaten path that would be interesting?

I've been to Venice around 20 years ago, but spent most of my time in newsagents going through every Italian newspaper trying to find out Thistle's Intertoto results. Never really got into the culture then!

[Flora MaDonald]

Don't know about Treviso, as I've only come in by train from other parts of Italy.

Head to Cannaregio area - oot the road of all the tourist shite.

[scottincarlisle]

Agree with Cannaregio area. Not too far from all the sites. The water bus up to Murano is good to see the glass blowing.

[rabmania]

I loved the area round the Arsenale (steady there), and Cannaregio. We were up at 6 in the morning to see things before the hordes, such a treat, then back for breakfast.

The secret tour of the Palazzo Ducale is worth the extra dosh.

[joecraigfanclub]

Water bus hopping around the islands. I have always found the Lido a bit of a let down but its quite interesting. I f you go a walk up the far end you will find the cinema that hosts the, funnily enough, Venice film festival. It and the train station are the only two remaining pieces of Fascist architecture in the city.

They try to punt the small nibbles, cichetti, as traditional part of the venetian diet but its a bit like their equivalent of the Ploughman's lunch from what I can make out. The places around the fruit and veg market are very good for them.

Do not, unless you have won the lottery and even then I would think twice, go to the complete and utter rip off that is Harry's bar. I am sure some people on this board have bigger bars in their lounges as the bar they serve the drink on is tiny, the place itself is small and the staff are up the themselves. Plus no gorgeous loaded Italian widow wanted to whisk me off and make mad passionate love to me.

I like it a lot but take lots of money. F'kin barrow loads

[Baz]

Arsenale and the via Garabaldi area are good for bars away from the tourist areas. We generally judged a bar on the price of a half litre of wine and that area was good.

The area round about the university is also worth a shout.

Buy a pass for the vaparetto and just jump on and off. One of the services just goes up and down the grand canal zig zagging from side to side, if the weather is good it's a great way to spend an few hours.

[Flora MaDonald]

By the way, Olas, there's apparently an excellent tour of the Jewish ghetto. I've not seen it, but I mind the last time I was there some septic I was speaking to in a boozer was raving about it.