Holiday in Modena and Venice, Italy
Italy has a special place in my heart. Our first holiday in Europe was in Italy, and the memories of that wonderful trip stay in our hearts so fresh that, even today, after many years, I remember every little detail of our experiences in this lovely country.
We, as a family, took a 13-day Holiday in Italy during the summer vacation. I have already written about the first leg of the holiday-3 days in Rome and The Second Leg of our Italian Holiday- Days in Naples, Amalfi Coast, Florence and popular tourist destinations in Tuscany. Do check them out.
In this article, I am writing about the third leg of our trip- Days in Modena and Venice.
Before I get to more details, let me share our overall itinerary in Italy.
Itinerary for a 13-Day Holiday in Italy
Day 1: Reach Rome. Check-in, Dinner and rest
Day 2: Visit Vatican City in the morning and the old city in the evening.
Day 3: Visit the Catacombs, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and Circus Maximus.
Day 4: Head to Naples. Hike to Mount Vesuvius followed by a visit to Herculaneum/Pompei
Day 5: Head to Amalfi & Positano for a beach experience.
Day 6: Head to Florence, check in and rest.
Day 7: Florence Sightseeing.
Day 8: Day trip to multiple destinations in Tuscany from Florence.
Day 9: Head to Modena and explore local sights.
Day 10: Visit Ferrari Museums.
Day 11: Head to Venice. Local sightseeing in Venice.
Day 12: Visit the islands of Murano and Burano.
Day 13: Head to Rome to take a flight back to India.
Since I have already written articles covering Days 1 through 8, I will start from Day 9 in this article.
The Third Leg of our Italian Holiday- Days in Modena and Venice
In this article, I have shared information about using public transport in Italy, which we used for this holiday. Since we visited Italy from India, we were not quite comfortable with European roads and chose public transport. However, if you are comfortable with roads in Europe, you can rent a car, use it for your entire trip and return it before taking your return flight. After moving to Germany (where we presently live), we have used rental cars from SIXT on various occasions and found them pretty good. The cars are in good condition, the service is great, and the paperwork is hassle-free. Therefore, I would recommend them based on my personal experience.
Day 9:
On this day, we took a train from Florence to Modena. After spending two days in Modena, we headed to Venice for another two days. That was the third and last leg of our holiday in Italy.
Trains from Florence to Modena can be booked here. The journey takes about two hours.
We left almost by afternoon from Florence. After reaching Modena, we checked into our apartment.
You can check out accommodation in Modena here.
Then, we ventured out for a casual walk in the city and saw some local landmarks. like Duomo di Modena (A Roman Catholic Cathedral) and Torre Civica – Ghirlandina ( A bell Tower) on Piazza Grande (A Market Square).
Luckily, our arrival in Modena coincided with a lovely International food market set up in the city centre. We spent the evenings in the food market, tasting different cuisines from around the world and generally having a relaxed time.
Modena is famous for its Balsamic Vinegar. It is said to have originated here. So, if you use it in your cooking, it would be a good idea to pick up good-quality Balsamic Vinegar and take it home. Alternatively, you can go for a 1.5-hour Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Experience if you like. On this tour, you get to visit the cellar and taste Balsamic Vinegar made by a family-run business. It is a unique experience that you will not get in many places in Italy or in any other part of the world, so don’t miss it.
Other two foods that are quite popular here are parmigiano reggiano cheese and prosciutto ham. So, do get a taste of it or, better still, buy some to take back home.
After spending a lovely evening in the food market, we returned to our apartment.
Day 10
Today was the day my kids had been looking forward to the most in our Italy Trip. It was a visit to the Ferrari Museum in Modena and Maranello. The two museums are 21 km apart. Both are a must-visit for all car lovers.
We started by first visiting the museum in Maranello. Note that reaching the museum by public transport is tricky, so it is best to take the shuttle bus from Modena Central Station to the Maranello Museum. Also note that this shuttle runs only twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening.
So, the way we planned our day was like this:
We took the morning shuttle (around 10:30 a.m.), visited the Maranello Museum, and then took the return shuttle (around 2:30 p.m.). For both routes, there is a pit stop at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena. So, while returning from the Maranello Museum, we got down at the Ferrari Museum in Modena and explored it.
We bought the shuttle ticket AND a combo entry ticket to both the museums.
About Ferrari Museum in Maranello:
The Ferrari Museum in Maranello is a treat for all Ferrari Fans. There are plenty of cars on display. Visitors can see and understand the Ferrari Circuit, walk through the Hall of Victories, and learn about Ferrari’s history and plans for the future. You can also take the bus to the Firano Race track, take a 10-minute test on the Ferrari Formula 1 simulator, or even test drive a Ferrari 458/ Ferrari Portofino or Ferrari 488 spider. All these experiences are not included in your entry ticket. If you wish to add all this to your experience, you can buy the tickets at the counter or using the links below:
Maranello: Ferrari Museum Entry Ticket and Simulator
Maranello: Ferrari Museum and Fiorano Track Combo Eco Tour
About Ferrari Museum in Modena:
The Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena is one of the most futuristic and modern buildings. It is dedicated to the life and work of the brand’s founder, Enzo Ferrari. There are various exhibitions and two cinemas, through which you can learn about the history of the automobile industry as well as the life of Enzo Ferrari. You can also visit Enzo’s father’s workshop and stop by the souvenir shop to buy some official Ferrari brand products.
After completing both visits, we returned to our apartment.
Day 11:
We left for Venice on this day by taking a train from Modena to Venice.
Reaching Venice and travelling in Venice:
We reached Venice by train. You can book your train tickets from Modena to Venice from here.
A 4 km-long Bridge connects the mainland to Venice. Both cars and trains can go on this bridge. Venice train station, called Venice Santa Lucia, is located on Venice Island. Therefore, if you arrive by train or road, you can easily enter Venice Island.
If you arrive by flight, you can reach Venice using a shuttle bus from Marco Polo Airport to the City, Cab or a water Taxi. What you choose will depend on your accommodation and budget.
Since we arrived by train and planned to stay for about 48 hours on Murano Island (More about it later in the article), we bought a Waterbus and Mainland Bus Pass for 48 hours. This pass allowed travel on the water bus to Venice, Lido, Murano, Burano, and Torcello Islands, as well as the regular bus to the Mestre and Marghera areas of Venice.
After reaching Santa Lucia train station in Venice, we hopped on the water bus and reached our apartment on Murano Island.
We checked into an apartment. After checking in, we freshened up and took the waterbus again to St. Marks Square, Venice’s main landmark.
Accommodation in Venice:
You can choose to stay on the mainland or choose one of the islands (Murano, Burano, Lido or Torcello). If you choose to stay on the Mainland, try to look for a place in San Marco. We decided to live in Murano because we fancied the idea of living on an island :). You can check out accommodation in Venice here.
Accommodation in Murano, Burano, Lido and Torcello can be checked out too.
We stepped out in the evening and checked out St. Marks Square. This square is the most famous landmark in Venice. It is the main public square in Venice, surrounded by shops, cafes, restaurants and historic buildings, the most prominent one being St. Mark Basilica. This massive structure can’t go unnoticed. It is lovely with its ornate work, lovely mosaic and intricate architecture. You can either admire it from the outside or visit it from the inside.
Adjacent to St. Marks Basilica is Doge’s Palace. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the former Republic of Venice. This place was seat of Venetian political power for centuries. Today, it can be accessed by tourists. You can check it out from the outside or get an entry ticket to check out the rich details of the magnificent gold staircase and spectacular works of art.
If you want to see St Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace from the inside and access the terrace, buy a combo ticket.
There are plenty of small, narrow streets around the square, which you can explore. The place is abuzz with activity and looks lovely, especially in the evening. Getting lost in the streets of Venice, exploring the bridges, doing souvenir shopping and enjoying delicious Italian food are some of the activities you can do in and around St. Marks Square.
You can also take the famous Gondola Ride when in Venice. You can book a private ride or a shared one, depending on your preference.
After spending our evening, we took the water bus and reached our apartment.
Day 12:
On this day, our plan was to check out the islands of Murano and Burano.
Murano Island in Venice is famous for its glasswork. We explored the island on foot and then took the Glass Factory Experience with a Tour and Demonstration. We totally enjoyed watching an experienced worker blow glass and create beautiful pieces. Our guide also explained the process of glass making. It was a truly unique experience.
Then, we spent some time at the shop and bought some souvenirs.
After lunch, we took the water bus and reached Burano Island. This island is famous for its beautiful, colourful buildings and lace work. Photo enthusiasts can spend an entire day on this island clicking pictures. There are so many beautiful spots. We walked around, saw local artisans at work, and shopped for some local products.
After spending a few hours in Burano, we took the water bus and explored the islands of Lido and Torcello.
By evening, we were back in our apartment. We had dinner and packed our stuff because this was the end of our holiday in Venice.
Day 13:
In the morning, we took a train from Venice to Rome.
Trains from Venice to Rome can be booked here.
From there, we headed to the airport.
We took the high speed train from Roma Termini Station to Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (Fiumicino FCO). You can also take the shuttle from Rome Termini station to the airport.
After reaching the airport, we had some time at our disposal. We checked out the duty-free shops and did some last-minute shopping till it was time to catch our flight.
Our Holiday in Italy was a truly memorable experience, and we enjoyed every bit.
I hope my article is useful for my readers and will help them plan their holiday in this lovely country.
You can read my articles about other holiday destinations here.
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