Things to know for your TipoItalia Trip

You will make lots of prints and probably buy books during your trip. Pack at least a poster tube, and perhaps an extra tote or duffel bag with you so you can deal with everything you’ll need to carry back.

Be sure that you have a data plan for your phone that covers Italy, or prepare to buy a local SIM once you arrive. A lot of the travel logistics will be easier if you can downloads apps for the various local services.

Most common travel electronics are typically rated for worldwide voltage (input AC voltage range: 100-240V), so they should only require the use of an adapter. (Hair dryers usually need converters).

If you are coming from the US, it might be smart to purchase one of these if you use an Apple laptop.

Expect a hot summer, and plan for lightweight clothing.A sweatshirt or a light rain jacket will be useful if there’s a grey day. We’ll provide everyone with a writer’s apron, but expect to get a little inky, or a little dusty on some of the excursions.

BRING COMFORTABLE SHOES. Between the studio and the excursions, we’ll be on our feet a lot of the time.

Italian food features a lot of meat, dairy, and gluten, but also plenty of vegetables and fruits. If you have any dietary restrictions, make sure the group knows so we can accommodate.

Bottega Dei Sapori is a duty-free gourmet shop in the Venice Airport where you can buy some fine groceries before you leave, including things like wine, cheese, and produce that are sealed so you can bring them into the US without trouble. (One tip: if you have to go through customs back in the US before transferring to another flight, you will not be able to bring things like opaque canisters of liquids like olive oil or balsamico through security before you catch your connection.)

ATVO runs shuttle buses between Venice Marco Polo airport and Piazzale Roma in Venice or the Venice Mestre train station (on the mainland side of the lagoon). If you’re going right to Cornuda, you may want to Venice Mestre to catch a train to Treviso, and then a bus or taxi to Cornuda.

Trenitalia is the main service for purchasing rail tickets in and around the country. It is absolutely worth getting their app and setting up an account so you can purchase mobile train tickets on the go and avoid lines for ticket kiosks in the stations.

MOM (Mobilità di Marca) is the bus service in the Treviso area, and they also have an app for buying digital tickets. Line 131 travels between Trevico and Cornuda, with a stop just down the hill from Villa Bolzonello.

Venice charges a €5–10 daily entrance fee for visitors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.  You can pay the fee in advance (or claim an exemption if you are staying in a Venice hotel) on Comune di Venezia’s web site.

AVM Venezia is the transit service for the vaporetto (water bus) services, and you will again be glad if you get their app to purchase tickets and check routes and timetables. Individual tickets can feel a little pricey, so you may want to plan for a 1-day or 3-day pass for unlimited vaporetto trips during a fixed period.

In Cornuda, you can rent a bike or an e-bike for a day or a week at RideAlone, right near Tipoteca. Have your passport ready for an ID!

2025 Architecture Biennale: Takes place every two years at two massive venues in Venice (the Giardini della Biennale and the Arsenale), with many smaller events dotted around town. Your ticket can be used for one entry to each of the main venues, and you may wish to plan to do each on a separate day, as there will be a LOT to see.

Venice is filled with places to see art! But a few favorites:

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection has a magnificent collection of modern arr.

The Gallerie dell'Accademia is a museum gallery of pre-19th-century art.

The Borges Labyrinth on San Giorgio Maggiore Island.

Bruno, Dorsoduro 2729 30123 Venezia, fantastic bookstore for contemporary art and design books and magazines.

Libreria Acqua Alta, C. Longa Santa Maria Formosa 5176b 30122, extremely picturesque bookstore that you’ve probably read about.

Get around Venice by water, and see sides of it you won’t get walking around. You’ll also get a chance to see the islands from out in the lagoon. You can book a number of different tours at Real Venetian Kayak.

Perhaps start with some places you might have seen in “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy”: All’Arco, Osteria Ai 4 Feri Storti, Orient Experience.

After a busy day among the crowds, we’ve had great drinks and cichetti in the quiet back garden at Osteria Al Tappo in the Ghetto.

Le Beccherie makes one of the competing claims for the invention of tiramisu, but it’s really worth a visit if you want to indulge in some proper fine dining.

La Cantinetta is a lovely little wine bar with excellent cicchetti, just across the piazza from Le Beccherie.

Osteria dalla Gigia is a great spot to have a snack: no seats, but good food. Our favorite bites? “Mozzarella in carrozza” (with ham and cheese or with anchovies) and “polpette” (fried meat balls).

Venice Mestre station is a really convenient hub for train service all around the region, including Padua (Padova), Vicenza, Verona, Bologna, Florence, Trieste…

If you’re considering day trips around the region — or even Venice itself — the hotels right around Mestre station are considerably cheaper than they are on the main islands  of the lagoon. (For instance, the train from Venice Mestre to Venice Santa Lucia is a ten-minute ride and only costs around €2. You can even get to Florence in about 2 hours for roughly €30.)

If you like hiking…