we love picnics in new cities we visit, any great suggestions for Florence & Venice

chaleur

In Florence I would suggest the Boboli Gardens behind the Palazzo Pitti. We did that a few years ago. But you should check with someone who has been there more recently to see if it is still allowed. It is a gorgeous spot.

Picnicking is not really allowed in Venice, but you can sit on a city bench and eat. If you want a full blown picnic with a blanket and a spread of food, you could go to Lido and do that on the beach.

There are good city benches in the Giardini, most of the Campi, and along the Fondamenta Nove and the Zattere. Another great spot to sit and eat a sandwich would be the steps of the Salute Church - can't get any more picturesque than there.

Shannon
www.chowbellabooks.com

Another place where you can have a real picnic in Venice is Parco delle Rimembranze (Gardens of Remembrance) in Castello. The Parco delle Rimembranze remembers the soldiers that died in the second world war. It strech from the Via Garibaldi to the Rio di Sant'Elena. This pleasant park is full of tall trees, plants and benches. There are also excellent children's play areas, large areas of grass and there is even a roller skating rink. Close to the shops, this park is an ideal place for a relaxing picnic and nearby is the large soccer stadium - Stadio Penza.

Learn more about Venetian Gardens. Not all of them are for picnics, though. Also, check the Venice Magazine online for interesting information about this beautiful city. A free hard copy of this magazine can be obtained at the Tourist Office in San Marco.

"Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza..."

"I sing to life, to its beauty, to each of its wounds and each of its caresses..."

[This message was edited by Westsider on 21 January 2004 at 07:15 PM.]

Interesting that this topic came up just now. We are going to have a new set of essays on SlowTrav, by Nancy who lived in Florence and Sorrento for 5 years. One of her essays is all about picnics in Florence - where to buy the ingredients, where to have the picnics.

These essays are great and I will be setting up a section for her, similar to Rebecca's View, in the next week.

Watch this space for more info on Florence Picnics!!

Pauline from Slow Travelers

How about the little park on Burano,close to the Vapporeto stop.Picknicking may not be "legal"
but knowone has said anything to us.Please just pick up after.I couldn't believe the amount of garbage that picknickers left around lake Orta
(beside the lake about a mile from town).RR

quote:

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Originally posted by Pauline:
... We are going to have a new set of essays on SlowTrav, by Nancy who lived in Florence and Sorrento for 5 years. ...

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Nancy is a wonderful writer and tells great stories. I'm looking forward to reading her essays!

For Florence: I'm not sure on "policy," but had a nice picnic in the Boboli Gardens last spring. I'd recommend picking up fresh fixings at the mercato centrale, tucking them into a backpack, and then heading in. Didnt see a customs agent at the gate, though I wasnt declairing anything...

otherwise Cascine (#1) is pretty beautiful on the inside, or along the Arno. Lots of grass peppered with flowers in the early spring.

Another great place is Fiesole, which overlooks the city of Florence, or the countryside if you prefer. Catch the #13, disembark and hunt for a spot. Enjoy!