Venice Travel Forum

We require accommodation for 1 x couple in Venice for 4 nights in September this year. I need help with arranging the dollowing if anyone could make appropriate suggestions I would be most grateful, thank you.

1. Which parts of Venice is most central to stay to see the sights?

2. Can you recommend accommodation places?

3. What sights can you recommend we see?

4. How does one get around?...is it all by watercraft?

5. We are driving and need to know where we can leave our car?

6. Do we have to pay parking costs?...How much per day?

Venice is a small city, and very walkable. Ypou could walk across the whole city in around an hour.

The most central parts are S Marco and S Polo, but staying in Canareggio, Dorsoduro, Castello or other districts will still put you within easy walking distance of the sights. Just find a hotel which appeals to you and is within your budget: nowhere is very far from anywhere else. www.venere.com is an excellent site with honest guest reviews

Yes, one gets around either by using feet (the best way) or using the vaporetti (water-buses). There are also water-taxis, but these are expensive. Vaporetti are not cheap either. Fares here:

http://www.actv.it/english/navigazione.php?pagina=tariffe_vaporetto

There are no cars or buses or lorries in Venice itself. You will have to leave your car at the parking facilities at the Venice end of the causeway, either on Tronchetto or in Piazzale Roma. This will not be cheap (at least 20 euro per day for Tronchetto, which is a 'parking island').

http://www.venicedirectory.com/parking_and_garage/

You might consider finding parking in Mestre on the mainland, which is likely to be cheaper, and then taking the bus over to Venice.

A very good general website for Italy is www.italyheaven.com Click on the section for Venice - it has loads of useful information. Accommodation in Venice is extremely expensive. You might do better staying off the island - either just off in Mestre, for example, or else slightly further afield (Padua e.g.) and taking the train in each day - slightly more work but it could work out a lot cheaper, especially as you have a car and will have to pay parking charges, whereas accommodation off the island could be include parking.

We went to Venice in Oct 2006 and stayed at a hotel called Hotel Canal & Walter - Venice. I think we booked it through Venere.com and we chose it based on several factors

(a) - reviews were generally good and it included a continental breakfast
(b) - easy to find - more or less opposite the Railway Station
(c) - close to the Cruise ship terminal which we needed
(d) - price was reasonable for Venice tho' I found out later that there were some better deals, and
(e) - it was on the Grand Canal.

Although we had no problem at all - our room was large, clean and the bed was comfy, but being on a canal is quite noisy from the water craft engines that only seem to stop about midnight and start up again before 6am.

We walked to tons of places and also made very good use of our passes on the "ferries" (I can't spell the Italian word) - which cost 25 Euro each for about 3 days I think. We used the ferries extensively to explore islands such as Murano (quite touristy and over priced and the many things can be bought anywhere in Venice) as well as Burano, and we selected different routes to go back to Venice so that we'd see something different. However our friends who also bought this pass didn't use it at all - but then again, they didn't go out to the islands.

Re the "taxi" rates - we were told that to take us to the cruise ship (about a 10 -15 mins max)it would cost us about 100 Euro. Needless to say we walked.

Sights to see - well that depends on what you like - but nothing beats exploring the areas of Venice on foot - wear comfortable shoes. Get hold of a travel guide or read reviews on sites such as this forum to get an idea of what you want to see. We saw a lot but also didn't have time to do and see everything we wanted to see. For example, we would have loved to have had a Gondola ride but it was a bit choppy for me around the San Marco area. At the Rialto bridge area, we were quoted about 100 Euros I think but closer to the railway station, the price was a bit less. When we decided that we would go on the Gondola, we couldn't find one - c'est la vie !!!

A highlight for us was walking from the hotel in the dark at 6am to San Marco to see the sun rise -hardly anyone there and the colour of the sky was unforgetable. The Basilica is amazing as is the Doges Palace and I would recommend those - be prepared for queues. We shopped at the Rialto Markets for souvenirs and food etc and the people we met were lovely and friendly.

Generally. we found that the best thing to do was just head off in a direction to see what we could find - there's always an architectual gem around the corner. The gelato is great and around the "Ghetto" area, we found a few places where we could eat well for less than we expected to pay.

I loved Venice and am very keen to go back - hope you have a great time. Just don't take heavy bags because they can wear you out dragging them over coblestones and the many bridges that are there.

If you've never been to Venice before it comes as something of a shock to realise that it really is a group of islands in the lagoon. However much you've read you imagine it to be solid ground with some canals. When you see rubbish collected by boat and waterbourne funeral transport you finally relaise that this is the sea!

I think Canareggio is the best area to stay in although it can be quite expensive in this area. Why not stay on Giudecca or on Lido. They are less expensive and are only a vaporetto ride away.
Go to the Doges Palace and St. Mark's cathedral but try to get to these places during the morning, its less hectic at that time of day. There's also the Rialto bridge. Also try to visit at least one museum. If you would like a day at the beach go to Lido which has a nice beach. Venice is quite walkable and you'll have a great time just walking the streets.

Thank you Leics, this has been most helpful and I will certainly take your advise. Parkin on the mainland is a great idea, I will see what I can find in Mestre and the costs. Thanks again

Thank you Hawkhead (great name). The mainland sounds like the place to go. I assumme it wouldn't take long to get to Venice by bus...I will check it out, thanks

Hi DougoOz, thanks for the detailed info, many great tips there. It all sounds very interesting and the taxt fares are a concern. Yes I will invest in good shoes, I love walking so I'm sure I will enjoy myself...and sleep well at night after all the walking. The residents of Venice are either very slim from walking or rather chubby from being driven everywhere by boat. Sounds great tho!

Hi Heretoday, good advise it makes one realise justy what it's all about. Glad you told me as it could be a shock without prior warning.

Hi Azz8206, I hadn't thought about the other islands, but now I know how small Venice is it's worth considering. I will compare accommodation proces between the mainland and the islands you have suggested, thanks.

http://www.actv.it/english/automobilistico.php?pagina=auto_tariffe

will give you fares and timetables for Venice land buses (i.e. those from {Piazzale Roma to Mestre).

If you stay on one of the islands you will have to pay vaporetti fares to and from the main city, so remember to factor that in (and the time taken).

The problem with parking in Mestre is that you may not be able to pay for more than one day at a time in some car parks. It is a good solution for those who wish to visit Venice for a day, but may not suit you: you certainly don't want to go back and forth to Mestre each day to buy a new ticket.

Hi Leics, That's a good point. It would be a hassle going back and forth each day to pay. I'll dig a little deeper for further parking info, thanks again.

I have already wrote this warning: mind that September is very high season in Venice, so book as soon as possible. Lido is not a good idea because there is the movie festival and I guess is already full.
Cannaregio or better dorsoduro are quiet and close by foot to rialto and san marco. Have a look also to the apartments and not just hotels.
If yo rent the car the best solution is to give it back and rent again when you leave Venice.

Hello Gaia060,

Thanks for the wonderful advice. I have done just what you suggested. Rented an apartment (not hotel) in Carnaregio and I believe (like you) that this will be a quieter part of Venice. I am really looking forward to it. Thanks again for your help. My next problem is: we have leased a car, so will have it while in Venice. I have contacted two car parking places in Venice, Tronchetto and Piazzale Roma re: reserving parking and the rates and neither of them have replied. Another forum reader said that parking on the mainland in Mestre can only be paid on a daily basis and I would have to go back to the mainlanbd each day to pay..............Do you know anything about the parking options???