Venice - transfers - what to do etc?

[jinkster]

We have booked Venice and the hotel in Venice for 3 nights. We need to book transfers etc? What can you recommend? Where can you recommend we visit? Where to avoid etc?

Thanks.

[danzltiu]

Best way to arrive is by water taxi but quite expensive. Our hotel had its own dock so was good no walking etc or get the Vaporetto (water bus). Check to see where your hotel is and take either. Both are about 5-10 minute walk from the airport for the pick up points, just follow the crowd. You can book taxi on line before you go.

[SS2.]

Which airport - Marco Polo or Treviso ?

Either way, if you use public transport make sure you are aware of the rules regarding ticket validation before travelling. On the trains for instance, this means getting your ticket stamped by a machine at the departure station. Big fines sit in wait for anyone caught travelling without a validated ticket, irrespective that the ticket may have been correctly bought and paid for.

[rdjohn]

Over 3-days you might be better buying a 3-day pass for the vaporetto. There will be somewhere in the airport selling them. That will also get you to Morano and Burano as well as a good opportunity to view the place by water.

If you are arriving / departing, early / late then you will be stuck with a water taxi which will be expensive, so try to find others in a similar situation so that you can share the cost.

[jmorgan]

Water taxi to the airport if funds allow. Water bus to Venice from airport however it is a pain wheeling luggage a small distance in the heat and with cruise ships in town.

Edit. We had no canal bridges to cross on the short walk from the water bus stop and it was still s pain on the neck. Next time, water taxi.

Edit. You can share a taxi. There are online firms where you can make s booking. Follow your nose on TripAdvisor in the Venice section for the good ones. Some give online quotes. Water busses can get very busy luggingluggagr is s pain here as well.

To see. We gave up trying the major sights, four cruise ships in so wandered. Plenty to see. Watch out for pick pockets. San Marco square, trick is to give you something, say a rose, giver then harangues you for loot. Tell them to do one when they approach.

Mourano. Watch out for the hard sell on the glass. Our hotel arranged s free ride out (nice limo boat) short tour then straight to the hard sell on some glass, nice as it was, soured the whole experience, we made excuses and legged it. Better get the bus and make your own way, plenty of blowers blowing.

Food is hit and miss. Found one ir two good ones and more than a few poor.

Gondola rides, pick your location, the price is fixed so look for an area where you want to see. There is some movement on route. Also look off the main drag when the cruise ships are in cos many people (50 and more) in s queue.... go off the main route and they are there.

Edited by jmorgan on Thursday 27th July 17:28

Edited by jmorgan on Thursday 27th July 18:29

[L500]

Water taxi is part of the whole Venice experience. As someone suggested above, if the funds allow, do it. You'll feel like James Bond (well I did!).

Plus lugging your suitcase over those bridges would not be much fun.

[L500]

Oh, and as with most tourist hotspots, the bars & restaurants in the main areas (Saint Marks, Rialto Bridge area) are expensive, but you're paying for the location. If you head a few streets north, you'll find more of the 'locals' (albeit their aren't many locals living there) hanging out and food, beer etc., is much cheaper. Enjoy, it's quite a place.

[jmorgan]

As mentioned earlier, found this useful.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Tourism-g187870-Veni...

If the forums are elusive
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g187870-i5...

[sjabrown]

My top tip for Venice is to avoid the area between St Mark's and the Rialto during the daytime. Venture there in the evening instead.

It's a wonderful city away from the crowds.

[Doofus]

Do what we did. Arrive by Orient Express. Leave in your friend's water taxi.

[jmorgan]

^^^^^^
Yeah, well, best I could do is a mate with an inflatable lilo.

Water bus. If you can get on with millions of others with luggage....

Chug chug chug chug stop chug chug chug stop.....
JEF_6769 by Jeff, on Flickr

Or pretending to be in a James Bond Chase to and from the airport in a taxi
pew pew pew, pew pew.....
JEF_6793 by Jeff, on Flickr

Edited by jmorgan on Saturday 29th July 13:17

[anonymous-user]

The top one is a water bus, the bottom a water taxi.

[jmorgan]

desolate said:

The top one is a water bus, the bottom a water taxi.

Opps. Corrected.