European Roadtrip - Where to stay in Venice?

[Bad Sir Culation]

Hi all, I've finally talked my partner into a Euro roadtrip next year in the MR2 Turbo. She really wants us to go and see Venice, so we're going to spend 2 nights there in a hotel. Problem is, knowing very little about Venice other than that it has canals (!!!), where on earth should I be looking to stay? Can I get the car into Venice or should it be left somwhere else for two days?

I looked it over on Google maps, but found it broken up into different bits, and had no idea which part contains anything that's worth seeing/experiencing.

This is the initial route I've decided upon, if anyone is interested:
http://g.co/maps/g5r3h

Cheers folks

[frosted]

I drove to Venice , parked in one if the 3 massive car parks on the island and stayed in a really expensive hotel that wasn't very nice , oh and it smelt if sewer everywhere . I suggest you find a hotel on the mainland


Edit : from Venice I went to Trieste and then Croatia , the road was absolutely fantastic

Edited by frosted on Monday 12th September 16:41

[NellyBongo]

I did this a few years ago with the GW as part of a road trip. We stayed in Venice Mestre - which has a decent choice of hotels there (think we paid something around £60 a night for a half decent one) . Then caught the train from Venice Mestre to Santa Lucia each time we wanted to go into Venice itself - 5 mins trip which at the time (2005) cost us the princely sum of 1 euro each. Only worry was coming back and the possibility of getting onto a nonstop train to Milan.

Hope this helps

[W7NNS]

Agree with what's been said above - stay somewhere like Padova or Mira & get the bus in to Venice.

Parking & Hotels are ridiculously expensive in Venice & not much to write home about TBH. You'll save a fortune staying just out of Venice & can use the money to get a 2/3 day vaporetto (water bus) pass & some nice meals out

[Bad Sir Culation]

Cheers guys, very helpful

[g3org3y]

We stayed in Mestre and got the bus in. Cheaper and easier tbh. Venice has got many good points, unfortunately there is plenty of tourist trash (crap stalls and very generic laminated manu restuarants) around. Choose poorly and it can be expensive and poor quality.

[jnoiles]

Email Morena on [e-mail]. Tell her the dates you're planning on being there and she'll send you a list of flats that she has available. The ones in the Gardini part of the city are particularly lovely. I've stayed there half a dozen times in a flat that has a private rooftop garden for a fraction of what you'd pay in a hotel. For parking, drop the car at the Holiday Inn in Mestre and take their free courtesy bus to Piazzale Roma. I think we paid 8 euros a day to park there. Once you're in Venice, get a 72 hour vaporetto ticket. It's cheaper than day passes.

cheers
Jason