# Venice - some visiting experience



## hblewett (Jan 28, 2008)

We went to Venice last week and here are some of our experiences which may prove useful to others

We stayed at Camping Venezia Village, which is a 15 minute bus ride from Piazza Roma (the bus/waterbus connection point). In low seasons they take ACSI card at 18 Euros a night.

Buy a one-way ticket first time you travel in, as when you are there you can buy a 1/2/3/7 day ticket to travel on bus and waterbus as you like, so your return ticket is covered by that.

When visiting St Mark's you cannot go in with a backpack, but there is no sign to say so till you reach the end of the queue, which is likley to be long or very long. So take a backpack and deposit it at the little place in a little alleyway to the left of the cathedral (as you look at it) (you'll soon see someone from the queue directed there if you watch and wait - just follow them); in exchange they will give you a card with a number to use when you want to retrieve your backpack. Take the card to the front of the queue and you'll be waved straight in, saving a long wait, possibly in the hot sun.

It's worth buying one of the city visit tickets (from the same ticket shop as where you get the travel cards), this will give you access to various places, including the Doges Palace - you can then go in the 'prepaid' side of the entrance, again avoiding the queues. [And it's good value especially if you're there long enough to take advantage of several of the available places - both museums and churches -which can be visited with the card]


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We loved Venice

We staid next to the boat, expensive 

Because of the hound, bought 24 hr tickets 

Which meant one morning, one afternoon
Leaving him 4 hrs at a time

Neighbours were so good keeping an eye on him

He was left with the aircon

They had our number should things have gone wrong

What is it with our hound from hell, that he charms everyone away from the van

Near it he just HATES everyone, full stop

Aldra


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

Some handy tips there. Thanks for posting. 

We are touring the Italian Lakes in June, and intend to visit Venice.

Morph.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*St Marks*

Hi - some useful info.

Just something to clarify - St Marks is the name of the Square, but I am guessing you mean "no back packs in the Basilica"

For those in the Lakes, we travel to Venice by train from Lake Garda. On Saturdays, Trenitalia offer two seats for the price of one on most Inter-City (yes they call them that) routes. We booked a return for two of us for just 24 euro, first class. Standard class was 22 euro! I will add first was empty, standard was full and standing both ways.

Russ


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Make sure you visit the outlying islands in particular Burano its is unbelievably pretty,


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## Shell181 (Apr 11, 2010)

Thank you for the information, we are going to the Italian Lakes Aug/Sept and are hoping to visit Venice


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## klyne (May 10, 2005)

This might give you a flavour of what to expect. Scroll down to VeniceArrivederci Roma

David


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

Thanks for posting that, David. Burano looks particularly appealing. I'll try and fit in a visit next week.

Morph


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Don't forget that those of us that are 65 or over can visit all state museums and monuments totally free in Italy on production of a passport. It will save quite a bit of money in Venice although attractions owned by the Church still have to be paid for.

Dick


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## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

There is also the aria di sosta right there in Venice, a bit expensive I think €38 for the first night but if you add in the cost of a train ride from Garda plus the cost of the camp site you left your camper in it's starts to sound reasonable. It's not beautiful but you can have a view of the lagoon and there some spaces with hookup.


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## klyne (May 10, 2005)

Although we have not yet been there with the motorhome we have stayed at Camping Miramare at Punta Sabbioni three times with the caravan, its one of our favourites. It's a five minute walk to the ferry for San Marco and there is no better way of arriving in Venice than by water. Although I have not arrived in Venice by train but it could be quite a surreal experience because you arrive in what is an ordinary station, walk across the concourse and through the front doors into what looks a bit like a film set at first glance!!!!

David


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

Left Venice yesterday after 3 nights at Camping Venezia Village. Just an update on the ticket prices that cover the buses and water buses. As the OP said you can buy 1/2/3 day passes and we had planned to buy a 2 day (48 hour) pass until a friend travelling with us noticed that you can get a 36 hour pass. This was ideal for us as we planned 2 full days in Venice and it just meant we had to be back at the site by 9 p.m. on the second day. Prices were 24 hour - 20 Euro 36 hour - 25 Euro and 48 hour - 30 Euro.

I'd second everything said about Burano too. Very pretty and much less manic than Venice itself.


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

We go to Venice most years, even if just for a couple of days as we pass. This year we went for a week and rented an apartment. If with the MH we tend to stay at Camping Serenissima and get the bus in to Piazzale Roma. The fare is covered by the 'transport ticket' as outlined above and yu can buy the tickets at the campsite. They work like a London oyster card in that you have to validate them on before each journey at the machine at the entrance to the boatstops. We saw notices in April that indicated that you could have your ticket checked even on one of these stops, you are not supposed to enter the stop unless you have a valid ticket.
Not all the museums, etc give free entrance to over 65s. The Academia is supposed to but when there is an exhibition on you have to pay for that (even if you don't want to see it) so that can be pricey.
Those of you who are fans of Donna Leon's Brunetti books may know that there is a book called Brunetti's Venice which has about a dozen walks through the city. This is well worth getting as the walks generally go to less frequented places, or take different routes to the most frequented places. We really enjoyed doing some of these.
Eating out is not cheap. There is a student type restaurant on the Spagna called Brek. It is reasonable. There is a Billa supermarket on Zattere, near to the San Basilio stop. It sells everything for picnics, the cooked meat, cheese and olives,etc counter is excellent. The best icecream in Venice (in my opinion) is at Nico's on Zattere. Our grandchildren thought this was icecream heaven. We went every day. The tastes are good, the scoops are very large and they cost no more than a miserly scoop from other vendors. You can't sit at the tables unless you buy coffee or icecreams from the waiter service, which is obviously much more expensive. But there are lots of sitting places on Zattere.
Our grandchildren also loved the Lido, we had a beautifully hot day and the beaches were deserted. Not so good perhaps in high season.
Hope this is helpful,
Lalala


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

Currently at lake Ledro just west of lake Garda (which we thought was dreadfully overcrowded btw, and moved on the next day).

We spent 3 nights at camping Scarpiland on the Lido de Jessolo, and put all of this great advice to good use.

Scarpiland was nothing special, but we had a nice shady pitch amongst the pine trees, which was a boon as it was scortching hot.

We cycled to Punta Sabbioni each day (20 mins) and got the boat in from there (30 mins to San Marco). 

We bought a 72hr ticket (€35 each), not cheap, but we felt we got good value from them and it was great to be able to hop on and off the boats as we chose.

The area around San Marco was rammed with tourists and pretty unpleasant, but as soon as you dived off the main tourist areas, it was lovely - quieter, CHEAPER, often prettier.

Burano was gorgeous (thanks @mrplodd) we got the first boat there in the morning from Punta Sabbioni, it was half deserted and unbelievably photogenic.

One thing I didn't realise is that entry to St Marks' Basilica is free, though you pay for some of the good bits (treasury, for example), but I was pleasantly surprised that you could just wander around the main body of the basilica for free.

We followed Eyewitness Travel guide advice and got there for around 11am as it is fully illuminated from 11:30 to 12:30 each weekday. Well worth it - it is better when fully illuminated.

There was one other thing I didn't realise - I thought everyone on the Lido de Jessolo was there to visit Venice.... WRONG!! It is full of German families having beach holidays. Nothing wrong with that, the beaches are pretty good, and the Adriatic was warm, but I was expecting them to cram onto the boats to Venice. They didn't.

Morph


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