Advice for budget trip to Venice, espec trains & Groupons
Apr 10th, 2014, 10:53 AM
#1
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Advice for budget trip to Venice, espec trains & Groupons
I will be ending a tour in Italy June 19, but want to add a couple of days in Venice and from there to Zurich. Are trains my best option? Any suggestions on how to get the best prices?
Do I take the train to ST Lucia, and , here's a stupid question, is that the mainland or the island of Venice (Did I even say that right?) So I am alone and 68, how do I ensure my location , probably an airbnb, is not too far to walk? SInce my budget is low, am I better off staying on the mainland and going to the island by day? I have found 2 concerts that look really special, Musica A Palazzo and Interpreti Veneziano; however, they are at night. Will the water busses run late? How late?
I guess my main issues are the problem of leaving/arriving with luggage, and being in Venice at night. How do I juggle proximity to the trains for the first and convenience/ambience for the day trips. I would rather find a cheap place and stay on the island itself, but will that really complicate my need for trains? Thanks for your patience. I haven't explained it very well.
Also, I found some Groupon.it deals I want to buy, but I can't get them to accept my info; they say my email is unknown. Anybody know what to do? I am really spinning my travel wheels here stuck in computer limbo of some sort and wasting too much time getting nowhere. Thanks for any help.
Do I take the train to ST Lucia, and , here's a stupid question, is that the mainland or the island of Venice (Did I even say that right?) So I am alone and 68, how do I ensure my location , probably an airbnb, is not too far to walk? SInce my budget is low, am I better off staying on the mainland and going to the island by day? I have found 2 concerts that look really special, Musica A Palazzo and Interpreti Veneziano; however, they are at night. Will the water busses run late? How late?
I guess my main issues are the problem of leaving/arriving with luggage, and being in Venice at night. How do I juggle proximity to the trains for the first and convenience/ambience for the day trips. I would rather find a cheap place and stay on the island itself, but will that really complicate my need for trains? Thanks for your patience. I haven't explained it very well.
Also, I found some Groupon.it deals I want to buy, but I can't get them to accept my info; they say my email is unknown. Anybody know what to do? I am really spinning my travel wheels here stuck in computer limbo of some sort and wasting too much time getting nowhere. Thanks for any help.
Apr 10th, 2014, 11:26 AM
#6
No matter what train you take you will either be leaving from Santa Lucia station (in Venice) or from Maestre which is on the mainland.
As to the possibility of using a budget flight instead of rail you can use the whichbudget.com site already provided or www.skyscanner.com
Be aware of the pluses and minuses of flying including extra fees for baggage and the need to travel to and from airports. At least in Zurich there are convenient and fairly inexpensive rail connections from the airport to the center of the city.
As to the possibility of using a budget flight instead of rail you can use the whichbudget.com site already provided or www.skyscanner.com
Be aware of the pluses and minuses of flying including extra fees for baggage and the need to travel to and from airports. At least in Zurich there are convenient and fairly inexpensive rail connections from the airport to the center of the city.
Apr 10th, 2014, 11:55 AM
#7
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We just stayed at this monastery for a week during Carnevale. Ask for a room on the top floor beside the roof garden. You will have a view of the Lagoon. The cost is 50 euros a night including a very nice breakfast. It is located in Castello near the Arsenale and is next to the garden. It is a 10 to15 minute walk from San Marco and there is no curfew.
You can also check several convents for inexpensive pleasant places to stay.
We just stayed at this monastery for a week during Carnevale. Ask for a room on the top floor beside the roof garden. You will have a view of the Lagoon. The cost is 50 euros a night including a very nice breakfast. It is located in Castello near the Arsenale and is next to the garden. It is a 10 to15 minute walk from San Marco and there is no curfew.
You can also check several convents for inexpensive pleasant places to stay.
Apr 10th, 2014, 12:01 PM
#8
There are some budget places to stay in Venice. You might try this convent and see if they have any space.
http://www.sangiuseppecaburlotto.com...ioni_26-3.aspx
As for trains, book in advance for the cheapest fares. On Trenitalia, you would book Venice/Milan (discounts as cheap as 9-19€, full fare 37€). Also on Trenitalia, you would book Milan/Zurich. Look for Smart Fares (discounts 22€, full fare 71€). You manage your own luggage on and off trains. Take some food for the train to avoid high prices in the dining car/snack bar. Use the Italian spelling for cities.
Zurich is going to be your real problem on a budget. Switzerland is expensive.
http://www.sangiuseppecaburlotto.com...ioni_26-3.aspx
As for trains, book in advance for the cheapest fares. On Trenitalia, you would book Venice/Milan (discounts as cheap as 9-19€, full fare 37€). Also on Trenitalia, you would book Milan/Zurich. Look for Smart Fares (discounts 22€, full fare 71€). You manage your own luggage on and off trains. Take some food for the train to avoid high prices in the dining car/snack bar. Use the Italian spelling for cities.
Zurich is going to be your real problem on a budget. Switzerland is expensive.
Apr 10th, 2014, 03:23 PM
#9
You want to stay in Venice, the train station is Santa Lucia. Not on the mainland, the train station is Mestre. You need a map and a guidebook (as far as what location is too far to walk, or not). Once in Venice you can use the vaporetto (bus/boat) to get around. They are easy to catch from the train station (Santa Lucia), you just need to know that your hotel/hostel/apartment is near a vaporetto stop on the other end.
Apr 10th, 2014, 04:01 PM
#10
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Do not stay in Mestre - an unpleasant industrial suburb. Find something reliable - that convent sounds good - in Venice (which is a group of several islands and you will probably want to take the boat to explore some of the outer islands).
And yes the vaporetto, like any big city transit system, runs well into the evening - definitely after musical performances - although perhaps scarce at 3 am.
But Venice is SMALL (do get a decent map) and you can walk most places easily.
And yes the vaporetto, like any big city transit system, runs well into the evening - definitely after musical performances - although perhaps scarce at 3 am.
But Venice is SMALL (do get a decent map) and you can walk most places easily.
Apr 10th, 2014, 05:44 PM
#11
Why in the name of the gods of Pauly would you want to take a train from Venice to Zurich???
The train station IN Venice is Santa Lucia Station, situated on the Lista di Spagna.
The Ferrovia Vaporetto stop is across the road from Santa Lucia.
You will want to stay IN Venice, not Mestre.
There are cheap hotels in Venice, but many are hard to book at this late date if you are arriving June 19.
Please give a budget and we who know Venice well can give recommendations.
I don't know what a Groupon is, but I have never used a coupon in my life.
Thin
The train station IN Venice is Santa Lucia Station, situated on the Lista di Spagna.
The Ferrovia Vaporetto stop is across the road from Santa Lucia.
You will want to stay IN Venice, not Mestre.
There are cheap hotels in Venice, but many are hard to book at this late date if you are arriving June 19.
Please give a budget and we who know Venice well can give recommendations.
I don't know what a Groupon is, but I have never used a coupon in my life.
Thin
Apr 10th, 2014, 05:58 PM
#12
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http://anneharrison.hubpages.com/hub...-From-St-Marks
This article is about another convent in Venice, San Guiseppe, where we have stayed several times.
However, I expect you can still get a reservation at the Salesiano monastery even though it is late. I think they have around 50 rooms and don't really advertise. It is in a large building that also serves as a community recreation center for children after school. It is run by several very pleasant monks who do speak English.
This article is about another convent in Venice, San Guiseppe, where we have stayed several times.
However, I expect you can still get a reservation at the Salesiano monastery even though it is late. I think they have around 50 rooms and don't really advertise. It is in a large building that also serves as a community recreation center for children after school. It is run by several very pleasant monks who do speak English.
Apr 10th, 2014, 07:10 PM
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Sometimes things seems so confusing the first time and so simple after doing it once. Yes, you need a map so you can see the vaporetto stops and see how close they are to your lodging.
To help with the basic question, the city of Venice is a collection of islands, mostly very close together, separated by canals that serve as streets and connected by little bridges and walkways. There are half a dozen other islands, not close enough for bridges, but easy to get to by boat.
The city is at the end of a rather long causeway that connects it to the mainland. Both train and highway are on that causeway. The train ends at Santa Lucia Station in Venice. The last station on the mainland is in Mestre, where there are connections to other cities. When you walk out of the S Lucia Sta., you will be facing the Grand Canal and a vaporetto stop and ticket place is right in front of you.
You are getting great advice. Stay in Venice. Do not stay in Mestre.
For a person alone, I feel Venice is safe, even at night, though Venice can seem quite mysterious in the dark.
I am older than you and in poor health and still find I can walk most everywhere in Venice.
Pack light so you won't have to drag a heavy suitcase very far from the stop.
Take advice from others on the forum about places to stay. I have always been sharing, so no good advice for a single.
There are excellent sandwich stands, just watch for them, a great way to save money. There is also a cafeteria near the train station, to the right if you are facing the station with your back to the Grand Canal.
What kind of groupon deals were you looking at?
To help with the basic question, the city of Venice is a collection of islands, mostly very close together, separated by canals that serve as streets and connected by little bridges and walkways. There are half a dozen other islands, not close enough for bridges, but easy to get to by boat.
The city is at the end of a rather long causeway that connects it to the mainland. Both train and highway are on that causeway. The train ends at Santa Lucia Station in Venice. The last station on the mainland is in Mestre, where there are connections to other cities. When you walk out of the S Lucia Sta., you will be facing the Grand Canal and a vaporetto stop and ticket place is right in front of you.
You are getting great advice. Stay in Venice. Do not stay in Mestre.
For a person alone, I feel Venice is safe, even at night, though Venice can seem quite mysterious in the dark.
I am older than you and in poor health and still find I can walk most everywhere in Venice.
Pack light so you won't have to drag a heavy suitcase very far from the stop.
Take advice from others on the forum about places to stay. I have always been sharing, so no good advice for a single.
There are excellent sandwich stands, just watch for them, a great way to save money. There is also a cafeteria near the train station, to the right if you are facing the station with your back to the Grand Canal.
What kind of groupon deals were you looking at?
Apr 10th, 2014, 08:51 PM
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Thank you all for your help. Sorry for the simple questions, but I am going crazy looking at arrangements in several cities and countries. I am definitely looking into the convents. I have reserved my rail tickets from Rome-Venice-Milan-Zurich-Paris, so I am hoping I did that right. I was on the email list for groupon.it and had regis with groupon.France and Switz, but did not actually register with the Italy one, so thanks for prompting me. Now my problem is it advertises tickets for one or 2 people, but when I try to buy, only the 2 person deal comes up. Cela'vie. My computer just crashed so I can't go back to the deal just now, but the groupon deal was for some boat trip from Murano to Erasmus, 2hr for 29E.
Pepper_von_snoot, what's so awful about the train from Venice to Zurich? Just asking....
I know Switzerland is very expensive, but thankfully I will be couchsurfing there and in Paris.
Pepper_von_snoot, what's so awful about the train from Venice to Zurich? Just asking....
I know Switzerland is very expensive, but thankfully I will be couchsurfing there and in Paris.
Apr 10th, 2014, 09:12 PM
#17
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I am looking at some of the convents and they seem to have 11:00 PM curfew. Trust me, I have no desire to party, but I am looking at a couple of 9:00 PM concerts very nearby. Is there likely to be any flexibility?
Apr 11th, 2014, 01:38 AM
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The monastery I linked to above does not have a curfew. They give you a key. The convents usually do enforce their curfews. I remember having to leave a concert early to get back to a convent once.
The monastery is an easy well lighted safe walk from the vaporetto stops at San Marco, Arsenale, and the stop by the Venice garden which is a three minute walk from the monastery.
There were a number of single women, families with children and couples staying there.
The monastery is an easy well lighted safe walk from the vaporetto stops at San Marco, Arsenale, and the stop by the Venice garden which is a three minute walk from the monastery.
There were a number of single women, families with children and couples staying there.
