Harleygirl

My good friend and I are planning a trip to Venice the end of November to take a cruise to Greece, at the end of our cruise we will be staying 1 night in Venice,(and wishing for 10). We were wondering what the weather is going to be like during that time and where to stay. If anyone has a suggestion for a hotel for a moderate budget (I know Venice is not cheap) and close to everything please advise. The more I read about Venice the more it seems it is a confusing city. Last year I visited the Rome and Florence areas. I LOVE Italy, and staying only one night is going to be sweet madness. But, I shall return again and again. Any advise on Venice and/or Greece would be greatly appreciated.

hlocke1

Hi Harleygirl --

I haven't been in November, so I don't have any recommendations about the weather. However, I did stay at a nice well-priced hotel, the Pensione Guerrato. It's very close to the Rialto Bridge and not too hard to find if you follow their directions. Here is the website:

http://www.pensioneguerrato.it/

Best wishes,
h.

gard

Hi

I went to Venice a few years back with my wife. Here is my trip report with pictures http://gardkarlsen.com/italy_venice.htm . I hope that you can find some useful information there. Get in touch if you have any questions or comments

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

worldinabag

Hi

Where are you going in Greece?

sallyjane3

Oh, you really will be wishing for 10. My DD's and I stayed at the Tre Rose Ambassador about a block from San Marco. Since you're there such a short time, I highly recommend staying close to that grand piazza!

We did not find Venice confusing. Just get a map and walk, walk, walk. Enjoy!Have some Prosecco for me!

Julie_Hurst

Hello, Harleygirl. We go to Venice the end of Oct./first week of Nov. & we find it very cool in the evenings & mornings - sometimes coat weather, sometimes jacket weather. But during the day it usually warms up while walking around - jacket to long sleeve weather & sometimes, short sleeves. Never seemed like shorts weather to me.

The P. Guerrato (pensioneguerrato.it) does not have an elevator, if that matters to you regarding hauling luggage up & down stairs. However, it is a nice place & recommended by Rick Steves. Also, it is on the "other" side of the Rialto Bridge, which wouldn't matter to us, but may to you.

P.Guerrato has a nice apartment (piccologuerrato.it) just steps away from San Marco. That is where we stay; very convenient, especially for a first timer. It has 1 flight of stairs, entry way, separate large bedroom with double bed, large bath with shower/no tub, a large kitchen/extra bed area with 2 twin beds, table & 4 chairs, equiped cabinets, fridge, sink, microwave, stove, 5 big windows, & we get it for 160 euros cash per nite. However, there is not a front desk staff at the apt. - must call (cell phone; no phone in apt) or walk to the hotel. For just one day, that may not be a problem for you. The furniture is "spartan" style, not fancy, but very clean.

If you are concerned about getting lost in Venice because of your short time there, Rick Steves guidebook has good walking maps to follow.

The maps given out by the hotels are usually not that great as far as naming streets (usually has the name of churches instead of streets) - we always get lost using those. If you want to maximize your time, you might buy a good map before you leave home. Barnes & Nobles sells the Freytag & Berndt maps ($10), which are excellent for Venice - we never get lost when using that one.

Also, in November, we have not encountered long lines at San Marco if we go when they open. No crowds at the other museums either.

Have fun. Enjoy Venice & your cruise.

Julie

randola

we just stayed at the hotel orion, just 2 blocks off the piazza san marco. i do recommend it but be prepared to get lost finding it the first time....lol

ira

Hi H,

Where does your Greek cruise stop?

Harleygirl

The cruise leave Venice and sails for Mykonos,then Athens,Katakolon,Corfu, Split Croatia and then back to Venice.
In some of the responses it seems San Marco is the area we should try for. Since our time is so limited I don't want to waste any trying to find the hotel. With only a little over 24hrs, we have a lot to see and do before getting on the big bird for home (being Texas). The other side of the Rialto Bridge....what does that mean?, is there a good side and bad side?

suze

www.lacalcina.com is where I have stayed in Venice, twice. Great hotel.

I did not find Venice confusing at all, it is much smaller than Rome or Florence certainly.

melissa19

harley,

do you mind sharing the name of the cruise line? that sounds pretty fantastic! have a lovely time...

thx

Harleygirl

The cruise line is Royal Caribbean, the ship is Splendour of the Seas and our sailing is the Nov. 17. It's funny because i've sailed on this same ship out of Galveston Texas in Jan. '06

offseason

We were in Venice, pre Greek cruise, in Nov. 2 years ago. The weather was cool, jacket needed most days. Nights definitely needed warmer cloths. Same for all the cruise locations, cool to cold with chance of rain.

Venice is not confusing when looking for the larger Tourists attractions, San Marco Sq., Rialto Bridge, etc. It can be confusing when looking for a particular store or restaurant. Never had a problem though because everyone was friendly and very helpful with directions.

Have you logged onto the Cruise Critic website for more information about your cruise and excursions?

tuscanlifeedit

Hi Harleygirl

Yes, I think you are on the right track with a centrally located and easy to find hotel.

I'm not sure what your budget is, but I can highly recommend the Hotel Ala. This hotel is listed under the Best Western umbrella; I say this because many people are not familiar with the fact that BW is NOT a chain, but an umbrella marketing organization. The Hotel Ala is great because they have a very helpful English speaking staff that are on duty 24 hours, will help you ahead of time to reserve things, are very centrally located at Giglio vaporetto stop (just one stop before San Marco on the major vaporetti lines) and they serve a huge breakfast.
http://www.hotelala.it/

I would opt for convenience in your situation. This hotel does also have some charm, so unless the price is out of line, I think it would be perfect for you. Easy to walk to all the main sights in just a few minutes.

The end of November should be fairly cold. I pack thin silk long sleeved undershirts, which tossed on under a top or sweater at night, keep me toasty. You'll want a scarf and gloves, too. Mainly for night, but if there is no sun, you'll be glad you have them all the time.

What time does your plane leave for home? That can be something to consider when choosing a hotel.

carolyn

In June, we stayed at Albergo Rist., All’Angelo, San Marco, 403 Venice I-30124 Phone: 011-39-041-520-9299, Fax: 011-39-041-523-1943. It is a small hotel, converted from a dwelling, and is just a few minutes' walk from St. Mark's Square. Our room was large and charming but I understand the size varies, so you would want to ask questions.

Julie_Hurst

Harleygirl, re: the "other" side of the Rialto. The others, & I agree, are recommending that you stay on the San Marco side of the Rialto. In saying, the "other" side, I meant across the Rialto from the San Marco side. It is a nice neighborhood & some prefer to stay there. However, for a short visit, staying close to the sites can save time.

Enjoy, Julie

ellenem

I also experienced pretty cold weather in Venice one late November. Keep in mind that many sights are old stone unheated bulidings. We found ourselves leaving churches and scuole to go outside and stand in the sun where it was warmer. It also gave us a great excuse to have a hot chocolate at every opportunity!

hlocke1

Hi again, harleygirl --

Just to comment on the "other" side of the bridge discussion, the hotel is literally steps away from the Rialto bridge. Being that close to the bridge (on either side) is negligible, and the walk to the main touristy area is probably 15 minutes at the most. There is also a vaporetto stop just next to the bridge.

If you want to be super close to said "sights", it would probably be worth looking for a hotel directly in the San Marco area. But, there will be a higher cost associated with that, as well.