sharone

We are going to Venice at the end of May and I've just got a couple of queries I'm hoping someone can help me with.
We have booked a food and wine tour for our first evening and the instructions say to meet our guide at Campo de la Maddalena which is in the Cannaregio region and we are staying close to San Marco square. On looking at the map showing boat routes I'm not sure which one we would take, I think it would be the 1, 3 or 4 from San Marco to Ca d'Oro and my question is are these one way only on the grand canal? The map shows them as doing a circular route which I imagine would take quite a while if it was the opposite way to what we wanted to go. I'm not sure I'm explaining myself very well but hoping someone understands me.
Also, we are possibly looking at booking for the Doges Palace but we've got so much planned we are struggling to fit it in, would you say it's a must see, does it take up a lot of the day?
Are there pre-paid cards available for all types of water transport for a few days duration and can these be bought online prior to going?
I'm sure I'll think of other things to ask as I'm looking further into the planning but would much appreciate any help on these queries.

rialtogrl

Regarding the vaporetto, you want to take the #1 to get to Ca D'oro. Take it towards Piazzale Roma/Ferrovia. This will take you up the Grand Canal.

But to get to Campo della Maddalena you could save a lot of time by taking the #2 vaporetto to Ferrovia stop and then walking down from there to meet your guide. The #2 is way faster than the #1 as it makes fewer stops. Catch it at San Marco Giardinetti stop, and make sure it is the #2 that makes a stop at Rialto, then you will know you are on the right boat. (Sometimes this boat makes a stop at San Marcuola, sometimes not. If it does, get off there and you'll be even closer.)

You don't need to buy transit passes online (unless you want to.) You can just buy them when you get to Venice.

Why not just wait to see if you have time to fit the Doge's Palace in when you are there as well? If you find yourself in the area, and have a couple of spare hours, you can go in.

greg

>>> Are there pre-paid cards available for all types of water transport for a few days duration and can these be bought online prior to going?

There are unlimited ride passes of various durations listed here:

http://actv.avmspa.it/en/content/prezzi-vigore go down to the
"BIGLIETTI TURISTICI A TEMPO" section. See the listing of 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 7 days passes?

Pre-paid cards = yes, they exist
bought online prior = no

If you are the same payer, there is no point in buying ACTV vaporatto "pass" online. The actual pass you need is an RFID card you need to obtain in person in Venice. What you buy and print out is just a voucher to exchange to real passes with RFID chip in them. If you have to line up to pickup real pass at the same price, what is the point in advance purchase? No time or cost saving.

If you are landing in Marco Polo airport, there is a huge consolidated transport counter everyone lines up to obtain transport tickets of all sorts. The line moves pretty fast. Be reminded that the ACTV multiple day passes do not cover VCE airport to Venice city transport. That is additional even using ACTV or ATVO bus at €8. Pickup passes at the airport. The lines to buy tickets in Venice such as Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia are usually even longer than at the airport.

vincenzo32951

When you say you're looking at a "booking" for the Doges Palace, I assume that means for a tour.

It's hard to say whether it "worth it." That depends on you and what else you'd like to do. We took the tour and enjoyed it. That's about all I can say.

sharone

Thank you rialtogirl for your reply, I think I'm a little clearer now about which boat to get for our first evenings outing.
Also Greg, regarding the transport passes, we will make sure to buy them once we land at the airport if that is less hassle than buying once in Venice and as you say, no point in buying it online if all that gets you is a voucher you still have to exchange for the pass.
Vincenzo, thanks for the info, you are right, it does totally depend on what we like to do, it seems to loom large in every guide book as a must see thing and I think I am panicking a bit in case we are really missing out in not going but on our last day I'd really like to just relax, wander and get lost in the whole atmosphere of Venice. I guess if we don't make it that will be our incentive for going back.

Peter_S_Aus

My opinion on the Doges Palace. It would take about two and a half hours, maybe a bit more, to do it justice.

The Doges Palace represents and displays how Venice was governed up until about 1810, when Napoleon's troops strolled in and took all the tables at the cafes in the Piazza. Sure, there are magnificent works of art there - but there are magnificent works in just about any church in Venice that you go into.

But there is more to Venice than just government and history, and if you don't have much time in Venice, I would say give the Doge Palace a miss. If you do decide to visit, brush up on Venetian history prior, as it will be much more meaningful then.

So, if I (an Aussie) were visiting Washington, would the Congress building or Lincoln Memorial be on the list of "must visit"? It is a similar question.

Anyway, enjoy Venice. If you click on my user name, you would find some Venice trip reports.

sharone

Peter, thank you for your reply, I think we have decided for now to give the Doges Palace a miss as we find once we've been in quite a few churches we have a feeling of art overload, whilst we love looking at beautiful art we are not that knowledgable about it so small doses are usually enough.
I've started reading your trip reports and they make for great reading, I've got lots of ideas now. On one of them you mention doing a canal tour with a Giancarlo of Vivivenezia which sounds right up our street but when I go on the website I can't get any further than the home page and some pictures, do you know if they are still operating by any chance?

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"would you say it's a must see, does it take up a lot of the day?"</font></i>

I did not visit the Palazzo Ducale during my first visit to Venice many, many years ago. In fact, I didn't enter one church, one museum, or one historical venue on that trip. I still managed to fall in love.

<i><font color=#555555>"we've got so much planned we are struggling to fit it in"</font></i>

The vast majority of tourists experience a cram-and-crash course when visiting Venice. A day-trip, or even a three-night stay, when compared to one lifetime, is just a speck on the clock. To truly <i>feel and learn</i> Venice, you need to stay for weeks at a time and visit more than once. "Struggling to fit something in" will most certainly guarantee less impact and more to lose in memory.

annhig

sharone - the Doge's palace isn't just art, and at the risk of its being suggested that this is somewhat pretentious [though some would say that I have some company here in that] it provides an incomparable insight into how and why Venice held such a pre-eminent position in european history.

There is of course art, but also architecture, a salon as large as a football pitch, the famous Bridge of Sighs and dark dank prison cells from which Casanova allegedly escaped.

You don't tell us how long you are staying or what else you have planned. if you posted your itinerary, we might be able to help you make the most of the time that you have.

or [as many here might say] not.

vincenzo32951

>>Doges Palace a miss as we find once we've been in quite a few churches we have a feeling of art overload,<<

I'm not arguing for a visit to the Doges, but I wouldn't say that a tour of the building is about the art.

Whatever you choose, you'll be fine, as you realize you can't see and do it all in one brief visit.

sharone

Annhig, thanks for your reply, we are staying for 5 nights but arrive late afternoon and leave early on last day so four full days in total. Our first full day we have booked a tour which includes a 2 hour walk, the basilica and a 1 hour boat trip. The day after that we hope to go out to the islands Murano, Burano & Torcello. Our 3rd day we are looking at going to the Dorsoduro & Giudecca areas and fully exploring those. And for our last day we thought we would just wander at will on foot and water wherever the fancy takes us. We also feel that if the weather is fine (hopefully end of May will be) we would rather be outdoors as much as possible.

I do have another query regarding the boats though, if we just paid as and when we used them rather than getting a pass (although we prob will do that) is the fare dependant on which stop you are going to? By that I mean if we said we were going to the Rialto stop and bought a ticket but whilst on the boat then realised we wanted to go further than that would we have to purchase another ticket? Do you do this on the boat, or get off at the Rialto and start again from there.

Also on looking at my map some stops are shown twice, eg San Marco and Rialto, why is that? How do you know which one to go to? Sorry if that's a bit of a daft question but it is puzzling me.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"so four full days in total"</font></i>

You've planned better than most visitors.

<i><font color=#555555>"we hope to go out to the islands Murano, Burano & Torcello"</font></i>

It took me years of visits before I could venture to outside islands. If I only had four days, I wouldn't sacrifice one minute leaving Venice on a first-time visit. The city is just too rich in visuals and activity. May is a glorious month to visit.

Buying two-day or three-day vaporetto tickets will give you freedom to hop on and off boats at will. There's no way to calculate individual ride costs in advance, because you simply can't know your needs until you're in the thick of your visit.

Individual tickets are good for about one hour, in any direction. If you buy on the boat (I've never done it), I think they give you a paper receipt which shows the time. If you board another boat within that time frame, no need to spend another fare.

San Marco and Rialto are "major" boat stops. Not enough docks to handle all the boats, so those stops have more than one dock. You need to learn which boat number stops at which dock, and you need to learn which docks service boats in both directions on in just one direction. The signs above (graphics) have a slight learning curve.

Whathello

You got a lot of advice.
To put you in the mood read one of Donna Leon excellent books about commissario brunetti.
They all take ace in Venice.

And do get a coffee on piazza San Marco.

sharone

Thank you NYC, I think buying a 3 day pass is definitely the way to go, much less hassle. That also clears up my confusion about some stops having more than one dock, hope we get the hang of it all though once we are there. I've wanted to go to Venice for many, many years so I'm determined this won't be our only visit. I appreciate there is such a lot to see and do.

Whathello, we are definitely going to get a coffee in San Marco and hang the cost, I like how in Italy once you're sat down with a coffee you can stay there for an hour or more just watching the world go by. I've already warned hubby I may even go nuts and order a glass of wine lol.
Our hotel is just behind the Piazza so I'm looking forward to being right there in the evenings when hopefully it will be less crowded.

ellenem

Note that a 3-day pass is actually a 72-hour pass, counting from when you first scan it to board a boat. Therefore, you might use it for parts of 4 days; for example, 12 noon on the first day of use until 12 noon on the fourth day of use.

annhig

Thank you NYC, I think buying a 3 day pass is definitely the way to go, much less hassle. >>


not to mention the cost - the pass will pay for itself easily if you are going to the islands as the tickets to get there are very expensive.

I like that you are not over-loading your itinerary, but you are not overloaded with churches [yet] and you could easily fit the Doge's palace into days 3 or 4, especially if you booked to do it first thing in the morning. There is also something called the Secret itineraries tour that takes you round the "hidden" parts of the palace - having now done both tours i think that for a first timer the simple tour of the Palace is probably better. You would still have plenty of time to to explore Dorsoduro & Guidecca.

I would suggest booking a tour of the Doge's palace first thing, then walking/ getting the vaporetto to the Church of Santa Maria Della Salute - walk to the very end of the triangle of paving that juts out into the water, and you have a wonderful view over the basin of Venice. To the left you have the end of the Grand canal, and the Doge's palace flanked by the symbols of Venice's power - the library, the corn store, and the court/prison. Across the water you can see the two Palladian churches of the Redentore and San Giorgio - designed by Palladio to complement each other.

You might then get a boat over to the San Giorgio Maggiore and climb the bell tower - cheaper and less crowded than the one in San Marco and the view is just as good. Then boat hop along the Guidecca and then over to the Zattere where you can have a drink or a gelato. you can then wander back to Canaregio via Dorsoduro, Santa Croce and San Polo and cross over the Grand canal by using a boat or one of the bridges. [NB - do check the vaporetto map to work out the best way of getting to and from the various places you want to visit - it's been a while since I did this particular excursion and I may have misremembered the routes].

Another morning, a nice [and free] early morning outing is to the Rialto markets - fish, fruit, veg - and there are some nice cafes serving freshly squeezed orange juice [spremuta d'arancia] coffee and cornetti [italian croissants] for breakfast. Try to get there by 10 am to see the best produce.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"I think buying a 3 day pass is definitely the way to go, much less hassle."</font></i>

A first-time tourist simply can't imagine the hassles associated with buying individual tickets. There is a learning curve to discovering the process of "easy" navigation in Venice. Standing in one more ticket-buying line can quickly steal away the minutes from your day.

The ACTV website has changed once again (for the worse), and I can't find any information regarding purchasing tickets on-board. They certainly don't want to encourage it. Boats can be packed, and I can assure you, the last thing you want to deal with on a packed, moving boat is an open wallet and the need to find a conductor willing to take your money. If a ticket inspector gets to you first, you will be fined, no matter what your intention.

NEVER board a boat without validating your ticket at the entrance machines. Venice has discovered the revenue that comes from cheaters, and the inspectors are relentless these days.

There is a lot of differing information on the internet. Venice has a way of confusing its visitors. It may be a "we need more money" thing. A single boat ride is 7.50€ now, and it's good for 75 minutes. Some people say it isn't good in both directions, but the need for that would be unlikely.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"if you are going to the islands as the tickets to get there are very expensive. "</font></i>

The #12 vaporetto (and others) that services Murano, Burano, and Torcello costs 7.50€, no different than any other vaporetto boat ride in the lagoon. There are other boat "tours," which set there own prices, but IMO, are not necessary.

annhig

The #12 vaporetto (and others) that services Murano, Burano, and Torcello costs 7.50€, no different than any other vaporetto boat ride in the lagoon. >>

I stand corrected, NYFS. I was sure that I had read the price list on the side of a vaporetto to the islands and seen that they were more expensive to visit, but it was some time ago.

IMO it's still worth the cost of a vaporetto pass to avoid the queues and worry about having a ticket, even if the savings are not so great.

sharone

Thank you so much everybody, some great help and advice here. I like the sound of the excursion you have described annhig and it is quite possible like you say that we can still fit in the Doges Palace.