Driving in the Veneto area
Feb 22nd, 2009, 04:27 PM
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Driving in the Veneto area
Hello Fodorites!
My husband and I are planning a trip to the Veneto area and we were wondering if renting a car would be a mistake? We have driven in many other parts of Italy and we like the independence of being able to veer off to see sites not in the guidebook. We are planning to stay in Padua and take day trips to Ravenna & Verona. Some friends told us that they had a "nightmarish" time driving around Verona and Ravenna years ago...
Please advise!
Grazie! Lisa
My husband and I are planning a trip to the Veneto area and we were wondering if renting a car would be a mistake? We have driven in many other parts of Italy and we like the independence of being able to veer off to see sites not in the guidebook. We are planning to stay in Padua and take day trips to Ravenna & Verona. Some friends told us that they had a "nightmarish" time driving around Verona and Ravenna years ago...
Please advise!
Grazie! Lisa
Feb 23rd, 2009, 12:13 AM
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Driving in Veneto is better than average in Italy, if you are a little experienced of italian way of driving. Avoid if possible the city centres, because of narrow streets and traffic restrictions. Until a few weeks ago during peak hours the autoroute Padova - Mestre was a nightmare, but now a new "tangenziale" has been opened, and you can reach easily the west part of Veneto (Treviso, Asolo, Belluno) from Padova. There are also scenic roads where driving is a pleasure, like the "Riviera del Brenta" road (from Padova to Mestre), the Colli Euganei area (SE of Padova) and all the area of the hills in northern Veneto. I like particularly the area between Verona and Lake of Garda.
Padova is a good base for visiting this area, but is a big town, a little chaotic and with ugly suburbs. I can suggest you to consider to make your base in a smaller town in central Veneto like Monselice, Este or Montagnana, also interesting places to be visited and more quiet to stay.
Ravenna is outside Veneto, but it is a very good idea; Ferrara is another good one.
These are my suggestions with personal rates for this area:
Veneto:
GARDA VENETO: **
VERONA: ****
VICENZA: *
MAROSTICA: *
PADOVA: ***
ESTE - MONTAGNANA - MONSELICE **
ABBAZIA di PRAGLIA: * (http://www.praglia.it/)
COLLI EUGANEI: *
RIVIERA del BRENTA: *
VENEZIA: out of rate (obviously for Venice and all the LAGUNA cars are totaly useless)
TREVISO: ***
ASOLO - VALDOBBIADENE: *
BELLUNO: *
FELTRE: *
CHIOGGIA: *
Emilia - Romagna:
FERRARA: *** (rent a bike to visit it!)
RAVENNA: ****
POMPOSA - COMACCHIO: * (also scenic route)
Padova is a good base for visiting this area, but is a big town, a little chaotic and with ugly suburbs. I can suggest you to consider to make your base in a smaller town in central Veneto like Monselice, Este or Montagnana, also interesting places to be visited and more quiet to stay.
Ravenna is outside Veneto, but it is a very good idea; Ferrara is another good one.
These are my suggestions with personal rates for this area:
Veneto:
GARDA VENETO: **
VERONA: ****
VICENZA: *
MAROSTICA: *
PADOVA: ***
ESTE - MONTAGNANA - MONSELICE **
ABBAZIA di PRAGLIA: * (http://www.praglia.it/)
COLLI EUGANEI: *
RIVIERA del BRENTA: *
VENEZIA: out of rate (obviously for Venice and all the LAGUNA cars are totaly useless)
TREVISO: ***
ASOLO - VALDOBBIADENE: *
BELLUNO: *
FELTRE: *
CHIOGGIA: *
Emilia - Romagna:
FERRARA: *** (rent a bike to visit it!)
RAVENNA: ****
POMPOSA - COMACCHIO: * (also scenic route)
Feb 23rd, 2009, 06:16 PM
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Hello lisabelina, when will you be in Veneto? During the winter fog can be a real problem but if you are going during the pleasant weather if whomever is going to drive is a good driver there should be no problem. If you are going during the rainy weather and plan on driving on country roads (it doesn't sound like that is part of your itinerary) that can be a problem if it has rained a lot as country roads can get flooded. But if you are going when there should be pleasant weather I would think you would be most comfortable and relaxed especially since you are familar with driving in Italy. The Region of Veneto is so beautiful and the City of Ravenna is a treasure with all the beautiful mosaics. I hope you can spend an over night in Ravenna.
Feb 24th, 2009, 05:30 AM
#6
We had a rental car last Spring in the Veneto and loved driving in the smaller villages. Getting around was easy as the highways are well marked as are the country roads. We did drive into Bassano del Grappo and Vicenza. Other than those 2 towns we tended to skip due to all the traffic and traffic restrictions. We actually drove in Padua and turned around -- it jsut didnt seem worth it! Instead we head into the countryside and it was gorgeous.
Another small village we happened across is worth a stop if you have time. Dozza is on the way from Bologna to Ravenna, maybe 20 miles southeast of Bologna. They do a contest every other year and artists are selected to draw murals on the walls of the houses and the winning entry remains on the wall. They have a castle and there are great views of the surrounding countryside. So you walk thru the hilly streets and see all these really neat paintings with the panorama in the background.
Another small village we happened across is worth a stop if you have time. Dozza is on the way from Bologna to Ravenna, maybe 20 miles southeast of Bologna. They do a contest every other year and artists are selected to draw murals on the walls of the houses and the winning entry remains on the wall. They have a castle and there are great views of the surrounding countryside. So you walk thru the hilly streets and see all these really neat paintings with the panorama in the background.
Feb 28th, 2009, 06:01 PM
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Thank you all for such wonderful information!
We'll be in the Veneto area in mid-October and we won't have a lot of time...probably only 4 evenings before we drop off the car and go to Venice. We will be coming from Cagliari so I suppose it would make sense to base ourselves someplace which isn't too terribly far from an airport...I guess that we'd be flying into Venice or Verona?
I am looking forward to researching all of the above!
Please keep the thread going if you have any additional ideas! Also.. if you have any favorite restaurants that aren't too expensive!
Happy March!
Lisa
We'll be in the Veneto area in mid-October and we won't have a lot of time...probably only 4 evenings before we drop off the car and go to Venice. We will be coming from Cagliari so I suppose it would make sense to base ourselves someplace which isn't too terribly far from an airport...I guess that we'd be flying into Venice or Verona?
I am looking forward to researching all of the above!
Please keep the thread going if you have any additional ideas! Also.. if you have any favorite restaurants that aren't too expensive!
Happy March!
Lisa
Mar 1st, 2009, 12:36 AM
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From the end of March Ryan Air is going to have a regular flight from Caglairi (CAG) to Treviso Antonio Canova airport (TSF), located at Noale.
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/
http://www.trevisoairport.it/tsfpage...=A&language=en
If you choose this option, and you’re going to find an accommodation nearby, I can suggest you “Locanda Stella d’Oro” (Gold Star Inn) in Quinto, 3 km. from the Canova Airport, definitely a very good base to explore this area, close to Treviso, Padova, Riviera del Brenta, Bassano. Verona is not so close, but it worths a little longer trip.
It’s a simple but friendly accommodation, although the village of Quinto where is located is a very small one. It has a fairly good cuisine too. My family and me have picked this location in our last trip to Veneto, including a day trip to Venice: 15 minutes by public bus to arrive at Treviso railway station, other 30 minutes to Venice by train, definitely a good choice if you want a cheaper way to stay close to Venice and you don’t want to pick an hotel in Mestre (not so lovely place to stay, IMO).
http://www.locandastelladoro.it/
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/
http://www.trevisoairport.it/tsfpage...=A&language=en
If you choose this option, and you’re going to find an accommodation nearby, I can suggest you “Locanda Stella d’Oro” (Gold Star Inn) in Quinto, 3 km. from the Canova Airport, definitely a very good base to explore this area, close to Treviso, Padova, Riviera del Brenta, Bassano. Verona is not so close, but it worths a little longer trip.
It’s a simple but friendly accommodation, although the village of Quinto where is located is a very small one. It has a fairly good cuisine too. My family and me have picked this location in our last trip to Veneto, including a day trip to Venice: 15 minutes by public bus to arrive at Treviso railway station, other 30 minutes to Venice by train, definitely a good choice if you want a cheaper way to stay close to Venice and you don’t want to pick an hotel in Mestre (not so lovely place to stay, IMO).
http://www.locandastelladoro.it/
Mar 1st, 2009, 06:50 PM
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Liberosette,
Many thanks! We will be staying at Pensione La Calcina (a favorite from our travels from years past) in Venezia so I'm thinking that we could stay a bit further afield from Venice.
Now I'm thinking that Verona might be a good base. From what I had researched in the past they do have an airport and it might be a vibrant place to explore other areas surrounding the Veneto including Bassano del grappa. Any ideas of a good place to stay in Verona?
Many thanks!
Lisa
Many thanks! We will be staying at Pensione La Calcina (a favorite from our travels from years past) in Venezia so I'm thinking that we could stay a bit further afield from Venice.
Now I'm thinking that Verona might be a good base. From what I had researched in the past they do have an airport and it might be a vibrant place to explore other areas surrounding the Veneto including Bassano del grappa. Any ideas of a good place to stay in Verona?
Many thanks!
Lisa
Mar 1st, 2009, 10:45 PM
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Last time in Verona we choose this accomodation: Hotel Milano, in the old city, quiet, appropriate, close to Castelvecchio. Good location to explore Verona by walking, some troubles for going out (and going in) with car.
http://www.hotelmilano-vr.it/eng/index.html
http://www.hotelmilano-vr.it/eng/index.html
Aug 4th, 2011, 12:22 PM
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Hello,
thank you for your honest review. I wanted just to say that last year we went to Verona and we went to Hotel Brennero ( http://www.hotel-brennero.it ) and we found it to be a good place to stay and it's not expensive.
Gave a look to it!
Bye
thank you for your honest review. I wanted just to say that last year we went to Verona and we went to Hotel Brennero ( http://www.hotel-brennero.it ) and we found it to be a good place to stay and it's not expensive.
Gave a look to it!
Bye
