I read online directions to the hotel we are staying at in Venice. You must park outside the city of course. What surprises me is the instructions to leave the keys in the car and the car unlocked!!! WHY ? ARe cars stolen there often? I am seriously rethinking the car rental bit.

That's ridiculous. We parked our rental car at one of the big parking lots (and locked it and took our keys with us). Where on earth are you supposed to be parking your car? Is it a lot that the hotel arranges for you to use specifically or one that everyone else uses? Sounds like Valet parking of a sort...

What's ridiculous? They apparently use a facility where vehicles have to be moved around.

I agree - what's ridiculous? Many car parks are the type where they must "stack" cars and move them around. This is common in SF, NYC etc. so why not Venice? Of course you usually leave the keys with an attendant but I have seen situations where you just leave the keys on a hook for the number of the space where you parked.

We encountered this same situation about 10 years ago when I was traveling with my parents. The hotel wanted us to park the car in a big lot and leave the keys. No way. It was the end of a fairly long trip, and that car was carrying a lot of things we had accumulated along the way, and there was no possible way we could take everything out of the car and get it to the hotel - and no reason to, either.

We phoned the hotel and said thanks, but we're making our own arrangements for parking, located a secure parking lot somewhere in or near Mestre, and parked the car and locked it tight as a drum and took the train into Venice.

As we were checking out of the hotel a few days later, we overheard a VERY distraught client who had just come back from trying to pick up her car from the lot the hotel had arranged - the trunk had been picked clean, and the hotel claimed no responsibility. Of course, she shouldn't have left stuff in the car, but still...schlepping stuff into Venice isn't always a practical option.

If you go online to La Calcina's site, they give you the option of two different parking garages under "location". They give directions on how to get there and where to park if you are driving.
Both garages state you need to leave your car unlocked with your keys inside.
Living here in South Florida I have never heard of this. While growing up in Chicago there was no such animal either.

There is a gated, secure lot in Mestre directly across the street from the main entrance to the train station.

We have used this fenced,parking lot on three trips to Venice. It is safe and very modestly priced as compared to the expensive lots at Tronchetto and Piazzale Roma (the lots most often used by tourists---as well as the most expensive!!)

On our first trip, we had to leave the keys because they moved the cars around as needed. On our last two trips, we were instructed where to park the car in the lot, locked it and took the keys with us.

You must advise the attendant, as you are pulling into the lot, how many days you will be staying. This is key as to where in the lot you will be instructed to park your vehicle.

I recommended this place to a young man who was picking up a Porsche in Germany, and then driving around Europe for his vacation. Needless to say, he wanted a secure lot and was well pleased with the service and the modest daily rates.

If this still does not make you feel safe about leaving valuables in the car, there is a luggage store room in the train station. You can check whatever you don't want to take into Venice on the train or leave stored in the car boot.

From Mestre, it is a quick 15 minute ride across the lagoon to the Santa Lucia Station in Venice. All trains to Venice stop in Mestre, and vice versa.

To get to the lot from the Autostrada, take the Castellano exit off the Tangianzale. Follow the signs for Mestre Centro. After about 1 1/12 miles, turn right on Via Pavia. When it dead ends at the train station, turn left. The fenced parking lot will be up the street, about 50 yards on your left.