I was in Venice for Carnivale in 2004. We bought our tickets for the vaparetto after waiting in the usual long lines and then were sent back when trying to board. We were told we needed to buy tickets for our baggage. We had one medium size rollaboard each. We went back and stood in another long line and paid 2 Euro each for the tickets.

It was annoying to me that the gentleman who sold us the first round of tickets clearly saw our baggage and did not say anything.

There is fee posted for baggage, which I noticed the second time around.

I found it a hassle to be on a packed vaparetto with a ton of tourists and their bags as well as the locals. I got whacked with backpacked and then had to deal with avid photo takes pushing their way away a cramped boat to get a good shot. People can be quite inconsiderate.

It was also very cold and wet so the 45 minute ride was much less than pleasant.

Again...

PACK LIGHT!!

You will be amazed at how little you need to get along just fine. Plus, if you happen to forget something, anything you can buy in the US, you can buy there. Italy (& Venice) is NOT a third world country.

Yes... you can do it!!!

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Michael'nA2

julia t-If you are in your mid-sixties then yes I am 20 years younger than you, but somehow I don't think you are!! ;-) and I'm not holding out any hopes on the young men front!:-(
Rufus TFirefly-No bowling balls and I have been going to the gym in preparation for lifting my cases ;-)

Hi NZGirl - I'm nearer 50 than 60, but I still got a few offers of help from the slightly older gentleman! My 16 year old daughter, however, was inundated with help when I stood back and let her struggle alone....!!

Have fun in Venice whatever - you only have to cope with six bridges and luggage in your entire stay so get on with them and enjoy strolling gently over the rest!

Bluenose

If you don't have a hotel I can recommend one that is about 10 minutes walk from the train station. It is Casa Martini in the Cannaregio neighborhood, not far from the ghetto. You can walk from the train station; if you look at a map, the hotel is just a few yards after the Guglie (correct spelling, I hope!) bridge. Our wheeled suitcases did bump and twist over the cobblestones at times, of course, but otherwise it was an easy walk.

This hotel is small, charming, and you are staying in an area where local people live. The owners are helpful and will suggest restaurants etc in the area, off the beaten path. Our favorite meals on that trip were at the places they sent us to. You can easily catch a vaporetto to other areas of Venice -- we usually walked to the San Marco area, but it is probably about 30 minutes...

You may prefer to be right in the heart of the tourist attractions, but if you avoid the tacky "train station" hotels, there are some advantages to staying in Cannaregio.

casamartini.it

Good advice from others -- travel light!
Have fun.

Way to go NZG--get to that gym and firm up those abs and that tush. You'll wow the Eyetye guys--and you can help some of them with their suitcases. Mama mia!