wstnc

Hello all,
Hope someone can help. My wife and I have never been to Italy but will be driving-camping in the northern areas in mid-september. I would like to return the car to the Venice airport 2 days prior to our flt out and find two nights hotel/inn lodging so we may visit Venice and get to the airport for our flt. Does anyone have suggestions about where to stay so that we can comfortably accomplish these tasks? Thanks very much, bc

cybertraveler

Hi, I just flew out of Marco Polo airport this week--it's a great airport, but I don't know of any hotel nearby. We stayed in the San Marco area at the Hotel Flora and it was a 90Euro water taxi ride in for the airport (not close). Since our flight left at 7:20, and we had several bags, a water taxi was our only option, but other people may know alternatives. Have a great time in Venice--it's wonderful!

Melissa5

Stayed in Pensione Accademia in relatively quiet dorsoduro area of Venice. The hotel reserved us a private water taxi, about 70 euros, and it came right to the hotel's private dock. Very convenient to airport. Loved our hotel.

Have heard good things about Hotel Flora too. Flora is in busier San Marco area, but tucked in a side-alley sort of.

Eloise

Please do not let yourself be put off from staying in Venice itself by the high water taxi rates mentioned in the previous messages.

You CAN get from Venice to the airport very early in the morning for much, much less. The No. 1 vaporetto line, which stops almost everywhere between the Lido and Piazzale Roma, functions as of about 4:00 a.m. You take it to Piazzale Roma, and from there an ATVO bus (or ACTV bus; the ACTV bus line page is down at the moment) to the airport starting at about 4:30 a.m.

In addition, one of the Alilaguna lines starts functioning very early:

http://www.alilaguna.it/

Moreover, many people have mentioned that they have arrived at Venice airport two hours ahead of a flight at 7:00 a.m. only to find it still closed. It seems to me that it has been said that the airport opens at around 6:00 a.m. (If you put <Venice airport> into the search box, you will probably get a large number of messages that mention early departures from Venice airport.)

After dropping the car, you can get to Venice with the ATVO bus (direct) or the ACTV bus (with stops; included in a vaporetto day pass) and then a vaporetto or with Alilaguna to a more limited number of stops.

You really must stay in Venice. The city becomes magical after all the day-trippers have left.

LoveItaly

Hi wstnc, perhaps this SM airport website might assist you also. It is www.veniceairport.it.

Have a beautiful trip.

clevelandbrown

Venice is served by two airports, so you will want to be certain which one you will be using. Marco Polo, which is the one discussed here, is relatively convenient. Some discount carriers use Treviso, which is more distant, but still accessible.