Venice by Car
Mar 20th, 2011, 05:47 AM
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Venice by Car
We arrive in Rome from the US and stop in Montepulcano for an overnight before continuing our journey (4.5 hours ) to Venice. 1. Where is a good affordable place to park our rental car as we arrive in Venice? Is it ok to leave a bag of clothes in the trunk or should be haul our big bag with us to our hotel near San Marco. We are staying 3 nights. 2. Any suggestion for an evening gondola ride?
Mar 20th, 2011, 06:12 AM
#2
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Except for your stop in Montepulciano, you do not need a car from Rome to Venice. The trains in Italy are wonderful and so much easier than a car.
You have separate posts on use of a car for various cities/sights. Perhaps if you posted your itinerary it would be easier to advise whether you need a car at all for your trip. As it is, one can only respond to each post out of the context of your entire trip.
You have separate posts on use of a car for various cities/sights. Perhaps if you posted your itinerary it would be easier to advise whether you need a car at all for your trip. As it is, one can only respond to each post out of the context of your entire trip.
Mar 20th, 2011, 07:44 AM
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Why on earth would one hire a car to go from Rome to Venice? After the overnight flight and drive to Montepulciano, you're not likely to be doing much sightseeing in Tuscany, and then you've got another long drive to Venice. In addition to the time you spend, the gas and tolls (and rental car charges) are not cheap. I'd certainly consider flying or taking the train.
Mar 20th, 2011, 09:31 AM
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If you take the train, ChezCarol, you will no doubt wish you didn't have a big bag with you on the train. I haven't read your other threads so I don't know your itinerary but I would pack as light as possible as I wouldn't leave anything in the rental car if you do drive to Venice. And hauling a big bag to your Venice hotel will probably not be enjoyable.
Mar 20th, 2011, 10:03 AM
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How big is your big bag?
Ordinarily I would say take a train - but a big bag is PIA on a train. If you are continuing on by car after Venice, then it may make sense to rent a car and gret a better rate by keeping it longer. The best place to park is at Piazzale Roma (the end of the causeway - just drive until you can;t go any further). You must leave nothing visible inside the car. And any bags to be storesd in the trunk must be already hidden there before you get to Piazzale Roma. Park your car with the trunk against a wall and you should be OK.
We have done this a couple of time - but what we left in the trunk wasn;t our main luggage but some extra things (books, maps etc) we needed for later in the trip and didn;t want to haul to the hotel
Ordinarily I would say take a train - but a big bag is PIA on a train. If you are continuing on by car after Venice, then it may make sense to rent a car and gret a better rate by keeping it longer. The best place to park is at Piazzale Roma (the end of the causeway - just drive until you can;t go any further). You must leave nothing visible inside the car. And any bags to be storesd in the trunk must be already hidden there before you get to Piazzale Roma. Park your car with the trunk against a wall and you should be OK.
We have done this a couple of time - but what we left in the trunk wasn;t our main luggage but some extra things (books, maps etc) we needed for later in the trip and didn;t want to haul to the hotel
Mar 28th, 2011, 06:01 PM
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If you park in Mestre and take the train you are then at the Venice train station and have to get on a vaporetto or water taxi to get to your hotel.
If you leave the car at Piazzele Roma you can pick up a vaporetto or water taxi right there - so avoiding the extra step of hauling your luggage on and off a train for a 10 minute ride.
If you leave the car at Piazzele Roma you can pick up a vaporetto or water taxi right there - so avoiding the extra step of hauling your luggage on and off a train for a 10 minute ride.
Mar 29th, 2011, 12:00 AM
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"Piazzale Roma vs. Mestre and take train?"
Piazzale Roma is virtually the same place as Venice railway station. Getting vaporetti or water taxis is no easier or trickier at either location, so parking at Mestre adds considerable shlepping and hassle
I'm no expert on this, but my impression has always been that the car parks at Piazzale Roma are more intensely supervised than those round Mestre station. Someone else might be able to compare parking fees, which (at €15-€30 per 24 hrs: about average by our standards) many Americans find high at Piazzale Roma.
Piazzale Roma is virtually the same place as Venice railway station. Getting vaporetti or water taxis is no easier or trickier at either location, so parking at Mestre adds considerable shlepping and hassle
I'm no expert on this, but my impression has always been that the car parks at Piazzale Roma are more intensely supervised than those round Mestre station. Someone else might be able to compare parking fees, which (at €15-€30 per 24 hrs: about average by our standards) many Americans find high at Piazzale Roma.
Mar 29th, 2011, 03:30 AM
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We found it cheaper to park in Mestre. It was a multi story garage, not just an open lot. Some times the road to Venice can be very slow going due to traffic (it's a bridge) so we were advised that the train was actually a lot quicker than driving to Piazzale Roma. As in anywhere in Italy (or anywhere else for that matter) whatever you leave in your car should not be visible ( e.g. only in the trunk) and put it in there before you get to your destination in case someone is watching when you park the car and sees you putting valuables in there.
Mar 29th, 2011, 03:56 AM
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europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/tronchetto_parking_garage.htm
best cheapest place to park a car for venice
always do better with a nice train city centre to city centre
always cheaper and lots less hassle
eurocheapo.com great budget city guides for venice
Have fun,
best cheapest place to park a car for venice
always do better with a nice train city centre to city centre
always cheaper and lots less hassle
eurocheapo.com great budget city guides for venice
Have fun,
Mar 29th, 2011, 06:21 AM
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As far as I understand it, you're keeping the car because you continue to use it after Venice - and you want to leave the large suitcase in the trunk. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
So taking the train from Rome is not an option; and shlepping luggage from Mestre to Venice is not an issue (since the large suitcase remains in the trunk, anyway). If that is correct, then it's a no-brainer to leave the car in Mestre - the car parks at Piazzale Roma are incredibly overpriced and charge about three times what you pay opposite the Mestre train station. It's possible that the parks at Piazzale Roma are more intensely supervised, but if so, that's just meant to impress tourists - no car park anywhere near Venice needs any supervision since there is absolutely no danger for the car or the luggage in that part of Italy, period.
As far as I am concerned, I think even the lower fees at the parking lots of Mestre are a waste of money, and when I have a car in Venice (I mostly have), I always leave it in one of the free street parking areas of Mestre (typically much longer than just for three days, and yes, often with some luggage in the trunk).
So taking the train from Rome is not an option; and shlepping luggage from Mestre to Venice is not an issue (since the large suitcase remains in the trunk, anyway). If that is correct, then it's a no-brainer to leave the car in Mestre - the car parks at Piazzale Roma are incredibly overpriced and charge about three times what you pay opposite the Mestre train station. It's possible that the parks at Piazzale Roma are more intensely supervised, but if so, that's just meant to impress tourists - no car park anywhere near Venice needs any supervision since there is absolutely no danger for the car or the luggage in that part of Italy, period.
As far as I am concerned, I think even the lower fees at the parking lots of Mestre are a waste of money, and when I have a car in Venice (I mostly have), I always leave it in one of the free street parking areas of Mestre (typically much longer than just for three days, and yes, often with some luggage in the trunk).
Mar 30th, 2011, 06:01 AM
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Yes. We do need the leased car. We are in Italy for a couple of weeks and then we travel to our apartment in France for 2 months.
The last comment from franco is very interesting. We've not traveled to Italy in 8 or so years but found we had to be very careful with items in cars. Mestre sounds like a good option if I don't take our large bag and just our day tripper and any electronics. Thanks. We have a couple of 360 wheel bags and a bag pack for Venice. I only decided on taking the train to Venice but we are staying in Multipultiano for a night and it is off the train route. The drive from Rome airport is only a couple of hours and then off the next day for a 4 hour drive to Venice. We are looking forward to it. Thanks to all.
The last comment from franco is very interesting. We've not traveled to Italy in 8 or so years but found we had to be very careful with items in cars. Mestre sounds like a good option if I don't take our large bag and just our day tripper and any electronics. Thanks. We have a couple of 360 wheel bags and a bag pack for Venice. I only decided on taking the train to Venice but we are staying in Multipultiano for a night and it is off the train route. The drive from Rome airport is only a couple of hours and then off the next day for a 4 hour drive to Venice. We are looking forward to it. Thanks to all.
