**** VENICE CANAL OR NOT? ****
 

<BR>Will be in Venice mid October and may want to stay on a canal, (hear the Grand Canal is noisy at night)or stay in the city. Which would you recommend and why? I suppose if we stay on a canal the only way out is with a boat. <BR> <BR>Want to stay beneath $150/night and hoping mid October rates may be off season and less costly. <BR> <BR>Any thoughts are appreciated. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Deb: <BR> <BR>Stayed at Hotel Galleria Oct-2000, a small hotel (10 rooms?) that's in an excellent location overlooking the Grand Canal @ Accademia Bridge (in the Dorsoduro section of Venice). It's a funky little place (lots of old world charm) --- with some rooms having their bathroom ensuite, while others share a bathroom on the hall. <BR> <BR>Altho it is strategically located & can be fascinating to see the boat traffic on Canal, I did find it a bit noisy for my tastes (I'm a light sleeper). And for any future Venice trips, I'd try another hotel. If you're a heavier sleeper than I, then this may be an option for you. It does fall into your price range. They have a website (URL eludes me at moment); to find it, just type in Hotel Galleria Venice and your search engine will likely pull it up. <BR> <BR>What sounds like a better option to me is a place that's gotten good reviews and sits on a canal that's not as busy/noisy, the Guidecca Canal. Several folks on this forum have provided positive feedback for La Calcina. At the time of my trip last year, they were already full. In addition to La Calcina, there's another place next door called Pensione Seguso --- not sure about pricing, but in a older version of Karen Brown's Bed & Breakfasts in Italy, she did list 'Seguso'.

Hi, Deb -- <BR> <BR>If you're staying on any canal, your hotel will surely have a front door to the street. To my knowledge, there are no hotels in Venice occupying their own little islands -- though if there are, I want to know about them! <BR> <BR>Anyway... I stayed at a wonderful hotel called La Residenzia located near San Marcos square. No canals for blocks, but a great setting in front of a square where locals gathered in the evenings and an interior straight out of the 18th century. Found it through friends' recommendations and the Eyewitness Guide to Venice. The upshot of all this is... no, you don't need to be overlooking a canal to wallow in the charms of this beautiful city. That said, a room overlooking a canal is a unique experience. I've heard good things about La Calcina (sp?) and several other hotels on this forum, but I'll bow out and let those who have first-hand experience weigh in. Just wanted to put in a good word for the city's charming, landlocked accomodations.

A number of poster to this forum, including myself, have stayed at Locanda Leon Bianco. It it near the Rialto Bridge. We were there in May and I certainly did not find the Grand Canal to be noisy at all, especially at night. Of course maybe the price is that LLB is on the third floor of an old palazzo -- you do have to climb all those steps. It is in your price range, and they are good internet correspondents, so they would probably let you know if a canal view room is available. Your breakfast is served in your room and since the hotel is across the canal from the Rialto market there is a lot of activity to see. www.leonbianco.it I was totally thrilled to spend my first evening in Venice sitting in the window with a glass of wine, raising a toast to people who waved from vaporettos and water taxis!

Deb: <BR> <BR>To explain further, my noise distraction @ the Hotel Galleria was not so much the canal traffic, per se, rather that the hotel is 'conveniently' located close to the Accademia vaporetto stop (a good new/bad news thing). Makes it very easy to travel up/down the canal, but as the hotel rooms are on the "1st floor" (actually the second floor --- and note, a circular flight stairs, no elevator), I could hear the vaporettos when they pulled in or out of the landing. <BR> <BR>As to your question about staying on the Canal or "staying in the city" --- it can be difficult to understand until you've actually been to Venice. Yes, Venice is an island and so, the only way to get around is either by foot or by boat. We call them 'streets', however there's only foot traffic, no cars, no scooters, no buses. Most all hotels have 'street' access --- there may be some (others could advise) in which you can drive up to front door by boat. However I suspect that very few would find that feasible as it would be problematic during 'Alta Aqcua' (high water). And if I may anticipate another question, "high water" can occur during October --- more likely during Nov thru Feb. Check out 'Venice Word' website for more info around that issue. <BR> <BR>http://www.veniceword.com/

Grazie a tutti! Thank you all. I have been to Venice albeit I was a young teenager and know we did not stay on a canal. My question is this: <BR> <BR>If we stay on a canal, a quiet one (name some others beside Guidecca Canal)DO WE NEED A BOAT TO COME and GO to/from HOTEL? <BR> <BR>I read above, "most hotels have street access" but do the canal hotels also have it or is a boat the only way to get to San Marco Square, Rialto bridge etc? <BR> <BR>I obviously do not recall this from my trip as we did not stay on canal front.

Deb/Debbie's questions are so stupid that I can't but believe she/he is a troll. Read her questions people before bothering to respond.

Deb, you'll probably need to take a vaporetto to reach your hotel's neighborhood -- unless it's very near the train station or you like dragging luggage long distances -- just as you'd need to take public transportation (or a taxi) to reach your hotel in most cities. You'll get off at the vaporetto stop closest to your hotel and walk from there. Some hotels have private docks for (water) taxis, if you decide to go that route (Venice taxis are costly). Check a map and you'll see that with the exception of the Grand Canal, all of the other canals are crossed by foot bridge. Do you know where you're staying?

Sorry -- of course you don't know where you're staying... that's why you posted. Forgive the brain burp.

Geez Harold! Did you wake up and take a nasty pill you grumpy grumperton! If you think Deb's question are not intellectually stimulating enough then don't answer. Why take the time to be mean? And if it is a troll, ( and I don't think it is), again, why bother with an answer. Normally I wouldn't bother to answer to you, but I was stunned, STUNNED!, by your vicious comment.

topping again, with the phrase Ciao debbie with the hopes that she can find her posts again in the future. <BR>

When I was planning on visiting Venice for the first time, I couldnt comprehend <BR>canals vs. streets either. I thought you had to be "gondoloed" everywhere <BR>and didn't know there are bridges over the small canals and walk ways next to them (like side walks, some wide some narrow). You can pull your luggage along the walk ways and over the bridges if you choose to do so, and can connect to St. Marks Square easily on foot, from anywhere in Venice.

Thank you for all that responded in an intelligent manner. Your replies about vaporetti, streets and canals enlighted me and brought back fond memories of Venice. I will look furter into mentioned hotes. Your good advice will help when I visit the origin county of my parents. Tanti saluti!