Hi All,

We will be flying in and out of Venice in mid-July, though we are staying closer to Cinque Terre during our trip. We will, however, be driving back to Venice the day before our flight. We are a family of 5 - my husband and me, and our kids ages 23, 21 and 19. We will have a rental car, so need to park it somewhere, drop off our luggage at a hotel convenient to the airport, and hopefully, enjoy a few sights around Venice before we leave for the airport for a 1:30pm flight the following day. A few questions then:

Where can we stay for one night (keeping in mind we will have the rental car)?
What time should we arrive at the airport?
What is a must do for a very short visit to Venice?

PS - I know it will be crowded, but July was the only time we could all go as a family. I am the only one who has visited Venice and it was 25 years ago.

Thanks for your help!

Don't, is my recommendation.

Getting 5 people to & from the airport or airport hotel to St Mark's consumes a lot of time & money - unless you have a huge amount of money & can arrange for a water taxi to be at your "beck & call" twice on each day. And you need to wrestle with a car?? And your flight departs at 1:30 & you need to pick up luggage at the hotel before the flight???? This is something I would never do!! Venice is quite isolated. Spend more time at the CT & visit Venice when you have at least 3 nights you can spend on the island.

Stu Dudley

I was thinking the same thing, though wanted to ask if it would be too much of a hassle. Is there anywhere between CT and Venice that would be a good place to spend the night? I don’t really want to drive 4 hours back to the airport the morning of our flight. Thanks!

Verona would be my choice. Less than 1 1/2 hrs between Verona and the Venice airport.

We stayed at the Hotel Gabbia D'Oro.

Stu Dudley

I do like that Verona has the large amphitheater with tours. I think my family would enjoy learning about this. Any other "must sees" in Verona?

Thanks,

Rose

I'm going to disagree with your 2 previous advisors. A little Venice is better than no Venice & while Verona is a nice enough city, Venice it ain't.

So, I suggest you return your car on arrival, presumably near the airport & take one of several ways from the airport into the city.

Look here:
https://wanderwisdom.com/travel-dest...port-to-Venice

Stay overnight in Venice. I'm assuming you've never been there before because I doubt there'd be any question of skipping it if you had. I could be wrong, of course, but as far as I'm concerned it's one of the most beautiful places on the planet, otherworldly, and I simply cannot imagine not spending as much or as little time as you can. Not everywhere is crowded. Find yourself a hotel or apartment convenient to your transportation back to the airport & have an overnight there. You won't regret.

I hope you are traveling with the Michelin Green Guide to Italy. Get your info about Verona from there.

Stu Dudley

Mad dash through Venice!!

- Wake up three 19-23 year olds, wash down breakfast, check out of hotel by 9:30
- Retrieve car. Last time we were on the CT this took some doing. Depart CT by 10:30 (with a little buffer).
- Drive 4 1/2 to 5 hrs to the Venice airport. Add 1/2 hr for quick lunch & pottie breaks for 5. Arrive at 4PM
- check into the hotel, connect with pre-arranged water taxi (we did this once) & ready to head to Venice at 5
- Arrive near St Marks at 5:45. No time for Doges tour, wait in line to get into St Marks, visit St Marks & complete wait/tour at 6:30PM - or later.
- Contend with the July St Mark's crowd's & visit the St Marks area. Complete by 7:30.
- Last meal in Italy? Perhaps something quick & touristy. Finish at 8:30
- connect with pre-arranged water taxi at 9:00
- Get back to hotel at 10:00PM. Final packing for return flight home. In bed at 11PM

Next morning

-Wake 5 people at 7:00, shower, etc (you'll be on a plane for a long time), more final packing, quick breakfast, check out of hotel by 9:30am.
- meet pre-arranged water taxi at 10:00
- Water taxi to Rialto Bridge & arrive at 10:45.
- Visit Rialto Bridge for 1/4 hr. Finish at 11:00

It already too late to make the flight home.

And if one of these pre-arranged connections don't happen........You are doomed!!

Stu Dudley

Where are you starting from "near" the CT? The drive to Venice could be closer to 5 hours. If you got the driving estimate from google maps, you need to add 15-20% to the google calculation.

While a little Venice may be better than no Venice, I think you need to consider the time you'd have IN Venice compared to the logistics involved. It won't be "24 hours in Venice," and only you can decide if the time is worth the effort.

If you do go to Venice, I wouldn't try to keep the group together which will be slow going. Let the younger ones do their own thing and then meet up for dinner. If you're early risers, you might have another hour or two in the morning to see Piazza San Marco and/or the Rialto area before the tourist tsunami arrives. You can park overnight at Piazzale Roma, but you could also return the car there and have once less thing to do the next day. The car rental return at VCE is pretty straightforward, but it will probably be crowded and take some time.

If you go to Verona instead, make sure you know where your hotel is in relation to the ZTL.

If your flight out of Venice is international, I assume you need to check in at least 2 hours before departure. But check with your airline, and make sure you know about any covid regulations that might be in place.

Thank you all for your informative replies. Although we would love to visit Venice, I just think the logistical hurdles may be too great for this trip. As Stu mentioned, if one connection doesn't work, "we are doomed." We are staying in Zoagli, which according to Google maps is just over 4 hours (sounds like it may be longer?) from Venice. We like the Verona idea as we think our last day should be slower-paced and not a frenzied, anxiety-provoking memory I had never heard of a ZTL, so I very much appreciate the tip. If you have other ideas/suggestions, please let me know!

Thanks again,

Rose

""You can park overnight at Piazzale Roma, but you could also return the car there and have once less thing to do the next day. The car rental return at VCE is pretty straightforward, but it will probably be crowded and take some time.""

Too many moving parts & un-predictable auto taxi & water taxi "connections".

If they park at Piazzale Roma upon arrival, then they would need to take a taxi to the hotel near the airport to check in & take their bags. Another connection. If they return the car at Piazzale Roma upon arrival, and take a taxi to the hotel - there is still the auto taxi connection. Then what happens the next morning? They will need to return to the hotel via water taxi after visiting Venice (taking a water taxi to get there) so they can retrieve their bags before taking a "connection" to the airport.

I like the idea of driving to Verona, parking in the hotel parking lot, walking to explore Verona & have dinner, then walking back after dinner. Next morning, maybe a walk through Verona, then retrieve the car from the hotel parking lot, drive to the airport (1 1/2 hrs), returning the car at the airport lot, then the flight home. No hired taxi or water taxi "connection". Most everything is predictable.

Stu Dudley

""We are staying in Zoagli, which according to Google maps is just over 4 hours (sounds like it may be longer?) from Venice""

Viamichelin.com says it is 4 1/4 hrs from the Venice airport. My wife & I retired in 1999 so we could travel more, Since then, we have spent 2 months each year driving around in Europe (except in Paris, London, Rome, Venice, etc). If Viamichelin says it is 4 1/4 hr, I "budget" 4 3/4 to 5 hours to allow for rest breaks, back ups at tool booths, lunch, wrong turns, etc.

Stu Dudley

My first thought was forget it, because you don’t have 24 hours, probably closer to four to six, max., but MmePerdu gave me pause. I have been lucky enough to go to Venice several times, but once, stopped for only a few hours, stashed luggage at Santa Lucia and just walked around, getting a Venice fix. It was late Fall though, so few crowds, plus I knew my way around..

Others made me think of what, IMHO might be a better stop whether you go into Venice or not. It would not be Verona for me, just too long of a morning the next day before the flight, though pretty, not worth it IMHO.

I would probably spend the night in Vicenza because I love the gorgeous town and an afternoon there would be enough to really enjoy the town, perhaps even time to see Teatro Olimpico.

However, this is actually my primary recommendation.
Stay the night in Padua.
If you wish to visit Venice, stay as near the Padua train station as possible. It is a 15-25 minute train ride into Venice and you end right in Venice, at Santa Lucia Station on the Grand Canal. You can walk from there or take a vaporetto. Easy Peasy and you could have five or six hours in Venice, no luggage or car. I would not try to tour or see inside anything, but pick some less crowded areas to wander, admire the architecture, bridges, etc. As late as possible, take a vaporetto back down the Grand Canal to Santa Lucia and catch the train back to Padua. Last train leaves before midnight, so don’t miss it. If you decide on this, let us know. We can give a few tips to navigate the crowds.
All that being said, many people who go only for a few hours, especially during Summer, leave hating it. It is magical at night. Take that into consideration, but if you are willing to miss the main touristy places, you could enjoy a glimpse of Venice.

You can also just visit Padua, which is absolutely beautiful. Look at some pictures. The city is not large and is easily walkable. Great food too.
It is about a 40 minute drive to the airport the next morning.

There used to be a bus/shuttle service from Padua to Marco Polo, but I did not use it, you might check on that. If it is in operation, it might be easier to turn the car in on arrival in Padua and take the bus to the airport rather than having to drop the car the next morning.

To my mind, staying at an airport hotel is the problem. The OP's flight is at 1:30p, not the crack-of-dawn flight that many have which makes an airport hotel the better option.

I'm with those who suggested driving from CT to Piazzale Roma in Venice and turning in the car there. (Take the rental car out of the mix for your departure day--one less thing to worry about.)

Book a hotel in Venice close to Piazzale Roma. (No need to use an airport hotel and then have to waste time and money transiting back and forth into Venice.)

Drop your bags at the hotel and have the rest of the day and evening in Venice--whatever that may be. And best, you'll be able to enjoy the evening in Venice after many of the day-trippers depart.

In the morning, grab a land taxi at Piazzale Roma directly to the airport for your flight. The ride on land is 20-30 minutes, and would be cheaper than a water taxi and drop you right at the airport door instead of the docks which are a 5- to 7-minute walk from the terminals.

I've also been to Venice several times, last time as you did, Sassafras, for just several hours between trains. But enough to make me happy as I wrote about here:

https://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/cha...la-serenissima

Excellent plan, Ellenem. I've never had a car in Italy so didn't realize they can be dropped off at Piazzale Roma. One less hurdle to being in Venice. I don't know how anyone can resist.

"""I don't know how anyone can resist""

I can.

They wake up 5 hour away from Venice, and the day before a (long?) flight. I'm not a fan of the train station/Piazzale Roma area. We've stayed there, returned a car there, and picked up a car there. I would want to explore "deeper" into Venice - I suppose St Marks area, near the Arsenal, Dorsodoro, etc. And this is July - when it will be mobbed.

Time schedule;
- Arrive a Piazzale Roma at 4pm
- Return the car, check into hotel, refresh, and ready to see Venice at 5PM.
- Walk/taxi to train station/P, Roma area & secure transportation at 5:30
- take vaperetta, water taxi, or walk to St Marks. Get there at 6:15 - 6:45 (walk). last admission to St Marks is 4:45.
- Wander in St Mark's area. Have dinner till 9:30 (3 hours in Venice).
- Retrace back to hotel & arrive at 11:00.

- Next morning, take transportation to airport, arrive at 10:30-11:00 & depart.

- All for 3 hrs in Venice!!

IMO (and my wife's opinion} - 3 hrs in Venice is not better than no time in Venice. You'll experience the crowds and not Venice (in July). You need to find the "quiet corners" - away from St Marks to really discover the "joys" of the island. To find the quiet corners - you need to do some research.

Stu Dudley



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Oh, Stu, how you do go on, bending us to your will. No sale.

My parents taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say about someone - don't say anything at all.


Stu Dudley

Just to tag onto ellenem's post.. and not to make the decision easier or harder... There are well-reviewed hotels within a 10-minute walk of Piazzale Roma in Venice. It isn't an area of the city I would choose for a longer stay, but it's perfectly ok for a quick luggage drop and morning departure to the airport. It's not close to Piazza San Marco.

You've got a few things working against a simple plan... Only 24 hours to work with, opposite side of the country, not a small group (groups take longer to move, require multiple hotel rooms), a car that can be useful in one respect but a bother in others... If you were willing to take away half a day and night from Zoagli, you wouldn't feel like you were playing Beat the Clock.

As you weren't aware of the infamous ZTL concept, you should read the link below. You will encounter ZTLs everywhere you go.

https://www.zestcarrental.com/blog/i...nes-explained/