Has anyone driven over to Venice from Tuscany for the day? Are there logistic issues I should know about like parking, etc.

I know most would recommend more time in Venice and I'm hoping I can go back later, but the 4 hour drive from Tuscany is tempting.....Just thought it might be an option vs. another Tuscan town. We're there for four solid days and I have a short attention span.

Is it hard to drive in there? For the record, we're seasoned NYC Metro/Boston drivers and we'll be driving in/out of Rome (and have before).

Well, if you don't mind paying an exorbitant sum for parking (but you pay such sums in NYC, so it's not so bad) like 24 Euro a day or so, you can park your car right there at Piazzale Roma, buy a vaporetto ticket and cruise down the Grand Canal to Piazza San Marco. That's not difficult to do at all. Or, stop off on the #1 vaporetto at Rialto Mercato (Rialto Market) have lunch, visit the fruit and fish market (if early enough-but the fruit/veggie market is still there late afternoon) do some shopping, take pictures from the top of the Rialto bridge. You could do both easily in a day.

Or take the early train from florence and be there in under 3 hours, then the late train home. No parking worries

Thank you for your quick replies!

Train would be the best/fastest/easiest and probably cheapest way. To make the most of the day, I'd try to take as late a return train as is feasible - as Venice is most enjoyable at night IMO, when it is far less crowded. I've been in San Marco in mid-July neck deep in tourists at mid-day and nearly alone in the same spot several hours later.

definitely train. I did a daytime roundtrip from Venice -Florence a few years back to retrieve a lost computer connection (dont think you can find anything of this sort in Venice!) and it was really easy. You do need to start out early tho if you actually expect to see something rather than just staying in motion for the day.

Just my opinion, but I think that a daytrip that takes 8 hours of travel time is pretty much a waste of time and money that could be better spent closer to your starting point. Unless you just enjoy driving--which some people do.

Hi J,
If you take the 06:27 from Siena, you will be in Venice about 11:30. The 17:13 will get you back by 22:14.

You will have almost 6 hr to see Venice.

See www.bahn.de

If you drive, you will have almost 8 hr.

>We're there for four solid days...

Why not make 2 days an overnight in Venice?

Thanks Ira.

Unfortunately we've already made reservations in Tuscany for all four nights. This is a last minute whim of mine.

Thanks for all the info!

Personally, I wouldn't try it. Some years ago, my family and I drove from Innsbrook to Venice, found parking, took the vaporetto, wheeled our luggage to the hotel, spent one night, and retraced our steps to the car park. If we had allowed ourselves more time to actually enjoy the city, I might to this day have a positive feel for Venice. I think we rushed through the experience and missed out on her true charm and beauty. I can imagine going through the hassle for a mere 6-8 hours. Of course, to each his own!