Dickens87

After collecting information from this forum over the last year, our trip to Italy is right around the corner -arrive 5 Sep. My DH and I are starting in Venice with 4 nights at Accademia Villa Maravege.

Can you help me with how far the hotel is from the Accademia vaporetti stop? We are planning carry-ons but are worried about getting lost with luggage in tow.

We are planning visits to Museo Archeologico /Ca Rezzonico, Accedemia, Friari, Doge Secret Tour (Booked), St Marks (Booked per advice here). Do we need reservations at Museo Archeologico /Ca Rezzonico, Accedemia, or Friari? Would it be worth it to buy any Venice cards for reduced costs?

Since we are there for 4 night and 5 days - what kind of vaporetti pass should we get?

Thanks for all of the help.

YvonneT

By the looks of the map, you have a pretty straightforward, short walk to your hotel. I'd say 5 minutes at the very outside! Do you have a map, and have you asked the hotel for directions?

ellenem

"Can you help me with how far the hotel is from the Accademia vaporetti stop?"
A five-minute walk

"Do we need reservations at Museo Archeologico /Ca Rezzonico, Accedemia, or Friari?"
Not in my experience. The Accademia might have a line, but not the others.

The Doge's Palace, National Archaeological Museum, and Ca'Rezzonico are part of the Museum Pass which costs 16€ online (18€ in Venice). Separate entrance to these three would total 22€ so it seems like the pass would be worth it for you.

The Frari has its own admission and is also part of the Chorus Pass, a pass for 16 churches of the city.

It would be to your benefit to purchase a vaporetto pass from the VeniceConnected website, sine you will get good discount. Without knowing how much you plan to ride, it would be difficult to predict if a pass is best for you. However, do keep in mind that a pass purchased from VeniceConnected is activated the moment you pick it up, not when you first use it. Passes have a time limit in hours, so a 72-hour pass might be good across 4 days, from Day 1 noon until Day 4 noon. With careful planning you might not need a pass for your entire visit.

kappa1

I have stayed 4 times at Pensione Accademia- Villa Maravege in last 10 years or so, although not quite recently. Last times was maybe 5 years ago. I love the hotel. Above 2 posters are right. About 5 minutes walk. With only carry-ons, it would be easy enough. When you get offe the Accademia vap stop, go straight ahead with Accademia museum on your left. Take to first small steet to your right. You will come to a small canal and Taverna San Trovaso, a popular and economical restaurant that the Pentione recommended me at my first stay )on your left. You see the entrace gate to the Pensione on you right on the other side of the canal - toward the Grand Canal. Cross the small bridge (maybe 20 steps max up+down) and you will be there. That's the only bridge so it's quite easy. I have stayed at their double standard (small shower room), double superior (larger room with larger bath room/tub) and also a single room. All were on the canal side as I requested. Some people are afraid of noise by boat traffic but I was not bothered at all. You can even have a glimpe of the Grand Canal. Breakfast was good, I liked both the room and food.

> Museo Archeologico /Ca Rezzonico, Accademia, or Friari

I haven't been to the first one but visited the all the others without reservation (all in low seasons so no wait at all). I don't think reservation is even possible (except maybe Accademia?).

mclaurie

If you're arriving at Marco Polo airport and planning on taking the Alilaguna water taxi, the nearest stop to the Pensione Accademia is Zattere. http://www.pensioneaccademia.it/comeRaggiungerci.htm

kappa1

That's a great advice Maclaurie. I just checked that OP wrote on another thead that they would be flying from Rome into Venice. So Alilaguna boat to Zattere is a way I would recommend. A bit longer walk, 10 minutes ? A few more bridges but easier than other ways and cost effective.

tarquin

Actually there are no more bridges from the Zattere Alilaguna stop, it's all flat and very straightforward.

kappa1

I would just call Alilaguna, water BUS not taxi. For OP, Alilaguna water bus(technically not vaporetto) is like a shuttle bus that makes a few stops before Zattere, costs about €15. Water taxi is private, like a taxi and get you direct from a point to point but costs about €100 from aiport. Maybe you already know these things after your research.

kappa1

> Actually there are no more bridges from the Zattere Alilaguna stop, it's all flat and very straightforward.

Really? That's good to know. I will see it myself when I will be there next month like OP. Zattere is my favorites canal side promenade besides the one on the other side of Giudecca canal.

tarquin

Me too, kappa, and we always eat at an outside table on both sides: Ala Palanca on the Giudecca side and one of the places near the Zattere vaporetto stop.

qwovadis

http://www.eurocheapo.com/venice/fea...-around-venice

Was there in May was wonderful usually do the multi day

vapoetto pass usually break even after 5-5 rides everything

after that is FREE... visit tourist traps like San Marco

VERY early like 8AM very undrowded then go out and about

in the lgoon by boat and explore around tonnes of fun...

Really like Torcello(mosaics) and Burano(lace) Murano(glass)

Dickens87

Thank you all for the suggestions. I wasn't sure if my Venice Streetwise map showed all of the turns. I love the suggestion of taking the Aliaguna water taxi. I would not have thought to get off at Zatere.

If I booked a Doge Secret Itineraries tour with Vivaticket (paid) - could I still use discount?

I love the idea of taking an early ride up and down the Grand Canal.

Delaine

I will be using a Venice Streetwise map on my visit next week, but I will also be using the maps in my DK Eyewitness Travel Guide. I discovered, in doing my restaurant research and making route plans for the days that neither map shows quite everything. One will show a calle (street)that the other doesn't name and vice versa. The gist is that I think it is helpful to have 2 different maps.

basingstoke2

Dickens, we stayed very close to your hotel and loved the area.kappa1 mentioned the Taverna San Travaso and we very much enjoyed our meals there. It tends to fill up with locals most nights so if you intend to eat there stop in and make a resevation. There is also a very nice wine bar on the other side of the bridge when you cross over toward the Accademia.Give them a try. You will also be very close to a workshop where gondolas are made. It is on your side of the San Travaso and is a fairly non-descript looking gray wooden building. The workers will let you watch for awhile and take pictures - they have a tip jar so I guess they are used to tourists. It is well worth a tip.

hazel1

If you just look at the map on the hotel's own website http://www.pensioneaccademia.it/location.htm and click on the map to zoom, it very clearly shows where the hotel is relative to the Accademia stop as well as the exact route/path of travel to get from one to another. Had you even looked at this?

Dickens87

Thanks for the suggestions basingstroke2 - We will try Taverna San Travaso on our first night there since we will be wandering around Dosoduro to fight off our jet lag. I did look at the web site - appreciate the link - the hotel does give good instructions. I really can't wait to get there.

Peter_S_Aus

There's a bar that we like near where you are staying - Cantinone-gia Schiavi. A couple of minutes walk from your hotel. t closes about 6:00 PM. Great bar snacks - just point to what you want, and it's good for lunch as well.
This article refers:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/201...ne?INTCMP=SRCH

Opposite Cantinone–già Schiavi (992 Ponte San Trovaso), located on a canal in Dorsoduro, is another symbol of disappearing Venice: one of the city's last gondola workshops. Schiavi is really a wine shop that sells food on the side – although the cheese and fennel crostini were delicious. The walls are covered floor to ceiling by bottles, and there is a fantastic choice of 10 or so wines by the glass, mostly from the Veneto region, starting at €2. That, I noted, was the same price as the house, so I made a pest of myself and started to work through the labels (well, the glasses are tiny).

basingstoke2

Dickens, if you click my name and scroll down, you will find my Verona, Venice etc. TR that might have some things of interest to you. The Venice part is dated Jan 21, 09. Take note of a the Casa di Nobili restaurant recommendation that is actually fairly close to where you are staying.

Dickens87

Thanks to all for the great recommendations. I have loaded them all onto my iPad to take with me along with ellenm, peters and basinfstroke2 trip reports. I have 4 nights in Venice to try them out. Iwould not have had the courage to plan this trip without you