Venice: Should I stay in Cannaregio or San Marco?
 

Same as my last message (see below)...

Athough even gerneral ideas about which area would be best to stay in would be helpful.

Thank you!

- Amy


Message: Has anyone stayed at either of these hotels?

The first is located in San Marco over by San Samuele. I know the location is central and very good. The price I'm being quoted is 80E a night for a single room with private bathroom outside across the hall. Includes breakfast, free entry to The Casino & a free trip to Murano (but one review said they try to hard sell you and suggested you go by yourself). Anyway, was able to find reviews, and they were good.

But, the second hotel, Minerva & Nettuno has AMAZING!!! pricing. 55 euro a night for half board, which includes breakfast and a full four course dinner. I found one good review on TripAdvisor, but nothing else, and the review only spoke of big rooms, nice place, great deal... nothing of the location. It is up in Cannaregio, very near to the train station (walking distance).

Is this too far away from everything? It appears that it's a 20 min walk to the Rialto and then I assume another 10-15 to St. Marks.

If anyone has stayed there and could give me their opinion on which location they think would be best (I'm a single lady, traveling alone)... that would be great.

Thank you,

Amy

I'd stay in San Marco. The Minerva & Nettuno is on the Lista di Spagna, and while it is not unsafe there it is a bit cheesy and crowded. San Samuele is a much nicer area and also, a bit better for getting around.

I agree with Rialtogrl about the location of San Samuele being better but there's another good review of the m & n on eurocheapo here
http://www.eurocheapo.com/venice/lis...on/minerva.asp
There's a mention from someone on Rick Steve's website that also says it's good but a basic backpacker's place. But check out the restaurant run by m & n. It sounds good.

Thank you, that helps so much. I will book the one in San Samuele right away!
Thanks again!

I've eaten at I Quattro Rusteghi... it is a good restaurant. The chef made an incredible dish of layered radicchio and pasta - I'll never forget it. I asked him how he came up with it and he told me he learned how to prepare it "at the Radicchio Conference." That's right, seven days of nothing but radicchio.

The only bad thing was it was incredibly smoky in the restaurant, partly because of Artsy Kika's chain smoking.

I can still taste the radicchio from Venice. Unlike any from home IMO.

Just wanted to point out earthlinkamy you never actually told us the <i>name</i> of the place in San Marco so we haven't checked reviews (have you??) Just basing things on locaion.

The bed and breakfast in San Marco is as follows:

HOTEL LOCANDA FIORITA &amp;CA' MOROSINI
Campiello novo S.Marco 3457/a 30124 VENEZIA

I found several reviews and all were great. The other hotel was just pulling at me because of the price, 30 euros a day less AND included dinner. So I saw a saving of 40 euro a day.

But, location is key too.

Seems like location has won out this time :-)

I stayed at the Rossi on a side street off the Lista di Spagna and found the location fine for what we wanted--easy to get luggage there on foot from train, quiet (where we were), and near restaurants and a vaparetto stop. It was a walk or vaparetto ride to San Marco, but we walked and rode all over, so if we were staying near San Marco, we would not have just stayed in that neighborhood.

Lista di Spagna is the main walking route, so it is lined with shops and restaurants and bustling with people. The only time I felt uncomfortable was one evening when I went out for a walk on my own after dark--it is amazing how deserted the side streets are throughout Venice, especially at night. So I ended up sticking to the main streets and along the canal toward the Jewish Quarter so I didn't feel isolated in small winding streets. Perhaps it is different in the side streets near San Marco?

I think your decision to go with location was wise.

As a small additional advantage, you can reduce the 40 Euro saving by 10 Euros. A one-way trip on any vaporetto on the Grand Canal costs 5 Euros, and from Lista di Spagna you probably would want to take the vaporetto rather than walk a half to three-quarters of an hour to see most of the main attractions in Venice.