I am continuing with my pre-trip planning and looking through the restaurants on Fodors.com. I thought it would be great to actually locate a restaurant on a map of Venice before leaving but using viamichelin have been unable to accomplish that task.

I have the eyewitness Italy book but the map doesn't show all streets in Venice. Anyone know of a good map on the internet (or elsewhere) or am I just going to have to wait until I get to Venice and purchase one?

I really like the Streetwise Guides, they're plastic coated and fit in a back pocket. There's also Artwise, but Streetwise has a street index which can be very useful!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...qid=1062786184

What timing! I have always liked the Streetwise maps and just yesterday picked up (at Barnes and Noble) one for Rome and one for Venice as I'm starting planning for next year. But the Venice one is rather strange. The directory is divided into five or six areas of Venice. So you have to already know which area a particular canal, street, or campo is in, in order to find it in the index. No big problem, except it takes a lot of searching if you don't know where something is to go throught each of the categories of each of the areas in order to find it.

I love the Streetwise maps and used mine for NYC frequently on passed trips. I wasn't sure how accurate they were for Europe. Also Patrick, all of my guidebooks have restaurants, etc in Venice broken down by the siestries so I actually think that would make it easier to locate the street if the map is also broken down that way. I'm going to get one today!

I printed out the Fodors recommended restaurants by area and each has an address. The one in particular I am looking for had a rather good recommendation: Alla Dona Onesta, Ponte de la Dona Onesta, 3922 Dorsoduro, Venice. Can you find it on Streetwise?

Actually, that wasn't the correct restaurant. I'm looking for Al Gondolieri, Fondamenta Zorzi, Bragadin, 366 Dorsoduro, Venice.

Yes, I just found both on Streetwise Venice. Fondamenta Zorzi Bragadin is directly behind the Guggenheim's gardens.

Thank you Patrick! Perhaps I will get one then. Appears it shows enough detail.

We found it easier to have a map that was smaller. Unless you really want to find a specific address, IMO it's easier to walk around with one sheet of paper instead of juggling several different maps. And you will be doing a lot of walking!

I ended up going to a local bookstore and looked at all of the Venice maps they had (which was quite a few, and I don't live in a major metropolitan market!). There were a few locations I knew from research, like the train station and our hotel, which I used as my basis for buying the map.

Just another suggestion as a backup.

We used the National Geographic laminated street map, which I purchased at Barnes & Noble months before the trip. I opened that thing so many times before the trip to look up places and always found the street I was looking for very easily.

The other thing I liked about it was the lamination...it's still good as new, and was a cinch to refold again.

I will have to check out the Streetwise map before our next trip, though. I hear a lot of good things about those maps on the board.

Just a fair warning - even with the best of maps, navigating Venice can be very disorienting! Be prepared to get lost a few times, but that's part of the charm of this city.

To those above, maybe you don't realize -- Streetwise is a laminated, easy fold map. Mine for Paris has lasted me about five trips now, and I can actually tuck into my back pocket, although it sticks out a bit.

Thanks, Patrick. I had no idea. I just bought was looked to be best at the time. I'll have to look for Streetwise the next time.

One more vote for Streetwise Guides.

Two things:
First, the thing I like about the NG Traveler street map is that it's all on one side (at the one for Paris), rather than two sides like Streetwise.
Second, even with the best street map of Venice, you're going to get lost. Why? Because there are not always signs identifying the streets! But fear not, as a previous poster wrote, part of the joy of Venice is getting lost!

me too

the only cities where I've supplemented Streetwise are Paris and Rome--needed a more detail for some obscure areas.
For Venice I think SW is perfect.

I got an Insight map which is also laminated and had every street labeled. It was great--also included all the vaporetto routes and stops, very clearly labeled.

I agree that one of the best things about Venice is getting lost. I'm curious. Has anyone out there who has walked more than a block or two in Venice, NOT been lost at some point?

Good morning, Rhonda
At the southwest corner of the Pza S.
Marco is the office of Venice Tourist
Office gives free a Pianta di Venezia.
A Free map and tho it does not have all the names of the calles is a very good
guide and knowing how to read the signs
really is difficult to get lost in
Venice.... Richard of LaGrange Park, IL>

The beauty of Streetwise is the yellow highlighted path, illustrating the most commonly walked calli. For me, the downside of Streetwise - I need a magnifying glass to read it. Years ago, I solved this problem by taking the map to a quality color laser printer. I had each sestiere blown up to 200%. Then I cut and pasted my own map. It worked beautifully.

I no longer need a map for Italy's fave 3 but I must say, a Venetian friend recently gave me a new map by Magnetic North called "The Illustrated Venice Map." It's the best map of Venice I've ever seen. The graphic design is perfection and every calle, even the tiny ones, seem to be labeled. Remarkable! It's a fold-out style but includes the surrounding islands. The publisher is Draughtsman Ltd out of London.