We arrive at Marco Polo late afternoon on Apr 20 for the start of a 2-week trip. We'll be renting a car to travel to Merano and then Dolomites (we prefer the flexibility), then return car for last 4 nights in Venice. Since we'll arrive tired, plan is to spend first night either near airport or a short ride away (bus, train?), before heading north. We are familiar with getting to/from the airport into Venice itself, but not where to go and how to get there if we want to go elsewhere. We could get car on arrival, if that's best option, but need ideas on destination for first night .... I welcome your suggestions on where to go on arrival and how to get there. If it's a place we should spend a day anyway, that would be even better. Thanks for ideas!
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
Padua (Padova)? There is a direct bus connection, and frequent trains from Venezia S Lucia and Mestre. Large enough, I suppose, to have a choice of car rentals. And enough to keep you busy for a day.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32699 posts
Try Quarto d'Altino. There's a Crowne Plaza there next to the station, but we really love Villa Odino just out of town on the banks of the Sile River. Is is our hotel of choice when we drive to Venice.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15141 posts
Are you renting the car upon arrival or the next day?
If you rent the next day you need to be close to the airport.
In your shoes I would pick up the car at the airport upon arrival, then follow the green road sign to AUTOSTRADA and take the A27 freeway toward BELLUNO. Drive straight on that freeway until the freeway ends in Belluno (about 1 hour drive from the Venice airport). Follow the directions to CADORE, DOLOMITI, CORTINA.
If you can't make it farther all the way to Cortina or the Dolomites, shortly after the end of the freeway on the way to Cortina, there is a nice town called LONGARONE. Sleep there if you are too tired to continue. Then the next day you proceed further to Cortina and beyond. Cortina is 1 hr drive from Longarone.
Posted by
OP
Tennessee USA
111 posts
Thanks for suggestions! We've decided to rent car at airport.
Nigel, the Quarto d'Altino area looks good, but I think we will try to go a little farther than that plus that may not be right direction now. Roberto, i like your suggestion too, but perhaps we'll do it in reverse, on way back to Venice. A new development is our friends want to meet in Trento on 23rd, and suggested we see Lake Garda prior to that. So I guess we want to head west from Venice. Any suggestions for small town stop for first night? And for a spot on Lake Garda for couple days? Or something else in the general direction between Venice and Trento?
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
Take the bus from the airport to Venice Mestre train station to Verona.
Then it's a 14 min train ride to Pescheria del Garda.
Either town would make a good stop.
No need to rent a car.
Posted by
OP
Tennessee USA
111 posts
What we did was rent car at Marco Polo and drove to Soave (a bit east of Verona). Stayed overnight, then drove to Lake Garda, where we stayed in Malcesine. I would recommend Soave as a nice stop, with old castle ruins and city walls plus wineries. Soave Classico is now a new favorite white wine. I will post more trip report later. But we did end by driving Roberto's suggested route in reverse to return car to Marco Polo and then go into Venice proper where we are now.