Based on your experiences what's best way to get to our B and B, Ca San Trovaso. Closest landmark is Santa Lucia train station. Do I just follow directions given by hotel using water taxi or do we arrange for one of the semi private or private transfers? I have never been to Venice and will be travelling with my adult daughter. I speak Italian fluently. Our flight arrives at 11:50am local time.
Thanks in advance!
I have always found hotel and B and B directions to be very clear and concise plus you have the added advantage of speaking fluent Italian. You can certainly spend the extra money for a private transfer but I do not think it is necessary in this case.
Generally speaking, there are 3 ways to get from the airport to your destination in Venice. The 1st is a water taxi and is the most expensive. Probably 120 or so Euros for the boat. If you can join up with another couple or two it might be worth the cost. Another possibility is a shared water taxi that will cost a little less depending on the number of people in your party. They both have pros and cons. Only you can decide.
The 2nd and next least expensive is the Alilaguna boat. It will cost about 20 Euros per person. It takes longer, you do have to "check" you baggage so you don't have control of it the entire time, and you probably will not be able to get a "non stop" line to the area of your destination.
The 3rd and least expensive is a combination bus and vaporetto (vap.). It takes a bit longer, but that is what we do because we travel very light with just one carry on apiece. There are two bus lines that serve the airport. One is ATVO and is NOT affiliated with the vap. system. The other is ACTV and IS affiliated with the vap. system. At the airport you can get a vap. pass for various periods from 24 to 72 (or more?) hours. You can have a one way or two way bus fare added to the vap. pass. There is a good site maintained by the ACTV system that has current prices and etc.. Don't remember the url so just Google it.
If you decide on option # 3, take the # 5 ACTC bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma. Be sure and validate the vap. pass on the bus. Do not wait until you get on the vap. Also, validate the pass each time you use the vap. From P. Roma it is a loooong walk. So take to the vap. to the stop closest to B & B. It appears the # 2 vap. will take you to a stop close to your B & B. We've done option # 3 many times. Easy Peasy and cheap to boot.
Suggest you go to googlemaps.com and type in the address of your B & B. It should show you the location and the vap. routes. You can also google "vaporetto routes" and get some good info. With googlemaps.com you can get aerial views and street level views that will allow you to "walk" the route from the vap. stop to your destination. Takes some experimentation but it's really valuable once you get the hang of it.
There is a site called veniceforvisitors.com that has a lot of good info. that you might want to check out .
Interesting -- if your BandB only suggested the most expensive water taxi option. We stayed at Pension Guerrato (recommended by RS and many on this board) and they gave all levels of transport options, specifying the best vaporertto stops to use. As noted, easy peasy.
The downloadable map on their website is pretty easy to follow, especially if you look at it in conjunction with a detailed map of Venice.
I'd walk from Zattere which look s much the easiest, or you can arrange for them to meet you at the dock.
That location is in one of my favourite parts of Venice.
Accademia bridge is your closest land mark.
Use this. Shows all means of transport.
https://quickvenice.com/transportation/airport-marco-polo.htm
Accademia bridge is your closest land mark.
I think Campo S Barnaba is much closer.
I stayed at Casa di Sara, the sister pension of the Ca' San Trovaso, in 2009. TC has outlined the pros and cons of the three options well.
I chose option 3. I bought a vaporetto pass, and in 2009 it included the bus number 5 from the airport to Piazzale Roma (this now costs a few euros extra when added to the pass). I then took the vaporetto to the Zattere stop and walked. It does require going up and down some bridges. Take vaporetto 5.1, which goes counter-clockwise around the island.
Here are their directions, copied from the e-mail they sent me in 2009 (even though I stayed at Casa di Sara, I still checked in at Ca' San Trovaso):
"Get off at Zattere;exit left,cross 1 bridge ( "PonteLongo") and after 100 meters,on your right, you will see a big white palace with flags,turn right,walk "Calle Trevisan", cross 2 little bridges;immediatly on your right we are there,yellow house,Calle Pometti, door #1351."
These directions were perfect, and very handy when jet-lagged!
Our apt owner suggested Alialaguna. Worked out fine. A bit crowded but we traveled light(small suitcase and backpack )so we kept our luggage with us. No problem getting a seat and nice way to see Venice for first time. We stayed in Canneregio so I can't say how it would be further on. I would do it that way again.
