Piazzale Roma to Hilton Molino Stucky

I can't address your question about the cruise terminal. However, it does appear that you can take a vaparetto from the Piazzale Roma to the Giudecca Palanca stop, then walk along the Fondamenta to your hotel.

If you go to the Hilton Molino Stucky website you can find their recommendations on how to get to the hotel from different locations. There should be no need to go through the cruise terminal if you are not on a cruise.

http://molinostuckyhilton.com/travel/map-and-location.html

Linea Blu is an Alilaguna boat, not a vaporetto--- much more expensive. As stated already, there is no need to go to the cruise terminal. You can take a vaporetto from Piazzale Roma to the nearest dock on Giudecca for 7€.

Consider buying Vap tickets for multiple days, 2-3 depending on your length of stay. Much cheaper and more convenient than buying individual trip tickets.

Lola

Thank you and thank you to the other forum posters for the prompt replies. Since I am new to the forum I am replying to my message here and sending you a personal reply. (Didn’t know how to make sure that all the posters saw my reply.)

According to what I found on the Alilaguna web site the fare for Cruise Terminal to Venice is only 8 euros. There is a charge for extra baggage, but the vaporettos may also charge for excess baggage if I understand correctly.

The reason I wanted to take the Linea Blu is that there is only one stop from the start of the boat trip to the hotel and the boat dock is right at the hotel entrance.

If we took the vaporetto line 4.1 starting at the P. Roma, it is 3 stops to Palanca plus a quarter mile walk with two bridges from Palanca to the hotel.

Granted, the distance from P. Roma to the Terminal Crociere is about 0.3 miles, but some of that distance can be taken via the 1.5 euros people mover. (And there are no bridges to traverse with suitcases.)

The advice I was seeking from the forum members is whether what I want to do is feasible. I was particularly seeking any information as to whether entry into the cruise terminal is permitted if we are not sailing on that day. (We will be sailing four days later.)

Again I thank everyone for their comments and hope that someone will be able to address my specific request. If I have to I will take the vaporetto, but I would like advice as to whether I can get into the cruise terminal to take the Linea Blu and undertake the excursion as I initially stated.

Thank you.

Wes and or Jan

I think the way you asked your question, and the way you replied by answering your question is just perfect. That's the way we do it here.

The hotel gives these directions from P Roma -

From Piazzale Roma, take public water bus ACTV line 2 or 4.1. The
closest stop to the hotel for both lines is "Palanca", which is a
ten-minute walk from the hotel. Alternatively if carrying heavy
luggage, disembark the water bus at Zattere (only reachable via line
2), where you can take our complimentary shuttle boat, which stops
directly in front of the hotel.

The option I would have picked, based on many years of traveling to Venice (but never the Molino Stucky although I have passed it many times) would have - regardless of luggage - been their second option.

I really like the vaporettos going quickly along the Giudecca Canal past the cruise ships - Molino Stucky is the great big orange brick warehouse on your right hand side - you need the number 2 going counter clockwise, not the one going down the Grand Canal towards Rialto or S Marco.

Get on - one every 10 or 12 minutes - settle in and enjoy the views. It is possible to be asked for money for too much luggage on the vaporetto but unless you have a fair haul of bags it is reasonably rare. Off at Zattere and enjoy looking across at the Redentore while you wait a little while for the free shuttle boat from the hotel, then hop on that boat and arrive in style.

That's what I would have suggested even if the hotel hadn't.

Welcome to Venice - I hope you have a really great time, and then a nice cruise.

Nigel
Thank you for your note. My first and last names always give trouble. Once in Europe, one of the hotel keepers decided that he wouldn’t even believe my passport which has me as Wesley (First Name) Jan (Last Name) and proceeded to file my passport under W.

I appreciate your advising me about the options and your pick of the two.

But to paraphrase an ad line, “I want to do it my way”.

Any opinions about the route that I proposed, P. Roma, People Mover, Cruise Port, Terminal Crociere, Giudecca Hilton?

I remain appreciative of all the help that you and others have already provided, but I really am hopeful for an answer to the above specific question.

Thank you

Wes Jan

For some reason the poster wanted to make private messages instead of asking here on the Forum. This is the place for it, and I have told him. If I had additional information to give I would do it. Here. So that everybody would benefit, not just one person.

We are a community.

Nigel

I sent you a private message only because I did not know whether a public message would be seen by you.

Thank you for your honesty.

It doesn’t sound like Alilaguna has the most agreeable boats, but since we will be travelling only one stop and as long as our luggage does not roll off from the top deck, Alilaguna is the only way that I know of, short of hiring a water taxi, that in one stop will get us directly to the hotel dock. According to the Alilaguna time schedule the Linea Blu boats run every 30 minutes during the days when ships are loading or off-loading in port.

Taking the route that you favored, vaporetto to Zattere, hotel shuttle to hotel, will get us directly to the hotel dock, but involves more than a one stop boat ride. I also did know about the Alilaguna from the airport to the hotel, but this is a very long ride and even more stops.

So I guess my selection criterion for the boat ride was one stop and direct to the hotel dock. And only Alilaguna met that criterion.

If you have any other thoughts, let me know.

And I would be happy to post on the public thread the results of my trial.

Over two dozen trips to Venice is quite a number. This will be basically my first. If you don’t mind I have two other questions.

1. Any recommendations for restaurants? We are told that Italians typically use lunch as their major meal of the day and have a lighter dinner. We are thinking of following a similar plan and perhaps just snack on the run at dinner time and use the time we save by skipping an evening sit-down dinner for additional (less crowded) sight seeing. So we would really want recommendations for restuarants to try at the Italian lunch time.

2. We were told to try a concert in Venice and have selected Vivaldi and Opera Arias on Aug 26 2015 at the Ateneo di San Basso. Any experience with this recital and would you happen to know if we would be best off buying tickets in advance, or are tickets readily available at the door on the evening of the performance?

Thank you again for your replies and courtesy.

Wes Jan

If you really want a one stop, nothing out of the way trip, get a water taxi. It will be direct to your hotel with no extra hauling of luggage. But it costs significantly more.

I think people are just a little surprised that you want to walk out of your way to get to a boat that has fewer stops. The boat that has more stops but is located right where you arrive will probably end up taking the same amount of time. The boat dock at the cruise terminal can also be very busy depending on how many people just got off of a boat(s) and you may have a long line. Piazzale Roma's boat dock is probably also busy, but the buses offload fewer people at a time than a boat.

For what it's worth, I stayed at the Molino Stucky on my first trip to Venice and was worried that using their shuttle boat would be a hindrance, but it was really quick and easy. They have several going most of the day so there was never a long wait. If you arrive late, keep in mind that Guidecca is more residential in nature and has fewer restaurants available. We were stuck eating a much more expensive meal than we planned when we waited to eat until we arrived and did not want to take the trip across to the rest of Venice.

Good luck with your trip!

One - we tend to not use restaurants much, but wander around to a variety of pizzerias including ai Nono Risorto, eat at various small Osterie and like, both for lunch and dinner, making the rounds to our favourite bacari for cicchetti. We also have a favourite pasticceria, Tonolo, near San Pantalon.

We don't do fancy or expensive or voluminous.

Two -We don't do concerts anywhere, much.

I sent you a private message.

Jen

Thanks for your reply. It is reassuring to know that the Hilton shuttle worked well for you.

By more expensive restaurant your first night at the Hilton, do you mean the Hilton hotel restaurant? We thought that the hotel restaurant could be our default if we get in too late or are too tired to explore.

With regard to my boat route choice, let me explain that by taking the Linea blu I avoid walking from Palanca to the hotel or avoid having to transfer to the hotel shuttle at Zattere. To be honest since I haven’t been to Venice before I don’t know whether that trade-off is worth it, but it seemed to me that it would be based on my preference of how to get to the hotel.

The initial forum post to this thread was then asking if anyone had any experience or advice about this plan.

Since, so far, no one has said so, I assume that no one has ever tried this route. So perhaps I will be the first to do so. Your point about the cruise terminal boat dock possibly being very busy is a good one, but since we don’t arrive at the airport until 1:45 PM, I am assuming that most passengers who are leaving their ships will have departed by then.

Wes

Nigel

Thank you for the information.

Wes

We did not eat at the hotel, although the price would not have been much cheaper from what I remember. We ate at Harry's Dolci which is between the hotel and the Palanca dock. Harry's Bar in Venice is known for creating the original Bellini and this is a restaurant by the same owners (Cipriani) as the original Harry's Bar. We both had grilled chicken sandwiches which came with french fries, a small bellini (about the size of a double, maybe triple shot glass) and maybe a coffee, no wine or dessert. The bill was around 125 euro which is more than we would normally have spent on grilled chicken sandwiches & fries and it was one of the cheapest items on the menu. That said it was one of the best grilled chicken sandwiches I have ever had and we sat outside right along the canal so the view was great.

The walk from the Palanca dock is really not that far, but there are two bridges to cross. It really just depends on how much luggage you carry.

Thanks Jen

I am very appreciative of all you and the other forum members have shared with us. The information and opinions has been useful.

From your dining experience on Giudecca, it sounds as if we might be better off going "off-island" for our meals.

I was thinking of taking the hotel shuttle boat to the Zattere boat dock and eating in that area (or North near the Accademia or northwest near the Campo San Barnaba) using the listing of restaurants in the RS Venice Guidebook. Anything you want to share with me about this idea. I choose the Zattere boat dock area because I can take the free hotel shuttle, which you found quick and easy, and it is closer than the next hotel shuttle stop at San Marco.

I understand about the walk from the Palanca dock and wish we could travel lighter (but the Lufthansa weight limit on carry on constrains us) so with a bit more luggage than I would like, I am trying to avoid routes with bridges or routes requiring boat transfers.

Thanks again

Wes Jan

Wes Jan

I understand your concerns about humping all that luggage - it now starts to sound like "all that" luggage, and I do understand that you will follow the visit with a cruise and sometimes people on a cruise bring everything they own and go out and buy more just to have an outfit to change into several times a day.

But I don't understand your concern with how many stops a boat has. Just like a city bus, they go from stop to stop along the route, people get on and off, you look around and see things you have never seen before, and then the boat moves off. When you approach to your stop you go and gather all your belongings and take them and you off the boat onto the floating dock and then up onto the land. There are no stairs, just one step onto the floating dock and the crew man or woman can help you if you are burdened. The Captain keeps the boat firmly pressed against the dock so there is no concern about falling between the boat and the dock. Even wheelchairs can do it.

Or is there so other fear?

My concern, Wes Jan, is that you are making a simple connection very complicated and difficult because of a particular fear or concern. If I can help alleviate that I think you will enjoy your trip more.

Nigel

Thank you for continuing to advise me.

You are right about a “fear”. I don’t know where one’s luggage is kept on the vaporetto, but since we might have four pieces, I did not think that our luggage would be stored beside us. Thus if our luggage will not be beside us, I wasn’t certain whether there had been any incidents of one’s luggage being taken accidentally or intentionally.

Therefore I thought it best to keep my eye on our luggage at each stop. Obviously the more stops the more I have to check on our luggage.

So this is the reason about the number of stops. Also, the more stops, the longer in time the boat ride, which overall may or may not make a difference.

Incidentally the four pieces stem from Lufthansa’s 17 pound weight limit on carry-ons. Without a carry on weight limit we usually just take two pieces of luggage. (One per person.)

Thanks again for your continuing responses and help

Wes

How long are you staying in Venice? If not very, perhaps you could put only what you need for Venice in one bag, and store the other in the Deposito Bagagli at Piazzale Roma. You can Google them for contact info, then contact them to find out whether that's allowed and how much it costs.

Well that is a reasonable fear.

There are ways to help, and they are easy.

I have spent the last 3 hours scouring Google Images and YouTube because I think that a picture is worth a thousand words, and these two videos I have chosen have lots of explanatory pictures.

Perhaps if you view these two videos it may help. At least the second one (maybe the first too) has a short ad at the start, which can be skipped.

The first is at http://youtu.be/nhWU3Ziq80I and shows the exact route I suggest to Zattere from P Roma. The video starts with boarding at Ferrovia - the railway station - which is just across the Grand Canal and down a bit from P Roma, one stop before P Roma. The first boat that comes past the dock is a pointy black one, which is called a Motoscafo and in this case it is probably going to Murano. We catch the next boat which is going the other way, and will be a Number 2 via the Giudecca Canal. The boat approaches an area with lots of trees which the park next to the Sofitel and across a back canal from P Roma, then you see it slow down under the new bridge and then, just before docking at P Roma the video skips past there and the inner area, and the cruise dock, to S Basilio. You then see the Zattere fondamenta approaching and then the film ends as the boat arrives at the dock.

The second video is at http://youtu.be/B1Aqq3_b1fM and it shows the area where the luggage should go and how you can keep an eye on it, although I will say that whenever I throw a piece below the table I don't usually worry too much.

You get a decent view of the type of boat the number 2 is, the wide cream coloured ones. This trip is a number 1 between Rialto and S Silvestro and onwards to S Angelo. You can see that there is an area near the front of the boat, sometimes with forward facing seats and sometimes not, then the Captain's wheelhouse, then directly behind the Captain (visible at the start of the film and as the boat is docked at S Silvestro) an area for luggage with a flat table top and a couple of tubes forming the sides. It is open at the front and that is where you should put any luggage that is not staying with you. Excess can go on the top of the table, or ask the crewperson. They are very busy but if you ask nicely when they are not dealing with the docking - they are far too busy then - they will try to help.

That is in the open (but covered) area where people stand, either because they have a short trip or like the view or are lazy. You can stand there too, and be right next to your luggage if you want. Or stand along the side as long as you are not in the way at docking. Then there is the large cabin with lots of seats on both sides of the aisle, and probably you can find seats which give you a view of your luggage without straining. Don't sit in the seats reserved for disabled unless you fit the categories printed on the seat and the seatback. At the very back of the boat, through swinging doors are a very few rear facing outside seats.

So, we should be able to make it that you can stow your luggage, nobody will make off with your underwear and ball gown, and I expect you to have your most valuable items with you in whatever your airline will allow you to take on the plane, and I'm sure you will have a moneybelt.

I am also sure that you will have purchased tickets (we can talk about what kind after we get this sorted out) and validated them on the machine (I saw another YouTube for that if you need it) before you boarded.

Does this help at all?

Once we get you checked in I will share my favourite places for nibbles around there....

By the way, when is this adventure, where are you arriving from, and what time of day?

I think you need to figure out if you are allowed into the secure area of the Stazione Maritima to reach the Alilaguna dock if you are not a cruise ship passenger.

Sasha

Right on. This has been, so far, an unanswerable question. Goggle search, at least at my search skill level, has found nothing. And no one in this forum has answered this question either.

I also don't know whether the Alilaguna dock is in a public area or a secure area.

If you knew, I am sure you would have told us.

Thank you

Hi Wes Jan,
We just returned from a trip that ended at the Hilton Molino Stucky. I know you don't want to go this route, but we did with two pieces of luggage each (small rolling bags and way overstuffed backpacks). It's very easy and you can stay with your luggage (as long as you can stand during the boat ride). There is a place in the middle of the boat on the flat deck area with a shelf for luggage.
We exited the train station, turned right and walked over the bridge to Piazzale Roma and bought vaporetto passes. Then we took the 4.1 to Palanca and walked to the hotel. Yes, there are two bridges between Palanca and the hotel. It's an easy route, other than the bridges. In fact, we never even used the hotel shuttle since we had our own passes.
However you get there, the hotel is great. Definitely go up to the rooftop bar for a drink--the view is fabulous. Have a great trip (I'm already jealous of people who are heading off to Italy).

Nigel

Thank you for spending 3 hours scouring the web in an effort to help us with our questions and issues.

The two videos to which you sent us links were indeed helpful. The first link gave me a sense of the vaporetto route that you suggest and the second link indeed showed space behind the wheelhouse, where the luggage is stored. That space looked small to me and since we would be getting on where all the airport passengers arriving by bus would board, I hope that that space can accommodate everyone’s bags.

Assuming all bags can be accommodated, I agree that I could just stand up on the 5.1 for the two-three stops from P. Le Roma (Parisi) “E” to Zattere and then transfer to the hotel shuttle. (Or find some seats in the back that would give us a view of our luggage.)

I will post a note once we complete this journey.

Again thank you for your continued assistance.

Wes

PHJ

Thank you for letting us know that the Hilton Molino is great and that getting back and forth via Palanca was an easy route. We appreciate your details about the transport process.

Don't know how long you were at the Hilton, but any recommendations for dining?

Thanks again

Wes Jan

Don't worry. Go with the flow. Enjoy yourself. Don't try to imagine every possible negative.

That space looked small to me and since we would be getting on where all the airport passengers >arriving by bus would board, I hope that that space can accommodate everyone’s bags.

Firstly, in all the vaporetto riding I have done, at rush hour, opposite the rush hour, at dawn, etc., I have never seen it impossible to put luggage.

You have told me privately when you will be arriving - it is one of the quietest times during daylight on the vaporetti.

Add to that the fact that most people arriving from the airport are going down the Grand Canal, towards Rialto and S Marco, not the way you will be, towards the parking areas, past the large ships (which expelled their human cargo when the ship docked, to reclaim it before they set sail), and along what is effectively a large but very much so "back door" canal.

You may have some trouble getting on, but I seriously doubt it.

The other thing that I forgot to mention is that buses are small. Maybe 60 or 80 people if they all stand up - they won't.

Venice is geared for lots of people. When a commuter train pulls in it puts down up to 1,500 people per train.

Vaporetto boats hold around 100 people. Not everybody from your bus gets on the same vaporetto. There are many lines.

Really, don't worry.

And if I am really wrong - I won't be - there is another boat along in 12 minutes and you will be at the front of the queue.

Nigel

All good points.

I will post our "results" when we return.

Again we really appreciate your taking the time to "educate" us.

Wes Jan

We stayed at the Hilton Molino Stucky several years back. It was a nice American-style hotel. We took the vaporetto with one large rolling bag and one backpack each. I remember there being a couple of small bridges to cross which were no problem (as opposed to the Rialto Bridge this year, but that's another story). If you have a ton of luggage or are infirm, I'd suggest blowing the money on the water taxi. As far as the hotel itself goes, it could be anywhere, which is what the whole Hilton concept is meant to be. Nice, expensive American breakfast, don't eat dinner there. The shuttle to Zattare is very convenient, make sure you make note of the schedule. Also, nice pool/bar on top of the hotel. I don't remember that the Giudecca itself had much going on but it was a nice walk along the waterfront with Venice across the way.

Bill from Newton, MA

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.

From what you and others have posted it seems that the hotel shuttle works well and that walking from Palanca to the Hotel with light luggage isn’t a major issue.

No one seems to have recommended any place on Giudecca itself.

I hadn’t previously stated but we choose the Hilton because it was one of our cruise line’s pre-cruise hotel sites and it was a Hilton. So a hotel which our cruise line was willing to be associated with and “free” because of Hilton points, seemed like a reasonable choice to us.

Thanks again for sharing.

Wes Jan

I've tried to visit 2 restaurants on Giudecca over the years.

Neither was successful. One had closed and there was no evidence of it ever having been there, and the other was shuttered and appeared permanently closed.

I did look at a third place a couple of years ago, thinking I had learned my lesson so checked it out ahead but didn't like the look of the buildings around it so didn't bother.

Nigel

Thanks

Perhaps Giudecca just cannot compete for restaurants.

Will venture elsewhere.

Wes