Renting a car from Venice to tour the Dolomites drop off Florence

If it were my trip, I’d probably stay no more than 4 nights in Venice. I don’t know if an 85 yo can take all the walking that Venice required, and frankly 3 full days are probably adequate.
On the other hand, adding a night to the Dolomites would be good. There is a lot to see.
For lake Garda, I’d choose a town on the north lake. Malcesine, Torbole, Riva, Limone are all good. Riva is a bit bigger, the others smaller.
I’ll tell you where to drop the car in Florence, when you tell me the company you rent from.
There is no drop off charges as long as you drop in the same country you pick up.

Thank you so much for your advice
I'm doing 5 nights in Venice because I plan to take it slow there and adjust to the time difference. We will also be doing a day trip to Verona by train one day .
I don't like to rush really when I first land in a country I plan on visiting other islands as well.
Maybe ask please what you think anput my dolomiti trip as well I'm so co fused about it. I want to see pretty town and stay in it with spectacular spikey mountains in the background and with easy driving access route from. Venice. I'm not sure yet which company to rent from. Do you have a suggestion ?
Thank you again for your reply

Have you considered taking a train from Venice to Bolzano, and renting a car there, then returning it to the same place and taking a train to Florence? I did almost the same route in reverse three years ago- trained from Bologna to Bolzano, picked up a car a short walk from the station, stayed in Castelrotto for a few nights, and later trained from Bolzano to Venice. Picking up a car in Venice can be tricky. The train ride from Venice to Bolzano takes as little as three hours, with a transfer in Verona. If you’re planning on spending two nights in Bolzano anyway, a car for just your time in the Dolomites makes sense.

Otta thank you so very much for that advice. How did you like your stay in Bolzano? Should I stay there or just grab car there and move to cortina or castelleroto. They might be fun. Spend 2 or 3 nights somewhere up there. Still confused as where to stay and for how many nights. Would be nice to catch the train from Bolzano straight to Florence.

I use consolidators to rent cars:
www.autoeurope.com
www.kemwel.com
Both are now part of the same corporate group and work similarly. I usually select their option with Europcar or Hertz, the two largest rental companies in Italy. Avis-Budget, also a large rental company in Italy, is also used by the above consolidators, but in my experience their prices always tend to be a bit more.
There is nothing tricky renting in Venice. You pick the car up in Venice on Piazzale Roma, the vaporetto stop next to the station. The city garage (autorimessa comunale) is where the rental cars are. See below.
http://livingveniceblog.com/venice-instructions/coming-going/venice-arrival-by-car/
Once you get the car, just drive across the bridge to Mestre and get on the freeway toward Belluno.
The drive to Cortina is about a couple of hours. You could even go to Ortisei the same day. Or you could spend the day in Cortina or nearby for one night, then drive to Ortisei taking the versions passes routes. Beautiful drive with plenty of photo opps.
Ortisei is a great beautiful town. You should spend a couple of nights there, and make an excursion or hike if you feel up to it.
For car rental return in Florence, the airport Car Rental center is on Via Plalagio degli Spini, across the freeway from the airport. That is probably the easiest for someone coming from the north. Exit the A1 freeway at Firenze Nord then follow directions to Florence city center (Centro). When the freeway ends, you turmpn right onto Via Palagio degli Spini. The rental car center entrance is under the railway overhead overpass.
From there take a taxi to your downtown hotel.
You don’t need a GPS if you have Google Maps or Waze in your smart phone. Just be aware those programs use data, so inquire about data costs with your provider, unless you plan to purchase a local SIM Card with an Italian provider (30€ for a monthly plan). If you have a GPS unit (like Garmin or Tomtom) it will work, just make sure you load European Maps in it).

Thank you for the info. So you think I should drive to cortina have lunch and walk around and then drive to Ortisei and spend 2 or 3 nights?
Is it worth to just drive to Balzano visit town drop off car and catch the train to Florence or is the drive to Florence lovely?
I'm traveling start f the 6th if may loving Venice.
I could skip the lake if it's really out of the way.
Thanks for the a device about the GPS on phone. I have tmobile one which in use to travel so over the world with free data. Only question is how reliable are the data connections up there.
Thanks again

Let me add one thing. The City of Venice has a radar camera on the causeway coming to the mainland and they will ticket anyone for running 1 km over the speed limit. Just be aware of is there and drive accordingly and you will be okay.
The drive North into the mountains is not at all difficult with good roads, etc.
The northern Italy countryside is the South side of The Alps, and breathtakingly beautiful.
I just hope Mom is in good shape heartwise because high altitudes is sometimes tough on some senior citizens.

@Florence thank you for that reply. I never thought about altitude sickness or my mom's heart. Currently she's in good condition but we've never tested that with altitude. Is it that dramatic or similar to Manchu Pichu? I wonder if we should skip it then if it's going to cause problems for her.

Machu Pichu Is higher in altitude. Ortisei sits at 4,000ft. The top of the spectacular Gardena Pass is 7,000ft. Machu Pichu is nearly 8,000ft.

If you have any concerns, don’t take advice form posters here. Ask her doctor.

I’d give the Dolomites 3 or 4 nights. They are spectacular. Skip staying in Cortina, Bolzano or Castelrotto. Go with the Val Gardena.

www.valgardena.it

Paul

Unless I missed it, I donàt see what time of year you are taking this trip. What dates are you planning? Makes a difference in the mountains...

Machu Picchu is higher.

Ortisei in the Val Gardena is a must. The more nights you can spend there the better in my opinion. Cortina is nice but it’s the hamlet of the rich and famous, like Aspen, so it’s pricey. If you start early you can drive, have lunch there and proceed to Ortisei. From Venice to Cortina to Ortisei, you could probably do in 4 hours or so, but take your time for photos even if the drive takes all day.
The lake Garda is along the way from Bolzano to Florence. It’s a very slight detour, but it’s right there and there is a freeway exit for Riva and the north lake. Verona is also along the route, in case you want to visit Verona during your drive to Florence rather than on a day trip from Venice. I’d probably stay a night less in Cenice, or maybe visit Padua, which is closer to Venice than Verona.
You could potentially return the car in Verona, then take the train to Florence from there, or you could drive all the way to Florence (3hrs from Verona). If you want to visit the lake, you can’t return the car in Bolzano, because you’d need to back track. Verona, instead, is along the way from the lake to Florence. Car rental offices are near the station in Verona.

Yes I will of course request a doctor's approval. However I'm thinking the lower valleys might be a better base for us because of my mom. We can always drive to Valgardena for a visit and see how she or me does. With that in mind , is cortina, or bolzano or another valley better to stay in ? If I can see the mountain peaks from the town that would be beautiful for me

If I can see the mountain peaks from the town that would be beautiful for me

Then you want to be in Ortisei, Santa Cristina, or Selva, not Bolzano. I still would like to know what time of year you are traveling because the experience will differ. Much closes down between ski season and summer (which starts late June there) and also between late Sept and ski season many lifts are closed.

Now im evem more confused than ever hahahaha
I will be traveling on the month of May. I'm arrive Venice in the afternoon on the first and leaving the morning of the 6th.
I'll do more research into staying in Verona instead of a day trip there. I can skip the lakes if driving is too much. I don't no d driving but if it's super long it can get cumbersome. If I do the Dolomites I'd rather take a train from Bolzano to Florence so I can relax and watch the scenery go by.
How safe is it to leave luggage in car of doing pit stops visiting towns ?
How are the gas / petrol stations? Plentiful ?

May will be lovely in Venice and Florence. The Dolomites will be beautiful but most of the lifts to the higher elevations in the Val Gardena will be still be closed. You can still enjoy the scenery from the valleys, though.

Are you open to taking buses? You can take a train to Bolzano from Venice or Verona. then a bus to Ortisei. Spend a few nights in that charming village and use the local buses (your lodging host will give you a free pass to use the buses during your stay, including back to Bolzano) to tour. At the end of your stay, back to Bolzano on the bus, then a train to Florence. You can also get a taxi from Bolzano to Ortisei for about Euro 85. That is what we do these days, so maybe if you do not have the expense of a rental car you can use a combo of train and taxi and then the local buses (which are VERY nice).

A taxi to pick you up in Bolzano is easily arranged so the driver will meet you at the station.

Like any italian city, Venice will fine you for driving 5 kms/h over the limit where the posted limit is 50 kms/s, not 1.

Leaving luggage in the car is not safe, especially in bigger cities and close to the main tourist sites like the Tower of Pisa.

Do you already know about camera controlled urban areas where only residents can drive in? They are called ZTL. Both central Firenze and central Bologna are inside a ZTL, you'd better make a search about the other cities and villages you're going to visit.

Thank you. I could also take a train to Bolzano and rent a car to drive to Ortisei and also use the car to drive around maybe since some lifts are closed or what not. I'm not super into going high up on the lifts but would rather just see the dolomiti in a relaxed mode. Maybe do a spa and have nice relaxing meals around the area or by popping into a nearby village with car.

Your timeframe for visiting the Dolomites - in early May- falls between the ski season and the summer season. Some hotels and restaurants, and most if not all lifts will be closed for a few weeks around that time. That’s not a reason to not go, but something to take into account in your planning. My 2014 visit was May 16-20. There was still lots of snow in the higher areas, right up to the side of the roads, although the roads were clear and dry. We visited Balzano only for a half day before picking up the car and driving to Castelrotto. (There was a staffed luggage check across from the train station, at which it cost a few euros to leave our bags.). We liked Castelrotto, but I wouldn’t disagree that Ortisei might make a better base. We drove through the Val Gardena area, and my impression was that Ortisei had more of an all-year town feel to it than did Selva di Val Gardena. Ortisei is larger, and has a town square. Selva seemed more seasonal to me. On the other hand, Selva is more a part of the scenery, and a good base for hiking or skiing- neither of which is an option in early May.

As far as getting gas is concerned, as long as you don’t start looking when the “tank empty” light comes on, you will have no problem finding a station. Just fill up when in drops to one third full and you’ll be fine.

and don't try to fill up at lunchtime or on Sundays or at night.

If your intention is to drive to the Dolomites, then I'd rent in Venice and drive to Ortisei through the mountains. That would make a great trip. Venice-Cortina: 2 hours plus pit stops. Cortina to Ortisei: 2 hours plus pit stops. Check road conditions as early May might still be cool (snow unlikely however). Ortisei is not that high in altitude.

Gasoline (petrol stations) are ubiquitous. On the freeways are open and manned 24/7. On other roads they are manned Mon-Sat from 7 to 7pm (with a lunch break of approx 2 hrs from 1230 to 230pm). However self service is always available 24/7. The pumps require a chip+pin credit card, but they accept euro bills too if you don't have chip+pin cards. Just make sure not to put too much money, because they don't give change. 10 euro will give you approx 6+ liters (1.5+ US gallons) of gasoline (if diesel a bit more, since diesel fuel is a bit cheaper). 6 liters are good for over 100km with all European compact models.

If you drive on the freeway and you need lunch, all rest areas (and there is one every 25 km or so) have restaurants, supermarkets, gasoline stations, bathrooms, showers, coffee bars, shops, and even hotels at some locations. Just look for signs for AREA DI SERVIZIO (Service Area)

Omg it's 10 euros for 1.5 gallons? That's crazy expensive Ortisei hotels are all closed and unavailable when I want to go. Bummer! Maybe my timing for the dolomiti is not good. Maybe I could just train it to balaboza and day trip by bus to Ortisei. Or just skip it all together.
I'm traveling with my mother and wanted to see places outside the main areas but without so much difficulty lol. Thanks for your help every one you've been amazing

How did you check hotels in Ortisei? Very hard to believe they are all closed or unavailable. Actually, I would bet against this being true. You need to email them directly. Pick the ones you are interested in and email them directly. St. Christina is five minutes away and Selva just a few more minutes away. Gas is expensive, but the cars are 8ncredibly fuel efficient. What do you pay per gallon in Hawaii?

Paul

I'm not sure of your exact dates, but I checked for a 5-night stay at the very end of the month and booking.com had a lot of options within 1/2 mile of the town center. Many were apartments rather than hotels.

Omg you are right. I was on trip advisor and they only showed one place available and all others not available so I thought maybe it the town was on their own holidays. So I'm happy to see that on booking.com there are still places to stay. Preferably ones with close proximity to the city center with that in mind are restaurants etc closed also or just very thinly available

Restaurants and shops will be open. People actually live and Ortisei, as they do in any other town, and go out to eat.

I'm interested to see your reaction to the price of auto fuel. It is true that Italy has - usually - the very highest prices for auto fuel in Europe.

But the price of fuel is among the smallest of your concerns with renting a car in Italy. The tolls on the motorways are very high, all drivers from North America are required to have an International Driver Permit (around $20 at AAA plus photos), as mentioned above many people wind up with a "gift" of a very expensive ticket in the mail several months later for exceeding a speed limit (automatic cameras) or driving in a dreaded ZTL (zone where only registered cars can go) or a bus lane, again all patrolled by automatic cameras, and the charge made by the rental company for supplying your information to the police, and all the extra charges added by the rental company for the privilege of renting one of their cars.

Many people find that all that adds up quite a lot.

On the other hand the trains in Italy are fast, frequent, very comfortable (like business class in an airplane for the basic seat, first class is even cushier) and quite cheap.

I both drive (my own car which I drive down from England) and take the train in Italy. You see a lot more from the train.

But everybody has their own preferences. Just be prepared.

Yes I know people love in the towns. I just read that during thesebskow months a lot places are closed because those people who love in those towns go on their holiday. But thanknyoubso much

@Nigel thank you for your reply
Yes I'm were of all the little gifts that may appear in the mail from driving lol.
I guess the train to Bolzano would be the smarter move and a bus from there to Ortisei as previously suggested would make better sense .
I'm thinking now of doing just that, and leave luggage at the left luggage storage nea r the train station and visit Bolzano for the day .
Then in a few hours have a nice lunch and bus up to Ortisei to check into the hotel/ apartment for the night.
Go and walk around Ortisei in a relaxed mode and have so dinner
The following day would be breakfast in the town unless the accommodation offer a a good breakfast , walk to town and catch a kidt up to suis alpe walk around and take in the beauty and have lunch.
Return to town for some shopping and a siesta. Hopefully there's a spa nearby we can take advantage of and then dinner later in the evening. I would cs txt the bus Jacinto Bolzano on the third day for a train journey to Florence
Thank you

Nigel:
Most Americans (non Canadian) don’t react at the price of gasoline, because they are expressed in euro per liter, so the numbers on the board are lower. As of today 15 Dec 2017, the average price of gasoline in Tuscany, for example, is €1.54 per liter, while diesel averages at €1.41 per liter. Since many people have no idea how to translate liters into gallons, they don’t pay attention. Actually they think it’s cheaper than in the US.

When they go at the pump to pay, since all compact models have small tanks with less than 40 liters, and since most tourists don’t wait till the tank is empty before refueling (for fear that Italy only has a dozen gas stations in the whole country and half are on a lunch break), the most they have to shell out is 40€.

Considering that distances in Italy are not that long, although they might seem that way due to the tortuous Tuscan or Dolomitic roads, and due to the fact that a European diesel car can easily get almost 20km with a liter of diesel fuel, the trips to the gas station end up being very few and not that expensive.
Freeway tolls are on average 7 or 8 cents per km, but even then, most travelers don’t travel on the toll freeway much.

What can cost a lot in a trip to Italy (or elsewhere) is hotels. I bet most people fret a lot about the cost of gasoline or tolls, but yet I (like most people) often spend more on a hotel for ONE night, than on all the gas and tolls for the whole trip.

150€, the average cost of a three star hotel room for one night, can buy you 100 liters of fuel. With 100liters of fuel you can travel almost 2000km (1200 miles) the distance from Sicily to the border with Switzerland and back. Nobody drives that much on an average 2 week vacation, not even half that.

Just saying. Just to put things into perspective.

Also.

If you rent a car in Venice and drive (via Cortina), you will spend a total of maybe 35-40 euro in fuel plus about 7 euro for tolls between Venice and Belluno (which is on a freeway). So you can get to Ortisei for under 50 euro for both of you. Plus you'll get a wonderful drive through some spectacular mountains. The drive through the route described is 4 hours, but then I imagine you'd take your time.

If you pick up the car in Bolzano, the train ride from Venice is about 3 hours with a change in Verona. It will cost you 30 to 40 euro per person on train fare (depending on whether you get a discounted ticket). Then once in Bolzano, you need a taxi to the rental agency, because I don't think Hertz or Europcar or Avis are at the station, I think you need to go to the airport. From Bolzano to Ortisei it's almost one hour drive. The fuel costs plus tolls probably under 15 euro. So picking up the car in Bolzano will set both of you back at least 60 euro (about at least 110 euro vs 50 euro), over picking it up in Venice and driving from there.

So picking up the car in Venice, instead of Bolzano, is also less expensive overall.

I don't dispute any of Roberto's calculations, but I will clarify that the car I rented was from Maggiore, which I picked up at Via Renon 10, about 500 yards from the main train station. I don't know whether it is still there, but it was in 2014. It all comes down to how much driving you want to do. I will also add that I am currently planning a trip back to the area for next September, and I will be driving from Verona to the Val Gardena (not sure where we'll stay yet), then on to Trieste. I like driving in the mountains, but I have never done so with an 85 year old passenger, so I can't speak to the experience.

I'm not too sure where you secured such awesome prices. Those are amazing
When looking on Autoeurope,I couldn't find any car availability with pick up at or close to Venice train station only at the airport. For Kemwel I was able to find a pick up at Piazalle Roma and drop off at Verona for downtown office stop off on Piazza Simoni. But because I'm nervous abku t driving manual as I haven't done so In 20 years, I'm booking automatic. The price is $265 for manual drive and no deductible insurance which I read is the way to go. Not super expensive. But ...
I'm also looking to stay at Magdalena Apartments looks gorgeous and around $310 for 2 bedrooms for 2 nights.
Day one start early pick up caar around 8/ 8:30
Driven to Cortini maybe have a nice lunch or cafe.
Then drive to Ortisei and check into hotel/ Apartment
If I didn't have lunch, we will walk to town and have a late lunch ( If restaurants are open and not on siesta)
Walk around and maybe shop
Relax and have dinner later
Day 2 breakfast in town and take the lift up to Alpe suis. Have a nice lunch and some beer up there and return home to hotel
Hopefully we can find a nice spa. Rest of day relax
Day 3 head to Bolzano for the day to see the museum and hang in the town.
Day 4 check out early and drive to Verona
Hoping to arrive in Verona around 11 the latest.
Or even 10 at the latest. Store bags at train station and go visit the city.
Leave city around 3 or 4 pm by train to Florence
What do you think

From what I read on your schedule, it sounds like you will be in Ortisei on or about May 6. You should be aware that the earliest any of the lifts in that area started running again this past spring was May 12- and many didn’t start until June. In other words, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to ride a lift to the Alpe di Suisi. You may however be able to drive to someplace like Compatsch, which is a ski/hiking base with some small hotels and shops. When the lifts are running, roads to such places are closed to regular car traffic, and you must take a bus or a cable car to get to them. Compatsch (Compaccio in Italian) is the top station of the Seiser Alm bahn cable car. It is at the edge of the Alpe di Suisi, and you can take some fairly easy (and lots more difficult) walks from there, if the snow has gone. I’d recommend checking with your hotel about what is likely to be operating that early in May.

The pick up location in Venice is Piazzale Roma, there are no pick up locations at the Santa Lucia train station since cars cannot go there. Piazzale Roma is however nearby.
It is possible that options are limited there depending on the day you pick up, the size of the car, type of transmission.
I think your plan is good.

Unfortunately after all that work try g to figure out this route my mother drops the ball and says t hats too much driving and to look Instead for a organized day trip from Venice Instead. Ugh !!!!! So irritating.
Now off to search for a day trip I stead.
If like to Thank you all for your wonderful help. You truly are Angels
Aloha

Sorry to hear that mom put the kibosh to plan A. But if you’re still on the same timeframe, I suggest that you take the time you would have stayed in Ortisei and relocate from Venice to Verona. Verona provides easy access by train- or organized tour- to lots of worthwhile day trips. Padua, Modena, Lago di Garda, Bologna and even Bolzano are reachable by train in 45 to 90 minutes, perhaps faster with a driving tour. Of course, you can also reach these places from Venice, but it will take longer.