Hello!
I am trying to find accommodations in Venice for 3 in mid-March for two nights. I found a nice hotel on the Lido island and was wondering if anyone had any insight as to whether this is just too far from Venice proper. On many websites it states that the boat takes about 20 minutes to get to/from Venice.
How much is a typical boat ride from Lido to Venice? Would it be advantageous to stay in Venice or is Lido a perfectly good option?
Thank you!
The "boat ride" is just a standard vaporetto (water bus) fare. You can cut costs by buying a multi-day pass that will take you all over the Venetian lagoon as well as the routes through the city.
The Lido is about a 20 minute ride - if you catch the right boats - from San Marco. That's not a bad distance if your hotel is close to the Lido stop and not another 20 minutes down the beach. In March, it's likely to be quiet, and probably chilly.
Venice isn't much of a late night town, so it's not a big deal to have the ride to the Lido when you're done after dinner. You just lose some flexibility to explore and get back to the hotel when you want to. But the vaporetti run all night, albeit last frequently, so you won't be stranded.
We rode the vaporetto boats for three days--very cheap with the multi-day pass. We went to Lido just for fun, but never left the docking station are as we wanted to get on the next boat to continue a circumference around the city. I had the feeling the pass was good on the bus on Lido, but double-check that. It was odd--I was on shore for a couple minutes before I realized that I was suddenly seeing cars again. Got really used to walking traffic-free.
In October, we spent both nights in Venice and loved being there in the evening. The full moon on the Grand Canal was wonderful. Plan to spend some time there after dark.
Randy
Randy
I'd suggest you keep looking for something in Venice proper. Nothing wrong with the Lido but I think you'll have a better experience by staying in Venice proper. More fun and more unique.
Try venere.com for hotels. If you stay a bit farther from Piazza San Marco, the prices get more reasonable.
Yes, I totally agree with Ron. If you're staying on the Lido because you want to see the Lido or you want to have fun beach activities (not in March) then by all means stay on the Lido. But if you're staying there to save some money then it's not a cost/time effective strategy.
If you're looking for a very affordable place to stay in Venice Proper then have a look at http://www.bbvenezia.com/ which is located in St. Elena on the tip of Venice Island. This place gets great reviews on TripAdvisor, and I'm staying there in June 2009. I really love the area because it's far enough away from the throngs of tourists to actually be peaceful.
The location of http://www.bbvenezia.com/ (Tim's suggestion) is very charming, being right next to a lovely large park. We explored around there last May, during our second visit to Venice, and really fell in love with it. It's definitely away from the tourist centers, with both the pluses and minuses of that.
I second the advice above about not staying on the Lido just to save a few bucks. (Factor in the cost of the boats plus the lost time spent waiting for the boats, plus the fact that there won't be much to do on the Lido in March.)
We found that staying in Venice at night was magical. Last October we spent four nights at Corte Campana B&B, which is just a couple of blocks from St. Mark's Square (It's about 125E per night, www.cortecampana.com) We danced each night in St. Mark's Square, while listening to the bands play. The tourists tend to vacate Venice after dark, so you pretty much have St. Mark's Square to yourself. We would go out early each morning for espresso and loved to wander the alleys. I think staying on the Lido would dilute the Venice experience.
Ron and Tim are right on.Stay in Venice proper.Venice at night is magic.
I have taken all of your kind recommendations and, after further research on Venere, I have decided to stay in Venice proper, specifically Lanterna di Marco Polo right in the heart of Venice (100mt to Rialto Bridge, 150mt to St. Marco Square).
Francesca, the owner, emailed me this morning and confirmed my reservation, kind of. I reserved for March, but she has me down for May. I shot a quick email to clear things up. Here's hoping me good luck!
Grazie!
Happy travels.
Fantastic!
Get up early one morning and see them set up the Rialto vegetable and fish market. Fascinating experience.
Ron, What time approximately should we be there to check out the market set-up?
I'd suggest at least 7:00 am or 6:30 even. The vegetable market will be mostly set up even at those times. But the fish market will be in the middle of set up. People hauling stuff off boats and barges and placing ice around the tables. Just make sure to stay out of people's way. We found that every one was very friendly and didn't mind the photos etc as long as you remember they are working.
I like early because I think it's fun to see the set up. One time , we got to see three guys wrestle a very large sword fish from the boat to the stand.
If I recall correctly, the fish market is closed on Sunday and Monday, so plan accordingly.
There are a couple of places to go get a coffee and a roll afterward close by.
I enjoy Venice early in the morning and late at night, so getting to the Rialto from where you are staying is also fun.
Don't miss the Gobbo!
