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Venice - Public transport only in Grand Canal?

Posted by (Havertown, PA) on

Hello all!

Traveling to Venice (among other cities in Italy) in October. I have a question about getting from the vaporetto stop at San Marco to our hotel (Hotel Montecarlo). We are planning on just walking, but I am concerned about dragging our (carry-on sized) wheeled bags (one for me and one for my husband) through the streets, both for safety and for just generally looking like a silly tourist. (Do people do this?) So...my question is this: are there any public transportation options in the smaller canals (looking at Rio del Palazzo specifically)? The vaporetto boats look to be too large, and everything online about the traghetti state that they are only for crossing the Grand Canal. The internet is blessedly free of information about the "back" canals in Venice, which leads me to believe that the only traveling that is done is by private gondolas.

Our other option is to purchase carry-on sized backpacks, but we own so much luggage already that the thought of buying something else just for this one trip seems silly to me. I welcome any and all comments! Please be nice!

Posted by
5648 posts

We all look like tourists dragging our bags around. It's a very common occurrence. The small challenge is the steps on the many small bridges, but most of us just deal with that.
Your hotel will be the best source of info for directions.
Have a wonderful trip. Safe travels!

Posted by
9261 posts

You are visiting in one of the most popular tourist spots in Italy.

Why do you think you’ll look silly or worry for your safety rolling your luggage to your hotel? Just be prepared for bridges.

Have you used Google to see your route to your hotel?

Don’t assume anything about gondolas AND most importantly your hotel designates a route on its website. https://www.venicehotelmontecarlo.com/en/
Scroll down to the bottom and click on “ how to get here.”

Posted by
21218 posts

(Do people do this?)

Just about everybody. Everybody in Venice looks like a tourist, where tourists outnumber residents by 2 to 1, I would guess.

There is no public transport to the inner part of the island where you are located, but should be a flat walk with no bridges from the San Marco Vallaresso vaporetto stop. Only a few well heeled folks will take an expensive water taxi to their hotel on an inner canal. The rest haul their rollerboards to their lodgings.

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you all, incredibly helpful! Yes, I have already mapped out a way to get there and it's not a far walk. I just wanted to throw it out to those who have been there before. Thanks again!

Posted by
2603 posts

We stored our luggage at a store next to the train station, then found our way to our hotel with a few wrong turns and asking in shops ( luckily my wife speaks Italian ! ). After a while we found it. Then went back for the luggage

Posted by
1297 posts

From the San Marco Valoresso vaporetto stop to your hotel is maybe 300 metres, and I think no bridges, or perhaps one bridge to cross.

Wheeled bags are fine. Everything in Venice, bricks, boots, books, broccoli and zuchini travels either by water or wheeled trolley.

My advice as to how not look like a tourist, get a paper map at the Tabac at Marco Polo, study it en route. Then stride out, leaving the phone gazing folk in your wake.

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