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where to stay near Venice

We want to visit Venice but stay outside the city because we will have a car. Any recommendations of which town to stay in or what hotel is good that will allow us to reach Venice for day trips by public transportation? Thank you.

Posted by
2791 posts

Verona, Vicenza and Padua are pretty towns away from the bustle of Venice, and yet offer frequent train service directly into the city. Take your pick - all are nice and are interesting destinations in their own right.

Posted by
7175 posts

To experience Venice by night perhaps a stay in Padua, followed by an early checkout, leaving your car behind.
Head into Venice with minimal luggage, dumping it at your Venice hotel to get a full day of the sights.
Return to Padua the following day late in the afternoon.

Posted by
3551 posts

We also had a car so we stayed at Hotel Novotel in Mestre, left the car there and took hotel shuttle into venice for our 2 day stay. It is the next town to venice. Worked out vry well for us.
We have also stayed in Padua saw the sights there during day and ventured into venice for the eve and dinner. I ws in venice last yr and ws shocked on how it has changed alot espec during daylight. During summer espec multiple cruise ships dock every day and 1000's of tourists literally jam the canals and narrow paths. It is a circus and spoils alot of venices uniqueness. However they all pretty much leave in eve to get back on the cruise ship for dinner and next stop.
Becuz of this flood of people too many tacky souvenir shops and carts are everywhere.
All this is a very gd reason to see venice now later in day and night.

Posted by
11613 posts

I would not want to be a day tripper in Venezia. unless your rental is a fabulous deal, rent it before or after Venezia. Take the train to other places for daytrips, or just get away from the main paths and you will see far fewer tourists.

Posted by
32519 posts

I would not suggest staying on the mainland for a first time visitor.

It is easy to park the car at Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto in Venice (watch your speed as you cross the causeway) and then there is an easy vaporetto right there, or you can park - as I have done happily - in the multistory car park over the road from the main entrance to Mestre station and then the train takes you over the causeway and you walk through the station, through the doors on the other side and before you lies the Grand Canal with vaporettos just down the stairs ready to whisk you (ok, slowly) to your hotel.

As a frequent (once to three times every year) visitor to Venice I arrive various ways, sometimes by train, sometimes by plane, and sometimes by driving my personal car from England. When I drive, I often stay at Quarto d'Altino, an old small town northeast of Venice. Directly at the Quarto d'Altino station there is a nice but cookie cutter Crowne Plaza (from Holiday Inn), and a couple of km away on the Sile River is the family owned Villa Odino with their fab breakfasts and relaxed atmosphere. Parking at Quarto d'Altino station is easy - or for €3 the Villa Odino will shuttle you over - and the somewhat frequent train gets you to Venezia Santa Lucia in about 20 minutes. The trains take a gap after breakfast, lunch and dinner and finish relatively early.

For a first timer I can't emphasise enough the value of staying in the main islands of Venice.