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seawitches
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 10:08 am | 1st Post |
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Why am I so freaked out about Venice?
I am stressing about getting there from airport, where to stay, how to get on a vaporetto, how to manage my luggage, trying to find a hotel where I don't hump luggage over bridges and cobblestones, how to get to the port, how to arrange a private water taxi, why is everyone saying they are a rip off, what to see, where to go, what is the difference between a public toilet and the toilets, what are the real benefits of a Venice card, what admission is covered to exactly which museums? why are hotels waitlisted now, which way does HAL sail out of Venice, if I have to change planes in Frankfurt or Munich why not just stay a day or two...........Is this angst all due to an overseas flight and I know how darn tired I am going to be????? Am I too old??? sigh............
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shoreguy
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 01:23 pm | 2nd Post |
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And you wonder why some people pay the inflated prices for the cruise line pre-stay hotel and transfers. It normally happens just before their heads explode 
You will figure it out and have a great adventure
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seawitches
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 03:08 pm | 3rd Post |
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So true!!
Ex: HAL hotel $900. per night
same hotel using a Cdn tour company $380.
book direct thru same hotel $320.
So you must dissect each quote to pieces (does it include taxes, breakfast,transfers, sales tax,is it in US /Cdn/Euro's, how close to a boat launch..............
And the worst part, nothing is the same across the board. Ton's of conflicting information from different relatively reliable sources.
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xpcdoojk
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 04:23 pm | 4th Post |
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Venice is one of the easiest places in the world to visit on your own if you can hump your luggage up and down steps. Truly that is the hardest thing about Venice.
Getting from Marco Polo airport take the ATVO bus to the dump point. It is close to the ship pier. Then the hard part begins... if your hotel is located away from the train station/car park/bus drop then you will need to take a vaporetto it works just like a bus except that it floats and is slower. Get a good map of the swamp and its islands and figure out where your hotel is. Vaporetto tickets are easily available at the train station vaporetto ticket office on the bank of the grand canal. We stayed directly across from the train station at a nice hotel that was about $200 a night in 2004 so we didn't have to deal with the Vaporetto until the next morning when we went to St Marks. Then we walked back shopping and sightseeing all day on our way back to our hotel. It is such an small city that you can walk virtually everywhere on the islands and anytime you want to rapidly get somewhere hop on the vaporetto. Staying at St Marks is not necessary in my opinion as everything there is more expensive and due to the vaporetto system it is easy to get there when you want to be there.
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seawitches
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 05:24 pm | 5th Post |
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that's the killer...... humping.
I could do it, but after a sleepless night flying, I'm going to error on the side of caution.
Do you roll your luggage onto a vaporetto or lift?
I have a quote on a nice looking place Antiche Figure (across from train station), but it involves walking a short distance and bridges, one with a huge number of steps. It's close to Pizzale Roma which is where the ship shuttle starts too. Call me cheap, I just hate to spend the $$, but then I can't face walking humping luggage.
The other alternative is to stay overnight in Germany (where we have to change planes,) then I would be fresh to hump a bag.
Friends tell me it is exhausting. You're hot, tired and bitchy by the time you get there. We'd have to leave our house at 1330 just to get to a plane, fly to Germany overnight then change planes around noon,and then fly onto Venice.
Do you think a Venice Card would be worth it? (about 85.E each) We'll be there for 4 days.
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xpcdoojk
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 08:03 pm | 6th Post |
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The Antiche Figure is where we stayed. I liked it very much, there was a nice pizza place about 3 loop de loops away from it that we ate at. It was about 11:30pm when we got checked into the hotel and ate pizza, they even had a nice Amarone on the wine list. Sat there with a bunch of smoking locals. Good times! We were there for 3 nights. We had rolling suitcases, so we took the bus and we probably crossed 1 bridge more than if we had gone to the train station. The big bridge across the grand canal is the Ponti Scalzi (I believe) and it had probably 15 steps on each side. The bridges we crossed were more of the 6 to 8 step bridges. It did warm us up, but it was not that bad. Probably took 7 minutes to walk from the bus to the hotel. As far as vaporettos, yes they pull up to the dock, and you would walk on... it might be a small step up or down, but no big problem. You will see lots of luggage on them. The only concern I ever had was one night after we got on one, and it was so overloaded, I wondered what the tipping point was. Had the same experience on a ferry leaving Capri on its way back to Amalfi. We climbed on the roof of that one, and on the positive side they had floating rings up there, I made sure that I could get one for the wife and I if the damned ferry started to scare me!  Back to Amalfi, you can get a water taxi near the airport. It will probably cost you a $100 or so, but that is always an option. You might be able to get one at the bus drop and then you wouldn't have to climb the bridges. I would think if you can get one it would not be too bad there.
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xpcdoojk
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 08:06 pm | 7th Post |
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I know nothing about the Venice card. We just bought a 3 day pass for the vaporetto in 2004 it was about 30 euros. A bargain.
If you can physically do your luggage it ain't that big a deal if you are at the Antiche Figure. I know I have done it. Get a good map before you go and map the bridges out.
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Catnip
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Posted: Wed Jul 30th, 2008 08:21 pm | 8th Post |
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Stay in a hotel at the airport (Courtyard by Marriott is nice). It's literally 5 mintues from the airport. It's on the bus line. Just walk outside the hotel and go into Venice to sightsee. Quick and easy. No humping required.
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seawitches
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Posted: Thu Jul 31st, 2008 12:05 am | 9th Post |
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THANKS FOR ALL THE TIPS!!!! Exactly what I needed to know...
PEARL.... ARE YOU READING ALL THESE??? If we're going in on the same flight.. I'll leave the choice to you.
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seawitches
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 02:14 pm | 10th Post |
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I am happy to report that after exhausting all internet sites regarding "old people" humping luggage in Venice using various means of transportation. These 54plus travellers have heeded the warnings and are not going to hump luggage.
It seems that luggage with wheels are not in any way assistive other than rolling on cobblestones. The bridges albeit small can involve steps that even wheeled luggage is not jiggy with.
Now there is talk that charges for luggage on vaporetto's is happening? Have not verified this as yet.
Even locals complain that water taxis are a rip off. Most that have used were thankful for their convenience, despite the high cost.
Shuttles and buses sound reasonable, but occasionally are not reliable.
The new bridge leading out of the Stazione is not complete, which apparently will assist walkers in getting to the Pizzale of All Pizzales (Roma).
I also found out that there is an old iron foot bridge leading to the cruise port. It saves a huge amount of time, but is unsafe and you cannot get luggage onto it. Such a shame, wouldn't it make for great vacation pics and humours stories? Esp when they fish you out of the canal precruise.
So........... will stay in Mestre. Take taxi's to port and Venice, shuttle to airport post cruise........ and learn the Vaporetto system for our Venice stay.
Hmmm wonder why no one has commented on the use of the tragahetti (sp). Can't imagine standing with my formal wear packed in that overweight bag hovering over the Grand Canal..................
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xpcdoojk
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 02:40 pm | 11th Post |
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Never used the tragahetti, and I am not sure what they are exactly.
Used the water taxi... The glass factories in conjunction with your hotel will provide a free water taxi to Murano island. From there we took the vaporetto to Burano (we actually liked Burano more than Murano). Sheila the price of the glass on the island is amazingly expensive. More expensive than St Marks area, which of course means that it is subject to severe negotiation. If you really want to buy something nice (and there is a lot of really nice) in Murano make sure that you negotiate lunch and a water taxi ride back to your hotel. Everything is negotiable.
My wife bought the most beautiful handmade scarf in Burano.
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seawitches
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 04:38 pm | 12th Post |
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xpcdoojk wrote:
Never used the tragahetti, and I am not sure what they are exactly.
If you really want to buy something nice (and there is a lot of really nice) in Murano make sure that you negotiate lunch and a water taxi ride back to your hotel. Everything is negotiable.
So Pearl will need to negotiate extra weight of the huge lace tablecloths that she will no doubt come home with.... !!!!! The poor taxi driver!!
Senor... scusi.. grande gasolina!!!!
Now we're trying to work out flights. DH and I might stay in Munich for a few days, but that's up in the air. Flights are nasty without any directs and poor connection times. Think we have one now, but will research more.
WTH are there no directs to Venice???
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nhrich
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 05:02 pm | 13th Post |
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seawitches wrote: xpcdoojk wrote:
Never used the tragahetti, and I am not sure what they are exactly.
If you really want to buy something nice (and there is a lot of really nice) in Murano make sure that you negotiate lunch and a water taxi ride back to your hotel. Everything is negotiable.
So Pearl will need to negotiate extra weight of the huge lace tablecloths that she will no doubt come home with.... !!!!! The poor taxi driver!!
Senor... scusi.. grande gasolina!!!!
Now we're trying to work out flights. DH and I might stay in Munich for a few days, but that's up in the air. Flights are nasty without any directs and poor connection times. Think we have one now, but will research more.
WTH are there no directs to Venice???
She sure will. Jeri came home with one of those last time she was over there. Definitely not something you want to use as "every day".
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Catnip
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 05:02 pm | 14th Post |
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We flew on Lufthansa and connected thru Frankfurt (I'd suggest Munich). Frankfurt is HUGE and is somewhat confusing.
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BeckyThane
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 05:39 pm | 15th Post |
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I connected on Lufthansa through Munich to Barcelona. Very nice! Not at all crowded, and FREE coffee! (Gee, now I sound like I'm channelling someone... wonder who?   ) Lufthansa was great, too -- very free-flowing wine. 
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hstrybuf
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 08:24 pm | 16th Post |
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BeckyThane wrote: I connected on Lufthansa through Munich to Barcelona. Very nice! Not at all crowded, and FREE coffee! (Gee, now I sound like I'm channelling someone... wonder who? ) Lufthansa was great, too -- very free-flowing wine.
Could it be the FREE that gave it away? 
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seawitches
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 08:36 pm | 17th Post |
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| Deed is done.......... going via Amsterdam. Paid in full, no turning back now.
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Catnip
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 09:59 pm | 18th Post |
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seawitches wrote: Deed is done.......... going via Amsterdam.
I think I would love Amsterdam!!!!!!  
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When only cops have guns, it's called a "police state"
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xpcdoojk
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Posted: Fri Aug 1st, 2008 11:22 pm | 19th Post |
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seawitches wrote: xpcdoojk wrote:
Never used the tragahetti, and I am not sure what they are exactly.
If you really want to buy something nice (and there is a lot of really nice) in Murano make sure that you negotiate lunch and a water taxi ride back to your hotel. Everything is negotiable.
So Pearl will need to negotiate extra weight of the huge lace tablecloths that she will no doubt come home with.... !!!!! The poor taxi driver!!
Senor... scusi.. grande gasolina!!!!
Now we're trying to work out flights. DH and I might stay in Munich for a few days, but that's up in the air. Flights are nasty without any directs and poor connection times. Think we have one now, but will research more.
WTH are there no directs to Venice???
You might want to consider flying thru the UK, you can then get a flight on Easy Jet or Ryan Air... If my brain was working I could probably remember some of the discount airlines from some of the other countries. We flew from London Stansted to Marco Polo for $35 each on Easy Jet. They will ding you on extra luggage though.
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