In this “Travel SMART” series of articles we discuss real-world travel plans for exploring popular locations in a cost-effective manner. SMART evaluates the Staying options, Mobility, Attractions, ROI (Return-On-Investment) and Transport options for planning the trip. This article focuses on travel plan based from Venice, Italy.
Venice is one of the most popular and world-renowned destination. The city’s population of 50,000 swells to almost 3-times during daily peak hours as tourists converge on this live historic town from cruise ships, boats and trains. The Republic of Venice lasted nearly a thousand years starting as a tributary to the Eastern Roman Empire in 897 AD. It went on to become one of the most powerful city-state in the following centuries conquering nations and founding cities all across the Eastern Mediterranean region, even sacking Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey). The Republic fell as the last city-state resisting Napoleonic occupation in 1797. In 1866 Venice became part of Italy. In 1923, the Italian State entrusted the management to the Venetian municipality to be run as a museum.
Transport options – Train travel in Italy is smooth, and Venice is easily reached from other major cities in 2-3 hours on fast train from Rome, Milan or Florence via the Venice Santa Lucia Station . There are also flights to Venice Marco-Polo Airport (VCE) from major European cities like Milan, Barcelona or Paris but keep in mind, due to its relatively smaller size there will typically be connecting flights when you are flying in from USA or Canada. Major highways connect Venice to rest of Italy, Austria and the Balkans via E70 (Milan, Verona from West and Trieste, Ljubljana from East) and A13 (Bologna, Florence and further southbound cities). Closest cities within 2h drive are Bologna, Verona and Trieste.
Staying options – Staying options within Venice or surrounding metropolitan area can significantly differ in prices. Venice floats on a Lagoon connected to mainland via train and bridge on the west to the city of Mestre and via Water bus and boat services on the east to the Airport and Island of Murano. Staying at cheaper options like the Hilton Garden Inn Venice Mestre San Giuliano will require a 5-min train connection to Venice. You can also stay at the more expensive option of Courtyard By Marriott by Venice Airport and take the scenic 45-min ride via Water Taxi to Venice and Murano. Staying in Venice allows walking to all key attractions but tend to be more expensive toward the historic city center. A good compromise could be the Hampton by Hilton Venice Isola Nueva that’s located on the Lagoon just outside Venice Proper with access to Venice both on foot and by Vaporetto (water taxi) as well as direct connection to mainland via Bus and Train station within walking distance.
Mobility – No vehicle, even bicycles or motorcycle, are allowed within Venice City proper. The fastest way to get around is by Vaporetto (Water Taxi) and on foot. Vaporetto’s are pretty affordable for single ride or day pass and can be purchased online, at the airport (downstairs port station) or at various locations in Venice and Mestre. Using a traditional Gondola is only practical within Venice city limits when you have enough time to enjoy the ride. You can also reserve private boats by the hour for a quick tour of the famous sites by the water.
To the left is the long arcade along the north side of the Piazza, the buildings on this side are former homes and offices of the Procurators of St. Mark, built in early 16th century by the Republic of Venice. The arcade is lined with shops and restaurants at ground level, with offices above. The restaurants include the famous Caffè Quadri, patronized by Austrian rulers in the 19th century, while the Venetians preferred Florian’s on the other side of the Piazza.
Attractions – Piazza San Marco, also known as St Mark’s Square, is the principal public square of Venice and many key attractions are located around here. Napoleon is said to have called the Piazza San Marco “the drawing room of Europe“. The Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is one of the main landmarks of the city featuring the Bridge of Sighs. Next to the palace lies the Basilica di San Marco. Across from the Basilica, Museo Correr features an impressive Collection of Venetian Paintings, Artifacts and even more at the adjacent Naval History Museum. Across the lagoon the impressive Basilica Santa Maria della Salute is just few minutes boat ride away from the Plaza. Within walking distance from it is the famous Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Using the Vaporetto stops you can plan your visit to other attractions like the Rialto Bridge, the Jewish Quarters (settings for Shakespeare’s ‘A Merchant in Venice’), 17th century Palazzo – Ca’ Rezzonico, Vivaldi’s school of music and Leonardo Da Vinci museum show casing his work during his time in Venice as a Naval Engineer. Use the Water Bus line or private boat to explore the beautiful islands of Murano (famous for Venetian Glassmakers) and Burano (famous for Venetian Silk clothings).
ROI (Return On Investment) – Some important factors when evaluating Venice are the choice of stay, mobility options and large collection of museums and historic buildings in a relatively small area. We found the following steps in our travel plan for exploring Venice yielded a high ROI!
- Save on Overall transport cost by using a combination of public transport – train, bus or water bus, for coming into Venice. Use Vaporetto and walking to explore around Venice.
- If you plan to stay in Mestre (or by the airport), you can rent a car from the airport and visit nearby attractions within 2-3 hours drive like Verona, Padua, Trieste and the Dolomite Mountain sites like Tre-Cime di Lavaredo.
- Use a credit card online or in Venice for your purchases that avoids international fees.
- When exploring central Venice, avoid designer shops and restaurants which typically have high marked up price targeting cruise ship tourists. Most Venice city shops and eateries away from Plaza San Marco are relatively safe to explore and tourist friendly.
- Save on meals by choosing a hotel with free breakfast options. For example, Hilton Hotel chains have free breakfast for Hilton Honors members (free program with a downloadable app).
Enjoy the video clip below for a quick glimpse of Venice, the City of Water!