Venice: Lodging Location Advice

Old Nov 23rd, 2022, 11:35 AM
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Venice: Lodging Location Advice

Hi everyone,

Looking for AirBnB's in Venice and, due to needing to take an early train to Milan, someone suggested staying close to the train station to avoid lugging our suitcases all around.
However, the better options for our family size seem to be close to the center of Venice.

One of the potential AirBnB hosts mentions a "water taxi" to get to the train station; is this just a private boat?

I wanted to hear others' thoughts on whether it was really wise to stay close to the train station for convenience arriving and departing OR if it was better to stay in the main area.

TIA
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Old Nov 23rd, 2022, 08:10 PM
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What time is your train to Milan?
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Old Nov 23rd, 2022, 11:34 PM
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Depends on how many suitcases you have. The train station and the city center are not that far away from each other. When I stayed there I just walked from/to the train station, but I had a tiny suitcase
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Old Nov 24th, 2022, 04:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Peter_S_Aus
What time is your train to Milan?
Probably around 0700 to 0730

Originally Posted by leah_beridze
Depends on how many suitcases you have. The train station and the city center are not that far away from each other. When I stayed there I just walked from/to the train station, but I had a tiny suitcase
There would be 5 of us, so I'd assume 2 medium suitcases and 3 carry on size.
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Old Nov 24th, 2022, 09:23 AM
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Perhaps you could post the locations of the airBnBs that you are looking at. Ideally you want to be near a vaporetto [water bus] stop which serves a route that goes to the station to which you can walk without having to cross any bridges. There are plenty of vaporetti running at that time of the morning and because most tourists are still in bed they shouldn't be too busy either so IMO no need for a water taxi [motorscafo] . Alternatively you could stay within walking distance of the station but that will limit the accommodation available too you.
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Old Nov 24th, 2022, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by annhig
Perhaps you could post the locations of the airBnBs that you are looking at. Ideally you want to be near a vaporetto [water bus] stop which serves a route that goes to the station to which you can walk without having to cross any bridges. There are plenty of vaporetti running at that time of the morning and because most tourists are still in bed they shouldn't be too busy either so IMO no need for a water taxi [motorscafo] . Alternatively you could stay within walking distance of the station but that will limit the accommodation available too you.


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Old Nov 24th, 2022, 11:10 AM
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There is also one other alternative, though with some negatives, but benefits might outweigh negatives. They would for me. Leave Venice late evening and stay at a hotel for one night in Milan. Yes, it means a one night stay, and one less night in Venice, but no early morning departure and you would be sure to be in Milan at the time you want. Even if you stayed until 6:00 or 7:00 pm in Venice, grabbed a pizza or sandwiches for the train, you could still easily be at your hotel in Milan by 10:00. You could surely get a late dinner in Milan also and have time in the morning for the cathedral.
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Old Nov 24th, 2022, 11:49 AM
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For using vaporettos in Venice, download the app Chebateo. (Which boat). Plug in your departure and arrival vaporetto stops and when you want to go, and the app gives times and route numbers. It works in real time.
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Old Nov 24th, 2022, 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Sassafrass
There is also one other alternative, though with some negatives, but benefits might outweigh negatives. They would for me. Leave Venice late evening and stay at a hotel for one night in Milan. Yes, it means a one night stay, and one less night in Venice, but no early morning departure and you would be sure to be in Milan at the time you want. Even if you stayed until 6:00 or 7:00 pm in Venice, grabbed a pizza or sandwiches for the train, you could still easily be at your hotel in Milan by 10:00. You could surely get a late dinner in Milan also and have time in the morning for the cathedral.
We actually considered this, but didn't know if we'd need the extra few hours in Venice. I also didn't know where we'd store our luggage after checkout while we explore Venice.

For what it's worth, here's our current plan for Italy; maybe we can trim a day in Rome?

Day 1: Arrive in Rome
Day 2: Rome
Day 3: Rome
Day 4: Rome
Day 5: Rome
Day 6: Go to Florence
Day 7: Florence
Day 8: Go to Venice
Day 9: Venice
Day 10: Venice
Day 11: Visit Milan/Last Supper en route to Lucerne
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Old Nov 24th, 2022, 07:01 PM
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Most hotels will keep luggage for you on the day you are departing. Also, have to check if they still have it, but there use to be luggage storage right at the train station in Venice, so you could drop it off and pick it up when leaving.
I would still strongly consider going to Florence the evening of day 5, rather than using daytime the next day to travel from Rome to Florence. If you depart Rome around 5:00 pm, you can check into your hotel or bnb, have dinner and have all of day 6 in Florence. On day 7, depart for Venice early and have the afternoon there or see a few more things in Florence and depart for Venice around noon. Go to Milan the afternoon or evening of day 10.
This is contrary to the rule of thumb that you need two nights to give a day in a place, and not the usual advice I would give, but you are going at a fast pace, and given that you are adding seeing The Last Supper back into your itinerary, moving that one night from Rome to Florence allows you to do everything else with less pressure. It kind of borrows a night from Rome, but does not really take any sightseeing time from Rome, gives the same time for Florence, more time in Venice and less worry about getting to The Last Supper.

Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Rome (4 &1/2 days, 4 nights)
Evening of day 5, Depart at 5:00 pm for Florence
Day 6, Florence (1 day, 2 nights)
Day 7, Florence/Travel to Venice at some point, time TBD
Days 8, 9, 10, Venice (2 & 3/4 days, 3 nights)
Depart late afternoon on Day 10, for Milan (2/3 days & 1 night
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Old Nov 24th, 2022, 07:30 PM
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I like this idea, but we keep running into one problem when we consider changing cities at night instead of the morning: luggage storage. As a family of 5, we’ll be using AirBnB to save money, so we’d need to store luggage in Rome, Venice, and possibly even Florence which could make things messy.
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Old Nov 25th, 2022, 05:21 AM
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There are luggage storage places all over each city. Just google luggage storage in each place. There are maps showing where they are and reviews.
There are at least 4 in Venice, all easily located and handy to different locations. We have used the one at Santa Lucia Station. It worked great.
There are a half dozen in the small walking area of central Florence and at the train station. There are many all over Rome, near all major sights and the stations.

Staying near the Santa Lucia station in Venice is fine. We stayed once near the station and it was convenient. We have stayed in Hotel Galleria in Dorsoduro, on the Grand Canal, right at the foot of the Academia Bridge, which has a vaporetto stop right there. It was super convenient. So, staying within a short walk to a vaporetto stop is a time saver when you are rushed, as long as it isn’t a super busy one like those near San Marco.

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Old Nov 25th, 2022, 04:28 PM
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In Venice, there is luggage storage at the station. Beside Platform 1, about half way down the length of the platform.
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Old Nov 26th, 2022, 08:32 AM
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Thanks for posting the map with the locations of your selection of AirBnBs - actually I was hoping for a bit more detail [serves me right for not being more detailed myself!] but going by the map only, i think that the one very close to Santa Lucia station is probably too close [it could be very noisy with people passing all hours of the day and night], the $228 one is probably too far away from the the action for 2-3 nights, though easily reached by the 5.1 vaporetto from the station, and the $206 once probably requires some crossing of bridges. So on the basis of the map alone the $199 apartment right next to the San Marcuola vaporetto stop on the Grand canal with easy access to the No 1 vaporetto to take you from and to the station and down to San Marco would probably be my top choice. Though if you could post the links to each one it would be a lot easier to be more specific.
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Old Nov 26th, 2022, 10:11 AM
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I love being on the Grand Canal. Be aware that if your room is on the canal, early morning boat traffic delivering all the food, laundry, and good for hotels and shops can be noisy. I thought it was fun and interesting, but some people complain about being wakes up.
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Old Nov 26th, 2022, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by annhig
Thanks for posting the map with the locations of your selection of AirBnBs - actually I was hoping for a bit more detail [serves me right for not being more detailed myself!] but going by the map only, i think that the one very close to Santa Lucia station is probably too close [it could be very noisy with people passing all hours of the day and night], the $228 one is probably too far away from the the action for 2-3 nights, though easily reached by the 5.1 vaporetto from the station, and the $206 once probably requires some crossing of bridges. So on the basis of the map alone the $199 apartment right next to the San Marcuola vaporetto stop on the Grand canal with easy access to the No 1 vaporetto to take you from and to the station and down to San Marco would probably be my top choice. Though if you could post the links to each one it would be a lot easier to be more specific.
Sorry; here you go:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3745686...6-8365be961d85

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6664951...5-9f1310d9377f

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/441868?...8-c69ce21c90ab

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5248713...4-938d28d02dd1
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Old Nov 26th, 2022, 01:42 PM
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Thanks, Warner, that's really helpful.

taking them in order -

1. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3745686...6-8365be961d85 Casa di Laura - confirms my impression that for a short visit this is not in the most convenient position.

2. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6664951...5-9f1310d9377f Santa Lucia - given the fact that you are arriving and leaving by train, the position is very convenient and several of the reviews mention how quiet it is. Well worth considering.

3. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/441868?...8-c69ce21c90ab My favourite position of the four - the description says that you can walk there from the San Stae vap stop without having to cross any bridges, [a big plus] and there are nice bars, restaurants close by, whilst it's easy to walk to most of the places you will want to see, or to get there by boat.

4. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5248713...4-938d28d02dd1 Also in a nice position right next to the San Marcuola vap stop. There is a very nice bar/osteria nearby and a shop which will fill your plastic bottles with wine for a very reasonable price. also other shops and restaurants in the vicinity though it is quite close to the Strada Nuova which can get pretty busy. Excellent connections to San Marco etc by No 1 vaporetto.

Hope that helps.
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Old Nov 26th, 2022, 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted by annhig
Thanks, Warner, that's really helpful.

taking them in order -

1. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3745686...6-8365be961d85 Casa di Laura - confirms my impression that for a short visit this is not in the most convenient position.

2. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6664951...5-9f1310d9377f Santa Lucia - given the fact that you are arriving and leaving by train, the position is very convenient and several of the reviews mention how quiet it is. Well worth considering.

3. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/441868?...8-c69ce21c90ab My favourite position of the four - the description says that you can walk there from the San Stae vap stop without having to cross any bridges, [a big plus] and there are nice bars, restaurants close by, whilst it's easy to walk to most of the places you will want to see, or to get there by boat.

4. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5248713...4-938d28d02dd1 Also in a nice position right next to the San Marcuola vap stop. There is a very nice bar/osteria nearby and a shop which will fill your plastic bottles with wine for a very reasonable price. also other shops and restaurants in the vicinity though it is quite close to the Strada Nuova which can get pretty busy. Excellent connections to San Marco etc by No 1 vaporetto.

Hope that helps.
This is fantastic and when the Internet shines!

Regarding 3 & 4; would both allow us to use a water taxi to get to the train station to take an early train upon departure?
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Old Nov 27th, 2022, 08:07 AM
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<<Regarding 3 & 4; would both allow us to use a water taxi to get to the train station to take an early train upon departure?>>

As I said before you wouldn't need a water taxi. Just walk to the vap stop and jump on the next vaporetto going to the station. From about 5.40am the vaporettos will stop 3 times an hour at about 1 min past the hour from Ca D'Oro which is one stop before San Stae and two before San Marcuolo. That time of the morning they will not be busy coming from the Lido. Within 10 mins you will be at the station. You will already be familiar with it having arrived there a few days earlier, and if you have already bought your tickets that will save some time. Book well in advance for the best prices. For breakfast IME the best croissants [known as brioche in Venice, for some reason] are available from the little bakery on the far left of the concourse as you are looking at the trains. Timetable here, but as Pete says, the Che Bateo app is excellent and really easy to use.

https://orari.actv.it/line.html?serv...ro&stopid=5037

If you want to look at Italian trains and the best way to buy tickets, Man in Seat 61 is excellent. https://www.seat61.com

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Old Nov 27th, 2022, 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by annhig
<<Regarding 3 & 4; would both allow us to use a water taxi to get to the train station to take an early train upon departure?>>

As I said before you wouldn't need a water taxi. Just walk to the vap stop and jump on the next vaporetto going to the station. From about 5.40am the vaporettos will stop 3 times an hour at about 1 min past the hour from Ca D'Oro which is one stop before San Stae and two before San Marcuolo. That time of the morning they will not be busy coming from the Lido. Within 10 mins you will be at the station. You will already be familiar with it having arrived there a few days earlier, and if you have already bought your tickets that will save some time. Book well in advance for the best prices. For breakfast IME the best croissants [known as brioche in Venice, for some reason] are available from the little bakery on the far left of the concourse as you are looking at the trains. Timetable here, but as Pete says, the Che Bateo app is excellent and really easy to use.

https://orari.actv.it/line.html?serv...ro&stopid=5037

If you want to look at Italian trains and the best way to buy tickets, Man in Seat 61 is excellent. https://www.seat61.com
Thank you!
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