Advice on Venice

[Edmontontraveller]

I have never been. We are going on Holland America. We are arriving at 1:00p.m. but it appears that the tours do not start until 2:00 or 2:30 p.m. which I find very odd. I am just doing a "Venice on your own" where it takes me into Venice. It says only for 4 hours which is a bit odd but I'll ask about what when I call.

 

I find it very odd that they would have us wait 1.5 hours before getting off at the port.

 

Does anyone understand this?

 

https://book2.hollandamerica.com/secondaryFlow/excursion/VCE/20160926/1010040068/details

[CruiserBruce]

It is what it is. The 4 hour limitation is because you have generally only the afternoon. The ride back to the ship will be at the end of that 4 hours.

 

That being said, walking around Venice is very easy. I wouldn't pay for ship's transport. Either walk, or take your own water transport.

[Bruin Steve]

I have never been. We are going on Holland America. We are arriving at 1:00p.m. but it appears that the tours do not start until 2:00 or 2:30 p.m. which I find very odd. I am just doing a "Venice on your own" where it takes me into Venice. It says only for 4 hours which is a bit odd but I'll ask about what when I call.

 

I find it very odd that they would have us wait 1.5 hours before getting off at the port.

 

Does anyone understand this?

 

https://book2.hollandamerica.com/secondaryFlow/excursion/VCE/20160926/1010040068/details

Venice On Your Own

Approximately 4 Hours

 

This transfer is perfect if you would like to explore Venice on your own. Transfer by motor launch to St Mark’s Square. You will be dropped off at a central location and given time to explore Venice on your own.

Your escort will advise you of the pick-up time for the return journey.

 

Notes:

Guide service, entrance fees and lunch are not included in the transfer price. It will be your responsibility to be at the drop-off point at the given return time.

 

This is fairly worthless, as far as I am concerned...It's just a boat ride from the port area to San Marco...where you are on your own to tour. You can easily do this by yourself, departing the ship as soon as they will let you.

 

Last time we were there, we actually took a boat to San Marco, but only because someone on our Roll Call arranged it and, split as many ways as it was, it was dirt cheap...

 

But, without such a ride, all you have to do is pick up the Peoplemover at the port and take it to Piazzale Roma for €1,50 pp...

From Piazzale Roma, you have options. You can walk almost anywhere...or you can take a "Vaporetti"--Venice's boat-buses...Down the Grand Canal on the #1, for example--a really cool ride that will get you to San Marco...or Rialto Bridge or wherever you want to go...

If you go to San Marco (which you probably should eventually anyway), you can tour the Doge's Palace and/or the Cathedral. But, from P. Roma, you could also walk to the Ghetto (a pretty interesting tour there is the Synagogues Tour from the Museo Ebraico). Just cross over to the train station and follow Lista d'Spagna to the Campo San Geremia, then across Pnte della Guglie bridge, left about a block, then follow Calle Ghetto Vecchio into the Ghetto...

There's actually lots of cool stuff all over Venice (Palazzos, Museums, Churches, etc.)...and, if you are okay with a little walking, you can walk almost everywhere--just get a good guide book with readable maps...

You can plot out a route to San Marco, the catch the Vaparetto back to P. Roma and the Peoplemover back to the ship...

 

Good luck...

[maryann ns]

For your first time I would take the #1 Vaporetto ride the whole way around. Download Rick Steve's podcast for this ride, or do as we did and take the round trip twice reading from his guidebook the second time. Then walk to St. Mark's and look around. I would not tour any buildings on your first trip, just walk around and take in the sights. Stop for lunch or a gelato. Find the back streets. Enjoy!

[Host Bonjour]

I also used the #1 vaporetto as my grand canal "tour" since it runs the length of the grand canal - but note that it makes every single stop - kind of goes in a zig zag fashion along the way which is fine, this is what enables one to see everything along the way without missing anything.

 

Also second (or third) that seeing Venice on one's own is quite effortless and easy to do. If you're starting out in Piazza San Marco, enjoy that - really a great place to start, then hop on the vaporetto nearby and then get off near the train station...then work your way back to Piazza San Marco via a combo of main areas and "getting lost" in back "calles" as this is TRULY the way to have a taste of Venice. Don't worry - there's no way to get lost!

 

Anyway, you'll see the Rialto Bridge and other renowned places along the way to Piazza San Marco - just no need for a tour in Venice. Enjoy the visit.

Ciao :)

[PCWalton1]

For your first time I would take the #1 Vaporetto ride the whole way around. Download Rick Steve's podcast for this ride, or do as we did and take the round trip twice reading from his guidebook the second time. Then walk to St. Mark's and look around. I would not tour any buildings on your first trip, just walk around and take in the sights. Stop for lunch or a gelato. Find the back streets. Enjoy!

 

That podcast works well. I used it 4 years ago.

[diane.in.ny]

I agree about doing it on your own.

 

You walk out of the port and the People Mover is right there. Ticket machine takes the Euro and gives change.

 

When you get off, walk towards the left across the Plaza and you will come to the vaporetto stop. Take that down the Grand Canal or cross the bridge and just keep walking. Great city to wander through. Don't worry about getting lost. You will find signs on the buildings pointing you back to P. Roma or just ask anyone.

 

My recommendation for a first timer is to take the vaporetto at least as far as San Marco and then walk back.

[Joie de Viv]

I also used the #1 vaporetto as my grand canal "tour" since it runs the length of the grand canal - but note that it makes every single stop - kind of goes in a zig zag fashion along the way which is fine, this is what enables one to see everything along the way without missing anything.

 

Also second (or third) that seeing Venice on one's own is quite effortless and easy to do. If you're starting out in Piazza San Marco, enjoy that - really a great place to start, then hop on the vaporetto nearby and then get off near the train station...then work your way back to Piazza San Marco via a combo of main areas and "getting lost" in back "calles" as this is TRULY the way to have a taste of Venice. Don't worry - there's no way to get lost!

 

Anyway, you'll see the Rialto Bridge and other renowned places along the way to Piazza San Marco - just no need for a tour in Venice. Enjoy the visit.

Ciao :)

 

Ha! Couldn't agree more! In fact, I had to look at the source of this post to see if I had written it awhile ago! LOL. Definitely DIY with the Rick Steves (FREE) audiotour downloaded to an MP3 device. Wear earbuds. Try to get a seat at the bow of Vap #1, and enjoy your personal audio tour! Hubby & I did this a few years ago, again 2 years ago, and we will do exactly the same thing this October when we depart from there on Celebrity Constellation. We use Rick Steves free audio tour downloads for all our European sight-seeing. Also, I download his interview podcasts and listen to them just before our trip to get me in the mood for the destinations! He has an app, and then you select what audio tours/podcasts you want to download.