Recommendation for Venice hotel

[starklk]

omegaet....yes, of course....let's compare notes on Ca' Pisani. We arrive for our 3 night stay at the end of July!

[omegaet]

lippincottfarm...we're holding reservations for three nights in early July at the Ca' Pisani. Any additional information or thoughtsyou would like to provide on the hotel, neighborhood or services available (what about a private water taxi from the airport to the hotel....how did you arrive...did you connect with a train)?

[lhbrown]

Hi O,
I don't know the Hotel Ca' Pisani, but I am sure it is fine. Venice is a wonderful, magical place, you are going to love it... If I remember correctly, you are taking intra-european flights like easyjet, etc. Which airport will you be arriving at, Treviso or Marco Polo? If you arrive at Treviso there is an inexpensive bus that will take you to Venice main parking lot from where you can board a valporetto. I am sure, Marco Polo has also shuttle buses to the main Venice parking lot. These shuttle busses are inexpensive and quick, no need to take a water taxi which costs a small fortune. Once at the main parking lot, go to the valporetto station just across the street and buy yourself a 3-day unlimited transportation ticket for the valporettos. These 3-day visitor passes are very reasonable. They are fun and fast. Just validate your ticket and they are good for all your transportation needs. If you get to the front of the boat, you can snap the most amazing pictures of Venice right from your water trip. We boarded the valporetto for the main canal and stayed on it all the way around the island, a most amazing "almost free" sightseeing tour of all of the Venice waterways. Your hotel will probably provide you with a private water taxi tour to see the Murano glass factories. Take it, even if you are not buying any of the Murano glass offered. The factory tour and the Showroom can be quite interesting and the private water taxi alone is worth the trip, since you will go across some smaller venice canals where the valporettos can't go. If you want to splurge, take a gondola ride. We didn't the first time in Venice but the second time we were with my husbands family and they insisted. We had fun, but just for two, unless you are deeply romantically involved, I wouldn't spend the money. Stroll around San Marcus Square, go into the Domo and take a guided tour of the Doges Plalace , one of the largest in Italy, and listen to its amazing history and have a look at the Bridge of Scies as you pass over it/through it from inside the palace. It's an amazing place, it keeps on going and going.... climb to the top of the Torre del' Horologgio and enjoy a wonderful view of the city. The bell tower is now newly restored and takes visitors in small groups (with reservation), see my post on this subject. If you like modern art don't miss the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and its wonderful peaceful garden. Your hotel will probably provide you with a free entrance and 10 Euros in chips to the Venice Casino. We went, it isn't much if you have been to Vegas, we thought it was a dump, but if you go, don't forget to bring your passport or they won't let you in. We didn't have our passport on us, and they called the hotel to guarantee our entrance.... Walk through the Jewish Ghetto to the other side of the Venice island, and take a look at a living and fully functioning neighborhood which is quite interesting. Stroll along the waterside past the San Marcus Square, at this time of the year you should find lots of cruise ships coming into Venice being towed by lotsens to their docking stations. You might see as many as 5 or 6 of these latest ultra modern cruise ships being docked, coming in or going out. Quite a spectacle...
For dinner, if you want to splurge, have dinner on one of the many first class waterfront hotel terraces, the upstairs ones are the best providing you with the best views.... Don't miss some of the many wonderful churches filled with 16th and 17th century Italian/Venician artists' artworks, like in the Santa Maria dela Salute.
Well, whatever you do, have fun....

[claassenam]

To get away from the crowds, I highly recommend taking the vaporetto past Murano and Burano to the island of Torcello if you have not been. It is a quiet, farming island with a picturesque church, a couple little restaurants and a famous bridge. Very peaceful, quiet and calm (at least when I was there, which was during the craziness of August!) We had a fantastic lunch (with the restaurant to ourselves) at a restaurant named after the bridge - something "Del Diavolo"....

Have a wonderful trip, O!

[obrienkf]

When you visit the Basilica of San Marco, (not if, when), if you can join a tour that explains the mosaics, take that extra hour. The tours are inexpensive, if not free (you just ask when you go in, and wait for the next one....). The explanations of the mosaics is important in understanding the Venetian history. And, pay the extra 2 euro to visit 'behind the altar', to see the Palle d'oro. Its a wall (3 metres x 5 metres) of gold with only a few thousand precious stones and pearls (a few hundred 12mm pearls, a few hundred sapphires... diamonds, amyethest, rubies, emeralds). And lots of little perfect enamel paintings tucked in betwee. Most people miss it completely, walk in, out, go upstairs, take a few pictures, and don't even know that its there. Its perfectly "Venetian".Showsjust how powerful they were.

[lhbrown]

Hi obrienkf,
You are quite right about "paying the extra 2 euro to visit 'behind the altar', to see the Palle d'oro. Its a wall (3 metres x 5 metres) of gold with only a few thousand precious stones and pearls (a few hundred 12mm pearls, a few hundred sapphires... diamonds, amyethest, rubies, emeralds). And lots of little perfect enamel paintings tucked in between." We missed it the two times we were there. Our friends made the daytrip from Florence to Venice this past March and they came back and told us all about it and showed us the pictures they took. We were sorry we had missed it - wish somebody had told us about it before we went.... so, yes, do go to visit behind the altar to see the Palle d'oro.

[omegaet]

LL-Travelfan, claassenam, obrienkf..excellent....valuable informationnothing like getting first-hand feed back. Huge thanks to each of you.

[starklk]

I agree completely - to everyone who has contributed with advice and recommendations - many thanks!
Here's a link some of you might find useful: www.fodors.com/wire/archives/002459.cfm

[lippincottfarm]

Hi Omegaet, SorryI didn't see your post until today. Work has been busy. When we arrived at the Venice airport, we went thru immigration and customs. I think we went downstairs and found the booth to buy the vaperetto tickets. We bought one pass for the entire stay. We walked thru the glass doors to a bench where we waited for a bus (I think it was a bus as opposed to a trolley)which took us to the vaporetto stop. You stay on thebus until it come to an end. Youget out and walk thru the parking lotdown the hill to the canal. At the canal you get on Line One or there is another vaporetto which also goesalong the grand canal. Make sure you validate your ticket before you get on the vaporetto. There will be a little machine before you get on that you stick your ticket in, and it stamps it. The closest stop is the Accademia stop. All stops are well marked. We had wheeled suitcases and one personal bag each. I would not spring for a private water taxi.There is plenty of room on the public vaporettos for your bags. Once you get off of the vaporetto, you take the street which bears to theleft and just walk until you see thehotel. It's only about one block. You really can't get lost becauseeven if you take the other street, it is a big circle which eventually takes you past the Ca'Pisani. The hotel is an older building, well kept,with tables outside. There are several restaurants and an ATM machine immediately before the hotel. Look for the Africans selling the fake bags. Theyset upjust past the hotel.I read, however, that the police do not fine them, but the persons buying the fake bags. So, don't buy. Our reservations are for July 9, 10 and 11. The hotelis really cool. We enjoyed our stay and can't wait to go back. I also posted my original stay to tripadvisor and fodors. We used thevaporettos the entire stay. It takes you to the train station and the Rialto bridge, St. Marks, Doges Palace and anywhere you might want togo to. As I have said elsewhere, one of our fondest memories is going to a concert at the church next to the Rialto market the second night. It was beautiful. Our second was sitting in St. Mark's square watching the kids and the pigeons. We then walked around the corner to buymy Bellini's and my husband'sbeers.

[obrienkf]

Dear Lippincottfarm...



your comment



Quote ...Look for the Africans selling the fake bags. Theyset upjust past the hotel.I read, however, that the police do not fine them, but the persons buying the fake bags. So, don't buy...unquote



This tragedy that is everywhere in Italy is actually an extension of Trans-national Organized Crime, and the Africans selling this junk (knock off Prada, Gucci, Versace etc),are the front for very well organized long standing mafia work linked to drugs, prostitution and who knows what. Don't kid yourself on what you are participating in. Italian law enforcement cannot keep up with this, its highly sophisticated, and is illegal. These are copyright infringements, and these fellows, trying to scrape a living off selling to tourists, are under very tight control by serious tuff guy criminals. Don't buy is the best advice. Its as wrong as downloading copyright music, and more risky. No Prada bag or Gucci shades sell for 5 euro. And you are likely to be 'pilfered' at the same time while you struggle with your wallet...



My motto ... If you can get a diamond for ten bucks you've bought a very expensive piece of glass....