Cruises to Venice

With all of Venice spread before you, there's absolutely no reason to hang out in either port facility.

Your feet -- Venice is a walking city, full of labyrinthian streets and tons of bridges (usually requiring steps up and down again), so wear your most comfortable shoes.

If you, like most visitors, plan to take a vaporetto, make sure you have your ticket stamped at the first station you visit. (All stations have automated ticket machines.)

Credit cards are accepted at most places, but we found that many restaurants and shops refused to accept American Express, so make sure you have a MasterCard or Visa handy.

Finally, Venice during the months of July and August in particular is a cautionary tale: It's overcrowded, maneuvering its narrow pathways is difficult at best, and it's often hot and steamy.

From the airport: A handful of options exist for transport between the airport and the city. The cheapest is the #5 bus from the airport to Piazalle Roma; from there, you can hop on a vaporetto (water bus) to get you closer to your hotel. You can buy tickets at Piazalle Roma. You can buy your bus ticket from a machine by the luggage carousels after arriving at Marco Polo Airport. Another decent option is the Alilaguna, which operates like water taxi but carries a larger number of passengers. The fastest and most exclusive (and also the most expensive) way is to hop aboard a water taxi.

A sleeker, more romantic way to descend on Venice (and an altogether less hassled option, particularly if you have a lot of luggage) is by water taxi. Follow signs at arrivals at Marco Polo; you can pay by credit card (Mastercard and Visa only) or by cash. Plan to spend about 90 euro for the one-way trip.

From the cruise ports: With luck, your ship will offer a complimentary water shuttle between the port facility of Venezia Terminal Passeggeri and San Marco, but if not, there are two options. Alilaguna offers water bus service from Stationze Marittima, direct from the end of the port (in front of the terminal) to San Marco. It costs about 8 euro one way or 15 roundtrip and takes about 15 minutes. Boats are scheduled every 20 minutes or so.

Another option if your ship doesn't provide a water shuttle to San Marco is to walk to the relatively new People Mover (about a 15-minute hike) that's adjacent to the port; it will take you to Piazzle Roma for about 1 euro, a major hub for water taxis and the vaportetti. Here you can get an ACTV water bus (cross the square towards a steeply-arched pedestrian bridge), which costs about 8 euro and is valid for an hour, so you can hop on and off the water buses if you want to get beyond San Marco. If you plan a lot of water bus travel, a 12-hour pass costs about 18 euro.

Tickets must be validated on all public transport. Hold the ticket against the card reader at the entrance to the bust stop.

If you're docked at San Basilio, you'll need to either take a complimentary ship shuttle (if one is offered) or hop on a port waterbus; there's a stop just outside the port gates. The charge for one-way drop-off at San Marco is about the same as you'd pay for a vaporetto ride, but you get a nonstop trip. Expect the ride to be about 20 to 30 minutes long.

Speaking of the vaporetti, Venice's fabulous public transportation system, the water buses run every 10 to 15 minutes and go just about everywhere. The cost is about 7 euro per ride, depending on where you go. If you plan to use public transportation several times, consider buying a one-day Venice Card. (there are also options for people staying for more than one day.) I bought a 48-hour pass for 28 euro on one visit and a 24-hour pass for 20 euro on another, and got my money's worth. You can buy in advance online, or purchase a card at any ticket office (like the one at Piazzale Roma) or at shops that sell sundries. Prepare to pay cash. You can also purchase the pass onboard.

You can also hire a water taxi from the port, but it's pretty expensive; expect to pay around 60 euro to get from San Marco Square to your ship.

It's about a 25-minute stroll to San Marco, if you decide to walk. There are plenty of interesting places to stop along the way and it's pleasant and safe to walk back to the ship at night.

There's absolutely no reason to rent a car, as Venice doesn't permit them. However, if you are planning an adventure on the mainland, you can rent from major agencies like Hertz and Avis. They are located near the Piazzale Roma.

The local currency is the euro and ATM machines, which are plentiful, offer the best exchange rates. Local "cambio" shops and banks exchange dollars to euros for a fee.

Venetians speak a unique dialect of Italian called Veneziano. English is not widely spoken (or comprehended), aside from tourist-oriented hotels, restaurants and shops.

Large cruise ships dock at Venezia Terminali Passeggeri

Smaller cruise ships can tie up at the Stazione Marittima by the lovely Dorsoduro neighborhood and fronting the Giudecca Canal. From the vaporetto, stop just outside the port gates. It's a quick water-bus ride to any of Venice's hot spots.

Riverboats are often given berth at a third spot, near the Bienniele, adjacent to the Giardini (public gardens), and a pleasant 10-minute stroll to San Marco. However, there's no port terminal.