Venice advice (Hilton)

[betonic]

We will be arriving in Venice on December 1st at 12noon (3 couples) and will be staying at the Hilton Molino Stucky. We will be sailing on the Crown Princess on December 2nd at 11pm. I'm looking for some advice on how to best spend our time on Venice, this is the first time for most of us.

 

So far the plan is to share a water taxi to the hotel. Hoping to arrive around 2pm. From there what would be the best way to take advantage of the afternoon evening? Where would be a good restaurant for dinner?? We would be willing to spend about 150usd per couple for something fabulous.

 

The next day, what would be a good plan? Should we plan to check out of the hotel and store our bags there while we see some more of Venice? Or should we take our bags to the ship, check in and take the people mover, vaporetto back out??

 

Any advice or recomendations are greatly appreciated.

[euro cruiser]

What time are you required to be on the ship? That may impact your options. It's easy to get to the cruise port from the Hilton using the Alilaguna (goes twice an hour and takes less than ten minutes each way).

 

If you do decide to go to the ship and return to town, then go back again, I'd spend the extra money for the Alilaguna vs. the vaporetto and People Mover, as it will save you time.

 

http://alilaguna.it/en/lines/linea-blucruise-terminal-san-marco-airport

[betonic]

Thanks for your response. I need to investigate what time we have to be on the ship. I've never sailed as late as 11pm and have no idea what time the boarding starts and ends.

[DrmnOfMaui]

WE were in Venice last July/August, which will be a much different experience for you. You should have much less crowds, and no heat to contend with. I wrote a Venice review here for what we did that you are welcome to check out.

 

Excellent choice on the water taxi, easy and a wonderful way to enter Venice! A day we will not soon forget. I don't have a restaurant rec, however, I do recommend just setting out and walking. Do a bit of research first and figure out what area interests you the most, and then just walk. Photo opportunities abound at every turn, lots of shops, cafes and restaurants, gelaterias, churches, museums, etc etc etc.

 

Personally, I would find out what the times for boarding are for your ship (we took a water taxi to our ship from our hotel, pricey, but sooo easy), then we went back out and toured again. Walking from the port is easy and will much more pleasant in cool weather.

[clo6216]

You will love just walking around Venice. So much to see! As for dinner, we loved IL NUOVO GALEON. It's on Via Garibaldi -- I remember the directions from our hotel on St. Marks Square was "go over seven bridges, make a left, and it's on your right!" Truly memorable evening, great fish, within your budget. We told the waiter to order for us -- lots of variety but he didn't go overboard. Try it!

[dogandchief]

We will be arriving in Venice on December 1st at 12noon (3 couples) and will be staying at the Hilton Molino Stucky. We will be sailing on the Crown Princess on December 2nd at 11pm. I'm looking for some advice on how to best spend our time on Venice, this is the first time for most of us.

 

So far the plan is to share a water taxi to the hotel. Hoping to arrive around 2pm. From there what would be the best way to take advantage of the afternoon evening? Where would be a good restaurant for dinner?? We would be willing to spend about 150usd per couple for something fabulous.

 

The next day, what would be a good plan? Should we plan to check out of the hotel and store our bags there while we see some more of Venice? Or should we take our bags to the ship, check in and take the people mover, vaporetto back out??

 

Any advice or recomendations are greatly appreciated.

 

betonic,

 

The hotel runs the free shuttle boat between your hotel and St. Marks Square so take advantage of this for your sight-seeing. As you're probably aware most sights are near St. Marco Square and Rialto bridge - there is no major sight as such on the island which your hotel is on.

http://www.molinostuckyhilton.com/docs/shuttle_boat_stop.pdf

 

As you are going to be there during the winter month, in the unfortunate but not-so-rare event of the flood, you might find yourselves having to walk on the raised walk-way in some places (locals just wade through the water in their wellies). But don't be alarmed too much, it is not in the scale of Hurricane Sandy or anything like that so you won't be stranded in any way, it is only a slight, very minor inconvenience and just part of their everyday life there during the winter months...

 

You probably wouldn't need to know but just in case you end up having to store your luggage elsewhere rather than your hotel or the ship, the public left-luggage are only available at 1) St. Lucia Train station and 2) Piazzale Roma (as far as I know) and it costs approx. EUR5-6 per luggage. The one in P. Roma opens at least until 9pm and it is located right next to People Mover station.

 

 

As for the recommendation for sight-seeing, I'd suggest to take a public water bus service (Vaporetto - run by ACTV) around the 'grand canal' once, not just to move from A to B but as a form of sight-seeing from the water - this is one of the best way to see and enjoy the magnificent view of Venice itself and is very entertaining, well worth the ride and its effort. You can take No 2 from the 'Zattere' stop (the nearest to your hotel) which goes all the way through the Grand Canal, getting off at S. Marco Vallaresso to end your journey - this costs EUR7.00 per person for a single ticket. Personally I'd do this journey during the day light so be careful when planning as it gets dark quite quickly during the winter. Hopefully you should be able to do this in the afternoon on your day 1...

 

 

Hope this helps.

[GradGirl]

We stayed at the Stucky Molino in Venice in Sept 2011. Such a great hotel, and personally I loved the location - so much easier than hotels within Venice. I agree on taking a water taxi from the airport - we arranged ours with the Hilton, and they met us at the airport with a van, which took us to the water taxi, which took us to the hotel. Its such a lovely way to see the sights of Venice. For your checkout day, I would indeed store your luggage at the hotel and use the hotel's free water shuttle over to the Accademia (1st stop) or San Marco (2nd stop). If I recall, you could see the cruise ships from the hotel, so it would be very easy to pop back to the Hilton, retrieve your luggage, and head to the port.

As for dinner, just walk around! That's the best way to find great places. There are lots of touristy places by San Marco, but I recall a few upscale places over at the Rialto Bridge. We were there 2 days, and would just try places we would stumble upon, if we liked the menu.

[betonic]

Thanks for all of the good suggestions.

[Scorpiorose]

When we arrived we stopped at the hotel and headed out to make a round trip walking and just seeing the sites...there are plenty of great places along the channel to stop for dinner we had the melt in your mouth bass at a water side restaurant. If you are Mobil walk walk walk that is the best way to see Venice....you'll find things and food, that is around every corner...enjoy