Ravenna Stay Overnight or Not

[JerseyGirlatHeart]

We are taking a cruise next year that disembarks in Ravenna.  We are planning to spend a month in Italy following the cruise, starting with 5 days in Venice.  Our plan was to disembark, get transportation to the train station and head to Venice, but starting to rethink it.

 

Would it be better to get a B&B in Ravenna for the night and take the train in the morning to avoid the “cruise” crowd?

 

How “difficult” is the train system from Ravenna to Venice (we will each have a 25” rolling piece of luggage and each have a backpack)?

 

Would private transportation be better?  If so, any recommended options that won’t break the bank?

 

Thanks in advance!

[wanderlust58]

It would be a real shame if you didn’t spend a full day in Ravenna before heading off to Venice.  The mosaics there are stunning, some of the best in the world.  As to handling the train with your luggage, you’d need to think about how heavy they are and your general health status.  For example, can you schlep them up the steps in the station or on the train (if there are some)? How will you get to your hotel from the train?  Walking around in Venice pulling a suitcase would definitely not be fun.  The crowds are huge.  How much inconvenience can you tolerate?  I can’t remember what the train station is like in Venice, but for me, paying extra for door-to-door service is worth it.  Just please take the time to see the mosaics. You won’t regret it.

[Milhouse]

Not apples to apples but last year we arrived in Ravenna the day before the cruise to spend some time exploring the day before and the morning before boarding.  We headed to Bologna by train after the cruise.

 

IMO, it's worth spending a day in Ravenna to see the sights and mosaics.  The town is pretty small overall so it's easy to explore on foot.  We found it fairly quiet at night though with people and teens walking around the core.  

 

We didn't find the Ravenna train station super busy after disembarkation. I'm not sure if a lot of people take the train.  

Cabs are likely going to be limited at the port upon disembarkation.  We ended up taking the X coach bus shuttle to the train station for ~$15pp (I posted our exact cost on the Italy board.)  X also provided transportation to Bologna and IIRC Venice immediately post cruise if you want to skip Ravenna.

[marazul]

Don't miss Ravenna. Stay for a night.

[edinburgher]

19 hours ago, JerseyGirlatHeart said:

We are planning to spend a month in Italy following the cruise, starting with 5 days in Venice

Do you already have a Venice hotel booked?  Just asking as reference is being made to luggage.  If not already booked, the following copy/paste of a past post of mine could be helpful to you as not everyone is aware that public vaparettos can be very crowded and not ideal with luggage, and  navigating Venice with luggage  is very different from navigating other cities.

 

Have you looked at the excellent Europe for Visitors.com  Venice website ? It has an astonishing amount of info on it and is especially helpful for first time visitors. it also has a section "how many bridges"  hotel listings Venice.

 

As for hotels in Venice, many folks  count the number of bridges which need to be crossed from a public vaporetto stop as most are "stepped" and require you to carry your luggage up one side and down the other. . Hotels with private docks   can be pricier than most, and private water taxis are also costly.

 

An other option is to travel by train and find a hotel close to the main station, Santa Lucia, or find one on or close to Piazzale Roma, the last point in Venice for vehicular traffic. Doing this would give you an easier arrival and departure as the airport bus also stops there and it is close to the train station.

 

We have only twice seen porters in Venice and they were in front of the train station.  Having no idea what they cost, you could try googling something like "where to find (or cost of) porters in Venice".

 

Another option is to leave the bulk of your luggage at one of the left luggage facilities in Venice and pack what you need for your short stay in a small carry on or back pack which will make it easier to reach your hotel.

 

There are a multitude of past CC threads about Venice hotels, luggage, transportation, recommendations etc, you only need use the SEARCH TOOL to find them.  And do also dip into the Venice for visitors website as the more you look into it, the more info you will find.