Venice dock to Plaza Roma

[AEGBRG]

Is it neccesary to buy shuttle tickets to get to the Plaza Roma? Can you walk it? If so, how do you get there and are there any issues walking it-is it an easy walk? Also, is the Doge's Palace secret tour worth doing compared to just buying tickets and seeing it on our own? Thanks you,

[GMoney]

You can walk to the Piazzale Roma fairly easily from the cruise ship dock. It takes about 15 - 20 minutes. You will walk through the port area, out up a slight hill to a main road, and then down to the ACTV bus station. The water buses are right behind it. I did it several times (once coming back around 1am) with no problems. You do have to clear port security on the way back in.

 

 

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/piazzale_roma.htm

[fsdorado]

Is it neccesary to buy shuttle tickets to get to the Plaza Roma? Can you walk it? If so, how do you get there and are there any issues walking it-is it an easy walk? Also, is the Doge's Palace secret tour worth doing compared to just buying tickets and seeing it on our own? Thanks you,

 

It's a pretty easy walk (15-20 minutes). There's a bridge that goes over the channel that ends right in the area the land busses stop. From there, you can catch the vaporettos everywhere.

 

In regards to the Secret Ittinerary tour at the Doges Palace, I would highly recommend it. It was one of the highlights of our Venice trip. The ticket also gets you into the Doges Palace, where you can continue looking around after the guided tour. Be sure to sign up for a tour in English. We purchased our tickets thru tickitaly.com for 21 euros each. We took our printed confirmation to the Group Tickets desk, where they exchanged it for a regular ticket that included the Secret tour. No lines, no hassle.

 

Have a great trip!!

 

 

Frederick

[High C's]

We did the secret itinerary tour at Doge's Palace last year, and absolutely recommend the tour. HOWEVER, if you have any issues walking, specifically climbing stairs, you may want to reconsider. We did this tour a couple of months before I had both of my knees replaced. While I was able to keep up, it was with significant difficulty. There is a tremendous amount of stair climbing, and the stairs are very narrow and steep in many cases. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the tour.

 

I mention this only because I see you are concerned with how "easy" the walk is to P. Roma from the cruise dock, therefore I wonder if you have the same type of issues I had prior to my surgery.

[KentuckyTraveler]

I too would recommend the Secret Itinery tour at the Doges Palace. It allows you to bypass all the line and see behind the scenes that made the whole visit to the Palace more enjoyable.

 

You can book it directly with the Palace at:

 

http://www.weekendavenezia.com/bigphp/mus.php?mus=ducaleveis&skin=alev

 

They can be purchased online for 16 euro and avoid the service charge of the tickitaly.com. One word of caution, the website can be challenging. Prior to using your credit card, make sure the credit card company has been notified to approved european purchases otherwise the transaction may be denied.

 

The tour is hot, has cramped spaces, and many many steps - but well worth the effort.

 

 

If you plan to get to Venice from the dock on your own, bring with you very detailed directions. We went on the Millenium in June and spent 2 days pre-cruise in Venice. When we boarded the ship and inquired how to get back into town, the "guest services" desk was very uncooperative in offering any suggestions other than the cruise line's $20 per person/per day shuttle service to St. Mark's square. I had to pressure them to admit there was another option to walk to a vaperetto stop. They would only offer very sketchy details. Go prepared!

 

Enjoy! Venice is a wonderfully memorable city!

[GMoney]

 

If you plan to get to Venice from the dock on your own, bring with you very detailed directions. We went on the Millenium in June and spent 2 days pre-cruise in Venice. When we boarded the ship and inquired how to get back into town, the "guest services" desk was very uncooperative in offering any suggestions other than the cruise line's $20 per person/per day shuttle service to St. Mark's square. I had to pressure them to admit there was another option to walk to a vaperetto stop. They would only offer very sketchy details. Go prepared!

 

 

Not surprisingly, RCI was the same on my recent Brilliance cruise. I found it very disappointing.

[Albert Ross]

The square is called Piazzale Roma - there is acually a city bus - #6/ that stops right outside the port gates and will take you to PR - otherwise as others have said it is a 15 min walk - and then at PR you walk down to the Grand Canal to catch the Vaporettos

[jefarl]

the walk is only 15-20 minutes BUT not well marked unless you follow others for the first time who know the route. No way would we have figured it out without another couple who had been there already...Also in the summer its HOT, HOT and no cover....

Carnival last year was't too cooperative either so its not just RCL. The shuttle is a good way but maybe a taxi back at the end of the day to avoid the usual long waits at Plaza Roma to get back to the ship...

[AEGBRG]

I was able to book the Doge's Palace tour at 11:35 (only time left). The tour is an hour and 15 min. Will we have enough time to take the tour and walk around the rest of the palace for 15-20 min as well as have time to get back to the boat if were leaving St.Marks a little after 1 (using Vaporetto)? The boat is leaving at 3:00 so when would we have to get back to the ship by? Were on the Millienium.

[Albert Ross]

I was able to book the Doge's Palace tour at 11:35 (only time left). The tour is an hour and 15 min. Will we have enough time to take the tour and walk around the rest of the palace for 15-20 min as well as have time to get back to the boat if were leaving St.Marks a little after 1 (using Vaporetto)? The boat is leaving at 3:00 so when would we have to get back to the ship by? Were on the Millienium.

We also were on the 11.35 tour but the guide overran and we were not out of there till 1.10 and as we were meeting people for lunch we had no time at all to see the rest of the palace. I would say you are cutting it fine.

[fsdorado]

By the way, the Port of Venice also runs a complimentary shuttle from port to Piazzale Roma during the day. The last shuttle returns to the port around 5:00 PM. It takes the same path as you would take if you walked. You can also catch a land taxi from Piazzale Roma back to the port. I don't imagine it would be that expensive.

 

 

Frederick

[Member]

..... You can also catch a land taxi from Piazzale Roma back to the port. I don't imagine it would be that expensive.Frederick

They charged two of us with two luggage fo 20,00 euro in summer 2005.