2015 saw the introduction by local
authorities of restrictions to cruise ships
visiting Venice. Until this year the size
of cruise ships visiting Venice were only
limited by their ability to negotiate the
water ways. The local authorities have
become concerned by the ever increasing
size of ships, the effect they have on the
local infrastructure and the wash caused
by the passing ships to the ancient pilings.
This year the tonnage of cruise ships
being able to visit has been limited to
90,000 tonnes which is the reason why the
deployment of ships between 2014 and
2015 has drastically changed.
GETTING AROUND
There are two airports for Venice -
Marco Polo (approx 20 minutes drive)
& Treviso (approx 1 hours drive). We
recommend always using Marco Polo
(served by BA, Aer Lingus , Easyjet, Jet
2 & Monarch) as it can sometimes be
difficult to get a taxi driver to take you
from Venice to Treviso airport.
Marco Polo passengers have the choice
of travelling by road or by water to the
centre of Venice. Local buses will take
you to Piazialle Roma for approx' 5
Euros per person or private taxis charge
around £40. A 5 to 10 minute walk
from the baggage reclaim down to the
water taxi boat dock will give you the
opportunity to arrive at your hotel in
style. A private water taxi transfer costs
around £60pp and will take you direct
to the landing dock of your hotel with
a journey time of around 40 minutes.
Whereas a shared water taxi transfer
will take you to a central point in Venice
such as Saint Marks Square and will
cost around £35pp with a bit of waiting
around for the boat to fill up.
Local waterbus (vaporetto) is the
cheapest way of getting around (from
Piazialle Roma to the Rialto Bridge the
cost is approx 7 Euros).This journey
takes approx 30 minutes and it is a
great introduction to the wonders of
Venice. There are some excellent and
cheaper restaurants by the canal next
to the Rialto Bridge. From the here you
can walk through to the most famous
part of Venice - Saint Marks Square.
When the cruise ships are in a water
bus connects Saint Marks Square to the
cruise terminal.
WHERE TO STAY
We would recommend two areas to
stay in Venice. Piazalle Roma which is
literally the end of the road for cars,
taxis and buses. This terminus style
square is also only 10 minutes walk from
the cruise terminals and just across the
canal from Santa Lucia train terminus;
plus restaurants and bars in this area
are cheaper. The square is also very well
connected by all to all areas of Venice
by waterbus.
Saint Marks Square (Piazza San
Marco) is our second choice for
accommodation. The restaurants and
bars lining Saint Marks Square are the
most expensive; but whilst in Venice
you must at least have a drink here to
watch the world go by. For those on a
budget we even found a Burger King
between Saint Marks Square and the
Rialto Bridge!!!
THINGS TO DO:
Top souvenirs would be Venetian
Glass (also known as Murano Glass)
or the famous and flamboyant masks.
There are lots of museums to visit
and it's a great place just to get lost
and wander through the alleyways,
over the bridges and by the canals
- utterly charming. Standing in the
middle of the magnificent Piazza
San Marco is an experience in itself -
once described by: Napoleon as the
'drawing room of Europe'. St Mark's
Basilica ,Doge's Palace and the clock
tower built between 1496 and 1506 -
are the city's main attractions.
St. Mark's Basilica, built in the
eleventh century, is the most famous
and most recognizable of all the
churches in the city of Venice. Its
design is considered one of the best
examples of Byzantine architecture
in the world, known for its opulent
design and gilded interior mosaics,
and nicknamed "Church of Gold".
The magnificent Doge's Palace is one
of the most important buildings in
Venice. It was the centre of power,
from where the Venetian Republic
was ruled. It was constructed in two
phases: the eastern wing, was built
between 1301 and 1340. The western
wing took an additional 110 years to
build and was completed in 1450.
The "Porta della Carta" is the main
entrance to the palace and leads
directly to the courtyard. After
entering the inner courtyard you'll
find a flight of stairs that led to the
Doge's private quarters, known as the
"Scala dei Giganti" and flanked by
huge statues of Mars and Neptune. .
Visitors can explore all of this
together with the map room and the
armory.
No trip to Venice would be complete
without a punt down one of the city's
picturesque waterways in an iconic
gondola. Prices vary according to the
time of day you want to go and the
route you want to take. Prices below
are for the hire of the gondola, for six
passengers or less. Having your own
personal crooner will push the fare up.
8am-7pm 80 for 40mins; 40 for each
additional 20mins. 7pm-8am 100
for 40mins; 50 for each additional
20mins.
Destination Focus
VENICE
Venice is a wonderful place to cruise from and a picturesque place
to stay before or after your cruise. 117 small islands separated by
canals and bridges make up Venice - with the Grand Canal snaking
through the centre. The arrival into or departure from Venice are
the most memorable in the world as the ship majestically passes
Saint Mark's Square escorted by a flotilla of smaller craft. From the
comfort on board ship you have a bird's eye view across ancient
Venice giving you a true appreciation of the size of the ship you
are sailing on and the juxtaposition of modern luxury on board
compared with the old world charms of the view.
www.jetlinecruise.com
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