Information about the City
[ Venice | History | How to get to Venice | Useful Numbers]Venice
Venice is considered among the most beautiful and best preserved cities in the world, unique in the fact that it is the only city in the world built on water. The city has earned the name of La Serenissima, the most serene, as throughout the city’s remarkably stable history Venice favoured neutrality and peace when possible. Today the city’s peaceful atmosphere is due to the complete absence of cars; boats provide the only means of transport along a system of over one hundred and fifty canals. For those who prefer to explore the city on foot, more than 430 bridges connect the canals and streets or calle together.If your plans include a stay in Venice following the EEA-ESEM 2002 conference, opportunities abound to experience the city’s rich history and culture. There are numerous museums and over 200 churches to explore.The Architecture Biennale will be underway and the Venice International Film Festival is held every year in late August and early September, with films screened on Lido island and throughout the city. When it’s time to relax, you can spend time at the beach on the Lido, the famous setting for Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice, where you can also hire bikes, play tennis and golf.
Central Venice is divided into six sestieri, or administrative districts, three on each side of the Grand Canal. On the northern side is Cannaregio, to the east Castello and in the centre the San Marco sestiere, boasting the beautiful Piazza San Marco. Santa Croce, San Polo and Dorsoduro are on the southern side of the bank. San Giorgio Maggiore (the conference venue), Giudecca and Lido are separate islands, as are Torcello, Murano (where glass is produced), and Burano (where lace is historically made). There are over 100 islands in the lagoon, with an ever declining population of 120,000. Tourists swell this number to around 25 million each year.
Visit http://www.aguestinvenice.com for up to the minute information on what’s happening in Venice. And for further general information http://www.turismovenezia.it/eng/default.asp the official site of the tourist board of Venice.History
The Veneto region was part of the Roman Empire until the barbarian invasions of the 5th and 6th centuries forced much of the population to retreat toward the coastline and marshy islands of the lagoon. The islands fell under Byzantine rule until 726 when Venetians elected their first Doge and achieved autonomy.With a booming spice trade, luxury and ship building industries, Venice quickly became an important trading city and naval power. Despite recurring wars with Genoa and the Turks, Venice began to expand on mainland Italy and down the Eastern coast of the Adriatic.
However, Venice was powerless to defend itself against Napoleon. Soon after it found itself under the rule of the punitive Austrian Empire. In 1866, Venice became part of the Italian state.Visit http://www.venicescapes.org for an in-depth guide through Venice’s history.
How to get to Venice
Download Logistical Information .pdf version
[By plane (Marco Polo Airport) | By plane (Treviso Airport) | By train | By car | By boat ]
By plane-Marco Polo Airport
Marco Polo Airport is about 13 Km from Venice and is connected to the city by water bus, by bus and by water taxi. Marco Polo airport’s website gives flight information (or call 041 260 9260) and links to other useful sites.
From Marco Polo airport to Venice by bus
ACTV Tel: + 39 041 27 22 111/041 520 5530
Bus number 5 travels between the airport and Piazzale Roma every half hour, journey time 35/40 mins. Tickets (€ 0.77) can be bought at the ACTV counter in the arrivals hall or from the ACTV office in Piazzale Roma.
ATVO Tel: + 39 041 541 5180/ 041 528 7886
Fast coach service to and from Piazzale Roma coinciding with most incoming and outgoing flights. Visit www.atvo.it/Orari/linea/VEMPVE.htm for a timetable. Journey time approx. 25 minutes. Tickets are € 2.70 on board.
From Piazzale Roma take a water bus (vaporetto), lines 1, 82 or 52 to get to San Marco.
From Marco Polo airport to Venice by boatFor all forms of water transoport leaving the airport your will need to take the complimentary shuttle bus from the main airport building to the small dock area. The shuttle bus leaves directly outside the main exit and runs from 6.15-24.10 daily. The journey time from the airport to the small dock area is approximately 5 minutes
ALILAGUNA Tel:+39 041 523 5775)
Alilaguna is a direct water shuttle service that runs two lines hourly between Marco Polo airport and San Marco. Tickets (€10.00) can be purchased in the arrivals hall at the Alilaguna Desk. Journey time to Lido is 60 minutes and 70 minutes to San Marco
From Marco Polo airport to Venice by water taxi
A ride from the airport right to your hotel in Venice will cost from € 80.00 (no credit cards). Please book and pay for your water taxi at the Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia Desk in the arrivals hall. Please call +39 041 5222303 to pre-book your private water taxi.
By plane-Treviso airport (> back to 'How to get to Venice')Treviso's tiny San Giuseppe airport is used by Ryanair and a few other charter services to and from London. ATVO buses run between the airport and Venice's Piazzale Roma to coincide with flights. Go to http://www.atvo.it/Orari/linea/Oove-sgtv.htm for timetable information. From Piazzale Roma take a water bus (vaporetto), lines 1, 82 or 52 to get to San Marco.
By train (> back to 'How to get to Venice')The main train station (ferrovia Santa Lucia) is in Cannaregio on the Canal Grande. From here you can take a water bus (vaporetto), lines 1, 82 and 52 to San Marco.
By car (> back to 'How to get to Venice')A4 from west or east; A13 to Padova, then A4 from south or A27 from north.
When you reach Venice, you can leave your car in one of the car parks in Piazzale Roma or on the island of Tronchetto.
Piazzale Roma: all garages are open 24 hours a day, all year round
L'Autorimessa comunale A.S.M. S.p.A. is the biggest car park with 2400 spaces, an automatic entry system which reads number plates and 200 24hr close circuit cameras monitoring all levels. Fixed rate charge ( from 1 to 24 hours) is € 18.59. If you have to stay for longer than a week, it is cheaper to pay for a month's pass which costs between € 51.00 and € 125.00 depending on the size of your car.
Sant'Andrea car park, just behind, has only 100 spaces charges € 4.13 for every two hours.
Garage San Marco S.p.A. (Tel.:0415232213) also in Piazzale Roma, charges from approximately € 25.00 for 24 hours and €19.00 for 12 hours. If you are staying for several days, you can agree on a 20% discount as you check in.
Tronchetto- open 24 hours a day, all year round
After crossing the liberty bridge, before arriving at the Piazzale Roma, follow the signs to the Tronchetto island car park which has about 3500 spaces and charges a fixed rate of € 18.00 from 1 to 24 hours. If you pay in advance and plan to stay for longer than 4 days, you can receive a 20% discount. From here you can take a water bus (vaporetto) to S. Marco with lines 3, 4 or 82.Alternatives
S. Giuliano car park is on the mainland, just before the bridge leading to Venice. There are 800 spaces, but it is only open from 8am to 8pm and is not guarded outside these hours. Charges are € 7.74 for up to 10 hours and € 1.03 for each additional hour
Serenissima this can be found in Mestre, just in front of the railway station and has about 500 spaces and charges from € 4.13 for up to 6 hours
Warnings
Do not be fooled by illegal touts offering to arrange parking and hotels, they are professionally dressed and very convincing.
Do not leave valuables in the car. There is a luggage deposit office, open daily 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., next to the Pullman Bar on the ground floor of the municipal garage at "Piazzale Roma".
By boat (> back to 'How to get to Venice')Cruise Ships stop at the Maritime Station in S.Marta; there is a free shuttle boat service to San Marco.
Emergency Numbers
113 Police
112 Police-(European Mobile Phone Users)
116 Car breakdown Service
118 AmbulanceLost and Found
Lost items on public water transport Tel 041/ 2722179
Lost items on public road transport Tel 041/2722838Airport
Flight Information Office: Tel 041/2609260
Lost and Found: Tel 041/2609222
Customs Office: Tel 041/5415390
Airport Parking: Tel 041/5415913Airlines
Air Dolomiti- Tel 800/013366
Air France- Tel 848/884466
Air Littoral- Tel 848/878510
Air One- Tel 848/848880
Alitalia- Tel 848/865641/2/3
Alpi Eagles- Tel 041/5997788
Austrian Airlines- Tel 02/80663095
British Airways- Tel 848/812266
Delta Airlines- Tel 800/864114
Go- Tel 848/887766
Iberia- Tel 848/870000
KLM-Tel 02/218981
Lufthansa- Tel 02/80663025
Meridiana- Tel 045/8089711
Sabena- Tel 041/983466
SAS- Tel 02/72000193
Volare- 800/222166Railway
Information: Tel 848888088 (automatic information in Italian only)
Lost Property: Tel 041/785238Tourist Information Board
Tel 041/5226356 or Tel 041/5298730Water Taxi - City Centre and Airport
041/5222303
041/5228777
041/5232473Car Taxi
Venice, P. Roma (car terminal) Tel 041/5237774
Venice, Lido (S.M. Elisabetta) Tel 041/5265974
Venice Airport (Tessera) Tel 041/936222
Consulates
Austria - Santa Croce 251, Venice - Tel 041/524 0556
Australia - Via Alessandria 251, Rome - Tel 06/854 2721
Belgium - San Marco 1470, Venice - Tel 041/522 4124
Botswana - Via Erizzo 107, Treviso - Tel 0423/665244
Brasile - Via Piave 35, Mestre - Tel 041/976439
Canada - Riviera Ruzzante 25, Padova - Tel 049/876 4833
Chile - Via Libertà 5-12, Marghera - Tel 335/6048648
Cyprus - Via Delle Macchine 15 Marghera - Tel 041/ 2911911
Denmark - Santa Croce 466/g, Venice - Tel 041/520 0822
Finland - Via Doge Michiel 1/d, Lido - Tel 041/5261550
France - Castello 6140, Venice - Tel 041/522 4319
Germany - Campo S. Angelo 3816, Venice - Tel 041/523 7675
Great Britain - Dorsoduro 1051, Venice - Tel 041/522 7207
Greece - San Polo 720, Venice - Tel 041/5237260
Hungary - San Marco 286, Venice - Tel 041/5239408
Liberia - Via Istria 3, Lido - Tel 2760130
Lituania - Santa Croce 764, Venice - Tel 041/5241131
Luxemboug - Castello 5312, Venice - Tel 041/5222047
Macedonia - Piazza Calvi 90, Conegliano TV - 0438/451379
Malta - Santa Croce 515, Venice - Tel 041/5222644
Mexico - Calle Dei Nobili 605g, Giudecca, Venice - Tel 041/5237445
Monaco - San Polo 747, Venice - Tel 041/5223772
Netherlands - San Marco 2888, Venice - Tel 041/528 3614
New Zealand - Via Zara 28, Rome - Tel 06/440 2928
Norway - Santa Croce 466/b, Venice - Tel 041/523 1345
Panama - Cannaregio 2009/b, Venice - Tel 041/ 2750788
Portugal - San Marco 1253, Venice - Tel 041/5223446
Romania - Via Pietro Bembo79, Asolo TV - Tel 0432/952055
Russia - Dorsoduro 2545, Venice - Tel 041 523 2548
Spain - San Polo 2646, Venice - Tel 041/523 3254
Sweden - Santa Croce 499, Venice - Tel 041/522 7049
Switzerland - Dorsoduro 810, Venice - Tel 041/ 5225996
Turkey - San Marco 2414, Venice - Tel 041/5230707
USA - Largo Donegani, Milan - Tel 02/290 351
