Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bicycle
Cycling is banned in central Venice. On the larger islands of Lido and Pellestrina, cycling is a pleasant way to get
around and to reach distant beaches. Bicycle-hire places are clustered around the Lido
vaporetto
stop, including
Lido on
Bike
(
041 526 80 19;
www.lidoonbike.it
;
Gran Viale 21b; bikes per 90min/day €5/9;
9am-7pm Apr-Sep) . Take
some ID.
To sort out a set of wheels for a day-trip excursion contact
Veloce
(
346 84 71 14;
www.rentalbikeitaly.com
; Via
Gramsci 85, Mira; touring/mountain bike per day €20/25;
8am-8pm) , which offers a handy drop-off and pick-up
service from train stations and hotels.
Boat
Aspiring sea captains can take on Venetian water traffic in a rented boat from
Brussa
( 041 71 57 87;
www.brussaisboat.it
;
Fondamenta Labia 331, Cannaregio; 7.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, to 12.30pm Sat) . You can hire
a 7m boat (including fuel) that can carry up to six people for an hour (€32.50) or a day (€181.50), or make arrangements
for longer periods. You don't need a licence, but you will be taken on a test run to see if you can manoeuvre and park;
be sure to ask them to point out the four boat-petrol stations around Venice on a map.
Car
Obviously you can't drive in Venice proper, but Lido and Pellestrina allow cars, and they can be the most efficient way
of seeing far-flung sites across the Veneto. The car-rental companies Avis, Europcar and Hertz all have offices both on
Piazzale Roma and at Marco Polo airport. Several companies operate in or near Mestre train station as well.
Avis
(
041 523 73 77;
www.avis.co.uk
;
Piazzale Roma 496g)
Europcar
(
041 523 86 16;
www.europcar.co.uk
; Piazzale Roma 496h)
Hertz
(
041 528 40 91;
www.hertz.co.uk
; Piazzale Roma 496)
Monorail
Designed by the architect Francesco Cocco, Venice's
People Mover monorail
(APM;
www.apmvenezia.com
;
per ride
€1; 7am-11pm Mon-Sat, 8am-9pm Sun) connects the car parks on Tronchetto with the Stazione Maritima and
Piazzale Roma.
