Venice is small but it is very well connected to the mainland and the rest of the world. As you plan your trip it is important to distinguish:

- Venice historic center: a fish-shaped island immersed in the lagoon where Bea grew up. In this maze of canals, small street and ''campi'' the magic of this city comes to live, but remember you can only go by foot or by boat. No vehicle of any sort is allowed.

- Venice mainland (Mestre): a ''normal'' area with cars, trams, buses, etc. Mestre is 10-15min from Venice access point by public transport.

Local tip: try to sit on a window seat on the right end side of the plane for amazing view of the lagoon during landing.

The closest and best connected airport. From here you can reach Venice downtown in different ways:

a) BY GROUND TRANSPORTATION TO VENEZIA PIAZZALE ROMA . From here you can walk or take water buses

- [reco] ATVO direct bus to Piazzale Roma (20 min, 10€ single / 18€ return ticket). Check timetables here

- ACTV Line 5, 17 stops bus to Piazzale Roma (30 min, 10€ single ticket). Check timetables here

- Private Taxi (15 min, apx 50€ )

b) BY WATER TRANSPORTATION TO VENEZIA DOWNTOWN

- [reco] Alilaguna (15€) goes from the airport to Murano, the Lido, the Arsenale with a final stop at San Marco. Boats leave apx each hour, check timetables here.

-Water Taxi (30 min+, 100-150€)

-ATVO direct bus to Venezia Piazzale Roma 70 min single 12 / return 22. Timetables here

- Private Taxi (40min, apx 110€ )

The main train station is Venezia Santa Lucia in the northwest of the city. There are many national and international trains that arrive here.

Watch out: some trains terminate at Venezia-Mestre Station on the mainland, in that case just catch a local train that will bring you to Venezia S. Lucia (10 min).

If you bring your car to Venice, you will have to park in a garage before acessing the city (YES THERE ARE NO CARS IN VENICE)

1. Piazzale Roma: closest parking to Venice downtown (30 min to S. Marco by waterbuses, 40 min by foot).

You can check Garage Comunale and Garage San Marco.

2. Tronchetto: a bit further away (50min to San Marco by waterbus and by foot - not recommended). You can check Garage Tronchetto

Watch Out: be aware of illegal parkers- often wearing fake uniforms - who may try to flag you down and offer to arrange parking and hotels. Instead, continue until you reach the official automatic ticket machines.

3. Mestre: park in front of the train station in Mestre which costs much less. You can check Parcheggio Stazione & Parcheggio Saba. From there, you can take frequent trains to Venezia S. Lucia or ACTV buses to Venezia Piazzale Roma.