Venice's top tour bargain: a boat tripon the Grand Canal
The most scenic boat ride in Venice is aboard the Linea Uno (No. 1)vaporetto.
This popular ACTV public water bus runs from the bus and taxi gatewayof Piazzale Roma to the Ferrovia or Santa Lucia Railway Station andon up the Grand Canal.
Boats leave the Piazzale Roma every 10-12 minutes during most of the day andearly evening, or about three times an hour after 9:30 pm..
Travel time from Piazzale Roma to San Zaccaria (just above the Piazza SanMarco) is about 40 minutes.
Along the way, you'll zig-zag across the Canal Grande, pass under the Rialto and Accademia Bridges, call at morethan a dozen ACTV vaporetto stops, and enjoy views of (and often into) the historicpalaces that face the water.
When and how to ride:
- To avoid crowds, try to take the No. 1 vaporetto in the evening.Start at the Piazzale Roma. (Late in the day, commuters and daytrippersare mostly coming toward the Piazzale Roma.)
- On older water buses, sit in the open bow. If you're ona newer water bus without bow seating, or if it's raining, walk back through the enclosedpassenger compartment to the covered open-air seats in the stern.
- To enjoy a longer trip, stay on the boat until you reach Giardini orSant'Elena (near the tip of the historic center). Then walk back alongthe waterfront to the Piazza San Marco or to your hotel. Alternatively, stay aboard for the final leg from Sant'Elena to the Lidodi Venezia (Venice's beach resort), where you can get off and board thenext vaporetto back to the city center. Note: Traveling back from theLido will require an additional ticket if you aren't using a 24-hour to7-day pass. (See below.)
- For the best views and the most atmosphere, rideafter dark.
Buying and validating tickets:
- Buy a single-journey ticket oran ACTV 24-hour to 7-daytravel pass from a Venezia Unica/ACTV ticket counteror a self-service ticket machine. (Tickets are also available at manynewsstands, tobacco shops, and other authorized ACTV vendors.)
- After you've bought your ticket or pass, look for thevaporetto platform that is labeled with a circled numeral "1." You canwait on the pontile, or pontoon, until the boat arrives andit's time to board.
- Important: Validate your ticketor pass with the electronic ticket reader at the boat stop beforeboarding the water bus. (Simply hold the ticket against the reader andwait for the "beep" and flashing green light.)
