|
ABOVE: The Silver Whisper (left) and
Golden Princess are moored at Marittima. (This view is from the Giudecca Canal near the
San Basilio quay.)
Also see:
Hotels near Marittima (Piazzale Roma)
Marittima terminals
Marittima is the largest of the ship basins at the Port of
Venice's Venezia
Terminal Passeggeri, with two terminal buildings and enough docking space to
handle several large ships at once. It's within walking distance of the
Piazzale Roma, the main car, taxi, and bus
gateway to the historic center. Here's how to reach Marittima:
From the airport:
Marittima is a 15- or 20-minute cab ride from Venice's
Marco Polo Airport. Other options include
an airport bus to the Piazzale Roma,
followed by a taxi or bus ride (see below), or a water taxi, which takes
about an hour from the airport but offers a scenic ride. (Water taxis are very
expensive, but the cost becomes reasonable if it's split among half a dozen
passengers.)
From the Piazzale Roma:
Marittima is only a couple of minutes from the Piazzale Roma by
taxi. A free shuttle bus normally runs on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays during
the cruise season, or you can ride the #6 bus to the port entrance. (Buy your
ticket in the ACTV office in the Piazzale Roma.)
You can walk to Marittima from the Piazzale Roma in 10 to 15
minutes. Just follow the road that leads to the causeway and turn left at the
port entrance after you cross the railroad tracks. If you're adventurous and
aren't hauling luggage, you can save time by walking along the sidewalk street
below the southwestern edge of the Piazza (past the Garage Comunale) until you
reach an old steel footbridge with a sign (in Italian) that says "authorized
persons only" or words to that effect. This will lead you to Marittima's back
entrance. Warning: The bridge is rusty with holes and patches, so walk
carefully and avoid the bridge if you're heavy or wearing high heels. Also, the
port police may not let you use the bridge from the Marittima side, probably
because the cruise authorities don't want to be responsible if you fall through.
From the Piazza San Marco:
Alilaguna runs a BLU Line
express boat service between the Piazza San Marco and Marittima about once an
hour during the daytime. The trip takes 20 minutes.Alternatively, you can take a
water bus to the Piazzale Roma and proceed from there by taxi, bus, or on foot
if you aren't traveling with too much luggage. The No. 2 express boat is
quickest; the No. 1 vaporetto down the Grand Canal is handy if you've
been staying near one of the intermediate stops. See my
vaporetto routes article for more
information.
Next page:
San Basilio
terminal
| 
Durant
& Cheryl Imboden's
