Arriving in Venice by Car

ABOVE: The Tronchetto parking garage is on an artifical island. It accommodates cars, RVs, and buses.

Arriving

Chances are, you'll be approaching Venice on the A4 Autostrada from the north or south. (If you're driving in on the A27 from Trieste, you'll merge with the A4 a few kilometers north of Mestre.)

From the south, use the central Mestre exit.

From the north, take the Mestre Est-Favorita exit.

Follow the signs to your destination, depending on whether you'd prefer to park on the mainland (which is easier) or at the edge of Venice's historic center (which can be easy or a nightmare, depending on whether traffic on the causeway is backed up).

Parking

To avoid high parking costs and traffic jams, it's best to park in Mestre on the mainland.

If you're brave, well-heeled, or visiting in low season, cross the Ponte della Libertà (the bridge or causeway from the mainland to Venice) and look for a parking space at:

• Tronchetto, an artificial island with its own ramp leading off from the causeway before you reach the Piazzale Roma. You can catch a vaporetto or water bus from Tronchetto to many points in the historic center, or you can use the new (and inexpensive) People Mover to reach the Piazzale Roma in three minutes. If you've got more cash to turn, try:

• Any of the garages in the Piazzale Roma, a large square that's usually filled with coaches, city buses, taxis, and motorists.

For more detailed advice, including Google satellite-photo maps, see our illustrated article (with links) on parking in Venice.

In the unlikely event that you're staying at a hotel on the Lido and want to take your car with you, head for Tronchetto as you approach the end of the causeway and take the automezzo, or car ferry, to the Lido. The ferry isn't cheap, but it's worth using if your hotel has free parking or if you plan to return to the mainland via the isthmus road to Chioggia.