Page 133 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)
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CITIES
ABOVE A vaporetto on the Grand Canal, Santa Maria della Salute in the
background LEFT Colorful houses lined along the quiet canals of Burano
Boat Trips
Armed with a 24-hour ticket or a Venice Card boat
pass, you can take the weight off your feet and
explore the city and its surroundings on a vaporetto
or public ferry. Line 1 is the popular, all-stops
service for the Grand Canal, passing under brand-
new Constitution Bridge and the historic Rialto
Bridge. By nightfall, it becomes a divinely romantic
cruise, sliding past elegant palaces, their lights
reflecting on the surface of the canal. Of a different
nature, and much quieter, is Route 51/52, whose
slimmer motoscafo craft circle the entire city, taking
in the fascinating Arsenale and Castello districts.
A delightful day can be spent out on the
northern lagoon on a sturdier motonave ferry if you
take the LN line. After calling in at the islands of
Murano and Burano, the ferry runs on to Punta
Sabbioni. As it steams past the passages where the
lagoon connects with the Adriatic Sea, passengers
can witness the construction work under way for
the Mose Floodgate Project, intended to protect
Venice from the sea. Past monumental Forte di
Sant’Andrea, its cannons mounted at water level to
cripple enemy ships, the next stop is the city’s
beach resort, the Lido. Private lagoon trips with
specialist guides, including marine scientists, can
also be arranged through Context Travel.
It’s worth making the effort to travel on the car
ferry that shuttles between San Nicolò on the Lido
and the Tronchetto car park. Known to the
Venetians as the “ferry boat,” it transits via the broad
Giudecca Canal, the tall decks providing lovely
views, and the on-board bar great drinks.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
For ferry information www.actv.it
For the Venice Card www.hellovenezia.com
For boat trips on the northern lagoon www.contexttravel.com
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