When you live in Munich (Germany) and you would like to spend some time in the sun and in the water, do some historical sightseeing and take advantage of perfect cuisine, there is only one direction to profit from all named above – go to Italy. It is in the south of Germany. You go throught Austria and you get to Italy. From Munich to Italian border in Brennero is only about 200 km. All the way you go highway. You will pass bigger Italian cities like: Bolzano, Trento, Verona, Padua before you get Venice. From Munich to Venice is about 520 km. It means that this route will take about 6-7 hours with small breaks.




Venice is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges. The city has about 400 bridges. The islands are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers. Parts of Venice are renowned for the beauty of their settings, their architecture, and artwork. The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a World Heritage Site. /Wikipedia/

Hotel Casanova**** in Venezia

In Venice we took 4-star Hotel Casanova**** (address: Frezzaria 1284, San Marco, 30124 Venice), one night for 2 persons from Sunday to Monday in a price of 105 euro. It was really nice old styled and big apartment that consisted of big sleeping room with big bed for 2 persons, big hall with sofa and a balcony and big toilet with a shower. It was on the fifth floor (lift) but you also had to go upstairs one floor higher (for me I was not a problem).

When I looked through accommodation offers on Booking I noticed that prices are higher on weekend nights starting from Friday to Sunday. The nights starting from Sunday/Monday are much more cheaper, but I don’t know if this rule is valid on holiday months like July and August.

The personnel was friendly. Breakfast was abundant with variety of food. Coffee was available from coffee machine (self service). Small disadvantages at the hotel were:

  • lack of shower cap – we asked at reception desk too (in our room was only shower – no bathtub),
  • lack of vine opener – fortunately in the front of the hotel there was restaurant and they were so kind to had our bottle of wine opened 😉

Where to leave a car in Venezia?

We left a car in Chiara – Lodge (address: Via Podgora 28, 30171 Mestre, Italy). They have a small parking at the property. Mestre is the centre and the most populated urban area of the mainland of Venice, part of the territory of the Metropolitan City of Venice. We spent one night there and we left the car for two nights. Why? Neithter I didn’t have a luck to find parking in Venezia for affordable price, or there in NO such parking. 30 euro for 24 hours is definitely to much for parking, especially when I read bad comments about these parking places. That’s why I took under consideration taking previous night in Mestre and leave a car there. First night for the parking cost 10 euro, the second night cost 5 euro.

For me this solution (leaving car in Mestre) was smart, because there is perfect bus and train connection between Mestre and Venezia. You take a bus or a train and in about 15 minutes you are in Venezia. I took a bus from Mestre. The bus stop at Via Piave is called “Fronte edicola” – it is the nearrest bus stop from Chiara Lodge, or the next one is at central station at “Viale Stazione” street named “Mestre Fs C5”. The last bus stop is in Venezia “Piazzale Roma” – this is the last bus stop – here you get off  and go sightseeing 🙂  Bus ticket for one person from Mestre to Venezia cost 3 euro.

Few words about Chiara Lodge in Mestre, Venezia, Italy

Shortly saying – very nice place. Perfect localization. It takes 3 minutes on foot from Chiara Lodge to the nearrest bus station at “Via Piave” street. On your way there is also supermarket and other shops. It seems to me that they have two houses (properties), one in a front of another. The second one is called on a google map “Villa Teresa”. I think that this information is not up-to-date. I had a room in this “second” one. Reception desk and breakfast was in a main property with – let’s say – “glass built-up terrace”. There on the ground floor the breakfast was served. The breakfast was very good and diversified. Because of many people eating at the same time, there were moments with no availability of some products, but the stuff quite fast managed to refill empty bowls or plates 🙂

Let’s go back to the room in Chiara Lodge. The design of the interior was lovely. All in white and quite new. It looked clean and fresh. My room with double bed was very small. There was only a place to go around bed to a hall or a bathroom. Bathroom was also very small. There was a shower (quite big, because 2 persons could take a shower at the same time 😉 ), sink, bidet and WC. It was not luxurious size of the room or a bathroom, but it was big/small enough.

What to do in Venezia?

The most important rule is that in a hotel I only spend a night and have breakfast. Then I go out for sightseeing and go back hotel late evening. It was my first time in Venezia, so I wanted to walk through these small Venice islands. I get to Venezia by bus, so my first point on the map was “Piazzale Roma“. One day is enough to make a round through Venezia without any longer stop. If you are going to go to museums at e.g. Piazza San Marco: National Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale) or Saint Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) there are usually long queues, so you have to wait one hour or more at the entrance.

Very important thing in Venezia is a good map. I used mobile application maps.me. It’s really good and you will not get lost there. First steps we made towards San Simeone Piccolo (Chiesa di San Simeone Piccolo) at “S. Croce” street then Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) – the most famous and most beautiful Venetian bridge, then “Chiesa dei Gesuiti”, “Collegio Universitario Gesuiti”, then spend some time at “Fondamente Nove” with a view towards “St. Michael’s Cemetery” (Cimitero di San Michele) and Murano island.

My stops in Venezia were:

  • shop with (home made?) wines at Rio San Boldo canal (close to Palazzo Grioni),
  • Campo San Polo square with Rettoriale Church of San Polo (Chiesa Rettoriale di San Polo) – from here is very close distance to Canale Grande and beautiful view at Rialto Bridge.
  • bar (I don’t remember the name) that serves Aperol Spritz drink for 2€ (in words: two euro) was at “Salizada S. Giovanni Grisostomo” street, not so far from Church of St. Giovanni Crisostomo (Chiesa di San Giovanni Crisostomo),
  • sculpture Monumental Hands Rise from the Water in Venice to Highlight Climate Change. This sculpture is at Hotel Ca’Sagredo at Canal Grande. The sculpture, officially unveiled on May 13, will remain on display till November 26, 2017 while the 2017 Venice Art Biennale is on.

Restaurants in Venezia:

  • Trattoria Bar Pontini, at Canale di Cannaregio, close to Hotel Biasin – I wasn’t inside this restaurant, but I went by and saw really long queue of people waiting for a table. It looked really interesting, especially that it was late evening. Hmm, is there a food so good? Next time I will have to go there and try their dishes.
  • Tavernetta San Maurizio, Calle Zaguri, at Hotel Residenza San Maurizio. I eat there 2 times. Perfect, Italian courses for a good price. At the time of lunch they had special offer for 10 or 20 euro! It was fantastic! Service was perfect too!