Getting around Italy, as in most parts of Europe, is as easy as finding the nearest train. With this in mind I decided to visit Venice while I was in the country. The
Colosseum Metro stop was within easy walking distance from my hotel in Rome, where I was able to take the subway to the central train station and, from there, a 3.5 hour ride on a high-speed train to get to Venice.
Admittedly, the first time learning the transit system in a new country and in a foreign language can be a bit tricky. I found Rome's metro subway fairly old and not tourist-friendly in the least: no employees or even signs to help direct you so you basically rely on your instinct and hope its accurate. Of course, you can also ask those passing by who look like they speak English but that always seems to be a last resort =)
I thought I left the hotel early knowing the train to Venice departed at 9:50, but it turns out I got through the metro system and onto the high-speed train with little time to spare. I didn't realize the train station allows passengers on platforms only minutes before the train actually leaves, so you better get to the right platform and on the right train during that window of time!
The journey to Venice was beautiful, as expected, and allowed me to see other parts of Rome and the Italian countryside. Turns out that most passengers were business people who got off at
Bologna, about an hour from Rome, so I could spread out a bit more for the rest of the journey.
Once in Venice, it was a matter of getting to the right area of town and then finding my hotel. I can hop in a taxi and tell the driver the ultimate destination in most cities around the world but the island part of Venice does not have streets or taxis to speak of. So my only real option was catching a ferry to a pier that was closest to the hotel, then walk through the meandering streets and find the hotel on my own.
Easier said than done. You've never seen such narrow and meandering streets that dead-end with canals. Let's just say that I had to ask three people in Venice how to get to the hotel neighborhood and eventually the waiter at the corner restaurant told me to walk through a certain door to the second floor. I don't think I would have even seen the small hotel sign or door if the waiter didn't point me to it!
Needless to say the journey back to Rome was much easier after knowing how the Italian transportation systems work.
