Venice without the tourist traps – car at Tronchetto, a room with a rooftop view, 3 days in the lagoon

Venice by car from Vienna is easier than many people think: a six-hour drive, then a car park on the edge of the old town.

From Vienna it’s six hours by car to Venice. We drove at the beginning of May 2025 – before the high season, but already with warm evenings. Three days, a room with a roof terrace above Piazzale Roma, and one realisation: Venice is only exhausting if you go where everyone goes.

Getting there and parking

The car stays at Tronchetto (approx. €25 a day) or in the multi-storey car park at Piazzale Roma (more expensive, but right in the city). We chose Piazzale Roma because our accommodation was right next to it – from the room we looked over the bus stations to the rooftops and the lagoon. In the evening, sunset over Marghera: that sounds ugly and was the most beautiful light of the whole trip.

What we did

• Vaporetto line 1 along the entire Grand Canal – the best “sightseeing bus” in the world, €9.50 per ride, a day pass pays off from three rides
• Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari instead of St Mark’s Square at eleven in the morning
• Cannaregio and Castello on foot, that’s where Venetians eat; cicchetti bars instead of restaurants with photos on the menu
• Gondola: €90 for 30 minutes (official rate); instead we took the traghetto across the canal – €2, standing up

Costs for three days for two

Room around €420, parking €75, vaporetto €50, food and spritz about €250. No problem with a dog – the vaporetto and most restaurants accept dogs.

Our tip

Get up early. At seven in the morning the city belongs to you, at ten it belongs to the tour groups. And St Mark’s Square only in the evening, when the orchestras play and the day-trippers are back on their ships.

Parking in Venice: our experience and the options

Driving to Venice always means the car stays at the edge of the old town. Across the Ponte della Libertà bridge you can reach Piazzale Roma or the Tronchetto car park island – from there you continue on foot, by vaporetto or by water taxi. From our experience there are three sensible options:

In summer and at weekends the car parks at Piazzale Roma fill up fast – booking online in advance saves stress. If you park in Mestre, the regional train takes about ten minutes to Venezia Santa Lucia station, or the tram runs to Piazzale Roma.

Access fee for day visitors

On selected days Venice charges day visitors an access fee (Contributo di accesso). In 2026 it applied on 60 days between 03.04. and 26.07., from 8:30 am to 4 pm: €5 if you pay at least four days ahead, otherwise €10. Overnight guests are exempt but must register on cda.ve.it to get a free QR code. The current dates are always listed on cda.ve.it.

Venice by car: frequently asked questions

Facts as of 25.10.2026 – prices and rules can change, so check the official sources named above before you travel.

Venice by car: our verdict

Our verdict on Venice by car: park at Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, drop the luggage in the room and then do everything on foot or by vaporetto. The city is also much quieter in the evening, so at least one overnight stay is worth it. All the sights with prices are in Things to do in Venice; background on the city can be found on Wikipedia.