Waterbus (vaporetto)

The waterbus or “vaporetto” is the main form of transportation in Venice. If you make regular use of public means of transportation the best option for you is to purchase a Travel Card (IMOB Card) that covers the vaporetto service in the whole city of Venice (+ islands) and the bus service on Lido.

You can buy your IMOB card at the price of €40,00 at the ACTV Ticket Office near the vaporetto stops in Piazzale Santa Maria Elisabetta on Lido. You will need the following documents:

• a valid identity document with picture
• the ACTV form (ask for it at EIUC Secretariat) that you need to fill in with your personal data

At this point, with your IMOB card, you can choose three options: 

• To buy the vaporetto/bus tickets at the reduced price of €1,30  (instead of €7,00)
• To buy the monthly ticket for vaporettos and buses in Venice-Lido at the price of €30,00 (please note that the monthly ticket is issued on the basis of the calendar month, i.e. 1-30 September)
• To buy the 10 journeys booklet at the reduced price of €11,00

If you are under 26 years-old, you can have a student’s reduction on the cost of the IMOB and of the monthly ticket price: the IMOB card will cost you only €10,00 but it is compulsory for you to charge it with 2 monthly tickets (e.g. for October and November 2012). The monthly ticket will cost you €22,00 and will be valid for vaporettos and buses on Lido for the whole calendar month.

In order to demonstrate that you are a student in Venice, please bring the following documents with you:

• your identity document with picture
• the specific statement/letter in Italian that you will find in the welcoming pack
• the ACTV form that you need to fill in with all your personal data (please ask the EIUC Secretariat)

If you are over 26 years-old you are not entitled to student reductions and you will have to purchase the ordinary IMOB card and tickets.

To reach Venice (main islands) from the vaporetto stop at Santa Maria Elisabetta, you can take the following vaporettos:

• Line 1, which will take you to San Marco (San Zaccaria stop) and up the Grand Canal through Accademia, Rialto and all the way to the railway station (Ferrovia). It is a very romantic trip, but takes a long time.
• Line 5.2 which goes around the city to Piazzale Roma and the railway station through the Giudecca Canal
• Line 5.1 which goes round the city to the railway station and Piazzale Roma on the northern side of Venice (Hospital, Fondamenta Nove)
• Line N which runs all night long with the same itinerary as Line 1

Please check at the Santa Maria Elisabetta vaporetto stop for further information on routes and times or visit the website:  http://www.actv.it/  .  

Buses

Your monthly vaporetto pass is also valid for the buses on the Lido. Bus Line V goes from Santa Maria Elisabetta to San Nicolò, in a circular line. It leaves from S. Maria Elisabetta every 20 minutes, at 00, 20, 40 past the hour and from the Monastery at 05, 25, 45 past the hour.

Alilaguna

The Alilaguna is the water shuttle assuring connection between Venice (San Marco square), Lido, Murano and the city’s main airport “Marco Polo”. (http://www.alilaguna.it)

Bicycles

Traditionally, the Masterini move around the Lido by bicycle!!  You can buy second hand bike in two bike rentals in Lido:

If interested, please hurry up! Bike shops generally want to get rid of the bikes they rented out during the Film Festival. It is worth trying to negotiate prices.

Ferry-boat

For those arriving by car, there are ferry-boats connecting the Lido to the Tronchetto station in Venice (and vice-versa). Ferry-boats leave the Lido/Tronchetto in either direction every 50 minutes and the trip takes 35 minutes.

Health insurance

EU students will need to have a photocopy of the “European Health Insurance Card” issued by their national social security institution. This new card has come into circulation starting from June 2004 and allows you to receive the same medical assistance (at the same cost) they are entitled to in your country. Non EU students will need a photocopy of their private health insurance covering the duration of the E.MA Programme.

Pharmacies

Below is a list of pharmacies on the Lido. Please note that on Sundays and at night there is always a “FARMACIA DI TURNO” open for emergencies. You will usually find the list and the schedule of the shifts at the entrance or on the door of each pharmacy.

Doctors

Dentists

Important telephone numbers

Banks

There are several banks on the Lido (CARIVE, Friuladria, Banca di Roma, Unicredit). They are open from 8.30 to 13.30 and closed in the afternoon (or only open from 14.30 to 15.30) and on Saturday. The bank CARIVE, which is also servicing EIUC, offers the possibility to students who would like to open up a bank account during their stay in Venice to do it at very convenient rates. 

Phones

You can buy phone cards, for public phones at the tobacconist (Tabacchi) or newsagents etc. If you would like to buy an Italian mobile, there are two mobile shops in the centre of Lido:

• Netsolutions, Gran Viale S. Maria Elisabetta, next to Hotel Hungaria
• Autoservice, in front of the S. Maria Elisabetta Vaporetto Stop 

Sports

Free football pitches are available in Venice. From Lido Island, you should take vaporetto n. 1 or 5.1 and arrive to Sant’Elena stop.

Other activities

If you wish to learn Italian or another language please note that many students in the past have engaged in practicing language exchanges with their fellow students. Students interested in taking part in such exchanges or in conversation groups can take the initiative and leave a note on the students’ notice board.

Italian classes are also offered in different locations/institutions in Venice. Please ask the EIUC Secretariat for further details.

Bars, restaurants and cinema

On the Lido:

The Jeroboam, in Via Lepanto (centre), offers to the connaisseurs a vast range of wines, besides the common bar service.

Maleti bar, situated in the centre after Billa supermarket, is a historical meeting point

Al Mercà has recently opened in the middle of Via Lepanto and is a nice place for the aperitif and for a special fish dinner (but it is closed during the winter season).

Al Canton, in front of the vaporetto stops, is a focal point of the winter night life

The Club Davidia on Lungomare G. Marconi, is a small disco. 

In Venice:

the Blue Bar and the Café Noir, close to Campo dei Frari, as well as The Irish Shark near San Marco, were popular among past generations of masterini.

The Caffè Margaret Duchamp in Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro 3019 is the place where students of University Cà Foscari usually have a Spritz (typical Venetian aperitif). 

Also the Orange Bar in the same square is a new focal point for local nightlife.

Bacaro Lounge is also popular and full of people. It’s in Sestiere San Marco 1345

Muro Rialto offers good aperitif in a nice part of Venice, Sestiere San Polo 222

Venice and the Lido are full of restaurants, so it’s hardly necessary to give suggestions in this regard. Anyway, here are some options:

Ristorante la Zucca, Campo San Giacomo dall’Orio, Santa Croce 1762 serves good food at reasonable prices.

Iguana, a good Mexican restaurant in the same neighbourhood.

I quattro Ferri is a restaurant in Calle Lunga San Barnaba.

Oasi Verde: for a good pizza in Via Sandro Gallo 57/A.

Do Mati: a pizzeria and a ristorante, in Gran Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta

You will find the list of restaurants and pizzerias at the EIUC Secretariat.

There are two cinemas: 

Multisala Astra in Via Corfù 9 in Lido, closed on Monday.

Giorgione, close to Fondamenta Nuove, in Venice.

Weather information

Venice in autumn (September – November)

Autumn in Venice is generally lovely and offers marvellous sunsets. The daylight hours are about 8 to 9 hours a day. Early autumn is usually fairly dry - the wetter season starts around mid-November. The average temperature is 15°C (59°F).

Venice in winter (December – February)

Generally winter in Venice is sunny and cold. There are not many hours of daylight in December, but by end of January the days lengthen considerably. This season is sometimes wet due to the possibility of fog, Sirocco or rain. Sometimes snowfalls happen in winter. The average winter temperature is around 8°C (47°F) or lower.