The
Gritti
Palace may be Venice's most celebrated hotel. It's certainly one of the most
imposing: The 16th Century palazzo that it occupies was once the
private mansion of Andrea Gritti, the Doge of Venice from 1523 to 1538.
The five-star hotel has 82 rooms (including 21 suites,
some named after past guests such as John Ruskin, Somerset Maugham, and Ernest
Hemingway). Other amenities include a deluxe restaurant with a terrace on the
Grand Canal and the Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Spa.
If you can afford the Gritti's rates, you'll probably arrive by
water taxi, but the directions below may be useful for environmentally-aware
guests who prefer public to private transportation.
How to reach the Gritti Palace from the Santa Maria
del Giglio pier (Alilaguna Linea Arancio):
Leave the Alilaguna boat and walk
straight ahead, down the Calle Gritti, until the street widens into a small
square.
Turn right into the street that faces you and walk toward
the water. The Gritti Palace's entrance will be on your left, near the end
of the street.
For a video preview of your walk, click
below.
From the San Marco Giardinetti airport-boat pier
(Alilaguna Linea Blu):
As you leave the boat station, turn left and cross a small
stone bridge.
Continue a few meters to the Calle Vallaresso and turn
right.
Walk straight ahead down the Calle Vallaresso, past Harry's
Bar and a row of designer shops.
At the first corner, turn left into the Salizzada San Moisè.
Walk to the narrow canal alongside the Hotel Bauer, where you'll see
gondolas on your left and a small bridge just ahead.
Cross the bridge and walk straight ahead into the Calle
Larga XXII Marzo.
Walk to the end of the street and bear left at the corner.
After the street jogs, walk straight ahead on the Calle
Ostreghe.
Cross the next bridge and continue a few meters to the Campo
Santa Maria Giglio.
Turn left. The Gritti Palace's entrance is on the left side
of the square, toward the Grand Canal.
From the Marittima cruise terminals:
Take the Alilaguna Blue Line airport boat from the cruise
basin to the San Marco Giardinetti boat stop.
Follow the directions from San Marco Giardinetti above.
Click button for lowest available rates and guest
reviews:
Durant Imboden has
written about Venice, Italy since 1996.
He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching
Europe for Visitors (including
Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl
Imboden in 2001.
PC Magazine has called this "the premier visitors'
site for Venice, Italy." Over the years, it has helped more than 30 million
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