Venice Vaporetto Waterbus and Mainland Bus Pass

The Grand Canal by vaporetto

The Grand Canal is the main street of Venice, a broad S-shaped waterway lined with palaces built over five centuries by the city's merchant families. The best way to see it is from the open front or back seats of a Line 1 vaporetto, the slow water bus that stops at almost every landing between Piazzale Roma, the railway station and St Mark's Square.

On the way you pass the Gothic lace-like facade of the Ca' d'Oro, the busy Rialto market, the white stone arch of the Rialto Bridge, the Accademia Bridge and finally the great domed church of Santa Maria della Salute at the mouth of the canal. The ride takes about 45 minutes and is unforgettable at sunset; with the pass you can repeat it as often as you like, at different times of day.

Murano, the island of glass

Murano lies a short ride north of Venice and has been the centre of Venetian glassmaking since the 13th century, when the furnaces were moved here from the city to reduce the risk of fire. Along its canals, workshops and showrooms display chandeliers, vases and jewellery, and in many furnaces you can watch the masters shape molten glass.

The Glass Museum tells the story of this craft, and the Basilica of Santi Maria e Donato has a beautiful 12th-century mosaic floor. How to get to Murano? With your pass, take Lines 4.1 or 4.2 around the city, or Line 12 from Fondamente Nove, which then continues to Burano. Murano is easily combined with Burano and Torcello in a single day of island hopping.

Burano and Torcello

Burano is the most photographed island in the lagoon, a fishing village where every house is painted a different bright colour, from cobalt blue to tomato red. It is also famous for its delicate needle lace, shown in a small lace museum, and for the leaning bell tower of San Martino. Line 12 reaches Burano in about 45 minutes from Fondamente Nove, and the pass makes it easy to stay until the evening light.

A short hop away, quiet Torcello was the first great settlement of the lagoon, long before Venice itself grew. Today only a few buildings remain among the fields and canals, including the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, founded in the 7th century, with dazzling Byzantine mosaics of the Last Judgement. Is Burano worth visiting? Combined with Torcello, it makes one of the most memorable days in Venice.

The Lido

The Lido is the long, narrow island that separates the lagoon from the open Adriatic, and it feels completely different from the historic centre: tree-lined avenues, elegant Liberty-style villas, cars and buses, and a sandy beach that runs for kilometres along the sea. Line 1, Line 2 and other routes bring you there from St Mark's area in about 15 to 20 minutes.

In summer the Lido is where Venetians go to swim and escape the crowds, while in spring and autumn its seafront promenade is lovely for a quiet stroll. Your pass is valid for the Lido's land buses as well as the water buses, so you can travel the length of the island to the fishing village of Malamocco or the southern beaches without buying extra tickets.

Mestre, Marghera and getting around

The pass also covers the land buses of Mestre and Marghera, the mainland districts of Venice where many travellers stay. Buses cross the long Liberty Bridge to Piazzale Roma, the bus terminal at the edge of the historic centre, where the vaporetto lines begin, so a mainland hotel becomes a practical base for a few days in the city.

Remember to validate your ticket at the reader every time you board, even when changing lines. Airport boats and airport buses are not included, nor are routes 16, 19 and 21 or a few special night lines. The best time to use the vaporetto is early morning or after 18:00, when the boats are less crowded; at midday Line 1 can be very busy in high season.