Tips from the Venice Aiport...and an anecdote

After our week on the Amalfi coast, our next stop was Venice. We decided to fly, to save several hours otherwise wasted on the train.  Apparently we made the right choice.  Italians love everything about flying.  They cheer when the plane takes off, they cheer when it lands and they cheer when announcements are made.  They are generally happy people, not like us grumpy Americans.  And when the plane got delayed an hour they were only mildly annoyed, until the captain said they could unfasten their seat belts and feel free to roam about.  (Apparently they do not like to sit down.)  Instantly the plane was buzzing with activity.  No one wanted to sit still for a minute longer than they had to, especially if they could be up talking to their friends or other people.  I guess we should take a page out of that book when our plane gets delayed in the states.  Not only is it a great way to connect with your fellow fliers, it really makes traveling delays more agreeable.


Okay, back to the tips. 


Arriving in Venice:

When you get to Marco Polo airport there are a few transportation options to get to Venice. If you want to hire a private taxi it will cost you around 100 Euros.  (Believe me, there are plenty of other things to spend your money on in Venice.)  So you will probably want to take public transportation, i.e., the Alilaguna water shuttle.

The trip is approximately 45 minutes to get to Dorsoduro, which is where our hotel was located.  Get your ticket to the water shuttle at the big ticket counter before you leave the airport, or at the smaller booth out by the boats .  The water shuttle is a 7 minute walk from the airport (they actually have signs that count down the minutes as you go).  I found the path to be extremely well-marked and easy to follow, but if for some reason you have chronic directional issues or get freaked out by this stuff, this person has provided kindergarten-level step by step directions with pictures. If you don’t have a water shuttle map yet and are not sure which line to take, the people at the ticket window are very helpful.  Note: the water shuttle lines going to/from the airport (Alilaguna) are not the same as the public water buses (vaporetti) which run all along the grand canal.  

The streets in Venice are filled with cobblestones and bridges, so again I was reminded I should have looked at my own packing list and packed lighter.   I also should have gotten  a new, smaller, light-weight suitcase.  My motto is now:  PUT.   IT.   BACK!  Once again Skye was whizzing through the streets while I looked like someone who had just run away from home with ALL their belongings. 

 I was envious.  I am getting myself new suitcase for Christmas.  Won’t have any large trips before then.  I am turning over a new leaf.  If Skye can pack light, so can I.

The Lightest Luggage With the Highest Quality

I have been to several luggage stores around town, talked to the knowledgeable sales people, read reviews online and have come up with some great light suitcases for every travelers needs.

Just to give you a scale of what you are looking at, Tumi’s LXT 28” upright weighs in at 22lbs empty.  Rimowa weighs 6 lbs.  Now that there are weight restrictions, our luggage needs are different.  Airlines will allow you up to a 50lbs bag and 51 lbs they will start charging.  Why would you want 22lbs of an empty suitcase?  Here are some great lightweight, yet high quality options.

Rimowa Salsa Air
I think hands down everyone said that the lightest suitcases on the market are the Rimowa Salsa Air.   They are the leaders in this lightweight Polycarbonate material suitcase and apparently also the best of that kind.  The suitcase is not only light as a feather (weighing in at 6 lbs) but is available in a great array of sizes to suit just about anyone’s needs.  The 26” ($475) and the 28” ($495) seemed to make the most sense for what my travel needs are.

They also have a great travel size.  They come in bright colors so that they are easy to spot at the airport and apparently the lock is very secure and hard to break into.   They are available at Amazon as well as luggage stores.  I have not seen them in Department stores yet.  Other manufactures are coming out with lines similar to this, but most sales people have told me, not as successfully.  I am sure others will improve with time.

Eagle Creek HC2 Hovercraft Luggage
Another brand that was suggested to me was Eagle Creek.
The construction is light yet extremely durable.  The largest Bag is 28” and weighs in at 10lbs.  The 25” bag weighs 8 lbs 8oz.  Suggested retail is $275.  It was available on Amazon for $193.78.  It comes with a life time warranty.


Victorinox Swiss Army Werks Traveler
Victorinox not only makes great watches but also apparently great suitcases.  They are incredibly durable and should last you a very long time.  The 24” expandable bag offers great room inside.  I was told that part of the reason this bag has more room is because there is one pole for the handle which ends up taking up less of your inside luggage space.
It weighs in at 11lbs and prices at around $349.00.  It is available on Amazon and at most major department stores.

T-Tech by Tumi  (Exclusively for Crate and Barrel)
Tumi just came out with a line for Crate and Barrel.  The largest bag is 27” and weighs in at 10.56 lbs and will cost about $345.  Tumi makes excellent bags so I’m sure these are no exception.  It is too soon however to get real reviews on them since the line just came out but it is certainly one to watch.

Al in all, if you are going with a bag larger than a carry on, I tend to think that the bags between the 24” and the 26” are you best bets.  If you have more space you will generally use it, and it is so much easier to travel lighter!

Getting to and from the airport in Barcelona

There are 2 ways of getting to Barcelona from the airport.  Barcelona has excellent public transportation to and from the airport.  First there is the Subway.  It is easy, it will drop you close to your apartment and it is cheap.  However, there are tons of stairs, and if your suitcase isn’t as small as Skye’s you will hate the subway option.  

The second is the bus.  You can get the A1 bus right to Placa de Catalunya for 5 Euros.  It runs every six minutes and takes a ½  hour to 45 min.  (45 min in traffic).  There are no stairs and it is super easy.  I personally think this is the best option if you have a relatively heavy suitcase.  From Placa de Catalunya you can get on the subway, walk or jump in a cab to your accommodations.  We didn’t find out about this bus until after we had taken the subway in when we first arrived.  I felt it was definitely the way to go with a suitcase.