Where to stay

Mestre extends all the way from the Liberty Bridge to Marco Polo Airport. Anyone not choosing to travel by vaporetto or water taxi will pass through on their way to the islands. Airport hotels, which are handy for early flights, fall into the district of Tessera, though there's little else to recommend a longer stay in the area. That said, there are some sweet eco-friendly guesthouses as well as international chains in Mestre. Mestre City Center is the closest neighborhood to Venezia-Mestre train station and has the best public transport connections across the lagoon. In general, cheaper hotel options are clustered near the station itself while more interesting places to stay are in the pedestrianized center to the north.

It's possible to eat extremely well in Mestre's cafes and restaurants. Evenings often start outdoors with an Aperol or Select spritz for aperitivo, before moving to sit-down meals based around northern Italian specialties such as polenta and risotto, as well as plenty of local seafood. There are numerous spots to sample cicchetti, Venice's answer to tapas, and pick up a cone of handmade gelato at the end of the night. Reserve a hotel close to Piazza Ferretto in Mestre City Center to be within walking distance of the best spots. The neighborhood of Marghera, extending to the south of the Venezia-Mestre station, has less to recommend it, but consider booking a bed here if you want to save money and enjoy fancier meals elsewhere.