Venice has one official international airport on the shores of the lagoon, called Venice Marco Polo Airport, and another nearby airport, Treviso, is used by budget airline Ryanair. There is also a small airfield on the Lido, but this isn’t used by commercial flights, although you can take helicopter tours of the area from here.
Venice Marco Polo Airport
The city’s official airport, Venice Marco Polo (Aeroporto di Venezia Marco Polo; IATA code VCE), is a convenient boat or bus ride away. It’s an efficient and up-to-date airport, sitting on the mainland right alongside the waters of the Venetian lagoon. Planes coming in to land usually fly northwards over Venice – sitting on the right-hand side of the plane will give you the best chance of admiring the city.
On a clear day the airport is visible from town, and the fact it is so near – just a few miles – means there are a range of options for travel. It can take between twenty and ninety minutes to get to Venice, depending on the mode of transport you use. Once in Venice, where your only options are foot or boat travel, your journey time will vary according to the location of your accommodation, and whether you get lost.
> More about Marco Polo Airport, and travel into Venice.
Treviso Airport
Ryanair fly to Treviso Airport (Aeroporto di Treviso; IATA code TSF), around 19 miles away. On their timetables they call it Venice Treviso Airport. It’s a small airport, with a large new terminal building. Transport to Venice is very straightforward: a connecting coach service links each Ryanair flight with Piazzale Roma, the bus terminal in Venice.
> More about Treviso Airport and its travel connections.
Views from the plane
Flying to Marco Polo Airport is more scenic, as planes generally descend over the Venetian lagoon, with splendid views of Venice. The routes to both Venice and Treviso cross the Alps, which are only a short distance from the Veneto’s art cities. As well as mountain views, there are sometimes views of the northern end of Lake Garda – if you are keen on aerial views, carry a little map of this part of Italy.
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