I'm scared about taking my mum to Venice

[Goingonagondola]

I really want to take my mum to Venice for her 70th birthday in October. She's never been - and always wanted to. But I'm nervous for various reasons. I've hardly ever been abroad (no money till fairly recently) and the rare times I've been I haven't booked or organised anything. My mum is a nervous, 'flappy' kind of traveller. I have anxiety as well.

I so want to do this for her. She's single and a foster carer who really deserves a break. If I don't take her she'll probably never go. It would be lovely to have the memories to share. I just feel like I need to be a different, totally confident and capable person to do this and I'm not.

Do you think I can do it, or is it a disastrous idea? Please be kind - I know I sound totally lame. Does anyone have any specific tips for how to make the trip easier? I thought we'd stay in a hotel so staff can help if there are any problems. Does anyone know Venice enough to give some tips about how to make the trip as easy as possible please?

I have Aspergers and over prepare for everything. The one thing that really helps me is to spend a couple of hours on google street view and familiarise myself with the whole place. Then it feels familiar to me even though I've never been and I know my way around!

I do this! I don't have Aspergers but my son has ASD and I see some traits of this in myself. I quite often go and walk up and down streets of places I'm going to (or worse, driving to!) so that they feel familiar when I get there.

Venice is lovely! A couple of previous posters suggested a cruise which stops at Venice. I did this with an old friend who hadn't been away for 30 years and is disabled so the travel "responsibility" was on me. I was terrified. The beauty of a cruise was that the cruise operator (P&O in our case) really looked after you - from all the representatives in the airport at each end pointing you in the right direction to arranging the transfers to and from the ship.
Whichever you choose, go for it. It was such a pleasure seeing my friend's amazement at Venice. Good luck!

Op it's a small Very safe place and the perfect place for you to take your mum with your issue's! I can't think of a better place. .. after. Few hours you will relax and love it!!

No tips except enjoy, you don't need guides however it's higgly piggledy , and lots of dead ends with cannel and little ferry to take you across. I'd say Dodge's palace a must and Also try the chicetti ( tapas) in the old bars ( candel lit, little changed from 15th century

In your case I would do as some others have suggested and either book as a 'package tour' or get a travel agent to book the individual holiday components e.g. Flight, transfers, hotel, may be a couple of tours. I love Venice, have visited a few times as day trips from Lake Garda and also from Croatia (hydrofoil I think ) but have never stayed there.

You absolutely can do this and you will be so proud of yourself once you have!

Just break it down into chunks. Can you get to the airport and find your departure gate? Of course you can. And the airport is full of staff who can help. Can you sit in a plane for a few hours? Yes! Book your airport transfer to take you straight to the hotel... easy!

Don’t put too much pressure on yourselves to do too much. And keep on breaking it down into chunks...

You’ll have an amazing time and you’ll be making your mum’s dreams come true.

I would add that water transport from the airport is really well signposted now (though quite a walk).

Thank you all so so much. I honestly can't tell you how boosted I feel by all your kind and helpful comments.

Do you think I should book now for October?

It's very doable, make sure you book flights to the real Venice airport (Ryan air fly to miles away) and book transfers which will take you over the bridge - the last bit is on foot or water bus/gondola so pack light. Download maps in advance, do start early in the day for the biggest tourist sites as queues build quickly or go late in the day when the cruise passengers have left. It's incredibly hot in summer but also notorious for flooding in winter, so choose timing wisely. Only a few street away though you can find empty churches with amazing priceless paintings so wander off the main tourist path a bit for relief. For food definitely venture across Venice to avoid being ripped off, sticking to set price tourist menus helps

Venice is one of those places you can just wander about. If you get tired, just take the vaparetta around the canals. Not too expensive and you can get on and off. You don't need to buy anything or hire a gondola - just soak up the atmosphere. Don't go in the summer though, or when it's wet. And don't buy coffee in St Marks Square!

My 89 year old mum is there at the moment with my sister!

Do. It.

Do it!

The airport you need to fly to is called Marco Polo.

Agree with the others to go to San Marco early, also Murano and Burano are well worth a visit. We just took the water buses (make sure you get on going the right way!). Look out for the police and fire boats. Do be aware of mosquitoes and have appropriate medicine if needed. We stayed on the Lido and it is worth going there for a look too and dipping your toes in the Adriatic. How long are you planning to stay?

Iv recently been to Venice, its fab! You'll be fine, it's really easy to navigate, get yourself a map, there are loads of shops, cafes and sightseeing. Check prices before you sit down in cafes, restaurants. The only downside for me was the airport, it was a bit chaotic so brace yourself, no proper queues, every man for themselves. Worth it when you get through. If your not sure go through a travel agent like Hayes travel, if you dont want to book through them go in and pretend and pick their brains then book it on line, cheeky but hey ho. Venice is great, easy to navigate with a map, we picked a tall building reference / starting point then had a good wander then made our way back to our starting point. Gondolas were either €70 or €80 cant remember but they all charge the same. Dont stress, dont over think it, it's an adventure, your mum is a 70 year old foster carer? Sounds a very capable lady, between you you'll be fine, enjoy!

How long are you planning to stay?

It won't be that long - Friday - Monday type thing I think, because she can't leave her long-term child for long. So not much time but hopefully enough to have a special weekend together.

What medicine do I need for mosquitos? Just antihistamine cream type thing, or do they also carry disease?

your mum is a 70 year old foster carer? Sounds a very capable lady, between you you'll be fine, enjoy!

Yes in many ways she's an extraordinary person. I don't know how she manages some of the things she has to deal with! But yet when it comes to travelling she's a nightmare. We holiday together in the UK (with my family and her foster children) every year and she drives me mad with panicking and flapping about everything.

Didn't take anything for mosquitos or get bitten when I went in October.

When we go somewhere I put everything in a Word doc together so Thurs check in online Fri 6am leave home 7.30am car park address reservation number then 8.30am flight number arrives 11am then exact details of how to get to hotel, hotel details, any trips and return flight details then print out all details and put them behind. You don't need to massively plan for Venice, its quite small and walkable / boatable and just pottering around is lovely. I would spend one day doing Murano / Burano / Torcello in Venice by vaporetto and rest just pottering around. We enjoyed the gondola, was pricey but special, nicer when its less busy.

Make sure you both have valid passports (6 months past date), EHIC cards for health.

If you don't want to fly (& I always think going on a train gives you more control) there's a site called "The Man in Seat 61" which is brilliant:
www.seat61.com/

You'll get better mossie itch cream over there than you will here, I always come back with half a pharmacy when I travel. Mossies love me and I'm allergic. They don't carry diseases though.

Get easyJet to Marco Polo ( Venice) airport as you come out of airport follow lines on the ground to the water bus. The get off at whatever stop is nearest to your hotel. We stayed ina nice on just of st marks square for about £60 a night for a double! Also on the easyJet hotel site! It easy to get to and from Venice, very easy to walk around and lovely food and attractions. Just go!

Just a word of warning - when we took my mother there for her birthday, in mid-October a few years ago, it was raining very heavily on a couple of the days, so much so that we had to use the special flood walk-ways in and around Piazza San Marco. So more umbrella and raincoats, less mosquito repellant, in October, I'd have thought!
(The photo is from stock, in October 2018, not of my family!)

@Goingonagondola you absolutely can do this !!

Stepping out of our comfort zone is what helps us grow

Please keep us posted of any developments...

Yes I'll have to keep a close eye on the weather.

I've basically found the flights I want. Found the hotel I want. Haven't confirmed what room to book so need to phone them (it says they speak English!)

I sway 20 times a day between 'I can totally do this' to 'I am insane, there's no way I can do this'. Anxiety is a bitch.

I am so so grateful for the support here though. Massively. You're all lovely.

Don’t state you won’t take a water taxi and then spend the afternoon in Harry’s Bar....
In the days before digital cameras I did that with DH, got the photos developed only to find lots of pics of myself and DH in a water taxi! God know knows how much that ride cost us 😂

Pahahaha! I bet they make a decent sum of tourists that way.

I like the idea of getting a water bus from the airport (though I'm still a little unsure if arriving in the dark is going to be any good. Are things lit up?!) and then on the way back getting a taxi to pick us up at the hotel (it has a taxi, er, port or whatever it's called) and whisk us back to the airport in style to finish off the holiday.

*OFF tourists.

Sorry, I haven’t read the whole thread, are you flying with Ryanair (as we did)? If so then you will be too far out for a water taxi. We just got a normal taxi from the airport.
If flying to the airport that’s actually near Venice then I’m sure that the hotel could book you a transfer at the end of your stay. We tend to book everything ourselves as it’s cheaper.

The water taxi drunken mistake made us laugh at the time and still does years later. If it’s still there then Harry’s Bar does a mean, if lethal, martini. That’s plus grappa with a later meal equals water taxi disaster!!