We are excited to welcome you to Venice, Italy! Below you will find all that you need for your time in Venice. To download a printable PDF of this information, click here.
Important information for UR2016 attendees
- We highly recommend buying a public transport tourist pass to take the public water bus (“Vaporetto ACTV” in Italian) available at ticket offices throughout town. This is the most inexpensive way to get around Venice. Please ensure you always validate your ticket before boarding the boat.
- All participants need to purchase 3 single public water bus tickets for the water ferry (“vaporetto”), unless you have a transport pass, in order to leave the Arsenale (conference venue) on Wednesday – Friday. These tickets can be purchased at a public transport office located throughout Old Venice.
- This boat will take you to the Piazza San Marco area (San Zaccaria), a convenient spot to walk anymore in Old Venice, or to access public transport hubs for Mestre or Lido.
- If you don’t purchase these tickets, you will have to walk from the Arsenale, which is in a difficult area to access other parts of Old Venice.
- Wherever you are staying in the Venice area, please keep in mind that it will take longer to get to your destination than you expect. Sometimes it is difficult to get a taxi (water or land) or the public water boats are full. Please plan accordingly. All days of the UR Forum begin at
- If you are attending a Focus Day event at the NH Laguna Palace on Wednesday morning, a boat will be available for transport from the NH Laguna Palace to the Arsenale. The boat has a capacity of 350 people, and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The boat will begin boarding promptly at 12:15pm and depart at 12:30pm from the hotel. PLEASE ENSURE YOU BOARD THIS BOAT. Otherwise, it takes a long time (by public transport) or is very expensive (by water taxi) to get to the Arsenale for the opening ceremony. A lunch box will be provided before boarding.
- Please ensure you keep your UR2016 badge with you throughout the whole event.
- Lunch will be provided all days.
Venue information
Please note UR2016 will be held in two different venues. See below for how to get to both venues.
- Focus Days (Monday, May 16 – the morning of Wednesday, May 18) – NH Laguna Palace, Viale Ancona, 2, 30172 Venice Mestre. Location here.
- Main Conference (the afternoon of Wednesday, May 18 – Friday, May 20) – Arsenale, Sestiere Castello, 7016, 30122 Venezia. Location here. Note: If you Google Map “Arsenale”, it will direct you to a different part of Arsenale than where UR will be. Please use this link to find the exact location. The public water bus (vaporetto) stop closest to the venue is “BACINI – Arsenale Nord”.
The part of Venice where Focus Days take place, Mestre, is on the mainland. This part is not the historic area that most think of when they hear “Venice”. This area is known as “Old Venice”
Things to know about Venice
- In old Venice, you can only get around by foot or boat. There are no bikes or cars.
- Piazzale Roma is the main transport hub of old Venice and is the only place in old Venice that is accessible by land transport. Here, you can get a land taxi or land bus to Mestre or the airport; or a water taxi or water bus to get to the Arsenale or elsewhere in old Venice. You can also walk to the main areas of Old Venice.
- We recommend you have cash to pay for transportation costs, as not all taxis (water and land) will accept credit cards.
- Water taxi numbers: