Mestre (ital. Mestre) is a charming small area of Venice, which is connected to the city by water with a large railway bridge, known as the "Freedom Bridge" (Ponte della Liberta). The central part of the autonomous region, once considered a city, is closed to transport, so guests of Mestre can leisurely and unhinderedly explore the main attractions of this place, as well as enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace of one of the pastry shops, which are so numerous around. Perhaps we can say that Mestre has its own, special smell - the aroma of fresh pastries and coffee, which can be inhaled almost everywhere.
Sights
Torre del Oroolgio Tower
An excellent starting point for exploring Mestre is the central Piazza Ferretto, from where most sightseeing routes begin. The tall tower of Torre del Orologio is also located here, with amazing views of the city and where anyone can go. Going down from the watch tower, you will find that the whole Piazza Ferretto is literally dotted with many cozy cafes and restaurants serving excellent Italian cuisine, as well as fashion boutiques and souvenir shops.
San Giuliano Park
Not far from Piazza Ferretto is the San Giulliano Park, which is a favorite place for cyclists and lovers to keep themselves in shape by running, as well as talented musicians and their admirers. Very often concerts are held here, which invariably gather an impressive number of visitors who come here to listen to local and foreign performers, while enjoying a wonderful view of the Venetian lagoon and the Freedom Bridge hiding Venice.
Bissoul Park
In addition to the San Giuliano Park in Mestre, there is another “green zone” - Bissoula Park (Parco Bissoula), which is very popular among the local population due to the variety of attractions and attractions. In addition to entertainment venues, the park also has areas for sports: a basketball field, jogging tracks and even small slopes for skiers. In the warm season, children and adults can plunge into the pools located here.
Church of St. Lorenz
In addition to the charming parks, tourists are attracted by the historical center of the area, which is still decorated with architectural monuments that survived for more than a century. So, it is worth noting the church of St. Lorenz (Duomo di San Lorenzo), built back in the 17th century, but perfectly preserved thanks to the efforts of local residents. In the building of this building, you can see many artifacts from the religious world, including icons and other relics, whose age has long exceeded the mark of "100 years."
Palaces
Do not be too lazy to visit the wonderful palace of the Palazzo da Re (Palazzo da Re), striking the imagination with the variety of architectural styles reflected in it, as well as the Palazzo Podestarile - the palace of the administration.
Theater Toniolo
Fans of theatrical art will be interested in a glimpse into the Toniolo Theater, located near the central square of Mestre. It regularly hosts premieres of performances, and the building itself is considered an architectural landmark of the area.
By the way, in addition to the love of the theater, the inhabitants of Mestre, like the Venetians, cannot be indifferent to the means of transportation by water. And here you will find elegant "black swans" under the control of gondoliers, who quite often arrange small competitions and regattas.
Shopping
Mestre is a good place for shopping: in this area you can find a lot of modern boutiques with clothes from leading designers, as well as a huge number of antique shops where you can easily find an interesting thing that you would hardly meet in your homeland, or several souvenirs for relatives and loved ones. So, for example, you will find a decent selection of clothing from well-known brands in the Donatello and Le Barche shopping centers, while highly specialized shops are scattered across the central square.
Night life
Mestre cannot be called a place where the emphasis is on active night time, but there are still several clubs here. The noisiest discos take place in the Area City club, which is located near the central square, the night club Galliano surprises its visitors with theme parties, and the Teranga club often turns into a venue for concerts.
Restaurants
If the frantic rhythm of life is not yours, or if after a long day you like to relax in silence with a glass of wine, then you definitely need to settle in one of the restaurants. Da Tura Hotel Stazione invites guests in the Mestre area to sample the delicacies of local cuisine, as well as dishes unique even to Venice. In addition to excellent food, visitors will certainly note the high quality of service: the waiters are always ready to advise customers of one or another variation of the dish. A friendly atmosphere reigns in Trattoria La Bissa, where the menu includes Italian dishes in their classic style. You will be pleasantly surprised by the local wine list.
If you are traveling with your family, head out to lunch at Birreria Stinger, which offers visitors a wide selection of pizzas, pasta and seafood. Fans of Japanese cuisine should pay a visit to the Naru restaurant, the quality of food and the price level in which are pleasantly surprising.
Hotels - where to stay?
As for the place to stay in Mestre, it is worth noting that the balance of "price-quality" when choosing a hotel in this area is maintained, no matter what part of it you go to. The best reviews were given to the three-star hotels Ariston (Via Bergamo, 12), Villa Costanza (Via Monte Nero, 25) and Al Vivit (Piazza Ferretto, 73). For one night in a double room you will have to pay no more than 75 euros, while you will certainly appreciate the excellent service. You can spend the night in economy class hostels (about 30 euros).
How to get there
You can get to this marvelous autonomous region of Venice quickly and easily: only 20 minutes from Mestre is Venice Marco Polo Airport, from where buses number 5 and ATVO shuttle buses run to the area at 10-minute intervals. The fare will cost you 3-5 euros. You can also get to Mestre from Treviso Airport, the journey will take about an hour. If you travel by car, follow the A4 motorway connecting Trieste and Torino. By train to Mestre you can arrive from Padova (Padova) (5-15 euros, 30-40 minutes on the way), Milan (15-40 euros, 2.5 - 3.5 hours on the way), Florence (20-60 euros , 2.5 - 3.5 hours on the way) and other cities.
