ABOVE: Inside a water taxi with Maggie of Maggieinvenice.com.

Water taxis are a great way to travel between Marco Polo Airport and the city of Venice--or are they? Let's look at the pros and cons:

Pro:

• They're fast--about 20 minutes between Marco Polo Airport and most locations in the historic center, which is much faster than the Alilaguna airport boat or the combination of an airport bus and a vaporetto water bus.

• They're fun. (See our video of a water taxi ride from Venice's city center to the airport.)

• Sometimes they can get you directly from the airport to your destination, without the need for a long walk after you disembark.

Con:

• Water taxis are expensive: Expect to pay 100 euros or more for a ride between the airport and the city, which is steep unless you're splitting the fare with friends.

• Sometimes they can't get you directly from the airport to your destination, because most hotels and apartments don't have private water gates and smaller canals may not be accessible by water taxi.

• Getting in and out of a water taxi can be awkward, especially if you're traveling with heavy luggage. (See "A warning about water taxis.")

For more information about water taxis, please read our Venice Water Taxis article at Veniceforvisitors.com.