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Italy's Floating City Is One of the Most Memorable Vacation Destinations on Earth — Here's How to Plan a Trip

Visit Venice for an unforgettable adventure. Discover the best hotels, restaurants, and things to do with this highly curated Venice travel guide.

Best Time to Go

Things to know, how to get around, best hotels, best restaurants, things to do, best shopping, neighborhoods to know, apps to download.

Canals, gondolas, and the Rialto Bridge. You think you know what to expect from Venice, but it turns out that no photo, however digitally enhanced, can hold a candle to the real city. To get to know it, though, requires more than an afternoon. While the day-trippers are stampeding from the Rialto to St Mark's Square, you should be a block or two away, watching artisans craft items with Renaissance techniques, seeing shimmering reflections dancing on bridge arches, and gawking at marble-clad buildings each more fantastical than the next. The joy of Venice is getting lost, they say – although however far you amble, you're never more than a couple of churches away from a Titian or Tintoretto.

Don't stick to the city, though – that getting lost should also be done in the lagoon, taking the vaporetto (ferry) to the beach-filled Lido, island of glass Murano, and, further out, Torcello and Burano, where Venice began 1600 years ago. You could spend a lifetime here and never do Venice justice. But with just a few days, it can touch your soul.

Central European Standard Time

If you're wanting to escape the crowds, there's no better time than winter, when visitor numbers are at their lowest. But while there's a romance to it, Venice in winter with its biting cold, swirling fog, and frequent wind and rain certainly isn't the Venice of people's dreams. In summer, the city is crowded and hot – but it's also the perfect time to head to the beach on the Lido, or into the lagoon. Spring and fall tend to have the best of both worlds – go late March to mid April, Easter aside, and you should enjoy decent weather but not too many crowds. Christmas tends to be quiet but New Year is busy, and Carnival (roughly mid January to mid February) is packed.

Currency: Euro (Check the current exchange rate )

Language: Italian

I don't speak Italian: Non parlo Italiano

I'm lost: Mi sono perso/a

I would like…: Vorrei…

How much is…: Quanto costa…:

How do you get to…: Per andare a…:

Learn more Italian phrases

Calling Code: +39

Capital City: Rome

Trains: Venice has two main train stations, Venezia Santa Lucia and Venezia Mestre, but only long distance trains stop at the former while local trains go to the later.

Buses: The vaporetto is the public transit system in the city and operates on 20 different lines all through town. The water buses run the length of the Grand Canal and cost €7.50 per ride, and are good for 75 minutes. Travelers can also get a Venezia Unica City Pass (€10) to use one both mainland buses and some water water buses. Buses from the mainland and local airports terminate at Piazzale Roma in Santa Croce.

Taxis: Water taxis can be found at the airport, train and bus station, and Piazza San Marco. Otherwise they must be booked in advance. Note that they're expensive, with a minimum charge of €60 ($72). Ground taxis (a car) can take you from the airport to Piazzale Roma for considerably less.

Car service: Hotels can arrange transfers, usually with water taxis.

Gondola: While more of a scenic mode of transportation rather than a pragmatic one, Gondola rides are synonymous with Venice and shouldn't be missed. Daytime rates are usually around €80 ($95) or €100 ($120) at night, excluding tip.

Hotel Flora

Address: S. Marco, 2283/A, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 520 5844 Website

Set at the bottom of a small alleyway on the designer drag off Piazza San Marco is this time capsule of a hotel, owned by the local Romanelli family. While the rooms are stuffed with antiques and the floors are typical Venetian terrazzo, it packs a luxury punch with Simmons mattresses, Rivolta Carmignani linens, and Ortigia amenities. Breakfast is served in the tiny courtyard out back, while the retro-style bar is the place to be after dark.

Giò & Giò Bed and Breakfast

Address: Calle delle Ostreghe, 2439, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 296 0491 Book Now

You'll feel like you're stepping into your swanky Venetian friend's home as you enter this boutique B&B near the Santa Maria del Giglio church that's just a quick stroll from St Mark's Square. Antiques sit alongside contemporary white-clad sofas, chandeliers hang from pebble-colored ceilings, and the three rooms continue that mix of old-meets-new.

Istituto Canossiano San Trovaso

Address: Fondamenta Eremite, 1323, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 240 9711 Website

Many of the city's monasteries and convents run B&Bs on the side, and staying in one is a unique way of seeing Venice. The Istituto Canossiano San Trovaso, run by nuns in arty Dorsoduro, is as close as they get to hotels: large, comfy rooms in a 17th-century building, at a fraction of the price of similar-standard hotels. You don't get breakfast, but there's a communal kitchen; and you don't need to be religious, but must be ok with a Madonna and Child over the bed.

Address: Calle Avogaria, 1629, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 296 0491 Book Now

You'll feel like a real Venetian in this five-room B&B at the quieter end of Dorsoduro. Rooms are sleek but fun, with out-there patterned walls, heavy drapes, and swanky mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Choose a junior suite and you'll get a private, walled garden.

Centurion Palace

Address: Dorsoduro, 173, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 34281 Book Now

Had enough of the heavy brocade and stucco found all around town? You'll want this ultra-modern grande dame of claret and brown walls, contemporary art, and blingy bathrooms papered with real gold leaf. Ask the friendly staff to set up breakfast or dinner on the terraces cantilevered over the Grand Canal.

Palazzo Stern

Address: Dorsoduro, 2792/A, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 277 0869 Book Now

Ride the number 1 vaporetto along the Grand Canal and you'll notice this pretty, locally-run hotel with its lovely little garden right beside the Ca' Rezzonico stop. Owned by an early 20th-century art collector, the 15th-century building is packed with antiques and ancient sculptures. Above the traditional rooms is a rooftop hot tub.

Ca' di Dio

Address: Riva Ca' di Dio, 2181, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 06 398 061 Book Now

New hotels in the city center are now banned by the Venice authorities, so this property, opening in summer 2021, is one of the last debuts. And it's a goodie: a grand palazzo with a rare modern interior and two private courtyards to escape the crowds. Even better? Its front-facing rooms (and roof terrace) have the same lagoon views as those around St Mark's but its location, a 10-minute walk up the famous Riva degli Schiavoni, by the Arsenale vaporetto stop, means it's beautifully peaceful.

Address: Riva degli Schiavoni, 4196, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 522 6480 Book Now

This, the former home of a 14th-century doge (plus two more modern annexes), is the Venetian grande dame par excellence. Sit back in the bar – the original doge 's atrium, with Corinthian columns and a grand coffered ceiling. Eat on the rooftop overlooking the lagoon at Terrazza Danieli. Or climb the breathtaking Escher-like staircase to the rooms – some designed by Jacques Garcia, others pointed right at the lagoon, and a special few with original painted ceilings.

Hotel Santa Chiara

Address: Santa Croce, 548, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 520 6955 Book Now

If you're not here for long, it's simpler to get the bus from the airport and leave your stuff at the terminus, instead of braving packed ferries and lugging your bags across countless bridges. This lovely, locally-owned hotel – part old convent, part ultra-modern block – has great, modern rooms, some of which overlook the Grand Canal. Pretty Santa Croce is on the doorstep, and San Polo and Dorsoduro are each a 10-minute walk.

Address: Calle Dandolo o Civran, 1958, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 863 3022 Website

Five rooms, three of them overlooking the Grand Canal, and a peaceful courtyard to kick back in – if those aren't reasons enough to book this lovely B&B, how about the decor? Instead of traditional Venetian grandeur, rooms sport the colors of the lagoon – eau de nils, greys, and barely blues. Breakfast is served in the living room, where canal reflections dance on the ceiling.

Address: Fondamenta di Santa Caterina, 3, 30142 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 527 2281 Book Now

You want to stay far from the crowds but you still want luxury? This modern Michelin-starred restaurant-with-rooms is the place for you. Sitting canalside on the quiet island of Mazzorbo, with a sprawling vineyard round the back, this gets you back to nature – and Burano's multi-colored houses sit just across the bridge at the end of the garden.

Address: P.za San Marco, 12130124 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 522 2105 Website

By day, Quadri is known for its outdoor tables and inhouse orchestra serenading guests as they sit in St Mark's Square. By night, though, this Venice institution – everyone from Lord Byron to Brad Pitt has stopped here – opens a Michelin-starred restaurant upstairs. Forget the food, straight from the Rialto market and the Philippe Starck-designed room, focus on the unparalleled view of that famous square from a secret angle. Reservations recommended.

Trattoria Al Gatto Nero

Address: Via Giudecca, 88, 30142 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 730 120 Website

A stop at Trattoria Al Gatto Nero is worth the 40-minute vaporetto ride to Burano. This wonderful institution is known lagoon-wide for serving the freshest fish netted by the island's boats each morning. Trust maitre d' Massimiliano to point you in the direction of the day's best catch; and trust his parents, Ruggero and Lucia, to cook it to perfection. Reservations recommended.

Address: S. Croce, 1762, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 524 1570 Website

If you don't love seafood, Venice can be a struggle. Not at La Zucca ("The Pumpkin"), which has a delightful veggie-heavy menu, whatever your dietary preferences. Load up on the inventive sides – like prosecco-stewed onions, or zucca in saor, sweet-and-sour pumpkin marinated with currants, onions and pine nuts. Reservations recommended – book an outdoor table beside the canal.

Antica Sacrestia

Address: Calle de la Corona, 4463, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 523 0749 Website

Genial owner Pino is a multi-generational Venetian who brings the best of the lagoon to the table, despite the handy location in the touristy alleys behind St Mark's Square. Don't be afraid to venture away from pasta and pick gratin scallops and mussels – or whatever came in that day.

Address: C. Giazzo, 1580, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: No phone Website

A classic modern joint for cicchetti (Venetian bar snacks), the restaurant pairs great local wines with the best Italian ingredients, stuffing sandwiches and tiny bread rolls with everything from zucchini and cavolo nero frittata to grilled eggplant and capocollo. Popular with locals, it's a brilliant lunch stop.

Address: Fondamenta di Santa Caterina, 3, 30142 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 527 2281 Website

Mazzorbo, a lagoon island next to Burano, has long been known for its agriculture. Local prosecco magnates the Bisol family have taken things up a notch by replanting an ancient vineyard, adding a vegetable garden and opening a Michelin-starred restaurant and trattoria (same kitchen, lower prices). The menu is inventive lagoon food, and if you want to make a night out of it, there's a tiny hotel upstairs. Reservations recommended.

Address: Fondamenta dei Ormesini, 2684, 30121 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: No phone Website

Venetian tramezzini – sandwiches stuffed to the gills – are legendary, and this tiny bar on Cannaregio's popular drinking strip, run by siblings Federica, Stefania, and Davide Michielan, is the best place to try them. Bag a canalside table and try the porchetta – herb-roasted beef, produced by a friend of the family.

Locanda Cipriani

Address: Piazza Santa Fosca, 29, 30142 Torcello VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 730 150 Website

This legendary restaurant-with-rooms on quiet Torcello island has captured the hearts of everyone from Nancy Mitford to Ernest Hemingway, who stayed a month. The food, sourced from around the lagoon, is Michelin-rated, but you're here for the out-of-this-world atmosphere. Book a table in the pergola-shaded garden, Torcello's two Byzantine churches soaring up behind the rose bushes. Reservations recommended.

Osteria Ae Botti

Address: Giudecca, 609, 30133 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 724 1086 Website

You'll get the best sunsets in Venice here on Giudecca island, where the sun ploughs into the lagoon like a giant gobstopper as shadows cast over the city, across the water. This lovely, laidback restaurant is the place to take it in, with tables stretched out along the waterfront as the Giudecca Canal slaps at guests' feet. It's divided into a pizzeria and a restaurant – pick whichever appeals, as you're here for the view. Reservations recommended.

Ristorante Riviera

Address: Fondamenta Zattere Al Ponte Lungo, 1473, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 522 7621 Website

Bag an outdoor table at this Michelin-rated restaurant on the ever-sunny Zattere waterfront, overlooking the Giudecca Canal. The food is fervently local, but forward-looking – go all out with the 12-course "Big Market" tasting menu to get the best sense of what the region has to offer, from lagoon-grown mackerel to beef carpaccio and Asiago cheeses. Reservations recommended.

Frary's

Address: Fondamenta Frari, 2558, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 720 050 Website

Pick a canalside table at this lovely laidback restaurant for a super-quick canalside lunch, overlooking the Frari church. If you're sick of Italian food, this is your respite – the Mediterranean cuisine rounds up dishes from Greece to Iran. The fesenjoon – a Persian mix of chicken, walnuts, and pomegranate on rice – is outstanding.

Address: Campo Santa Marina, 5908, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 523 0017 Website: no website

No time for lunch? Pop into here, one of Venice's historic pasticcerie , or cake shops. As well as pastries, they do everything from sandwiches to local dishes, like radicchio lasagne – a restaurant-style experience served in minutes.

Osteria Da Moro

Address: Fondamenta Sant'Eufemia, 658, 30133 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 099 5884 Website: No website

Fill up on the cicchetti here and you won't need dinner. From fish-laced crostini to mini meatballs, you can construct your own feast as you take in the show-stopper Giudecca sunsets with a glass of wine on the outdoor tables. The prices are excellent, too.

Address: o dei Garzoti, Fondamenta Rio Marin, 890, 30135 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 716 636 Website

Pizza is relatively new to Venice, but you wouldn't know it from the perfectly crisp pies on offer at Ai Garzoti. Try an unorthodox topping like 'nduja and peppers, or if you'd prefer something lighter, they do inventive salads. There's a full restaurant menu, too.

Harry's Dolci

Address: Fondamenta S. Biagio, 773, 30133 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 522 4844 Website

You can't come to Venice and not drink a Bellini cocktail – that peach and prosecco mix that sweetens every trip here. But instead of heading to Harry's Bar, where it was invented, hop on the vaporetto to Giudecca, where you'll find sister restaurant Harry's Dolci. You'll get the same Bellinis and fish-filled Cipriani menu; only with spectacular waterside views from the outdoor tables.

Grand Canal

The vaporetto (waterbus) lines plying the zigzagging Grand Canal double as spectacular cruises. Hop on the number 1 at Piazzale Roma or the station, and wiggle your way down past marble-clad palaces, each more ornate than the other, before sailing under the Rialto Bridge, past St Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace, and alighting at San Zaccaria.

Piazza San Marco

Most visitors to Venice come for one thing only: the breathtaking, waterside St Mark's Square. Have coffee in one of the chi-chi cafes outside (we recommend Quadri), visit the Basilica di San Marco, the church covered head-to-toe in glittering gold mosaics, and stroll along the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront, for those classic lagoon views.

Palazzo Ducale

Address: P.za San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 271 5911 Website

Overlooking the waterfront, this stunning palace – which was the seat of power for the ancient Venetian Republic — showcases an astonishing mix of artistic masterpieces and grand architecture, including the famous Bridge of Sighs. Take the Secret Itineraries Tour to get guided around the prisons and other rooms not otherwise open to the public – you're then free to continue the rest of your visit alone.

San Giorgio Maggiore

Address: Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore

Admire the Tintorettos in the vast church below, then take the elevator to the top of the belltower on this island monastery. From here, you'll have spectacular views of Venice – go at sunset to see the lagoon flush pink beneath you.

Querini Stampalia Museum

Address: Campo Santa Maria Formosa, 5252, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 271 1411 Website

Only time for one museum in Venice? Make it this one, a former noble's house, stuffed with works by the likes of Bellini, Tiepolo, and Pietro Longhi upstairs, and a ground-floor wing and garden designed by 20th-century architect Carlo Scarpa where the canal is encouraged in to lap against specially constructed channels.

Burano and Torcello

Get a vaporetto (ferry) to these two islands 40 minutes outside Venice. Fishing town Burano's multicolored houses make it an Instagram paradise (go early or late to discover the real town), while semi-deserted Torcello, where Venice began, is known for the Byzantine mosaics in the basilica of Santa Maria Assunta.

Northern Lagoon of Venice

Phone: +39 333 904 3172 Website

Spend the afternoon with Andrea Rossi, one of Burano's best fishermen, who'll show you the hidden corners of the lagoon in his boat. You choose the itinerary, from fishing to floating through inches-deep channels, or birdwatching on Torcello.

Teatro La Fenice

Address: Campo S. Fantin, 1965, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 786 654 Website

Most visitors tour Venice's famous opera house, which burned to the ground in 1996 before being rebuilt. But for a more intimate experience, book a ticket for a show to hear the legendary acoustics and see the gold-drizzled stucco up close from your own box, instead.

Scuola Grande di San Rocco

Lara D'Agostino/Travel + Leisure

Address: San Polo, 3052, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 523 4864 Website

Tintoretto is one of Venice's 16th-century celebrity artists, and this is where you'll find his best works. The top floor of this building is covered entirely – yes, even the ceiling – in his paintings, making it an artwork in itself.

Buy a Chorus Pass

Venice's churches are living museums, with masterpieces usually in situ. Fifteen of the best make up the Chorus group – buy an open-access ticket (valid for 12 months) so you can pop in to see Tintoretto in San Polo, and Canova's tomb in the Frari church, as you walk around.

Arts & Crafts tour

Phone: +39 349 084 8303 Website

Venice's artisans have a proud history, with many crafts dating back to medieval times and earlier. These days, they're endangered – so take a tour with guide Luisella Romeo, who'll take you to meet glass-blowers, mask-makers and gold-beaters.

Walk the Giudecca

The 20-minute walk along the waterfront of Giudecca, the island squaring off against the city center, nets you some of the city's most iconic views, with St Mark's and the round Salute church always in the background. This is also one of the least touristy areas, so follow the locals into bars for a spritz along the way.

If it's sunny, blow off steam from all that culture with a trip to the Lido, the long sandbar off Venice city center. The deep-sanded beach is incredible, here – head west for the free section, away from the sunbeds.

Gondola ride

Yes, it's expensive. Yes, it's worth it – Venice was built to be seen from the water. But don't rent one on the Grand Canal; instead, you want to be going along the small waterways where you can't get by public transport and the only sound is the slosh of water on the boat. Start from the train station for an off-the-beaten-track itinerary.

T Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop

Address: San Marco, 5541, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 314 2000 Website

Work your way through this department store in a 16th-century building by the Rialto Bridge, up to the rooftop. From up here you'll get astonishing views of the Rialto and the Grand Canal, snaking from top to bottom. Reserve ahead online.

Rialto Market

Address: Campiello de la Pescaria, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: No phone Website: No website

The waterfront market beside the Rialto Bridge has been going strong for centuries. Don't just take photos, though; buying is part of the fun, whether it's lagoon-netted fish or veg from Sant'Erasmo island.

Il Pavone Legatoria Artigianale

Address: Calle Perdon, 1469-1477, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 522 4296 Website

From pencils to notebooks, scarves and even earrings, Paolo Pelosin does them all in marbled paper. Ask to see his workshop out back, where he uses combs to create swirls and blobs with this ancient art.

Process Collettivo

Address: A, Fondamenta Frari, 2559, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 524 3125 Website

From the recycled bags, passport holders and washbags to essential oil-infused soaps and amenities, everything on sale here has been made by inmates in Venice's jails. The shop is a collaboration with artist Mark Bradford and two local non-profits, which staff are always delighted to tell you about.

Stefano Morasso

Address: Campo San Cosmo Giudecca 621/A, 30133 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 564 7224 Website

Why brave the crowds and souvenir shops on Murano when you can buy hand-blown glass by a Murano maestro on Giudecca – for a better price? Stefano makes incredibly modern, delicate glasses, beakers and vases, while wife Nicoletta turns his offcuts into stunning glass jewelry.

Address: 3253/A, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 523 7655 Website

Byzantine and Venetian motifs take center stage at Paolo's store. The octogenarian bookbinder makes notepads, albums, folders and bookmarks with his hand-printed designs, while he's also branched out into leather- and fabric-clad objects.

Marina de Grandis

Address: Calle Larga Giacinto Gallina, 6376, 30121 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 521 0019 Website

Ignore those cheap "Made in Italy" leather shops for hand-sewn pieces by leather worker and bookbinder Marina. Choose from her rainbow-colored handbag collection, or try a leather-clad notebook with cult Fabriano paper.

Ca' Macana

Address: Dorsoduro, 3215, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 277 6142 Website

You'll need a mask to remind you of Venice, of course; but make sure it's a handmade one. Carlos Brassesco handcrafts papier maché masks – both traditional Venetian designs and modern style – and runs mask-making workshops if you want a go yourself.

Legatoria Barbieri

Address: Via Giudecca, 283, 30133 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 528 8493 Website

Venice has for centuries been famous for its textiles. Here, Adriano Barbieri uses pricey fabrics by the likes of Fortuny and Rubelli to create exquisite notebooks, picture frames, and more.

Codex Venezia

Address: Fondamenta dei Ormesini, 2778, 30121 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 348 546 0257 Website

Artist and graphic designer Nelson Kishi makes gorgeous, one-of-a-kind line drawings of Venice in his studio, which he shares with his painter wife. Usually in monochrome pen with a single flash of color, they somehow cut to the heart of the real Venice. He makes prints of all his work, if the originals are beyond your budget.

Banco Lotto n10

Address: Salizada S. Antonin, 3478/A, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 522 1439 Website

Pure woollen coats, silk jackets, and summer dresses, all with a vintage feel – they're all handmade by inmates of the women's jail on Giudecca. This non-profit teaches prisoners skills to equip them for life on the outside – and their clothes, often in expensive fabrics by Venetian companies like Rubelli and Fortuny, are divine.

Dila Venezia

Address: San Polo, Campiello dei Meloni, 1477, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy

Don't mistake this for a typical souvenir shop. Artist Laura Bollato and her nephew Sebastiano make beautiful prints of Venetian cats, and turn them into bags, t-shirts, calendars and even pencil cases.

Collection Muranero

Address: Salizada del Pignater, 3545, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 338 450 3099 Website

Moulaye Niang fuses the glass-blowing techniques he studied on Murano with motifs from his Senegalese roots to create unique handmade works, from beads and jewelry to glass sculptures. Got something in mind? He takes commissions.

Teresa Ballarin Antichità

Address: Sestiere Dorsoduro, 2400, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 347 822 3536

Channel Peggy Guggenheim with the in-your face costume jewelry at this antique store's all-jewelry annexe. Outré Bakelite patterns abound – choose from vintage (going back to the early 1900s) or new takes on retro patterns.

Acqua Marea

Address: Calle S. Pantalon, 3750, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 351 922 1895 Website

Caught out by acqua alta flooding? You'll need super-chic gumboots, curated by Martina Ranaldo, who gave up life as an academic to kit out Venetians. She also has eco-friendly shoes.

Libreria Toletta

Address: Dorsoduro, 1214, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy Phone: +39 041 523 2034 Website

Looking for a book to remind you of your trip? You'll find it here at the city's best-loved bookstore since 1933. It has a huge English-language section of guides, Venice-set novels and cicchetti cookbooks.

Michela Buttignol/Travel+Leisure

San Marco : Once the political heart of Venice, San Marco is now the most visited of Venice's six sestieri , or districts. Piazza San Marco, or St Mark's Square, is the center; radiating out around it is a rabbit warren of narrow calli (streets), taking you to the Rialto Bridge. There are gems here, but this is definitely the tourist trail.

San Polo : On the other side of the Rialto from San Marco, this is Venice at its most medieval, with squeezebelly alleyways, sottoporteghi (cut-out passageways underneath first-floor houses) and timber-framed palazzos. Although heavily trodden, there are still artisans around, and it has a young feel, thanks to its proximity to university Ca' Foscari.

Dorsoduro : Traditionally the artists' area, Dorsoduro — the "hard back" of Venice, forming the lower border of the city center — is less boho than it was, but you'll still find high-end galleries and bijou shops around the Guggenheim Museum. It's a popular area with students around the vast, bar-lined square, Campo Santa Margherita, and the always-sunny Zattere waterfront is where locals love to stroll.

Castello : The biggest sestiere is also the hardest to pin down. Alleyways behind San Marco stuffed with restaurants and bars unfold into big, café-lined squares where local kids play football. Some of the loveliest churches are in Castello – like the marble-clad Santa Maria dei Miracoli – but this is a place for walking, along the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront and around the Arsenale, where the Republic of Venice could knock out a warship in mere days.

Santa Croce : For the vast majority of visitors, Santa Croce is their first sight. But step away from the Piazzale Roma bus stops or the cruise terminal and one of the city's most laid back areas is on the doorstep. This is one of the most residential areas still, and the quiet canals are worth a wander. This top end of the Grand Canal is less prestigious, but, because of that, more real.

Cannaregio : What was once an industrial area is now perhaps the loveliest sestiere, with wider canals, bigger pavements to lay seating on, and magnificent palazzos. Cannaregio has long been known for its artisans; today, the Fondamenta della Misericordia is the locals' favorite bar strip, while the Fondamente Nove waterfront, on the north of the lagoon, offers spectacular views of the Dolomites, as well as ferry boats to the islands. Giudecca and the islands: Life goes on as it always has on the islands, which give a different glimpse of lagoon life. Giudecca, the croissant–shaped island opposite Dorsoduro, has some of the best views in the city, while the Lido is one great, miles-long beach. In the north, past the cemetery island of San Michele, is Murano, known worldwide for its master glassblowers. Half an hour beyond it, into the north lagoon is the fishing island Burano, known for its multicolored houses, and Torcello, where two ancient basilicas mark where Venice began.

Spring is the classic time to visit Venice, before the summer crowds (and heat) hit. Temperatures can hit 55°F in March and 70°F in May, but when the sun is out, it feels much hotter. Summer can be sweltering – although average temperatures are in the low-to-mid 80s, the humidity, which pushes 80 percent, makes everything much stickier. Fall tends to remain warm – average temperatures are 74°F for September and 64°F in October, again feeling warmer when the sun is out. Winter temperatures rarely hit freezing, though the high humidity, fog, and strong winds can make the city feel colder than other snowier cities.

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Imagine the audacity of building a city of marble palaces on a lagoon – and that was only the start.

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Basilica di San Marco

With a profusion of domes and more than 8000 sq metres of luminous mosaics, Venice's cathedral is unforgettable. It was founded in the 9th century to…

Palazzo Ducale

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Gallerie dell'Accademia

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In medieval times this part of Cannaregio housed a getto (foundry), but it was as the designated Jewish quarter from the 16th to 19th centuries that the…

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Ca' Rezzonico

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Murano, Burano & the Northern Islands

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Piazza San Marco

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Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Miracoli

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Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia

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Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta

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Fondazione Querini Stampalia

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Chiesa della Madonna dell’Orto

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Scuola Grande di San Rocco

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Chiesa di San Pietro Martire

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Parco delle Rimembranze

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Fondaco dei Tedeschi

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15 Best Things to Do in Venice

By Andrea Whittle

You'll find part of the appeal of Venice in its layers and contrasts: There are plenty of beautifully preserved palaces, churches and glorious renaissance masterpieces to be sure, but there are also abandoned Byzantine shipyards used to display the world's most cutting edge contemporary art, and house museums that now host avant garde poetry readings and dance shows. It's all about the mix of crumbling old world glamour and mysterious chic. Yes, it's a major tourist town, but with this list of the best things to do, we've tried to guide you towards the stuff that's really worth seeing, be it on everyone's hit list or more of a low-key secret.

St. Mark’s Basilica Arrow

The cathedral anchoring St. Mark's square is so over-the-top beautiful it almost looks imaginary, like a church in a storybook. Outside, it's all Byzantine domes and columns and lions and angels; inside, it's aglow with glittering, gilded mosaics. For those just interested in the architecture, you can visit when there's not a mass in session (it's still very much a functioning church, with regular services), but check the website for the latest on the sometimes-nonsensical opening hours. Also know that, because it's in the Times Square of Venice, the church has had to start limiting crowds in recent years and there's often a long line. Make plans to go early.

Palazzo Fortuny Arrow

Palazzo Fortuny, a Gothic palazzo, was once the home of Mariano Fortuny, the artist, stage designer, and textile designer behind Fortuny Fabrics, which still turns out luxurious damask silks, cut velvets and printed cottons today. As a museum, it's a tribute to his opulent and eclectic taste: Rooms, draped in a patchwork of luxurious textiles or painted in floor-to-ceiling frescoes, are filled with art, antiques, and decor from his collection.

Venetian Arsenal Arrow

Arsenale di Venezia, a massive Byzantine armory and shipyard, was originally built in the 12th century, and it served as the Venetian military HQ for centuries afterwards. Now, its cavernous halls and landscaped gardens are used as one of the main venues for the Biennale, as well as the city's Naval Museum. During the Biennale, the Arsenale is filled with curators, collectors, tourists, and artists checking out the exhibition or relaxing on one of the lawns overlooking the harbor.

Giardini della Biennale Arrow

Every two years, during the Art Biennale, Giardini della Biennale, the leafy garden at the edge of the city, transforms into the Epcot of the art world. Maritime pines and gravel pathways conjoin a series of small pavilions, each pertaining to a different country, and each with its own architectural style. At all other times, the park is simply a beautiful, secluded, walkable, mostly tourist-free green space, with views of the canal and plenty of benches. Getting here is a bit of a trek though though; the park is about a 30-minute walk from San Marco, so if you're there in the heat of summer, consider taking the vaporetto (water bus).

Harrison Pierce

María Casbas

CNT Editors

Gallerie dell'Accademia Arrow

Gallerie dell'Accademia is Venetian Renaissance 101. Name an important painter from the era—Titian, Canaletto, Bellini, Bosch, Tiepolo—and you can bet you'll find it here, spread among rooms as decadent as the paintings themselves. The collection spans the 13th to 17th centuries and consists mostly of works created in and around Venice. There are a lot of oil paintings, many of them religious masterpieces that have been beautifully restored and displayed. Particularly fun are the historical scenes of Venice, which offer a sense of the city's chaos during its heyday as a merchant capital.

Caffè Florian Arrow

Caffè Florian, in Piazza San Marco, has been open since 1720. In the early days, it was a watering hole for the likes of Proust, Dickens, and Casanova. Now, it's a tourist spot, sure—but it's a charming, beautiful, and an inarguably romantic one. Musicians (which you're paying for by the way—a fee will show up on your bill) play in the square out front, and patrons cluster around low marble tables, sipping hot chocolate and picking delicate pastries off silver trays. For first-timers to Venice, Florian is a glamorous place to stop and refuel.

Church of San Giorgio Maggiore Arrow

The main attraction on San Giorgio Maggiore, a small island next to Giudecca, is the church designed by Andrea Palladio, which has a bell tower with some of the best views in the city. But there are also multiple art foundations, including Fondazione Cini and Le Stanze del Vetro, worth checking out as well. Since the island is only reachable by boat, there's built-in crowd control, making it a perfect choice if you're looking to escape the San Marco fray.

Teatro La Fenice Arrow

The name of Teatro La Fenice, a landmark opera house, means "The Phoenix"—a nod to the fact that it's literally risen from the ashes not once, but three times, most recently after two arsonists burned down everything but the exterior walls in 1996. But it's been rebuilt and restored to its former glory (complete with its world-famous acoustics) by a team of architects and artists who sought to recreate every inch of the way it looked and felt in the 19th century.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection Arrow

This squat palazzo on the Grand Canal was once the home of the eccentric gallerist and collector Peggy Guggenheim, who played a big part in the careers of artists like Jackson Pollock, Max Ernst, and Alberto Giacometti. Today the eponymous museum still maintains the feeling of a private house. Most of the work on display was collected by Guggenheim during her lifetime—and it's some of the best art of the 20th century. In the entryway, two Picassos hang next to a Calder mobile. There are rooms filled with Kandinskys and Brancusis and Pollocks and Dalis. One mantlepiece is lined with Joseph Cornell boxes.

Fondazione Prada Arrow

This gloriously crumbling Baroque palazzo is the Venetian headquarters of Fondazione Prada. Much like the Italian fashion brand's designs, the artistic programming is bold, contemporary, and innovative. There is no permanent collection; instead, the three main floors of the palazzo are used as a project space for immersive exhibitions that often run concurrently with the Biennale. Sometimes, the foundation invites multiple artists to build installations that interact with the architecture; otherwise, curators will utilize every inch of the space to display a survey by one artist.

Pinault Collection Arrow

The contemporary art collection of French billionaire Francois Pinault is split between two Venetian venues: Palazzo Grassi, near the Accademia bridge, and Punta Della Dogana, the former customs house at the tip of Dorsoduro. Both are pretty spectacular, and they present a rotating program of blockbuster exhibitions. The shows at Palazzo Grassi tend to focus on a single living artist, giving them full reign of multiple floors as well as the massive central atrium. Across the canal, Punta Della Dogana usually goes wider, with thematic shows featuring work by multiple artists.

Doge’s Palace Arrow

Palazzo Ducale, an opulent gothic palace overlooking Saint Mark's Square, was the city's government seat (and the Doge's home) from the 14th to 18th centuries. It's been rebuilt and expanded over the years, so it's really a conglomeration of multiple buildings and styles—pretty much all of them over-the-top and glamorous. Visitors have access to various ballrooms, the Doge's former apartments, the grand inner courtyard, and the former prisons. It's run as a museum, so tickets are required.

Fondazione Querini Stampalia Arrow

Part 19th-century house museum, part contemporary exhibition space, part architecture nerd's dream garden, Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a microcosm of everything that's fascinating about Venice. The collection spans centuries and defies categorization: Renaissance paintings by the likes of Bellini and Tiepolo are displayed next to antique instruments, gilded French porcelain is laid out carefully on lace-trimmed tablecloths, and perfectly fluffed pillows sit on gleaming Louis XVI chairs. The garden, designed by the architect Carlo Scarpa in the 1960s, is a maze of geometric fountains and a serene lawn.

Mercato di Rialto Arrow

The fruit, vegetable, and fish market near the Rialto Bridge has been running for hundreds of years, and it's still where local chefs and home cooks come to stock their kitchens. Depending on the season, you'll find local cherries and peaches, artichokes and Treviso radicchio grown on nearby islands, and soft shell crabs and eels pulled straight from the lagoon. The produce market runs from 7:30 am to 1 pm every day except Sunday; the fish market is open those same hours, but Tuesday through Saturday.

Scuola Grande di San Rocco Arrow

Scuola Grande di San Rocco, an ornate Venetian "scuola" (the headquarters of a religious guild), is home to some of the Renaissance painter Tintoretto's best works, which cover the ceilings and walls of the building's two floors. Every inch of this place is decorated: In addition to the more than 60 paintings depicting scenes from the bible, floors are a geometric array of polished stones, every molding is intricately carved and/or gilded, and every wrought-iron lamp is as big as a person.

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Venice   Travel Guide

Courtesy of Andreas Koch | EyeEm

Why Go To Venice

Venice is enchanting. Yes, that may be cliché to say, but once you see the city on the water for yourself, you'll surely agree. Step out of the Santa Lucia train station and the breathtaking  Grand Canal  will soon greet you. You'll see water taxis coast along, passing underneath the  Ponte degli Scalzi  (Bridge of the Barefoot) and might hear the faintest hint of a serenading violin, or is that your imagination? It might not be all in your head. Romantic gondolas carrying smitten couples glide through the web of the city's many waterways, and gondola drivers are known to sing when the moment feels right. On land, narrow passageways twist past Old World storefronts and residences, and over bridges. You should note that maps aren't all that helpful here and getting lost is the norm – embrace the disorientation, or enlist the help of a local by signing up for one of the best Venice tours . 

This canal-clad city's main draw is its magical atmosphere, but you'll also find quite a few diversions, too: The tour guides at  St. Mark's Basilica  and the  Doge's Palace  give some great historical insight; the  Gallerie dell'Accademia  hangs works by Titian, Veronese and other famed Venetians; and the  Teatro La Fenice  puts on some world-renowned operas. You can also travel to nearby islands like Lido for the beach, Murano for the well-known glass and Burano for its lace. 

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• # 2 in Best Day Trips from Florence
• # 4 in Best Places to Visit in Italy
• # 5 in Best Winter Vacations in Europe

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Best of Venice

Best hotels in venice.

• # 1 in The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
• # 2 in JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
• # 3 in Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice

Best Things to Do in Venice

• # 1 in St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)
• # 2 in Grand Canal
• # 3 in Gondola Rides

Popular Tours

Venice In a Day: Basilica San Marco, Doges Palace & Gondola ride

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Legendary Venice St. Mark's Basilica with Terrace Access & Doge's Palace

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Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat

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from $ 31.69

Venice Travel Tips

Best months to visit.

The best time to visit Venice is from September to November when tourists desert the city. Although the temperatures – which range from the upper 30s to mid-70s – necessitate some layers, the lowered hotel rates and the barren canals make it worth it. Winters are cold with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, while spring brings Venice's most beautiful weather. Summertime is peak season and is characterized by high hotel rates, high temperatures and – you guessed it – plenty of crowds. Although acqua alta  (high water) can occur anytime between late September and April, it's most likely to happen in November and December, so make sure to pack a pair of rain boots if you plan on traveling then. 

Weather in Venice

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center

What You Need to Know

Budget for the tourist entry fee  Starting Jan. 16, 2023, travelers visiting Venice for the day will have to pay an entry fee ranging from 3 to 10 euros (about $3 to $10) per person 6 years and older. Tickets can be reserved online via the city's booking platform, and prices will be determined by ticket demand. Visitors staying overnight do not have to pay the fee as city accommodations already include a tourist tax in the nightly rate. Fines for not paying the entry fee range from 50 to 300 euros (about $50 to $300). 

Rise with the sun  At least once during your trip, you should wake up early and walk to Piazza San Marco for one of the world's best sunrises.

Coincide with a festival  Carnival (held in January and early February) and the International Film Festival (in August and early September) breathe extra life into this romantic destination.

How to Save Money in Venice

Stick to walking  You can enjoy the Venetian ambiance by walking rather than taking a boat, and you'll save quite a few euros, too.

Stick to the bus  Take an ATVO bus or one of the Alilaguna water buses from the Venice airport into Venice proper instead of a water taxi. You'll pay between 8 and 15 euros (around $10 to $18) for the bus ride instead of more than 100 euros (around $120) for the water taxi.

Book in advance  Gondola rides are a must in Venice, yet they're quite expensive. If you aren't traveling with a group, or don't want to share with strangers to split the cost, tour companies often offer rides for less. Find out more in our guide to the best Venice tours .

Culture & Customs

Unlike  Rome , Venice's economy is largely dependent on its very strong tourism industry. So, keep in mind that you'll likely be sharing your Venice trip with loads of other vacationers.

To Italians, everything from a person's dress to his or her actions and manners should be beautiful, or  bella figura.  First impressions are especially lasting for Italians, who, while warm and helpful, do hold outward appearances in very high regard. Dressing well will sometimes even be rewarded by better and more prompt service.  

Bella figura  does not stop with physical presentation as it extends into a person's manners and conduct. Avoid being obnoxiously loud or ostentatious, as this is greatly looked down on as  brutta figura . Learning some Italian and attempting to use it will win you points with Italians, who are generally patient and happy to help you learn more. In any kind of store or restaurant, it's appropriate to greet and say goodbye to employees – even if you do not buy anything – with a  ciao and  arrivederci , respectively. Wherever you go, remember your manners and don't forget your pleases,  per favore , and thank yous,  grazie .

Residents generally speak Italian with a Venetian dialect, which can be unrecognizable – even to native Italian speakers.  Ca,  a shortened form of the word "casa," is used to describe many private residences and palaces. A street or  calle   in Venice, (pronounced ka-lay), is different from the " via " or " strada " streets elsewhere in Italy.

Similar to the rest of Italy, many Venetian businesses and tourist attractions take Sundays and at least one other day off, though it fluctuates from place to place. During the week, some also take a midday siesta after lunch hours.

Meals in Italy are expected to last long and it's very common for patrons to linger. So don't be surprised when your server does not bring your bill the minute you finish your meal. In fact, you will not get your bill,  il conto , until you ask for it. When you do receive it, remember there is a service charge, or  servizo , included, and sometimes a coperto , or cover charge. Italians don't tip, so you don't have to either. Also keep in mind that water and bread are usually not free at meals. If you ask for water, your server will ask you to specify whether you prefer tap water,  acqua di rubinetto ; flat water,  acqua naturale ; or sparkling water,  acqua frizzante  or  acqua con gas . Also be aware that Venetians tend to eat dinner by 7:30, and many Venice restaurants close their kitchens by 10 p.m. As is the case throughout Italy, Venice's official currency is the euro. Since the euro to U.S. dollar exchange rate fluctuates, be sure to check what the current exchange rate is before you go. Major credit cards are accepted at most restaurants and shops.

What to Eat

With such close proximity to the water, it should come as no surprise that fish is the main component of Venetian cuisine. Cuttlefish ( sepia ), clams ( vongole),  and sea bass ( branzino ) are popular ingredients, which can be found in many of the area's most well-known dishes, including  frutti di mare , Venice’s take on a seafood salad.  Tramezzini  is a tasty Venetian street food: These triangular sandwiches, with a range of fillings from cheese to meats, can be found at cafes throughout the city. Wash it all down with  prosecco , a sparkling white wine from the Veneto region. Some of the best Venice tours were designed with foodies in mind. Sign up for a tour if you'd like help navigating the dining scene from a local.

For the best bang for your buck, try to avoid the San Marco area or any establishment that solicits tourists off the street. Instead, try one of the smaller establishments – such as traveler-recommended Ristorante La Caravella – tucked away on one of the many hidden side streets. Locals frequent establishments like Paradiso Perduto, near the Jewish Ghetto , for its long wooden tables and vibrant atmosphere. The farm-to-table Ostaria Boccadoro is another popular haunt. You could also dine at a  bacaro , a smaller wine bar with lower prices, authentic cuisine and more character. Traveler favorites include Cantina Do Spade, Alla Ciurma and Cantina Do Mori.

Venice is considered a very safe destination. However, as is the case with most popular tourist destinations, the city can be a magnet for pickpocket crimes. Keep a watchful eye on your belongings, especially around crowded areas of the city, such as Piazza San Marco and on any of the waterbuses. Travel experts say that you can walk Venice's dark alleys at midnight and still be safe, but you might get lost considering how often street names change. Still, getting lost is part of the allure of a Venice vacation. Keep in mind that there's no way to walk off of Venice: The compilation of islands is surrounded by a lagoon. You should also note that signs with the word "Per," an arrow and an attraction name are pointing you in the right direction. You shouldn't pay attention to graffiti directions, which may or may not have been written to confuse tourists.

Getting Around Venice

The best way to get around Venice is by foot. Although the city's labyrinth of canals and weaving roads can complicate things, getting lost is the best way to discover the city's famed allure. You can traverse the canals by  vaporetto  or water bus/ferry (relatively affordable), water taxi (pretty pricey) or gondola (very expensive). 

To get from the Marco Polo Airport (VCE) to central Venice, you should take an ATVO bus (the Venice Airport Bus Express) or Alilaguna water bus. If you – like many other travelers – choose to take the train from other Italian or European cities, you'll be dropped off at the Venezia Santa Lucia train station, where you can take a  vaporetto to your accommodations . Driving is not an option here – even the police use boats to get around. However, if you'd like to rent a car, there are several companies located at the airport.

Entry & Exit Requirements

A passport with at least six months of remaining validity is required for United States citizens traveling outside the mainland by air or sea, as well as for U.S. citizens trying to re-enter the country. U.S. citizens do not need a visa unless they plan on staying longer than 90 days. Visit the U.S. State Department's  website  for the latest information on foreign exit and entry requirements.

The Basilica di San Marco exudes opulence from every corner.

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Visit Venice Italy - Venezia City Guide

N°1 venice travel guide - tourism & sightseeing in venice (venezia).

Visit Venice in Italy (Venezia)? The online VeniceLover.com travel guide provides the best tourist information for activities, canals, islands and sights during your Venice city trip.

Tourist Guide: What to visit in Venice Italy?

The beautiful Italian city of Venice ( Venezia ) is located on the Adriatic Sea in the northeast of the country and the capital of the Veneto region . The city in Italy , known for its mass tourism , is divided into six districts and some of the most famous islands are Lido di Venezia , Murano and Burano . The special thing about your visit of Venice city is that there are no normal roads in the tourist parts of the city. There is one long bridge between the mainland and Venice city, with only one road and a railway. Every other transportation runs via the famous canals - of which there are about 177 - to and from the more then a hundred islands that makes up Venice. The Canal Grande is one of the widest canals and apart from a touristic gondola you can also opt for a water bus ( Vaporetto ) to get around in the city.

What to visit in Venice? Due to the typical location of the various parts of the city - all surrounded by so much water - Venice city is famous for its bridges (including the Rialto Bridge ), but also for the many squares (such as the Piazza San Marco with the Saint Mark's Basilica ). But Venice Italy is so much more than just gondolas and special infrastructure, because during a visit to the city you can also admire the many palaces (Ca' d'Oro, Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) ), many museums (like Galleria dell'Accademia, Museo Correr and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection ) and churches ( Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari and San Zanipolo). The sheer number of amazing places to visit in Venice will probably make you realize that you'll need a couple of days to visit Venice city thats on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Prepare your Venezia city trip with our tourist information and get the most out of your city trip.

Top 25 Things to do in Venice

The origin of Venice city

Venice city used to be a bridge between the Middle East and the rest of Europe. This was mainly due to the sizeable merchant fleet. As a result, trade took place and products unknown to Europe - such as spices and sugar cane - were brought back from places faraway. Shipbuilding also helped maintain the wealth of Venice . However, Venice has not always been an Italian city. It was originally a republic and the presence of the Venetian fleet in the Mediterranean was a pain in the ass of the then Republic of Genoa. Several wars and battles, including the Battle of Sapienza in which Venezia ended up taking a large part of her fleet but also quarrels with the Pope, caused the power and wealth of Venice to diminish. In the end, the city as you know it today was created: a unique, water-rich place with a lot of history and great tourist attractions.

Visit famous Venetian events

Venice has many enjoyable ways to spend your holiday and soak up culture during your Venice city trip . How about all the special events and festivals in the city of Venezia?

• The most famous is of course the Carnival of Venice . This twelve-day festival is known all over the world for its extravagant clothing and masks. Did you know that these masks used to be worn almost all year round? Behind the mask, people could move around the city without being recognized.
• Another event that attracts many visitors is Biennale di Venezia . This art exhibition is held every other year. Other components, such as architecture, dance, theater and music, take place every year. The Venice Film Festival is also part of the Biennale festival .
• If you are traveling to Venice in July, you can attend La Festa dei Redentore on the third Sunday of July. This festival ends with large fireworks, which attract many visitors. It is also known for its decorated gondolas and festively decorated canals. The event is celebrated in memory of the plague epidemic that occurred from 1575 to 1577. Now the evening is mainly spend with friends, who go out on the canals by boat and enjoy delicious Venetian dishes together to celebrate the good life. The fireworks are a spectacular end, especially when viewed from the water.
• Are you in Venice Italy on the first Sunday of September? Then you can witness a unique sporting event that has been taking place since the 13th century: the Regata Storica . This is the pinnacle of the city's annual rowing calendar. Richly decorated gondolas transport high-ranking local figures across the canal in a parade before the race, wearing traditional clothing from the 16th century. It is a colorful festival, where various prizes can be won, divided into categories such as age and the type of the boat. The competition between the gondoliers is spectacular and is accompanied by enthusiastic voices from both the participants and all the public along the canals. And should you be there the Thursday before the match? Then - after a parade of the participating boats - you can watch them being blessed for the race on Sunday ( website Regata Storica ).

Tourism: what to see in Venice travel guide

Saint Mark's Basilica

This Venice Cathedral on St. Mark's Square has so many details, from golden domes with paintings on the inside to beautiful decorations and statues of animals on the outside. You will be impressed.

• St. Mark's Basilica

Top 25 Venice Sightseeing

Venice is a beautiful city, made up of more than 100 smaller islands and many beautiful sights. These are the 25 most interesting activities and places to visit in Venice Italy.

• Top 25 Venice

Must See: Doge's Palace

The Doge's Palace – also known as Palazzo Ducale – was the home of the Doge, the leader of the republic that Venezia used to be. Now the Doge's Palace is a museum, where you can visit the impressive rooms of the Doge.

• Doge's Palace

• La Fenice Opera House

You don't have to be into theater to appreciate this beautiful monument. The velvet armchairs, the richly decorated balconies, the lighting and the amazing ceiling make a visit to this opera theater even without a performance special.

Transport during your city trip

Fortunately, many tourist attractions are within walking distance, but in this article you can read all about the water transport options from the water taxi to the Vaporetto.

• Transport & Vaporetto

Activities & Tours

An overview of the best tours and activities in Venice. Guided tours, excursions or discover one of the beautiful islands. We are happy to provide you some extra inspiration.

• Activities in Venice

Best time to visit Venice

The Mediterranean climate makes a city trip to Venice enjoyable all year round. From April to October, daytime temperatures average above sixteen degrees Celsius, with the highest temperatures in July and August, when it can reach thirty degrees Celsius. The breeze that comes from the sea will help you survive the hot summer days. However, this same air from the sea can be on the fresh side. On a summer day it can cool down in the evening and in the spring and autumn the temperature can even drop below 10 degrees Celsius at night. This makes a warm cardigan or good jacket indispensable.

Only the months of November to February are sometimes less suitable for a visit to the city full of islands , because during that period there are often floods. Venice city has decided to prevent these floodings to build a storm surge barrier that can shield the lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. The project started in 2003 and the expected delivery date was unfortunately not met due to all kinds of delays, extra costs and scandals. This storm surge barrier was successfully tested for the first time in October 2021. So in the future you may well be able to visit Venezia and Veneto.

Video: Places to visit in Venice

Where is venezia in italy.

The beautiful city Venice (Venezia) is located in the northeast of Italy as capital of the Veneto region. The distance to Milan is 279 kilometers, Bologna is 153 kilometers and the city of the Renaissance, Florence , is located 258 kilometers away. The capital Rome is already 483 kilometers away and Naples is no less than 649 kilometers south.

Most visited attractions

St. Marks Basilica

Doge's Palace & Tickets

• Things to do in Venezia

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Discounts, museums and public transport in Venice

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Best hotels in Venezia

Holiday Parks in Venice

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• Tips for visiting Venezia

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• Venetianity

Accedi gratis alle principali attrazioni di Venezia ed ottieni sconti nelle migliori attività

• Ingresso gratuito alle principali attrazioni di Venezia
• Trasporti pubblici gratis per tutta Venezia
• Sconti nei migliori Hotel, Ristoranti e Attività commerciali

Things to do

There is so much to say about things to do Venice that is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and is listed by UNESCO, along with its lagoon, among the Italian heritage sites. 

In addition to visiting the countless artistic and cultural beauties present in rii, canals, calli and campielli and in over 40 museums, you can experience the city of Venice also through traditional activities and fun attractions . During your stay in the city you will want to choose the best things to do based on the type of holiday you have in mind: If you are traveling with your family you will look for fun things to do with children , if you are a lover of architecture you can choose between countless buildings and churches and many different styles, if you are a lover of photography you can indulge by taking advantage of the countless sights of Venice and every corner of this magical city.

To help you make unique your vacation in Venice we have made a collection of the most incredible, exciting, adventurous, fun, romantic, exciting and interesting things to do in Venice .

Es plora per categoria

Things to do a Venezia

For many, the most beautiful city in the world. Venice has an eternal and poignant charm, and is today among the world capitals of contemporary art

Timeless and magical, the soul of Venice is made up of 118 islands united together by more than 400 bridges, separated by canals that act as waterways, forever bustling with gondolas and boats in a never-ending back-and-forth. Saying that it is brimming with art treasures is even disrespectful: romantic charm and history are absolutely unique.

What to see in Venice

• Must-see places
• Surroundings

A weekend of art in Venice. Discovering museums, galleries and exhibition venues

All the most exclusive spots from which to see the Venice Historical Regatta

Venice: curiosities, unusual places and local traditions

The Carnival of Venice, the most iconic in the world

Venice's Historic Cafes

Venice and Its Lagoon

St. Mark's Square

Rialto Bridge

Venice Ghetto Glass

Bridge of Sighs

Teatro La Fenice

Ca’ Giustinian

Sestiere Cannaregio

Island of Murano

Venice Biennale

Venetian Arsenal

10 Venetian islands where you can enjoy the charm of the lagoon after work

The environs of Venice: nature, culture, traditions and fine food.

Venice Lagoon, from birdwatching to fishing tourism

Riviera del Brenta DOC: a walk among vineyards and aristocratic villas

5 cycle tours: from Lake Garda to Venice

The 5 favourite destinations for Venetians to ski near Venice

Festa del Redentore a Venezia 2024

Primavera del Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG

Discover Venice, a romantic destination second to none.

It only takes a little while to escape the most crowded paths and find yourself in quiet, almost deserted alleys and small squares. And then, of course, there are some of the most beautiful and famous museums and monuments in the world, as well as legendary international events such as the Biennale, the Film Festival, the Carnival. Venice is the ideal setting for anything from a sunrise or sunset over the lagoon to a candlelit dinner, from a stroll to a quick drink enjoyed in a typical Venetian bacaro. There is one certainty in Venice: your memories will be unforgettable.

For many, the most beautiful city in the world. Venice has an eternal and poignant charm, and is today among the world capitals of contemporary art. Timeless and magical, the soul of Venice is made up of 118 islands united together by more than 400 bridges, separated by canals that act as waterways, forever bustling with gondolas and boats in a never-ending back-and-forth. Saying that it is brimming with art treasures is even disrespectful: romantic charm and history are absolutely unique.

Lakes, valleys and mountains: the beauty of Belluno We begin exploring the Belluno province in the town of Belluno, its capital — home to the Renaissance Palazzo dei Rettori, the Civic Tower belonging to the ancient castle of the bishop-counts, and a cathedral with a 68-metre-high bell tower. Piazza dei Martiri, or Campedèl, is the heart of the city. The oldest part of the town covers from Porta Dojona to the medieval Piazza del Mercato. 20 kilometres from the city stands Zumelle Castle, originally built in Roman times, rebuilt in the 12th century. Thanks to the variety of landscapes in the shadow of the Dolomites, the area boasts striking green valleys, Alpine lakes, small villages and adrenaline-fuelled ski slopes. The most beautiful lakes include Lake Sorapis, with its turquoise waters, Lake Misurina, which glistens at sunset, and Lake Alleghe, which laps the shores of its namesake village. Nearby is the Serrai di Sottoguda nature reserve. Cortina d’Ampezzo, in the Cadore region, offers 120 kilometres of ski slopes, 60 kilometres for cross-country skiing, a snow park, 37 ski lifts, a children’s fun park and toboggan runs. Near Cortina, you can hike the Tour of the Three Peaks of Lavaredo, starting from the Auronzo refuge. In the southern part of the Belluno province lies Valbelluna, a valley carved by the Piave river nestled within the Belluno Dolomites National Park. Don’t miss the Vette Feltrine mountain range, the Brent de l’Art canyon and the Grotta Azzurra cave. In the evening, you can drive to Pedavena to enjoy a beer at the historic brewery.

Among the Berici Hills and Palladian Villas The province of Vicenza in Veneto promises to immerse you in beauty. Don’t miss a tour of the capital, surrounded by the Berici Hills. On one of these hills is the Sanctuary of St Mary of Mount Berico, with a Gothic and a Baroque church. In the city, we recommend visiting Piazza dei Signori, Palazzo Chiericati, the Palladian Basilica, the Olympic Theatre and the Salvi gardens. Near Vicenza is the Buso della Rana, the largest cave in Veneto, while the surroundings of the capital of Veneto are best known for housing the Palladian Villas, which have earned the city UNESCO World Heritage status. The most beautiful among these 16th-century architectural spectacles designed by Andrea Palladio are Villa Thiene, Villa Angarano and Villa Saraceno. Be sure to visit Bassano del Grappa, along the banks of the Brenta, where you can breathe in the memory of the First World War. Don’t miss the Ponte Vecchio, the Museo degli Alpini museum and the Hemingway and Great War Museum. You definitely have to try the famous grappa produced here and stroll along Viale dei Martiri for scenic views of the Sugana Valley and Monte Grappa. Vicenza is also the perfect place to discover other local beauties. In Marostica, known as the City of Chess, you can explore the iconic chessboard-shaped main square. Also worth visiting is Asiago, in the Vicentine Pre-Alps, to taste the famous PDO cheese.

Canals, Palladian villas, villages and castles The province of Treviso, in the heart of Veneto, is famous for its delicious radicchio, but it also offers historical, artistic and scenic wonders — starting with its main town, crossed by the stunning Buranelli canal. Don’t miss the Piazza dei Signori with its palaces, the Calmaggiore arcades, the Romanesque-style cathedral and the Gothic-style church of San Nicolò. You can enjoy a beautiful walk along the walls or, just outside the city, along the banks of the Sile river. Around Treviso are some of the most beautiful Palladian villas. Among the most charming villages in Treviso is Asolo, with its splendid castle and Roman aqueduct, steeped in an atmosphere of yesteryear. The great actress Eleonora Duse, muse of Gabriele D’Annunzio, always wanted to live here. We also recommend visiting Follina, home to the Abbey of Santa Maria in Sanavalle, and Cison Valmarino, in the heart of the vineyard-covered hills where the famous prosecco is produced, between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. Nearby is Castelbrando, among the largest castles in Europe. In Possagno you can visit Antonio Canova’s birthplace. Important battles were fought on the Monte Grappa front and along the Piave river during the First World War. History buffs will enjoy the Great War Path, which follows the course of the river.

Discover the charm of Verona, the city of love with a history spanning more than 2000 years. Verona is not only the city of Romeo and Juliet, but also the “Gateway to Italy”, because it showcases and foreshadows all of Italy’s beauty and cultural wealth to visitors arriving from the north. The Venetian city is enthralling thanks to an atmosphere that is rich in history and priceless beauty.

Through villages, villas and castles Surrounded by the beautiful Euganean Hills, the province of Padua is an area to explore. A city of art and science, the lively capital is a must-see for anyone visiting Veneto. Your tour must include the Scrovegni Chapel, a treasure trove of some of the most beautiful frescoes in Italy. Also worth a visit are the Basilica di Sant'Antonio, the Palazzo della Ragione and Palazzo del Bo, which houses the fascinating Teatro Anatomico and the chair of Galileo Galilei. You cannot leave Padua without walking around Piazza delle Erbe and Prato della Valle, a vast square surrounded by canals and a double row of statues. Not far from the city is the Euganean Hills Regional Park, an area of over a hundred green hills of volcanic origin. The Paduan landscape is dotted with villages, such as the medieval Arquà Petrarca, which welcomed the poet in the last years of his life. Also villas and castles, including the Renaissance Villa dei Vescovi in Luvigliano di Torreglia, Villa Barbarigo in Valsanzibio and the Catajo Castle in Battaglia Terme. There is no shortage of walled cities, such as Monselice and Este with their respective fortresses. But above all the medieval Cittadella, with its elliptical walls, and Montagnana, with no less than 24 watchtowers. For psycho-physical refreshment, everyone goes to the Terme Euganee, one of the oldest thermal spas in Europe. The centres of Abano Terme and Montegrotto date back to the 6th century BC, as evidenced by archaeological finds and excavations, and the beneficial and therapeutic properties of their underground waters make them a popular tourist destination.

The “city of roses” squeezed between two great rivers Less conspicuous than other towns in the Veneto region, Rovigo is equally rich in artistic and cultural heritage. The “city of roses”, founded as an episcopal fiefdom sandwiched between the Po and Adige rivers, home to many historical monuments, including the Torre Donà and Torre Mozza, remnants of the ancient medieval fortifications. Of particular interest are the Cathedral, Palazzo Roncale and Palazzo Roverella. Also worth a stop is the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso, known as the Rotonda due to its octagonal layout, flanked by the Longhena bell tower. Also visit Fratta Polesine, famous for its 16th-century Villa Badoer, the work of Andrea Palladio and a UNESCO heritage site. The town was the birthplace of the socialist Giacomo Matteotti, who was assassinated by the fascist regime in 1924 and buried there. Documents and testimonies about his life can be seen in his house-museum. If you are looking for a relaxing moment surrounded by nature, head to the Po Delta Parkan area of 750 square kilometres between Emilia-Romagna and Veneto where you can discover this delicate ecosystem in all seasons of the year. A true paradise for birdwatchers.

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Venice has been depicted and described so often that on arriving in the city you might have the slightly anticlimactic feeling that everything looks exactly as expected. The Canal Grande’s water-lapped palaces are indeed as picturesque as the coffee-table books made them out to be, Piazza San Marco is as perfect as a film set, and the panorama from the Palazzo Ducale is more or less as Canaletto painted it. Any sense of familiarity quickly fades, however, as you start to look around: seeing a stack of furniture being hoisted from a barge up to a top-floor window, or someone fishing knee- deep in the lagoon a hundred metres from dry land, you understand that life here is not like life anywhere else. And the more closely you look, the more fascinating Venice becomes.

Venice: a city shaped by history and water

10x the best things to do in venice, food and drink in venice, best areas to stay in venice, best time to visit venice, how to get around, how many days do you need in venice, how to get here.

Founded on a cluster of mudflats in the heart of the lagoon 1,500 years ago, Venice emerged as Europe's principal exchange between the West and the East. At its zenith, it commanded an empire stretching north to the Dolomites and across the sea to Cyprus. The city's wealth and population swelled, densifying its urban fabric amidst a unique blend of nature and man-made marvels. 

Today, the historical centre, comprising roughly a hundred islets , leaves no space undeveloped, no street or square without a trace of Venice's illustrious past. It's common to stumble upon medieval remnants in even the most hidden alleyways, embedding the city's rich lineage into its very walls.

Yet, Venice's melancholic charm partly stems from the contrast between its historic grandeur and its current state. Once home to 200,000 residents during the Venetian Republic's golden age, the city's population has significantly dwindled. It was a bustling metropolis, attracting merchants from across the globe, its economy setting continental benchmarks from the Rialto's banks and bazaars. 

The Arsenale's vast workforce could construct a warship in a day, and Piazza San Marco was a perpetual hub of commerce and governance. Now, Venice stands as a testament to its spectacular heritage, its survival heavily reliant on those drawn to its enduring legacy.

 San Marco square from the water © Shutterstock

Venice, a city spread across 118 islands, is interlinked by 435 bridges into six districts known as sestieri. The city's cultural richness extends to over fifty churches and revered institutions like the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, showcasing masterpieces by Tintoretto and Carpaccio.

You can't see everything, and we don't suggest you try, so here's a list of things we think, you need to visit!

Editors tip : make sure to read the 20 best things to do in Venice .

#1 Admire the Basilica di San Marco

San Marco is the most exotic of Europe’s cathedrals, and it has always provoked strong reactions. To Herman Melville, it was beautiful and insubstantial – as though “the Grand Turk had pitched his pavilion here for a summer’s day”. Mark Twain adored it for its “entrancing, tranquillizing, soul-satisfying ugliness”.

Herbert Spencer found it “a fine sample of barbaric architecture”; and to John Ruskin, it was the most gorgeous of holy places, a “treasure-heap…a confusion of delight”.

The Basilica di San Marco is certainly confusing, increasingly so as you come nearer and the details emerge, but some knowledge of the building’s background helps bring a little order out of the chaos.

Tips from Martina

Italy Travel Expert

"Don't just visit our famed canals, but also visit the cities less trodden paths. Delve into the serene atmosphere of the Cannaregio district, a treasure trove of local life, far from the crowd. Here, the authentic Venetian lifestyle unfolds in quiet squares and along peaceful canals".

St. Mark's Basilica and St.Mark's Campanile above the San Marco Square in Venice © Shutterstock

Grand Canal, Venice, Italy © Apple Kullathida/Shutterstock

#2 Embrace the art in Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni

Venice has two brilliant cycles of pictures by Vittore Carpaccio – one is in the Accademia, and the other is in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, which sits beside a canal to the south of San Francesco.

By the mid-fifteenth century, though, Venice’s Slavic inhabitants were sufficiently established for a scuola to be set up to protect their interests. After several years of meeting in the church of San Giovanni di Malta, the scuola built itself a new headquarters on the church’s doorstep at the start of the sixteenth century and summoned Carpaccio to brighten up the first-storey hall.

Painted from 1502 to 1508, after the Accademia’s St Ursula cycle, Carpaccio’s pictures were moved downstairs when the building was rearranged in 1551, and the interior has scarcely changed since.

#3 Stroll through the lively Rialto market

It was through the markets of the Rialto that Venice earned its reputation as the bazaar of Europe. Virtually anything could be bought or sold here: fabrics, precious stones, silver plate and gold jewellery, spices and dyes from the Orient. Trading had been going on here for over four hundred years when, in the winter of 1514, a fire destroyed everything in the area except the church.

The possibility of relocating the business centre was discussed but found little favour, so reconstruction began almost straight away: the Fabbriche Vecchie was finished eight years after the fire, and Sansovino’s Fabbriche Nuove followed about thirty years later.

Today’s Rialto market is much more modest than that of Venice at its peak, but it’s still one of the liveliest spots in the city and one of the few places where it’s possible to stand in a crowd and hear nothing but Italian-spoken.

#4 Take a tour of San Giorgio Maggiore

Palladio’s church of San Giorgio Maggiore, facing the Palazzo Ducale across the Bacino di San Marco is one of the most prominent and familiar of all Venetian landmarks. It is a startling building, with an impact that’s enhanced by its isolation on an island of its own.

Ruskin didn’t much care for it: “It is impossible to conceive a design grosser, more barbarous, more childish in conception, more servile in plagiarism, more insipid in result, more contemptible under every point of rational regard.”

Goethe, on the other hand, was sick of the Gothic art that was to Ruskin the touchstone of spiritual health and gave thanks to Palladio for purging his mind of medieval clutter.

#5 Enjoy the spectacle of the Regata Storica

Held on the first Sunday in September, the Regata Storica is the annual trial of strength and skill for the city’s gondoliers and other expert rowers. It starts with a procession of historic craft along the Canal Grande course, their crews all decked out in a period dress, followed by a series of races right up the canal.

Re-enacting the return of Caterina Cornaro to her native city in 1489, the opening parade is a spectacular affair and is followed by a race for young rowers in two-oared pupparini. The women come next (in boats called mascarete), followed by a race for canoe-like caorline; and then it’s the men’s race, in specialized two-man racing gondolas called gondolini.

Gondolas in Venice © Shutterstock

#6 Go on a day trip to Torcello

“Mother and daughter, you behold them both in their widowhood – Torcello and Venice.” So wrote John Ruskin, and it’s almost impossible to visit Torcello without similarly sensing an atmosphere of bereavement. This outlying island has now come almost full circle.

Settled by the very first refugees from the mainland in the fifth century, it became the seat of the bishop of Altinum in 638 and in the following year its cathedral – the oldest building in the lagoon – was founded.

By the fourteenth century, its population had peaked at around twenty thousand, but Torcello’s canals were now silting up and malaria was rife. By the end of the fifteenth century, Torcello was largely deserted – even the bishop lived in Murano – and today fewer than a dozen people remain in residence.

Read more about the best day trips from Venice .

#7 Explore Burano and Murano islands

Take a fascinating day trip to the Venetian islands of Burano and Murano, each with a special charm that complements the glamour of Venice.

A short vaporetto ride from the main island takes you to the vibrant realm of Burano, known for its rainbow-coloured houses and intricate lacework. Wander through narrow streets decorated with colourful linens and observe the artistry of local lacemakers, whose tradition dates back several centuries. The island's serene canals and warm, welcoming atmosphere make it the perfect place for a leisurely lunch by the water's edge.

Then head to the island of Murano, considered the birthplace of Venetian glassmaking. Explore its rich history and modern innovations by visiting the glass factories, where master craftsmen skilfully mould molten glass into intricate shapes. Discover a fascinating variety of glassware, from exquisite jewellery to ornate chandeliers. See ancient techniques passed down through generations and learn about this age-old craft.

Venice landmark, Burano island, Italy © StevanZZ/Shutterstock

#8 Attend Venice Biennale

If you have a keen interest in contemporary art and international culture, timing your visit to coincide with the Venice Biennale can be a fantastic idea. The Venice Biennale, Europe’s most glamorous international forum for contemporary art, was first held in 1895 as the city’s contribution to the celebrations for the silver wedding anniversary of King Umberto I and Margherita of Savoy.

The main site is by the Giardini Pubblici, with permanent pavilions for about forty countries plus space for a thematic international exhibition. This core part of the Biennale is supplemented by exhibitions in parts of the Arsenale that are otherwise closed to the public, such as the colossal Corderie or Tana and the Artiglierie.

In addition, various palaces and other sites throughout the city are used as national pavilions and as venues for fringe exhibitions, installations and performances.

Biennale, Venice © avphotosales/Shutterstock

#9 Make a pilgrimage to Santa Maria della Salute

In 1630–31 Venice was devastated by a plague that exterminated nearly 95,000 of the lagoon’s population – one person in three. In October 1630 the Senate decreed that a new church would be dedicated to the Virgin Mary if the city were saved. The result was the Salute – salute meaning “health” and “salvation” – or Santa Maria della Salute, to use its full title.

Resting on a platform of more than 100,000 wooden piles, the Salute took half a century to build; its architect, Baldassare Longhena, was only 26 years old when his proposal was accepted. He lived just long enough to see it finished – he died in 1682, one year after completion.

Each year on November 21 (the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin) the Signoria is processed from San Marco to the Salute for a service of thanksgiving. The Festa della Madonna della Salute is still a major event in the Venetian calendar, with thousands of people making their way here to pray for or give thanks for good health.

#10 Discover the hidden gem of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo

Located in a charming labyrinth of Venetian alleyways, Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is an amazing hidden gem waiting to be discovered. This architectural gem, often unnoticed by the crowd, charms those who dare to discover it. The main feature of the palace is the "Scala Contarini del Bovolo", a spiral staircase that rises gracefully upwards and is decorated with elegant arches that create a complex play of light and shadow.

As you ascend this spiral staircase, you are transported to another era where the artistic vision of the Contarini family is brought to life with breathtaking detail. As you climb up, the panorama of red-tiled roofs and Venetian vistas opens up, giving you a glimpse of a timeless city.

There’s more than an element of truth to Venice’s reputation as a place where mass tourism has produced monotonous menus, cynical service and slapdash standards in the kitchen. Venice has fewer good, moderately priced restaurants than any other major Italian city, it has more really bad restaurants than any other, and in some of the expensive establishments you’re paying not for a fine culinary creation but for the experience of dining in an expensive Venetian restaurant. 

However, things have been getting better in recent years, and in the less overrun parts of Venice there are now several good places where you can get a decent two-course meal, plus house wine, for €35–40 per person – which, in this city, is reasonable.

Eating out in San Marco

• Ai Mercanti : Revamped in 2013, Ai Mercanti in San Marco offers imaginative dishes like pumpkin and coffee bean risotto, starting at €13. Its dark wood and golden décor create a unique atmosphere. Open Mon 7–10:30pm, Tues–Sat 12:30–3pm & 7–10:30pm.
• Al Bacareto : A local favorite for over forty years, Al Bacareto offers genuine Venetian cuisine with main courses ranging from €15–20. Opt for cicheti at the bar for a taste of Venice on a budget.

Eating out in San Polo and Santa Croce

• Al Nono Risorto : Nestled off Campo San Cassiano, Al Nono Risorto attracts a young crowd with its pizzeria-restaurant vibe, live jazz and blues, and a charming small garden. Note: No credit cards accepted. Open Mon & Tues–Sun noon–2:30pm & 7–11pm.
• Alla Madonna : For over sixty years, Alla Madonna has served seafood in a lively, old-style setting, now managed by the founder's son. The ambiance is bustling, and the service quick. Despite recent price hikes, it offers relatively good value at about €45/person. Open Mon, Tues & Thurs–Sun noon–3pm & 7–10pm.

Venice ©Shutterstock

Insatiable demand makes Venice’s hotels the most expensive in Western Europe. What’s more, the high season here is longer than anywhere else in the country, but many places don’t recognize the existence of a low season any more.

There are, though, a few good-value hotels to be found in the city, and an ever-increasing number of bed and breakfast places, as well as a plethora of apartments for rent.

If you want to spend time surrounded by luxury, San Marco is the most suitable neighbourhood to do so. San Marco is the heart of Venice, home to the famous St Mark's Square, the magnificent St Mark's Basilica and the majestic Doge's Palace.

This neighbourhood offers exclusive shopping opportunities, high-end restaurants and breathtaking views of the canals. Treat yourself to luxurious accommodation options , including five-star hotels that offer stunning views of the city's landmarks. However, be prepared for higher prices as San Marco is a premium neighbourhood.

Dorsoduro is a neighbourhood worth staying in Venice for its artistic heritage and lively cultural life. Home to the prestigious Accademia Gallery and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, this neighbourhood attracts art lovers from all over the world.

Dorsoduro is also home to the University of Ca' Foscari, giving the neighbourhood a lively and youthful energy.

San Polo and Santa Croce

If you are looking for a place to stay in Venice to experience local Venetian life, the ideal neighbourhoods are San Polo and Santa Croce. These neighbourhoods exude genuine charm with their narrow streets, small squares and bustling markets.

Also, a must-see in these neighbourhoods are the Rialto Bridge, the lively Rialto Market and the historic church of San Giacomo di Rialto. Accommodation options , from cosy guesthouses to charming boutique hotels, provide an authentic Venetian experience.

The Cannaregio neighbourhood may not have any major attractions, but it is a place to stay to experience the atmosphere of Venice. Cannaregio is a less crowded residential neighbourhood that offers a more local and authentic experience. It is known for its picturesque canals, historic synagogues and lively Jewish ghetto.

Central Castello

Castello, located east of San Marco, is Venice's largest and most traditional neighbourhood. With winding streets, small squares and local shops, this neighbourhood has a more relaxed atmosphere.

Castello is home to the impressive Arsenale and the Biennale Gardens, where the prestigious Venice Biennale art exhibition takes place. Castello offers a wide range of accommodation options , from budget guesthouses to elegant boutique hotels.

Browse the best hotels in Venice.

The Canals of Venice, in Italy © Shutterstock

Choosing the right time to visit Venice can greatly influence the experience one gains from this enchanting city. Spring ( April , May and June ) and early autumn ( September to October ) are often considered the best seasons to explore Venice.

During these periods, the weather is pleasantly mild, and the city is less crowded than in the peak summer months ( July and August ). Strolling through the labyrinthine streets, gliding along the serene canals, and marvelling at the architecture under the warm sunlight becomes an immersive experience.

The winter months ( November and January ) can be cold. Venice's renowned events like the Carnival in February and the Venice Biennale in odd-numbered years draw a diverse array of international visitors, adding a unique cultural dimension to the visit. December is usually busy with locals but a fun time to visit.

Find out more about the best time to visit Italy.

The topography of Venice is uniquely complicated, and at first glance its public transport looks as convoluted as a wiring diagram. But the situation isn’t as daunting as it first appears: there are clear main routes through the warren of Venice’s alleyways, and you’ll need to get to grips with only a few of the water-bus routes.

Venice Water-Bus fares and tickets explained

Single journey & special ticket:

• Standard Ticket: €7, valid for 60 minutes with unlimited changes, not usable for return trips.
• One-Stop Ticket: €4, ideal for short crossings like San Zaccaria to San Giorgio Maggiore.
• Luggage Fee: €7 for each piece of large luggage beyond the first.
• Concessions: Children under 4 travel free. Wheelchair users pay €1.30; their companion travels free.

Save with Travel Cards

To avoid high single-ticket costs, consider ACTV Tourist Travel Cards

• 24 hours: €20
• 48 hours: €30
• 72 hours: €40
• 7 days: €60
• Rolling Venice Cardholders: Special 72-hour card for €20
• Airport Bus Supplement: €4 per journey with any ACTV pass.

Where to buy

• Tickets: Landing stages, shops with the ACTV sign, tourist offices.
• ravel Cards: Tourist offices, Piazzale Roma, train station, airport, and selected vaporetto stops like Ca’ d’Oro and San Marco Vallaresso.

Gondola rides in Venice

Gondola Navigation

Thanks to their design, gondolas can navigate Venice's narrow and shallow canals effortlessly, a testament to the gondoliers' skill. Previously a hereditary job, now anyone can become a gondolier after completing 400 hours of rigorous training, which covers manual skills, canal navigation, and the history of the profession. In 2010, Venice celebrated its first female gondolier, Giorgia Boscolo.

Costs & Hours

• Standard Fare: €80 for a 40-minute ride for up to six passengers. After 7pm until 8am, the rate increases to €100.
• Extended rides:Additional 20 minutes cost €40, or €50 after 7pm.
• Extras: Expect surcharges for an accordionist or tenor. Note that there's a debate on banning "O Sole Mio" to avoid stereotypical Italian experiences.

Avoiding overcharges 

Although fares are regulated, some gondoliers might charge more. Always confirm the price before departure. For a reliable service, use official gondola stands located at key points throughout the city, including Calle Vallaresso, Campo San Moisè, Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, Bacino Orseolo, in front of the Palazzo Ducale, Riva degli Schiavoni near the Danieli hotel, the train station, Piazzale Roma, Campo Santa Sofia near Ca’ d’Oro, San Tomà, and Rialto Bridge on Riva Carbon.

Venice Water Taxis

Venice's water taxis are stylish, fast, and can navigate most canals, accommodating up to 10 passengers. However, they're known for being one of the priciest taxi services in Western Europe.

• Base Rate: Starts at €15, with €2 added every minute.
• Surcharges: €10 per extra passenger beyond five. €5 for each luggage piece over five. €10 for rides between 10pm and 7am.

Booking tips

• Direct booking from stands or catching an available taxi can save surcharges.
• Phone bookings and concierge-arranged rides include additional fees.

Epiphany Regatta in Venice © Shutterstock

The ideal number of days to spend in Venice depends on your interests, the pace of your trip and what you want to see. Here are general guidelines to help you plan your visit:

If your schedule is tight, you can manage to experience the main attractions of Venice in one or two days. Focus on the main sights such as St Mark's Square, St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, take a gondola ride and perhaps stroll the streets. However, this will not allow you to explore more than the iconic sites.

3-4 days will give you a better chance of experiencing the essence of Venice. You'll be able to see the main sights, take a day trip to nearby islands such as Burano and Murano, and in your free time wander off the beaten track, discover local restaurants and soak up the unique atmosphere.

If you have more time, you can truly immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle of Venice. In addition to the above, you can visit less crowded areas, art galleries and museums, attend cultural events or festivals, and take day trips to neighbouring cities such as Padua or Verona.

Venice, Canal, Italy @ Shutterstock

Before you can lose yourself in its winding waterways and historic charm, you'll need to figure out the best way to get there. Whether you're flying in from across the globe or making your way from a nearby European city, various options are available to suit every budget and travel style.

• Flights from the UK and Ireland : Direct flights take around two hours from London . EasyJet flies between two and four times daily, while its chief rival, Ryanair, has one or two flights each day from London and less frequent services to Treviso from Bristol, East Midlands, Manchester and Edinburgh. Aer Lingus (Dublin) flies to Marco Polo up to five times per week, while Ryanair flies three or four times a week to Treviso in high season.
• Flights from the US and Canada: The only direct service to Venice from the US is with Delta, who fly from New York to Marco Polo up to six times a week in summer. Air Canada has direct flights from Montréal to Venice, and various indirect flights from Toronto and Montréal, usually via Frankfurt or New York.

The choice of rail routes and fares is hugely complex, but the cheapest route is to take the Eurostar from London to Paris, then change to the high-speed TGV from Paris to Milan, and change there for the “Frecciarossa” to Florence. The total journey time is 14–18 hours, and with some online research, you can put together a one-way ticket for a little over the cost of a return flight, though peak prices are considerably higher.

If you take a couchette, using the “Thello” sleeper for the stage from Paris to Milan doesn’t add much to the cost. Booking for these continental routes usually opens three months before the day of travel. Discounts for under-26s are sometimes available and advance booking is essential. If you’re planning to include Italy as part of a longer European trip you could choose to invest in an InterRail pass.

Find out the best ways to get to Italy .

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14 tips to make the best of your first trip to Venice Italy

Venice, Italy is your next destination, but you have no clue what to expect. Are we right?

If you are looking for tips for your first trip to Venice, you’re in the right place!

Our tips will help you to get the most out of your first trip to Venice and to fully enjoy the city.

Naturally, our Venice tips are valuable and can be helpful even if you have visited before!

Venice Tip #1 - When to go to Venice Italy

When choosing the best time to visit Venice Italy, there are 3 factors to consider:

• The weather
• Eventual events to attend

Avoiding the crowds:

To avoid crowds in Venice it is best to avoid weekends, late Spring and Summer, and Carnival.

These are, in fact, the busiest times in Venice.

However, keep in mind that tourism in Venice doesn’t really have an offseason.

What kind of weather to expect:

The weather in Venice is usually humid. As a consequence, perceived temperatures are generally more intense than one would expect.

In other words, hot days feel hotter and cold days feel colder than one would think by looking at the reported lowest and highest temperatures.

You can check out our article for a full breakdown of the weather in Venice throughout the year .

Events to attend:

Finally, also Events can be an important factor when deciding when to visit Venice.

The most famous events are Venice Carnival and the Art and Architecture  Biennale .

Other events of interest could be:

• Festa di San Marco e del Bocolo
• Festa della Sensa
• Regata Storica
• Festa della Salute

You can find a full list of events on the city’s official website .

Venice Tip #2 - Best places where to stay in Venice

For the best experience of Venice, we strongly recommend you to stay within the historical city of Venice.

In other words, chose to stay on the “island” rather than on the “mainland”.

Doing so allows one to enjoy the city also before and after day-trippers have come and gone: in the morning and at night you will have the feeling that you have the city all to yourself!

Venice historical center is made of 6 districts: Castello, Cannaregio, Santa Croce, Dorsoduro, San Marco, San Polo.

The last 2 are the most touristy and crowded ones. Therefore, we would recommend you to stay in one of the other 4 districts for a more authentic experience.

You can learn more about the districts of Venice and everything you need to navigate the city, here.

Venice Tip #3 - Don't fear to get lost, explore.

A crucial tip for your first trip to Venice, Italy is to lose yourself.

Yes, forget about maps and the GPS on your phone!

Leave your hotel room or apartment and just walk in whichever direction you feel like going.

Losing oneself is the best way to discover and appreciate the stunning beauty of the tiny alleys and narrow canals which make the fabric of Venice.

Also, it makes for great photo opportunities and allows you to discover more of Venice and feel the Venetian atmosphere.

And don’t worry about your whereabouts: Venice is safe.

When we say that Venice is safe, we mean it is really, really, really safe.

So, take the chance to explore the city in depth alone or take part in a tour around Venice with us to make the best out of your visit!

Want more tips, tools and stories from Venice, Italy?

We're on a mission to make it easy and fun to discover and support the authentic Venice. Try our email and see for yourself!

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Venice Tip #4 - Get on a boat to see Venice Italy from the water!

Venice was built surrounded by water and designed to be admired from the water.

Indeed, the façades of the most beautiful Venetian Palazzi can be seen only from the water.

Even the Doge’s Palace , the most important and spectacular building in Venice, was built to be admired first of all from the water!

In fact, its façade overlooking the lagoon was built 100 years before the one facing the land, the “Piazzetta” and the Marciana Library .

Therefore, when visiting Venice make sure to see it from the water. Take a Gondola, a private boat, a taxi or a water bus, whichever you prefer. But do it!

Gondola tours  are one of the most beautiful ways to discover the city and explore its narrow canals.

Taxis were born as a  transportation service but can also be booked for a sightseeing experience.

Private tours on rowing boats and kayaks are definitely a fun way to spend a few hours discovering Venice from the water.

Lastly, one can also board a public water bus and navigate the full length of the Grand Canal . This way, you can admire the stunning palaces all around the Grand Canal but will, unfortunately, miss all the narrow canals and tiny bridges that are so unique to Venice.

Venice Tip #5 - Eat authentic local food in Venice Italy. Even on a budget!

If you’d like to eat authentic Italian food, you can do so even if you’re on a budget.

Eating well in Venice without spending much is possible.

A good  authentic bacaro serves tasty and affordable finger food that will leave you stuffed and satisfied.

However, also having an intimate dinner in a restaurant trying delicious Italian and Venetian plates is an experience we warmly recommend. To find the right place for you, check out the list of restaurants and places we recommend !

One more amazing way to discover Venice and taste the best of local food and wines is to take part in a private food and wine experience in Venice with us !

Finally, if you want to find the right place where to eat all by yourself, please check out our article that helps you understand how to spot the right places where to eat and those to absolutely avoid in Venice .

Unlock a discount at the best authentic local businesses in Venice

Venice tip #6 - spot and enjoy the best local bars, restaurants and shops by looking for the venezia autentica logo.

To many people, it is important to find the right local businesses when travelling.

Where should I eat? Where should I shop for authentic products? Where should I stop for a good drink? Where is the best place for a Murano Glass bracelet?

The good news is that it is easier than you’d think:

You can find great local businesses by using our directories of local shops and bars & restaurants . Moreover, you can also look for the Venezia Autentica’s logo on shop windows when you’re walking around Venice.

Our logo means that the local business operates in a way that is positive both for you and the local community.

Those shops are locally owned and operated. They give decent jobs to local residents. They offer good quality to their customers and operate in a sustainable and responsible way.

Venice Tip #7 - Discover Venice with a local: the best way to see Venice Italy

One of the biggest joys of travelling is meeting new people and discovering new cultures and ways of life.

Luckily, due to technology, it has never been easier to do so!

Group tours are generally affordable and a classic way to discover a new place. Unfortunately, they tend to be standardized and might not be the most rewarding experience.

On the other hand, private tours or activities are a bit more expensive but can adapt to your needs and match your personal interests.

Our Experience Booking platform offers many different private experiences in Venice.

You can take walks off the beaten path , try  hands-on activities or food-oriented tours.

They are all excellent ways to discover Venice from a unique point of view and engage in meaningful conversations with a Venetian.

Venice Tip #8 - Free yourself from the fear of not finding a bathroom when you need one

A piece of very useful information we can give you is on… toilets!

Public toilets, in fact, are very clean but are not always easy to find. They also have a small cost of 1,50€.

When you find yourself in need of a restroom, our tip is to look for a bar. You can then order a coffee or a pastry and, as paying customer, you will be welcomed to access the bar’s restroom.

Please, do not just enter, use the toilet, and leave. Such behaviour is frowned upon in Italy.

Instead, check if the bar has a bathroom and then ask for a “caffè” (espresso coffee, 1€) or a “pastina” (a pastry, 1€ to 1,50€). After that, feel free to head to the restroom.

Venice Tip #9 - If you book a guided tour make sure your guide is a local

In 2014, the EU stated that all European guides and tour leaders have the right to work everywhere in Europe.

That sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, not so much.

In Italy, people must pass a rigorous exam to become a guide or a tour leader.

The majority of other European countries, on the other hand, do not require a mandatory certification or license.

Unfortunately, the latest EU regulation allows anyone who does not reside in Italy to sell his/her service as a guide and lead groups to Italy.

As a consequence, travellers might not be aware that guides and tour leaders are not all the same and might be tricked into picking the wrong professional.

Indeed, there is a stark difference between a trained guide that lives in an Italian city and a person that has no training and visited an Italian city a few times.

This is why we suggest you don’t rely on (literally) “outsiders” as your tour guides.

A good local guide should know Venice inside-out, be able to answer your questions, and give you real insights.

On the contrary, people who do not know Venice might either stick to common knowledge available on most online articles or even tell wrong facts about Venice.

Therefore, if you want to tour the city with someone and have a good experience, make sure you’re going with a certified local tour leader.

If you’d like to do it with us, feel free to check out our private off-the-beaten-path walk with a certified local tour leader .

Book an authentic experience in Venice

Venice tip #10 - take the time to enter artisans shops to discover centuries old crafts and get the real thing.

Venice is a city with an incredible culture. Over the centuries, many unique crafts were born or adopted locally.

Nowadays, there is still a number of artistic artisans who are keeping centuries-old traditions alive in the city. Their workshops are a must-visit for arts & crafts lovers and for anyone interested in an authentic experience of Venice.

However, the invasion of mass-produced souvenirs  is amongst the most visible things which are destroying the city and playing an important role in forcing the inhabitants to move out of Venice.

Recognizing authentic artisans shops is not easy. It requires a good eye and knowledge of the crafts.

However, there are few things which can help you understand whether or not you are likely to be in front of the window of an actual artisan or not.

You can find everything you need to know to shop local in Venice, here

If you are looking to understand the incredible culture of crafts in Venice from even closer and to enjoy a privileged moment with the master artisans, we invite you to attend experiences in the artisans’ workshops .

Booking carefully designed and curated private tours or activities with local crafts-masters is the perfect opportunity for either a fascinating guided visit of the best local craftspeople  or hands-on private activities.

Craft classes are unique ways to discover Venice from another viewpoint and to be initiated to mosaic making , glass making , handmade bookbindings ,  and more centuries-old techniques, directly by master artisans

Beware of mass produced souvenirs!

Besides copying and unfair competition that puts local shops out of business, the other problem caused by some mass produced items is a threat to your health.

Cheap  masks, for example,   do not comply with EU legislation regulating colors and substances for wearable products: the contact  with  your skin is potentially dangerous.

We created a shortlist that summarizes the risks and annoying things you should be aware of when in Venice.

Venice Tip #11 - To save time and money at the best local shops, bars, and restaurants in Venice get yourself the Venezia Autentica Friends’ Pass

By visiting this link , you can buy a digital pass giving you access to a 10% discount in Venice on a minimum expense of 30 euros at the best Venetian local businesses identifiable by the Venezia Autentica logo on their door or window.

All are locally owned, employ locals and offer authentic quality sustainable products and services.

Read more about how you can save money and time in Venice with the Venezia Autentica Friends’ Pass

Venice Tip #12 - For the best experience, leave those fancy and uncomfortable shoes behind

Don’t wear high heels . Trust us, do not wear high heels!

Venice Italy is an old pedestrian city, with uneven streets , that will require you to walk, and walk, and walk .

Even if you are planning to board a water bus , you’ll have a lot of walking to do to walk to the water bus stops, trying to navigate the uneven stone pavement , the bridges , and the crowds .

If you’re staying in your hotel or get picked up by a water taxi to go to a private party, high heels might be a fair choice. In any other case, trust us, you really don’t want to do it.

Your feet will thank us.

As Wikipedia points out, Venice is a pedestrian traffic-free city with almost 3.000 alleys… now you see the importance of wearing good shoes, don’t you?

Venice Tip #13 - Our ecological tip for your first trip to Venice: Carry a refilable bottle of water

The water  of the fountains in Venice  is drinkable and of very good quality.

Almost every main  square has a working fountain where you will be able to refill your bottle.

If you want to drink a prosecco, however, there is no such fountain yet. In this case, a stop at a bacaro will fulfill your needs.

If you care about your impact, read this New York Times article for more ideas on how to use less plastic in your everyday life .

Venice Tip #14 - Take some time to read our free insider guides to make the most of your time in la Bella Venezia!

Now you know plenty of things to do in Venice!

But, maybe, you now want to know even more about our beautiful city. Is that so?

In that case, make sure to check out our What is Venice, Italy article !

Do you have any tips or suggestions that you want to share with us and other visitors? Feel free to contact us and let us know!

If you found this article useful, make sure to check out also these resources to plan your first trip to Venice:

I'm visiting Venice. Why should I follow your recommendations?

The way you visit Venice has an impact both on the quality of your experience and on Venice itself.   Chilling, exploring , shopping , eating and drinking where the locals do, can make a huge impact both on the memories you bring home and on the local economy and community.

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45 Essential Tips for Venice, Italy – A Must-Read for First-Time Visitors

By Author Rossi Thomson

Posted on Last updated: 4th September 2022

Categories Veneto , Venice

Here are 45 essential tips for Venice in Italy to make your visit to this unique and magical city a truly wonderful travel experience.

All tips are based on my explorations of venice over a period of 15 years (with six of them spent living next door to the city of water)..

By sharing these tips with you, I want to help you streamline your Venice travel planning and make your time there truly memorable and enjoyable.

Venice in Italy is a magical city that sits at the top of many travel wishlists. Founded 1,600 years ago on a cluster of islands in the Venetian Lagoon, throughout the centuries Venice has charmed many travellers with its beautiful architecture, rich catalogue of art, and deep layers of history. Nowadays, millions of people head to Venice each year eager to see for themselves its spectacular scenery and unique cultural heritage. 

At the same time, visiting the city of water also presents some very specific challenges. Venice, after all, is a car-free city where you need to rely on boats and your own feet to take you places. It is also a city that is struggling to preserve its centuries-old traditions and way of life against a world of cheap travel, fast movement, and excessive consumption. 

As result, Venice can make you feel both elated and dejected. It can charm you and repel you. And it can make you fall in love with its beauty and yet do your head in with its whimsicalities. Often, within the same minute.

So, I wrote this blog post to help you experience this magical city in the best possible way while avoiding common pitfalls. My 45 essential tips for Venice, Italy are organised into nine groups: when to visit , airports , accommodation , travel , food , sightseeing , health and safety , money management , and time management . I’ve also included a special bonus tip for Venice right at the end of this blog post. In a way, this bonus tip is the most essential tip of them all! You’ll see!

I hope that my 45 essential tips for Venice will come in very handy so that your time in the city of water is as exciting and enriching as possible. Especially, if this is your first visit there. 

Have a look!

45 Essential Tips for Venice, Italy – A Must-Read for First-Time Visitors

When to visit tips for venice, italy.

1. Venice is Always a Good Idea

Venice is one of the most famous cities in the world and a dream destination for millions of people. With its unique location in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon and with deep layers of history, visiting the city of water is always a good idea. 

Venice has a lot to offer every month of the year. And its beauty is dramatically marked by the seasons. With the wisterias dripping in purple blooms in spring, with the canals glistening in millions of shades of teal in summer, with autumnal mists adding to the mystery of the city, and with the riot of Carnival in winter, Venice always is a delight to discover.

So, don’t delay it! As soon as you have a few free days and travelling is an option, head to Venice to see for yourself its spectacular scenery and rich heritage.

2. Yet The Best Months to Visit Venice Are…

Venice is especially great to visit during the shoulder season. This is the travel period between the low and the high season and vice-versa. So, from March through April to the start of May and then from the end of September through October to mid-November are particularly lovely times of the year to find yourself in Venice.

This is when the crowds of tourists are very manageable, the city feels authentic and it basks in beautiful spring or autumnal sunlight. Temperatures during the shoulder seasons in Venice customarily are also very pleasant.

3. Plan Your Visit to Coincide with a Large-Scale Venetian Event

If your travel plans are not dependant on school holidays or any other such restrictive scheduling, then try to visit Venice during one of its big traditional celebrations. This way you can experience the pomp of the city, relive its glorious past, and/or see the world’s latest trends in terms of films, art, and architecture.

The Carnival of Venice is a particularly great time to visit the city of water. It is held in the weeks before the Catholic Lent. Then you have La Sensa in May, the Vogalonga in May or June, the Festa del Redentore in July, the Historic Regatta and the Venice Film Festival in September, and the Festa della Salute in November. Add to this the Venice Biennale and the Venice Architecture Biennale which are held over several months. 

Click here for more details:

• Carnival of Venice – History and Traditions of the World’s Most Illustrious Party

4. Stay in Venice as Long as You Can

Venice truly has a lot to offer. Trying to squeeze its many landmarks in a day or two is a recipe for rushing around and missing out on some truly unique and wonderful sights. If you only have a day or two at your disposal, by all means, don’t let this stop you from coming to Venice. My first visit to the city of water was indeed a day trip. While time really flies quickly here, a day can be a great taster of Venice and it can start a lifelong love affair with the city of water. As it happened to me!

Yet, if you know that you are unlikely, for whatever reason, to return to Venice in the future, then try to put aside as much time as you can for your visit to it. If you have three full days, for example, you can spend two days in Venice and then dedicate a day to exploring other islands in the Venetian Lagoon. If you have four days, then you can spend the fourth on a day trip to the Italian mainland. And if you have five, six days or a whole week, then you can explore Venice in a very methodical and yet spontaneous way, delving deep beneath the surface and discovering the truly hidden gems that make the city of water so unique. From visits to artisan workshops to taking gondola rowing lessons, the variety of things you can do in Venice is only limited by your imagination. 

5. Make Sure That You Visit Venice Sooner…

…rather than later. Venice requires a certain physical and emotional stamina. Walking everywhere and spending whole days on your feet can get very taxing very quick. Especially during the very hot summer months and the chilly winter days. Then, the huge quantity of art, architecture, history, and traditions to process can be simply overwhelming.

So, don’t postpone your visit to Venice, Italy. Do it as soon as you can both in terms of time and money. 

Airport Tips for Venice, Italy

6. Know the Best Airports for a Venetian Holiday

There are several Italian airports you can fly into for a visit to Venice. The two most convenient ones are:

• Venice Marco Polo Airport
• Treviso Airport

Yet, you can use the following airports, too:

• Verona Airport Valerio Catullo
• Trieste – Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport
• Bologna Guglielmo Marconi  Airport

While the first two are physically the closest airports to Venice, the other three are a very manageable train ride away, too. So, depending on plane ticket prices and available flights, keep an open mind as to which airport you can fly into for your Venetian holiday.

• 5 Best Airports for Venice, Italy (With Transfer Options and Travel Times)

7. Plan Your Trip from the Airport to Venice

There are many different ways to get from your airport of arrival to Venice.

If you fly into Venice Marco Polo airport, then you can choose one of the following options to reach your destination in the city of water:

• water bus ;
• shuttle bus ;
• shared water taxi ;
• private transfer by car ;
• private transfer by car and boat ; or
• taxi. 

Shuttle buses, taxis, and private transfers by car will drop you off at Piazzale Roma. Once there, you can either walk or use Venice’s water buses ( vaporetto ) to travel to the vaporetto stop that is nearest to your accommodation. Click to buy a single, one-day or a multi-day ticket for Venice’s vaporetti in advance.

Shared water taxis and private transfers by boat should drop you off at the nearest to your accommodation mooring point.

If you fly into Treviso Airport, then again you can rely on a shuttle bus to take you all the way to Piazzale Roma in Venice. Another option is to get a bus from Treviso Airport to Treviso Centrale train station and then travel to Venice by train . Alternatively, you can book a private transfer , too.

And if you fly into either Verona or Bologna , then you can take the shuttle from the airport to respectively Verona Porta Nuova train station or Bologna Centrale train station. High-speed and fast regional trains connect Verona and Bologna to Venice all throughout the day.

Flying into Trieste Airport is very convenient, too. The airport has its own train station which is served by direct trains to Venice.

• Bologna to Venice – A Beautiful Day Trip in Italy – for tips how to reach Venice from Bologna by train
• Verona to Venice – An Unmissable Day Trip in Italy – for tips how to reach Venice from Verona by train

8. To Be Extra Organised, Book Your Train Tickets to Venice in Advance

If you decide to travel from your chosen airport to Venice by train, check these two websites for train prices and times: 

• Italo Treno

The first website shows you all available trains for your date and time of travel. This includes high-speed trains, fast regional trains and regional trains. It pays to book your tickets for the high-speed trains in advance as they increase in price the closer to the date of departure it gets. The prices for tickets for the fast regional and the regional trains remain unchanged no matter when you buy them.

For close distances in Italy, the fast regional trains are the best option. They are inexpensive, run often, and stop only at the most important cities and towns along the way. For long distance travel in Italy (for example, Bologna to Venice), the high-speed trains are the better option. They cost more but offer quick and smooth travel.

The second website is of Italy’s private high-speed train operator. Italo’s trains offer fast and smooth travel between many of Italy’s largest cities. Again, it pays to purchase your tickets in advance as the price increases the closer to the day of travel it gets.

9. Allow Plenty of Time to Reach the Airport from Venice

At the end of your time in Venice, make sure that you allow plenty of time to travel back to your chosen airport. During your stay in the city of water, you will come to feel how time seems to flow differently here. Somehow slower, more unhurried. Plus, the beautiful setting of Venice makes you prone to daydreaming and relaxing into yourself. So, it may be a bit of a shock to the system when you need to quickly switch back.

Plan carefully how long it’s going to take you to reach the airport from your Venetian accommodation . Then add 30% more time to it. Consider that you will have to carry your luggage (probably heavier on account of the many wonderful things you have bought in Venice) all the way to the nearest mooring point or vaporetto stop or even to Piazzale Roma or the Venezia Santa Lucia train station. There may be crowds you need to navigate. Or you may get lost for one last time in the maze of narrow curving streets.

While the vaporetti and the trains here traditionally run on time, give yourself some extra minutes just in case. Plus, if you take the  water bus to Venice Marco Polo Airport, don’t forget that there is a long-ish walk from the docks to the terminal. 

10. Shop Exquisite Italian Food, Fashion, and Crafts at the Airport

Getting early to the airport after a wonderful vacation in Venice pays in yet another way. You will have plenty of time to explore the many lovely shops there and stock on Italian food, fashion, and crafts.

This applies mainly if you travel back from Venice Marco Polo Airport or (to a degree) Bologna Airport. They are bigger and have several excellent shops. Buying at the airport can save you the effort of lugging extra weight from your accommodation in Venice to the plane. 

Just remember that the choice is not going to be as big as in Venice itself. Also Bologna Airport will not necessarily have traditional for Venice crafts. Still, shopping at an Italian airport is always very exciting. Especially in terms of coming across delicious deli items, the latest Italian styles, and beautiful artisanal gifts. 

Accommodation Tips for Venice, Italy

11. Stay in Venice Proper

Venice has two parts:

• The historic centre of Venice – built on 118 islands in the Venetian Lagoon and surrounded by water on all sides. This was the capital of the Republic of Venice and nowadays is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world. 
• The mainland area of Venice – known as Venezia Mestre or simply Mestre, this is the large borough on the mainland. It houses many of Venice’s administrative and local government offices.   

Many guidebooks and blog posts suggest that you stay in Mestre as hotels there tend to be cheaper. Yet, if you want to explore the beauty and heritage of Venice and truly feel the authentic atmosphere of the city of water, then I would strongly suggest that you book your accommodation in the historic centre.

This way you will have Venice all for yourself in the early mornings and the late evenings. Plus you won’t have to spend time and money every day on train or bus transport from Mestre across the water to Venice. While Mestre has a pretty historic centre, it’s not on par with Venice. If this is your first or, you suspect, only visit to Venice, then it’s advisable to have the full Venetian experience by actually staying in the historic centre.

I usually prefer to book all my accommodation through  Booking.com . Click to see all available options for places to stay  in Venice, Italy.

If you need some visual help in terms of precise location and price range, have a look at this map. It gives you a quick idea of the prices and whereabouts of the many hotels and other forms of accommodation you can book for your stay in Venice, Italy.

You can zoom in and out in order to search for a place to stay. You can also click on the option that interests you to find out more details or to make a booking directly.

In addition, if you click on ‘Accommodation’ in the top right corner of the map and select ‘Experiences’ from the drop-down menu, then you can see some truly exciting experiences you can book directly in Venice, Italy:

12. Choose Carefully the Venetian Sestiere (or Island) To Base Yourself in

A  sestiere  (or one-sixth in English) is a term used to signify the districts of Italian cities and towns that are divided into six subdivisions. Venice is one such city and it has six sestieri:  Cannaregio, Castello, San Marco, San Polo, Santa Croce, and Dorsoduro . 

San Marco and San Polo are the two most central  sestieri . This is where a large number of the most famous Venetian sights are. They also tend to be the busiest spots in town.

My personal favourite is Dorsoduro. It provides easy access to the train station and it’s dotted with wonderful churches, museums, and art galleries. It affords beautiful views over the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal . Dorsoduro also tends to have pockets of peace and quiet next to some very lively hotspots. It is also where you can go on a guided visit of Ca’ Foscari – the University of Venice.

Before booking your accommodation in Venice , make sure that you research in some detail the city’s six sestieri . Then choose the one most convenient for you based on the things you want to see in Venice, how far you are prepared to walk to reach your hotel/B&B, and what other amenities you want to have nearby.

Again, while some guidebooks and blog posts suggest staying on either Giudecca or Lido – two of the largest islands in the Venetian Lagoon – if this is your first visit to Venice or if you are only spending a couple of days here, then try to stick to Venice itself. Both Giudecca and Lido are lovely and offer additional things to do. Yet if you want to concentrate on Venice and the main sights here in addition to a few hidden gems , then the daily travel to and from these two islands (no matter how close they are) can become a time-eater and an inconvenience.

13. Decide on the Type of Accommodation to Book in Venice

There are many different types of accommodation in Venice to please any pocket. From lavish five-star hotels to humble hostels, from atmospheric B&B’s to historic palaces, you will have a lot of fun choosing where to stay. Heck, you can even book a room in a monastery during your time in Venice!

For a detailed overview of the different types of accommodation to pick from, have a look at this blog post:

• Where to Stay in Italy – 19 Types of Accommodation to Choose from in Italy

14. Consider Paying a Bit More for Some Purely Venetian Extras

Your stay in Venice can be made so much more special if you choose to book a place equipped with some typical for Venice architectural and artisan details. Here are some examples for your interest:

• Altana – a traditional for Venice rooftop terrace. Built of wood, it offers an open-air space to spend precious hours of relaxation and to simply admire the splendid views of Venice from above. 
• Murano glass chandeliers – there is nothing like staying in a room adorned with an original Murano glass chandelier. It makes you feel really grand and it gives you a very immediate understanding of the lavish heritage of the city of water.
• Frescoed walls – many old Venetian palaces nowadays have been turned into hotels with a varying number of stars. With frescoed and stuccoed walls and ceilings, they offer you a chance to feel surrounded by art at all times during your Venetian stay.
• Canal views  – ask for a room with a canal view (although this may cost a bit more). You want to see the boats and gondolas passing by, the beautiful facades of the buildings on the edge of the canal, and just have the full Venetian experience. 

15. Space is a Premium in Venice

Venice is a densely built city where buildings lean onto other buildings in a never-ending parade. Also, the Venetians of yore seem to have been physically a tad slimmer than us. 

So, don’t be surprised if your hotel room seems somewhat small or is a bit quirky in shape. Space is often ingeniously utilised though. You will see how every nook and cranny have been made to serve a purpose and/or look pretty in many different ways. I remember booking a single room in a Venetian hotel about ten years ago. Upon arrival, I realised that in the past my single room must have been a cupboard. Or something like that. It was very narrow and long. Still, it was beautifully frescoed. 

The last hotel we stayed in Venice was in a palazzo just round the corner from Rialto Bridge and with views of the Grand Canal. We had the Murano glass chandelier, walls dressed in beautiful fabrics, the works. And two bathrooms. Both of which were tiny yet one had a bath in. It was a bath that you could only sit in but still a bath.

Travel Tips for Venice, Italy

16. travel light for an easy transfer to and from venice.

You don’t want to arrive in Venice burdened with heavy suitcases. Lugging them around town can be incredibly tiring and frustrating. Just consider all the bridges you will need to go up and down. Not to mention the crowds that you will need to brave in the more touristy parts of Venice. Of course, you can hire a porter at the train station or a water taxi to take you right to your hotel. 

Otherwise, consider packing lightly for Venice. Leave space in your suitcase for all the wonderful things you can buy there, too: handmade Venetian masks , authentic Murano glass, precious jewellery, wonderful antiques, great paper products and so on.

17. Get Off at the Right Train Station for Historic Venice or Venice on the Mainland

There are two train stations under the name Venezia (which is Italian for Venice). Both of them are on the same train line:

• Venezia Santa Lucia train station – if you want to visit Venice proper, i.e. the historic centre of Venice on the islands in the Venetian Lagoon, this is the train station you need to travel to. It’s an end of the railway line station. Reaching it involves crossing the lagoon on the incredibly long bridge Ponte della Liberta’.
• Venezia Mestre train station – if you have a specific interest in Mestre – the mainland administrative borough of Venice – you need to get off at this station. Bear in mind that it precedes the Venezia Santa Lucia train station.

First-time visitors of Venice at times get confused and get off the train at Venezia Mestre when, in fact, they need to stay on the train to Venezia Santa Lucia.

18. When in Venice, Know Your Watercraft Options

Venice is a city of water and the traditional way to travel around town is by boat. In a tiny, simplified nutshell, there are four types of watercraft you can use here:

• Vaporetto – Venice’s water buses go up and down the Grand Canal, some smaller canals, around the city, and connect it to nearby islands. 
• Motoscafo – Venice’s water taxis. They are beautiful and sleek. Quite pricey, too. Yet, if you want to do Venice in style, consider booking a motoscafo .
• Traghetto on the Grand Canal – black boats that look like an unadorned gondola. They serve to take you across the Grand Canal at spots that are far from the four bridges that cross it. You can read all about my first experience taking a traghetto in Venice here . 
• Gondola – Venice’s most famous boat, the elegant gondola can be hired for a panoramic ride around the city’s pretty canals. There are set prices for a set amount of time. If you want your gondolier to serenade you, this costs extra.

19. Learn How to Orient Yourself in Venice

Venice is a city built on 118 islands in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon. It is completely car-free and looks like a maze where it is only too easy to lose yourself. Often navigation apps go a bit haywire here and may try to send you across a canal where there is no bridge or make you walk in circles time and time again. 

Plus, I always take with a pinch of salt any walking times estimated by the navigation app and double them in my mind. It’s only too easy to get distracted when walking in Venice and end up taking the wrong turn. Plus, navigating the crowds of people at the city’s most popular spots can stretch immensely any time estimate.

Yes, there is nothing better than to relax and simply explore Venice by following its narrow curving streets to whatever hidden gems they may take you. Yet, things can quickly get frustrating if you have only a limited amount of time or if you are trying to find your hotel heavy luggage in hand.

So, it always pays to spend a bit of time looking at the map of Venice before your visit to the city. Having a clear idea of where your accommodation is located or how close to it are the different sights you want to visit, can really help you make a general plan for your time in the city of water.

Learning a few of Venice’s topography terms is also very useful. Check the Place Names section in this blog post to find out what calle , campo , fondamenta , rio tera’ , salizzada , and sotoportego mean. This will come in handy when finding your way around Venice.

20. When in Venice, Walk on the Right and Don’t Obstruct the Bridges

When walking around Venice make an effort to keep to the right at all points. Venice is a living city with its own citizens who try to go about their daily lives while millions of people around them sightsee, suddenly stop in their tracks to take photos, and sometimes behave with no decorum.

With narrow curving streets – many of which are used by thousands of people every day – keeping to the right ensures that the pedestrian flow is as fast and smooth as possible. 

Bridges are very much Venice’s links of communication. They connect the dozens of tiny islands on which the historic city is built, provide access to shops and private homes, and serve as useful points of reference when you are walking around. As such, obstructing a bridge or lingering on a bridge is frowned upon by the Venetians and can actually incur a heavy fine.  

Food Tips for Venice, Italy

21. Think Before Ordering a Pizza in Venice

Think carefully before ordering a pizza in Venice. While pizza is the most famous Italian export, it is not a traditional Venetian food. In Italy, there are dozens of regional and provincial cuisines. They are incredibly varied and based on centuries-old customs, techniques, local products, and in some cases trade routes that were established as early as the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

As such, when in Italy, it’s always best to eat the food that is traditional for the city or province you are in. Pizza – originally from Naples – has taken deep roots all over Italy in the past few decades. Yet, Venice is the only place where I would advise caution before tucking into one.

Why? Often the pizzas served in Venice are not freshly made and have arrived in the city of water mass-produced and in a frozen state. This is especially true for those eateries that have printed pictures of dishes plastered all over their windows or on a large board by their entrance. 

If you simply must have a pizza in Venice, then make sure that you head to the places visited by the locals. This blog post gives you a good idea of where to find them and what to expect there in terms of pizza. It’s in Italian, so if need be, you can use Google Translate to get the gist of it.  

22. Indulge in Venice’s Traditional Sweets and Pastries

Sugar first reached Europe by the way of Venice. So, the city of water has a longstanding tradition in terms of pastries, sweets, and baking.

Start each day with a typical local breakfast of coffee and pastries. The most popular one is called brioche . It looks a bit like a croissant but it’s larger, much less flaky, and it can have so many different fillings. My favourite one is pistachio spread (imagine a chocolate spread but made of ground pistachios instead of cocoa! It’s so good!).

During the Carnival, tuck into frittelle – fried balls of dough stuffed with different creams or chocolate. The rest of the time, indulge in tiramisu, pasticceria mignon (sweets and cakes in tiny sizes), marzipans, local biscuits (like the Esse from Burano ), and handmade chocolates. I am partial to Pasticceria Rosa Salva but there are dozens of great patisseries all over town.

A good way to sample the best of Venice’s sweets and chocolates is to join a guided tour. This one will introduce you to a Venetian master chocolatier and their exquisite truffles, pralines, and hot chocolate. This one will take you on a morning walk of Venice so that you can enjoy the city’s main sights while tucking in a number of traditional local pastries and sweets. While this kid-friendly tour will open the world of Venetian sweets and desserts in front of your eyes by taking you to authentic local bakeries and patisseries across all six Venetian sestieri and revealing to you the stories of Venice’s most famous sugary delights.

• 14 Typical Italian Breakfast Foods and Drinks or What Do Italians Eat for Breakfast
• 10 Rules of Breakfast in Italy or How Do Italians Eat Breakfast

23. Have Lots of Traditional Venetian Seafood

Venice is a great place to indulge your love for seafood. With centuries-old culinary traditions and with the Venetian Lagoon providing a huge variety of fish, crabs, and molluscs, you will be spoilt for choice.

For an idea of what’s on offer, head to Rialto Fish Market early in the day to see the freshest catch. Over ten centuries old, the market is housed in a fetching Neo-Gothic structure a step away from the famous Rialto Bridge.

Grab a portion of fritto misto from a nearby eaterie. This is a mix of seafood and julienned vegetables that have been battered with durum wheat semolina and cornmeal. Then they are served deep-fried on a bed of polenta.

Deep-fried moeche is another typical for Venice dish. These are soft-shelled crabs that can be enjoyed only for a limited time in autumn and spring. Sarde in saor is sardines in a sweet and sour sauce made with vinegar and raisins among other things. It sounds wacky but it’s so incredibly tasty you will regret not giving it a try. Don’t miss a taste of baccala’ mantecato – the most iconic dish of the Venetian cuisine. It’s prepared with stockfish from Norway’s Lofoten Islands and has been a Venetian staple since the 15th century.

For a quick introduction to Venetian seafood, join a specialised guided tour in the city of water. This semi-private food experience will take you from Rialto Fish Market to two of Venice’s top eateries so that you can wine and dine on traditional Venetian drinks and dishes. And this one offers you a five-course Italian seafood feast cooked by a Venetian sailor.

24. Stop for Coffee in Venice

Just like sugar, coffee also reached Europe through Venice. In addition, the world’s oldest coffee house – the mythical Caffe’ Florian – first opened its doors here on 29th December 1720. 

Coffee traditions are still very much alive and kicking in Venice. So, indulge in proper coffee during your Venetian holiday. Caffe’ Florian is a must-see for its wonderful decor, literary connections, and coffee heritage. Grancaffe’ Quadri is another unmissable historic coffee house in Venice.

Don’t forget the many small torrefazioni – coffee roasters. They roast and serve wonderful varieties of coffee in Venice, too. Torrefazione Cannaregio is particularly famous.

• 21 Types of Italian Coffees and How to Order Coffee in Italy Like a Local
• 19 Rules of Italian Coffee Culture or How to Drink Coffee Like an Italian
• Coffee in Italy or 101 Facts about Italian Coffee Culture

25. Snack on Cicchetti and Tramezzini – Venice’s Traditional Finger Foods

Cicchetti (pronounced chi–KEH–tee) are traditional Venetian finger foods. Served in small portions, there are many varieties of cicchetti and they can cost as little as a euro or two per piece. This can be a small slice of white polenta with a helping of baccala’ mantecato or a piece of crusty bread with one of many delicious toppings.

A mix of cicchetti makes for a great lunch in Venice giving you a taste of many local foods and food combinations. Customarily served in small eateries called bacaro (pl. bacari ), cicchetti are washed down with an ombra – a small glass of house wine.

Osteria Al Squero is a particularly famous place to eat cicchetti in Venice. You will find it right opposite Squero Tramontin – a gondola-making and -repairing boatyard in the sestiere of Dorsoduro.

Tramezzini are triangular sandwiches made with super soft crustless bread and stuffed with many different fillings. For example, sliced boiled egg and artichokes, sopressa salami and red radicchio , tuna fish, ham and mushrooms, and so on. They make for a great snack or – if you buy a selection – for a nice and inexpensive lunch, too. 

As you walk around Venice, keep an eye out for small bacari serving delicious cicchetti and tramezzini . Alternatively, this guided tour will introduce you to the flavours and traditions of Venetian finger food.

• Italian Food – 13 Ways to Eat Well in Italy Without Breaking the Bank

Sightseeing Tips for Venice, Italy

26. Head Early to Venice’s Most Famous Sights

To avoid the crowds and queues, make sure that you head early to Venice’s most famous sights. For example, St. Mark’s Basilica and its bell tower. Queues here can be an hour or so long. However, if you turn up right before opening times, you can minimise or totally avoid queuing.

Plus, you can get lots of beautiful photos of Venice’s most iconic sights without the usual crowds of people that besiege them!

27. When in Venice, Get Off the Beaten Path

For all its worldwide famous sights and museums, Venice is also incredibly rich in hidden gems. No other destination gives you as much satisfaction as Venice when exploring it off the beaten path.

Quirky corners coupled with curious stories abound here. Make sure that you experience as many of them as possible for yourself. This blog post gives you pointers for 101 little-known yet fabulous things to do in Venice. And this blog post will reveal to you the haunted Venice of ghostly apparitions, centuries-old legends, and even mysterious crypts. Have a look!

28. See Venice from the Water

Venice was designed to be seen from the water. Its lavish palaces have their most splendid facades turned towards the canals. Its most important buildings are on the water’s edge.

Make sure then that you see Venice as the visitors of the city in the past centuries did. From the water, floating down its canals on a boat. This way you can truly appreciate the beauty, the elegance, and the grandeur of Venice – a city that challenges all conventions of the traditional urban settlement.

There are many ways to get on a boat in Venice. Check tip number 18 above for four of the most popular watercraft here. Catching a traghetto across the Grand Canal is one of the simplest, quickest, and cheapest ways to see Venice from the water.

In addition, you can get on vaporetto line 1 from either Piazzale Roma or Venezia Santa Lucia train station and then travel all the way down to St. Mark’s Square. This way you can revel in the beauty of the Grand Canal and marvel at the most iconic buildings, palaces, and churches of Venice as they come into view. Click to buy your Venice vaporetto tickets in advance.

A gondola ride is one of the most iconic things you can enjoy in Venice. You can either have it all for yourself or share it with other passengers. If you prefer, you can have a romantic gondola experience followed by a meal for two. Seeing Venice from a sleek black gondola is the stuff memories are made of!

You can hire a gondola on-site by simply approaching a gondolier at one of the many gondola stops around Venice. The tour lasts around 25-30 minutes and the price is currently set at 80 euros for up to six passengers. If you want your gondolier to serenade you, this comes with a surcharge. Also, evening and night-time gondola tours cost more.

Alternatively, you may want to book your gondola tour in advance or combine it with different activities – from a walking tour to a photoshoot. There are many different ways to do it, so have a look here for an exhaustive list of the different options and the respective prices.

29. For the Best Introduction to Venice, Book a Guide

A private tour with a Venetian guide is an unmissable opportunity to delve into the history of Venice, discover hidden gems , marvel at unique works of art, and just get to know Venice as a local does.

With the sheer amount of things to do and see here, it’s only too easy to become overwhelmed and not know where to start from or what to see first. Or you may end up missing several must-see sights. In such cases, booking a private tour in Venice is a great way to truly experience the city of water and see it from the most authentic point of view. 

I always recommend Luisella Romeo from See Venice  and Erika Cornali from  When in Venice . Both are wonderful people, they speak several languages and are truly dedicated to bringing the beauty of Venice to you.

Alternatively, you may prefer using one of the large tour sites to pick a top-rated guided visit or activity in Venice. The best options are Viator , Get Your Guide , and Tiquets .

30. To See the Authentic Venice, Wake Up Early and Go to Bed Late

One of the best ways to see the authentic Venice, is to go for a walk around the city early in the morning and late in the evening. You will discover a whole new face to it. Free of tourist crowds, Venice is incredibly peaceful and cinematic and you feel like the luckiest person in the world to have all this beauty for yourself.

It really pays to wake up very early in the morning and go for a walk while the city still awakes. And then do it again in the evening and see how Venice quietly winds down after another hectic day. To have enough energy for these early rises and late bedtimes, make sure that you take an Italian riposo in the afternoon.

Health and Safety Tips for Venice, Italy

31. to walk around venice, bring your most comfortable shoes.

Venice is a car-free city which means that you will spend your time here walking everywhere. Taking the vaporetti (Venice’s water buses) or the motoscafi (Venice’s water taxis) is a great way to travel long distances around the city. Yet, it can be time-consuming and in the case of water taxis, very costly, too.

Plus, there are many places around town that can only be reached on foot. Benches are lacking, sitting on the steps of churches and historical buildings is forbidden, and spending long hours upright can be very, very tiring. Even if you are in great physical shape, Venice can be truly overwhelming. What with the many sights to see and the many masterpieces to walk up to, stop in front of and admire, your feet may start feeling heavy long before the end of the day.

Hence, it’s essential that you come to Venice armed with your most comfortable shoes. 

32. When You Walk Around Venice, Always Mind Your Step

While Venice is a nice and flat city that is easy (but taxing) to walk all over, make sure that you mind your step when strolling around town. Especially, in the following two scenarios:

• steps leading down to the water – you will notice that often some of these steps are covered with algae. Avoid stepping on them at all cost as they are very slippery. Many a tourist, eager to take a close-up artsy shot of a gondola or two has braved the steps with the green tinge. Only to find themselves completely soaked.
• edges of the canal paths during acqua alta – when the tide peaks, sometimes the water levels rise so high that Venice gets flooded. While, in most cases, you can put a pair of wellies on and still walk around town, you need to be careful not to incidentally end in the water by overstepping the edge of a canal path (known as fondamenta in the Venetian language).  

33. Never Swim in the Venetian Canals

Venice is universally known as the City of Canals on account of its 150 waterways. Narrow and wide, short and long, curved and straight, the canals of Venice are the city’s arteries.  

Swimming in them is not allowed for many reasons. A large number of boats – many of them motorised – crisscross Venice’s canals at all hours of the day, so it would not be safe for swimmers. Also, the water – beautiful and inviting as it looks – is polluted and you don’t want it on your skin or in your mouth. Lastly, swimming in the canals goes against Venetian decorum. This is a historic city of art, after all, not a seaside resort. Hence, a heavy fine awaits anyone swimming in the Venetian canals.

I would also advise you against sitting on the edges of the canals and dipping your feet in the water. You honestly don’t want the water on your skin. Plus, such behaviour will not endear you to the locals. 

If you want to swim, then head to one of the nearby beaches. Spiaggia Alberoni on the island of Lido di Venezia, the beaches of Sottomarina near the town of Chioggia , the beaches of Lido di Jesolo, and the beaches of Caorle are particularly famous and within an easy-ish distance from Venice.

34. If You Visit Venice In Summer, Bring Suncream

Venice can get incredibly hot in summer. Add to this the air’s high humidity and the feeling is of being inside a very hot oven. The strong sunlight is reflected by the water in the canals and it bounces off the beautiful facades thus making your eyes squint in pain.

A high factor suncream and sunglasses are a necessity!

If you are desperate for a bit of shade, head to the Giardini Reali – a small, nicely landscaped garden facing the Grand Canal next door to St. Mark’s Square. Alternatively, go for a walk in the Giardini della Biennale in the sestiere of Castello. My favourite small garden with free entry in Venice stands adjacent to Ca’ Rezzonico – the museum of 18th-century Venice. It’s lush with plenty of shade and flowering shrubs. Plus, it has a small playground for the kids to run around.

35. And If You Visit Venice in Winter, Bring an Extra Layer or Two

Venice is not a winter sun destination. While the sun may be shining high and the sky may be nice and blue, there is a chill in the air during the day and at night it can get very cold.

Sometimes, it even snows! This doesn’t happen often (more or less, once every couple of winters or so) but when it does, it turns Venice into a magical fairytale. A slippery one at that as the stone fondamente – Venice’s canal paths – can be challenging to navigate with a dusting of snow on top.

The rest of the time, the high humidity chills you to the bone and fogs often add to the mystery of Venice.

If you visit Venice in late autumn and winter, then definitely wrap up warm. It’s better to feel nice and cozy and peel a layer off when needed than suffer the cold chills.  

Money Management Tips for Venice, Italy

36. When in Venice, Expect to Spend

Venice is a difficult city to live, work, and do business in. With no cars, everything has to be transported by boats and then lifted and carried by hand. Insurance premiums are high and acqua alta can cause anything from inconvenience to devastation. Prices factor in all this.

So, Venice is not a budget destination and to truly see and experience its very best sides, you need to be prepared to spend. Mind you, not for tourist gimmicks and overpriced food. But for museum tickets, concert tickets, and exhibition entry fees. For great local food which is freshly made following centuries-old techniques. For handmade artisan items which you will love and use for years to come. And for beautiful jewellery, unique decorations, lovely handmade notebooks, traditional Venetian masks , luxury fabrics, charming antiques, and one-of-a-kind pieces of art. And, of course, for a gondola ride!

To be honest, in terms of daily expenses, I find London much more expensive than Venice. Whereas a single espresso in London can cost anything from £1.50 to £2.00, in Venice you can get a proper Italian espresso and a breakfast pastry for more or less the same money. And while a quick lunch from a chain shop in London can cost anything from £10 to £15, in Venice a lovely plate of cicchetti made in a small bacaro that has been there for dozens if not hundreds of years will cost less than that. So, you can get yourself a nice glass of wine, too.

37. When in Venice, Always Buy Authentic Crafts

There are so many wonderful things in Venice that it makes sense to take every opportunity to stock on some lovely gifts for friends, family, and yourself. In doing so, make sure that you support authentic Venetian artisans rather than yet another cheap souvenir shop. Imported souvenirs are cheap in Venice but they lack in quality and undermine the work of honest craftsmen. 

For example, cheap masks sold on the streets of Venice often are made with dyes that are harmful to the skin. While they are produced for decorative purposes only, often you are not told this by the stall trader eager to make a sale. It is much better to buy Venetian masks made in one of Venice’s acclaimed mask workshops where the traditions of Venetian mask-making have been researched in depth and brought back to life. 

Venice has a great concentration of skilled artisans and craftsmen. Visiting their studios and shops is such a great experience. They preserve the living history and traditions of the city. And their work needs support. From handmade glass, jewellery, and lace to unique ceramics, prints, silk velvets, and marbled paper, the choice is enticing and the quality is high!

• 10 Facts About Venetian Masks – History, Traditions, and Meaning

38. Bring a Water Bottle and Fill It for Free from Venice’s Water Fountains

You don’t need to buy bottles of water in your explorations of Venice. The city is dotted with dozens of drinking fountains providing for free deliciously cold water to both residents and visitors of Venice.

You quickly start to appreciate them when you are asked to pay 3 euros for a small bottle of water in a touristy cafe. 

Just bring a reusable water bottle with you and you are good to go.  

39. Invest in Passes To Maximise Your Sightseeing in Venice

To make your euros stretch further in Venice, consider investing in a pass that is designed to offer savings and convenience to visitors. Click on these links to get an idea of what to expect: 

• The Venice Pass
• Venezia Unica City Pass
• Chorus Churches Circuit
• MyPassVenezia App

40. Take Advantage of the Sales Seasons in Venice

There are two sales seasons in Italy. Traditionally, one is at the start of January and the other is in summer. The dates vary a bit from year to year and from one Italian region to another. They are decided on a regional level and publicised in the press in advance.

Venice is the capital of the Northern Italian region of Veneto . As such, you can check the dates for this year’s seasonal sales by performing a web search for saldi invernali in Veneto (winter sales in Veneto) or saldi estivi in Veneto (summer sales in Veneto).

Famous Italian and French fashion houses, as well as international high street brands, have their shops in Venice. So, timing your visit to coincide with sales season can lead to some great savings if shopping is what you like to do best. 

Time Management Tips for Venice, Italy

41. Have a Good Idea About What You Want to See in Venice

Venice is rich in sights to see and things to do. With all the walking, stopping for photos, and gawking at all the beauty around you, time in Venice quickly flies away. Plus, the more you see the more you want to see. Arriving in Venice without much of a clue and hoping that you will work out what to do on the spot is a recipe for wasted moments and missed experiences. You may still end up seeing some of the most famous landmarks. Yet looking back in hindsight, you may beat yourself up about how much you have missed. 

To make the most of your time in Venice, make sure that you research the many different things to do here in advance and have a clear idea of what you want to see and experience. Is it art and museums, beautiful views and fresh seafood, traditional crafts and hidden corners?! A mix of all or something very particular?!

Jot down a rough plan of what you want to do each day of your stay in Venice. Pick sights that are within close proximity to one another. Even if you are in peak shape, all the walking and spending long hours on your feet quickly add up. Try not to plan too much for any one day. Leave plenty of time for each sight – both to reach it without rushing and to be able to fully enjoy its atmosphere and artefacts. 

42. Yet Be Spontaneous in Order to Experience Venice Authentically

Venice is the best place in the world to be spontaneous. Every narrow curving street you take leads you to yet another worldwide famous sight or hidden gem.

Be adventurous! While your rough plan will guarantee that you will be exploring Venice in a purposeful manner, take every opportunity to adapt it if you come across something else that catches your eye. Visit every church you come across. Follow the locals to their favourite gelaterias and eateries. Stop to admire artisans at work and to purchase their handmade wares. Spend long moments at quiet squares (locally called campi ) where you can observe the authentic Venice. Go for long walks trying to spot as many typical for Venice architectural details like patera and finestrata . 

With its rich heritage and with hundreds of things to do and see, it’s practically impossible to know in advance what exactly you will fall in love with in Venice. You may be thinking that you want to visit Venice for all the art and then, once arrived, you may be drawn to the local crafts and compelled to discover as much as possible about them. Or you may be planning to visit Venice for all the gorgeous photos you can take and then, without even being religious, to become intrigued by the Venetian churches and to want to visit as many of them for their architecture, art, and history.

43. Put a Day Aside for the Islands in the Venetian Lagoon

While Venice is the undisputable star of the Venetian Lagoon, there are dozens of islands here that deserve a visit, too. For their history, for the local crafts, for their beauty, for their colourful houses, for their peace and quiet, for many reasons, really.

Murano, Burano, and Torcello are the three most famous islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Many visitors to Venice spend a day visiting all three. Murano is famous for its locally made glass. Burano – for its lace and houses painted in a riot of colours. Torcello is where the history of Venice started as it was the first island in the Venetian Lagoon where a settlement rose back in the 5th century AD.

Yet, there is also:

• Giudecca with its peaceful atmosphere and some very interesting buildings;
• Lido with its wonderful beaches;
• Chioggia which at one time was more powerful than Venice;
• Pellestrina where you can cycle along the murazzi – the long wall separating the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea;
• Mazzorbo (connected to Burano via a wooden bridge) with the Venissa restaurant and vineyard;
• Sant’Erasmo with Venice’s fruit and vegetable gardens. 

And if you want something different, then you can head to the island of San Michele. It has served as Venice’s cemetery since the start of the 19th century. Alternatively, explore the island of San Servolo. This is where people with mental illnesses used to be sent to in the past. Nowadays, the former insane asylum on the island hosts a very thoughtfully curated museum.

It is only by visiting the different islands and by travelling between them that you come to appreciate the spectacular scenery of the Venetian Lagoon. It is quite amazing really how such an inhospitable environment has been elevated into one of the most beautiful and special places on earth.

You can visit the islands in the Venetian Lagoon by yourself by taking advantage of the very well-organised network of vaporetti . Or you can book a guided tour whisking you from island to island in one active day or half-day.

This full-day excursion , for example, will take you on a tour of Murano, Burano, and Torcello directly from Venice’s train station. This half-day experience includes a visit to a glass factory on Murano and a lace workshop on Burano.

44. Take a Day Trip to Italy’s Mainland

If you are spending more than three days in Venice, make sure that you put a day aside for a trip to Italy’s mainland. High-speed and fast regional trains connect Venice numerous times a day to such beautiful destinations as Padua , Vicenza , Verona , Lake Garda , Milan , Brescia , and Bologna . Not to mention the myriad of medieval walled towns dotted all around the Veneto – the Northern Italian region of which Venice is the capital.

Train travel is quick, inexpensive and very well-organised. You can reach Padua from Venice in less than half an hour and then spend a wonderful day discovering the frescoed Scrovegni Chapel, Italy’s second-oldest University, and the world’s oldest academic botanical garden. Or, in an hour and a half, you can reach Italy’s largest lake – Lago di Garda – which is a great destination for families with kids, couples, and solo travellers.

It’s so nice to be able to see more and do more in the span of the same Italian holiday. Visiting Venice gives you a chance to visit many other unique and beautiful Italian destinations, too. Take full advantage of that!

• Venice to Milan – A Cool Day Trip in Italy (With Travel Tips and Sights to See)
• Venice to Padua – The Best Day Trip in Italy (With Travel Tips and Sights to See)
• Venice to Verona – A Day Trip in Italy to Fall in Love With (With Travel Tips and Sights to See)
• Venice to Lake Garda, Italy – 3 Easy Ways to Travel
• 10 Best Cities in Veneto, Italy to Visit and What to See in Each

45. Book a Return Trip to Venice

No matter how long you spend in Venice, it’s never enough. There is just so much to do, see, and enjoy here. The city of water has a way to get under your skin, to make you really fall for it. 

So, don’t stress that you were not able to see it all and do it all while here. Instead, make sure that you book a return trip to Venice so that you can continue your exploration of this most unique and beautiful city in the world.

A Bonus Tip for Venice, Italy

Toilets! A totally essential topic for any visitor to Venice and Italy in general. Now, if you need to spend a penny, don’t fret! It’s all very nicely and logically organised in Venice as long as you know where to look. Here is how it works:

• Paid public toilets – dotted at crucial points with high footfall around the city. Here is a map for you to see where the paid public toilets are located in Venice. They are very clean and thoroughly sanitised throughout the day. Do keep euro coins on you, as you need to pay every time you use them. If you buy the Venezia Unica City Pass (see point 39 above), you can add a Public Toilet Service as an option to it. This works out slightly cheaper compared to paying for each separate visit.
• Toilets in Museums/Sights – museums and sights in Venice have well-equipped and clean toilets which you can make use of during your visit. Usually, you can’t just pop in from the street to use their facilities though. 
• Cafes/Eateries/Restaurants – as a paying customer you can access the toilet on the premises. At times, these can be tiny but make use of them, especially if you find the fee for the paid public toilets prohibitive. In any case, please, remember that the toilets in Venice’s cafes, eateries, and restaurants are only for paying customers.

In Conclusion

Venice is a dream destination for many. With its unique location in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon and with its many layers of history, the city of water has a lot to offer to the traveller seeking beautiful and memorable experiences.

Yet, Venice doesn’t reveal its secrets easily. For the many things you can do and enjoy here, often, you also need to dig deeper beneath the surface to find your way around Venice. As a car-free city with a maze of narrow curving streets, its own centuries-old traditions, and many, many quirks, Venice can be a challenge. Especially if you arrive here hoping to discover it all on the spot as you go.

To help you have the best experience in the city of water, in this blog post I share with you my 45 essential tips for Venice. They are particularly useful if this will be your first visit. From no-nonsense travel and accommodation tips to health and safety and time management tips, I’ve organised the information in logical chunks to help put you in Venice mood and mode.

I hope that you will find these tips for Venice helpful and that they will galvanise you to head to the city of water as soon as possible.

Enjoy your time in venice, italy, more helpful venice info for you.

Venice:   Major Landmarks , Hidden Gems , Best Tours , Venetian Place Names , Nearest Airports , Boats in Venice , Haunted Venice , Day Trips from Venice , Arco del Paradiso Venice Videos: Grand Canal , St. Mark’s Square at Carnival , St. Mark’s Square , View from Rialto Bridge , View from Accademia Bridge , Venetian gondolas , Historical Regatta , Squero di San Trovaso , Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo , Fondazione Querini Stampalia , Palazzo Grimani , Rialto Fish Market , Ca’ Macana , Festa della Madonna della Salute

More Helpful Italy Info for You

Best of Italy: Italian Piazzas , Italian Food , Italian Markets , Italian Coffee Culture Northern Italy: 18 Best Cities to Visit Lake Garda: Best Towns , Nearest Airports , Travel Options , Lake Garda with Kids Lake Como: Things to See , Nesso Veneto: Best Cities to Visit , Top 15 Places , 30 Adventures , 15 Most Colourful Places Friuli Venezia Giulia: Venzone , Most Beautiful Villages Emilia Romagna: Bologna , Ravenna , Comacchio , Most Beautiful Villages Marche: 6 Reasons to Visit , Gradara , Frasassi Caves , Temple of Valadier Verona: Things to Do in One Day , Day Trips from Verona Padua:   Things to Do in One Day ,  101 Facts About Padua ,  10 Reasons to Visit Padua ,  Day Trips from Padua Vicenza: Things to Do , 10 Must-See Museums , Day Trips from Vicenza

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Things to Do in Venice

Lord Byron called Venice (Venezia) "a fairy city of the heart." La Serenissima, "The Most Serene," is an improbable cityscape of stone palaces that seem to float on water, a place where cats nap on Oriental marble windowsills set in colorful plaster walls. Candy-striped pylons stand sentry outside the tiny stone docks of palazzi whose front steps descend into the gently lapping waters of the canals that lace the city.

In Venice, cars are banned -- every form of transportation floats, from water taxis and vaporetti (the public "bus" ferries) to ambulance speedboats and garbage scows. Venice is a place where locals stop at the bacaro (wine bar) to take un ombra (literally "a little bit of shade," in practice, a glass of wine) and munch on cicchetti (tapaslike snacks) or linger over exquisite restaurant seafood dinners.

It is also a city of great art and grand old masters. Venetian painting featured early masters such as the Bellini clan -- Jacopo from the 1420s, sons Giovanni and Gentile from the 1460s. By the early 1500s, Venice had taken the Renaissance torch from Florence and made it its own, lending the movement the new color and lighting schemes of such giants as Giorgione, Tiziano (Titian), Paolo Veronese, and Tintoretto.

So much for Venice the Serenissima. There's also Venice the insanely popular and overcrowded. Certainly, the tourists can seem inescapable, and prices can be double or triple here what they are elsewhere in Italy.

But visitors flock to this canalled wonder for very good reason: Venice is extraordinary, it is magical, and it is worth every cent. Its existence defies logic, but underneath its otherworldly beauty and sometimes-stifling tourism, Venice is a living, breathing, singular city that seems almost too exquisite to be genuine, too fragile to survive the never-ending stream of visitors who have been making the pilgrimage here for 1,500 years.

In its position at the crossroads of the Byzantine and Roman -- later Eastern and Western -- worlds, Venice, over many centuries, acquired a unique amalgamated heritage of art, architecture, and culture. And although hordes of traders and merchants no longer pass through as they once did, Venice nonetheless continues to find itself at a crossroads: an intersection in time between the uncontested period of maritime power that built it and the modern world that keeps it ever-so-gingerly afloat.

It is a great disservice to allot Venice the average stay of 2 nights and 3 days (it sometimes takes the better part of a day just to find your hotel). If you can, stay at least 3 nights and preferably longer -- Venice has the potential to be the highlight of your travels through Italy.

Leave your heels and excess luggage at home, and make sure to toss the map and this guide in your daypack for at least an afternoon, turn left when the signs to the sights point right, and get lost in the back calli (streets) and uncrowded campi (squares) where tourists seldom tread, and you will encounter the true, living, breathing, gloriously decaying side of this most serene city.

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VeNETO TRAVEL GUIDE

Veneto is home to exquisitely beautiful cities that float on water, Renaissance frescoes, and Ancient Roman ruins, not to mention outstanding natural beauty.  The region boasts one of Italy’s most stunning lakes, the Dolomites mountain range, and the Prosecco hills covered in vines. A diverse region, Veneto has something to entice most travelers.

Magical Venice is the capital of the cultured Veneto region of Italy and tops many Italy bucket lists. Once the center of the world and trade, the Republic of Venice held strong for 1,000 years and was a melting pot of cultures from around Europe, and the Middle and Far East, and its rich and powerful influence is still felt in the region today. 

Yet Veneto is also so much more than just Venice, although visitors rarely experience this besides a detour to the city of love – Verona. Let us help you get off the beaten track and experience all this refined and cultured part of Italy has to offer with our full Veneto travel guide.

Article contents

Where is Veneto

Veneto is nestled in the upper north-east of Italy and sits on the Adriatic Sea. The region shares a border with the Italian regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino Alto Adige (South Tyrol), Emilia-Romagna , and Lombardy. There’s also a land border in the north with a tiny part of Austria who ruled over Venice for a time before the unification of Italy.

Situated to the east of Milan , Venice is just 2.5 hours away on the high speed train from Italy’s fashion capital. Venice is north-east of Florence , you can be in the lagoon city in 2 hours on the fast train, whilst Rome is just over 3 hours away.

Map of Veneto

Main cities and towns in veneto.

Veneto is a hugely diverse region with impossibly beautiful cities on water, towns with pink marbled Ancient Roman streets, Medieval hilltop towns, and villages cradled in mountain valleys. Some of the best places in Veneto to explore include: 

• Venice: The undisputed jewel of the region that must be seen at least once in your life. Venice rests, as if by magic, floating on top of the waters of the lagoon, protected by islands facing the Adriatic Sea. Wander the canal-lined calle (small laneways) , hop on a gondola, eat your weight in cicchetti with a spritz in hand, and marvel at the remains of the Venetian Republic. 
• Treviso: Admire the canals without the crowds in beautiful, lesser-visited Treviso.  Encircled by 16th-century walls, Treviso is a place to get lost among its long porticoes and to admire the frescoed facaded buildings. Don’t miss trying tiramisu here either. It is thought to be the birthplace of this iconic dessert.
• Verona: Romantic Verona is a stunning Ancient Roman city with an impressively well-preserved historic arena at its heart and glistening streets made of pink marble. It’s one of the most visited Veneto cities and for good reason. Whilst Shakespeare made it forever famous thanks to Romeo and Juliet (you’ll see the crowds lining up to see “Juliet’s balcony”), there is so much more to discover here. Join a small group walking tour of Verona to soak up all the history and fascinating stories.
• Cortina D’Ampezzo: For a stay in the true heart of the Venetian Dolomites, don’t miss Cortina d’Ampezzo. This pretty mountain town is ideal for skiing and snowboarding in winter, plus mountain biking and hiking in the summertime. The town is a center for outdoor pursuits and enjoying hearty Tyrolean mountain cuisine.
• Padua: Gorgeous Padua (or Padova) is a beautiful university town that dates back to the 13th century. It’s an impressive art city known for the 14th-century frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel and the oldest academic botanical garden in the world. Padua’s largest piazza, Prato della Valle, is centered around a canal and has played host to performances, parades, horse races, markets and more throughout the ages.
• Belluno: For a taste of the Dolomites, how about a trip to Belluno? It’s the perfect base for exploring the mountains and the town itself is replete with Renaissance-era buildings. Here you can feast on delicious soft cow’s milk cheeses in between hikes.
• Chioggia: Across the lagoon from Venice , Chioggia is a pretty little town known for its charming canals and easy access to the beach. It’s a lovely place to wander the fishing village and admire its famous fish market.
• Vicenza – Half way between Venice and Lake Garda, Vicenza is a UNESCO heritage listed city celebrated for its Renaissance villas designed by acclaimed architect Andrea Palladio. Vicenza is one of Italy’s most wealthy cities and is the place to go for artisan made gold jewelry.

Veneto Travel Guide: Top Things to Do

With so many unique places to explore, there are lots of different experiences and activities to enjoy when visiting Veneto. Some of our favorites include:

Take a gondola ride in Venice

Who could miss enjoying a ride on a gondola in Venice at least once in their life? Sit back and relax as your gondolier glides their craft along the lagoon, down the Grand Canal, and in and out of smaller, romantic canals during this unforgettable experience. If you prefer to prebook, try this sunset tour down the Grand Canal.

Go Prosecco tasting and say “salute!”

Prosecco is Italy’s most famous sparkling wine and it hails from the Veneto region. Enjoy a day winery hopping in Prosecco wine country by car or join a tour that departs from Venice and takes you around to several renowned wineries of the region.

Explore beautiful Lake Garda

Italy’s biggest and arguably most majestic lake is actually part of three different Italian regions (Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige). Enjoy some time on Lake Garda visiting small picturesque towns and wineries, explore the ruins of Roman villas, beautiful castles or go for a boat cruise along the lake to relax in style.

Discover the dramatic Dolomites

Whether you’re a skier, hiker, or nature lover, a trip to the Dolomites will leave you breathless. Base yourself in Veneto’s Belluno or Cortina d’Ampezzo for easy access to the mountains. If you’re short on time, consider joining this full day Dolomites tour departing from Venice that takes in the highlights.

Attend an opera at Verona Arena

One of the most magical activities in Veneto during the summertime is to attend a performance at the open-air Ancient Roman Arena in Verona. The atmosphere is bewitching as the sun sets and the arena fills with music from legendary Italian composers. 

Admire the colorful houses of Burano

Spend a day on the pretty island Burano, reached easily as a day trip from Venice . Once a tiny fishing town, it’s now a popular place to visit thanks to its gorgeous array of colored houses that line the canals. Discover how you can enjoy a full day visiting Burano with our blog article.

Get lost in art at the Biennale in Venice

Art and culture lovers adore the iconic Venice Biennale festival that runs annually from April to November. Every second year the main exhibition alternates between art and architecture – hence the name “Biennale” – however there are new exhibits exploring cultural themes via performances, sculptures and installations each year. 

What to eat and drink in Veneto

One of the best ways to discover the culture when you travel to Veneto is to try the region’s unique food and wine which is very different to what you find in southern Italy.  Veneto cuisine is based heavily on rice, polenta, and vegetables, as well as fish from the Adriatic coast and meat depending on the town.

Cheese from Veneto is delicious. Don’t miss trying Asiago and Grana Padano. Likewise, the region produces exquisite wines including Prosecco, Soave,  Amarone, and Valpolicella. 

Some favorite dishes of Veneto to seek out include:

Whilst you can certainly find pasta in Veneto, the region makes delicious risotto. Try this dish with white asparagus, a specialty in Bassano; squid ink risotto in Venice; or the tasty risi e bisi – creamy rice and peas. 

Famous in Venice, these small finger food items are often compared to Spanish tapas. Think little meatballs, little squids hard-boiled eggs, crostini with different toppings, and more. One of the best things to do in Venice is go bar hopping, enjoying an ombra (little glass of wine) at each bar and a different piece of cicchetti . 

Select Spritz

Move over aperol! Sit back in a glorious piazza when you travel in Veneto with a glass of Select Spritz in hand at aperitivo hour. This spirit was born in Venice and is the perfect ‘in-between aperol and campari’ option – not too sweet, not too bitter.

Baccalà Mantecato

You can’t leave Venice without trying this dish. Made with salted cod that has been softened for days in water before being boiled, skinned and deboned, the cod is then beaten into an incredibly tasty, fluffy mousse with oil. 

The typical pasta of the Veneto region is like a thick spaghetti. It is served with a typical sauce made with sardine or anchovy that is utterly delicious. 

A favorite delicacy are fried soft shell crabs from the lagoon. They’re only in season during April or October as their shell is falling off, so it’s worth the trip to Venice at that time just for the chance to try them. 

Veneto is home to perhaps Italy’s most famous dessert, so you have to try Tiramisu when you visit. Tiramisu is a decadent and creamy dessert made with Savoiardi biscuits, coffee, liquor, and lots of cream and sugar.

Where to stay in Veneto

Matching the diversity of the region, there are lots of different accommodation options to consider whilst traveling in Veneto. Choose from luxury hotels, B&Bs, agriturismi (farm stays), converted monasteries, castles, refugi (mountain huts) and more.

Venice makes for an obvious base and it is worth staying for at least three days just to explore the capital alone. Luxury hotels like Hotel Danieli overlooking the Grand Canal are a popular choice however there are many other options for budget travelers like Hotel Aquarius . Read our article on the best hotels in Venice for more luxury and boutique stays in Venice.

Verona is another great base to explore nearby Lake Garda as well as the enchanting city itself. Try Hotel Accademia for a luxe option, or Hotel Milano & Spa for a well-located more affordable choice. You’ll find several more options in our article on where to stay in Verona .

If you’re planning a trip to the Dolomites, base yourself in Cortina D’Ampezzo to explore the mountains beyond. The Grand Hotel Savoia is a stunning luxury hotel with breathtaking mountain views, or for modern chalet style try Hotel de Len in the heart of Cortina.

When to go to Veneto

Veneto experiences a big variation in temperatures throughout the year with warm summers, and cold winters when it can snow. Spring and Fall/Autumn are always a great time to visit the region to make the most of milder temperatures that are perfect for sightseeing – 12°C/53°F- 21°C/70°F in the Spring and around 18°C/64°F in the Fall. 

Summer in Venice (as well as Padova and Treviso) can be unpleasant as crowds are thick and temperatures and humidity near the lagoon area can get very high.

Enjoy the Palio in Padova in June replete with court, jesters, banquets, shows, theaters and jugglers, and of course lots of feasting. There’s a big medieval festival (Giostra della Rocca) in late summer in Monselice with chess competitions, dress-ups, and a Medieval market. 

The wintertime can be great to visit the Dolomites for skiing or in February during Carnevale in Venice . Temperatures are cold – between 0°C/32°F and  7°C/44°F – however this is also a popular time to visit Venice and prices soar.

Enjoy the sagra of Radicchio in Treviso in December, and wonderful Christmas markets around the region, especially in Treviso and Bassano del Grappa. If you’re planning a trip to Venice, you’ll want to watch out for ‘acqua alta’ between October and March when flooding can occur. 

How to get to Veneto

The main airports in Veneto are Marco Polo International Airport in Venice and Verona Villafranca Airport . From the airport, you can reach Venice by city bus, express shuttle, water bus, or taxi.

Venice is well-connected to the rest of Italy by high-speed train and it is a rather magical ride as you approach over the lagoon. From Rome, Milan, and Florence, you can make your way to Venice in under 3 hours via train.

READ: Our guide on how to get to Venice from Rome

Alternatively, if you’re driving, take the A4 to reach the capital from Milan in around 3.5 hours (269.5 km). From Florence, take the A13 to arrive in just over 3 hours (268.7 km). From Rome, you’ll travel along the E35 to reach Venice after at least 6 hours (525.6 km). It’s important to remember that you cannot drive in Venice so you’ll need to park in Mestre on the mainland or at a parking garage at Piazzale Roma. 

How to get around Veneto

The fast train is a great option for visiting Venice, Verona and Padova. However, it can be a little slow getting between different towns in Veneto via train as you will need to rely on slower regional trains. For a trip that takes in the Dolomites, wine country or along Lake Garda, it makes most sense to rent a car or a driver, or alternatively join a group tour.  

Let’s go to Veneto!

We hope our travel guide to Veneto has inspired you to visit this wonderful region of Italy. If you’re looking for more information, have a listen to our podcast episodes on the islands of Venice and dishes to try in the lagoon city , or read our article on where to stay in Venice , and hidden gems of the capital .