Travel Guide: Venice, Italy
Upon arrival it is easy to see why so many visitors flock to Venice each year. The beautiful canals, the amazing architecture-- it looks as if it were pulled from a postcard. Even with the large amount of tourists, this truly unique city is a place worth visiting at least once, and your trip doesn’t need to be a long one. Our day and a half in Venice gave us enough time to see all the major attractions and get a good feel of the city. Read on for my guide to Venice.
GETTING THERE
BY AIR
There are several airlines from Canada, the U.S. and other countries that fly directly into Venice’s Marco Polo airport. The airport is located on the mainland, and from here there are a few options to get you to the island:
Water Taxi: The water taxi is most convenient but most expensive option. A water taxi will pick you up close to the airport, and drop you off as close to your accommodations as possible, allowing you to avoid transferring or having to walk a long distance. This will, however, cost approximately €100 for a private water taxi and approximately €30 per person for a shared water taxi. You can purchase your tickets ahead of time on websites such as Venice Link or at ticket booths once you arrive.
Bus: Another option to get from Marco Polo airport to the island is by bus. There are two types of buses, ATVO and ACTV buses. The ATVO buses are private coach style buses and provide non-stop service (approximately 20 minutes) to Piazzale Roma. The ACTV buses are public transportation buses. The line #5 ACTV bus will take you to the same location. From Piazzale Roma you can then take a water bus (“vaporetto”), a water taxi, or walk to your accommodation. Tickets for each bus cost approximately €8 per person. Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines once you arrive at the airport or online prior to your trip.
BY TRAIN
The best and easiest way to get to Venice if you are coming from another city within Italy is to arrive by train to the Santa Lucia Train Station. Once you arrive to the station you can then take a water bus, water taxi, or walk to your accommodation.
GETTING AROUND
Walk
Besides travelling by boat, the only (and best) way to get around Venice is to walk. Luckily the city is small enough that you can get pretty much anywhere you need to go by doing so. Other than taking the water bus to get from the train station to our hotel upon arrival we walked everywhere on the island. Walking through the narrow streets of Venice getting lost is also the best way to experience the city.
Vaporetto (Venice Water Bus)
While they are often crowded, they are the most affordable way (besides walking) to get around Venice. There are multiple lines that run within the city as well as to the other nearby islands. Each line makes multiple stops and most run frequently between 5am and midnight. If you enter your destination in Google maps, it will tell you in the direction steps which line number you need to take.
Tickets for the vaporetto can be bought all over the city at tickets offices or at a station (sometimes a shop or newsstand) where you see the “ACTV” logo. You must validate your ticket each time before boarding. You can do so by scanning them at the machines where you board. A green light will blink to confirm the card has been activated.
A single trip costs about €7.50 and is good for approximately 75 minutes after validation (the price is the same no matter what distance you are travelling). If you plan on using the vaporetto a lot you can buy an extended use pass for multiple days – the cost is €20 for 24 hours, €30 for 48 hours or €40 for 72 hours.
A Vaporetto Stop
Other Methods
Other methods of transportation for getting around Venice are the traghetto or water taxis.
The traghetto, which is a large gondola with two rowers, is cheap (only €2) but their routes are limited-- they only travel from one side of the Grand Canal to the other. There are no tickets for these; you pay the fare to the gondolier upon boarding.
Water taxis, as mentioned above, are convenient but expensive. Using these to travel within the city will cost you significantly more than the other options mentioned—between €45-90.
Where to Stay
When deciding where to stay there are several neighbourhoods (“sestieri”) and options to choose from.
San Marco: the most central neighbourhood where you’ll find most of Venice’s major attractions, high end shopping and some of best hotels. Stay here if you want to be close to a lot of the major sights and don’t mind being in the middle of all the crowds.
Cannaregio: where you’ll find yourself if you arrive to Venice by train to the The Santa Lucia train station. Stay here if you’re looking for an area full of good canal side restaurants and hip bars and where you’ll get to experience Venice a bit more like a local than a tourist.
Castello: another neighbourhood where you’ll likely find more locals than tourists. Stay here if you’re looking for a more quiet atmosphere while still being close to a lot of the major tourist attractions.
Dorsoduro: a district consisting of some of Venice’s top museums and most of its Universities. Stay here if you have a love for art, are looking for an area filled with a younger crowd, and want a place that is quiet during the day but becomes lively at night.
San Polo/Santa Croce: two of Venice’s oldest areas. While there aren’t many of Venice’s major attractions here, San Polo is where you’ll find the Rialto Bridge and the best markets in Venice. Santa Croce is more quiet but home to good restaurants.
Accommodation Suggestions
Venice is very expensive and unless you are visiting during off-season it is very difficult to find affordable accommodations. Here are a few suggestions on where to stay.
Budget $
Guest House Ca' dell'Angelo (San Marco)
Mid-Range $$
Novecento Boutique Hotel (San Marco)
Casanova Flat (Cannaregio)
Ca Rezzonico Apartment R&R (Dorsoduro)
Rooftop Grand Canal Apartment (San Polo)
High-End $$$
Casa Flora* (San Marco)
Hotel Bauer Palazzo (San Marco)
Cima Rosa Bed and Breakfast (San Polo)
The Gritti Palace (San Marco)
Where To Eat (and drink)
Antiche Carampane- “No pizza, no lasagne, no menu turistico” reads the menu out front of this cozy family run restaurant popular among locals. Here you’ll find authentic Venetian cuisine; fresh seafood is what they do best. Reservations are a must and can be made online.
La Zucca- a small and charming restaurant in the Santa Croce district that serves mainly vegetarian dishes.
All’Arco- an authentic Venetian bacari (wine bar) with some of the best cichetti (Venetian style tapas). There are standing counters only inside and a few seats outside.
Al Merca- another Venice bacari with inexpensive cichetti and drinks for just €3-4.
Caffe Florian- it’s location in Piazza San Marco means it is expensive and touristy, but it is the oldest café in the world so for some the experience is worth the cost. We chose not to dine here but if you do, go for a coffee in the morning or a spritz in the afternoon.
Pro tip: Be prepared that if there is live music playing out front while you are there you will be charged an extra €6 per person to sit outside (and they often won’t tell you until you get your bill).
Caffe Florian
Gelatoteca Suso- some of best gelato on the island.
Harry’s- famous for being the place where the Bellini was invented.
Bar Longhi- a classic bar located in the Gritti Palace Hotel.
Taverna al Remer- one of the best happy hours in Venice.
Rooftop or Patio of Hotel Bauer Palazzo- for an afternoon cocktail with great views.
Rooftop Bar at Hotel Bauer Palazzo
Il Mercante- a cocktail bar that serves more unique craft cocktails as opposed to the classics you will find at most other places.
Bierreria Zanon- a casual bar serving craft style beers.
Vino Vero- a quaint canal side wine bar in the Cannaregio sestieri.
Torrefazione Cannaregio- small hip cafe for some of the best coffee in Venice.
Things to See
While visiting some of these busy attractions wasn’t our favourite part of Venice, they are worth seeing. I suggest you go early to avoid as much of the crowds as possible.
St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) – the most famous piazza located in the heart of Venice. It is the ultimate spot for people watching.
St. Mark’s Basilica – the most famous Church in Venice.
Doges Palace- another one of Venice’s most famous building. Tickets and tours are available to see the interior but be prepared for long lines.
Doges Palace
The Bridges of Sigh – a historic landmark.
The Bridges of Sigh
Rialto Bridge- Venice’s most famous bridge overlooking the Grand Canal.
Rialto Market- Venice’s main market for fresh produce and seafood located near the Rialto Bridge. It is best to go in the morning to see most of the action.
Rialto Bridge
ThINGS tO DO
Get Lost
The best thing to do in Venice is simply just wander around the narrow streets. Our favourite thing we did during our time in Venice was walk without a plan around the less explored neighbourhoods and smaller canals, café and bar hopping.
The Grand Canal- the largest canal that spans from one end of Venice to the other. We enjoyed having drinks along the canal to watch all of the action, or you could get on the canal with a gondola ride or boat tour.
Walking Tour
Want to learn a little more about Venice? There are many walking tours available. Whether you want a tour that hits the major attractions, or a food tour that take you to authentic local places, here are some tours with something for everyone.
Gondola Ride
Yes it is expensive (about €80 for a half hour), and yes it is touristy, but is also feels like a quintessential Venetian activity. We grabbed a drink at a nearby shop and took a ride one evening before dinner. Decide if the short ride and expensive ride is worth it to you— we were glad we did.
Eat Cicchetti & Drink a Spritz- these were already mentioned above but to eat like a Venetian you should have at least one meal that consists of eating these Venetian tapas and pairing them with this classic Italian cocktail you will find all over Venice.
Visit Museums
There is no shortage of museums to visit in Venice. Gallerie dell’Accademia, Doge’s Palace, & Peggy Guggenheim are a few of the most popular. If you plan on visiting multiple museums you can get a museum pass which will give you access to multiple museums at a better rate.
T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi Rooftop Terrance- the DFS department store has a rooftop terrace with amazing views of Venice. There is free admission to the rooftop, but they suggest making a reservation to secure a time.
Visit Nearby Islands Burano or Murano- if you have enough time consider taking a trip to the island of Burano or Murano (or both!). Burano is known for it’s brightly coloured homes and Murano is famous for its glass blowing. We only had time for one so we decided to explore Burano for a few hours and grab lunch there before returning to Venice.
The Island of Burano
GENERAL TiPS
Get up early to explore. Venice (especially the main tourist areas and attractions) gets extremely crowded by late morning. Venice is best without the crowds.
Be warned that you will get lost. The streets of Venice are like a maze. Even with Google Maps we got lost a few times, but hey like I said, getting lost walking the narrows paths is part of the charm of Venice.
Speaking of Google Maps- make sure you turn on the “avoid ferries” option in the app when you just want walking directions—otherwise the directions may have you walking straight into one of the canals and you may have to back track quite a bit.
Be aware that most restaurants in Venice have a service charge, or “coperto.” The charge is usually around €2 and in most cases is specified on the menu but watch out for extra charges, or ask about it before you order.
If you plan on visiting many of Venice’s main tourist attractions, consider buying a skip the line pass online prior to going.
