The magnificent city on water – Venice is jam-packed with everything you could want in a holiday destination.
Venice is nothing short of unique, built on mudbanks in the lagoon, having forgone the convenience of cars for the charisma of canals. Getting lost in Venice is part of the fun, and if you’re on foot you’ll only find small backstreets or large piazzas, not a single street in sight.
Location: Venice – Northern Italy’s Veneto region
Language: Italian
Population of city: 265,000
Nearest airport: Venice Marco Polo Airport
Main train/bus station(s): Venezia Santa Lucia, Piazzale Roma Bus Station
Best time to visit? September – November to escape the tourist crowds! The weather is still warm and accommodation is much cheaper.
Budget level? ££
Best for: History/Museums, Landmarks, Romantic Escapes, Arty
2 or 3 nights is plenty of time to get a feel for what the city is about without making your trip there too costly.
Established during the 14th century, the Palazzo Ducale was the seat of power of the Venetian Republic. Home to the Doge of Venice until the fall of the Republic in 1797, the palace officially became a public museum in 1923. Starting in the courtyard, the visit leads you from the Doge’s Apartments to the Institutional Chambers and finishes with the Armoury and Prisons. This Gothic palace is one of the must see attractions in Venice!
The highlight of the Piazza San Marco, St Mark’s Basilica is one of Venice’s most famous churches. It combines different architectural and art styles and is a testimony to the former wealth and power of the Venice Republic.
Named after the mythical firebird, this opera bears his name well: victim of fires, La Fenice has risen twice from the ashes since 1792. Step into its golden rooms and learn about the history of the building and the musical masterpieces played to this day within its walls. You won’t regret it!
Take a gondola or water taxi and relax as you make your way around the Venice Canal. Passing under the world famous Rialto bridge, you’ll cruise through some of Venice’s most famous neighbourhoods!
You can’t not visit this district – first-time Venice visitors and its seasoned city-goers will breeze through here on every trip, no doubt. Full of the city’s main attractions and boutique shops, you’ll spend most of your time here!
Home to the world-famous Rialto Bridge and markets, this area has a mixture of tourist hotspots and quieter side streets and squares to retire to with an aperitivo.
This former “swamp” area plays host to the city’s old Jewish Quarter and is brimming with photogenic buildings, modern shops and buzzing nightlife.
Venice Free Walking Tours offer tours at 9AM, 11AM, and 1PM, lasting between 2.5 and 3 hours, taking in the city from a local’s point of view, off the beaten track – so you won’t cover St Mark’s Square here!
It’s always best to book your spot online as these tend to sell out quickly, but you can hedge your bets by turning up at your meeting point at least 10 minutes before the tour. Tours start at different points, so check ahead on their website.
Italy’s high-speed trains mean that Venice is always within easy reach of other big Italian cities, but you can also head here from Switzerland and Croatia within a day, and even from Paris and Vienna by night train.
Marco Polo is Venice’s major airport with flights to lots of destinations. Some budget airlines use Treviso Airport instead.
If you’re staying in Mestre there’s regular, quick and cheap trains into Venice. Once in Venice itself the only public transport is by boat, but with a single ticket at €7.50 and a day pass at €20 it’s not the cheapest way to get around. Water taxis are even more expensive. Fortunately, most places in Venice are within walking distance.
