My Travel Guide to Venice, Italy
I heard a quote once about Venice, Italy: "Visiting Venice is like eating a box of chocolate liqueurs in one go..." (author unknown)
Now it might not be just like that... But I do understand the decadence the author might have been referring to...
Venice is luxuriously self-indulgent.
I envy any true Venetian who calls this incredible city "home".
The art scene in Venice rivals any museum, the city itself you could argue is an open-air museum and art gallery on display for the world to admire.
Venice captured my heart. I’ve now had the pleasure of spending over two weeks in this amazing city, so I wanted to share some of my personal favourite places to eat and some things to go when you visit Venezia.
Where to Stay in Venice, Italy:
Venice may be costly, but it's an investment worth making. The splendor of the accommodations here, with their impeccable elegance, is an experience unto itself. Contrary to popular belief, Venice is not as expansive as it might seem. Though the narrow alleyways and bustling crowds can extend your travel time between destinations, getting lost in the labyrinthine streets is an integral part of the city's enchanting charm.
Maison Venezia | Una Esperienze - 4 Star - Located near the Cannaregio and Rialto areas of Venice, this 4 star property is great value. It's about 10-15 minutes walk from Piazza San Marco and a 5 minute walk from the famous Rialto Bridge and Market. Maison Venezia | Una Esperienze is clean comfortable, with some historic charm and reasonably easy to get to by Vaporetto (nearest station is within 5 minutes).
Santa Chiara Hotel - 4 Star - I booked this hotel solely on location on the way back from on of my cruises. It's beside the bus terminal to the airport and across the bridge from the train station, as well as very close to several different vaporetto stops, so for location and ease it's amazing.. It's also one of the only hotels on Venice that you can physically drive to and has it’s own parking. The service of the staff and rooms are amazing as well. I booked a Deluxe Canal View room and it didn't disappoint, I enjoyed a glass of Lambrusco while enjoying the view from my hotel room. It's been recently renovated, the rooms are very well appointed and a deluxe breakfast buffet was also included.
Hotel Danieli - 5 Star - This hotel is a Venice classic. Featured in so many films, once you stay here, you'll understand why it's a must. This hotel is currently going through an incredible restoration project and will be joining the Four Seasons portfolio soon, Hotel Danieli has the most perfect of locations, located mere steps from St. Marks Square and the Doge's Palace. The restaurant here is incredible and overlooks the Grand Canal.
Other hotels to note: Belmond’s Hotel Cipriani, San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice, The Gritti Palace, Hilton Molino Stucky, JW Marriott Venice and The Westin Europa & Regina.
Where to Eat in Venice, Italy:
When you think of Venice, "foodie town" might not be the first thing that comes to mind. While it may not be your go-to destination for certain Italian delicacies if it's your only stop in Italy, Venice boasts exceptional culinary offerings that will delight any visitor. Venetians live differently, but they certainly know how to do it right. A typical Venetian breakfast features a cappuccino and a cornetto, much like the rest of Italy. For lunch, you might enjoy freshly made pasta, a panini, or a calzone from one of the charming local bakeries nestled along the winding pathways. Remember, the best restaurants don't need waiters outside luring you in with promises of a "free glass of wine" or a "tourist menu." The truly great spots are already bustling (sometimes with lines of people) with satisfied patrons.
Venice is renowned for its seafood, and the bustling Rialto Market, especially its fish section, is a testament to this culinary tradition. The fish market operates Tuesday through Saturday, offering a vibrant array of fresh seafood. Local chefs frequent this market daily to procure the freshest produce, fish, and other ingredients, which they transform into exceptional daily creations and specials. It's an experience not to be missed for any food enthusiast.
But early evening/late afternoon, is strictly for cicchetti. Cicchetti is similar to tapas, it's a variety of small bites that you enjoy with a glass of house wine or as Venetians call it “umbra”, which literally translates as a glass of “shade”. Usually when ordering cicchetti, you can have an entire meal with a couple glasses of wine for under €20 per person. Some of my favourites for cicchetti are Al Merca, Bar All’Arco, Cantina Do Mori, Bacaro al Ravano, Al Timon and Ca’ d’oro Alla Vedova (the meatballs!).
The local drink of choice in Venice varies depending on where you go, but house wines are consistently excellent, whether you prefer white or red. Due to Venice's proximity to DOC and DOCG regions (designations for regionally protected wines), the prosecco here is exceptionally fresh, crisp, and reasonably priced. For an authentic experience, check out Al Prosecco, a trendy wine bar where you can enjoy some outstanding local prosecco by the glass. Also, Venice is the birth place of the real Bellini. Make sure you try this very refreshing cocktail at least once. I enjoyed mine whilst “people watching” near Piazza San Marco.
Some of my favourite restaurants in Venice include Ristorante Wildner which is located on the Grand Canal near San Marcos Piazza, walk along past Hotel Danieli near the San Zaccaria vaporetto stops, and you’ll find this restaurant. They had a delicious 3 course meal for €25 including a starter, main and dessert. In the Cannaregio area of Venice, I really enjoyed my dinner at Osteria L'Orto dei Mori. For more a more upscale dining experience, Venice boasts some of Italy's best restaurants, offering both Michelin-starred fine dining and beloved local favourites. Oro Restaurant, situated in the luxurious Belmond Hotel Cipriani, provides a stunning dining experience with its innovative cuisine. Glam Enrico Bartolini, located in the Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel, features sophisticated dishes crafted by the renowned chef Enrico Bartolini, blending traditional and contemporary flavors. Overlooking St. Mark's Square, Quadri offers exquisite Venetian cuisine in a historic setting, enhancing the dining experience with its elegant interior and exceptional service. Wistèria, while not Michelin-starred, has gained acclaim for its creative dishes and impeccable presentation, making it a favorite among discerning diners. These restaurants exemplify Venice's culinary excellence, providing a range of options from high-end dining to locally-loved gems.. For fresh seafood and a favourite of many locals would be Cantina do Spade near Rialto Market.
What to see in Venice:
Venice is one of those magical places where you want to get up early to take advantage of the true local life or what's left there of. Venice at sunrise overlooking the Grand Canal is one the most beautiful moments that I've ever experienced. Simply wandering the alleyways of Venice (and getting lost) is something that you definitely need to do. Taking in the sights, the smells, the atmosphere and truly the soul of this place. Sometimes that's the great part of travelling. While wandering the streets of Venice I turned the corner and came across a gentleman playing the violin on the steps of a church. I stood there, for a few minutes, peering through an archway, whilst the locals went about their daily life. Again, one of those moments I was so happy to have come across.
It can be easy to get lost in Venice, however follow the signs to the nearest popular points of interest (yellow signs on most buildings pointing the way down alleys to Rialto, San Marco, and other popular areas of Venice). For museums, Doge's Palace, St. Marks Basilica and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum were my favourites. I also wandered the area around the Accademia which is near where the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is located.
I also did trips over to Murano, Burano and Torcello. You can do a guided half day tour, which I did, however I revisited all the islands myself with vaporettos (the ferry system in Venice). Torcello holds most of the history of Venice, as this was the first of the islands in the lagoon that was inhabited when Treviso was invaded (more on Treviso in another post soon). Burano, is know for its beautiful lace making and colourful houses. It's a stunning fishing village that you want to visit in the early morning or early evening once all the tour groups have left. Murano is the island of world renown glass. True Murano glass is still made here on this island and crafted by amazing artisans. I do purchase a few pieces each time I visit Murano, just be sure that you are buying from a reputable shop.
Another thing to do whilst in Venice is to try to take in a performance at the opera (or at least try to do a tour of the opera house). It's one of those things that truly gives you a glimpse of life into Venice's luxurious and opulent past.
If you’re into stationary, there are some great local artisans in Venice. I always make a stop into “Scriba”, this time I purchased a beautiful Murano glass “compass” wax seal.
How to Get Around Venice:
So as you may know their are no cars on Venice proper. So getting around involves walking or taking water transport of some sort. There are multiple water transport options. To and from the airport you have the Alilaguna ferries. Around Venice and to the other islands, you have the vaporetto system (run by ACTV), which is very similar to city buses just on water. You can also hire private boats (water taxis) to take you from point A to point B in VIP style.
Water taxis are by far the most expensive way to get around Venice when it comes to transport. Finally, you then have the very touristic water transportation of gondolas. A gondola ride can cost you upwards of €110 for an hour and is not typical a mode of transportation anymore, but really just a tour of the canals. It's still a beautiful way to enjoy Venice's past and see the city from a different angle. If you did want to try a gondola, and you’re on a budget, be sure to take a “Traghetto”. This costs around €2 per person to cross the Main Canal at a couple various points.
I did do a lot of walking around Venice, but found it very nice to use the vaporetto system. I would highly suggest buying the pass for as many days is you feel you need it, as it is a better rate, however you can buy 24, 48, 72, and 168 hours passes, respectively from first ticket validation (also a pass with the bus transfer to and from the airport). You do need to validate the pass before you get onto the vaporetto, you will see a validation machine, which you just hold the RFID embedded pass in front of until it goes green and beeps. If you failed to validate your vaporetto pass (ACTV pass), you can be fined (I did see and have my tickets checked a few times on my various trips using the vaporetto). The passes are good for all ferries and vaporettos with ACTV, so day trips to the other islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello and Lido are all included.
Honestly I LOVED Venice. Italy to me as a country feels like home, but Venice even more so. My Great Grandfather is from the Veneto area, so I feel a connection to Venice. I can't wait to come back here.
I know over-tourism is a problem, the "No Grandi Navi" (No Large Ships) motion won and no larger cruise ships can call on the Port of Venice since 2022. However after visiting, it seems the vaporettos and water taxis create more of a wake and waves than the large ships in my opinion. Where I think the true problem lies is the large amount of cruise ship passengers and land tour groups that just visit Venice for the day only. I can see the frustration, I myself got frustrated with one tour group in an alleyway, I guided an elderly "nonna" past them whilst they took up the entire space, not being considerate to the passers by. These passengers also don't necessarily support the true local businesses. The true locals who own restaurants, artisan shops and stores are being left out to the street vendors who hawk products “Made in China” where they buy a magnet or a tacky tourist bag with "Venezia" written across it. I know this is a whole other conversation, but I think it comes down to being a conscious traveller. We do our best to support local at home, we need to strive to do this abroad as well. There is also now a “Daily Access Fee” if you do visit Venice on certain “peak days”. This is charged to anyone who is not staying in Venice. You can learn more about it by clicking here and if you are exempt for paying the daily fee (this is the link to the official website (https://cda.ve.it/en/), be sure to not use other websites as some are not legitimate).
I hope you are able to visit Venice for more than a day, it's truly an amazing, romantic and unique city.
Are you interested in planning your next vacation to Venice, Italy? If you’re looking to work with me as your travel advisor, please click here to contact me.
Happy travels!
Ariane
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If you’re interested in watching my YouTube video on Exploring Venice, you can watch it here: