Is it worth visiting Venice? I’ve been there 5 times in the last 10 years and I can emphatically say Yes, Venice is worth visiting. I know the city may sound overrated and over travelled. And yes overtourism is a problem in Venice when visitors descend upon it during cruise season. But it’s still a city worth visiting at least once in your lifetime. My ultimate Venice, Italy travel guide will cover the highlights and hidden gems this floating city has to offer.
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Know Before You Go
Before you imagine yourself floating down the Grand Canal in a majestic gondola, or marvelling at the grandeur of the Piazza San Marco, here are some essential Venice travel tips to know before you go.
Language: Italian.
Voltage: 230 V.
Currency: the Euro (and credit cards are widely accepted).
Major Train station (on the Venetian lagoon): Venezzia Santa Lucia
Major Train station (on the mainland): Venezzia Mestre
Major International Airport: Marco Polo International Airport
When’s the best time to visit Venice to avoid crowds?
Avoid crowds (or as much of them as possible) by visiting Venice in early April or late October. The weather is a bit cooler and the cruise ships should be gone by then. This fewer tourists will be descending onto the city like vultures.
It can also get up to 35 to 40 degrees celsius in the summertime and the canals do give off an odour. The smell doesn’t bother me (I find it part of the city’s charm since it is surrounded by canals), but it could be an issue if you’re not prepared for it.
Is Venice a walkable City?
Yes, Venice is a very walkable city. Unfortunately that also means it’s not the most accessible city for visitors in wheelchairs. Venice is all about the bridges and many of those can be pretty hard to cross in a wheelchair. But there are always water taxis (known as vaporetto) you can take to help get you as near as possible to the sites you want to visit.
Getting There
There are several ways to get to Venice depending on where you are in Europe or the rest of the world.
Fly into Marco Polo International Airport.
Fly into Marco Polo International Airport and then catch ground transport to get to the Venetian lagoon. The best, and most convenient way, to travel across Europe is by high-speed rail. You could always rent a car too depending on your itinerary, but I find travelling by rail saves you the headache of having to figure out navigation on your own.
Arrive in style by high-speed rail.
Italy has great high-speed rail. I highly recommend buying tickets in advance to secure your seats. You’ll usually be offered discounts and you might even catch business class (or even first class) seats on sale. It’s definitely worth splurging on, if your budget allows it, for a business class seat if the train ride is going to be 4 hours or more. You’ll get wider seats with more leg room and even complimentary snacks and drinks. All business class cars are located right next to the bistro car. This means it’s a short walk to buy extra snacks, or to even treat yourself to a bottle of wine on the trip while enjoying the Italian countryside scenery.
Buying tickets online also guarantees you a seat and easy access to your tickets. They’ll be sent to you as PDF and QR codes which you simply show to the conductor once you’re on the train. No fuss, no muss.
Where to Stay
What are the best neighbourhoods to stay in Venice?
As usual, I’ll start with where you should avoid staying. Avoid staying near St. Mark’s Square (San Marco) or the Rialto Bridge as those places can get loud and rowdy at night. Stay a few streets away from the main tourist areas to get a better night’s sleep and to explore where the locals live. Keep in mind that Venice is a very walkable city and you’ll be able to get to the major sites no matter where you stay.
Best places to stay for budget travellers.
Hotel Name: Ostello Santa Fosca
Location: Cannareggio district. Quieter and just slightly farther out from Rialto and St.Mark’s square. Keep in mind you can walk to many of the tourist attractions no matter where you stay.
Best for: It’s rich history and historical charm, student accommodation, travellers on a budget. Be willing to share a room and bathrooms with fellow travellers.
I stayed here in 2014 and now prices aren’t as “budget” as they used to be anymore. But it’s in a great location in the Cannaregio district; a short walk from the main train station and to other major sites. The hostel is an old church which has been renovated over the years to accommodate travelling students. This is a dormitory-style accommodation great for travellers on a tighter budget and students on their backpacking trip.
If you’re looking for something more romantic (and with some privacy), see my Splurge options below.
Best places to stay for premium experiences.
Hotel Name: Hotel Palazzo Abadessa
Location: Cannareggio district. Downtown Venice and it’s about 10 minutes to the Rialto bridge and about 20 minutes to St. Mark’s Square.
Best for: Couples getaway. Another historical and grand establishment. Great for travellers who want some privacy, luxury, and easy transport (hotel has its own docking port).
It’s a beautiful hotel on the Campiello Priuli street and it’s a few streets away from major sites. This is more of where the locals live and behind the hotel you’ll find classic Venetian boats and gondolas parked next to the buildings. You’ll have limitless chances to take pictures and catch the light as the sun rises and sets. It’s also just 10 to 20 minutes away from the main tourist sites. And the best part? It’s closer to the “other” side of Venice where there’s also a large port to catch water taxis to other islands (such as Murano).
Hotel Name: Hotel Marconi
Location: Literally right next to the Rialto Bridge.
Best for: Luxury getaway right in the heart of downtown Venice. Easy walking to all major tourist attractions and you’ll literally be staying next to one: the Rialto Bridge.
An extremely elegant hotel and it’s also located inside a historic mansion. This one is definitely the best for location, but remember it can get busy and noisy as you’ll be in a prime tourist location. However, you are also minutes away from all the major sites and restaurants. This can be a great choice if location is the most important factor for you and you don’t mind the noise.
What to See and Do
If you’re still asking yourself is it worth visiting Venice, then I hope the list below of some of the best things to do in Venice will compel you to visit this magical city.
Glide on the Grand Canal in a gondola.
I’m sure you’ve been itching to ask: how much is a gondola ride? We paid 80 EUROs for up to 4 passengers (the gondola can hold up to a maximum of 5 guests). This is definitely an activity to splurge on for a family or something to split among friends.
As cheesy as it sounds, riding in a gondola is worth it at least once in your lifetime. You’ll enjoy the views of Venice from the waterways and you’ll get to see the underbelly of the Rialto Bridge. And don’t forget to kiss your loved one here! It’s good luck!
Your gondolier will briefly narrate the history of Venice and point out any significant buildings you might not get to see on foot. Fun fact: the gondoliers get to decorate and name their gondolas. The gondolier we had, Bryan, named his gondola after his grandmother, Allegra, and had seahorses as decorations. Each gondola has a unique history, so it’s worth the splurge to learn about their origin stories.
Admire Saint Mark’s Square
Of course you must see St. Mark’s Square! Make sure to visit at night as each window in the palace is lit up. Look at the Square from the point of view of the Doge’s palace and you’ll get a great photo op of the expansiveness of the Square.
The Doge’s palace itself is decorated with Byzantine mosaics depicting the life of Christ and the Apostles. You can see many of them on the façade of the Palace without having to go in. However, definitely buy tickets in advance if you do want to enter the Palace as the lines will be long during high (and even low) season.
Side note: coffee at Saint Mark’s Square costs a fortune!
There are several restaurants with live music in Saint Mark’s square, but the last time I was there in 2014 it cost 15 EURO for a cappuccino. Be prepared with that credit card if you truly want to dine in the Square.
Sigh at the Bridge of Sighs and wonder at the Rialto Bridge
Don’t miss the Bridge of Sighs where (according to Wikipedia) prisoners would sign as they saw their last glimpse of Venice as they’re being transported to their prison cells.
And then there’s the bridge of all bridges in the world to see: the Rialto Bridge. There’ll be a bajillion tourists taking selfies there, so don’t be afraid to squeeze yourself in for a picture too when you see an opportunity. Don’t just take selfies however, make sure to admire the view you get from standing on the Rialto Bridge: it’s the glory of Venice all in front of you.
Visit a glass blowing factory on Murano Island
One of the best things to do in Venice is visit a glass blowing factory on Murano island. Our hotel had a partnership with one of the glass factories on Murano island. They arranged a water taxi for us for a round trip to Murano island with a tour of the factory included — entirely free. So definitely ask your hotel if they have a partnership with any of the glass factories and if they’ll arrange a free tour for you. Murano island is also only 10 minutes away by water taxi. It’s easy to get to Murano island on your own if the hotel you’re staying in doesn’t provide those tour services.
Admire the glass sculptures with no pressure to purchase.
During our tour, we watched a glass master show off his skill by sculpting a small horse statue in under 90 seconds. There’s also a chance to buy real Murano glass products direct from the factory, but with no obligation to buy anything at all.
There’s no pressure to buy anything from the factory because you got a free tour; simply show your gratitude and appreciation. If you do want to make a larger purchase, know that you can potentially save up to 40% off the official purchase price if you aren’t a local. The factory can ship large purchases directly to your home properly wrapped and fully insured.
Full disclaimer that this information is only current to the time I visited one of the factories and can change according to factory. Consult with the sales associates for the factory you’re visiting to find out how much you can save if you decide to invest in an original Murano glass piece.
Where to Eat
Indulge in fresh seafood.
There are endless restaurants serving pizza and lasagne. But since you are on an island shaped like a fish, tasting fresh seafood is highly recommended.
Restaurant: Osteria Antico Giardinetto
Location: Calle dei Morti 2253, Santa Croce 30135 Venezia
Style and price: Premium casual.
A special dinner we had located far off the main roads (we only found it thanks to Google Maps) was Osteria Antico Giardinetto. It’s a lovely seafood restaurant with a charming patio and a small space for indoor dining. Reservations are a must.
We had appetizers of mixed fresh seafood such as fresh sardines, anchovies, creamed cod on polenta, seared scallops, salmon, mussels, and langoustine. Scared of fish smelling “fishy”? Or pungent? Let’s just say that won’t be a problem here at all.
For mains, we ordered taglioni (long pasta) with scallops and zucchini, squid ink vermicelli, and spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams). And finally we had a strawberry panna cotta to close out the meal.
Delight in fresh tiramisu.
Shop name: I Tre Mercanti
Location: Calle al Ponte de la Guerra, 5364, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy
Style and price: Casual and affordable.
My favourite place for a refreshing treat is I Tre Mercanti. A specialty grocery store that also makes fresh tiramisu every day. There’s usually a gentleman in a bowler hat standing at the store front’s bay window making fresh tiramisu. The tiramisu they make is balanced, light, but decadent without the weight. A sweet way to end your bucket-list trip to Venice before hopping back on the train (or plane!) to head to your next destination.
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