Traveling around Venice could be the experience of a lifetime. Its amazing canals, elegant palaces and picturesque atmosphere are hardly forgettable. Let’s dive into the amazingness of Venice with the complete Travel Guide we have written up for you!
- Venice Travel Guide: Your useful resource to visit Venezia
- Why Visit Venice
- When to go to Venice, Italy
- How to get to the city
- How to get around
- Visit Venezia: all the attractions you cannot miss
- Events
- What to eat
- How long to stay in the city
Venice Travel Guide: your useful resource to visit Venezia
You have seen pictures and photographs of the splendid Floating City and you are wondering what it feels like to visit Venezia and get to explore all its wonders.
Some of the attractions of this city are such great symbols that are renowned all over the world. The majestic seat of the Doge’s, the Venetian oldest bridge, the bridge where you can still hear the desperate sighs of the prisoners.
The past, the present and the future. It’s all here for you to discover in this updated Venice travel guide: you’ll find the best places to visit, the best period to come and so much more info to get the best out of your journey here.
Why visit Venice
What is so beautiful about Venice that attracts millions of people every year?
This city surrounded by the majesty of the lagoon has something that cannot properly be explained by words. If you want to understand it, you have to come here and experience it on your own.
We could say it’s about its elegant and gothic architecture, the perfect buildings which reflect their silent images on the water, or we could tell you about the museums that help you picture in your mind the wonderness of the past.
However, all those reasons are just a small part of what you can truly experience here.
In this travel guide to Venice we would like you to understand more about what we are talking about. We would like you to feel surrounded by the beauty of the buildings, the colorful traditions, the lively events and festivals that take place all year round.
In other words, we would like you to feel that our city is more alive than ever and that it is looking forward to welcoming you into its arms!
Let us guide through the wonders of Venice!
When to go to Venice, Italy
First thing first, if you are organizing your trip to the City by the Lagoon, you have to consider the climate, temperatures and weather. So, when to go to Venice?
The city is enjoyable any time of the year, because any season has its peculiar atmosphere.
If you are traveling in Spring, you would be blessed by warm temperatures and sunny days. However, you could also experience colder and windy days. Instead, if you select Summer, the days are hotter and the city would be more crowded than ever.
During Autumn and Winter, as you can imagine, the days are colder and daylight hours are less. Not to mention that you could experience the typical acqua alta phenomenon!
How to get to the city
Traveling to Venice is a great experience per se.
The main airport of the city is called Marco Polo and it is great because it stands by the lagoon. Could you imagine how magical it is to land here? While you are slowly landing here you could see the great panorama offered by the lagoon and all its islands. It's all there, almost within reach of your excited hand!
Once you land here, it’s very easy to get to the city. You can decide to take the bus or the taxi and then reach Piazzale Roma or you just decide to give a thrill of adventure to your trip and take a water bus or a water taxi.
More info about how to get to the city here!
How to get around
What is the best way to get around Venice?
First of all, you can simply decide to walk. The historical center is not so big, so you can get from one place to another in no time. However, you still have to consider that the city is a web of small islands connected by bridges. It is not so easy to get around on foot if you are carrying luggage or strollers with you.
Our recommendation is to plan your transfers around the city before your arrival.
Check here what is the best way to get around Venice
The so-called vaporetto
The Vaporetto is the Water bus and it easily connects one place to another within the historical center. You can also reach the other islands of the lagoon.
The ticket costs 9,50 euro per person and it has a validity of 75 minutes. In case you are planning to use more than one Vaporetto in a day, you can buy the 24 hour ticket, costing 25 euros per person. There are also cards available for people staying in the city for 2, 3 and 7 days.
The water taxis
If you want to get around Venice easily you can decide to take a water taxi.
They are very convenient because they can get you from one place to another in no time. Of course they are more expensive than a vaporetto but they also make you get around the city privately.
Many hotels in Venice offer a private dock, so that you can almost get off in front of their halls!
Getting around by true symbol of Venice
Preparing a Venice travel guide, it’s almost impossible not to mention one of its most popular symbols.
However, is gondola the best way to get around Venice?
Riding it is one of the best experiences you can do during your visit to Venezia. You can glide through the water sitting on a true symbol of the city. In the past, they have been the main means of transport of the aristocracy.
Nowadays, they are no longer used as means of transport, but as a way to enjoy an unforgettable experience and recall the wonders of the past.
Explore more about Gondolas here!
Visit Venezia: all the attractions you cannot miss
Once you get here, all the main attractions of the city unroll before your amazed eyes like a wonderful carpet.
Feast your eyes with some of the most beautiful places in the world. Elegant buildings and charming palaces, splendid bridges and enchanting museums: during your visit to Venezia you will be surrounded by pure beauty and timeless charm.
Which attractions should you include during your visit?
10) The most important Canal of Venice
To begin our Travel Guide, we can only start here.
The Grand Canal is the most important canal of the city and it’s the starting point of many tours.
You will see it as soon as you get out of the Venezia Santa Lucia train station, for instance. But you will also see it while you are crossing the most important bridges of Venice.
It’s the most important thoroughfare but it’s also as charming and beautiful as ever.
9) The inner heart of the city
Couldn’t we mention Saint Mark’s Square in our Venice Travel Guide?
It’s the inner heart and it concentrates in its wide and elegant space some of the most important attractions.
You will be truly amazed as soon as you get here. The marvelous Basilica with its elegant bell tower, the Museo Correr and, of course, one of the main symbols of the Serenissima Republic, which we are now going to explore.
8) The elegant seat of the Doges
During your visit to Venezia, you cannot miss the chance to visit this prestigious palace that stands by the lagoon.
The Doge’s Palace is the symbol of the power of the Venice of the past and the elegant seat of the Doges. Here justice was administered, politics and business were discussed, but there were also the terrible prisons and apartments of the doge.
Now you can stroll around the halls and the rooms that belong to that triumphal time of the past and wonder how amazing it had to be.
Explore more about the seat of the Doges here!
7) The most romantic bridge to visit in Venezia
If we ask you to picture in your mind the most romantic bridge in the world, you’d probably think of the Bridge of Sighs.
It stands, in all its elegant whiteness, above the Rio di Palazzo, next to Palazzo Ducale.
Why should you visit it? Not only because it seems so romantic, but also for its important history. Could you hear the whispers and the desperate sighs of the prisoners of Serenissima?. While they were crossing that very bridge, they knew that they would never see the light of day again.
Click here to know how to visit the Bridge!
6) The oldest bridge of Venice
Crossing the Grand Canal, there is the oldest bridge in Venice.
Admiring the splendor of the Rialto Bridge, could you tell that, at the very beginning of the history of the city, it was a floating bridge?
Now it reveals all its beauty to the amazed eyes of the thousands of visitors that come here every year. You can simply decide to cross the bridge and admire the lagoon or you can dedicate to shopping in many of the shops that are located on the bridge.
5) The golden palace of Venice
Navigating the Grand Canal you will have the opportunity to visit one of the most marvelous palaces of the city. It once belonged to one of the richest Venetian families and it now hosts one of the most beautiful museums of the city.
The Galleria Franchetti collects Venetian and Flemish paintings, but also statues and bronzes.
Additionally, the view of the canal from the Gallery is just unforgettable.
Discover the golden palace here!
4) One of the greatest modern art museum in the world
In our Venice Travel Guide we cannot fail but mention one of the most important modern art museums in the world.
Inside the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, there is the incredible Guggenheim Collection. The museum began thanks to works collected during Peggy Guggenheim's lifetime, and then grew over the years through purchases and donations.
Here you can discover works of art by Pollock, Dalì, Magritte, Picasso and enjoy wonderful workshops organized by the museum.
3) The shipyard of the Serenissima republic
If you want to know more about the history and the grandeur of the city, you should pass St Mark’s and go to the District called Castello.
A great part of this area is covered by the Arsenale, surrounded by more than 3 kilometers of red crenelated walls.
Most of it is dedicated to the Italian Navy, but the rest of it becomes part of the exhibitions of the Biennale.
Click here to know how to visit the Arsenale.
2) The place from which the word “Ghetto” comes from
Not only is the Venice Ghetto the first in the world, but it is also the place where the word itself was born.
The Jewish Ghetto is located not far from the train station and gives the visitors a great insight of the history of this area of the city.
The streets are very narrow, the buildings tall. Many shops, restaurants and museums also provide a great picture of the Jewish culture. Definitely a place to visit in Venice.
1) At the top of our Venice Travel Guide: the gorgeous rooftop above the Grand Canal
It’s not an attraction per se. However it gives you one of the best panoramas of the city.
Next to the Rialto bridge, there is in fact a beautiful building called Fondaco dei Tedeschi. It’s now a luxury department store.
If you go on the top of it, you can access its marvelous rooftop, from which you can enjoy one of the greatest views of the city!
Even if the access is totally free, don’t forget to purchase your access ticket!
The Events
What is Venice without its events?
The Venetian calendar is so full with events that enrich the atmosphere of the city all year around. Some of them are known in every part of the world, while others are lesser known and celebrated only by locals.
In this Venice Travel Guide we have listed some of the most important events that are celebrated in the Floating City. Let’s explore them together!
The most colorful and crazy period of the year
The last days of winter are usually dedicated to Carnival. This tradition belongs to the past, when this festival was a colorful and crazy way to let citizens have some fun and forget about their worries of their daily life.
We have prepared a detailed travel guide to this event.
The international exhibition of Art and Architecture
Our city is also renowned for an international exhibition that is called Biennale.
It usually takes place from April or May to October or November and it draws artists from all over the world. Most of the exhibitions and events take place at the Arsenale, but many of them are often spread throughout the center.
On our website you can find many articles dedicated to this big event. You can simply type “Biennale” on the search bar!
The Most Famous Feast to visit in Venice
Which event is called “The Most Famous Feast”?
It’s the Redentore (which we could translate as “The Holy Redeemer”), a big event that takes place on the third weekend of July.
Even though this event has been born as a holy celebration, because it was a way to thank the Virgin Mary for the salvation from the XVI century plague, nowadays it is also a great, sparkling and joyful moment. Not only is a big floating bridge made up to connect the Giudecca island to Venice, but great fireworks are set at night.
The annual exhibition dedicated to Movies
Connected to the Biennale, there is also the famous Movie Festival, which takes place at the beginning of September.
The glamorous setting of this event is the island of Lido, where movie stars and movie directors land to present their works.
This is definitely one of the most gorgeous events of the year!
What to eat
You cannot say you have visited Venezia if you have not tasted its food. It’s part of the culture and the dishes you can try here hide a very long history.
So, what to eat in Venice?
It’s not easy to summarize everything, because Venetian cuisine is so rich in traditions and ingredients. However, our website is full of inspiration and tips on what you should eat in Venice.
Just start from the unmissable dishes of our tradition, and continue your journey exploring more about the so-called Venetian tapas.
How long to stay in the city
Should you spend 2 or 3 days? Or maybe one day is enough to explore the Floating City?
It’s not so easy to answer this question, because it highly depends on your availability and possibilities.
However, in our opinion, if you have the chance to stay more in Venice, the better. We think that 3 days are the bare minimum to visit the city.
On the first day you just have a quick look at the main parts of the historical center and on the second and third days you can organize the visit to monuments and museums.
On the other hand, just remember to experience the city and engage in activities and events that make you feel in touch with our culture and traditions!
Check out here our itineraries!
We truly hope you have enjoyed our Venice travel guide.