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24 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Venice

Written by Barbara Radcliffe Rogers Updated Dec 22, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

In a city as filled with tourist attractions as Venice, it's hard to know where to begin. Perhaps the best way is to simply get lost for a few hours wandering through its enchanting little streets and passageways, strolling beside its canals, and finding its secret corners.

At every turn, you'll see something worth remembering with a photo. No matter where this exploration takes you, it's easy to find your way back to Piazza San Marco and the Grand Canal. Most of the best sights you'll want to visit lie around these two landmarks.

Venice is divided into six sestieri, neighborhoods that have distinctly different characters. San Marco is the central one, surrounded on three sides by a great loop in the Grand Canal. Across Rialto Bridge is the artisans' neighborhood of San Polo, and across the Grand Canal to the south is stylish Dorsoduro, with its prestigious art museums and lively squares.

At the outer edges are Santa Croce, Castello, and Cannaregio, home of the original Ghetto. Beyond the six sestieri – neighborhoods – of the city itself, you'll want to hop aboard a vaporetto to its islands: Lido, Murano, Burano, and Torcello. A fourth island, San Giorgio Maggiore, is worth visiting for the beautiful views of San Marco and Venice from the tower of its church.

To plan your stay so you won't miss any of the best places to visit, use this list of the top attractions and things to do in Venice.

1. St. Mark's Basilica

2. piazza san marco (st. mark's square), 3. palazzo ducale (doge's palace) and bridge of sighs, 4. canale grande (grand canal), 5. ponte di rialto (rialto bridge) and san polo, 6. torre dell'orologio (clock tower), 7. campanile, 8. santa maria della salute, 9. scuola grande di san rocco, 10. teatro la fenice, 11. ca' d'oro, 12. murano and burano, 13. peggy guggenheim collection, 14. explore the ghetto and museo ebraico di venezia, 15. santa maria gloriosa dei frari, 16. gallerie dell'accademia (fine arts museum), 17. santa maria dei miracoli, 18. palazzo rezzonico, 19. torcello island, 21. hear classical music in a church, 22. contarini del bovolo palace, 23. ca' pesaro and galleria d'arte moderna, 24. the arsenal and the museum of naval history, where to stay in venice for sightseeing, tips and tours: how to make the most of your visit to venice, venice, italy - climate chart, more things to see and do.

Certainly Venice's best-known church, and one of the most easily recognized in the world, St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) was originally the Doge's private chapel, decorated with Byzantine art treasures that are part of the booty brought back by Venetian ships after the fall of Constantinople.

The gold-backed mosaic pictures above the doorways on the façade only hint at the mosaic artistry inside, where 4,240 square meters of gold mosaics cover the domes and walls. These set a distinctly Byzantine tone to its soaring interior, but you'll find treasures from other periods, including later mosaics designed by Titian and Tintoretto - names you'll encounter all over the city.

The magnificent golden altarpiece, the Pala d'Oro , one of the finest in Europe, was begun by early 12th-century artists, and centuries later, adorned with nearly 2,000 gems and precious stones. If you can tear your eyes from this, the mosaic domes, and the multitude of richly decorated altars, glance down at the floor, a masterpiece of marble inlay. And take time to see the gold reliquaries and icons in the Treasury.

• Read More: Exploring St. Mark's Basilica in Venice: A Visitor's Guide

The vast expanse of Venice's largest square is brought together and made to seem almost intimate by the elegant uniformity of its architecture on three sides. But more than its architectural grace, St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is loved as Venice's living room, the place everybody gathers, strolls, drinks coffee, stops to chat, meets friends and tour guides, or just passes through on the way to work or play.

Three sides are framed in arcades, beneath which are fashionable shops and even more fashionable cafés. The open end is bookmarked by the erratic, exotic curves, swirls, mosaics, and lacy stone filigree of St. Mark's Basilica .

Above it towers the brick shaft of the campanile. For overviews of this busy piazza, you can go to its top or to the top of the Torre dell'Orologio , where a pair of "Moors" strikes the hour.

Author's Tip: Don't be tempted to sit on the steps around the piazza to eat a take-away sandwich. Or throw the crumbs to the pigeons. Both are illegal.

• Read More: St. Mark's Square, Venice: 12 Top Attractions, Tours & Nearby Hotels

Visitors arriving in Venice once stepped ashore under the façade of this extraordinary palace. They couldn't have failed to be impressed, both by its size and the finesse of its architecture.

If they were received inside by the Doges, the impression would only strengthen as they entered through the Porta della Carta, a perfect example of Venetian Gothic at its height, and ascended the monumental Scala dei Giganti and the gold-vaulted Scala d'Oro to be received in what many consider to be the palace's most beautiful chamber, Sala del Collegio.

Even jaded 21st-century travelers gasp in awe at the palace's grandeur and lavish decoration. You'll see works by all the Venetian greats, including Tintoretto, whose Paradise is the largest oil painting in the world.

Not open on public tours but included on private tours is a walk across the Bridge of Sighs to the dark cells of the Prigioni - the prisons from which Casanova made his famous escape. The best view - and the postcard classic - of the Bridge of Sighs is from the Ponte della Paglia , on the Riva degli Schiavoni behind the Doge's Palace.

Lines for admission to the Doge's Palace are often long, but you can avoid these, and see sections of the palace not open to general visitors, with a Skip the Line: Doge's Palace Ticket and Tour . A local guide will take you past the lines and explain the history and art in each of the dazzling rooms before leading you across the Bridge of Sighs and into the notorious prison.

• Read More: Exploring the Doge's Palace in Venice: A Visitor's Guide

Sweeping through the heart of Venice in a giant reverse S curve, the Grand Canal is the principal boulevard through the city, connecting Piazza San Marco , Rialto Bridge, and the arrival points of the rail station and bridge from the mainland.

Only four bridges cross its 3.8-kilometer length, but stripped-down gondolas called traghetti shuttle back and forth at several points between bridges. The Grand Canal was the address of choice for anyone who claimed any influence in Venice. Palaces of all the leading families open onto the canal, their showy Venetian Gothic and Early Renaissance facades facing the water, by which visitors arrived.

These grand palaces – or at least their facades – are well preserved today, and a trip along the canal by vaporetto, Venice's floating public transport system, is the best way to see them. Or you can see the palaces at a more leisurely speed on a Venice Grand Canal Small Group 1-Hour Boat Tour , which also includes some of the smaller canals. And, of course, a ride along the Grand Canal in a gondola is one of the most romantic things to do in Venice at night.

• Read More: Exploring the Grand Canal in Venice: Top Attractions

Once the only bridge across the Grand Canal , Rialto Bridge marks the spot of the island's first settlement, called Rivus Altus (high bank). Built in 1588, some 150 years after the collapse of a previous wooden bridge, this stone arch supports two busy streets and a double set of shops.

Along with serving as a busy crossing point midway along the canal, it is a favorite vantage point for tourists taking - or posing for - photos, and for watching the assortment of boats always passing under it.

The church of San Bartolomeo , close to the San Marco end of the bridge, was the church of the German merchants who lived and worked in the Fondaco dei Tedeschi (German Commodity Exchange) bordering the canal here. It has an excellent altarpiece, The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew , by Palma the Younger. The former exchange is now a popular place to go shopping.

On the other side of Rialto Bridge is the busy food market, where Venetians and chefs shop for fresh produce and seafood. In the narrow streets of San Polo, beyond the market, are artisans' shops and mask-making studios, one of the best places for shopping in Venice . You'll also find places to eat that are not so filled with tourists as those nearer San Marco.

Author's tip: If you're visiting Venice with children , look for the carnival mask and costume studios in San Polo. Masks are inexpensive souvenirs of their trip to Venice.

To one side of the basilica, facing onto Piazza San Marco, is one of Venice's most familiar icons, a clock tower surmounted by a pair of bronze Moors that strike the large bell each hour. The face of the clock shows phases of the moon and the zodiac in gilt on a blue background, and above the clock is a small balcony and a statue of the Virgin.

Above that, the winged Lion of St. Mark and a mosaic of gold stars against a blue background were added in 1755 by Giorgio Massari. The tower itself is from the 15 th century and typical of Venetian Renaissance architecture. Through an arched gateway at its base runs one of Venice's busiest streets, the narrow Calle Mercerei.

If you're in Venice during Ascension Week or at Epiphany, as the Moors strike each hour, you can see the Three Kings led past the Madonna by an angel. You can climb the tower for a closer look at the clockwork.

Standing like a giant exclamation point above the expanse of Piazza San Marco, the Campanile is not the first to stand here. The original one, erected as a lighthouse in 1153, collapsed dramatically into the piazza in 1902, and was rebuilt on a firmer footing. Also rebuilt was the Loggetta at its base, a small marble loggia completed in 1540, where members of the Great Council assembled before meeting in the sessions.

In the loggia at the base, you can see Sansovino's four bronze masterpieces between the columns, all of which were rescued from the rubble after the collapse. The Campanile has a grimmer side to its history: in the Middle Ages, prisoners, including renegade priests, were hoisted halfway up the outside in cages, where they hung suspended for weeks.

Today, the Campanile is a popular attraction for the views from the platform on top, which extends across the city and lagoon to the Adriatic (try to go early or late in the day, as lines for the lift can be very long).

One of the most photographed churches in Venice, Santa Maria della Salute has a postcard setting, rising at the tip of a peninsula across from the Doge's Palace.

The monumental Baroque church was built as thanks for the end of the plague of 1630. But the fragile land wouldn't support its tremendous weight, so its architect, Baldassare Longhena, had more than a million timbers driven into the floor of the lagoon before he could erect the church.

The vaporetto landing is right in front of the church, and the highlight of its interior – apart from the magnificent dome – is the Sacristy, where you'll find paintings that include Tintoretto's Marriage at Cana .

This impressive white marble Scuola Grande di San Rocco was built between 1515 and 1560 to house a charitable society dedicated to San Rocco. Soon after its completion, the great 16th-century Venetian artist Tintoretto won the competition to paint a central panel for the ceiling of the Sala dell'Albergo by entering the building and putting his painting in its intended place before the judging, much to the irritation of his rival artists.

He later decorated its walls and ceilings with a complete cycle of paintings, which are considered to be the artist's masterpiece. The earliest works, in the Sala dell'Albergo, date to 1564 and 1576 and include The Glorification of St. Roch, Christ before Pilate, the Ecce Homo, and the most powerful of all, The Crucifixion . Those in the upper hall depict New Testament scenes, painted between 1575 and 1581.

The lighting is not good, and the paintings themselves are dark, but you can still appreciate Tintoretto's innovations in the use of light and color. You can see the ceilings more easily with one of the mirrors that are provided. More works by Tintoretto are in the chancel of the adjacent church of San Rocco.

Address: Campo San Rocco, San Polo, Venice

The name La Fenice (The Phoenix), chosen at the constriction in 1792, proved prophetic, as like the mythical phoenix, it has risen from the ashes. The theater has been destroyed by fire three times, the last one, in 1996, leaving only the outer walls standing. Each time, it has been rebuilt, and continues to be one of the world's great opera houses.

Throughout its history, but particularly in the 19th century, La Fenice saw the premiers of many of the most famous Italian operas, including those of Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi, and today schedules performances of opera, ballet, and musical concerts.

Even after its reopening in 2003 with somewhat expanded seating, La Fenice is still a comparatively small opera house, so tickets are very hard to get, especially for major performances. You can take a tour of the spectacular Rococo interior, however, using an audio guide; these self-guided tours last about 45 minutes and include the public areas of the theater.

The delicate marble filigree by Bartolomeo Bon seems too lace-like to be carved of stone, and you can only imagine the impression this façade must have made covered in its original paint and gold. Along with the Porta della Carta in the Palazzo Ducale , also created by Bartolomeo Bon, The Ca' d'Oro is considered the most perfect example of Venetian Gothic.

You can admire the interior, too, as this palazzo is now an art museum, restored to provide both a setting for the art works and a look at the way wealthy Venetians lived in the 15th and 16th centuries. The connoisseur responsible for saving the palace, Baron Giorgio Franchetti, gave his art collection to the state in 1922, with works by Titian, Mantegna, Van Dyck, Tullio Lombardo, and Bernini.

A trip to Venice wouldn't be complete without hopping aboard a vaporetto for the ride across the lagoon to Murano, home of Venice's fabled glass workers. They were sent here in the 13th century in hope of decreasing the risk of fire from one of the glass furnaces sweeping through Venice's tightly compacted center.

Or so they claimed. Just as likely, it was to keep the secrets of glassblowing a Venetian monopoly. This was no small matter to the Venetians, whose Council of Ten decreed in 1454: "If a glassblower takes his skill to another country to the detriment of the Republic he shall be ordered to return; should be refuse, his nearest relatives shall be thrown into prison so that his sense of family duty may induce him to return; should he persist in his disobedience secret measures shall be taken to eliminate him wherever he may be." It was a lot easier to keep track of them if they were confined to an island.

The canal sides today are lined by glass showrooms and studios, showing everything from cheap imported trinkets to exquisite works of art. Inside the 17th-century Palazzo Giustinian is the Glass Museum , with one of the largest and most important collections of Venetian glass from the time of the Romans to the 20th century.

But it's not all glass: The church of Santi Maria e Donato combines Veneto-Byzantine and Early Romanesque features, a result of its various stages of building between the seventh and 12th centuries. Notice especially the columns of Greek marble with Veneto-Byzantine capitals, the 12th-century mosaic floor with animal figures, and the St. Donato above the first altar on the left. Dated 1310, it is the earliest example of Venetian painting.

The 14th-century San Pietro Martire contains several splendid Venetian paintings: Bellini's Madonna in Majesty with St. Mark and the Doge Agostino Barbarigo and his Assumption of the Virgin , along with St. Jerome in the Wilderness and St. Agatha in Prison by Paolo Veronese.

It's a quick hop to the next island, Burano, a fishing village of brilliantly painted houses, known historically for its lace making. The Scuola dei Merletti (lace school) and its small museum will help you distinguish the real thing from the cheap imports you'll find in most shops.

The slender campanile of the 16 th -century church of San Martino leans at an alarming angle, made all the more dramatic by its height.

The personal art collections of heiress Peggy Guggenheim are housed in her former home alongside the Grand Canal, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni. Although most of Italy's great art museums are filled with masters of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the Peggy Guggenheim concentrates on American and European art from the first half of the 20th century.

The low building, with its spare, white interior, is a fitting venue for these bold and often dramatic works, which represent Cubist, Futurist, Abstract Expressionist, Surrealist, and avant-garde schools of painting and sculpture.

The permanent collection includes works by Picasso, Dali, Braque , Léger , Mondrian , Kandinsky , Klee, Ernst , Magritte , and Pollock , and frequent exhibitions bring in works from other major artists. In the museum's sculpture gardens are works by Calder , Holzer , Caro , Judd , and Hepworth .

Address: 704 Dorsoduro, Venice

The Venetians called the foundry here geto , and in 1516 it was decreed that all Jews in the city would live on this islet, the origin of the word "ghetto." Residents could only leave in the daytime, and the gates were locked and guarded at night.

This part of the Cannaregio sestiere still has distinct Jewish presence, with synagogues and the Museo Ebraico di Venezia (Jewish Museum) with artifacts of Jewish life here from the 17 th and later centuries. Facing the Ghetto Nuovo Square, a touching memorial of bronze panels, created in 1980 by artist Arbit Blatas, remembers the victims of the deportation during the Nazi occupation of the city in 1943.

Address: Museo Ebraico di Venezia, Campo del Ghetto Nuovo, Cannaregio

This Gothic church was begun by the Franciscans about 1340 and finished with the completion of the facade, interior, and two chapels in the middle of the 15th century. Its impressive 14th-century campanile is the second highest in the city.

Although the interior is in keeping with the simple unadorned style of Franciscan churches, it contains a wealth of artistic treasures. In the right transept is an important wood statue of St. John the Baptist by Florentine sculptor Donatello, done in 1451 (first chapel to the right of the sanctuary).

In the sacristy is a triptych Madonna and Child Enthroned with Four Saints by Giovanni Bellini. In the left transept, the statue of St. John the Baptist on the stoup of the Cappella Cornaro was created by the sculptor and master-builder Jacopo Sansovino

The Monks' Choir is an outstanding example of the wood-carving of Marco Cozzi, with reliefs of saints and Venetian scenes. And the sanctuary contains the tomb of two Doges by Antonio Rizzo, and over the high altar is Titian's Assunta , painted between 1516 and 1518. The Mausoleum of Titian in the south aisle was a gift from Ferdinand I of Austria, when he was King of Lombardy Veneto.

You can't help noticing the pyramidal mausoleum made by the students of the sculptor Antonio Canova in the north aisle, and opposite, the large monument to Titian, also by students of Canova. Beside the Cappella Emiliani, which has a fine mid-15th-century polyptych with marble figures, is Madonna di Ca' Pesaro , completed in 1526 and one of Titian's most important works.

Address: Campo dei Frari, I-30100 Venice

Called " The Accademia " for short, this museum on the Grand Canal has the most important and comprehensive collection of 15th-18th-century Venetian painting in existence. Much of the collection was assembled from monasteries and churches that were closed and from the clearing of palaces of noble families, now displayed in the former Monastery of Santa Maria della Carità.

Some of the galleries, such as the first one, which contains Venetian Gothic Painting, have richly carved and gilded 15th-century ceilings. Works are arranged chronologically, so you can not only trace the evolution of styles, but can compare the works of contemporaries.

Highlights of the 15th- and 16th-century paintings are St. George by Andrea Mantegna, St Jerome and a Donor by Piero della Francesca, Madonna and Saints by Giovanni Bellini, Portrait of Christ by Vittore Carpaccio, and Madonna under the Orange Tree by Cima da Conegliano.

St. John the Baptist and a magnificent Pietà by Titian, Tintoretto's Cain and Abel and The Miracle of St. Mark, Paolo Veronese's Marriage of St. Catherine and Supper in the House of Levi , St. Ursula by Vittore Carpaccio, and several works by Giambattista Tiepolo are also worth special notice.

After the vast grandeur of St. Mark's and the soaring expanse of Frari, little Santa Maria dei Miracoli is like a fresh breeze, a masterpiece of Early Renaissance architecture by Pietro Lombardo. This jewel box of pastel inlaid marble was built from 1481 to 1489 to enshrine a miraculous picture of the Virgin.

Unlike Venice's other churches, whose facades are embellished with architectural flourishes and statues, Lombardo used painstakingly matched colored marble to create delicate patterns of rosettes, circles, octagons, and crosses on the facade. The method continues inside, which heightens the effect of the golden domed ceiling rising above gray and coral marble walls.

The nave is separated from the chancel by an exquisite Early Renaissance balustrade decorated with figures. It's no wonder that this is Venetians' favorite place to be married, as its interior is one of the most beautiful in the city.

Address: Campo dei Miracoli, Venice

Just as Ca' d'Oro lets you glimpse into the life of the late Middle Ages, Palazzo Rezzonico gives a vivid picture of life here in the Baroque and Rococo periods, in the 18th century. Designed and begun by Venice's master of Baroque architecture, Baldassare Longhena, the palace was completed nearly 100 years later in 1750 by Giorgio Massari.

The furnishings and collections complete the picture painted by the building, including its interior decoration of silk wall coverings, elegant finish details, and Flemish tapestries. The costume collection highlights the importance of silk production in Venice from the late Middle Ages through the 18th century, when it was a major competitor with Lyon, France.

Rigid technical regulations were enforced, resulting in some of the most beautiful silk fabrics ever made. So important was silk that even in times of war with the Turks, battle lines parted for the silk-laden ships to pass through.

The museum details the importance of luxury goods, particularly clothing and fashion, for the Venetian economy in the 18th century, when brocades embellished with gold and silver thread produced here were treasured throughout Europe and the New World.

Venice began on this outer island of Torcello, founded here as early as the seventh century, and by the 12th century, it was a flourishing commercial town. Of its palaces, churches, shipyards, and docks, only two churches and a handful of houses remain, dotted over the large island.

You can get some idea of the importance of Torcello from its cathedral, dedicated in 639 to Santa Maria Assunta . It is considered the best remaining example of Venetian-Byzantine architecture. It was reconstructed in 834 and 1008, and the portico and two lateral apses were added in the ninth century; much of the building dates from the 11th century. The mosaics lining the interior are outstanding.

The oldest of these are in the chapel to the right of the high altar, where 11th-century angels carrying a medallion with the Lamb of God show a strong Byzantine influence. The Fathers of the Church ; Gregory, Martin, Ambrose, and Augustine; were added later, along with Christ in Majesty between two Archangels .

The 12th-century mosaics in the main apse and the Virgin and Child above a frieze of the Twelve Apostles surrounded by flowers are all on a gold background. The west wall is covered in tiers of a Byzantine mosaic of the Last Judgment from the late 12th or early 13th century.

Along with the exquisitely detailed marble carvings on the rood screen, notice the 11th-century mosaic floor and the pulpit, which was assembled in the 13th century from earlier fragments.

Adjoining the cathedral is the little 11th-century church of Santa Fosca , on a pure Byzantine central plan with a portico. Your admission ticket includes the interesting little historical museum with artifacts from antiquity to the 16th century.

The long (12-kilometer) strip of sand that separates the Venetian lagoon from the Adriatic Sea was Europe's first real beach resort, and in its heyday, at the turn of the 20th century, was Europe's most fashionable watering hole for royalty and the day's celebs. Today, the grand hotels where they reposed still welcome guests and still own the beautiful fine-sand beaches, although for a price you can share them with hotel guests.

Public beaches are at the north end of the island, near the church of San Nicolo, where relics of St. Nicholas are revered. After considerable controversy between Venice and Bari, which also claims the saint's relics, it has been established by an anatomical expert that both have an equal claim; about half the skeleton, including the skull, is in Bari and the other half in Lido. The cloisters are lovely, and in the church are paintings by both Palma the Elder and Younger.

You can tour Lido on foot or a bicycle rented near the landing stage where the 10-minute Motonave or longer vaporetto ride from St. Mark's deposits you. The island is filled with Art Nouveau villas and hotels; to see the villas, wander along some of the side streets. In August and September, the Lido is the venue for the International Film Festival, held in the Palazzo del Cinema.

Two churches in Venice are venues for concerts of classical music , both featuring the works of Venetian composer and virtuoso violinist, Antonio Vivaldi. One of these churches, Santa Maria della Pietà , was Vivaldi's own, where he taught and composed the music for major church feasts. Near Saint Mark's Square, it is a beautiful mid-18 th -century church.

The other church where you can hear concerts is San Vidal church, in Campo Santo Stefano, not far from the Academia bridge. Along with the concerts, the church is notable for its magnificent main altarpiece, San Vidal on Horseback with Eight Saints, painted in 1514 by Vittore Carpaccio. Concerts in both these venues feature "The Four Seasons" and other works by Vivaldi. 123

During the 15 th -century renovations of an earlier Gothic building near Campo Manin, a unique spiraling staircase was added to the outside, creating one of the city's most unusual places to visit. The staircase spirals upward, encased by a balustrade and a series of graceful arches that give it an almost delicate air. The building became known as the Contarini del Bovolo Palace , referring to the Venetian word for snail.

Alongside the round tower, a series of 5 layered loggias decreasing in height with each level provides access to the building's five stories. You can see the exterior from the courtyard, or climb the tower for views from the roofed terrace at the top.

Address: San Marco, Campo Manin

The impressive façade of Ca' Pesaro overlooking the Grand Canal, was inspired by the Sansovino Library that stands across from the Doge's Palace, built a century earlier. The lavish Venetian Late Baroque interior contrasts sharply with the art displayed there, for the palazzo now houses the Galleria d'Arte Moderna.

One of Italy's finest collections of modern art, it contains works by important 19th- and 20th-century painters and sculptors including Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, and Auguste Rodin. Highlights include decorative arts of the 20 th century such as works in glass made by Carlo Scarpa in the 1930s and 1940s and rare furniture pieces by the cabinetmaker Carlo Bugatti.

The Museo d'Arte Orientale occupies the third floor of the palace, with collections of fine and applied arts from Asia. Highlights are the Chinese vases and Japanese enamels, porcelains, and armor of the Edo period.

Ca'Pesaro is reached by Vaparetto from the San Stae stop, at the church of Sant'Eustachio, more commonly known as San Stae. Step inside the church to see paintings by early 18th-century artists, including Tiepolo and Pellegrini.

Address: Santa Croce, Venice

The Arsenal, the shipyard of the Venetian Republic, was the largest and busiest in the world until the end of the 17th century. From its founding in 1104, it was continuously expanded, until in its heyday, it employed as many as 16,000 workers.

Closely guarded to preserve the secret production methods that enabled it to build a fully sea-ready ship in a single day, the Arsenal was accessible by one land and one sea approach only. So tight was its security that the Republic managed to keep its art of shipbuilding secret until about 1550.

At its imposing land entrance is a Renaissance-style triumphal arch guarded by lions brought from Greece as booty after the reconquest of the Peloponnese in the 17th century. Of the two lions on the left, the larger one stood guard over the port of Piraeus, while its fellow stood on the road from Athens to Eleusis.

Adjacent to the shipyard is the Museum of Naval History , displaying impressive booty brought back from the numerous maritime wars of the Republic, along with fascinating collections that include votive paintings made on wood panels in thanks for rescues at sea. These charming pictures are interesting for their depiction of sea life, not so much for their artistic finesse.

Models and artifacts relate to shipbuilding, the types of vessels afloat in the period that Venice was a sea power, and the Republic's strongholds throughout the Adriatic. A large model of the legendary ship of state Bucintoro , the Doge's sumptuous official galley, is especially interesting.

Address: Riva degli Schiavoni, Castello, Venice

While it's nice to stay close to St. Mark's Square, or between there and the Rialto, it's not essential for sightseeing. Attractions are all fairly close, and you'll have to walk between them anyway. Just as important is how close the hotel is to a Vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal. In addition to hotels near San Marco and San Zaccaria stops, consider those near Salute and Academia stops in Dorsoduro. Here are some highly rated and convenient hotels in Venice:

Luxury Hotels :

• Only a few steps from the Salute stop and one stop from St. Mark's, Ca' Maria Adele is a lush island of serenity near the Guggenheim Collection, with antiques-furnished rooms and superb guest services.
• The Gritti Palace, A Luxury Collection Hotel was once the home of a Venetian Doge, and its large, sumptuously appointed rooms (some with balconies) overlook the Grand Canal or a quiet piazza close to St. Mark's.
• Set on a small canal less than two minutes' walk from Piazza San Marco, Bauer Palazzo could hardly have a more convenient location for tourists. Opulent appointments include marble floors and Murano glass chandeliers; guest rooms and the rooftop terrace overlook views of the Grand Canal and other landmarks.

Mid-Range Hotels:

• Elegant and luxurious Hotel Ai Cavalieri di Venezia is also a walk from the Rialto stop, but well located near attractions.
• Londra Palace could hardly be better located, a three-minute walk from St. Mark's at the San Zaccaria stop, with balconies overlooking the lagoon; breakfast is included.
• The large rooms at NH Collection Venezia Palazzo Barocci overlook the Grand Canal, at the San Angelo vaporetto stop.

Budget Hotels:

• In a quiet neighborhood of Santa Croce, a short walk from a Vaporetto stop, about 20 minutes from Rialto and close to a good choice of restaurants, Hotel Tiziano has comfortable rooms and includes breakfast.
• Rio Venezia Hotel is just behind St. Mark's, a block off the Grand Canal.
• Also just steps from St. Mark's, Hotel Orion is on the shortest route to Rialto.

Exploring the Islands:

• A highlight for most travelers is a visit to the islands of Murano and Burano. The easiest way to explore these islands is on a five-hour guided Murano Glass and Burano Lace Tour from Venice , which includes motorboat transport to the islands, with visits to a glassblowing factory on Murano and lace makers on Burano.

Sightseeing and Gondola Rides :

• Venice is a little bit of a maze, and if you have limited time, taking a guided tour is a good idea. The Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride includes the best of both worlds, with an opportunity to learn the history of the sites as you wander the city and then relax and enjoy the scenery on a gondola ride.
• Alternatively, to just soak up some of the ambience, skip the walking piece and see the sites from the water on a 35-minute shared gondola ride while being serenaded on the Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade .
• A third option, the Venice Super Saver: Skip-the Line Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica Tours, Venice Walking Tour and Grand Canal Cruise offers priority admission to the two must-see sights with the longest lines, a guided walking tour that takes you to some of Venice's secret sights, and a water-taxi cruise along the Grand Canal.

Good to Know

• Beginning in 2025, day visitors will be charged an access tax of between €6 and €10, depending on the season and expected tourist numbers. Visitors staying overnight in Venice already pay a lodging tax of €1 to €5 per person per night for the first 5 nights.
• If you plan to use the Vaporetto, either on the Grand Canal or to visit the islands of Murano, Burano, Lido and Torcello, ACTV transit passes are a good value. Single fares are €9.50, and a full-day pass is €25, less than the cost of three single rides. Multiple day passes save even more: 2 days for €25, 3 days for €45 and €65 for an entire week.
• While Venetians are quite tolerant of the masses of tourists that pour in every day, the city has some rules for visitor behavior. While these are not uniformly enforced, recent violations have resulted in steep fines. Some that you should be aware of include prohibitions on picnicking in a public place, buying from street vendors, lying down on a public bench, putting padlocks on bridges, and leaning against store fronts.

Where to Go near Venice : After you've visited the city's top tourist attractions, you may want to explore some of the beautiful nearby towns. Only 20 kilometers away is pretty Treviso , enclosed by walls and with its own waterside villas. Padua , with its famous shrine of St. Anthony, is easy to reach by train or by a cruise along the historic Brenta Canal. Stop along the way at Villa Pisani, one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy .

Places to Visit from Venice: North of Treviso are the soaring Dolomites, with some of the top ski resorts in Italy but with plenty of things to do in all seasons. Along the Adriatic to the east is Trieste , where Italian blends with Hapsburg architecture reminiscent of Vienna. Following the Adriatic coast south, you'll reach Ravenna , with its magnificent Byzantine mosaics.

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15 of the best things to do in Venice in 2024

Feb 28, 2024 • 12 min read

Experience the best of Venice with this guide to the top things to do © Cavan / Getty Images

Visitors flock to  Venice year-round, and who can blame them?

Some 118 islands float on this fairy-tale lagoon, linked by 400 bridges. Each is crammed with dazzling palazzos and heart-stopping art – Venice really is a place like no other. 

All the famous stereotypes are true, to an extent. It’s spectacular and it’s just like the photos but, thanks to mass tourism, Venice’s world-famous sights are overcrowded and in precarious health (even during the quieter months ). 

It is worth remembering that even in the busiest areas, step just one or two blocks away from the fray and you’ll find empty streets and local voices in the neighborhoods beyond. Spend more time here – five days is a decent starter – and you’ll discover that the true beauty of Venice isn’t the wow factor of its blockbuster sights, as magnificent as they are, but within the quieter spaces, where life goes on as it has done for centuries. Once you glimpse that life, you’ll want to protect it.

To help counter the overtourism that is exploiting the city, stay overnight in a hotel or B&B (not vacation rentals, which hollow out housing stock), eat in family-owned restaurants, and buy souvenirs from Venice’s artisans who ply centuries-old trades. Then, not only are you helping the city stay alive, but you’re also ensuring a better trip – Venice done well is unforgettable.

Here are the best experiences in Venice.

1. Take in the Piazza San Marco

For many people, this waterfront square is Venice: the rolling domes of the basilica, the centuries-old cafes beneath the stately porticoes, the vast Campanile  (belltower) throwing its shadow around the square, high tide occasionally sloshing around your feet. There’s so much to see around  Piazza San Marco (or St Mark’s Square) that you could easily spend a day here.

Start in the  Basilica di San Marco , the Byzantine basilica that glitters with golden mosaics inside. Then move on to the Campanile, where elevators whisk you up 98.6m (323ft) for enticing views of Venice and the lagoon. Spare a few hours for the  Museo Correr , at the opposite end of the square from the basilica, which tells the story of the city through its objects. Need a break at any point? Stop for a coffee or a spritz at Quadri , our favorite of the 18th-century cafes in the square.

Local tip: Keen to understand these icons better? Time for some reading. Family-run  Libreria La Toletta in Dorsoduro is Venice’s best bookshop, with literally hundreds of volumes about the city. For kids , try  Ponte dei Sogni in Castello, whose beautiful picture books tell the history of the city.

2. Enter the seat of power at the Palazzo Ducale

If you only visit one museum in Venice, you need to make it this: the vast  Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), the Republic of Venice’s seat of power for around 900 years. With its pink and white facade squaring off against the lagoon, it has everything: mindblowing art and architecture, plus a whole load of atmosphere.

There’s so much to see here – every single room is plastered with works by some of the greatest artists of all time – that you shouldn’t expect to take it all in. But it’s worth saving more time for the rooms and their art than speeding across the famous Bridge of Sighs and through the grim prisons – although the latter is great for kids.

Planning tip:  Lines can get long here, especially before 11am. Skip the wait and book a fast-track ticket in advance through sites such as Ticketsvenice.com . 

Transform your visit to Palazzo Ducale by  booking with GetYourGuide.

3. Sail down the Grand Canal

Venice may be ideal for wandering, but its majestic palazzos were built to be admired from the water. Take the number 1 Vaporetto (waterbus) that plies the Grand Canal and experience one of the world’s greatest public transport routes .

You’ll find beauty every way you turn but heading south don’t miss: the Fondaco dei Turchi (once the headquarters for Arab and Muslim merchants, now the city’s  natural history museum );  Ca’ d’Oro , with its spectacular carved and marble-clad facade; Ca’ Foscari, the city’s beautiful university; and the bombastic octagonal  Salute church, right before the Grand Canal meets the lagoon.

Local tip: Get off at Salute, and walk down to Punta della Dogana for the best lagoon views, and then up along the Zattere waterfront. From here you can pick up a number 2 Vaporetto, which takes you to St Mark’s Square from the other side.

4. Venture over the Rialto

Everyone who visits Venice wants to see the  Rialto Bridge , the flouncy white crossing over the Grand Canal made of gleaming Istrian stone. Yet what the bridge leads to is arguably just as interesting. There’s been a  market on the western side of the bridge for over 1000 years – while it’s not the trading hub of centuries past, there’s still a lively fish market and a fruit and veg area too.

If you’re looking at the stalls, do remember to buy something, and don’t get in the way of other shoppers – this is still a real market, even if many tourists treat it as an Instagram backdrop. Stop for a drink beside the Grand Canal on Campo Erbaria –  Bancogiro is always a good bet for cicchetti (small snacks) – then lose yourselves in the surrounding alleyways, still full of food stores.

Planning tip: For a behind-the-scenes look at this most touristy of areas, take a tour with  Go Guide , a local group of guides who focus on Rialto.

Explore the Rialto effortlessly with  GetYourGuide . Book your tour today.

5. Be immersed in world-class art at the Accademia

In Dorsoduro, sitting quietly at the end of the famous wooden Accademia Bridge, is one of Italy’s finest art museums, the  Gallerie dell’Accademia . The meandering itinerary takes you through buildings packed with works that once hung from the city’s church walls, telling the story of Venetian art in the process. It starts with Paolo Veneziano, carries through to Carpaccio, Mantegna and Bellini, and then explodes into the finest works of Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese.

Detour: Near the Accademia are two of Venice’s best artisans. At  Cornici Trevisanello , the Trevisanello family has been making picture frames for the likes of Picasso for decades; they also make jewel-like smaller frames that make perfect souvenirs. Near Ca’ Foscari is bookbinder  Paolo Olbi , who creates beautiful stationery with hand-printed Venetian and Byzantine motifs. Further up towards Rialto, in Campiello dei Meloni, is  Il Pavone , where Paolo Pelosin makes everything from stationery to earrings with exquisite marbled paper.

6. Eat cicchetti in a bacaro

Three essential words for your Venetian stay: ombra , cicchetti and bacaro . Ombra (shadow) is the local name given to a small glass of wine served in a bacaro – a traditional wine bar or tavern. It may only be a small glass but don’t forget to follow it with cicchetti – finger food-style bar snacks, rather like Spanish tapas. You’ll find bacari all over town – when you spot one that looks good, make sure you stop.

Local tip: These days most cicchetti are slices of baguette bread topped with anything from cheese to fish but don’t miss old-style ones like a hard-boiled egg with anchovies, or sarde in saor – sardines in a sweet-sour marinade with pine nuts and raisins.

7. Seek out local traditions in Burano

Most visitors flock to  Burano to photograph its gorgeous candy-colored cottages. Fair enough – but to do only that is to miss out on one of the most special places in the lagoon. A fishing community since medieval times, Burano’s relative isolation in the north lagoon – a 45-minute vaporetto ride (or four-hour paddle) from Venice – has kept its culture intact. Or rather, it did until mass tourism hit.

Today, the Buranelli are assailed by crowds who come, photograph and hop on the boat back to town without spending a cent – but you can help them by practicing more sustainable tourism. Visit the  Museo del Merletto , which teaches you about the island’s lace-making tradition, and take a tour of the tranquil north lagoon with fisherman  Andrea Rossi , who’ll sweep you past mudflats and islands in perfect peace, with birds overhead your only company. It’s definitely one of the top experiences in Venice to change everything you think about the city.

Local tip: Stop for lunch at the family-run  Trattoria al Gatto Nero . Try the risotto di gò (goby fish risotto).

Explore Burano effortlessly with GetYourGuide.  Book your tour today .

8. Acknowledge the painful history behind the Jewish ghetto

The sinister word ghetto comes from the Venetian geto , or foundry – a clue to the past of this area, which was abandoned and undesirable when the Jewish community was forcibly settled here in 1516. Originally one tiny island, the area was expanded twice by the 17th century, with residents gated in every night, and living in eight-story "skyscrapers".

Despite the appalling conditions, the Jewish community flourished here, building no fewer than five synagogues that were as lavish as Venice’s churches. Guided tours of the area get you access to some of them, including the atmospheric  Scola Levantina , with scarlet-swaddled walls and a dark carved ceiling, redesigned by Venice’s 17th-century starchitect, Baldassare Longhena.

Planning tip: Book ahead for tours of the ghetto. The  Museo Ebraico (Jewish Museum) is closed for renovation until further notice.

9. Gaze upon the artworks in Scuola Grande di San Rocco

Forget Titian and Tiepolo – for many, Tintoretto is Venice’s greatest artist of all time. His finest paintings fill two floors of the vast Scuola Grande di San Rocco , one of Venice’s many scuole (lay confraternities that did charity work in the community), including the ceiling. They were decorated by Tintoretto to celebrate the end of the 1576 plague, which wiped out a third of the city.

There are more than 60 paintings of swirling Biblical scenes (Tintoretto revolutionized the depiction of movement and amped up the use of rich color), including on the roof of the main hall. This is Venice’s answer to the Sistine Chapel.

Planning tip: Many visitors see the Scuola and forget about the nearby church of San Rocco, which has yet more Tintoretto artworks inside.

10. View the Grand Canal from Ca’ d’Oro

Nobody loved Venice like Baron Giorgio Franchetti. In 1894, he bought the 15th-century Ca’ d’Oro, a Gothic palazzo on the Grand Canal so lavish that it was named the "Golden House". 

It had fallen into disrepair by the time he bought it and Franchetti dedicated his life to bringing the house back to its former glory, by rebuilding, repairing and filling it with sublime art. His ashes are now buried in the courtyard. It’s undergoing a major restoration, but the gallery will remain open throughout, with some parts closed, stage by stage. The views of the Grand Canal and Rialto market are spectacular from its balconies.

Planning tip: The best way to arrive at Ca’ d’Oro is by traghetto – a large gondola-style boat that acts as a shuttle across the Grand Canal. The Santa Sofia stop is right by Ca’ d’Oro, and connects with the Rialto market.

11. Get to know glass on Murano

Floating in the lagoon a 10-minute vaporetto ride north of Cannaregio, elegant  Murano is a mini Venice with opulent waterfront palazzos, knockout churches, and even its own Grand Canal. It is best known for its glass blowers, as it has been for centuries. Start at the  Museo del Vetro , the island’s glass museum, where you’ll learn that the art of glass-making was perfected in the Middle East, before Venice’s medieval trade links with Syria allowed it to copy the techniques and take it to new heights.

A small, easily digestible museum with a jewel-like collection, it’ll give you the background you need to appreciate the often tacky-looking glass ornaments in the shops. Ready to buy? We like  Lucevetro , where Cecilia Cenedese designs products and gets island maestri to craft them for her, while  Wave Murano Glass offers furnace tours and even lessons.

Detour: You may be here for glass but don’t miss Murano’s churches. The  Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato has a knockout 12th-century marble mosaic "carpet", while the  church of San Pietro Martire has works by Bellini, Tintoretto and Veronese.

12. Take in the modern Querini Stampalia museum

The  Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a fascinating space in a 16th-century palazzo, combining a museum, gallery, library archive and a modernist wing and garden designed by Venice’s 20th-century architect, Carlo Scarpa. The main gallery has works by the likes of Palma il Vecchio, Canaletto and Bellini, whose Presentation at the Temple is one of the city’s finest artworks.

It’s also a brilliant example of a modern museum: the information panels, redone in 2022, contextualize the art and teach you about Venetian life, from the poor conditions for house staff to arranged marriages and the banning of homosexuality.

Detour: In the square outside is the church of  Santa Maria Formosa , one of the few true Renaissance buildings in Venice.

13. Explore the city's finest churches

It’s no secret that some of Venice’s best art lies in its churches. But in a city which, as legend says, has a church for every day of the year, how do you know where to start? Buying a  Chorus pass is the way forward. Eighteen of Venice’s loveliest churches belong to this group – each is €3.50 to enter, but a pass for all of them, valid for one year, is just €14.

They’re dotted all around the city, so as you do your obligatory Venice wander, you can pop in for an art fix. All are worth seeing, but the standouts are  Santa Maria dei Miracoli (a marble-clad Renaissance jewel), and  San Sebastiano , frescoed and painted almost entirely by Veronese.

Planning tip: Some of the churches have limited opening hours. When you get your pass, ask for the map of the churches – it also lists opening hours.

14. See Venice’s birthplace on Torcello

This island just across the water from Burano is where Venice began. The first island of the lagoon to be settled, and then a bustling early medieval boomtown, today  Torcello is a haunting place of around a dozen inhabitants, and one big draw: the  Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta , the vast church that dominated the north lagoon for centuries. Still visible from the airport, its interior sparkles with Byzantine-style mosaics from the 11th century. It’s pure magic.

Planning tip: Visit  Torcello before Burano – if you do it the other way round, you’ll be trying to board a packed vaporetto back to Venice.

15. Pay your respects to Tintoretto

Peaceful Cannaregio is worth a stroll for its tranquil canals lined with grand palazzos, and for the church of  Madonna dell’Orto . This big barn of a place was Tintoretto’s neighborhood church – today he’s buried here, along with his artist children Domenico and Marietta, and its walls are covered with his paintings, as well as works by Titian, Palma il Giovane and Cima da Conegliano.

Detour: A short walk away is the church of  Sant’Alvise , part of the Chorus association, and famous for its spectacular trompe l’oeil ceiling.

This article was first published Oct 8, 2021 and updated Feb 28, 2024.

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Venice   Travel Guide

Courtesy of Andreas Koch | EyeEm

20 Best Things To Do in Venice

Losing yourself in Venezia's charm is easy, but there are an endless number of bucket list activities and century-old landmarks to see while you're there. Touring top attractions like St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace is a

• All Things To Do
• 1-Day Itinerary
• 2-Day Itinerary
• 3-Day Itinerary

St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)

This elaborate church sits on the popular piazza by the same name. The church was built in honor of St. Mark the Evangelist, whose remains were stolen in Alexandria, Egypt, by a couple crafty Venetians, intent on bringing him to rest in Venice. (What made them crafty? They smuggled the remains to Italy in barrels of pork fat.) 

Crafted from many different styles of architecture, today the basilica's opulence shines from nearly every corner – from the four full-size bronze horses that guard the entrance to thousands of square feet of mosaics to the Pala d'Oro — an elaborate altar piece commissioned in Byzantium by the Venetians. If you look closely at the center gable on the exterior of the basilica, you can even see a statue of St. Mark along with Venice's emblem: a lion with wings. 

Grand Canal Grand Canal free

U.S. News Insider Tip: You don't need to make a reservation for a gondola ride. Instead, speak with a gondolier in person the day you want to ride. You may be able to negotiate a lower price or longer ride if you're traveling during off-peak months, or if you find a gondolier along one of the side streets. – Holly D. Johnson

Considered to be the main street of Venice, the roughly 2-mile Grand Canal is one of the city's most popular and highly photographed attractions. Recent travelers recommend hiring a gondolier for a romantic row along the canal. If you're hoping to do this option, plan to fork over between 80 and 120 euros (about $87 to $132) for the ride.

Gondola Rides Gondola Rides

Taking a gondola ride is a must-do when you're visiting a city that rises directly from a network of canals. A relaxing journey on one of these light, flat-bottomed boats will help you admire the historic charm of Venice from a range of new angles, and to explore neighborhoods and buildings you won't see on foot.

You can prebook a Venice gondola ride online if you prefer, which typically costs at least $80 for two adults. Some of the best gondola tours you can book online come from companies like Walks of Italy , Venice Tours and The Roman Guy .

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Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) free

Several centuries ago, if you wanted to cross the  Grand Canal , the Rialto Bridge was the only way. There are now four major bridges that cross the canal, but Rialto is by far the most famous.

The bridge's current incarnation is the handiwork of Antonio da Ponte, who beat out Michelangelo and Palladio for the job. Antonio da Ponte's name translates to "Anthony of the Bridge," and he built the Rialto Bridge entirely of Istrian stone after it collapsed multiple times from previous designs. Predicted to fail by critics, the bridge still stands and is considered an engineering marvel. 

Teatro La Fenice Teatro La Fenice

The  Teatro La Fenice is one of Italy's most popular opera houses, and one that has almost faced its demise from not one, but three big fires since opening in 1792. Locals and visitors alike joke at the name (which translates to Theater of the Phoenix), and how it has coincided with the theater's unfortunate history: like a phoenix rising from the ashes, La Fenice has lived on.

Although renovated in 1996, the historic opera house still has an Old World feel with decadent, intricately designed gold interiors outfitted with plush, red velvet chairs, making it the perfect setting to take in the auditory/visual pleasure of classic Italian opera. In addition to opera and musical performances, there are also a variety of dance – particularly ballet – performances scheduled throughout the year. For those with a tight itinerary, the theater offers day tours.

Torcello Torcello

Torcello is a northerly island in the Venetian lagoon that sits nearby Burano, another island and tourist hot spot. Torcello features a range of archaeological finds, including the so-called "Attila's Throne" and the Palazzo del Consiglio — the Gothic-style seat government of the island. The Museum of Torcello is also worth a visit according to past visitors, mainly due to its displays of early Christian artifacts and the other finds from the island.

Most tours to Torcello also include stops at the nearby islands of Burano and Murano, which are both known for their artisan crafts and glass blowing. These tours typically cost $25 to $40 per person and last six to seven hours. Each one includes boat transportation with several interesting stops that vary by tour operator.

Campanile di San Marco Campanile di San Marco

This particular bell tower was constructed in the early 20th century as a replica of the 16th-century original. The original structure provided the optimal setting for Galileo Galilei's presentation of the telescope; it also served as a stage for tight rope walkers who would humor the doge (the highest Venetian official at the time) with their feats during the Flight of the Angel celebration. Today's campanile is used for sightseers desiring a Venetian panorama – though one with few canal views, oddly, since most of the canals are obscured from its 324-foot height.

Most visitors say the attraction is well worth your time and makes for a great photo. To avoid crowds, travelers say it's best to go early in the morning or later in the evening. If you join one of the best Venice tours , you'll likely pass by the iconic landmark on your jaunt through the city.

St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) free

St. Mark's Square, or  Piazza San Marco , is considered by many to be the heart of Venice. As the largest square in Venice, St. Mark's Square is the only piazza in the city. Lining the square are multiple historical sites including  St. Mark's Basilica ,  St. Mark's Campanile  and  Doge's Palace , as well as a number of restaurants, making it the perfect spot for leisurely people-watching and wine sipping. The square even has a handful of dueling piano bars that let you sit down and relax in a decadent setting, although the cost of food and drink at any of them is exorbitant.

Along with intricate architecture and hearty plates of spaghetti carbonara, visitors will be met with throngs of tourists, pigeons and vendors selling souvenirs. If you hoped to pick up a gondola hat or a carnival mask during your trip, this is the place you will find them.

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Bridge of Sighs Bridge of Sighs free

Centuries ago, the Bridge of Sighs, which connects the  Doge's Palace  to dungeons, was used to transport prisoners from the courtroom to the prisons. Legend has it that the Bridge of Sighs, or  Ponte dei Sospiri , was named for the sighs prisoners like Giacomo Casanova would utter as they took one last look at the outside world through the bridge's windows as they made their way to prison for good. On a much lighter note, Venetian lore says if two lovers kiss on a gondola under the bridge, they'll be granted eternal bliss. 

Recent travelers offer mixed reviews on the Bridge of Sighs. Those who enjoyed it appreciated the details of the architecture and unique placement of the bridge, saying it was a nice photo-op, especially while the gondolas passed underneath it. Those who weren't as smitten noted its lack of accessibility as the main drawback, saying that merely looking at the bridge was underwhelming. Other disgruntled visitors pointed out that the number of tourists, combined with the small amount of viewing space, made the bridge barely visible. For a better viewing experience, consider tagging along on one of the best Venice tours .

Santa Maria della Salute Santa Maria della Salute free

The Santa Maria della Salute was built to celebrate the end of the plague in 1631 and is dedicated to Our Lady of Health. Nowadays, many will recognize this magnificent Roman Catholic Church as the backdrop for many photos of Venice. There's a good chance you'll see it whether you take the time to go inside or not – at least from a distance. In fact, you can easily see the Santa Maria della Salute over the Grand Canal from Piazza San Marco . The church itself stands out due to its white marble facade and the 125 statues that adorn it, but there's much to see and explore inside.

The basilica features famous paintings by Titian and Tintoretto, as well as a remarkable sculpture called The Queen of Heaven Expelling the Plague. A 13th-century version of the painting "Madonna and Child" is also found within the basilica.

Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale)

Views from the Venetian Lagoon give the Doge's Palace an ethereal look – almost like it's floating on top of water. But it's fitting, as the Doge's Palace (or  Palazzo Ducale ) has witnessed an intriguing history in its role as the residence of the doge (leader), the seat of government and the palace of justice. Everything from execution orders to the affairs of Venetian leaders was carried out here; and a web of secret passageways and hidden doors reveals a decidedly mysterious past.

Along with the attraction's historical significance, Doge's Palace is located in the busy St. Mark's Square , which means it sees a lot of foot traffic. It isn't uncommon to see a line wrapping around the building, so book your tickets in advance, and if you can't do that, arrive right when it opens to avoid crowds.

Academy Gallery (Gallerie dell'Accademia) Academy Gallery (Gallerie dell'Accademia)

Originally an academy, this building was later turned into the Galleria dell'Accademia museum by none other than Napoléon. Today, it's filled with an expansive collection of Venetian art from the 14th to the 18th century by artists such as Bellini, Tintoretto and Veronese. 

If you enjoy art – especially Renaissance art – then you'll probably enjoy this museum. If not, you might be disappointed. Travelers who enjoyed this museum were primarily self-proclaimed art enthusiasts, while those who didn't identify as such reported being a bit bored.

Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, sometimes referred to simply as Frari , is a gothic-style church that was finished in the 14th century. The exterior is minimal in comparison to  Saint Mark's Basilica  because the Franciscans who built it wanted the building to emulate their beliefs on living a life of poverty. The interior, however, is a different story. Inside, you'll see works by Titian, Bellini and Vivarini, among other famous artists, and all for a cheaper price than the city's art museums.

Recent visitors appreciated the minimal entrance fee and the fact that it sits away from the frenzy of the Piazza San Marco . Others admired its intricate interiors, as well as its bevy of artworks, calling the church a "must-see."

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Jewish Ghetto (Ghetto Ebraico di Venezia) Jewish Ghetto (Ghetto Ebraico di Venezia) free

In 1516, Jews in Venice were forced to move to a small northwestern section of the island. Considered to be the world's first ghetto, residents were only allowed to leave the neighborhood during the day and were then locked up at night and guarded. Today, this area is a part of the Cannaregio  sestiere (district) and is filled with restaurants and shops (some offering kosher products) and several synagogues, which are open for touring. Although it's free to wander around the neighborhood – and you might want to do just that – the synagogue tours do cost .

For a deeper understanding of the ghetto's history, recent travelers recommend booking a walking tour; some of the best Venice tours include stops here. Several water bus lines stop near the neighborhood, but you can also reach it on foot. 

Peggy Guggenheim Collection Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Expat American art collector Peggy Guggenheim dedicated her life to gathering this impressive body of 20th-century contemporary art. The collection, which is housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the  Grand Canal  (also Peggy's former home), contains works by artists such as Magritte, Picasso, Pollock, Chagall and Dalí. In the sculpture garden, you can pay your respects to Peggy herself (she was laid to rest on the property), as well as her beloved dogs, who are buried beside her.

Many travelers agree the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is well worth the visit. Some visitors were keen to point out that getting to know Peggy's life, on top of seeing the exceptional art, made the experience more unique than merely visiting a museum. Others who also enjoyed the museum said its modern collection is a nice break from the traditional Renaissance paintings often seen in Venetian museums. 

Correr Civic Museum (Museo Civico Correr) Correr Civic Museum (Museo Civico Correr)

The Correr Civic Museum, also known as the Museo Correr, is a large museum that displays art and artifacts from Venice's history as well as the former royals' quarters. If you're also planning to visit Doge's Palace  (the former government seat and leader's residence), the standard ticket includes entry to this attraction.

Those who visited the museum said they were pleasantly surprised at how much they enjoyed the stop, considering it wasn't on their must-see list (though they recommend you add it to yours). Others enjoyed the museum's peace and quiet and said it's a great escape from the crowds in Piazza San Marco . Reviewers were also pleased with the on-site cafe.

Ponte dell'Accademia Ponte dell'Accademia free

Ponte dell'Accademia is one of the four bridges that crosses the Grand Canal in Venice. While not as famous as the Rialto Bridge , its wooden structure makes it truly unique from other Grand Canal bridges in Venice that are made of metal or stone. It crosses the southern end of the canal where it connects the Dorsoduro and San Marco neighborhoods. Consider stopping by the Gallerie dell’Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection before or after viewing the bridge, as both are nearby.

Visitors say this bridge not nearly as crowded as the Rialto , and that the views of the canal and surrounding neighborhoods are spectacular. They also note that a vaporetto stop is nearby, so it's easy to visit the bridge by boat if you don't want to walk. Not only will you want to cross the bridge to get views of the water, but also you’ll want to take photos of the bridge from the surrounding buildings and walkways, according to past visitors.

Libreria Acqua Alta Libreria Acqua Alta free

U.S. News Insider Tip: Many books at Libreria Acqua Alta are for decor only. Not everything you see is for sale. – Holly D. Johnson

The Libreria Acqua Alta is often called the "most beautiful bookstore in the world," and it's easy to see why. From its ancient stone walls to its cobblestone floors and embellished (and sometimes flamboyant) decor, there's a lot to see here other than books.

Venice: St Mark's Basilica After-Hours Tour with Optional Doge's Palace

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from $ 85.52

Murano, Burano and Torcello Half-Day Sightseeing Tour

(6868 reviews)

from $ 27.27

Murano Glass Experience with a Visit to a Burano lace island

(888 reviews)

from $ 54.54

Ca' d'Oro Ca' d'Oro

Ca' d'Oro is a patrician palace that was originally built in the 15th century in the Renaissance style coupled with Gothic and Islamic elements. Built by Giovanni and Bartolomeo Bon (famous father and son architects and sculptors of the time) at the request of the procurator of St. Mark, the building is located along the Grand Canal . Several stories high, the palace facade is adorned with marble terraces and intricate architectural design. The building features ornate cornices and cresting that was made to please local Venetian patrons at the time.

The building is worth a look due to its elaborate exterior, but art lovers should note the Ca' D’Oro Franchetti Gallery is housed inside. Past visitors said that a trip inside was just as meaningful as an outside view, mostly due to the exceptional collection of art and heirlooms. Art you can view in this palace-turned-gallery includes sculptures, antique furniture, 16th-century Flemish tapestries, paintings and more.

Rialto Market Rialto Market free

Located near the famous Rialto Bridge , the Rialto Market is a centuries-old market that features everything you would expect including fruit, fish and vegetables. Of course, many travelers head here to pick up souvenirs as well, some of which wind up being edible. Visitors to the market have said it's a vibrant and busy place that's ideal for buying local herbs and sauces, or trying out meats, cheeses, spices and freshly caught seafood.

What should you do while visiting the market? You can walk throughout and try interesting foods and sauces, and there are places to sit down and eat or relax. Hours can vary, but the produce market is typically open 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday and the fish market is open the same hours Tuesday through Saturday. To avoid crowds, try visiting first thing in the morning.

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The 23 best things to do in Venice

Aperol Spritz, gondola rides and some of the best contemporary art around? Welcome to the city of love

Ignore Venice ’s somewhat  stuffy reputation - this is a place to live the good life. Think art, architecture and (of course) the Aperol Spritz, and you’ve got Venice. It’s busy, obviously, but most people are there to see St Mark’s and the Rialto Bridge. To avoid the crowds, you just need to know the right spots. A whopping 118 islands linked by over 400 bridges make up the centre of Venice, so there is a whole  lot to explore - and that’s where we come in. 

Maybe you just want to get lost in the narrow calli , sit canalside with cicchetti (Venice’s famous finger food) hearing the slap-slap of the water, or wander the Biennale gardens. Maybe you’re coming for the art – Renaissance maestros and modern marvels are all covered here. Maybe you’re here to party like it’s 1699 at Carnevale, or maybe you just want to get away from it all, and hit the outer islands of the lagoon. Whatever you’re into, here are the best things to do in Venice, by a local. 

RECOMMENDED: 🍴 The best Venice restaurants 🏘️ Where to stay in Venice 🍷 The best bars in Venice 🏨 The best hotels in Venice 🛏️ The best Airbnbs in Venice

Julia Buckley is a travel writer based in Venice . At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines . 

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Best things to do in Venice

1.  Piazza San Marco

Napoleon called this ‘the drawing room of Europe’, and even with today’s crowds and thickets of selfie sticks, St Mark’s Square is as refined as ever. Ride the elevator to the top of the campanile (bell tower) for drone-style views, watch high tides bubble up through the drains (note: that’s why you shouldn’t be splashing through the water barefoot), and visit the famous Correr Museum, located above the famous porticos. Most importantly, have a drink at one of the famous cafes, some of which have been going strong for hundreds of years. Florian has been serving eager Venice tourists since 1720, but our tip is for Quadri, on the opposite side of the square – it’s owned by the local Alajmo brothers, who have a Michelin-starred restaurant upstairs and gourmet bar snacks downstairs. 

2.  Doge’s Palace

Few buildings on the planet are as gloriously camp as the pink-tinged, candy-striped Doge’s Palace, dandling on the water’s edge. It’s certainly seen some action – the political heart of the Venetian Republic, which lasted for over 1000 years until 1797, this is where doges were ‘crowned’ (and the naughty ones executed), while prisoners were tried and marched to their deaths over the Bridge of Sighs. Some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance came to slather its walls in paintings, and even Casanova was imprisoned here, although he swiftly escaped over the rooftops to slay another day. Leave enough time to see it properly – highlights include the one of the largest canvas paintings in the world (‘ Paradise’  by Tintoretto in the Sala del Maggior Consiglio), the seriously creepy prisons, and the Bridge of Sighs, where you can recreate your own death walk. The regular exhibitions, including contemporary art installations, are always worth a look. 

3.  Basilica di San Marco

All that glitters probably is gold, if the Venetians are anything to go by. They looted left right and centre, down the Adriatic and across to Constantinople to make this, their main church, as spectacular as possible. From the intricate Byzantine-style mosaics on the floor (don’t miss the rhinoceros) to the glowing golden roof and wall mosaics, whose saints and martyrs sparkle, it’s deliciously outré. For a small extra fee you can visit the museum upstairs, and walk outside for views of the Piazza. 

4.  Grand Canal

This is one of the world’s greatest waterways for good reason – splitting Venice neatly into two, lined with palazzos each fancier than the next, and crossed by just four bridges, including the Rialto (below). Luckily in this most expensive of cities, public transport plies exactly the same route around its legendary bends as you’d take in a taxi or a gondola – you just have to make sure you bag a decent seat. Hop on the number 1 boat at Piazzale Roma, and it’ll take you on a 45-minute leisurely cruise, past churches (including the iconic domed Salute church) mindblowingly beautiful palazzos like the gothic wedding cake that is Ca’ d’Oro, fancy hotels like the Aman (where you might get a glimpse of Clooney and his ilk), and gliding under the Rialto. Because it’s a busy waterway, seeing the Grand Canal by gondola can be pretty stressful – you’re better off hopping into one at a quieter stop. What you should do here, though, is take a ride in a traghetto – essentially a public gondola, they cross the Grand Canal at five points. You get all the views, with less of the waves caused by all the boats – and all for €2 a pop.

5.  Ponte di Rialto

• Attractions
• Historic buildings and sites

Only in Venice can a bridge be a tourist attraction, a work of art… and a shopping mall. The marble-clad affair, linking the San Marco and San Polo districts via the Grand Canal since 1591, is second only to Piazza San Marco when it comes to visitor numbers. Fight for a space to get a prime view of the Grand Canal, check out the shops that line it (but be aware they’re mostly tourist traps), and most importantly cross it (if you’re coming from the San Marco side) to reach the market that’s been going strong for over 1,000 years. Today, the market itself may be of slightly less interest to visitors, since it’s mainly fruit, veg and fish, but the bars that have fuelled market workers for centuries are some of the best in the city for both atmosphere and cicchetti (see below).

6.  Try the cicchetti

People often slate Venice as expensive – with bad food. These people haven’t eaten cicchetti , the legendary Venetian bar snacks, which started as bitesize fodder for gondoliers and workers on the run. Today, they usually come in the form of slices of baguette bread topped with anything from seafood to meat and cheese – you’ll find some of the best in town at Schiavi in Dorsoduro, where gourmet toppings include egg dusted with tiny flowers and tuna tartare with a sprinkling of cacao. The more traditional cicchetti , though, don’t involve bread – they’re anything from a boiled egg with anchovies, to sarde in saor , sweet-sour-style sardines marinated with onion, raisins and pine nuts. Pair it with an ombra – the Venetian term for a small glass of house wine. The bars around the Rialto market are a good place to start a cicchetti crawl. 

7.  Gallerie dell’Accademia

When Napoleon conquered Venice, he swiped plenty of its best Renaissance artworks and took them back to France. Lots have been recovered, however, and are now part of this vast gallery, one of the best in Italy, sporting one of the finest collections of Renaissance art on the planet. The high-ceilinged rooms are stuffed with altarpieces by Venetian greats like Titian, Tintoretto, Bellini and Carpaccio, as well as those who hit the big time here, from Mantegna to Veronese. Look out for contemporary exhibitions, too, especially in Biennale years – a recent Anish Kapoor show was mesmerising. 

8.  Burano

• Walks and tours

Burano might be a 40-minute Vaporetto from the main island, but it’s worth the day trip. This island is filled with homes painted in every colour of the rainbow. Stroll past the 13th-century church of Santa Caterina to check out local restaurants, like the Trattoria Al Gatto Nero, which serves fresh seafood and homemade pasta (look for the bright blue building).

9.  Scuola Grande di San Rocco

Throughout the rest of Italy a scuola is a school, but in Venice it’s something altogether less pedestrian – essentially a group of locals who come together to do charitable deeds, and, more excitingly for today’s tourists, called in the best artists of the time to do the decoration. This is the best, covered almost entirely in paintings by Tintoretto – including the kaleidoscopic ceiling in the main room upstairs. It’s a mindblowing place – pick up one of the mirrors on hand so you don’t crick your neck, and follow the cycle. Don’t miss the wall seats sporting esoteric carved figures, either – including what looks like a cowboy. 

10.  Carnevale

Today, it’s almost exclusively tourists that take part in Carnevale – Venice’s carnival – but that doesn’t make it any less spectacular. Visit during February (usually, depending on the dates – but it ends on Shrove Tuesday) and you’ll find the streets full of your fellow visitors dressed up (you can tell the foreigners because they’ll be dressed in antique-style garb while Italians will be in general fancy dress). So grab a mask – splash out on one from a local artisan rather than buying a cheap plastic one from a stall, you won’t regret it – and join the crowds. You’ll find the official events listed on the Venice Carnival website each year – the most spectacular one is the Volo dell’Angelo, which marks the start of the Carnival, with a young woman ‘flying’ on a zipline from the campanile to the Doge’s Palace. 

11.  Peggy Guggenheim Collection

When the late, great Peggy Guggenheim moved to Venice in 1949, the city was busy looking back at its past glories. Guggenheim changed that pretty much singlehandedly (the Biennale aside), with her focus on contemporary art, filling her almost modernist-looking single-storey palazzo on the Grand Canal (it’s not a bungalow – it’s just an unfinished classical one) with works by her favourite artists. Today, her home is a museum bursting with her huge collection, with works by the likes of Picasso, Dalií, Pollock and more. Don’t forget to pay respects on your way out to her garden grave, alongside those of her best friends: her dogs.

12.  Murano

Come for the glass and stay for the island. Murano is a mini Venice, complete with its own palace-lined ‘Grand Canal’ snaking down its middle – and it’s only a five-minute vaporetto ride into the north lagoon (depending on where you alight). It is, of course, best known for its glass – the streets are lined with glass shops (make sure you’re buying something made locally, not a foreign-import trinket), blazing furnaces fire the factories where maestri blow and hand-turn glass, and there’s a superb – and compact – museum (below). But it’s a gorgeous island in its own right. Don’t miss the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato with its 12th-century mosaic ‘carpet’ of geometric patterns and fantastical animals, or the art-stuffed San Pietro Martire church. If you’re buying, Lucevetro has glasses, accessories and glass artwork designed and made on the island at accessible prices, while big spenders should head to Venini , whose collaborations with 20 th -century designers have made it world famous. 

13.  Torcello

• Religious buildings and sites

Just across the water from Burano is this semi-deserted island, whose current population just about hits double figures. Back in the day, though, this was where Venice began – before the Venetians settled around the Rialto, Torcello was a thriving port. Today it’s best known as being to a famous restaurant ( Locanda Cipriani  – great food, if sometimes snooty service), and the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta , built in the seventh century, and topped and tailed with glittering 11 th -century mosaics, including the dramatic Last Judgement on the back wall, which has some particularly gruesome depictions of those unlucky souls in hell. 

14.  Venice Biennale

Every other year from May to November, the art crowd flocks into town for the Venice Biennale, which sees countries from all over the world set up shop (or ‘pavilions’) to showcase the best of their modern artists. There are two official areas – the made-to-measure pavilions in the Giardini (a park to the east of the centre) and the Arsenale, the ancient shipyard, whose centuries-old factory premises make beguiling gallery space. You can get a ticket for one space or for both, and it’s worth adding a guided tour, led by experts, which give much-needed context to the exhibits and the Biennale theme as a whole (it’s contemporary art after all). What’s often more exciting are the ‘fringe’ events, which take place in multiple locations around the city: private palazzos, churches, abandoned buildings and even supermarkets. It’s a window onto another world. 

15.  Jewish Quarter

In 1516, Venice’s Jewish community was forcibly settled onto an island in Cannaregio, and the word “ghetto” was born. Over the following centuries it expanded, though citizens were still confined to the area at nightly curfew, and had to build ‘skyscrapers’ – as much as eight storeys high – to fit into the tiny area. While they lived in cramped conditions, though, they worshipped in synagogues every bit as fancy as Venice’s churches, and got the starchitects of the time to design them. Each community of origin had its own place of worship – today, guided tours take you to two of the five of them (which ones you get depends on the day). Outside in the area’s main square is a Holocaust memorial, remembering the 246 Jews who were arrested here and sent to the concentration camps during World War II.

16.  Fondamenta della Misericordia

Venice has never been a party city, but this is its wondrously watery take on a bar strip: dozens of wine bars, restaurants and boozy joints lining a wide canal in residential district Cannaregio, backing onto the Jewish quarter. Try Vino Vero for fancy (think biodynamic) wines, Al Timon whose seating includes a boat moored on the canal, and Ae Bricoe for delicious cicchetti . There’s also a great artist wedged between bars, Nelson Kishi at his shop Codex Venezia , for a truly unique souvenir of Venice. 

17.  Museo del Vetro

A museum about glass sounds yawnsome, but this is anything but: it runs you through the history of glass-making, from its Middle Eastern origins, to the Romans, and the medieval Venetian traders who brought back works from Syria to be copied back home – promptly moving the global glass business to Murano. There are plenty of examples, from pre-Roman vases to elaborate Renaissance tableware, as well as more design-led glass art from the 20 th century. If you turned your nose up at the glass chandeliers in your hotel, you’ll be converted here. 

18.  Take in the views

Few cities look as good from on high as this one, and you’ve a few places to choose from if you want a bird’s eye view.  The most obvious one is the campanile in Piazza San Marco – but while that nets you stellar views of the Piazza and the Doge’s Palace, it has the same problem as the observatory of the Empire State Building – you’re in the view. The campanile on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, just across the water, is a good alternative for classic Venice views, while for the Grand Canal, you’ll want to head to the rooftop of the Fondaco di Tedeschi department store, right above the Rialto Bridge.

19.  Lido

When you’ve had enough culture, escape to the Lido – the seven-mile sandbar separating the lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. It’s home to world-class beaches with Miami-style sugary sand – think Dirk Bogarde sprawling on the beach in ‘Death in Venice’ – although you’ll need to rent a sunlounger at one of the many beach clubs, since almost all of it is privatised. The island has celebrities oozing out of its pores come September, when the Venice Film Festival comes to town (the best star-spotting is at the wildly OTT Excelsior Hotel), but it’s lovely year-round, even on bracing winter walks. Take a bus (yes, this island has cars) to the eastern end to find its wilder side, with dramatic breakwaters and dunes that feel a world away from the city.

20.  Venezia Autentica

Feel like you’ve got shopping fatigue from passing by all those trashy souvenir shops? Take another breath – and let Venezia Autentica guide you towards the kind of places you actually want to shop at. Venice has been known for its world-class artisans for centuries, and this online platform run by two locals has a detailed database of the best of them. Whether it’s a hand-bound notebook, a blown-glass necklace or an actual Venetian mask (not the foreign-made plastic ones you’ll see all over) there are exquisite items out there – and it’s the most sustainable way to shop in this most fragile of cities, too. 

Our first look at Venice's photography museum

@timeouttravel Come with us to Venice’s new photograohy museum, just a hop, skip and a vaporetto ride away from St Mark’s Square. 📸 #venice #veniceitaly #italy #italytravel #traveltiktok #timeouttravel ♬ original sound - Ghibli Shorts

More great things to do in Venice

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15 Best Things to Do in Venice

By Andrea Whittle

You'll find part of the appeal of Venice in its layers and contrasts: There are plenty of beautifully preserved palaces, churches and glorious renaissance masterpieces to be sure, but there are also abandoned Byzantine shipyards used to display the world's most cutting edge contemporary art, and house museums that now host avant garde poetry readings and dance shows. It's all about the mix of crumbling old world glamour and mysterious chic. Yes, it's a major tourist town, but with this list of the best things to do, we've tried to guide you towards the stuff that's really worth seeing, be it on everyone's hit list or more of a low-key secret.

St. Mark’s Basilica Arrow

The cathedral anchoring St. Mark's square is so over-the-top beautiful it almost looks imaginary, like a church in a storybook. Outside, it's all Byzantine domes and columns and lions and angels; inside, it's aglow with glittering, gilded mosaics. For those just interested in the architecture, you can visit when there's not a mass in session (it's still very much a functioning church, with regular services), but check the website for the latest on the sometimes-nonsensical opening hours. Also know that, because it's in the Times Square of Venice, the church has had to start limiting crowds in recent years and there's often a long line. Make plans to go early.

Palazzo Fortuny Arrow

Palazzo Fortuny, a Gothic palazzo, was once the home of Mariano Fortuny, the artist, stage designer, and textile designer behind Fortuny Fabrics, which still turns out luxurious damask silks, cut velvets and printed cottons today. As a museum, it's a tribute to his opulent and eclectic taste: Rooms, draped in a patchwork of luxurious textiles or painted in floor-to-ceiling frescoes, are filled with art, antiques, and decor from his collection.

Venetian Arsenal Arrow

Arsenale di Venezia, a massive Byzantine armory and shipyard, was originally built in the 12th century, and it served as the Venetian military HQ for centuries afterwards. Now, its cavernous halls and landscaped gardens are used as one of the main venues for the Biennale, as well as the city's Naval Museum. During the Biennale, the Arsenale is filled with curators, collectors, tourists, and artists checking out the exhibition or relaxing on one of the lawns overlooking the harbor.

Giardini della Biennale Arrow

Every two years, during the Art Biennale, Giardini della Biennale, the leafy garden at the edge of the city, transforms into the Epcot of the art world. Maritime pines and gravel pathways conjoin a series of small pavilions, each pertaining to a different country, and each with its own architectural style. At all other times, the park is simply a beautiful, secluded, walkable, mostly tourist-free green space, with views of the canal and plenty of benches. Getting here is a bit of a trek though though; the park is about a 30-minute walk from San Marco, so if you're there in the heat of summer, consider taking the vaporetto (water bus).

Laura Walsh

Alex Erdekian

Charlie Hobbs

Gallerie dell'Accademia Arrow

Gallerie dell'Accademia is Venetian Renaissance 101. Name an important painter from the era—Titian, Canaletto, Bellini, Bosch, Tiepolo—and you can bet you'll find it here, spread among rooms as decadent as the paintings themselves. The collection spans the 13th to 17th centuries and consists mostly of works created in and around Venice. There are a lot of oil paintings, many of them religious masterpieces that have been beautifully restored and displayed. Particularly fun are the historical scenes of Venice, which offer a sense of the city's chaos during its heyday as a merchant capital.

Caffè Florian Arrow

Caffè Florian, in Piazza San Marco, has been open since 1720. In the early days, it was a watering hole for the likes of Proust, Dickens, and Casanova. Now, it's a tourist spot, sure—but it's a charming, beautiful, and an inarguably romantic one. Musicians (which you're paying for by the way—a fee will show up on your bill) play in the square out front, and patrons cluster around low marble tables, sipping hot chocolate and picking delicate pastries off silver trays. For first-timers to Venice, Florian is a glamorous place to stop and refuel.

Church of San Giorgio Maggiore Arrow

The main attraction on San Giorgio Maggiore, a small island next to Giudecca, is the church designed by Andrea Palladio, which has a bell tower with some of the best views in the city. But there are also multiple art foundations, including Fondazione Cini and Le Stanze del Vetro, worth checking out as well. Since the island is only reachable by boat, there's built-in crowd control, making it a perfect choice if you're looking to escape the San Marco fray.

Teatro La Fenice Arrow

The name of Teatro La Fenice, a landmark opera house, means "The Phoenix"—a nod to the fact that it's literally risen from the ashes not once, but three times, most recently after two arsonists burned down everything but the exterior walls in 1996. But it's been rebuilt and restored to its former glory (complete with its world-famous acoustics) by a team of architects and artists who sought to recreate every inch of the way it looked and felt in the 19th century.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection Arrow

This squat palazzo on the Grand Canal was once the home of the eccentric gallerist and collector Peggy Guggenheim, who played a big part in the careers of artists like Jackson Pollock, Max Ernst, and Alberto Giacometti. Today the eponymous museum still maintains the feeling of a private house. Most of the work on display was collected by Guggenheim during her lifetime—and it's some of the best art of the 20th century. In the entryway, two Picassos hang next to a Calder mobile. There are rooms filled with Kandinskys and Brancusis and Pollocks and Dalis. One mantlepiece is lined with Joseph Cornell boxes.

Fondazione Prada Arrow

This gloriously crumbling Baroque palazzo is the Venetian headquarters of Fondazione Prada. Much like the Italian fashion brand's designs, the artistic programming is bold, contemporary, and innovative. There is no permanent collection; instead, the three main floors of the palazzo are used as a project space for immersive exhibitions that often run concurrently with the Biennale. Sometimes, the foundation invites multiple artists to build installations that interact with the architecture; otherwise, curators will utilize every inch of the space to display a survey by one artist.

Pinault Collection Arrow

The contemporary art collection of French billionaire Francois Pinault is split between two Venetian venues: Palazzo Grassi, near the Accademia bridge, and Punta Della Dogana, the former customs house at the tip of Dorsoduro. Both are pretty spectacular, and they present a rotating program of blockbuster exhibitions. The shows at Palazzo Grassi tend to focus on a single living artist, giving them full reign of multiple floors as well as the massive central atrium. Across the canal, Punta Della Dogana usually goes wider, with thematic shows featuring work by multiple artists.

Doge’s Palace Arrow

Palazzo Ducale, an opulent gothic palace overlooking Saint Mark's Square, was the city's government seat (and the Doge's home) from the 14th to 18th centuries. It's been rebuilt and expanded over the years, so it's really a conglomeration of multiple buildings and styles—pretty much all of them over-the-top and glamorous. Visitors have access to various ballrooms, the Doge's former apartments, the grand inner courtyard, and the former prisons. It's run as a museum, so tickets are required.

Fondazione Querini Stampalia Arrow

Part 19th-century house museum, part contemporary exhibition space, part architecture nerd's dream garden, Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a microcosm of everything that's fascinating about Venice. The collection spans centuries and defies categorization: Renaissance paintings by the likes of Bellini and Tiepolo are displayed next to antique instruments, gilded French porcelain is laid out carefully on lace-trimmed tablecloths, and perfectly fluffed pillows sit on gleaming Louis XVI chairs. The garden, designed by the architect Carlo Scarpa in the 1960s, is a maze of geometric fountains and a serene lawn.

Mercato di Rialto Arrow

The fruit, vegetable, and fish market near the Rialto Bridge has been running for hundreds of years, and it's still where local chefs and home cooks come to stock their kitchens. Depending on the season, you'll find local cherries and peaches, artichokes and Treviso radicchio grown on nearby islands, and soft shell crabs and eels pulled straight from the lagoon. The produce market runs from 7:30 am to 1 pm every day except Sunday; the fish market is open those same hours, but Tuesday through Saturday.

Scuola Grande di San Rocco Arrow

Scuola Grande di San Rocco, an ornate Venetian "scuola" (the headquarters of a religious guild), is home to some of the Renaissance painter Tintoretto's best works, which cover the ceilings and walls of the building's two floors. Every inch of this place is decorated: In addition to the more than 60 paintings depicting scenes from the bible, floors are a geometric array of polished stones, every molding is intricately carved and/or gilded, and every wrought-iron lamp is as big as a person.

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25 Top Tourist Attractions in Venice

By Fiona Fiorentino · Last updated on April 3, 2024

A city built on 118 islands off the coast of northeastern Italy, Venice is unlike any other city in Europe or, for that matter, the world. Virtually unchanged in appearance for more than 600 years, the City of Canals looks more like something out of a picture book than a modern metropolis. It’s a place where the entire city is viewed as an attraction in itself.

A city packed with great art and architecture, millions of visitors come each year to enjoy the experience that is Venice. Even at the height of tourist season, however, Venice is a travel destination that manages to exceed all expectations. Here are the top tourist attractions in Venice that make a visit to this Italian city so special.

Map of Venice

25. Venetian Arsenal

Venice’s long, rich history is inextricably linked with the waters upon which the city is built; commerce and conquest relied on the city’s ability to build ships and project power abroad. Long before the industrial revolution, the Venetian Arsenal was churning out ships at an astounding rate, and much of the city’s stupendous wealth and beauty is due to this enthralling complex.

Wandering around the historic site is a delightful experience; there are some informative displays on show as well as some wonderful little neighborhood bars.

24. Santi Giovanni e Paolo

The largest church in the city, Santi Giovanni e Paolo towers over the buildings around it, and 25 of Venice’s doges are buried within, which testifies to its importance.

Built in the Italian Gothic style, the red brick church is lovely to gaze upon, although the interior, with all of its fantastic paintings and statues, is what the majority of people come to see. Don’t miss Cima da Conegliano’s Coronation of the Virgin and David by Alessandro Vittoria.

There are loads of exquisite tombs and monuments to the former doges on show – this is in part what makes Santi Giovanni e Paolo so interesting to visit.

23. Punta della Dogana

Once a customs house, this wonderful old building is now an art museum that focuses primarily on contemporary art. There are some marvelous statues and sculptures dotted about here and there and Giuseppe Benoni’s fantastic Fortune sculpture atop of the building is particularly delightful to gaze upon.

The Punta della Dogana lies at the point where the Grand Canal joins the Giudecca Canal, and the fantastic architecture alone makes it well worth visiting. The Pinault collection inside is lovely to peruse. The museum also hosts a wide variety of temporary exhibitions which attract locals and tourists alike.

22. Museo Correr

Located in Piazza San Marco, the Museo Correr’s wonderful collection looks at the art and history of Venice. The beautiful building which it is housed in demonstrates many Napoleonic and Hapsburg features, as the city was once ruled by both dynasties.

Wandering around the fine galleries is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. With maps, coins and paintings lying next to armor, wooden models, and navigational instruments, the Museo Correr is a treasure trove of a museum with a plethora of fascinating objects on display.

Highlights include the stunning Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana which is adorned with so many amazing frescoes and Antonio Canova’s beautiful Orpheus and Eurydice statue.

21. Venetian Ghetto

Fascinating to wander around, the Venetian Ghetto was established in 1516, when the Venetian Republic restricted Jews to live in this part of the city. It was the first ghetto in existence; the word in English actually derives from Italian, although it is still disputed whether ghetto meant ‘street’ or ‘little town’.

Nowadays, there is still a strong Jewish presence and lots of great Jewish restaurants and bakeries for visitors to check out – as well as several historic sites.

20. Scuola Grande di San Rocco

Completed in 1560, the delightful Scuola Grande di San Rocco has hardly undergone any modifications and alterations since then. As such, visitors can gaze in awe at its historic rooms, home to so many wonderful Tintoretto paintings. The Salone Maggiore is breathtakingly beautiful, and masterpieces by Titian and Palma il Giovane only add to the splendor on show.

The building was founded to host a confraternity and is named after San Rocco; a Catholic saint who was said to protect people from the plague. Indeed his massive popularity led to the Scuola becoming the richest in the whole of Venice and this is amply displayed in the lavish architecture and beautiful paintings that it is home to.

19. Gallerie dell’Accademia

Located on the south bank of the Grand Canal, the Gallerie dell’Accademia is mesmerizing to wander around. Its galleries are home to astounding artworks by famous pre-19th century Venetian artists.

Its 24 rooms cover various themes; some focus on panel-paintings while others look at portraits and work by specific artists. With masterpieces by renowned artists such as Canaletto, da Vinci, and Titian on display, the Gallerie dell’Accademia certainly won’t disappoint with all that it has to offer.

18. Lido di Venezia

Perfect for visitors who want to soak up the sun and enjoy the beach, the Lido di Venezia has a long stretch of sandy beach and is a great place to head to if you want a break from all the sightseeing in Venice. The sandbar island lies to the south and southeast of Venice, enclosing the lagoon within it and facing out on to the Adriatic.

Inhabited for over a thousand years, crusaders on their way to the Holy Land once set up camp on the very same beaches we see today and in the nineteenth century the sandbar became a popular resort for the rich and famous as writers, filmstars and royals descended upon the Lido.

With its own distinctive feel and laidback vibe, the Lido is well worth visiting and hosts the Venice Film Festival in September each year.

17. Rialto Market

With its endless stalls and food stands, the lively Rialto Market is an intoxicating place to visit. Its picturesque setting alongside the Grand Canal, with the Rialto Bridge nearby, only adds to the occasion.

Popular amongst locals and tourists alike, the market is where many Venetians do their food shopping. The vast majority of stands sell fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, and artisanal Mediterranean products. Perusing the food sellers’ stands is loads of fun and offers an authentic look at life in Venice .

16. Ponte dell’Accademia

The delightful Ponte dell’Accademia was opened in 1854 and is one of only four bridges that offer pedestrians a way across the Grand Canal. The wooden and metal bridge lies towards the southern end of the canal and looks very distinctive amongst all of the stone and marble that the majority of Venice is built out of.

More peaceful than the other bridges on the Grand Canal, the Ponte dell’Accademia attracts lovers, who attach padlocks to the bridge’s railings. There are some lovely views from its midway point.

15. Peggy Guggenheim Collection

This wonderful collection is an absolute joy to wander around as it houses many masterpieces by some of Europe and America’s most renowned artists. The modern art museum is located in a beautiful 18th-century palace on the Grand Canal. Its permanent collection includes some delightful Cubist, Expressionist and Surrealist works of art.

Among the many big names on show are The Poet by Picasso, Birth of Liquid Desires by Dali and Alchemy by Pollock. With so many amazing pieces on display, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is well worth checking out for all its fantastic modern art.

14. Torre dell’Orologio

Located on one side of Piazza San Marco, the Torre dell’Orologio is a lovely Renaissance building. It is an important historical and architectural site in the city, as its facade is home to a delightful astrological clock.

St. Mark’s Clocktower (as it is also known in English) sports two bronze figures on its roof that strike out the hour on a bell; lots of other lovely little designs and figures litter its facade. A statue of the Lion of St. Mark is present, as are the Virgin and Child and the beautifully decorated clock face itself.

When in Piazza San Marco, make sure to visit the Torre dell’Orologio on the hour or even go inside the building to get a glimpse of how the machinery works.

13. Teatro La Fenice

One of the most important and famous opera houses in the world, the Teatro La Fenice has been burned down three times over the course of its history. The current building was rebuilt in 2004.

The name of the theater pays homage to its ability to rise from the ashes, and the current interior is absolutely stunning with its detailed ornamentation and intricate motifs.

With a packed calendar of operas, concerts and ballets for visitors to enjoy, watching a performance at La Fenice is a great experience and is definitely worth checking out when in Venice.

12. Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

Beautiful to behold, the Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari more commonly goes by the name of Frari and is one of the most important religious buildings in Venice. Built out of red brick, the church is constructed in the Gothic architectural style.

Although the outside is quite plain, the interior is sumptuous to gaze upon and is home to some wonderful pieces of art which includes Titian’s Pesaro Madonna.

Completed in 1338, Frari is located in the San Polo district. Its ornate tombs, fantastic paintings, and elegant statues make it well worth a visit. Don’t miss Vittoria’s wonderful statue of St. Jerome and the stunning monument to Antonio Canova.

11. Campanile

One of the most recognizable landmarks in the whole of Venice, il Campanile is located on the famous Piazza San Marco and is the tallest building in the city. Towering to a height of 99 meters, the bell tower was completed in 912, although the building we see before us today was built in 1912 after it suddenly collapsed.

While the main body of the bell tower is quite plain, the upper realms of il Campanile have some lovely architecture on show in the form of the beautiful arches and stonework. An elevator brings visitors straight to the top of the campanile, where they have a great view over Venice and the lagoon.

10. Bridge of Sighs

Built in 1600, the Bridge of Sights connects the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace to the New Prison across the Rio di Palazzo. It was designed by Antonio Contino whose uncle Antonio da Ponte had designed the Rialto Bridge.

According to one theory the name of the bridge comes from the suggestion that prisoners would “sigh” at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window on their way to the executioner. In reality, the days of summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals.

9. San Giorgio Maggiore

Best known as the home of the 16th-century church of the same name, San Giorgio Maggiore is a small island located across the lagoon from St. Mark’s Square. Designed by the great Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, the church features a façade clad in gleaming white marble and an open and airy interior that’s refreshingly bare of over-ornamentation.

The main alter is graced by two of Tintoretto’s best paintings, the “Last Supper” and “The Fall of Manna.” Visitors can ride an elevator to the top of the church’s Neoclassic bell tower to enjoy a spectacular view of Venice.

8. Ca’ d’Oro

Originally known as the Palazzo Santa Sofia but now commonly known as the Ca’ d’Oro,the 15th century palazzo was designed by architect Giovanni Bon and his son Bartolomeo.

Although the façade of this splendid structure no longer features the ornamentation that earned the place its “house of gold” nickname, the now pink-and-white building is a treasure trove of art.

Located on the Grand Canal, the Ca’ d’Oro is home to the Museo Franchetti, named after the man who donated the palazzo and its entire contents of Renaissance paintings, antiques, sculpture and ceramics to the city.

7. Santa Maria della Salute

Commonly called La Salute, this 17th-century church stands at the point where the Grand Canal meets the Venetian Lagoon. The white stone edifice with its massive dome was constructed as a shrine to the Virgin Mary for saving the city from a plague that killed one third of its population.

In addition to the altar sculpture that depicts the “Madonna of Health” driving the demon Plague from Venice, there’s an extensive collection of works by Titian on display, including ceiling paintings of scenes from the Old Testament.

6. Ca’ Rezzonico

Of all the stately palazzos that line the Grand Canal, no building better illustrates what life was like in 18th-century Venice than the Ca’ Rezzonico. Used as a setting for the 2005 film “Casanova” starring Heath Ledger, the palace’s Grand Ballroom has played host to over-the-top parties for more than 200 years.

English poet Robert Browning was one of the last to make the palazzo his home. Today, the entire building is open to the public as the Museo del Settecento. While many of the paintings on display are reproductions, the fabulous ceiling frescoes by the Tiepolo family are authentic and have been restored to their original glory.

5. Piazza San Marco

As the only public square in Venice, the Piazza San Marco has been the city’s main gathering place for centuries. Surrounded by open-air cafés and landmark attractions, including San Marco Basilica and the Palazzo Ducale, it’s the natural epicenter for any visit to the City of Canals.

The square is actually laid out in a trapezoid shape that widens as it approaches the basilica. Despite the crowds that throng it in summer and the rains that flood it in winter, St. Mark’s Square offers a memorable Venetian experience in every season.

4. Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal. For nearly three hundred years, it was the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot. The stone bridge, a single span designed by Antonio da Ponte, was completed in 1591 and was used to replace a wooden bridge that collapsed in 1524.

The engineering of the bridge was considered so audacious that some architects predicted a future collapse. The bridge has defied its critics to become one of the architectural icons of Venice.

3. Doge’s Palace

During the prosperous centuries of the Venetian Republic, the city’s magistrates, or doges, ruled the city like royalty. The Palazzo Ducale was not only the residence of the doge but the city’s center of power and its administrative hub as well.

The building was constructed in two phases. The eastern wing, which faces the Rio di Palazzo, was built between 1301 and 1340. The western wing, facing the Piazetta San Marco, took an additional 110 years to build and was completed in 1450.

Visitors who take the Secret Itineraries tour can also walk through hidden passageways to view the private council rooms, torture chambers and the prison cell from which Giacomo Casanova made his escape in 1756.

2. Grand Canal

There’s no better way to begin an exploration of Venice than with a gondola ride down the Grand Canal. In a city where cars are banned, gondolas, water taxis and public vaporetti (water buses) are the primary sources of transportation.

The city’s aquatic thoroughfare snakes through the center of the city from Saint Mark’s Basilica to the Church of Santa Chiara. Lined on either side by Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance structures, the Grand Canal is crossed by four bridges, the most famous of which is the 16th-century Rialto Bridge.

The best time of the day for a gondola ride is in the early morning when the canal shimmers with golden light.

1. St. Mark’s Basilica

Situated in St. Mark’s Square, the soaring 30-story Campanile and the massive basilica behind it are two of the most popular tourist attractions in Venice. Both date to the 9th century but have been rebuilt and embellished extensively over the centuries.

San Marco Basilica serves as a showcase for the wealth that Venice accumulated as a military power. Its design mixes Byzantine and Gothic architecture styles in a unique way. Elaborate medieval mosaics cover much of the cathedral’s walls and vaulting.

Behind the tomb believed to hold the remains of Saint Mark stands the altarpiece Pala d’Oro, a jewel-adorned screen of gold that is considered one of the finest works of Byzantine craftsmanship in the world.

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What to do in Venice Italy: Attractions

Best things to do in venice - top 25 sightseeing, landmarks & activities.

Venice sights Top 25: top tourist attractions, activities, sightseeing, tourism, famous landmarks, canals and best things to in Venice Italy. What are the must see attractions and places to visit in Venezia?

Top 25 Things to do in Venice - Tourist attractions & Landmarks

Venice is a beautiful city, made up of more than 100 smaller islands. Some of these islands are closer together and are connected by the many canals. Other islands are further, however, transport by boat is the common way to get to the Venice tourist attractions because of all the water. The famous Italian city is also ideally suited to discover on foot and explore the best things to do in Venice Italy . The small streets and bridges that connect neighborhoods appeal to the imagination. A number of highlights and landmarks should not be missed during your visit to Venice (Venezia in Italian), such as the Saint Mark's Square with the adjacent St. Mark's Basilica or a tour with the authentic gondolas . What to see in Venice ? Click on one of these highlights for more information about these unique attractions, must see landmarks and sights of Venice Italy .

Popular sightseeing activities in Venice Italy

Where are the top things to do in venice.

On the map you will find the location of our Top 25 highlights, activities and best things to do in Venice Italy. When you zoom in on the map you will see more Venice sightseeing , landmarks and must see attractions around St. Mark's Square and the Grand Canal:

FAQ What to do in Venice Italy?

The top attractions are St. Mark's Square with the adjacent St. Mark's Basilica, Palazzo Ducale and the Campanile Bell Tower. Furthermore, the Grand Canal with the famous Rialto Bridge, the La Fenice theater, the Dorsoduro district and of course the gondola rides. In this article you can read all about the must see landmarks in the Top 25 Venice sightseeing .

The best things to see in Venice city will be on the water; take a trip with an authentic gondola, take a cruise on the Grand Canal or visit the picturesque islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. More info on visiting Murano, Burano and Torcello .

Visiting the basilica is free. To visit the basilica's museum and view from the roof terrace, you need to buy tickets on site. More info about the Saint Mark's Basilica .

The most famous museums are the Guggenheim Museum , Ca' Rezzonico, the Maritime Museum and the Galleria dell' Academy. In this article you can read all about the most important museums in Venice .

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15 Places to Visit in Venice + Things To Do for First-Timers

This iconic floating city is exceptionally beautiful and not like any other place on this side of the globe. Venice is truly a must-visit destination in Italy.

We were very happy that we squeezed in Venice on our first trip to Italy. Thankfully, the historical core was small and compact.

It’s possible to have a quick tour of the major attractions below in as little as one day or explore the nearby islands if you have more time.

Here’s a list of the best spots to go for first-timers in Venice.

1. Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square)

Location : Venice Historical Centre . Save on Google Maps .

Located in the heart of Venice, Piazza San Marco is the perfect place to start your tour of the city. Also known as St. Mark’s Square, it is surrounded my many of the city’s most famous buildings including St. Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile (bell tower), Doge’s Palace, Museo Correr and the Torre dell’ Orologio. Piazza San Marco can be crowded, so the best time to go here is very early in the morning.

Saint Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace guided tour package + skip-the-line entry ticket

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2. Saint Mark’s Basilica

Location : Piazza San Marco, 328 . Save on Google Maps .

Saint Mark’s Basilica is the most visited tourist spot in Venice. This famous architectural wonder is a symbol of Venetian wealth and power, renowned for its opulent design and gold ground mosaics. Saint Mark’s Basilica is one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture, achieving an Oriental feeling of exoticism mixed with the Venetian style of the Renaissance Art. There’s no admission fee to get inside the Basilica, but expect to pay entrance fees to special parts of the complex including the aint Mark’s museum, Pala d’Oro, the Bell Tower, and the Treasury.

Saint Mark’s Basilica guided tour package + skip-the-line entry ticket

3. St Mark’s Campanile (Basilica Bell Tower)

Location : Piazza San Marco . Save on Google Maps .

Standing near the front of St. Mark’s Basilica is its campanille or bell tower. With a height of 98 meters, this easily recognizable landmark is the highest in Venice. For a fee, you can go up the tower and see the best panoramic views overlooking the floating city.

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4. Doge’s Palace

Location : Piazza San Marco, 1 . Save on Google Maps .

Beside the Saint Mark’s Basilica, you can find the Doge’s Palace. This awe-inspiring landmark, built in Venetian Gothic style, is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The palace served as the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the former Venetian Republic. Inside, you can find the golden staircase and hundreds of paintings made by world-renowned artists, including the world’s largest canvas painting: “Paradise” by Tintoretto.

Doge’s Palace guided tour package + skip-the-line entry ticket

5. Bridge of Sighs

This famous bridge passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace to the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove). They say prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. Thus, the origin of the bridge’s name, Bridge of Sighs.

6. Venice Gondola Ride

It’s an experience like no other. The 30-minute gondola ride takes you through the Grand Canal and other minor canals in the city. When in Venice, taking a gondola ride is a must! It’s the best way to explore the Venetian canals as you get to see a fascinating view of the floating city.

Venice gondola ride package

Venice Walking Tour

Walking is not only a great way to explore the city but it’s the only get to get around many of the famous landmarks. Vehicles are not allowed in Venice, getting around is only possible on foot, by gondola or water taxi. It’s easy to get lost in the maze-like network of narrow alleys, but don’t worry. There’s always something interesting to discover at every turn. A guided tour is also a great idea, so you can get insights from a local expert and know details you might have missed otherwise if you were on your own.

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7. Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo

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The Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo is one of the largest churches in the city. Designed in Italian Gothic style, this 15th-century minor basilico it is the site of the funeral services of all of Venice’s doges. All 25 doges are buried in the church.

8. Casa di Marco Polo and Casanova House’s in Venice

Location : 30121, Calle Scaleta

Hidden in a small alley is the site where Marco Polo once lived. Although the structure is quite unassuming, it’s a great spot to appreciate the life of Marco Polo, often named as the greatest explorer of all time. In Venice’s backstreets, stands the family house of the infamous Italian adventurer, Giacomo Casanova. It’s a good thing that we booked a guided tour because the two spots are easy to miss.

9. Parish of Santa Maria Formosa

Location : Calle Seconda de la Fava, 5263 . Save on Google Maps .

The church of Santa Maria Formosa is an architectural masterpiece designed in Renaissance-style by Mauro Coducci. This attraction is also one of the interesting to visit on a walking tour of Venice.

10. Rialto Bridge

Location : Sestiere San Polo . Save on Google Maps .

A must-visit in Venice! The Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal is the oldest in the city and one of the most famous icons of the city. The area is usually crowded, so go early in the morning if you want to soak up the peaceful ambiance with a view of the Grand Canal glowing under the golden sunrise light.

11. Grand Canal

The Grand Canal is one of Venice’s the most important canals and the central artery of Venetian life. It is lined with palaces, churches and other remarkable buildings all in Romanesque, Gothic or Renaissance styles. Here you can appreciate the impressive way this floating city was built. Eat at a restaurant along the canal and enjoy delicious Italian dishes while taking in the view.

12. T Fondaco dei Tedeschi

Location : Rialto Bridge, Ramo del Fontego dei Tedeschi . Save on Google Maps .

A historic building now transformed into a luxury department store, the T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi By DFS stands beside the Rialto Bridge. A terrace on the rooftop offers beautiful views overlooking the Grand Canal.

To access the rooftop terrance, you need to book your 15-minute timeslot in advance  here .

13. Church of San Giorgio Maggiore

Location : Isola di S.Giorgio Maggiore . Save on Google Maps .

This massive Church of San Giorgio Maggiore can be seen from the waterfront at Piazza San Marco. The church stands on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. We didn’t have enough time to visit but if you do, you can cross to the island by ferry and see a spectacular view from the tower.

14. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

Location : Dorsoduro, 1 . Save on Google Maps .

Another church that can be seen from the waterfront at Piazza San Marco, is the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, also known simply as the Salute. It is one of the largest and most recognizable buildings in Venice, famed for its inspiring dome.

15. Santuario di Lucia (ex chiesa dei Santi Geremia e Lucia)

Location : Campo San Geremia, 334 . Save on Google Maps .

The Santuario di Lucia (ex chiesa dei Santi Geremia e Lucia) can be seen on the ferry ride to/from Venecia Santa Lucia Station, the main train station in Venice.

What places have you added to your bucketlist? Have you been to beautiful places in Venice that should be on this list? Feel free to share your thoughts!

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Home » Travel Guides » Italy » 15 Best Things to Do in Venice (Italy)

15 Best Things to Do in Venice (Italy)

Venice is a city of immense beauty and historical significance, but it is also unique and not like any other city in Italy. As the capital of the Veneto Region of Northern Italy, Venice actually lies on 117 small islands that are connected by a series of bridges and separated by a network of canals. With a population of around 250,000, Venice is not one of the largest cities in Veneto, but it is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.

During the Middle Ages and the Italian Renaissance, Venice was an extremely powerful stronghold and served as a major financial and military centre. Furthermore, it was a place that saw great cultural and artistic development and was renowned worldwide.

Today, Venice remains an important economic centre and is one of the most popular cities for tourism in the world – Sights like St. Marks’s Basilica and the Grand Canal draw millions of visitors to this small group of islands on an annual basis.

Lets explore the best things to do in Venice :

1. St. Mark’s Basilica

Easily the most renowned and famous building in Venice, St. Mark’s Basilica is a sublime piece of architecture that has stood the test of time since its creation in 1092 and remains one of the most important religious buildings in Northern Italy.

Every aspect of this church is fantastic – From the ornate detail, sculptures and artwork of the front facade, to the beautifully painted frescos and Byzantine works of art on the inside of the domed ceiling.

Located in the Piazza San Marco, this basilica is easily accessible from the grand canal and is one of the best-known surviving examples of Italian Byzantine architecture.

Top rated tour : Venice Doge’s Palace & St Mark’s Basilica Skip-the-Line Tour

2. St. Mark’s Square

Whilst St. Mark’s Basilica is the most famous building in Venice, St Mark’s Square is the most famous piazza.

Located on the grand canal, opposite the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, this square holds huge importance in Venice and is a truly spectacular place to visit.

Surrounding the Piazza is a series of ornate buildings with arched walkways that frame it perfectly.

Furthermore, several important buildings are located on the square including St Mark’s Campanile, St Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and Torre dell’Orologio.

This square really is the perfect place to start your tour of Venice and tick off some of its most impressive sights.

Available tour : St Mark’s Square Walking Tour & Gondola Ride

3. Canal Grande

Venice has literally hundreds of canals that connect the various islands that make up the city – the largest of which is the Canal Grande.

This monumental canal is more like a river and it passes from one side of Venice to the other and snakes through the centre in a large S bend shape.

Over 170 buildings dating from as early as the 13th century line the banks of the canal and it has served as an important waterway in the city for hundreds of years.

Only four bridges span the grand canal as generally people and tourists travel along the canal, not over it.

Consider walking along sections of the canal, admiring the buildings that line it, and watching the busy water traffic of Venice.

Book online : Private Gondola Ride along Canal Grande

4. Ponte di Rialto

As one of the bridges that spans the impressive Grand Canal, the Ponte di Rialto is undoubtedly the most famous and iconic.

Connecting the San Marco and San Polo districts of Venice, the bridge is an important pedestrian thoroughfare, but also a hugely popular tourist attraction.

Originally a wooden bridge, this culmination stood for hundreds of years until it collapsed in 1524. After this incident, an ornate stone bridge was built that still stands today.

The detail and design of the bridge is simply beautiful and its symmetry perfectly frames the grand canal.

Furthermore, the is also a series of shops on the bridge that sell a range of wares from souvenirs to jewellery.

Suggested tour : Gondola Ride to Rialto Bridge

5. Gallerie dell’Accademia

Located opposite the Ponte dell’Accademia on the Grande Canal, this museum hosts a fine collection of pre-19th century art and features works by artists such as Bellini, Canaletto and Titian.

The building that the gallery is housed was formerly a convent an was converted to the museum in the mid to late 1700’s.

For those who love Renaissance art and iconic masterpieces, this gallery delivers.

Possibly its best known piece is the Vitruvian Man by Da Vinci which shows the ideal proportions of man.

Other notable works include the Resurrection by Tintoretto, Virgin and the Child by Titian, and the Battle of Lepanto by Veronese.

Book online : Private Accademia Gallery and Dorsoduro Tour

6. Venice Lido

If you are looking for a spot of relaxation and to get away from the bulk of the tourists, the Lido is the place to go.

This separate island creates a barrier between Venice and the Adriatic Sea and features a long stretch of beautiful beach to enjoy.

Home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants, the Lido also has a host of residential areas, shops, restaurants and hotels.

With a much calmer, laid back and relaxed feeling to central Venice, Lido is a true escape and provides a stark contrast to the busy streets and waterways surrounding the grand canal.

Guided tour : Venice Lido 2-Hour Liberty Villas Tour

7. Doges Palace

One of the most renowned buildings in Venice aside from the Basilica and Campanile, Doges Palace also sits in St. Mark’s Square but looks out onto the grand canal.

This ornate palace is simply stunning and its front facade features a beautiful arched design made of white stone with a series of diamond patterns on the walls.

Inside, the palace is just as impressive and there is a series of immensely decorated rooms that all have original details, furniture and artwork.

Tours of the palace are available and it is advised to spend some time viewing both the exterior and interior in detail to truly capture a piece of the history of Venice.

8. Bridge of Sighs

Although only a small bridge in the relative scheme of Venice, the Bridge of Sighs is one of the most viewed structures in the city and is an important historic landmark.

Passing over the Rio di Palazzo, the bridge connects the Prigioni Nuove to Doge’s Palace.

Legend has it, that as criminals were taken from the Palace over the bridge, they would cast once last glimpse at Venice and sigh; considering their forthcoming punishment and imprisonment.

Whilst visiting St. Mark’s Square, it is an absolute must to glimpse this iconic bridge too.

Suggested tour : Doge’s Palace with Bridge of Sighs

9. Ride a Vaporetto through the Grand Canal

The Vaporetto is the main form of transport in Venice – Yes you can catch a train into the main station, and yes you can walk on foot through the streets, but to truly experience Venice, you must experience if from the water! The Vaporetto system is highly efficient and is one of the quickest ways of travelling to the various islands of Venice.

You can buy extended passes that allow for multiple uses so you don’t have to worry about buying a ticket each time you use one.

During your time in Venice, try to travel on the Vaporetto’s as much as possible and enjoy the water traffic and the sights and sounds that you will encounter.

10. San Marco Campanile

As the tallest structure in Venice, the campanile is a towering building that stands at a colossal 98.6m high.

The building that stands now, is actually a reconstruction as the original collapsed in 1902. Originally created in the 9th century, the campanile was used as a watch tower.

Throughout the years, the tower has been damaged by fire, earthquakes and even lightening.

Made of a simple red-brick design, the main shaft is quite simple, but the bell housing and pinnacle feature a myriad of arches and stonework, and the top features a golden statue of the Angel Gabriel.

Admire the tower from the Piazza di San Marco, but also take the elevator up to the top for possibly the best panoramic views of Venice.

11. San Giorgio Maggiore

This is one of the smaller separate islands that is not connected to the main canals of Venice.

San Giorgio Maggiore sits a short distance from the Venice Basin and the Grande Canal and can be reached by Vaporetto or private water taxi.

Located on the island is the fantastic San Giorgio Monastery, the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore and the large campanile that mirrors the one standing in St. Mark’s Square.

Walk through the small harbour and see the various boats moored, visit the fantastic church and monastery, and climb the campanile for amazing views back across to the main city of Venice.

Book a tour : San Giorgio Maggiore Island Visit with Video Guide

Murano is another of the islands within the Venice district – This area of land is actually made up of several small islands connected together by a series of canals and bridges (much like Venice). Murano has a wonderful charm and is often not as busy as the main areas of Venice.

This wonderful island town has numerous sights including the Basilica dei Santa Maria, the Campo Santo Stefano and the Palazzo Da Mula.

Furthermore, Murano is famous for its glass blowing and you can see live demonstrations at the various factories that are established here.

Book here: Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands

13. Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta

Located in the Cannaregio region of Venice, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta is a fine structure that is also known as I Gesuiti.

The front facade of the Church features several stone columns, ornate sculptured statues of religious figures, and a host of intricate detail – A huge bronze door serves as the main entrance.

Constructed in 1729, this is one of the newer churches in Venice but it is still important and the interior contains a number of impressive artworks such as the Martyrdom of St. Lawrence by Titian.

Furthermore, artwork, frescos and gold detail cover the ceiling of the church and some beautiful motif artwork lines the walls and columns.

14. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

Possibly the second most renowned church in Venice, the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute sits on the opposite side of the grand canal to St.

Marks and stands out against the surrounding architecture.

With a Baroque design, this church was completed in 1687 and is designated as a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church.

Taking centre stage on the Grand Canal, the exterior is decorated with four statues of the apostles and the main dome towers above the skyline.

The interior gives the impression of great space and the hexagonal design allows light to pour in.

Although not decorated to the same degree as other churches in Italy, this basilica has a great deal of symmetry and is truly pleasing on the eye.

15. Torcello Island

If you are looking for a peaceful escape, Torcello island offers just that and is much less crowded than the main areas of Venice.

Located to the far east of the main part of Venice, Torcello is nestled behind Burano and is approximately 45 minutes from Venice via a regular ferry.

Walk through the main street of Torcello and admire the beautiful canal until you reach the Church of Santa Maria Assunta which has a fantastic design.

Furthermore, there is a dedicated museum that displays the history of this chain of islands, and a variety of shops and restaurants.

15 Best Things to Do in Venice (Italy):

• St. Mark's Basilica
• St. Mark's Square
• Canal Grande
• Ponte di Rialto
• Gallerie dell'Accademia
• Venice Lido
• Doges Palace
• Bridge of Sighs
• Ride a Vaporetto through the Grand Canal
• San Marco Campanile
• San Giorgio Maggiore
• Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta
• Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
• Torcello Island

What to See in Venice

The 22 most beautiful sights in venice.

Latest update: March 6, 2024

In a nutshell: Our 5 Venice highlights

• St. Mark’s Basilica : the huge church with its five domes is definitely worth seeing from the outside and inside.
• Rialto Bridge : the most photographed motif in Venice. The best time to do so is in the late afternoon. The setting sun then shines directly on it.
• St. Mark’s Square : The most famous highlights in Venice are located here. But also the square itself has become a top sight.
• Doge’s Palace : The city was once ruled from here. Today you can visit the magnificent residential quarters.
• Canal Grande : On the widest canal in Venice, there are always countless gondolas, motorboats and ferries.

These are the definitive must-sees in Venice. Find out more about these highlights, other sights and our best tips below.

Buy tickets for the Venice highlights in advance

Venice is one of the most visited destinations in the world. So hours-long lines at the major attractions are pretty much a given.

That’s why it is definitely worth booking tickets in advance for the most famous Venice sights. They allow you to simply skip the line and go head straight for the entrance.

Here’s a list of Venice attractions with skip-the-line tickets available:

Venice sightseeing map

To give you a rough impression of city’s layout, here’s a map with all of Venice’s major sights and attractions.

That way you can see where in Venice which sight is located and you can plan your visit even better.

Click here to download our Venice sightseeing map

St. Mark's Square

St. Mark’s Square is the most famous square in Venice and is absolute must-see.

The square is huge: to be precise, 175 meters long and 82 meters wide . And it is well-attended at all times of day: by tourists, residents and what feels like thousands of pigeons.

Several of the major Venice sights are located directly in the square : The Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, the slightly leaning St. Mark’s Tower, the Procuraties, Venice’s former government buildings, and the historic Caffé Florian.

The other side ends on the open water. A real feast for the eyes! The square is only a few meters above sea level , so sometime it’s underwater in winter. In that case, footbridges are installed on the square so visitors can still come here.

St. Mark's Basilica

Construction on the cathedral, which is now one of the most impressive buildings in Italy , began almost 1000 years ago.

This basilica is definitely worth a visit: the 8000-square-meter interiors are completely wallpapered with gilded mosaics and precious marble . Similar to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City , which is one of the best attractions in Rome .

Admission to the cathedral is free . However, inside the cathedral there are several parts that charge admission, such as the Cathedral Treasure, the Pala d’Oro, an altarpiece made of gold and gems, and the Saint Mark Museum.

The cathedral is always packed and though the entrance is free, there’s always a line . The same applies to the paid parts of the cathedral. But you can skip the lines with a guided tour and learn a lot of background info at the same time.

Book a guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica with skip-the-line admission

Or you could visit St. Mark’s Basilica after the ticket office closes. This is possible with a guided tour in the evening:

Guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica after closing

Our tip : If you want to visit the Doge’s Palace anyway, you could book a combined tour. It’s worth it because the two structures are right next to each other:

Book a guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace

free (individual parts are charged for)

St. Mark's Tower

The St. Mark’s Tower is the free-standing bell tower of the cathedral and is even older than the latter: construction began in 888 AD and was originally intended as a lighthouse .

The almost 100 meter high tower has been climbed by several personalities. Galileo Galilei is said to have interpreted the constellation from up here, and Goethe is said to have seen the open sea from here for the first time.

There’s an elevator that takes you to the top. From here you have the best view of Venice and the lagoon: no other building in the city is higher than the St. Mark’s Tower. And if you manage to get to the top on the hour, you’ll be able to hear the bells ringing at close range.

Unfortunately, tickets for the tower are only available on site, so you have to be prepared for waiting times.

Our tip : If possible, come on a weekday, first thing in the morning, when the tower opens. With a little luck, you might even be able to go up right away.

Closed in case of bad weather

The Rialto Bridge

There are a total of 435 bridges in Venice , the most famous of which is the Rialto Bridge. The bridge is featured on every postcard of Venice and is also one of the most photographed Venice landmarks ever.

The stone version has existed since the 16th century. Its 12th century predecessor was made of wood. Its purpose was to bring the citizens to the city market, the Mercato di Rialto, as quickly as possible.

Nowadays, the Rialto Bridge is completely covered and overrun by tourists and street vendors. There are quite a few souvenir stores on it, which is a bit of a shame. Nevertheless, it’s absolutely worth seeing: it offers a beautiful view of the Grand Canal .

Our tip : If you walk along the canal on the Riva del Ferro towards the bridge in the late afternoon, the setting sun falls directly on it. This is the best time and the best location to photograph the bridge!

The Doge's Palace

For centuries, the Doge’s Palace was the seat of the Doges, the heads of state of the Republic of Venice.

Because Venice was an autonomous republic as well as a commercial and naval power for over 1000 years. So, from the Doge’s Palace, Venice was a major player in the world economy for centuries.

And like so many sights in Venice, this one is brimming with pomp and circumstance . It borders directly on St. Mark’s Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs, so it’s also right on St. Mark’s Square.

You should make sure to visit the Doge’s Palace from the inside, but there is always a line here as well. So quick entry is definitely worth it for the small surcharge difference, otherwise the waiting times can get very long.

Book a skip-the-line ticket to the Doge’s Palace Book a skip-the-line ticket to the Doge’s Palace with a 1-hour tour

The Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs is another super-photographed sight in Venice. The covered bridge connects the Doge’s Palace with the former prison of Venice.

The name derives from the fact that from here the prisoners condemned in the Doge’s Palace could take a last look at Venice and sigh before they were taken to prison.

The best view of the Bridge of Sighs is from the Ponte della Paglia . This is the bridge that connects the quay of the market square with the bustling Riva degli Schiavoni, a wide promenade of the old town.

The Church of Santa Maria della Salute

Santa Maria della Salute is definitely the most photogenic church in Venice and a mainstay on countless postcards.

The baroque church with the two striking domes stands directly at the entrance to the Grand Canal.

It was built in the 17th century , when Venice had just fallen victim to the plague. A third of the population was ravaged by the epidemic and the Doge pledged this church to Our Lady in the hope of defeating the plague. The plague had been defeated and so the church became one of the most impressive in the city.

Santa Maria della Salute rests on 10,000 oak piles to keep the structure from sinking.

You can visit it for free .

Scala del Bovolo spiral staircase

The Scala del Bovolo belongs to the Gothic palace Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo and is located in an unassuming side street near St Mark’s Square.

When the staircase was commissioned in the 15th century, it was designed to be the most beautiful staircase in the world . And beautiful it certainly is!

You can just admire the staircase from the fence, or climb them, which we highly recommend. From the top, you’ll have a great view of the hidden backyards of Venice and St Mark’s Square.

You should definitely book the ticket for the Scala del Bovolo ahead of time to avoid long waiting times. The ticket also includes the art exhibition by Venetian artists in the Sala del Tintoretto, a room on the 2nd floor of the palace.

Book a ticket for Scala del Bovolo

Teatro La Fenice

Teatro La Fenice is one of the most famous opera houses in the world . It’s located on the site of the former Theater of San Benedetto, which burned down in the 18th century.

Fenice means phoenix, the bird rising from ashes in mythology, hence the name of the current structure.

The auditorium extends over five floors, and the sumptuous furnishings include red and gold decorated chairs, countless sconces, and magnificent boxes.

You can visit the theatre with or without a performance.

To a ticket with audioguide for the Teatro La Fenice

13 euros (with audioguide)

The Island of Burano

To the northeast of Venice lies the small, colorful island of Burano, which is an essential part of a trip to Venice.

You can easily visit Burano in an afternoon. The island has just 2700 inhabitants and is 45 minutes away by the vaporetto line 12. It’s famous for its charming, colorful houses .

Blue, yellow, purple – no color is too bold for the inhabitants of Burano. It’s said that fishermen used to paint their houses this way so they could spot them even in the thickest fog. Burano is also famous for its intricate lace embroidery , which you can buy everywhere here.

You can also take a guided boat cruise to Burano, which includes the islands of Murano and Torcello. You’ll have 1 to 2 hours free time on each island to look around on your own.

Book a guided tour of Murano, Burano, and Torcello

The Grand Canal

It’s impossible to miss the Grand Canal in Venice. It is the widest of all canals and winds its way through the entire old town.

The canal spans 70 meters at its widest point and is crossed by a total of four bridges, including the Rialto Bridge.

When you arrive in Venice by train and get off at the main station, the Grand Canal is the first thing you see of the city.

There are hundreds of gondolas, motorboats and ferries milling about on the water. You can just sit on a bridge on the Grand Canal forever and watch the hustle and bustle. It never gets boring!

The vacation island of Lido di Venezia

You can also enjoy a real beach vacation in Venice on the island of Lido di Venezia. The island separates the lagoon of Venice from the open sea and has been the vacation spot par excellence since the 19th century.

Lido has everything you would expect at a typical Italian seaside resort: bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels in every price range and, of course, the 12 kilometer-long sandy beach.

Most of the beach costs money : you can rent a changing room, sunbeds, umbrella and chairs for 15 to 20 euros per day. Toilets, showers, and a beach bar are always included. But certain parts of the beach are free of charge , for example the beaches of San Nicolò and Alberoni, located in the north and south of the island respectively.

It takes 30 minutes to get to Lido di Venezia by vaporetto from the Piazzale Roma pier. If you want to stay on Lido di Venezia and use it as your base for your trip to Venice, here’s a selection of hotels in three price ranges:

Villa Casanova

Villa Contarini Atlanta Augustus

Ausonia Hungarian

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Peggy Guggenheim was an American art collector who made it her mission to create the largest museum of modern art in the 1930s and 1940s.

Even during World War II, she didn’t shy away from the dangers of travel, scouring Europe in search of interesting works of art.

The result is today’s Peggy Guggenheim Collection: the most important Italian museum of modern art , with works by Pollock, Picasso, Kandinsky and Magritte, among others.

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is located in Venice’s only unfinished building , the Palazzo dei Leoni, on the banks of the Grand Canal.

The museum is one of the most popular Venice attractions, so be sure to book tickets in advance:

Book tickets for the Peggy Guggenheim Collection with fast-track admission

Closed on Tuesdays

Casino Venier

The Casino Venier is a real Venice insider tip .

Casinos were small, clandestine premises in Venice in the 18th century, where people met after going to the theatre. People danced, gambled, debated, and engaged in all sorts of things that weren’t meant to see the light of day. Of course, not just anyone could enter a casino: only selected members were allowed to enter.

There were a total of 118 of these secret places in Venice, but today only one is perfectly preserved: Casino Venier. It is located in an inconspicuous building. Even the interior decor, the floors and the frescoes are the original ones. Casino Venier consists of three rooms, with secret passages, peepholes and hidden chambers .

Today the Casino Venier belongs to the Alliance Française, an Italian-French cultural institution. If you want to visit the Casino Venier, you have to contact the Alliance Française and ask for an appointment.

Alternatively, the Art Night Venezia takes place once a year in June, when numerous museums and cultural institutions stay open late. The Casino Venier is open free of charge on this day.

The Jewish Quarter

The Jewish ghetto of Venice has existed since the 16th century . At that time, the Jewish merchants were banished to the deserted corner in the northwest of the city to live in isolation from the rest of the republic out of fear of competition.

The term ghetto dates from this period: it was probably derived from the Venetian word geto , meaning foundry. In fact, the neighborhood where the Jews of Venice were to live was the poor neighborhood of the iron founders.

It wasn’t until Napoleon conquered the city at the end of the 18th century that the Venetian Jews were free again. During the fascist period, most of the Jews who still lived in the neighborhood were deported to concentration camps. Today, only about 30 Jews still live in the neighborhood.

However, while it used to be quite run-down, it is now a pretty, quiet neighborhood of Venice. The central square is Campo del Ghetto Novo: here you’ll find three synagogues, restaurants, art galleries and the Jewish Museum .

The neighborhood is much less crowded than the rest of Venice, so you can easily spend a few relaxing hours here.

To a private tour through the Jewish Quarter

Libreria Acqua Alta bookstore

A lesser known , but very noteworthy attraction in Venice is the Libreria Acqua Alta. Translated, the name means high water bookstore and is a very special bookstore in the old town of Venice.

The sign at the entrance claims that it’s the most beautiful bookstore in the world. That’s obviously in the eye of the beholder, but it’s definitely unique.

The books are stacked all around the store , mostly in gondolas and bathtubs. The purpose is that when there is high water, which can happen several times a year in Venice, the books are protected by their floating bases.

The bookstore also has a small courtyard with a staircase made of books and a small terrace on the canal where you can browse through the books.

By the way, the bookstore carries an international selection , so you can also find books in English and many other languages.

Rialto Market

Venice is always full of tourists, but if you want to experience the authentic Venice , you should take a walk through the Mercato di Rialto.

The market has been operating for an incredible 950 years and is the daily meeting place for Venetians from all walks of life: housewives, pensioners, chefs, and merchants. The fish market is especially remarkable : it sets up under a stone balcony and features all the fish and seafood that the Adriatic has to offer.

The market is held from Monday to Saturday until lunchtime . But to experience the real Venetian hustle and bustle you have to come early in the morning between 7 and 9 o’clock, when people are haggling and discussing. After that, the tourists and photographers slowly stream in and the market loses a bit of its authentic flair.

There are many small bars surrounding the market where you can have breakfast with a croissant and cappuccino and mingle with the crowd.

Book a guided street food tour of Rialto Market

Our tip : If you’re self-catering at a vacation rental in Venice, be sure to shop at the Rialto market. Supermarkets are rare in Venice and the prices at the market are about the same as in the supermarket. And the quality is great!

The historic Caffè Florian

Caffè Florian is definitely one of the must-see places in Venice. It is the oldest coffee house in Italy and a real institution.

It is located directly on St. Mark’s Square, it was opened in 1720 and it even has its own coat of arms.

The interior is a mix of pomp and decadence : gilded stucco, murals and large mirrors, combined with faded colors, characterize the cafe’s wood-paneled rooms.

While Venice’s nobles and intellectuals used to meet here, today it’s mostly tourists. Nevertheless, the café has an incredible charm and is definitely worth a visit.

However, the café isn’t just famous for its extravagant decor, but also for its opulent prices: A cappuccino on the terrace costs around 10 euros, plus a couple extra when there’s a pianist playing. But if you drink your coffee standing up at the counter, the prices are considerable more reasonable and you can still take a look inside.

The mask workshops

Of course the capital of carnival has many mask workshops. The famous Venetian masks are crafted by hand here and sold directly in the associated store.

One of the most famous workshops is Ca’ Macana , whose imaginative masks have been used in the Hollywood movies Eyes Wide Shut and 50 Shades of Grey .

So when you visit one of Venice’s many mask and costume boutiques, you can do some shopping while looking over the shoulders of the artisans – or even create your own mask : Some studios offer 1-2 hour workshops where you create your own mask – a really great activity in Venice .

Book a workshop at a Venetian mask atelier

Venice Carneval

The Venice Carnival is the highlight of the year in the lagoon city.

Exactly 10 days before Ash Wednesday, it starts with a big opening ceremony , where an acrobat dressed as an angel floats down from St. Mark’s Tower to St. Mark’s Square. This day also sees the historic boat parade on the Grand Canal, with around 120 gondolas with costumed boaters and much fanfare passing cheering spectators.

In the following days, Venice’s streets are abuzz with music, stage plays, puppet shows, and street performers. The masks and costumes from the 18th century are quite traditional, with sweeping ball gowns and colorful headdresses. Most of them are handmade and are worth a few thousand euros. You can also rent them by the day and join the parade!

The Venice Carnival is an event absolutely worth seeing, even if it gets incredibly crowded. Especially on the weekend leading up to Ash Wednesday, the city is filled with day-trippers from the surrounding countryside and the rest of Italy.

Our tip : If you are in Venice already a few days before the official start of the Carnival season, it’s not so crowded yet and you’ll still get to see a few costumes already.

One more tip : Make sure to try a frittella during carnival season! This is the traditional carnival pastry with chocolate or cream filling that you can get in any café.

A gondola ride

The classic Venice highlight is a ride in a gondola. Everywhere on the Grand Canal and in the smaller canals of the old town you will constantly see a gondola with tourists who let themselves be cruised through the canals.

But before you head to the next dock, there are some details you should know beforehand:

• A gondola ride is quite expensive . The standard price for a 30-minute ride is 80-100 euros per gondola. It can be even more expensive in the late afternoon and evening, as these are the most popular times for tourists to ride.
• A gondola can fit up to ten people . If you want to pay a little less, you can also share your gondola. But of course that isn’t quite as romantic.
• The gondolier, i.e. the gondola guide, can also tell you a bit about Venice. Or rant about Italian politics, or have private conversations on his cell phone. Or even remain silent. In any case, it’s not a guided tour with singing like in the movies. But most gondoliers are very nice and talkative .
• In the narrow canals of the old town it can get congested from time to time. To avoid this, you should either take a gondola ride on the Grand Canal, or take a gondola in a more remote part of the Old Town. The further away from St. Mark’s Square, the better.

You can also book a gondola ride in advance online. This is especially practical in the peak season, because then lines at the piers are not uncommon.

Book a private gondola ride for up to 5 people Book a shared gondola ride for up to 10 people

Eat cicchetti

A cicchetto is the Venetian answer to Spanish tapas and is as much a part of Venice as St. Mark’s Square.

These are mainly small slices of white bread with all kinds of toppings , such as grilled eggplant, pistachio cream cheese, olive paste, prawns with garlic or sun-dried tomatoes with mortadella. And and and – the imagination knows no bounds!

The traditional place to get cicchetti is a bacaro . These are tiny little places, usually consisting of just a counter and a few tables, scattered all over Venice.

The best way to enjoy cicchetti in true Venetian style is on a plate on the banks of the canal, accompanied, of course, by an ombra , the Venetian expression for a glass of wine. Be sure to do it!

To a Venetian night flavors tour with different cicchetti and ombre

General tips for sightseeing in Venice

But before you get started with your Venice trip, here are a few tips to help you prepare for your trip.

#1 Book a hotel in the old town of Venice

The old town is the area that you see in all the photos of Venice with the canals and the gondolas.

You should make sure to stay here as well, because this is where most of the Venice attractions are located. Of course, there are other, more modern parts of Venice, partly on islands, partly on the mainland.

Hotels in Venice’s historic center aren’t cheap, but you’ll save yourself the boat ride you’d otherwise have to take every day for your sightseeing.

Here come a few hotels for every budget that are strategically located:

Hotel Serenissima Hotel Casa Petrarca

San Lio Tourist House Combo Venezia

Baglioni Hotel Hotel Ai Reali

#2 Book your accommodation in Venice early

You should book as far in advance as possible to get a place to stay in the old town.

That won’t save you any money , unfortunately, because even 1-star hotels or simple guesthouses rarely offer rooms for less than 100 euros a night, no matter if you book a month or a year in advance.

But if you plan your trip to Venice on short notice, you might be left with only the luxury rooms for 400 euros per night .

#3 Take a guided tour of the Venice sights

Given the abundance of highlights in Venice, a guided tour of the city is not a bad idea.

Especially if you only have limited time and want to see as much as possible. These tours are all in English and are particularly suitable for a first impression :

2-hour guided tour of Venice 2-hour guided tour and gondola ride

But even if you’re staying for longer or already know your way around Venice, there are some interesting tours that are a bit more unique :

Legends and ghosts tour through the old town

#4 Visit the Venice attractions in the off season

Venice is never really empty. But in the months of November, January and March , at least you don’t have to wait in line for a long time in front of the sights and the alleys aren’t as crowded.

What’s more, you can score some real bargains on hotel bookings in the off-season: For example, in November you can get a 4-star hotel in the old town for as little as 150 euros a night. By comparison, the same hotel costs more than twice as much in the high season.

Of course, the weather isn’t quite as nice in the off season. But hey, it’s still Italy: with a little luck you’ll still catch some sun!

Those were our 22 most beautiful Venice sights

Have you been to Venice and can you contribute more highlights? Then we look forward to hearing from you in the comments!

40+ Must-see Places & Best things to do in Venice Italy (Tips by a local)

What’s in this article

Are you planning a trip to Venice, Italy, and wondering what the absolute best places to see and things to do in Venice are? 

In this guide, I cover all the must-see sights, landmarks, and top tourist attractions in Venice that are well worth your time. 

Venice is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s also known as “La Serenissima” by many, and was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon. 

The city’s symbol is the winged lion, also known as the Lion of St. Mark. 

It may be a touristy place, but it has a special allure that draws visitors from all over the world. It’s worth visiting!

It’s a city of contradictions:

• both ancient and contemporary;
• frantic yet serene;
• charming but at times just plain old worn out;
• romantic in spots but often overcrowded with tourists;
• beautiful but decaying.

It’s the city of masks, glass, lace, paper, and carnival. 

It’s the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region and is built on more than 100 small islets in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea that are connected by over 400 bridges.

It has no roads, just canals lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces.

The historic centre is divided into six sestieri (districts) that are linked by a vast network of bridges that span the canals.

Each “sestiere” is distinct:

Cannaregio is an authentic Venetian district filled with local people. It’s just a short walk from Venice’s Santa Lucia train station.

It’s also home to many Venetian Jews who have lived there for centuries.

Visit the “Ghetto”—the first Jewish ghetto in Europe (established in 1516). 

Castello sits on the largest island on the eastern side of the city and has several areas of interest for visitors to Venice.

It’s home to the Venice Biennale headquarters, with its exhibition halls and gardens, and the Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice’s magnificent shoreline that extends over St. Mark’s basin and overlooks the Grand Canal.

Dorsoduro is the most cultural and artistic district of the city. It houses the Accademia Gallery and is home to one of the four bridges that span the Grand Canal, the Ponte dell’Accademia.

Here you will also find Peggy Guggenheim’s modern art collection, housed in her former Palazzo Venier.

San Marco attracts all types of tourists with its famous Basilica di San Marco.

It’s also the city’s lowest point, so it’s frequently subject to the city’s notorious tides.

San Polo is the city’s smallest district.

Santa Croce is Venice’s only district where you can see cars and buses.

Furthermore, the lagoon of Venice is made up of 62 islands, the most well-known and visited of which are Torcello, Murano, and Burano.

However, there are numerous other islands to the north and south of the lagoon, including Sant’Erasmo, Chioggia, and even La Certosa, as well as numerous smaller islands.

And taking a vaporetto between islands while surrounded by the scent of the sea is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

But let’s get straight to the point and find out what the best things to do in Venice are!

Starting in April 2024, they’re implementing an access fee on certain crowded days. If you’re visiting Venice for the day, you’ll need to pay a 5 euro access fee. This fee applies to day-trippers. However, there is an exemption available for those staying overnight in Venice as well as children under 14. If this applies to you, you can apply for an exemption on the official Venice tourism website . The dates they’ve announced so far are: April 25-30; May 1-5 and 11-12, 18-19, 25-26; June 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30; and July 6-7, 13-14. On those days you’ll need the QR code from the access fee or exemption proof with you, or you could face a fine up to €300 if stopped without it.  It does seem like a bit of a hassle, but Venice has been struggling with the effects of overtourism for a while. This is their attempt to better manage visitor numbers and prioritize residents’ quality of life. The good news is you can easily avoid it by planning your trip for dates outside those announced so far. They may add more dates later in the year too, so it’s worth keeping an eye on requirements if you have Venice on your travel list.

Best places to see and things to do in Venice Italy

Venice is a city that is best seen by foot.

You’ll want to take your time and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of this beautiful city. 

If you only have one day and want to make the most of your visit, a private tour of the city’s main highlights is the best option.

Here’s my list of must-sees in Venice, organised by sestieri:

The Sestiere San Marco 

If you only have a day or so in Venice, it’s very likely that your visit will begin in the Sestiere San Marco. This is where the must-see attractions in Venice can be found:

Explore Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square)

Piazza San Marco is Venice’s largest and most renowned square, which is located right next to the lagoon.

It’s also the only plaza in Venice with that name; all other squares are named “ Campi .”

There is a huge white building covering three of the four sides of St. Mark’s Square. It’s called the Procuratie . It was once the building where the procurators, the people in charge of administering the entire Republic, were located. 

Nowadays, it houses the centre of sustainability for the city, the Archeological Museum of Venice , and the Correr Museum .

There are various old cafés on the square, under the characteristic Procuratie’s colonnades, where you can get a coffee; the most famous is the classic Caffè Florian .

It’s not only the oldest café in Venice, it’s also the oldest in the world. It was first opened in 1720.

However, be warned that costs in this area are quite expensive.

St. Mark’s Square , which is always crowded and bustling with traders and tourists, is home to several of the city’s most famous monuments.

Many of the attractions that I’ll shortly describe are located right here or nearby.

Take the elevator up the Campanile di San Marco (St. Mark’s Bell Tower)

Along with the basilica and the square, St. Mark’s Bell Tower is one of Venice’s most recognisable landmarks.

Venetians affectionately refer to it as “ El parón de casa ” (The Master of the House), because it’s the tallest bell tower in the city. Actually, it’s also one of Italy’s tallest bell towers.

The bell tower you see today is not the original one, as it collapsed at the beginning of 1900 because of structural problems. 

The new tower, the one you see today, was rebuilt in the same location and in the same design as the old one, and the beautiful entrance, which is located right in front of the Doge’s Palace , was designed by the famous Italian architect Jacopo Sansovino .

The view of Venice from St. Mark’s Bell Tower is spectacular, and from there you can see Venice, the lagoon, St. Mark’s Basilica, and various islands.

It was once used to check if someone was illegally entering the city. 

Even if you’re in Venice for just one day, I highly recommend climbing to the top of St. Mark’s Bell Tower. It’s easily accessible, there is also an elevator, and the ticket price is well worth the view.

Visit St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)

St. Mark’s Basilica is a great symbol of Venice and shouldn’t be missed. 

It was built in 829 and houses the relics of Saint Mark, the city’s patron saint .

Its façade is a work of art. It includes five arched doors and a large terrace with the famed four horses from Constantinople. 

The interior is just as magnificent as the exterior. The ceiling is totally covered in stunning gold mosaics, and the marble floor features an eye-catching geometric pattern. 

If you visit the Basilica between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. , the golden mosaics in the church are illuminated. 

To get the perfect combination, go to the magnificent St. Mark’s Museum , which also allows you to climb up to the terrace of the Basilica.

A stunning panorama of St. Mark’s Square can be seen from there.

However, plan your time carefully, as a visit to the museum will take at least an hour.

The church doors open at 9.30 a.m., but most visitors arrive much earlier.

That’s because the lines to enter St. Mark’s Basilica can be somewhat long. 

I recommend coming before 9 a.m. If you arrive early, you will have more time to tour the rest of the city.

If you don’t want to queue, you can book your ticket online. It costs €3.

Alternatively, you might take a guided tour to avoid the queue. 

See the inner workings of The Clock Tower (Torre Dell’Orologio)

The clock tower (Torre Dell’Orologio), also known as the Moors’ Tower ( Torre dei Mori ), is another historical monument to the left of St. Mark’s Basilica, which has been working for over 500 years.

This tall, slender building is one of the most important Renaissance palaces in Venice, among others.

On the façade of the tower, in the lowest box, is the marble astronomical clock. The dial of the clock displays the time, day, moon phases, and zodiac signs. This structure is truly a masterpiece of technology and engineering.

If you look above the traditional dial, you’ll see the first digital clock in the world.

The Winged Lion , which is the city’s symbol, is depicted in the highest panel against a blue background with golden stars.

On top of the tower is the Moors’ bell from 1497 and two bronze statues of Moors striking the hours. They’re not doing it at the exact hour, though.

They are twin statues, but one lacks a beard. The one with the beard is known as the “old” and represents the past, so he’s striking the hours a few minutes before the actual time. 

The other is known as the “young,” representing the future, so he’s striking the hours a few minutes later than the actual time. This is a reflection of both the past and the future! 

Many tourists are unaware that they may book a special guided tour to see the inner workings of this fantastic time machine.

You’ll also have exclusive access to the terrace and rooftop, where you may meet the two Moors up close. From here, you’ll have a totally unique view of Venice.

The Venice Museum pass includes admission to the Clock Tower for an additional fee. You must book your visit in advance, either online for a fee or in person at the Correr Museum, which is located at the opposite end of St. Mark’s Square. 

Tour the Doge’s Palace (or Palazzo Ducale)

The Doge’s Palace is another symbol of Venice. This Gothic palace was once home to Venice’s rulers and was historically known as the “ Palazzo Dogale ” since it was the seat of the doge. 

The palace was a fortified castle in the ninth century.

It was, however, repeatedly destroyed by fire, rebuilt multiple times, and ultimately used as a prison. 

Today, it contains the Doge’s Palace Civic Museum , which contains an amazing artistic beauty comprised of Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural elements. 

The inside is both magnificent and interesting, with several works of art by Titian, Tintoretto , and Bellini.

There is no better way to see the Doge’s Palace than through the eyes of a local who can describe the building’s rich history.

The tour also includes access to the well-known Bridge of Sighs.

You can also skip the line with this reserved entry admission ticket !

If you’re interested in Venice’s history, this is a fantastic option !

The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri)

The Bridge of Sighs is one of Venice’s most iconic symbols and is just a few steps from St. Mark’s Square. 

It was built in 1600 to connect the New Prison (Italian: Prigioni Nuove) to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace. It crosses the Rio di Palazzo.

The most prominent viewing point is from the Ponte della Paglia , which connects St. Mark’s Square to Riva degli Schiavoni. 

Thousands of people take pictures here every day with the Bridge of Sighs in the background since it’s regarded as one of the most romantic sites in Venice.

As a result, it’s also known as the Bridge of Love or the Bridge of Lovers; many gondolas pass this bridge, providing a spectacular perspective of the lagoon. 

Many tourists don’t know, however, that it’s actually called the Bridge of Sighs because it was built to connect the prisons with the Doge’s Palace. 

All prisoners had to pass through this narrow tunnel in order to receive their final sentence, which may have condemned them to a harsh fate.

They could gaze out the grates, sighing because it was possibly the last time they would see the sea and the magnificent vista of the lagoon.

The old jails were known as “piombi” because they were in direct contact with the lead-roofed ceiling. This made the prisons extremely hot in the summer and extremely cold in the winter.

If you’re wondering if you can go inside the bridge, the answer is yes, if you’ve booked a Doge’s Palace Tour . You may get the same amazing view from the grate that prisoners awaiting sentencing used to have.

Enjoy the view from Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo staircase

The Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is another must-see attraction in Venice’s San Marco district and a cool hidden gem in Venice.

If you’ve climbed St. Mark’s bell tower, you’ve probably seen it from every angle. In fact, the building is clearly visible from the top of St. Mark’s bell tower.

What makes this palace so interesting is the same-named spiral staircase, Scala Contarini del Bovolo. This late Gothic structure was built for the Contarini family between the 14th and 15th centuries and is close to Campo Manin and the Rio di San Luca.

The renowned spiral staircase, which earned the family the nickname “del Bovolo,” was first added to the palace at the end of the 15th century. This is characterised by a series of loggias and arches in the Renaissance style.

The staircase was carved inside a tower structure and provides entrance to a loggia that mimics its architecture on each of its five storeys. It’s known as the “Bovolo,” which is a Venetian term for snails, as it resembles a snail shell.

Finally, on the top floor is a domed belvedere with a stunning view of the city.

Book your visit here !

Visit Teatro La Fenice

The largest and most famous opera house in Venice is La Fenice, which is also located in the sestiere San Marco.

It was opened in 1792 and is considered one of the most famous opera houses in the world, hosting the most important and popular opera and theatre seasons.

The premieres of the most famous Italian composers, such as Verdi, Bellini, and Rossini, took place here.

It’s always enchanting, whether you go only to see it or to attend a live performance.

Despite the fact that it has been restored multiple times after the fires, the outcome is genuinely extraordinary: the stage space and ceiling are stunning.

The facade is especially remarkable, with white marble and columns reminiscent of typical Italian villa architecture.

If you visit the theatre, you’ll get a useful audio guide at the entrance that describes the history of the theatre and the artists who made it famous, with Maria Callas in the lead.

The best time to visit would be during orchestra practise.

Daily tours of La Fenice Theater are available between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., though schedules may be changed for artistic or technical reasons.

If you decide to attend a performance, make sure you are dressed appropriately; more information may be found here !

Walk through The Royal Gardens

The Royal Gardens were commissioned by Napoleon, who had the old granary of Venice demolished to build them; they were then renovated by the Austrians who arrived following Napoleon’s defeat. 

They built a greenhouse beside the Zecca bridge and a neoclassical-style Kaffeehaus on the opposite side.

The royal gardens were recently restored and were reopened to inhabitants and tourists in 2019.

They aren’t particularly large or spectacular, and there aren’t many exotic species to admire, but they are located on the Grand Canal, close to St. Mark’s Square.

There is also a lovely café near the royal gardens where you may stop for a snack.

These gardens are also a great spot to rest for a few minutes in the shade, especially if you’re visiting Venice on a hot day. 

Go to Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore

When you arrive in San Marco, don’t miss the magical atmosphere of the only Venetian square; then, after walking between the Caffè Florian and the wonderful golden mosaics of the Basilica, go to the island of San Giorgio. 

The island has a small dock for small motor and sailing boats, many exhibition spaces for temporary exhibitions, a wonderful Basilica built by architects Palladio and Longhena and with frescoes by Tintoretto, a monastery, and the Giorgio Cini Foundation’s beautiful Borges maze.

However, the island of San Giorgio is also an excellent location for viewing the labyrinth and the fish-shaped city from above. Venice has the silhouette of a fish, and like a fish without water, it cannot live; it is a subtle detail, but one that is easy to imagine from a panoramic perspective. 

“Venice is a fish” is also the title of a beautiful book dedicated to this fantastic city on the water by Tiziano Scarpa. 

San Giorgio is easily accessible by vaporetto number 2, which departs from the San Zaccaria landing stage (terminal), directly in front of the “Hotel Danieli.” 

You can purchase the card to travel by vaporetto to all of the islands in the Venice lagoon here .

The Sestiere Castello

The sestiere Castello is located in the easternmost area of Venice, near the sestiere San Marco.

It’s one of the city’s largest sestieri, and there are fewer tourists here. 

It’s one of those Venice districts that can be explored simply by getting lost in its “calli,” which are actually enormous in size when compared to those in the nearby San Marco district.

If you are in town for the Venice Biennale , you will undoubtedly visit this sestiere because the majority of the events are held here, in the Arsenale and the surrounding gardens.

If the Biennale is not taking place, some areas will be closed to visitors, but it’s still worth spending a few hours exploring its sights.

Here’s what to see in the Castello district:

Stroll at Riva degli Schiavoni

Riva degli Schiavoni is the name of the long pedestrian road that runs along the lagoon from San Marco to the Giardini della Biennale in the sestiere Castello, which houses the city’s most luxurious hotels.

The term has historical origins, dating back to the time when merchants from Dalmatia, which was known as Schiavonia during the Venetian Republic, landed with their ships and set up shop on this stretch of the Lagoon. 

The Venice shoreline was an essential part of the city’s commercial port because of its proximity to the city’s political and economic power centres. 

Today, it’s a bustling transit point due to the presence of several historical and artistically significant buildings, beginning with the Palazzo delle Prigioni, which was erected as an extension of the Doge’s jails. Casanova was imprisoned here, and his escape from this structure is described in the book “My Escape from Venice Prison.”

Continuing along Riva degli Schiavoni, you’ll then come across Palazzo Dandolo, now Hotel Danieli, a stunning 15th-century structure; Chiesa della Pietà, also known as Vivaldi’s church, since he taught singing in the adjoining convent and conservatory; as well as various bars and kiosks.

The view of San Giorgio Maggiore and the lagoon is also spectacular from here.

Visit the Arsenale di Venezia

The Venetian Arsenale, which covers a large area in the lagoon city’s north-eastern outskirts, is an old complex of shipyards and workshops that produced enough ships for the “Serenissima” to meet the demands of a naval power that was, for a long time, one of the most powerful in the world.

The word “Arsenale” comes from the Arabic word “darsina’a,” which means “house of industry, dockyard.” It was the largest in the world for centuries, with over 16,000 employees at its peak.

It’s reachable via a pleasant walk through the Castello district’s alleyways, where the calli are broader and it’s common to come across a field with laundry hanging out to dry in the sun.

This is mainly a residential area, and there are fewer tourists.

Venice Arsenal is currently owned by the Italian Navy and, for the most part, the municipality of Venice, which uses it to host the world-famous Venice Biennale, the renowned contemporary art exhibition.

Unfortunately, much of the Arsenale is not open to the public outside of these or other occasions, but it’s still worth a stroll to this point to explore the Castello sestiere.

Explore Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo

Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo is one of Venice’s largest campo (square), located in the sestiere of Castello, near to San Marco and Cannaregio districts.

The campo is well-known for Verrocchio’s monument to Bartolomeo Colleoni and the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, as well as the Scuola Grande di San Marco, a stunning Renaissance palace that serves as the entrance to the Ospedale Civile SS. John and Paul of Venice.

Check out the Libreria Acqua Alta (bookstore)

Every reader’s dream is to get immersed in books, in a world of words and vivid fantasies. The Libreria Acqua Alta is the ideal place to let your mind wander and seek out the city of Venice’s most hidden and ancient stories. 

It’s located on Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa and is one of the world’s most unique bookshops.

A massive collection of new and secondhand books is housed inside boats, gondolas, canoes, and tubs. Books are also used as real furniture in this place. Old encyclopaedias have been transformed into beautiful stairways, or they have been used to cover the walls of the outdoor courtyards, transforming them into colourful surfaces. The decor is completed with balls, oars, and dummies.

It’s truly a special site and a must-see, but I recommend visiting during off-peak hours because, thanks to Instagram, it has become a hotspot, and it’s frequently so crowded that you can’t even get inside.

Find the most intriguing house in Venice

Near the Libreria there’s a very unusual house, Palazzo as it’s the only house in Venice to be surrounded on three sides by water from as many as three canals.

At the location where this odd house is located, the Rio Santa Marina splits into two canals: the Rio di S. Giovanni Laterano and the Rio Tetta. This feature makes this house one of the most intriguing and photographed in Venice, despite the fact that it’s not a well-known palace.

This house is one of the most famous in the city, but it’s well hidden from tourists and off the beaten path.

Sestiere Dorsoduro (District)

Dorsoduro is the city’s southernmost district, linked to the San Marco district by the famous Accademia bridge. It’s bounded by the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal.

Here you’ll find the majority of the city’s universities, as well as several of the most well-known Venetian museums. 

It’s full of gorgeous calli and campi that are well worth a stroll through, and there are also far fewer tourists than in the neighbouring sestiere of San Marco, allowing you to wander around more freely.

And these are the things not to be missed in the Dorsoduro sestiere:

Walk through Ponte Dell’Accademia (Accademia bridge)

The Accademia Bridge is a lovely wooden bridge and is one of the four that span the Gran Canal. 

The first version was built in 1854, and the one we see today dates from 1933, when it was replaced because the old version had become old and not as solid. 

The beautiful church of Santa Maria della Salute can be seen from Ponte dell’Accademia, and it’s not far from St. Mark’s Square.

Visit the Gallerie dell’Accademia (Accademia Galleries)

The Accademia Galleries are a must-see for anyone interested in the works of important artists from the 14th to the Renaissance periods, such as Tintoretto, Titian, Tiepolo, and Longhi. 

In 1807, Napoleon III decided to collect the enormous number of artistic treasures accumulated during the suppression of hundreds of churches and religious institutions and make them available to the students of the Accademia di Belle Arti, which had recently been assigned the Santa Maria della Carità building complex. 

Ten years later, the Gallerie dell’Accademia was opened, and from 1817 to today, visitors can admire the greatest works of the Serenissima’s Grand Masters in its 24 rooms.

Among others, one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most important works, “The Vitruvian Man,” is carefully guarded and rarely exhibited by the Galleries’ curators to avoid deterioration.

If you’re really into art, you shouldn’t miss it on your visit to Venice.

Admire Peggy Guggenheim’s Collection

The Guggenheim museum is a true temple of early twentieth-century European and American art, built over years of research by the eccentric Peggy Guggenheim, a brilliant heiress, art dealer, and patron. 

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice is housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni and features works by Picasso, Dali, Modigliani, Carrà, and many others. 

Once inside, you can explore the garden, which contains numerous sculptures by artists such as Henry Moore and Alberto Giacometti, before proceeding to the rooms of the Palazzo, which was once the residence of the exceptional collector herself.

Explore Church of St. Mary of health (Santa Maria Della Salute)

The church of Santa Maria della Salute is located at the eastern end of the Dorsoduro sestiere, and its high dome is clearly visible from both St. Mark’s Square and the island of Giudecca, perfectly complementing Venice’s skyline.

The church is an excellent representation of Venetian Baroque architecture, developed following Palladio’s models.

It was built by Senate mandate to fulfil a commitment made after an awful plague epidemic that killed over 47,000 people in the first half of the 17th century.

It was completed in 1687 and has the shape of a crown, as designed by Baldassare Longhena.

This is the most important church in the Dorsoduro sestiere, with an octagonal design and a massive white dome capped by volute buttresses.

The inside is much grander, with a massive central hall surrounded by columns.

Take in the view from Punta della Dogana

Another must-see when exploring the Dorsoduro sestiere is the stroll to Punta della Dogana, also known as Punta della Salute or Punta (Dogana) da Már.

It’s a triangular point that extends the Dorsoduro district and splits the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal, not far from St. Mark’s Square.

Three notable architectural complexes are located in this area: the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute; the patriarchal seminary; and the Dogana da Mar complex, which gives the area its name.

Following Tadao Ando’s restoration, Punta della Dogana now houses the Francois Pinault Collection.

From Punta della Dogana viewpoint, you can see St. Mark’s Square on one side and the island with the majestic church of Saint Giorgio Maggiore on the other, which is divided by a small canal from the Giudecca Island. The Giudecca island is very residential. There are just a couple of churches, Zitelle Church and Redentore Church.

See how Gondolas are made at “Lo Squero di San Trovaso”

While strolling around the Dorsoduro sestiere’s calli, you may come across the Squero di San Trovaso. This building is made up of low structures and a tiny open space that directly overlooks the canals.

The Venetian word “squero” is derived from the word “squara,” which means “a group of people working together to create boats.” A squero is a boatyard, and this one is unique. It’s the birthplace of the distinctive, sleek black vessels known as Venetian gondolas.

The Squero San Trovaso is one of the city’s oldest squeros, dating back to 1600. During this time, Venetian shipwrights began to repair and manufacture gondolas.

The Squero di San Trovaso is particularly notable for its distinctive architecture, which resembles mountain cottages. And there is a twofold explanation for this: on one hand, both the carpenters and the building wood were from Cadore; on the other hand, the slope of the forecourt and the canopy that partially covered it were handy in case of rain, as well as for storing work materials.

It takes eight different types of wood and months of work to make a gondola.

They are still totally handcrafted by the few remaining “squeraroli” (master craftsmen), without the use of written designs, and they customise each boat to the buyer’s specifications. Each one is unique.

If you’re interested, you can book guided tours of the squero in order to view all of the production techniques. The visit lasts roughly 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you may watch the squeraroli at work while sipping a spritz at the legendary Osteria Al Squero on the other bank.

Enjoy the sunset from Fondamenta Zattere (Zattere waterfront)

Fondamenta Zattere is a lovely promenade that runs alongside the Giudecca Canal, almost like a seafront. 

Even Venetians prefer it to the overly touristy Riva degli Schiavoni for a wonderful walk in the sun. 

The view of the islands and the Giudecca Canal from here is stunning. 

It’s a very quiet promenade lined with important churches like the Gesuati, as well as the Madonna della Salute, period palazzi, and a few vintage shops. 

One of the most beautiful sunsets can be seen from here. When you arrive at Fondamenta Zattere al Ponte Lungo, treat yourself to a “gianduiotto” from Gelateria Nico and watch the sunset over the lagoon.

Sestiere Cannaregio

The Cannaregio sestiere is another of Venice’s biggest districts, located in the northern part of the city.

This is where Venetians who have chosen to reside in the historic centre live. There are several bustling bacari, especially after work hours, making it a perfect location for a bacaro tour.

Although it’s relatively unknown to most tourists, there is a lot to see here as well. 

Let’s find it out:

Do a walking tour around Cannaregio District

Cannaregio is one of the six sestieri (districts) of Venice, located north of the Grand Canal, and it’s one of my favourite places to visit in Venice because it’s very authentic and not as crowded as other areas of the city.

The sestiere of Cannaregio is Venice’s largest and most populous sestiere. It’s crossed by the Cannaregio Canal, the only one in the ancient city that, like the Grand Canal, is traversed by vaporettos. It connects the lagoon to the Grand Canal.

The sestiere’s name is thought to stem from the existence of enormous reed beds (land cultivated with common reeds) before the area was reclaimed and afterwards populated.

The Cannaregio district is a great place to get a feel for everyday Venice; it’s home to a number of small cafes, restaurants, and shops where you can stop for coffee, a cicchetto, or lunch.

It takes around ten minutes to walk from Venice’s Santa Lucia Station to the Cannaregio quarter. You must exit the station and turn left onto Fondamenta degli Scalzi, then walk along Rio Terà Lista di Spagna. You will then be in the heart of the Cannaregio sestiere.

Visit the Jewish Ghetto of Venice.

The Cannaregio district is also home to the Jewish Ghetto of Venice, one of the oldest still existing in Europe.

The Venetian ghetto was established in 1516 and is considered to be the first segregated community.

It was a small island separated by a canal, with only two bridges that were locked at night.

This was done to protect Jewish citizens against abuse and assaults by local Christians.

The Ghetto is home to Venice’s small and lively Jewish community.

There you will discover a world that has been preserved for centuries, including the sights, smells, and traditions of this historic quarter.

It’s divided into three areas: Ghetto Vecchio, Ghetto Nuovo, and Ghetto Nuovissimo.

The New Ghetto is the oldest area that was first inhabited by Jews, and to accommodate the entire population, the houses were developed vertically, reaching up to eight floors high.

Around the main square, you can see the presence of five synagogues, the places of worship of the Jews.They are located mainly on the top of the buildings and are characterized by the presence of five windows aligned, in symbol of the books of the Torah. 

The synagogues and schools are still in use today.

This location alone has a lot to see and learn. If you want to get the full experience, I highly recommend joining this Ghetto walking tour led by a local .

If you prefer, you can visit the Jewish Museum to learn about the history of the Jewish community in Venice and immerse yourself in its inspiring atmosphere.

The Jewish Museum and a visit to the synagogues

Every day from June 1 to September 30: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

From October 1 to May 31, the hours are 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily.

Saturday closed

Visits to the synagogues take place every 30 minutes, starting at 10:30 am.

Stroll along Fondamenta Degli Ormesini

Leaving Campo del Ghetto Novo, you cross the iron bridge to reach Fondamenta degli Ormesini. 

A fondamenta is a section of road in Venice that runs beside a canal or a rio. 

Fondamenta degli Ormesini is Venice’s longest, and is the natural continuation of Fondamenta della Misericordia, a street that runs alongside Rio de la Misericordia. 

This is where Venetians mingle with tourists (though there aren’t many of them), and students.

It’s peaceful in the mornings and early afternoons, making it an ideal spot for a stroll. 

There are numerous tiny pubs here where you can stop for a coffee, a spritz, or an “ombra,” as a glass of wine is known in Venice.

Cross Ponte Chiodo

Ponte Chiodo is an ancient bridge in the Sestiere di Cannaregio, within a few metres of the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, one of the renowned architect Jacopo Sansovino’s works. 

It’s Venice’s only bridge without a parapet, or railing.

Originally, all bridges in Venice were constructed without side defences known as parapets, or bande. 

However, beginning in the nineteenth century, they were all equipped with parapets for safety reasons. 

Nowadays, there are only two bridges without safety barriers: Ponte Chiodo in Venice and Ponte del Diavolo on the island of Torcello. 

It’s definitely one of those hidden gems worth checking out as part of a secret Venice tour.

Stroll along Strada Nova and visit Campo Santa Sofia

From Ponte Chiodo, continue on Fondamenta San Felice, and after crossing the San Felice bridge, you’ll find yourself on Strada Nova. While you’re in the area, if you’re feeling hungry, you should try the meatballs at La Vedova; they’re the best in Venice. 

After regenerating, proceed to Campo Santa Sofia, which overlooks the Grand Canal. 

The campo’s name comes from the church of S. Sofia, which was rebuilt in the late 17th century to a design by Antonio Gaspari, whose bell tower and façade stand just behind a 19th-century building lining the Strada Nuova.

From here you can cross the Grand Canal on a gondola ferry, which connects Campo Santa Sofia directly with the Pescheria, known as the Rialto market. 

Find the narrowest “calle” in Venice.

Calle Varisco is Venice’s smallest street, measuring only 53 cm wide. It’s located in the Cannaregio sestiere and has a view of the Rio dei SS. Apostoli.

Actually, only the last segment of the calle is that narrow, leading to the canal “introduced” by a Doric column.

Calle Varisco is located around midway between the Rialto Bridge and Fondamenta Nove. 

Visit the Churches of Santa Maria Dei Miracoli & Santa Maria Assunta

If you enjoy religious architecture, in the Cannaregio sestiere you’ll find the Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli overlooking the Campo dei Miracoli, a quiet and little-known place. 

The church is a work of art, a little marble treasure chest. It’s considered Pietro Lombardo’s masterpiece and the first example of Renaissance architecture in Venice.

Instead, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta can be found at Campo dei Gesuiti, not far from Fondamenta Nove.

It was built in the 12th century and renovated in the 18th century, and it boasts a majestic Baroque facade filled with statues. The interior design has white and green marble inlays on the walls, which are accented by gilded stucco.

The pulpit is distinctive, with stone drapery that gives the appearance of fabric. The altar, with its twisted columns encircling the sculptural complex with the cross, is also worth seeing.

Aside from that, there are masterpieces by Tintoretto (the Assumption of the Virgin) and Titian (Martyrdom of St. Lawrence).

The Church of the Scalzi, also known as the Church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, is located near the station and was built at the initiative of the Carmelitani Scalzi. It is an example of Baroque art. This church has a view of the Grand Canal.

The Church of the Madonna dell’Orto is another noteworthy church in the Cannaregio sestiere. A true example of Venetian Gothic architecture, with paintings by Tintoretto on the inside.

Take a Bacaro tour

A trip to Venice isn’t complete without a stop at a bacaro, and Cannaregio is the sestiere with the best bacari.

These places, which are often open throughout the day and late into the evening, provide a fast bite to eat: “un cicchetto e un’ombra.”

A cicchetto is a little taste of hot or cold fish, and cold cuts served on a piece of bread. Tramezzini, bread with baccalà mantecato, sarde in saor, meatballs, and many other Venetian specialties are examples. The composition of cicchetti changes based on the season.

“Un’ombra”, on the other hand, is simply a glass of wine. It’s thought to have originated from the historical custom of merchants positioning their stalls under the shade of St Mark’s bell tower to keep the wine cool; still today, people in the floating city say “andar per ombre” (to go for shadows) to imply the mid-morning snack routine.

There are several bacari (small pubs) in Venice that serve cicchetti, and they are especially popular among Venetians, which is why you will find them in less touristy areas of the city.

Get lost in a maze of ”calli” and stumble upon Venice’s mysterious Campo dei Mori

Campo dei Mori is a square named after three statues set in the wall of the Palazzo Mastelli del Cammello (the well-known palace with a camel on its façade).

The Mastelli family, who migrated to Venice in the Middle Ages from the Morea (thus the name “Mori”), built this mansion and the other buildings in Campo dei Mori.

The family consisted of three brothers: Rioba, Sandi, and Alfani, who traded in silks and spices but also managed a bank.

A swindled lady, according to legend, prayed to Santa Maria Maddalena to curse the three brothers who were turned into sculptures, which were then put in a niche in

Campo dei Mori as a warning to all Venetians.

The most famous of the three statues is that of Sior Antonio Rioba; in the nineteenth century, the statue lost its nose and was repaired with an improvised piece of iron.

This gave rise to the belief that rubbing it brought good luck.

At Fondamenta dei Mori, at the foot of the bridge, is the 15th century Gothic house that was the home of the famous Venetian painter Tintoretto , where he died in 1594.

Near this campo is also the church of Madonna dell’Orto , which is one of the most beautiful examples of gothic architecture in Venice. Inside you’ll find 10 large paintings by Tintoretto, who is also buried here.

Sestieri San Polo and Santa Croce

The districts of Santa Croce (further west) and San Polo (further east and up to St. Mark’s) are located on the other side of the Grand Canal, in front of the Cannaregio district.

Some of Venice’s most famous sites can be found here among old palazzi and scenic alleyways, beginning with the Rialto bridge, which connects Cannaregio to San Polo. 

Visit the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge ( Ponte di Rialto )

There are four large bridges that span the Grand Canal in Venice. Rialto Bridge is the oldest, and it’s also one of the city’s most famous landmarks. 

It’s well known for both its architecture and its history.

Until the mid-1800s, it was the only bridge that allowed people to cross the Grand Canal. 

For many years, it was the economic centre of Venice.

It was designed by architect Antonio da Ponte and built between 1588 and 1591 to replace the previous wooden construction, which had collapsed twice and burned on multiple occasions. 

The bridge’s structure has two inclined ramps connected by a portico in the centre, and houses 24 tiny shops for tourists on both sides. 

The Rialto Bridge offers one of the most spectacular views of the entire city.

Check out the Rialto Market

Rialto’s Market is one of the best places to experience authentic Venetian folklore. 

It’s one of the oldest in Venice and is open every day except Sunday. 

The culinary tradition of the floating city is naturally based on fish, which is always purchased fresh at the fish market. 

That’s why the market is usually busy, with crowds of Venetians buying ingredients for Venetian cuisine and tourists intrigued by the picturesque market and its plethora of goods: fruit, vegetables, and fish.

The market area is now so busy and touristy that it has lost some of its primary business character and has turned into a meeting place as well. 

Indeed, the neighborhood is teeming with a growing number of tourist-related activities and cafes for aperitifs and evening gatherings, where one can linger to enjoy a traditional Venetian ciccheto, or some fresh fruit.

A tidbit about the Rialto fish market: One of the scenes in the movie “The Tourist,” starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, was shot right here. 

Rooftop view over the Grand Canal from Fondaco dei Tedeschi

Head to Fondaco dei Tedeschi’s rooftop terrace for a unique view of Venice’s main boulevard. This old building in Venice is just steps away from the Rialto Bridge. 

It has stood since the 13th century and was rebuilt after a fire between 1505 and 1508. 

It was home to German merchants who used it as a warehouse and lodging. 

Fondaco is derived from the Arabic term funduq, which means “warehouse,” and the Italian word “Tedeschi” that means “Germans.” 

It now houses a high-end department store selling luxurious goods. 

The terrace is free to visit, but reservations are required. It is open every day from 10:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Book here !

Admire the Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

The Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, often known as the Basilica dei Frari, is Venice’s largest church. It’s located in the heart of the San Polo district, on the Campo dei Frari, and its façade is framed by a tiny canal.

The plain and unimpressive exterior stands in stark contrast to the beautiful interior.

The church took over a century to build and was finished in the mid-15th century. Its bell tower, which dates back to the 14th century, is the second highest in Venice.

What will catch your attention as soon as you enter the Basilica is a Titian painting titled “Assumption of the Virgin.” It’s on the main altar, surrounded by stained-glass windows.

Other points of interest include Antonio Canova’s mausoleum (Canova was an 18th century Italian sculptor). The artist’s students created the funeral monument. You will be surprised by its monumental size, sculptures, and pyramid shape.

And the choir chapel houses magnificent paintings by Vivarini and Bellini.

Walk through Ponte degli Scalzi

The Ponte degli Scalzi, one of the bridges that span the Grand Canal, connects the sestiere of Santa Croce to that of Cannaregio.

The Ponte degli Scalzi is located near two churches on opposing banks of the canal: the church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, also known as the Scalzi church after the monks who built it, and the church of San Simeon Piccolo.

It’s also known as the Station Bridge because of its proximity to the railway station.

Experience the Grand Canal (Canal Grande) on a Vaporetto tour

As you know, Venice is also known as the “floating city” because there are no streets, only canals.

The Grand Canal is Venice’s largest and most famous canal; it could be considered the city’s thoroughfare. 

It is actually 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) long and runs through Venice’s entire historic center, dividing it in half and forming an “s” shape.

Some of the most beautiful Venetian architecture can be found here.

You may be surprised to learn that the Grand Canal is only crossed by four bridges and has only a few promenades along it.

The area around the Rialto Bridge is the most beautiful part of the canal that you can explore on foot.

Here you’ll find large waterfront promenades lined with restaurants and cafés. It’s a nice place to have a drink and watch the canal go by.

However, the best way to explore the Grand Canal’s surroundings is from the water, which you can do by taking a vaporetto , or gondola. 

A Vaporetto (water taxi) is essentially a floating public bus that makes frequent stops across the city and is the most affordable and convenient way to get around Venice.

A Vaporetto tour of the Grand Canal is a must-do since it allows you to admire Venetian art from a different angle.

The section of the canal south-west of the Rialto Bridge is the most beautiful and should not be missed. So, if you take a boat between St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge, you will see the best of Venice! 

You can also take these water taxis to reach other islands near Venice, such as Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

If you’re on a tight budget and visiting Venice, this is the best way to get around!

Take a gondola ride

If you want to get the classic “Venice” experience, a gondola ride is a must. 

Riding a gondola is probably the most famous thing to do in Venice and it’s definitely something you should try at least once, even if it’s not cheap. 

I highly recommend going for a ride at sunset when the city is less crowded and all the buildings and churches are lit up.

There are plenty of places where you can take one—the Grand Canal is lined with them, and there are many options on the smaller canals as well.

Hop on a Gondola Traghetto (Gondola Ferry)  

Have you ever wondered how Venetians get from one side of the Grand Canal to the other when none of the four bridges are nearby? They simply take the gondola ferry.

At various points along the Grand Canal (away from the bridges), you can travel from one bank to the other in a gondola piloted by two gondoliers who shift between the banks. Locals pay less than one euro, while tourists pay two euros. The Gondola has a capacity of 14 passengers. 

This is the experience for you if you want to feel the thrill of riding a gondola without spending a lot of money.

One is the Santa Sofia ferry, which departs from Strada Nuova and crosses the Grand Canal to take you to the Pescheria.

Simply follow the ‘Traghetto’ signs to the nearest landing, which will be a little wooden pier along the Grand Canal’s edge. If the service is active, the boats normally shuttle continuously, so you won’t have to wait long.

If you have a Venezia Unica card , the ticket costs €0.70; if you don’t have the card, the ticket costs €2.00.

Go on a Venetian Mask making class

Venice is known to be one of the most romantic cities in the world, but its beauty isn’t just skin deep.

The city’s famous mask-making tradition dates back to at least the 14th century, when Carnival first came to Venice. The masks were worn as part of elaborate disguises, allowing people to take on a new identity during this time of year.

Venetian masks have been made since ancient times, but they were particularly popular during the Carnival season. They were worn by nobles as well as commoners during celebrations.

The tradition continues today; during Carnival all over Italy, people wear colourful masks, mostly based on historical characters or famous people.

Venice’s mask-making tradition has been passed down through generations of artisans who still create beautiful masks today.

To really appreciate this art form and the patience and mastery required to make the perfect mask, join this mask-making workshop with a local master artisan to learn about the history of this ancient tradition.

Visit Murano glass factory and join a Murano Glass workshop with a Local Artisan

While you’re in Venice, take a tour of the Murano glass factory. You’ll see how this famous Italian art form is made, and you can even buy some souvenirs.

These works of art come in many shapes and sizes, and each one is one-of-a-kind since each one is hand-blown by trained craftsmen utilising centuries-old techniques passed down through generations.

They make everything from Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers to contemporary art glass and glass jewellery.

Watching a craftsman at work may look simple, but if you really want to learn the secrets of Murano glassmaking techniques, getting hands-on experience is the best way to truly appreciate what’s involved.

If you wish you can take a private glassmaking lesson where you’ll get hands-on experience with one of Venice’s most renowned craftsmen.

This workshop with a local artisan includes all materials, including your own marvellous glass artwork to take home, as well as a 10% discount on the artist’s glassworks.

Take a boat ride to Burano Island in Venice

Take a boat ride to the cheerful island of Burano, an ancient fishing village founded in 639 AD.

Visit the church of San Martino, which has been recently restored. The church has beautiful frescoes and paintings on display, including works by Giambattista Tiepolo and Francesco Guardi. 

Visit the  Burano Lace Museum,  a beautiful gothic building that was once the Lace School, where young Burano girls learned to make lace.

Burano is still regarded as the most expensive lace in the world.

One Day Itinerary

Venice is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, with something for everyone.

Although I believe that visiting Venice requires more than one day, I also understand that many people, for various reasons, are unable to stay longer than one day. 

So, to help you better plan your time in Venice here is a one day itinerary suggestion:

Begin your day with a Vaporetto tour along the Grand Canal. Hop on vaporetto line 1 from either Piazzale Roma or the train station.

If you get to the front of the line at Piazzale Roma, or the at the station, you might be able to choose an outdoor seat if you move quickly, this way you’ll have a better view.

However, the service runs every ten minutes, so you could always be the first to board the next vaporetto.

After about 45 minutes, get off at San Zaccaria. This is the stop after St. Mark’s, so this way you’ll have the opportunity to admired St Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) and the Doge Palace from the water.

Visit St Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile, the Doge Palace, the Bridge of sighs. To get the most out of it you may want to book a tour with a local guide. Treat yourself at one of the cafes in the square.

After exploring St Mark’s, visit the Rialto district, wander around the market, take in the view from one of the many cafes in the area, book a visit at T Fondaco dei Tedeschi for a top view and possibly book a private tour with a local guide to get a feel for the city.

If you can stay for three days, you can get a real sense of Venice by visiting its galleries and churches, which are filled with important works of art, as well as venturing off the beaten path. A week is sufficient time to explore not only the city, but also the lagoon and surrounding area, as well as to visit lands and travel to a nearby mainland town, such as Verona , Bologna , or Padua.

Check out Venice best tours

How to get to there?

There are several ways of getting to Venice:

The main international hub for Venice is Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). The airport is connected to the city by water taxi, by the Alilaguna motor boat, or by using the “Venezia Air Terminal” bus.

The island of Venice can also be reached via Treviso Airport (TSF) by taking the ATVO Bus Express line, which takes around 60 minutes to reach one of Venice’s main tourist hubs, Piazzale Roma, from where particular Actv public transportation navigation lines can be used to reach the old city center.

A transfer service also runs from and to the airport.

Ponte della Libertà is the only bridge connecting Venice to the mainland, finishing in Piazzale Roma, the only place in the city where cars can enter.

There are various car parks at Piazzale Roma, both internal and external, but pay attention to the charges, which are not all the same and vary from one car park to the other. 

Check all the options and then select the one that’s most suitable for you.

You can also park in Tronchetto, which can be reached by turning right at the end of Ponte della Libertà, just before arriving at Piazzale Roma. There is both indoor and outdoor parking available here as well.

You can easily get to the city center from either of these sites via water bus, water taxi, or by foot.

If you arrive in Venice by train, you’ll arrive at the Santa Lucia train station, an impressive building located in the Santa Croce district, right at the beginning of the Canal Grande.

You can easily walk from the station to the city center by following Strada Nuova or by boarding the vaporetto from one of the piers in front of the station.

As you can see from the list above,there are many ways to explore Venice, Italy.

Whether it be its colorful buildings or unique history that make it so special, there are endless opportunities for you to enjoy yourself while visiting one of Europe’s most popular destinations.

If you’ve never been before, I highly recommend taking this Venice free tour of the historic centre!

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of all Venice attractions.

You could also take a cooking class, go on a dinner cruise on the lagoon , or even go kayaking on the canals.

However, if you visit the majority of the attractions on this list, you’ll have seen the best that Venice has to offer! 

I hope you found this guide to the best things to do in Venice Italy useful and that it helps you plan a nice itinerary for a truly memorable visit to one of the world’s most unique cities.  If you’re planning a trip to Italy you may also want to read this post .

Ciao and safe travel!

I'm a freelance travel writer and SEO copywriter, and I absolutely love what I do. Writing has always been a passion of mine, and traveling is the ultimate source of inspiration for me. In fact, I became particularly drawn to planning travel experiences in Italy back in 2015, and I've been hooked ever since!

I'm what you might call a "slow traveler" - someone who likes to take their time exploring new places and soaking up different cultures. And when I started writing about my travels a few years ago, I was blown away by the incredible opportunity it gave me to share my experiences with others and learn from them in turn. It's truly an amazing thing!

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Compass & Pine

The Ultimate Travel Guide

Hidden Gems in Venice: Unveiling Venice’s Best-Kept Secrets

Venice, a city renowned for its enchanting canals and gondola rides, holds a treasure trove of secrets waiting to be discovered. While the city’s iconic landmarks like St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge are undoubtedly mesmerizing, there’s a whole other side to Venice that remains largely unexplored. This is the Venice of hidden alleyways, secret squares, and architectural wonders that escape the average tourist’s eye.

As a seasoned Italian traveler, I’ve had the privilege of uncovering some of these hidden gems in Venice, and I’m thrilled to share them with you. So, if you’re ready to venture off the beaten path and experience Venice like never before, join me on this journey as we delve into the city’s best-kept secrets.

Whether you’re a solo adventurer, a couple on a romantic getaway, or a family seeking unique travel experiences, this guide to Venice’s hidden gems will surely ignite your wanderlust. So, buckle up, and let’s embark on this exciting adventure together!

In this guide to Venice’s Hidden Gems, you’ll discover:

• An introduction to Venice’s lesser-known attractions, moving beyond the typical tourist spots to uncover the city’s best-kept secrets.
• Exploration of unique architectural wonders, such as the San Francesco della Vigna church and the spiral staircase of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.
• Insight into charming local spots like Campo San Maurizio Square and the Dorsoduro district, known for their antique markets, local eateries, and vibrant culture.
• Recommendations for unusual walking tours that take you to historical and cultural sites, including Campo Santa Maria Formosa and Marco Polo’s House.
• A guide to the hidden treasures of San Giorgio Maggiore island, including the Borges Labyrinth.
• A whole lot more!

Off The Beaten Path Venice Sights & Hidden Gems

• San Francesco della Vigna: A Hidden Gem in Venice's Castello District
• Burano's Leaning Bell Tower: A Tilted Marvel

Campo San Maurizio: More Than Just a Square

Ca’ rezzonico: a glimpse into 18th century venice.

• Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo: Venice's Spiral Wonder

Visiting the Flooded Crypt of San Zaccaria: A Submerged Secret

• Riding in a Traghetto: Venice's Hidden Mode of Transport
• Lido Island: Venice's Beachside Haven

Hidden Venice: Unusual Walking Tour

Dorsoduro area: venice off the beaten path, san giorgio maggiore: an island of hidden treasures, ponte dei pugni: a bridge with a punchy history, ca’macana: behind the masks of venice, doge’s palace secret itineraries tour: is it worth it.

• GLAM at Palazzo Venart: Venice's Culinary Hidden Gem

San Michele Island: A Unique Venice Experience

• The Bridge with No Parapet: Venice's Architectural Oddity

Touring the Inside of St. Mark’s Clocktower: A Timeless Journey

The original merchant of venice shop: a fragrant souvenir, the devil’s bridge: torcello’s mysterious bridge.

• Libreria Acqua Alta: A Book Lover's Hidden Paradise

Venice Rooftop Panoramic View: A Hidden View of Venice

The secret gardens of venice: an oasis amidst the canals, discovering hidden gems in venice.

San Francesco della Vigna: A Hidden Gem in Venice’s Castello District

San Francesco della Vigna, a Roman Catholic church nestled in the heart of Venice’s Castello district, is a testament to the city’s rich history and architectural grandeur. Erected on the grounds of a former vineyard, this church is a masterpiece designed by the renowned architect Jacopo Sansovino. Its elegant Renaissance facade, a work of the great Palladio, is a sight to behold.

The church’s bell tower, one of the tallest in Venice, stands majestically at a height of 69 meters. As you step inside, you’ll be greeted by the mesmerizing “Enthroned Madonna and Saints,” a painting by Bellini that dates back to 1507, housed in the Cappella Santa. This church is a treasure trove of art and history, waiting to be discovered by the discerning traveler.

Burano’s Leaning Bell Tower: A Tilted Marvel

One of the most intriguing sights on the vibrant island of Burano is its leaning bell tower. This architectural marvel, which dates back to the 17th century, is best admired from Terranova’s marble bridge or Giudecca’s street. The tower’s square shape and blend of Renaissance and neoclassical architectural features make it a unique sight in the Venetian landscape.

The tower has undergone several restorations over the centuries, particularly in the upper part of the belfry. The Tirali carried out the most notable of these maintenance works between 1703 and 1714. Despite these efforts, the tower has retained its characteristic lean, adding to its charm and making it a must-visit hidden gem in Venice.

Venture into the San Marco district, and you’ll find Campo San Maurizio, a charming square that’s more than just a meeting point. The square is home to a basilica bearing the same name, a stunning example of Neoclassical architecture that now houses the Museo della Musica, a museum dedicated to Baroque music.

Five times a year, the square transforms into a bustling antique market, the Mercatino dell’Antiquariato Campo San Maurizio. Here, you can browse through an array of unique items, from vintage pocket watches to old postcards. The dates for this market can be found on their website.

Nestled along the Grand Canal in Dorsoduro, the stunning Ca’ Rezzonico palazzo offers a delightful visit away from the bustling crowds. The palazzo’s roots trace back to the 1600s, but a series of unfortunate events, including bankruptcies and families dying out, left the building more or less an empty shell until the city of Venice acquired it in 1935.

Today, Ca’ Rezzonico stands as a testament to 18th-century Venice, housing a museum complete with magnificent frescoes, furnishings, and paintings. The views of the Grand Canal from the palazzo are nothing short of spectacular, adding to the overall experience.

If you’re looking for a beautiful museum to visit in Venice where you can appreciate the art in a serene setting, Ca’ Rezzonico is a great stop. The palazzo’s rich history, stunning art, and magnificent views make it a true hidden gem in Venice.

Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo: Venice’s Spiral Wonder

Nestled in the heart of Venice, the beautiful palace Contarini del Bovolo is a sight to behold. This architectural marvel is renowned for its unique external staircase, the Scala Contarini del Bovolo, which translates to “of the snail.” This spiral staircase, dating back to the 15th century, is a testament to Venice’s rich history and architectural prowess. The staircase’s intricate design and the panoramic view it offers of the city make it a must-visit for any traveler.

The Scala Contarini del Bovolo isn’t just a historical landmark; it’s also a star of the silver screen. Fans of Orson Welles may recognize this ornate stairwell from his 1952 film, Othello. The palace’s unique blend of history, architecture, and pop culture significance makes it a true hidden gem in Venice.

For more information on Venice’s architectural wonders, check out our article on the famous bridges of Venice .

In the heart of Venice lies the Church of San Zaccaria, a beautiful sanctuary that holds a unique secret beneath its floors. The crypt of San Zaccaria, unlike any other, is flooded, creating an eerie yet captivating atmosphere that makes it one of the most unusual things to do in Venice.

The church itself is a sight to behold, with its stunning architecture and the magnificent painting “The Birth of Saint John the Baptist” by Tintoretto. But the real adventure begins when you descend into the crypt. The sight of the flooded crypt, with its beautiful arches reflected in the still water, is a sight you won’t soon forget.

Visiting the crypt is a unique experience that offers a glimpse into the past. As of 2022, it costs 3 Euros to visit the small museum, which includes the art, a chapel, and the crypt. So, if you’re looking for a hidden gem in Venice, the flooded crypt of San Zaccaria is a must-visit.

Riding in a Traghetto: Venice’s Hidden Mode of Transport

Venice is known for its gondolas, but there’s another type of boat that offers a unique way to explore the city – the traghetto. These large gondolas act as a form of public transportation across the Grand Canal, offering a quick and affordable way to get from one side to the other.

Finding a traghetto can be a bit of a challenge, as they have unpredictable hours and can be hard to spot. But that’s part of what makes them one of the best-hidden gems in Venice. For a small 2 Euro fee, you can hop on a traghetto for a quick ferry ride across the Grand Canal. It’s a unique experience that offers a different perspective on the city.

So, next time you’re in Venice, why not try riding in a traghetto? It’s a fun and affordable way to see the city from a new angle. And who knows, you might just discover some new hidden gems along the way.

Lido Island: Venice’s Beachside Haven

Away from the hustle and bustle of Venice’s main tourist spots lies a lesser-visited destination that offers a different kind of Venetian experience – Lido Island . Known for its serene beaches and laid-back atmosphere, Lido Island is a breath of fresh air for those looking to escape the city’s crowded streets and canals.

Lido Island is a thin strip of land that separates the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. Its sandy beaches stretch along the island’s eastern coast, offering a perfect spot for sunbathing, swimming, and enjoying the sea breeze. The island is also home to the Venice Film Festival, which takes place every September at the Palazzo del Cinema.

The charm of Lido Island lies in its relaxed pace of life. Here, you can rent a bike and explore the island’s quiet streets, lined with Art Nouveau villas and lush gardens. Or, you can enjoy a leisurely meal at one of the island’s many seafood restaurants, where you can savor fresh catches of the day while enjoying views of the sea.

Visiting Lido Island offers a unique perspective on Venice. It’s a reminder that Venice is not just a city of canals and historic buildings but also a city with a quiet area and beachside culture that’s worth exploring.

If you’re looking to explore Venice off the beaten path, the Hidden Venice Walking Tour is just the ticket. This unique tour takes you through the city’s lesser-known corners, offering a fresh perspective on this historic city. The tour includes visits to historical and cultural sites such as Campo Santa Maria Formosa, Marco Polo’s House, and St. Mark’s Square.

Campo Santa Maria Formosa, a charming square in the Castello district, is known for its beautiful church and bustling market. Marco Polo’s House, the residence of the famous explorer, offers a glimpse into Venice’s past. And no tour of Venice would be complete without a visit to St. Mark’s Square, the city’s principal public square. For more insights on Venice’s rich history, check out our complete guide to the Venice Carnival .

Despite housing two of Venice’s best museums , the Dorsoduro district offers a taste of local life away from the tourist crowds. This charming district is home to a variety of cultural attractions, local eateries, and unique shops. As you stroll through the narrow streets of Dorsoduro, you’ll get a sense of the authentic Venetian lifestyle.

The district is home to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, one of Venice’s premier modern art museums. Here, you can admire works by some of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

Located right around the corner is the world-renowned Gallerie dell’Accademia , home to Venetian Renaissance masters such as Tintoretto, Veronese, Bellini, and Titian. It is one of my favorite museums in the world, not just in Venice or Italy. It’s a must-visit if you are a fan of art.

After a day of exploring, unwind at one of the local eateries and sample traditional Venetian cuisine.

For more on Venice’s culinary scene, check out our article on Venetian foods and drinks .

San Giorgio Maggiore is an island that often gets overlooked by tourists, but it’s a treasure trove of hidden gems. The island is home to a 16th-century church that’s a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.

The church, painted by the legendary artist Monet, is a sight to behold with its grand facade and stunning interior. But that’s not all the small island has to offer.

One of the island’s most intriguing features is the Borges Labyrinth. Opened in 2021, this boxwood maze is a tribute to the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges.

Walking through the labyrinth is like stepping into one of Borges’ surreal stories. It’s a unique experience that you won’t find in the usual tourist guides. So, if you’re looking for a different kind of adventure in Venice, San Giorgio Maggiore is the place to go.

For more information about the island and its attractions, check out our comprehensive Venice Islands Guide .

In the heart of Venice’s Dorsoduro district, you’ll find a bridge with a history as unique as its name – Ponte dei Pugni, or Bridge of Fists. This bridge was the stage for a peculiar tradition in the 1600s, where rival Venetian clans would engage in fistfights with the aim of knocking each other into the canal below.

These fights were not random acts of violence but were organized events that took place a couple of times each year. Originally, the goal was not to cause serious harm but to assert dominance over the other clan by pushing them off the bridge. These events drew large crowds and were a significant part of Venetian culture at the time. They eventually became more dangerous and were shut down for good.

Today, the bridge is a popular spot for tourists, not for fistfights, but for its unique history and its location in one of Venice’s most charming districts. The bridge now has railings, but the memory of its punchy past lives on. As you cross the bridge, you can almost imagine the cheers and jeers of the crowd as they watched the clans battle it out.

Venice is known as the City of Masks, and there’s no better place to explore this tradition than at Ca’Macana. This shop in the Dorsoduro district is famous for its handcrafted masks, each one a unique work of art. The artisans at Ca’Macana use traditional techniques to create masks that are as beautiful as they are mysterious.

What sets Ca’Macana apart is its connection to popular culture. The shop created the masks for the Stanley Kubrick film Eyes Wide Shut, and its masks are regularly used by theaters such as the Vienna Opera House. If you want to delve deeper into the tradition of mask-making in Venice, Ca’Macana offers mask-making courses that are both fun and informative.

To learn more about the tradition of mask-making and its role in Venetian culture, check out our Complete Guide to Venice Carnival .

While Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace are some of Venice’s most famous landmarks, there’s more to it than meets the eye. The Secret Itineraries Tour takes you behind the scenes to explore rooms and features that are not included in the standard tour.

From the Chamber of the Secret Chancellery, where top-secret documents were once stored, to the cells where the infamous Casanova was imprisoned, the tour is a journey into the hidden history of Venice.

But is the tour worth it? We took the tour in late 2022, with a guide named Francesca, and it was absolutely worth it. The tour offers a unique perspective on the Doge’s Palace and the history of Venice. It’s a must-do for history buffs and anyone who wants to see a different side of this legendary landmark in Piazza San Marco .

GLAM at Palazzo Venart: Venice’s Culinary Hidden Gem

Tucked away in an unassuming pathway, you’ll find a culinary gem that’s changing the game for Venice’s dining scene – GLAM. This hidden restaurant is housed inside a stunning Venetian palace, now a 5-star luxury hotel, and offers a dining experience as refined as its surroundings.

Under the helm of Italy’s youngest two Michelin-starred chef, Enrico Bartolini, GLAM has been serving up dishes that are as delicious as they are visually stunning.

Since 2017, Bartolini and resident chef Donato Ascani have held a Michelin star at GLAM too. The restaurant offers a charming patio for al fresco dining, as well as a stylish interior dining room. From classic risotto to typical Venetian dishes, every bite is a testament to the culinary prowess of the team behind GLAM.

Want to find the perfect restaurant? We wrote a guide to the top 20 restaurants in Venice and broke them down by neighborhood.

For our next stop, we head into the Venetian Lagoon!

San Michele Island is a place of tranquility and history, offering a unique perspective on Venice’s past. The island has been the city’s main cemetery since the early 19th century when Napoleon’s edict banned burials in the city center. The cemetery is divided into sections: Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, and Jews, reflecting the city’s diverse history.

The island is the final resting place for many famous figures, including Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, American poet Ezra Pound, and Italian painter Emilio Vedova. The graves, many of which are adorned with beautiful sculptures and ornate stonework, are a testament to the rich history and cultural significance of Venice.

The Bridge with No Parapet: Venice’s Architectural Oddity

Venice is a city of bridges, but none are quite like the Bridge with No Parapet. This unique architectural feature is one of only two bridges in Venice without parapets or railings. Located in the quiet Cannaregio area of the floating city, the Ponte de Chiodo offers a unique and slightly thrilling experience for those brave enough to cross it.

The bridge, which takes its name from the Nail family who used to own it, offers a unique perspective on the ancient city and its canals. Despite its lack of railings, it’s perfectly safe to cross, and it’s one of the best-kept secrets of Venice. So, if you’re looking for a bit of adventure and a story to tell, don’t miss the chance to cross the Bridge with No Parapet on your next visit to Venice.

For more information about the history of bridges in Venice, check out our article on famous bridges in Venice .

When you find yourself in St. Mark’s Square, it’s impossible to miss the stunning St. Mark’s Clocktower (or Torre dell’Orologio, as the locals call it). Its blue face adorned with gold zodiac symbols is a sight to behold. But did you know that there’s more to this 500-year-old masterpiece than meets the eye?

The true magic of the Clocktower lies within its walls. A tour inside this Venetian landmark is like stepping back in time. As you ascend the tower, you’ll be greeted by the intricate mechanisms that have kept time ticking in Venice for centuries. The tour is a fascinating journey through the history of timekeeping, and it offers a unique perspective on the city’s past.

Visits to the interior of St. Mark’s Clocktower can only be made by guided tour and must be booked in advance. So, if you’re planning a trip to Venice, make sure to reserve your spot. This is a hidden gem that you won’t want to miss!

In the heart of Venice, you’ll find the flagship store of the Merchant of Venice perfume company. This isn’t just any perfume shop. It’s a sensory journey that captures the essence of Venice in a bottle.

As you step inside, you’ll be enveloped by the rich aromas of their unique fragrances. Each perfume tells a story, capturing the spirit and character of Venice. Whether you’re looking for a long-lasting souvenir or simply want to experience the beautiful shop, it’s worth taking the time to explore.

The Merchant of Venice is more than just a perfume shop. It’s a testament to the city’s rich history and culture. So, next time you’re wandering through the streets of Venice, take a moment to step inside. You might just find the perfect fragrance to remember your trip by.

The Devil’s Bridge, or Ponte del Diavolo, is a bridge shrouded in mystery and local legends. Located on the tranquil Venetian island of Torcello, this bridge is one of the oldest in Venice and is unique due to its lack of parapets.

Its name comes from a local legend that tells of a pact with the devil. The story goes that a Venetian girl, heartbroken over the murder of her boyfriend during the Austrian occupation, sought the help of a witch who made a pact with the devil to bring him back to life.

The devil agreed, but in return, he demanded the souls of seven dead children. The witch died in a fire before she could fulfill her end of the bargain, and it’s said that the devil returns to the bridge every December 24th, appearing as a black cat, to wait for the souls he was promised.

This eerie tale adds an extra layer of intrigue to this already fascinating bridge. So be sure to hop on a water taxi or a short vaporetto ride and make your way through the Venetian Lagoon.

Libreria Acqua Alta: A Book Lover’s Hidden Paradise

Tucked away in the Castello district, you’ll find Libreria Acqua Alta, a book lover’s dream. This unique bookstore is a hidden gem in Venice, filled to the brim with vintage books stored in gardens, bathtubs, and even a full-sized gondola to protect them from the city’s frequent floods.

The store’s name translates to “Library of High Water,” a nod to its unique storage methods. The chaotic charm of this place is irresistible, with stacks of books piled high in every corner, creating a labyrinth of literature.

Whether you’re a bibliophile or just a casual reader, this bookstore is a must-visit.

For a breathtaking view of Venice, head to the rooftop of T Fondaco dei Tedeschi, a luxury department store located near the Rialto Bridge. This hidden gem offers a panoramic view of the city that is second to none.

From here, you can see the iconic red rooftops, winding canals, and bustling squares of Venice from a unique perspective. The view is particularly stunning at sunset when the city is bathed in a warm, golden light.

This is a perfect spot to take a break from exploring and simply soak in the beauty of Venice. There is a reason it made our list of Romantic Things to Do in Venice .

Venice, a city known for its enchanting canals and stunning architecture, holds a secret that is often overlooked by many – its hidden gardens. These verdant spaces, tucked away behind ivy-covered walls and monumental facades, offer a refreshing contrast to the city’s stone and water landscape. From private gardens of grand palaces along the Grand Canal to the productive ‘orto’ or vegetable gardens of churches and monasteries, Venice is a city of hidden greenery waiting to be discovered.

One such example is the charming garden of the Church of Sant’ Eufemia on Giudecca, brimming with tomatoes, peppers, roses, and even grapevines. Open to church-goers after Sunday mass, this garden offers a tranquil space for refreshment and relaxation. Not far from Sant’ Eufemia, the traditional Venetian campo (square) of Sant’ Eufemia is a sight to behold with its grass-covered surface and vine-clad pergola, a testament to the local fishermen’s lifestyle.

Venice’s gardens are not just traditional; some are contemporary, like the garden at Palazzo Querini Stampalia, reimagined in the 1960s by architect Carlo Scarpa. This garden features narrow trenches carrying water and an interesting range of Japanese plants and bamboos.

On the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, a modern box hedge labyrinth has been built in honor of Argentinian writer and poet Jose Luis Borges, offering visitors a unique challenge and a breathtaking view of San Marco.

These secret gardens of Venice, each with its own unique charm and story, offer a different perspective of the city. They are a testament to Venice’s ability to harmoniously blend nature with its man-made wonders, creating a cityscape that is as green as it is grand. So, on your next visit to Venice, take a moment to step away from the bustling canals and discover these hidden gems amidst the city of water.

Venice is a city of endless discovery. Beyond the well-trodden paths of St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge lie hidden gems waiting to be explored.

From the mysterious Devil’s Bridge on nearby Torcello Island to the charming chaos of Libreria Acqua Alta, the winding Scala Contarini del Bovolo, and the breathtaking rooftop views at T Fondaco dei Tedeschi, Venice offers a wealth of lesser-known attractions that offer a glimpse into the city’s rich history and vibrant culture.

So, when you’re visiting Venice, venture off the beaten path and into the narrow streets to uncover the city’s best-kept secrets. And remember, the real joy of travel lies not in checking off a list of attractions but in unexpected discoveries along the way.

Have you discovered any hidden gems in Venice that we haven’t mentioned? Share your experiences in the comments below!

About Todd O'Rourke

Todd is an award-winning writer and filmmaker who co-founded Compass and Pine with his dog Leg. Together, they have traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe, with their base of operations in Philadelphia.

He started Compass and Pine after living in Vicenza, Italy for three years and falling deeply in love with the country, the people, and, of course, the food.

His favorite city is Florence, Italy, and his favorite National Park is Olympic in Washington.

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Pay to enter: Venice becomes the first city to implement a tourist ticket system

Venice became the first city in the world on Thursday to introduce a payment system for visitors in an experiment aimed at dissuading tourists from arriving during peak periods.

However, it isn't the only place in Italy that has recently introduced new measures aimed at slowing tourist flows.

Here are some of the initiatives currently in force.

Venice tourist tax

The lagoon city has introduced 5 euros (about $5.35) tickets for day trippers, valid from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The experiment came into force on April 25, a national holiday in Italy. Tickets will be needed for the following 10 days and thereafter for most weekends until mid-July.

Venice residents, students, workers, and homeowners are exempt from paying or booking a slot. Visitors aged under 14 and tourists with hotel reservations will need to register, but access for them will be free of charge.

Other cities, such as Como, have said they are considering introducing a similar measure but are waiting to see how the Venice initiative works before deciding.

In addition, Venice has said that from June, it will limit the size of tourist groups to 25 people and ban the use of loudspeakers by tour guides.

Florence tourist measure

Florence announced in October that it was banning new short-term residential lets on platforms such as Airbnb in its historic center. It also offered three years of tax breaks to landlords of short-term holiday lets who start offering ordinary leases for residents.

The city's famous museum, the Uffizi, offers discounts to people who arrive before 8.55 a.m. and lower prices off-season. To spread out crowds, it also closes at 10 p.m. once a week.

Cinque Terrer overtourism

The five villages that make up the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera regularly get swamped with visitors.

To try to reduce the overcrowding at peak periods, the authority which oversees the area said this week it would charge visitors 15 euros (about $16) to walk the most celebrated coastal path. In addition, the path can only be walked in one direction.

Capri tourism measure

The picturesque small island that lies across the bay from the southern city of Naples has doubled its entry fee, which is automatically added to ferry tickets, to 5 euros. The fee will be charged from April 1 to October 1.

Capri, Ischia, Procida, Lampedusa and Linosa changes

These islands have introduced limits, or outright bans, on cars for non-residents during the main tourist season.

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Vacationing at these destinations? You will pay tourist taxes, fees

There are a slew of places with tourist taxes or fees.

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Travelers may encounter a tourist tax or fee depending on their destination.

That additional travel cost could come up if a person visits one of the slew of places around the world that have such charges. Factors that spurred the taxes can vary, ranging from climate change to overtourism, according to reports.

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Five locales with tourist taxes or fees include:

Venice, Italy

Piazza San Marco square view from the Giudecca Canal, Venice, Veneto, Italy. (Photo by: Mauro Flamini/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Mauro Flamini/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The roughly $5.35 daily tourist access fee for Venice, home to the Rialto Bridge, Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica, launched as a pilot on Thursday after it received the go-ahead from city officials in mid-September. It targets day-trippers coming into the city between 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is required on specific dates in April, May, June and July during the test period.

Mount Fuji and the Shinjuku skyline seen from an observation deck in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. Japan's industrial output in November is scheduled to be released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on Dec. 28. Photographer: A (Akio Kon/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

International tourists can face an "International Tourist Tax" while exiting Japan, per the Japanese National Tax Agency . It amounts to about $6.30 per departure and must be paid by those taking planes or boats to do so.

Barcelona, Spain

BARCELONA, SPAIN - 2023/12/11: View of the Sagrada Familia, the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world which has been under construction for 144 years, and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its completion is estimated to be in 2026. (Pho (Xavi Lopez/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

While the city’s nightly tax for travelers staying at tourist accommodations has existed for quite some time, it went up at the beginning of the month, becoming about $3.47. It is capped at seven nights. Catalonia, the region where Barcelona is located, also has a graduated tourist tax that’s size is determined by one’s accommodation, according to The Points Guy.

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This photograph taken on January 10, 2024, shows a a residential area (L) on the banks of the Wang Chuu River also known as Raidak River flowing through Bhutan's capital Thimphu. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP) (Photo by MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Imag (MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Bhutan, nestled in the Himalayas in Asia, asks most tourists to hand over nightly Sustainable Development Fees of $100 for adults and $50 for ages 6-12. It charges a differently-priced fee from those coming from India. The money goes toward "various projects that create long-term, sustainable opportunities for the Bhutanese people," the country’s department of tourism website said. 

New Zealand

Buildings in Auckland, New Zealand, on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. New Zealand is scheduled gross domestic product (GDP) figures on Sept. 15. Photographer: Fiona Goodall/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Fiona Goodall/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

New Zealand’s tourist tax, called the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, costs $35. Tourists encounter it during the visa application process. The country requires it for "most people entering New Zealand on a temporary basis" such as vacation and certain student and short-term work visas, according to the government. 

Tourism a boon for economy

Travel and tourism provides major benefits to local economies and the global economy alike.

Countries around the world will see travel and tourism produce $11.1 trillion in 2024, according to a report recently released by the World Travel & Tourism Council.

TRAVEL AND TOURISM TO BREAK RECORDS, BRING OVER $11 TRILLION IN 2024: REPORT

Part of that will include spending by international travelers. They will reportedly contribute $1.89 trillion, according to the WTTC.

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Travel to italy like an insider with the best local experts.

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A trip to Italy is too special to get wrong. Here's how to do it right. (San Gimignano, Tuscany)

I absolutely love Italy, for many different reasons. But I hate the way in which many Americans go about planning trips there. Survey after survey shows it is the number one dream destination for U.S. leisure travelers, but the way those travelers get their information and advice gives me nightmares.

Throughout the years I’ve heard people say over and over that “I was told to do this in Italy,” or “I was told not to do this in Italy.” By who? “A friend.” I have close friends who recently planned their entire 12-day trip on the basis of another couple they knew who gave them advice—after their first visit. I’ve heard of many people who skipped Rome because “we heard it was too busy, just another big city.” Or passed on Venice, one of the world’s most magical destinations, because, “I heard it was touristy.”

There are American tourists who say you should skip Venice. They are wrong.

It goes on and on, but suffice to say, I have been to Italy in the neighborhood of two dozen times, summer and winter, for food, wine, skiing, golf, hiking, cycling and more food, from north to south and east to west and islands too, and I know a lot about Italian cuisine, but I still ask real experts for advice every time I go. I specifically ask for advice on where to eat, what to see, and who to choose as guides. And by experts, I mean people how live in Italy, specialize in particular areas of travel, and know their subject matter.

“We get multiple guests a year who want to wing it,” says Cherrye Moore, owner of My Bella Vita travel. Moore moved to Calabria two decades ago after falling in love with the region on a visit, and opened a bed and breakfast, learning about what her visitors were looking for. Her company now specializes in planning trips—especially foodie and ancestry trips—to the area in Southern Italy where many Italian Americans trace their heritage. “They say, ‘My neighbor just showed up in their family’s hometown and it went great for them,’ or, ‘Our friends went to Italy last year and said we don't need a driver.’ It’s true that you can rent a car and drive to your family’s hometown, but that experience is vastly different from having a dedicated driver and a heritage specialist who has done research on your family’s history, who has already identified the home your grandfather was born in, and who has arranged meetings with locals upon your arrival.”

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Anyone can tour the Vatican, but only the right guides can get you a private visit.

I just got back from an exploration of Turin followed by a weeklong hiking trip in surrounding Piemonte, Italy’s most prestigious wine region, which included multiple winery visits. For restaurants and guides and sightseeing in Turin I used an Italian-based travel specialist that is the choice of many of the best luxury travel agents/advisors in this country (the best travel agents are savvy enough to know what they do not know and regularly rely on local experts). For the hiking trip, I used an Italy-based active travel specialist that does nothing else, and does it with a food-centric spin. It was another fantastic Italy trip, one amazing day after another, featuring many meals, wineries and experiences I never would have found by myself, especially by asking random friends or watching You Tube influencer videos by people with far less Italy experience than myself.

“We don’t focus on stars or diamonds, we focus on really special one-of-a-kind experiences and lodging that lets you discover our Italy,” said Heather Dowd, who lives in Turin and along with her Italian husband Beppe Salerno. They run Tourissimo , the active travel company we used. We had several friends hiking with us who were on either their very first or second trip to Italy, and when we reviewed our experiences at the end for the trip, one place we stayed, an 18 th century castle turned boutique hotel, was the overwhelming favorite. It did not have whirlpool tubs or Frette linens, it did not have a concierge or room service, but it had excellent food and beautiful gardens in which we had an epic dinner. It had cooking classes, a great location, a fun aperitivo evening cocktail session, and most of all, incredible charm..

Everyone wants the perfect meal in Italy, but not everyone knows where the locals go to find it.

It was exactly what my first timers dreamed Italy would be like, and it was a place we never would have found online. It was perfect, and even in Italy not every place is, but the reality is that Heather and Beppe and their guides spend a lot of time behind the scenes visiting small hotels and vetting them, way more time than the people who rate their stays on booking websites. One of my friends was so impressed he is already planning an extended family hiking trip to Sicily with Tourissimo next year.

If you want to have an insider experience in Italy, and see the places locals go, you need a local insider to help you out.

“Our goal is for guests to experience Calabria like we do, so we’ve built experiences that aren’t available online,” said My Bella Vita’s Moore. “Nowhere else can you find a multi-course lunch hosted at Zia Pina’s or a picnic prepared and delivered by Signora Francesca. Lunch in the home of our friend, Chef Massimo, isn’t available on Google. When creating or reviewing experiences I always think of my sister in Texas. If she were visiting, would I take her here? If that answer is yes, I know we have a winner.” That is exactly the standard by which I’d like my Italy travels to be judged.

A trip to Italy is a beautiful, special, and almost sacred experience, so don’t screw it up by taking bad advice. I do not know every local specialist—and I hope to keep finding more—but I know several experts I would recommend for different kinds of travel. Or use a good travel advisor, something I recommend for all travel (Read my article Why You Need A Travel Agent More Than Ever here at Forbes ), and communicate with them to ensure they are on the same page in terms of sourcing these kinds of local experts. If they are good, they will already be familiar with several of these companies.

Active Travel

All of Tourissimo's cycling and hiking trips in Italy emphasize food and wine, which is how it ... [+] should be.

Italy has long been the dream destination of cyclists, with Tuscany atop the Bucket List for global road riding destinations. But for the past few years the fastest growing sector of cycling has been “gravel grinding,” and with hundreds of miles of its stunning unpaved “white roads,” Tuscany has also emerged as the world’s top travel spot for gravel lovers. There are also plenty of other amazing places to ride in Italy, including Piemonte, Sardinia, Puglia, the Lakes region, and many other areas. World class hiking abounds, especially the stunning Dolomites—a UNESCO World Heritage Site of beauty unmatched by most other mountain regions on earth. Beyond this there are the Alps in the east, the Cinque Terre, Sardinia, and many other great options.

Italy is so well known for cycling and hiking that every major active travel company in the world runs trips there. But for my last two active trips, one hiking and one biking, I chose a tour operator that is actually based there, founded by an Italian with a passion for cycling and food. Tourissimo may be Italian, but they cater to the American market, and founder Beppe Salerno worked for am American cycling company as a guide before realizing he could do the real Italy better himself—to me, the perfect startup rationale. Over the years since, Tourissimo has grown its library of offerings, with both with an array of scheduled group trips and private custom options. While they do mostly road riding, they are notably one of the only tour operators scheduling gravel trips, and can also arrange custom mountain biking itineraries, with years of expertise in cycling and hiking.

Superstar Chef Mary Sue Milliken has led about galf a dozen Chef's Cycling Tours in Italy for ... [+] Tourissimo.

In addition, Tourissimo has also been a pioneer in “Active Culinary Travel,” a hot new category I have written about here at Forbes (and for other magazines and newspapers). They offer an annual series of six group rides (and a hike) each hosted by an acclaimed chef like Mary Sue Milliken, an award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author (five!) and co-host of the popular PBS cooking show Two Hot Tamales . She is also an avid cyclist and has led the Tourissimo Chef Bike Tours for several years, along with other big names. These trips are a unique option for serious foodies who also ride, while the other trips cater to just about anyone. Otherwise they offer several styles of trips, from Bici Basics for new riders to Ambitious Tours for the more hard core.

Tourissimo puts a focus on local, choosing small and often historic hotels that they have curated and vetted (like the castle I just stayed at in Piemonte), places that you would never be able to distinguish from hundreds of other non-chain options online. Same for restaurants, wineries, and all the other ways they take you behind the scenes and into their real Italy. Their Mission Statement? “We don't want to be the biggest adventure travel company. We want to design and run the best tours in Italy. We strive to be the most authentic and the most beneficial to local communities.” Fantastico!

Bellagio on Lake Como is one of the most famous destinations in Italy — and the perfect place for a ... [+] food-centric bike tour!

Bike It! Bellagio offers another insider biking experience on a much different scale, providing a great one-day experience for visitors to Italy’s most famous lake town. This bike shop on Lake Como is run by a former pro racer and his wife. They rent bikes (road, mountain and e-bikes) out, but also offer one-day guided tours with multiple food and drink stops. Given that the owner grew up here and knows everyone, it’s not surprising that the food and drink spots are insider picks. The shop sits near the iconic Madonna del Ghisallo climb, the most famous in the Giro di Lombardia, a race more than a century old, and several days a week the shop offers guided group rides with a climb of the pass, on road or e-bikes—Bianchi bikes of course!

There are scheduled tours Monday through Saturday, as well as wide range of customizable private tours. These are often taken by families with mixed ages, but for more aggressive riders they offer longer road tours, mountain biking and gravel riding, along with a wide range of less demanding e-bike tours, including some even more focused on food and wine. They also offer a handful of multi-day tours and can put these together as custom on demand, usually for groups, including an iconic coast to coast traverse of Italy. If you are a guest of one of the many stunning (and pricey) ultra-luxury hotels around Bellagio, and ask the concierge to arrange a bike tour, they are likely going to call this shop anyway (and mark it up) so just do it yourself.

Luxury Travel in Italy

From planning your entire itinerary with flights, hotels, and transfers to just booking the best tours, guides and VIP access (often to non-public highlights), it pays to use a top local specialist.

Last year I attended the annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, which has been called “the Oscars of the travel industry.” Virtuoso is the leading global luxury travel consortium, and many of the best travel advisors on earth belong, So does just about every top hotel, resort, safari lodge, cruise line, and luxury tour operator. Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch was explaining the many advantages of using a travel advisor (I wholeheartedly agree) and something he said really stuck with me. He explained that with all of the new online tour booking companies, it was easier than ever to book a tour or guide in just about any destination on earth, but harder than ever to judge the quality. The caveat was that, “you can book a guide, but you can’t book my guide.”

One of Italy's greatest hidden gems, Turin was the nation's first capital and a Winter Olympic host. ... [+] It's worth getting a good guide if you visit.

The Vatican is the Vatican and the Colosseum is the Colosseum, so when you opt for a guided tour, what really matters and makes it a good, bad or great experience is the guide—and their special access, like a tour of the Vatican when no one else is there.

For my recent trip to Turin, I called Imago Artis Travel , an Italy-based luxury travel specialist. They are what is known in the travel industry as a destination management company or DMC, the same companies luxury travel agents call to arrange local details for their clients. There are great DMCs all over the world, and local knowledge is valuable everywhere, but many of them do not deal directly with travelers, while in Italy the best ones do.

I wanted a private day tour of Turin and its surrounding attractions for my wife and I, most importantly the Reggia di Venaria Reale, aka the “Italian Versailles” (one of two places in Italy with this lofty but accurate nickname). The guide they got for me was a licensed guide, and lifelong resident of Turin, and spoke excellent English, which was all good, but she was also an architect, which was great in a city where so much is driven by architecture. That’s not so easy to find on global tour aggregator website. Imago Artis also gave me a list of their favorite restaurant recommendations, which were spot on, then made my reservations for me. At a minimum this eliminates the language barrier of calling or the technology barrier of booking through often tricky (or non-functional) Italian restaurant reservation websites, but in many cases it also gets you a better table and instant VIP treatment—which definitely does not happen when I book myself.

Italy is rich in world-class crafts, and companies like Imago Artis can take you behind the scenes ... [+] to meet the makers.

Imago Artis Travel is a Virtuoso member, which means when you book through them, if you book your luxury hotel, you get extras like room upgrades, late checkout, spa credits etc., one of the big advantages of working with Virtuoso travel advisors. If you have a bigger budget than I do, they can handle all sorts of luxury transport, private jets, helicopters, boat charters, and also offer VIP Meet and Greet services at just about every airport in Italy. They can even arrange private security details. On a more accessible luxury level, they specialize in exclusive experiences, unlocking historic buildings and art collections not open to the public, and taking you behind the scenes with many artisans of Italy, from custom shoemakers to sculptors to jewelry designers. They know food, they know the guides, and I especially like their mission statement, “Our mission is simple: Getting You to the Heart of Italy.” That’s what it is all about.

Another top luxury DMC that is also a member of Virtuoso that I have used in the past with great success is IC Bellagio . They offer a similar array of luxury services and are very well connected, but they also specialize in Villa rentals as well as 5-Star hotels. Differentiating villas in Italy may be the single biggest challenge, more so than restaurants, with so many options and so few valid reviews. IC Bellagio has also boldly acknowledged the overtourism problems some of the most popular parts of Italy face, and are pushing “Slow Season Travel,” which varies in each of the country’s 20 regions but is something they are expert in. Last winter I went to Venice in the off-season, and it was spectacular, and I just traveled in a slow season to Piemonte. It was much, much better than fighting the crowds.

Skiing in Italy is awesome, and it's the best place in the world to stay in mountain rifugios — but ... [+] you need help for the perfect trip.

Skiing in Italy remains a bit under the radar for Europe, especially compared to France and Switzerland. Well, let the crowds go to other countries, because Italy has two different major ski regions, both of which have hosted the Winter Olympics, and the Games are returning to Milan and Cortina in 2026. The interconnected Dolomiti SuperSki lift and trail network in the Dolomites is arguably the largest “ski resort” in the world, and inarguably one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes on the planet. The towns are charming, the food is great, there are spectacular hotels from non-chain independent hidden gems to world-class luxury (Aman, Mandarin Oriental, Relais & Chateaux, etc.) and it’s cheaper than much of the rest of Europe. Did I mention the food?

I first went to the Dolomites to go hiking, and was so wowed I thought, “I have to come back and ski here.” I came back the next winter and skied, and the following year I got a group of friends together and went back. I have skied all over the U.S., and all over the world and never had the same compulsion to return to the same place immediately. That’s how good skiing in Italy is ( read much more in my Italy skiing piece here at Forbes ).

I’ve only used one company for ski travel in Italy and see no reason to switch gears, especially since the local logistics (a great guide/instructor, transfers, the best on-mountain meals and staying a couple of nights in the region’s unique on-mountain rifugios) is very hard to organize on your own. The company is Dolomite Mountains , a specialist in both resort ski vacations and backcountry touring trips (using skins and alpine touring or AT gear). They too are a U.S. facing company with mainly American clientele.

Like many active travel companies, they offer both group trip scheduled departure options and private custom trips to fit whatever you want. The group option is called the Dolomites Ski Safari and is a 7-day trip mixing stays in amazing rifugios with in-town hotels (4 and 5-stars on the Italian system) and includes all breakfasts and dinners, a full-time guide, ski pass, luggage transfers and more. Custom options include the same kind of trip for your own group, or anything you want, and while its name suggests local expertise—quite true—Dolomite Mountains also handles ski trips in the rest of Italy, like Courmayeur, and connected border regions of France, Switzerland and Austria, as many lift systems here know no national boundaries (ski with your passport!). They are also a Virtuoso member.

Calabria & Southern Italy

Many Italian Americans trace their ancestry to Southern Italy's Calabria, and if you want to visit, ... [+] make sure you do it right.

My Bella Vita travel focuses on this area, including both small group trips and custom privates. Their specialties include “Heritage Tours” for those interested in their ancestry, and a food focus for the rest of us. For instance, Taste of the South is a 12-day gastronomic journey through Calabria, Basilicata and Naples—the birthplace of pizza! Food & Wine of Calabria is an 11-daty trip and just what it sounds like.

These are some of the scheduled small group tours offered, but the rest of their business is private trip planning and custom options.

“Italy is deceivingly large, and travelers think two weeks is enough time to see everything. It isn’t,” insists Moore. “You can’t even experience all of Calabria in two weeks. Our team collectively spends about six months a year scouting new hotels, restaurants, and experiences in Calabria and we are constantly re-evaluating and tweaking our recommendations.”

There are some other Italy specialists I have not personally experienced, but that come highly recommended by some of my other experts:

My Bella Vita’s Cherrye Moore says, “ In Sicily, I recommend Lucia Davies of Sicily Tour , one of a trio of British expats who have lived in Siracusa, Sicily for decades.” A family-owned tour-guiding company based in Siracusa, they have nearly 40 years of experience on the island and create trips fostering cultural exchange between Italy and English-speaking visitors, specializing in small group and custom tours.

Food & Wine

Life is too short to go to Italy and not eat well.

Beppe and Heather Dowd of Tourissimo recommend Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures , a company that has also earned kudos from other travel industry folks I know. Owner Francesca Montillo grew up in Southern Italy where her father was greengrocer. An Italian-American cookbook author, she launched the company a decade ago, and she personally leads the tours. She does numerous scheduled tours to different regions each year, and also offers custom private itineraries.

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Venice Tests a 5-Euro Entry Fee for Day-Trippers as the Italian City Grapples With Overtourism

The fragile lagoon city of Venice has launched a pilot program to charge day-trippers a 5-euro or $5.35 entry fee that authorities hope will discourage visitors from arriving on peak days and make the city more livable for its dwindling residents

Stewards check tourists QR code access outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. The daytripper tax is being tested on 29 days through July, mostly weekends and holidays starting with Italy's Liberation Day holiday Thursday. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment, while another 70,000 will receive exceptions, for example, because they work in Venice or live in the Veneto region. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Under the gaze of the world’s media, the fragile lagoon city of Venice launched a pilot program Thursday to charge day-trippers a 5-euro ($5.35) entry fee that authorities hope will discourage visitors from arriving on peak days and make the city more livable for its dwindling residents.

Visitors arriving at Venice's main train station were greeted with large signs listing the 29 dates through July of the plan's test phase that also designated separate entrances for tourists, and residents, students and workers.

“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’’ said Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”

Not all residents, however, are persuaded of the efficacy of the new system in dissuading mass tourism , insisting that only a resurgence in the population will restore balance to a city where narrow alleyways and water buses are often clogged with tourists.

Hundreds of Venetians protested against the program, marching festively though the city's main bus terminal behind banners reading “No to Tickets, Yes to Services and Housing.” Protesters scuffled briefly with police with riot gear who blocked them from entering the city, before changing course and entering over another bridge escorted by plainclothes police officers. The demonstration wrapped up peacefully in a piazza.

Tourists arriving at the main station encountered almost as many journalists as stewards on hand to politely guide anyone unaware of the new requirements through the process of downloading the QR code to pay the fee.

Photos You Should See - April 2024

Arianna Cecilia, a tourist from Rome visiting Venice for the first time, said she thought it was “strange” to have to pay to enter a city in her native country, and be funneled through separate entrance ways for tourists. She and her boyfriend were staying in nearby Treviso, and so downloaded the QR code as required. But she was still caught off-guard while soaking in her first view ever of Venice's canals by the sight of the entrance signs and her boyfriend telling her to get out the ticket.

On the other side of the entrance ways, workers in yellow vests carried out random checks at the train station. Transgressors face fines of 50 to 300 euros ($53 to $320), but officials said “common sense” was being applied for the launch.

The requirement applies only for people arriving between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Outside of those hours, access is free and unchecked.

Venice has long suffered under the pressure of overtourism, and officials hope that the pilot project can help provide more exact figures to better manage the phenomenon.

The city can track the number of hotel visitors, which last year numbered 4.6 million and is down 16% from pre-pandemic highs. But the number of day visitors, which make up the majority of the crowds in Venice, could only be estimated until recently.

A Smart Control Room set up during the pandemic has been tracking arrivals from cellphone data, roughly confirming pre-pandemic estimates of 25 million to 30 million arrivals a year, said Michele Zuin, the city’s top economic official. That includes both day-trippers and overnight guests.

But Zuin said the data is incomplete.

“It’s clear we will get more reliable data from the contribution” being paid by day-trippers, he said.

Venturini said the city is strained when the number of day-trippers reaches 30,000 to 40,000. On peak days, local police set up one-way traffic for pedestrians to keep the crowds moving.

Residents opposing the day-tripper tax insist that the solution to Venice's woes are to boost the resident population and the services they need, limiting short-term rentals to make available more housing and attract families back from the mainland.

Last year, Venice passed a telling milestone when the number of tourist beds exceeded for the first time the number of official residents, which is now below 50,000 in the historic center with its picturesque canals.

“Putting a ticket to enter a city will not decrease not even by one single unit the number of visitors that are coming,’’ said Tommaso Cacciari, an activist who organized a protest Thursday against the measure.

“You pay a ticket to take the metro, to go to a museum, an amusement park. You don’t pay a ticket to enter a city. This is the last symbolic step of a project of an idea of this municipal administration to kick residents out of Venice,” he said.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro declared the launch day, coinciding with an Italian holiday, a success, registering 15,700 paying visitors, 50% more than anticipated.

More than 97,000 others had downloaded a QR code denoting an exemption, including to work in Venice or as a resident of the Veneto region. Hotels in Venice, including in mainland districts like Marghera or Mestre, provided a QR code for visitors to attest to their stay, which includes a hotel tax — accounting for 40,000 of those.

Venturini, the tourist official, said that interest in Venice’s pilot program has been keen from other places suffering from mass tourism, including other Italian art cities, and municipalities abroad such as Barcelona, Spain, and Amsterdam.

But Marina Rodino, who has lived in Venice for 30 years, doesn't see the fee as the cure-all. Neighboring apartments in her residential building near the famed Rialto Bridge once inhabited by families are now short-term apartment rentals.

The corner butcher shop closed. Yet she noted that the new entrance fee requirement will still allow young people to flood the city in the evening for the traditional aperitivo, which can grow rowdy.

She was passing out mock European Union passports for “Venice, Open City,” underlining the irony of the new system, and challenging its legal standing with citations from the Italian Constitution guaranteeing its citizens the right to “move or reside freely in any part of the national territory."

“This is not a natural oasis. This is not a museum. It is not Pompeii. It is a city, where we need to fight so the houses are inhabited by families, and stores reopen. That is what would counter this wild tourism,’’ Rodino said.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Tags: Associated Press , politics , business , world news

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• Travel Updates

Venice now charging tourists $8 to enter city

Aussies planning on visiting a major European city will have to pay a fee or cop a hefty fine of up to $450 in a move that’s sparked outrage.

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Aussies planning on visiting Venice as part of their Europe trip will have to pay $8 before entering the popular city.

The Italian hotspot is the first city in the world to charge tourists an entrance fee in a bid to tackle mass tourism.

The cover charge came into effect on Thursday with visitors required to buy a five-euro ($8.20) ticket, enforced by spot checks at key points of entry into the UNESCO World Heritage site.

If tourists don’t pre-register to obtain a QR code, they will cop a hefty fine of up to $450. There are some exceptions, though, such as if you’re staying overnight in a hotel as those people already pay a tourist tax. However they too will have to register their presence to request an exemption to the fee.

Essentially, anyone entering the city on dates the fee is charged must carry either a ticket or an exemption, unless you’re a resident or born in Venice, but they too will need to show their identity documents.

For now it is a trial with a ticket required during the day between 8am and 4pm. Tickets can either be purchased online or at the new ticket office at the train station.

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said 15,700 people bought tickets on Thursday and while he hailed it a smooth launch, it has already sparked major backlash with locals who participated in a protest saying the new scheme treats the historic Italian city like a museum.

Signs were held near the Santa Lucia train station on Thursday morning that read ‘Stick it to the ticket!’ and ‘Venice is not for sale!’.

“This is not a museum, it’s not a protected ecological area, you shouldn’t have to pay – it’s a city,” Marina Dodino, from the local residents’ association ARCI, told AFP.

Protesters say that at its largest the group was 1,000 strong, while the authorities said that only 300 attended.

Ruggero Tallon, one of the main protest organisers and the spokesperson for anti-cruise ship campaign group No Grandi Navi, told CNN that the group had planned to erect a banner spelling out “Welcome to Veniceland” and hand out fake “tickets” to passers-by, but were stopped by police. Instead they marched to Campo Santa Margherita, one of the city’s main squares.

“We rose up against the mayor’s idea of a closed city, a museum city,” Mr Tallon told the publication.

“A ticket does nothing. It doesn’t stop the monoculture of tourism. It doesn’t ease the pressure on Venice. It’s a medieval tax and it’s against freedom of movement.”

According to the publication, Mr Tallon also expressed concern that the project is being managed by a private company, which will receive people’s data, and suggested that other moves by the authorities – including angling for the return of cruise ships to the lagoon, and not yet restricting Airbnbs – are adding to the problem.

Venice has long had its problems with the mass arrival of cruise ships and in 2021, banned cruises from Venice lagoon over concerns about the environmental impact of the huge liners on the city.

Meanwhile, the mayor believes the “Venice Access Fee” is “not an expense” but a way to “make people understand that we need to change”.

“[And] therefore dilute visits to the city,” Mr Brugnaro said in a statement.

The city has faced ongoing struggle with mass tourism in turn having affected residents living with the congestion, environmental damage and affects on their lifestyle.

Venice’s population is around 50,000 and has been consistently falling, from a peak of 175,000. If the population falls below 40,000, there is concern that Venice will cease to be a viable living city, according to The Conversation .

The ticket idea had long been debated but repeatedly postponed over concerns it would dent tourist revenue and compromise freedom of movement.

“The aim is to find a new balance between tourism and the city of its residents,” Simone Venturini, the local councillor responsible for tourism, told AFP.

Ashish Thakkar, an American tourist visiting Venice with his wife, questioned how much of an effect the day pass would have.

“If I’m coming all the way from out of the country, five euros just to get access to the city — I wouldn’t mind paying it,” he said.

Some residents complain the measures fail to address another major issue – the expansion of short-term apartment rentals through websites such as Airbnb, which are squeezing out long-term tenants.

“You have to start with the houses if you really want to solve the problem of tourism in Venice,” said Federica Toninello, a local campaigner.

Sylvain Pelerin, a French tourist who has been visiting for more than 50 years, believes it a good idea and will help slow down the numbers of tourists in Venice.

Others have also taken to social media to weigh in on the move.

“That’s not going to stop anyone from wanting to go there on their Italian vacation. Just a money grab, who’s gunna (sic) say we’ll I came across world to see Italy, but I’ll pass on Venice cause of 5 bucks,” one person wrote on TikTok.

Another said it was “fair” and it was a “great idea” while one person said because of the fee, they won’t be visiting.

Venice, spread over more than 100 small islands and islets in northeastern Italy, was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 1987.

But at peak times, 100,000 visitors stay overnight in the historic centre, double the resident population of just 50,000.

More Coverage

Last year, UNESCO threatened to put Venice on its list of heritage in danger, citing mass tourism as well as rising water levels in its lagoon , which are attributed to climate change.

However, it escaped the ignominy only after local authorities agreed the new ticketing system.

– with AFP

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