Venice
A city of canals, palaces and hidden alleys, best explored slowly on foot and from the water.
LOCATION
Veneto, northeastern Italy
POPULATION
About 250,000 municipality-wide
CURRENCY
Euro (€)
RECOMMENDED STAY
3 to 5 days
GETTING AROUND
Walking and vaporetto water buses
BEST TIME
March to April; September to November
KNOWN FOR
Canals, palaces, art and architecture
DON'T MISS
Getting lost beyond San Marco
INTRODUCTION
Why Visit
I love Venice. I have visited around ten times over the years, arriving most often by train from Germany but also by plane and cruise ship. Yet no matter how often I return, I still find myself surprised by it. There really is nowhere else quite like Venice, not even elsewhere in Italy. Part of the appeal for me is simply how the city functions.
There are no cars in the historic center. Streets become narrow calli, public transportation runs on water, deliveries arrive by boat and bridges replace intersections. Walking is not merely a way of getting around Venice; it is one of the great pleasures of being there. I can spend hours wandering without any particular destination and still feel as though I am constantly discovering something. Venice also holds some wonderful personal memories.
"Every time I turn a corner in Venice, there seems to be another surprise waiting for me. No matter how many times I return, there are streets, views and details I have forgotten or somehow never noticed before."
I celebrated my grandmother's 70th birthday here with her and my mother. It was her first time flying and the first time she had ever seen the sea. On another trip as a student, a friend and I stayed in an old palace that had neither air-conditioning nor protection from the mosquitoes.
I have since stayed everywhere from small family-run hotels to larger international properties. The architecture, churches, museums and palaces are extraordinary, but Venice becomes most memorable for me away from the busiest sights. I prefer Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge early in the morning or later in the evening, then spend the daytime disappearing into quieter neighborhoods.
Venice's popularity is also its greatest challenge. Overtourism is impossible to ignore. I strongly recommend staying for several nights rather than treating Venice as another attraction to check off during a rushed day trip. Give the city your time, spend money locally and explore well beyond the handful of places everyone comes to photograph.
Quiet canal and narrow calli away from central Venice
EXPLORE MORE
Plan Your Visit
For me, the best trips leave room for both the places you planned to see and the unexpected discoveries along the way. These guides bring together practical advice, local food, events and ideas for exploring beyond the main sights, based on what I have learned from my own travels.
PLAN YOUR TIME
Suggested Itineraries
These itineraries build on one another rather than attempting to squeeze Venice into a checklist. Even with one day, leave room to wander. With additional days, move progressively farther from San Marco and onto the surrounding islands. Venice is at its best when you occasionally stop worrying about what you are supposed to see next.
ONE DAY
The Essential Venice Walk
A first day connects Santa Lucia, Rialto and San Marco while leaving enough room for markets, churches and wrong turns. It covers famous Venice without making the entire day about ticking off landmarks.
Morning:
From Venezia Santa Lucia, cross the Ponte degli Scalzi and walk through Santa Croce and San Polo toward the Rialto Market. The Grand Canal has no continuous waterside footpath, so expect a route through lanes and squares. Visit the market in the morning on an operating day, then cross the Rialto Bridge toward San Marco.
Afternoon:
Continue to Piazza San Marco. Choose Doge’s Palace or St. Mark’s Basilica as your main interior visit and book ahead. Seeing both properly can occupy most of the afternoon, so keep the rest of the route light. Save Dorsoduro and Santa Maria della Salute for a second day.
Evening:
Move away from San Marco for dinner in a less touristy neighborhood. Afterward, return to the streets on foot.
Grand Canal near the Accademia Bridge on a moody and quiet day
TWO DAYS
Venice Beyond San Marco
The second day shifts the focus from monumental Venice toward Cannaregio, Jewish history and art in Dorsoduro, giving you more time to understand how different the city feels beyond its busiest corridor.
Morning:
Explore Cannaregio and the Ghetto Ebraico. Walk the canals and quieter residential streets rather than immediately returning toward Rialto. Stop for coffee and a cornetto somewhere that appears to serve local residents and workers.
Afternoon:
Make your way toward Dorsoduro and spend time at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Continue through the neighborhood toward Santa Maria della Salute and explore the surrounding waterfront rather than immediately crossing back toward San Marco.
Evening:
Take a vaporetto along the Grand Canal. I consider this transportation and sightseeing at the same time.
Quiet square in Venice Santa Croce
THREE DAYS
Venice & the Lagoon
Three days allow you to experience another essential part of Venice: the islands. Murano and San Michele are easy to combine while still leaving enough time to return to central Venice for a relaxed evening.
Morning:
Take the vaporetto toward Murano, stopping first on San Michele. Walk through the cemetery and find Igor Stravinsky's grave before continuing across the lagoon. The quiet of San Michele makes a striking contrast with central Venice.
Afternoon:
Continue to Murano. Visit the Glass Museum and spend time walking beside the canals. If you want to watch glassblowing, arrange a workshop visit separately and check what is included; a museum ticket does not automatically include a demonstration.
Evening:
Return by vaporetto as the light begins to change. I love watching Venice's colors shift toward sunset.
Strolling through Venice in the evening hours when crowds thin
FOUR DAYS
A Slower Venice
By the fourth day, there is no need to chase landmarks. Use the additional time for art, Castello, the Biennale gardens and perhaps Lido, while revisiting whichever part of Venice has most captured your interest.
Morning:
Walk east through Castello toward the Giardini della Biennale. Explore the neighborhood and public green spaces, remembering that the main Biennale exhibition grounds require a ticket when exhibitions are running. If the Biennale is taking place and interests you, dedicate considerably more time to the exhibitions rather than treating them as a quick attraction.
Afternoon:
If you have chosen a neighborhood walk rather than a full Biennale visit, take a vaporetto to Lido for an entirely different version of Venice. Walk toward the beach or simply explore the island before returning across the lagoon. Alternatively, use the afternoon for Ca' Pesaro, Palazzo Grassi or another museum you have not yet visited.
Evening:
Finish with an unhurried walk through your favorite neighborhood and dinner away from the busiest routes.
Strolling through the backstreets of the Castello area near the Biennale Gardens
My Tips for Your Visit
Venice should not be rushed. The city is struggling with the
consequences of its own popularity, and arriving for a few hours simply
to photograph San Marco and Rialto misses much of what makes it
extraordinary. Stay several nights if you can. That balance is what makes the experience memorable.
