Top 10 Travel Tips for Visiting Venice, Italy
Ah, Venice. What is there to say about this storied city that hasn’t been said by some of the world’s best poets thousands of times over throughout the centuries? Well, she may not be a poet but how about having my sister, the person I trust most in her traveling tips share her top travel tips and things to do in Venice, Italy. Her and I went to Venice together years ago but she just returned from a recent trip to Italy (without me, the nerve!) and agreed to share her advice. So, without further ado, here are her Venice suggestions. OOh and for amazing luxury travel tips for your next trip to Italy, check out our post on Florence, Italy and Prosecco Wine Country that we wrote for Forbes!
The best way I can describe it is that around every winding corner and down every twisted street is a photograph that begs to be taken. Whether it’s the ancient cobblestones crumbling beautifully into one another, window boxes tidily filled with bright flowers, hidden courtyard gardens, laundry draped carefully from lines, blowing in the breeze, arched stone bridges, or, of course, the gondolas, Venice will literally slap you in the face with its beauty and take your breath away. I can’t even tell you how many times I involuntarily asked, “Look at that! How is this real!?” to my husband.
1. Wander around the city and don’t be afraid to get lost: You WILL get lost. The sooner you accept that, the less stressful you will find it. The streets are medieval and were built with basically no order, rhyme, or reason. Lots of twists, turns, dead ends, etc. The city’s signage is confusing and haphazard at best. But don’t fret, the best times we had was when we’d let ourselves get lost and just wander. For instance, we stumbled upon a really surreal bookstore called the Libreria Acqua Alta. It’s just a huge expanse of piles and piles of books eveywhere. In an old gondola, on old vintage furniture, on the floor, on shelves, books used as steps, cats climbing and snoozing on books. Books, books, books! We never would have found it had we not allowed ourselves to simply wander. Also, we found the people we ran into to be EXTREMELY helpful/friendly. (And we don’t speak ANY Italian, so I’m sure we were kind of annoying.) We had several people walk us to our destinations. Once when we were trying to find our hotel, we asked a delivery man on the street to point the way to us. Instead of simply pointing, he put our 100 pounds of luggage on his hand cart and led the way to our hotel. He wouldn’t even accept a tip! My husband literally had to force him to take a few euros as a token of our thankfulness!!! Additionally, as Katie knows, I am THE most paranoid person on Earth, and there was not a SINGLE time when I felt unsafe/threatened, even when we had no idea where we were. That said, be smart and use your common sense/street smarts. I’m not saying bad things can’t happen!
2. Go to St. Marco Square/Rialto Bridge for no more than an hour apiece, take the obligatory pictures/buy a souvenir if you must, have a coffee/gelato, and then save yourself the stress and get the heck outta dodge. If you’re anything like me, you hate crowds of tourists and everything that goes along with that–tacky tourist traps, pick-pockets, over-priced, poor quality food, you name it! If all you do is stay in St. Marco Square/around the Rialto Bridge, you will not be get an authentic Venetian experience (Do NOT be THAT person who goes to the Hard Rock Cafe in Venice!) and you will be stressed out.
3. That said: when you do go tp St. Marco Square, you must check out St. Marco’s Basilica, The Doge’s Palace, and the Torre dell Orlogio (the clock tower). They played important roles in Venetian history and they’re famous landmarks/tourist attractions for a reason: they’re simply stunning!!
4. Let me say a word about gondolas: Taking a ride in a Venetian gondola is a bucket list item for many, many people. And for good reason. The first time I visited Venice, I was 14. I went on a gondola ride with Katie and our parents and the gondoliers serenaded us, played music, and were fabulously engaging. It was really, really cool. It’s something I’ll never forget! The second time I went to Venice, I was 22 and backpacking throughout Europe with my friend from college. I went again. It was a cool perspective of the city, but our gondolier was reserved and didn’t talk to us or sing at all. But even so, I still had a great time! That said, when my husband and I went back in March of this year, we didn’t do it. It was raining and cold for most of our visit (which, amazingly, did not dampen our enthusiasm for Venice at all), and we didn’t feel sad about not doing it. You can 100% enjoy your trip to Venice with or without the gondola ride. If you’re debating, I’d say go for it, because you don’t want to regret not doing it! Who knows when you’ll get back there, ya know?
5. If you can avoid it, DO. NOT. EAT. ANYWHERE. WITH. 20 LANGUAGES ON THE MENUS/PICTURES OF THE FOOD. These are overpriced, and mediocre at best. Instead, ask your hotel concierge where he/she eats and hightail it over there! Our concierge sent us to a local restaurant a brisk ten minute walk from the hotel. It was so mindblowingly good, we went back multiple times during our stay in Venice. Honestly, we wish we’d gone there for every meal, because no other meal in Venice even came close. The food was crazy good and fresh, plus the wine was really high quality and cheap!! Also, most of the patrons were Italian, always a good sign! If you’re curious, the establishment was called Ostaria al Vecio Pozo. My hubby and I still talk about it. But, don’t fret if you can’t find it/aren’t staying nearby. I’m sure there are hundreds of little gems you can discover! It’s worth the extra little bit of effort it takes to uncover them.
6. Stay at the Hotel Grand Canal. I know there are literally thousands of places to stay in Venice. I know that there are famous, brand name five star hotels. But, we chose to stay at this place because it had hundreds of rave reviews online and was very fairly priced. I always get nervous about staying at “boutique” hotels, but we took a chance on it and we were so glad we did. Everything about this boutique hotel is lovely and so thoughtful. The lobby and dining room/bar have a million dollar view of the Grand Canal, and everything is modern and clean, yet it maintains its distinct Venetian charm and character. When we checked in, we were warmly welcomed like we were family or personal friends. When we told them we were newlyweds, they sent a bottle of Prosecco up to our room. Breakfast was included, which was delicious and so civilized. I cannot speak highly enough of this place. The location is perfect, and you can spend as much as you are able to, as there is a wide range of pricing/room options.
7. Take a day trip to Murano/Burano/Torcello. This was a really nice change of pace from the tourist crush that happens in many areas of Venice. We booked on Viator.com, which we use a lot to book trips/tours on our trips abroad. Your tour boat leaves from a dock near St. Marco and takes you to all three islands. We got to see a glassblowing demonstration in Murano, experience the quaint, colorful lace-making village of Burano, and walk around Torcello’s medieval church and climb the “devil’s bridge” that is older than America (I know, I know…lots of things are older than America. But, still…when we were climbing this old stone bridge I was like whaaaaaat!) Torcello was once densely populated, but now it’s almost abandoned. Our tour guide said that there are less than 20 full time residents. Hot tip: in Torcello, we bought souvenirs from a lady selling authentic Murano glass and other assorted souvenirs at a kiosk outside the medieval church. It was about 5,000% less expensive than we’d seen anywhere else. If you’ve got more time, there are a few nice looking restaurants in Torcello such as the famous Cipriani, where Ernest Hemingway apparently spent some time. I was bummed we didn’t have enough time to visit.
8. The Jewish Ghetto: This is an off-the-beaten path destination, but it was one of our favorite parts of Venice. We went on a wonderful walking tour through the museum that took us through the town square and to each of the historic synagogues and explained the role the Jewish Ghetto played in Venice’s history. Admission to the museum, which was fabulous, is also included in the price of the walking tour. There are also art galleries (we wandered into a small shop and bought an original print from a sweet man, who was the artist. He tried VERY hard to speak with us in English. He even invited us to have Shabbat dinner and celebrate with him and the community.), knick-knack shops, restaurants, and bakeries. It was an absolutely fascinating, slightly somber place to visit, and I would highly, highly recommend going for a unique perspective of this famous city.
9. Wear comfortable shoes. This kind of goes without saying in any European city, where you’re going to be doing more walking than you would in most American cities outside of New York. But, in Venice, there are NO automobiles. As a visitor, you’ll be either on foot or on a boat. And if you don’t walk as much as you can each day, you’re cheating yourself.
10. Peggy Guggenheim Collection: When Ms. Guggenheim lost her father to the Titanic tragedy, she is rumored to have carried on affairs with many of the great artists/personalities of the time. One thing is for certain, girlfriend sure amassed a TON of art in her mansion on the Grand Canal. Her modern art collection is legendary, including works from more than 200 modern artists. But, ther types are also represented in her collection.
HUGEST Thanks to my sister for guest posting here. She’s not only a travel expert but she’s absolutely brilliant! Un milione di Grazie!!!
And for amazing luxury travel tips for your next trip to Italy, check out our post on Florence, Italy and Prosecco Wine Country that we wrote for Forbes! Also check out our post on KatieLara.com about Florence, Italy. And PLEASEEEEEE Like KatieLara on Facebook and Share this article with one of the buttons on the left. It makes a huge difference..
About The Author
Katie
Katie is a luxury lifestyle expert. She runs luxury lifestyle sites, KatieLara.com and Smartypanties.com. But she's not only a luxury lifestyle blogger, she's also a freelance writer for The Huffington Post, Fodor's, Forbes, Pursuitist, Just Luxe and She Knows. She's also a professional photographer and her photos often appear alongside her writing.
51 Comments
Awesome article!
- May 24, 2013I agree with avoiding the multi language menu restaurants!
- June 5, 2013Another good way to find nice restaurants is simply to ask e.g. a news kiosk where the locals get their lunch at fixed price.
Usually you can eat very well with 11 €, wine and coffee included.
It may not be a luxurious experience but it’s real 🙂
Something I really liked in Venice was the typical Bacaro Tour, is a tour through bars with a good selection of wine and appetizers. There are many sites that organize it (like walkofitaly or getyourguide) but I tried this one http://www.bacarotourvenice.com that was the most convenient one.I definitely loved this tour,when I finished it I was a little drunk 😉 I recommend it!
- March 30, 2014That sounds so fun! And anything involving wine ranks high on my list! Will keep this in mind for my next trip!
- March 30, 2014Th emunicipality of Venice is one of the most active in Italy and carries out a lot of interesting events you can follow also from http://www.about-venice-travel-guide.com
- April 20, 2014Thanks for the tip! We’ll definitely check this out!
- April 20, 2014Great article! In my last trip in Venice I enjoyed a great tour trough Venice, if you like to drink wine and try local foods just give it a try: http://www.venicewinetour.com
Enjoy!
- May 30, 2014Eric
Awesome! Will check it out next time I’m there! Thanks for the tip!
- May 30, 2014Can you please let me know where that side canal in the last photo is specifically? We are looking for nice canals like that for our Gondola ride.
- June 26, 2014So sorry, I can’t remember exactly where it is, LR!
- June 29, 2014i want to saw all place.
- September 19, 2014I hope you get to see them all!
- September 23, 2014Thanks for your tips.
- September 22, 2014Thank YOU for stopping by! Hope you’ll be back soon!
- September 23, 2014beautiful palace.
- October 17, 2014Thanks! I agree 🙂
- October 21, 2014Awesome@@@@@
- December 17, 2014great exprience
- December 17, 2014I agree, but please add ride the vaporetto! Don’t ride a water taxi, vaporettos are fun, local, and amazing! Take the vaporetto ride to Burano — just lovely. Don’t forget the Rialto Market! It is a must!
- January 13, 2015Wonderful to know! Thanks for the great tips!
- January 23, 2015Fantastic tips! Thanks for sharing. I second the vaporetto suggestion much more fun than water taxi! I visited food tours while in Venice as well, and loved it! We went with Food Tours of Venice. Lots of great food, interacting with the locals and no tourist-y places. Very authentic! You can find them here: http://www.foodtoursofvenice.com.
- March 15, 2015Thanks for stopping by! And thanks for sharing your comments!
- March 15, 2015Hey Katie, nice article..i read everything and wrote important points in my diary before heading to Venice.
- June 24, 2015So happy to be of service!
- July 29, 2015Such a useful post!! thank you!!!
- April 19, 2016So happy you enjoyed!
- April 28, 2016I love your review!! I wish I had come across this before I’ve been to Venice 🙂
- April 26, 2016So happy you enjoyed! Just gives you a reason to go back!
- April 28, 2016excellent issues altogether, you just won a new reader.
- May 5, 2016What might you recommend in regards to your submit that you just made a
few days in the past? Any certain?
Thanks for sharing your ideas. I might also like to state that video games have been ever before evolving. Today’s technology and inventions have served create genuine and enjoyable games. These types of entertainment video games were not really sensible when the actual concept was first of all being tried out. Just like other kinds of know-how, video games also have had to develop by many years. This itself is testimony towards the fast progression of video games.
- July 14, 2016Thank you for the post! Very helpful.
- October 16, 2016Would you still recommend the Hotel Canal Grande in Venice?
So happy you stopped by! It’s been a while since we were there so I would try and find a more recent visitor to be safe!
- January 3, 2017You’ve got awesome tips here, I’m pretty sure first it would be a great help for first timers. I suggest you should also explore other places in Italy such as Puglia.
- February 2, 2017Thanks so much for the great tips!!
- February 3, 2017Hi
- March 11, 2017Reading your blog has been a sheer pleasure.I am travelling mid may with DD @10 year old! My itinerary in Venice is sorted but have 2 spare days making me look for day trips that are fun but easy on the pocket.Any suggestions?
Consider checking out Prosecco wine country: http://blog.forbestravelguide.com/your-complete-guide-to-prosecco-wine-country#cmpid=klara
- March 13, 2017great tips!! heading there in June with the family – wife and 3 boys. love the idea of planning on “getting lost”. Have you tried any cooking classes/tours??
- March 17, 2017I haven’t but that sounds like a great idea! The ultimate souvenir!
- March 18, 2017Great travelguide! It was really helpful for my trip to venice. I also recommend everyone to take a midnight stroll. Its really peacefull and the glittering canals are magnificent under the moonlight.
If you like you can also read a bit about my trip to venice 🙂
http://www.thehuntereffect.com/blog//how-to-travel-venice
- March 27, 2017Such a nice place for holidays and looking awesome in pictures. You shared really nice tips to visit in Italy. Can you suggest some beach and pool holiday homes in Italy and Liguria? I will go for 15 days in Italy and want to enjoy all the moments from heart.
- June 13, 2017Hmm, unfortunately I have never been!
- July 21, 2017Great photos. Many years ago I decided that I wanted to visit Italy. It looks so beautiful, I will do my best to get there. Thank you for your post.
- July 24, 2017Vakantiewoningen Bloemenriviera
Great post! We are planning our vacation. Great travel tips exactly what we’ve been looking for!
- November 15, 2017So happy it was helpful!
- January 19, 2018Thank you for your post! 🙂
- January 21, 2018What was the name of the company you used for the walking tour in the Jewish Ghetto?
Italy is my favorite place for travelling. I am planning for Italy Trip. Your blog is very useful for me.Your blog gives a lot of information regarding Venice and Italy travel tips. Thanks for such post and please keep it up.
- April 21, 2018People warned me about Venice, said that we were going to hate it. But we love, love, loved it and wish we had booked more time there.Each person has to experience it for themselves. Great article!
- August 15, 2018Glad you enjoyed it!
- October 15, 2018So I’m going to Venice for the first time in two days and I’m definetely going to check that restaurant out. Thanks for the tip!
- October 14, 2018So happy you found this helpful!
- October 15, 2018Venice is a great place to visit , I’m planning to go there next year and your shared blogpost given be lot of important ideas that could be handy when i visit there. Thank You
- December 28, 2018