The Ultimate Venice, Italy Travel Guide
Venezia (Venice) is one of the most popular places to visit in Italy, and a personal favorite for many reasons. It is well known for being the city of canals and bridges, for romantic gondola rides, and a very rich history. Venice is built on 118 islands and has over 400 bridges! Venice, the capital of Northern Italy’s Veneto Region, is located in a natural harbor on the Adriatic Sea.
Many refer to Venice as ‘the floating city’ in part because it is built on many small islands and has almost no roads. So what is the best way to see this magnificent place? Water taxis, water buses, and walking are the best ways to get around.
If you are planning a trip to Italy, Venice is a must see, as well as its islands of Murano and Burano (more on those later). Below are a few tips to help you plan your trip as well as somethings to look out for
Communicating in Venice is not really a problem as many residents speak enough English to communicate with you.
The best time to visit is early spring or early fall. High travel season is from June to August. If you want to avoid the crowds I would not recommend traveling during these months. I have visited in May and plan to visit next October. In May, the city was not too crowded, the temperature was in the low 70’s and the sun shown every day. Note: during those summer months it can be very hot in Venice, and pricey! Due to the high season, prices can be inflated.
Currency in Venice is the euro, as with all of Italy. Note: most places take credit cards but watch out for those foreign transaction fees . Also, there are street vendors that offer unique items that may catch your eye –for those vendors cash may be your best option, and they may bartera little
Getting around the city of canals– as I mentioned earlier, water taxis and water busses are the main source of transportation for going longer distances. However, there are several walking tour options available to tourists. If you have the time, I recommend them. It allows you to see areas that you may miss on a taxi or bus. I really enjoy visiting the small shops, unique restaurants and stopping for some of the best gelato I had in all of Italy. However, if you do choose the taxi or bus try to get a day pass, it is much more economical. Another way to see the city is to take a gondola ride. I do not recommend using this in place of water taxis or busses due to the cost. However, I did really love going on a gondola ride at dusk to see the sunset(more on that later).
So what should you see while visiting this amazing city?
Here is my top 10 list:
1. Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) This is a must see area. Located on the Grand Canal, there are many vendors, pigeons and cafés in this area. Doge’s Palace is also in this same area as is St. Mark’s Basilica.
2. Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) This landmark was the former residence of the Doge of Venice (official head of the Republic of Venice) and boasts gothic venetian architecture that is a must see. There is a fee to take this tour. Prices can range from €19- €25 euros. There is no dress code to enter but photography is forbidden. Consider getting your tickets in advance if at all possible.
3. Bridge of Sighs this limestone bridge connects the interview rooms withinDoge’s Palace and the new prison.
4. Rialto Bridge Venice’s oldest bridge connecting the districts of San Marco and San Polo on the Grand Canal.
5. Grand Canal Tour There are many options when touring the Grand Canal.If you plan on taking a gondola ride while visiting, they will typically tour some of this area.
6. Gondola Rides There is a lot written on whether a gondola ride is worth the cost or not. They can be pricey depending on who you approach. So be aware that typical rides should cost around €80 euro for 30 minutes (sunset rides are typically more). Note this is not per person. We had 6 people in one gondola at sunset and the cost was €120 euros (but not at first) so you can negotiate with the gondoliers. Our ride was about 45 minutes and for us, well worth it.
7. Basilica Di San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica) This beautiful basilica is free to tour most of the year (expect for major holidays). Note there is a dress code to enter the basilica (no bare arms or bare legs).
8. Murano The island of Murano is home to the Italian glass blowers of Murano glass. Water busses and taxi’s are available from Venice to the island. Well worth the trip.
9. Burano known for its beautiful lace making and brightly colored houses.Again, you can get there by water taxi or ferry.
10. Torcello Island this island is home to Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta or Torcello Cathedral. There is a small entrance fee (around 4 euro) and a dress code of no bare arms or bare legs to enter the church.
If you happen to be traveling to Venice in February you may get the opportunity to experience the Venetian Carnevale. This 2 week long Mardi Gras type celebration is filled with parades, masquerade balls, music, and parties. In fact, most high end hotels host masquerade balls during this time. The masked event is typically 2 weeks before Ash Wednesday every year with the finale fireworks in the Piazza San Marco which can be seen throughout Venice. If you are not able to visit during Carnevale, you will still have the opportunity to purchase the beautiful masks created by the locals. One last piece of advice: When visiting Italy you will most likely at some point want to visit a cathedral, basilica, or church. Throughout Italy there is a dress code to enter these venues. Inmost cases you will need to cover your arms and legs. I wore a long skirt and brought a shall to wear just in case. For men, wearing long pants and a short sleeve shirt (shoulders covered) is a good option.
On a personal note, we took our son and our cousin (who is like a daughter to us) and at the time they were 18 and 21. We also traveled with family friends. We were not sure if the kids would enjoy the trip as much as we did but they absolutely loved every minute. In fact, one of my most memorable moments with our son was shared walking the streets of Venice and talking and taking in all the local flavor. They still talk about it today! So if you are thinking about taking a multi-generational trip to Venice or Italy I highly suggest it.
I hope this inspires you to plan a trip to Venice while visiting Italy – you will not be disappointed!
Ciao!
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