When I think of Italy, I picture the streets and canals of Venice. The group of 118 islands that make up Venice are located in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. There are no roads, just canals and a series of bridges connecting all the islands. The exception being the main road connecting Venice to the mainland called the Ponte della Libertà (Liberty Bridge). Everyone gets around on foot or via boats. Many of the ‘streets’ in Venice are super narrow, meaning we often had to turn sideways to let someone pass by us!
Many people flock each year to Venice for Carnevale di Venezia, aka Venice Carnival. This annual festival is held in late January/early February leading up to Lent and is most well known for its extravagant costumes and masquerade balls.
Not so fun fact: the entire city is sinking! It’s only by about 1-2 millimeters a year, which doesn’t seem like all that much. But you’ve likely seen videos circulating online of people walking through the city in ankle deep or higher water during high tide. Unfortunately that’s likely to just get worse.
This trip taught me a major lesson – just spend the extra money for a direct flight. The hundreds of dollars we ‘saved’ by flying Turkish Airlines evaporated when we missed our connection in Istanbul. With no available flights until the next morning, we had to stay overnight in the airport hotel. This meant we also lost half a day in Venice, shortening our already quick time in Venice. This means we unfortunately didn’t get to see and do nearly as much as we would’ve liked.
Interested in how we spent the rest of our Italy trip? Check out the other posts here!
Useful Apps
To make your trip to Venice, Italy a little bit easier, I’d recommend downloading some of these apps before you go!
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Directions: I’ve used Google Maps without a problem, but CityMapper is an alternative.
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Translation: I always use Google Translate/Lens, because I like the option to take photos of menus. But I’ve also heard good things about DeepL!
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Find Water Fountains: While not technically an app, Venice Tap Water has put together a map of public water fountains around the city.
Transportation
Gondolas are likely the first thing that comes to mind when people think about transportation in Venice. They’re generally used for tours of the island as opposed to getting yourself from point a to point b. Prices are dependent on the time. Rides cost around €80+ during the day and €120+ at night. We didn’t end up taking a gondola ride ourselves as they seemed a little pricey for just 30 minutes.
Taking the bus from Marco Polo Airport to Venice proper is pretty easy, and only took about half an hour. Since there are no roads on the island, the bus drops you off on the outskirts of the city. From there you’ll have to walk or take a vaporetto (basically a floating bus!) wherever you need to go. In hindsight, I wish we had done a little more research on the vaporetto system before our trip. We found a stop near our room, but not until AFTER we lugged our bags down Venice’s narrow alleyways (calli). At least when we left for Milan it made getting to the train station a breeze!
The Vaporetto, Venice’s public water bus system, is the easiest way to get around the city quickly. The system has 19 different routes around Venice and the surrounding islands. There are a number of different ticket options to choose from based on how long you’ll be staying, ranging from 75 minutes all the way up to 7 days.
Arriving or leaving via train? Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia is centrally located along the Grand Canal, on the western side of Venice. Not to be confused with Venice Mestre, which is another train station located about 4 miles away on the mainland. While on the smaller side compared to other stations in Italy, it is VERY busy.
Attractions
Ponte di Rialto
Did we cross the Rialto Bridge? Yup. Was it so crowded that I forgot to take pictures, except for a quick selfie when we got to the middle of it? Also yes.
If you’ve seen pictures of Venice, you’ve likely seen this bridge. Built in 1173, it is the oldest of the pedestrian bridges that cross over the Grand Canal.
Murano and Burano
The island of Murano, located about a mile north of Venice, is world renowned for its glass-making. The ferry from the main island takes only about 20 minutes. We visited the glass museum, Museo del Vetro, where we learned about the history of glass making. The island is also lined with shops selling a variety of hand blown glass items, including jewelry, vases, figurines and wine stoppers. From Murano you can take the ferry over to Burano, which is better known for lace. I’d hoped to find something to take home, but settled on a cute little magnet. You can expect to spend a whole day visiting both islands.
St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace
Unfortunately, thanks to our late arrival in Venice we missed our ticket window to go inside of St. Mark’s Basilica. And due to flooding in 2019, the outside of the church was also in the middle of restorations so I wasn’t able to get any great photos outside either. Bummer. Lines for the Basilica, museum, and bell tower can get pretty long, so I would recommend buying “skip the line” tickets online in advance. Many people (and travel websites) visit both the Basilica and nearby Doge’s Palace in the same day.
Food and Drinks
Unsurprisingly, due to its island nature Venice is known for seafood dishes. Unlike many other Italian cities cuisine here is not very pasta-focused, instead favoring risottos and polenta. Some common Venetian specialties you’ll find on local menus include:
- Risotto al nero di seppia (squid ink risotto)
- Scampi alla veneziana (boiled shrimp with olive oil and lemon)
- Cicchetti (small bar snacks typically served on bread)
- Baccalà mantecato (whipped salt cod spread)
- Sarde in saor (marinated sardines with onions, pine nuts, and raisins)
- Scampetti con polenta (shrimp with polenta)
Where We Ate
People don’t always like to talk about it, but traveling really does a number on your digestive system. We both felt so bad the entire time we were in Venice (I blame the food at the Istanbul airport), that we barely ate anything. The places we did try we enjoyed though!
Stappo
Calle Longa, 2166, 30135 Venezia.
We passed by this ‘Enoteca con cucina‘, wine bar with a kitchen, while on our way to our room and made a beeline back after dropping off our bags. A couple glasses of wine and a snack in their outdoor patio was a great way to kick off the start of our trip.
Zanzibar
Campo Santa Maria Formosa, 5840, 30122 Venezia.
An espresso bar where we drank coffee with pastries and did some people watching while hoping to settle our stomachs. They also serve cocktails and sandwiches.
Regina Sconta
Calle de la Regina, 2259/A, 30135 Venezia.
We may not have discovered this place if it wasn’t near where we stayed, as its nestled away in a non-touristy section of Venice. It’s likely why they included Sconta in the name, which in the Venetian dialect means ‘hidden’. I didn’t try as much as I would have liked (or take any pictures apparently) but the service was great and they have a good wine selection. It was definitely a higher-end date night kind of place, reservations recommended.
Bar da fiore
Calle del Tentor, 2178, 30135 Venezia.
I ordered our breakfast entirely in Italian for the first time at this small espresso bar near our room on our last morning in Venice. I felt silly for how proud I was of myself! Obviously my husband Jasper was pretty happy as well.
For Next Time
Ostaria Boccadoro
Campiello Widmann già Biri, 5405/a, 30121 Venezia.
We unfortunately had to cancel our reservation here on our second night. From what I’ve seen and read, the seafood and pasta here are amazing!
Skyline Rooftop Bar
Giudecca, 810, 30133 Venezia.
Modern cocktail bar known for its views of the city.
Osteria Al Squero
Dorsoduro, 943, 30123 Venezia.
Cozy canalside bar for small bites and wine.
L’Bacaro de’ Bischeri
Ruga dei Oresi, 57, 30125 Venezia.
Takeaway sandwich shop for a quick bite.
Bottega del Caffè Dersut
Campo dei Frari, 3014, 30125 Venezia.
Venetian coffee chain that is apparently popular with locals and tourists alike.
Hotels
Most people stay on mainland Italy and take a day trip to Venice, but to get the real Venetian experience I think you should really stay on the island. Hotels have to charge a tourist tax per night for the first five nights, usually between 1-5 euros/night. On the other hand day trippers are charged a Venice Access Fee of 10 euros to enter the city (it’s only €5 if you pay 4 or more days in advance).
Where We Stayed
Sarlette Cozy Room
2196 Calle del Ravano, Santa Croce, 30135 Venezia.
This is a rented room inside the home of a sweet older woman who has lived in Venice her entire life. She lives on the 2nd floor and rents out the first. There are 2 separate rooms each with their own bathroom, plus a shared living room. Finding it was a little tricky but we loved the location.
Other Nearby Options
When I’m researching where to stay for our trips, I always use Booking.com and/or Expedia. Sometimes they have cheaper rates than the hotel websites themselves (and sometimes they don’t), so always double check! While we haven’t personally stayed in any of these hotels yet, they’re ones we’ve considered and will likely use for our next trip to Venice. They’re all centrally located and highly rated!
Al Campaniel Bed & Breakfast
San Polo 2889 Calle del Campaniel (San Tomà), San Polo, 30125 Venezia.
Hotel Bartolomeo
S. Marco, 5494, 30124 Venezia.
Locanda Poste Vecie
Rialto Mercato, San Polo 1612 Calle Delle Poste Vecchie, 30131 Venezia.
What should I do on my next trip to Venice, Italy? Let me know in the comments!
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