There are so many things to do in Venice apart to take a ride on a Gondola which is an amazing experience, and if you wish to do so we have some suggestions for you here. In this article we’ll give you some inside and suggestions on what to do in Venice during your time in this incredible place.
Where to Stay in Venice
Booking.comVenice is divided in 6 sestiere (boroughs) San Marco the most famous one and the most visited, with Piazza San Marco the centre of the city. This is one the most visited places on heart. In the piazza you’ll find Saint Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile (Bell Tower) Doge’s Palace and the Correr Museum and also lots of cafes and restaurants.
Venice Sestiere
Dorsoduro located across the Accademia bridge close to Piazzale Roma (where all the busses and taxis arrives). One of the places you can’t miss here are the Guggenheim Art Collection and the Accademia Museum two of the best museums in Venice, we have some suggestion on how to skip the link here. In Dorsoduro is also where the daily food market of Campo Santa Margherita is held, where you can find a great variety of fruits, vegetables and fish.
San Polo sestiere is small but very pretty, this is the oldest part of Venice and you can see many of its medieval roots. San Polo is connected to Piazza San Marco via the Rialto Bridge and at the bottom of the bridge they help a daily fish market. The best time to visit the fish market is early in the morning to avoid the crowds. This is a great place to get a Gondola ride, more info here.
Santa Croce, this is the less touristic place in Venice and along the San Polo this is also one of the oldest sestiere. Santa Croce is located next to San Polo along the Grand Canal, this is the first sestiere you’ll reach if you are arriving by taxi or bus. There are so great food spots here to explore, like Ai Garzoti, Osteria Trefanti, Zanze XVI, Pizzeria Dolfin, Trattoria Alla Ferrata, and also one of the most expensive restaurants in Venice La Zucca, worth it if you have money to spare.
Cannaregio is the biggest sestiere in Venice that start from Santa Lucia Train Station to the Rialto Bridge. After the Grand Canal the Cannaregio is the second biggest canal and also the home the Jewish Getto and the Fondamenta Misericordia, this sestiere is a great place for restaurants, wine bars and cafes, like Trattoria Bar Pontini, Osteria Al Cantinon, Osteria al Cicheto, Trattoria Alla Fontana. Wine bars, Mezzopieno, Vino Vero, Un Mondo Divino. For a great Italian espresso and breakfast Caffè del Doge.
Castello is the home of the Venetian Arsenale an old shipyard and is located on the other side of San Marco. This area is less touristic and every 2 years the Giardini della Biennale park host the exhibition of a contemporary art. Two great places you must visit are the Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop and incredible experience and il Cuore di Mattoni (little red brick heart) where the legend says that if you touch it all you dream come true. Great places for foodies are New Strani a very popular bar where you can enjoy a fantastic aperitivo Aperol Spritz and eat cicchetti. Great restaurants are Trattoria dai Tosi, In Paradiso and Da Remigio one of the favourite restaurants of Dona Leon the writer of the Adventures of commissario Brunetti. You can reach all the sestiere very easily with the Venice Vaporetti public transport connects via the Grand Canal from the train and the bus station all the boroughs of Venice.
Lido – If you wish to stay away from the centre of Venice, you could opt for the Venice Lido only a short ride with vaporetto public water transport to Saint Mark’s square. Around the lido there are beaches and great nightlife. Here is where the Venice Festival is held in September. Great restaurants are La Favorita, Restaurant & Lounge Bar at Hotel Villa Laguna great also for Aperitico time to sip some cocktails, Pizzeria La Taverna, for beach clubs check Paradise Beach and Blue Moon.
You also should consider if you have the time to explore the Island of Murano famous for the incredible long tradition of glassmaking. You should visit the Museo del Vetro where you’ll learn the history of glass making. Another great place to visit is the Island of Burano famous for the beautiful colourful houses. You can easily get to the islands by Vaporetto from Zaccaria stop near Piazza San Marco or from Piazzale Roma where the bus and taxi arrive.
How to get to Venice:
If you are coming by plane you have two airport option, one is called Marco Polo airport (which is located 8km north of Venice), this is the international Venice airport. The other is the Treviso airport used by low-cost airlines and is located 40km north of Venice.
From Marco Polo airport you have different options on how to get to Venice by bus, the ATVO express departing every 30 minutes and the cost is 8 euro to Piazzale Roma. The ACTV bus (line 5) also takes you to Piazzale Roma and the cost is 8 euro for a single ticket and 15 euro for a return trip. Then you have the water bus called Alilaguna about 1 hour and 30 minutes to Venice, the cost is 15 euro one way or 27 euro return. There are 3 lines that depart from the airport the Red, Orange and Blue line and they cover different spots so ask before you buy the ticket. You can also opt for the private water taxi and the price depending on where you go is 100 to 150 euro.
From Treviso airport the best way will be by bus and there are two services ATVO and Barzi Bus, the cost are the same 12 euro for a single trip or 22 euro for a return trip and the journey is about 40 to 60 minutes. Another option will be by taxi and the cost is around 80 euro.
If you arrive at Santa Lucia train station the best and fast way to get to Venice is by the the Vaporetto water bus service from the Gran Canal. The dock is located outside of the station on your right. There are two lines the 1 and the 2 the cost is 7.50 euro.
