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Venice

Grand Canal life, cicchetti bars & quiet campi

Browse Venice

Venice is one of the most rewarding places to explore, and this local guide brings together the best things to do, where to eat and where to stay in one place. Highlights include Traghetto Gondole Santa Sofia, Campo San Giacomo da l'Orio and St Marks Square. Food lovers should not miss Il Paradiso Perduto and La Bottega ai Promessi Sposi. Below you will find 13 hand-picked local recommendations across sights, restaurants, hotels and tours, which you can filter by category and budget to plan the perfect trip, whether you have a weekend or a week.

Venice at a glance

  • Ideal stay: 2 to 3 days
  • Best time to visit: spring and autumn
  • Highlights: Traghetto Gondole Santa Sofia and Campo San Giacomo da l'Orio
  • Where to stay: Giudecca and San Marco
  • Local picks: 13 hand-chosen recommendations
  • Getting around: walkable, plus easy public transport

Where to stay in Venice

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San Polo (Frari)

Why it matters: Process Collettivo is the retail storefront of Rio Terà dei Pensieri, a social cooperative that has run workshops inside Venice’s prisons since the 1990s, giving inmates paid jobs making goods for sale to the public. The shop opened in 2017 in the Frari district, backed by artist Mark Bradford, who represented the US at that year’s Venice Biennale. Browse the Malefatte line of bags and totes cut and sewn from recycled advertising banners, plus screen-printed t-shirts and cosmetics also made in the cooperative’s prison labs. Sales fund job placement for people leaving prison, so a bag bought here doubles as a small vote for reintegration over recidivism.

San Polo

The oldest and most famous bridge arching over the Grand Canal.
★ 4.6
$

San Marco

The shimmering golden Byzantine basilica of Venice.
★ 4.7
$$

San Marco

The grand social heart of Venice, framed by the Basilica and Campanile.
★ 4.7
$
Tarnowska’s American Bar is one of Venice’s most stylish spots for a cocktail — a chic, jewel-box bar attached to the Hotel Ala on the pretty Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, a…
★ 4.3

Cannaregio

Few visitors know you can cross the Grand Canal by gondola traghetto (ferry) for just 2 EUR – a bigger, undecorated working gondola, paid direct to the gondolier. It’s not a romantic ride so much as a fun local shortcut, since bridges over the canal are scarce. Tip: look for the yellow ‘traghetto’ signs – there are seven crossing points.
★ 4.6
$

Before you go

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Book your trip to Venice

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Venice travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Venice?

Two to three days is enough to enjoy the highlights of Venice at a relaxed pace. See our Venice itinerary guide for a day-by-day plan.

Where is the best area to stay in Venice?

Stay central and walkable to the main sights for a first visit. Our where to stay in Venice guide breaks down the best neighbourhoods.

What are the best things to do in Venice?

Browse the local picks above, from top sights and museums to where to eat and stay. Or read our best things to do in Venice guide.

What is the best time to visit Venice?

Spring and autumn usually bring the most comfortable weather and thinner crowds, though Venice is worth visiting year-round.

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