Venice - capital city of Veneto, Italy

Venice (Italian: Venezia; Venetian: Venexia) is a sanctuary on a lagoon that is virtually the same as it was 600 years ago, which adds to the fascinating character. Venice has decayed since its heyday and suffers from overtourism, but the romantic charm remains. It is also known as the birthplace of composers Tomaso Albinoni and Antonio Vivaldi, and of the poets and opera librettists Apostolo Zeno and Carlo Goldoni. Venice and its lagoon are a UNESCO World Heritage site. It used to be an independent republic, and remains one of Italy's most important cities, with a quarter million inhabitants.

Districts

San Marco

Sharpen your elbows and get to stepping. St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, and half a dozen other top sights are crammed in to Piazza San Marco. If you'd like a good picture (or even a place to sit!) try visiting at dawn, or during the winter months.

San Polo

One of the oldest parts of the city—and featuring the Rialto Bridge—one of its most visited. Several museums and churches hold dozens of antiquities and artistic masterworks.

Dorsoduro

Home to the Guggenheim and Gallerie Accademia Venezia, some of the finest museums in Italy. This area also plays host to many students, so those seeking budget conscious amenities may have more luck here.

Castello

Several captivating palaces, basilica, and museums all live within the "tail of the fish". On your walk from San Marco, pass by the Bridge of Sighs to catch a glimpse of a convicts last view.

Cannaregio

A more residential neighborhood, the city's historic Jewish ghetto is found here as well as the nearby island of San Michele Cemetery. Receives fewer visitors than neighboring areas, although that's not saying much.

Santa Croce

Transit oriented Santa Croce is where Venetian visitors will arrive by bus, car or tram. The rail station is just across the Grand Canal in Cannaregio. The park and churches found here are lovely, while the museums cover mostly non-Italian work.

Many visitors also pay a visit to Mestre (mainland Venice) and some of the neighboring islands in Metropolitan Venice during their stay.

• Burano — Popular with artists and known for its many small, brightly painted houses.
• Murano — Filled with quaint shops and restaurants, Murano is known far and wide for its high quality glass making.
• Lido — Venice's long skinny beach, Lido offers a respite from more touristy and expensive areas.
• Torcello — Sparsely populated and accessible by vaporetto, this island offers a unique window into Venetian life.

Understand

Orientation

Metropolitan Venice has nearly a million inhabitants, and includes coastal and inland towns such as Bibione, Chioggia and Eraclea.

The comune (municipality) of Venice lies at the coast of northern Italy. It is made up of many islands in the Venetian Lagoon and a stretch of terraferma (mainland). The comune is divided into six boroughs, the most famous of which (known as Venezia Insulare) comprises the historic city of Venice as well as the islands of Giudecca, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Mazzorbo and Sant'Erasmo. Lido and Mestre are other popular areas of the comune.

The historic city is divided into six sestieri (districts): Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Polo, Santa Croce and finally San Marco, where the main monuments and sights are. Each sestiere uses separate house numbers, however they are not allocated in a specific pattern.

History

See also: Medieval and Renaissance Italy

The Most Serene Republic of Venice dates back to 827, when a Byzantine Duke moved its seat to what is now known as the Rialto, and for the following 970 years, it prospered on trade (especially from the Silk Road) and under the rule of a Roman-style Senate headed by the Doge. Eventually, the Republic of Venice grew into a powerful city-state, and the cradle of Italian renaissance. In the late 15th century, the Ottoman Empire's expansion around the Mediterranean, new routes on the high seas shifted commerce to the Atlantic, demoting Venice's political status.

The city remains a centre for the arts. One of the significant events in the history of Venice was the opening of the first public opera house in 1637, which allowed members of the general public (those who could afford to pay for the tickets) to enjoy what was once court entertainment reserved for the aristocracy, thus allowing the genre of opera to flourish. Venice was an important destination of the Grand Tour from the 17th century. In 1797, the city was conquered by Napoleon, a blow from which it never recovered. The city was soon absorbed into Austria-Hungary, then ping-ponged back and forth between Austria and a nascent Italy, but Venice is still a monument to the glory days of the Renaissance, and historical culture still throbs powerfully in the old Italians' veins.

Climate

Venice has a humid-subtropical climate with hot summers and cool winters. For those who don't enjoy the heat, July and August may be the worst time to visit: it's sometimes very hot and often humid, there are mosquitoes and occasional infestations of flies, and there are a lot of tourists and large crowds. Mid to late spring and early to mid autumn are probably best, a compromise between temperature (expect 10-25°C) and the tourist load. Between November and January, you may manage to feel you have Venice all to yourself, an interesting experience. Beware of the weather during the winter months: it can be quite chilly, windy, and damp. Fog is an additional hazard if you are driving in or out, doubly so in the unlikely chance that you will pilot a boat. But if you've never been to Venice, it's better to go in summer than not to go. You won't regret it. Many cities are far worse in summer. Although Venice has no cars, diesel motors used by boats contribute to less than stellar air quality.

Acqua alta (high water) has become a fact of life in Venice. The lagoon water level occasionally rises above the level of the squares and streets, flooding them. This can happen several times a year, at irregular intervals, usually in the colder months. Acqua alta usually lasts a few hours and coincides with high tide. You'll see raised walkways in side alleys ready to be pulled out when acqua alta hits. When the city begins to flood, sirens will sound to warn residents and businesses. If you speak fluent Italian, tune into news programs since their predictions of the times the flood begins and ends are usually accurate. Normally, the tide rises and falls in six-hour cycles.

You can get an acqua alta map at the tourist offices either at the railway station or St Mark's Square. This will show you the higher, dry routes and the ones with walkways set up during the various flood alerts. There is a tide measuring station at the Rialto vaporetto piers, and a noticeboard at the base of the Campanile in the Piazza San Marco that shows a live tide reading and predictions for the next few days.

Get in

Water plays a crucial role in transportation, as Venice is on a lagoon. Whichever way you arrive, the last part of your journey will be on foot from the nearest waterbus/watertaxi jetty. Bear this in mind when choosing your hotel location and route to it, especially if you need to carry bags along the narrow streets. (The sound of hard suitcase wheels on cobblestones is annoying, and they can damage marble steps, but the 2014 rumors about Venice banning wheeled luggage were not true.) Do note a lot of the higher priced hotels will offer complementary water boat transfers from the airport.

By plane

The Marco Polo Airport and the Treviso Airport serve the city. If no flight suites you, check flying to nearby Bologna or Verona. From both cities trains and buses depart to Venice.

Marco Polo Airport

Marco Polo Airport (IATA: VCE), 45.50528°, 12.35194°. This is the closest commercial airport. 2019-08-21

There are direct flights to and from Amsterdam Schiphol, Atlanta Airport, Barcelona El Prat, Basel, Belfast, Berlin, Bilbao, Birmingham, Bordeaux, Brussels, Casablanca, Chisinau, Cologne-Bonn, Copenhagen Airport, Doha, Dubai, Dublin, Dubrovnik, Düsseldorf, Edinburgh, Eindhoven, Frankfurt Airport, Geneva, Glasgow, Hamburg, Istanbul, Leeds, Le Havre, Lille, Lisbon, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Manchester, Mars Alam, Marseilles, Metz, Montreal, Moscow, Munich Airport, Mykonos, Nantes, New York. Newcastle, Nice, Oslo, Paris, Philadelphia, Prague Pristina, Riga, Southend, Saint Petersburg, Sharm el-Sheik, Stuttgart, Timisoara, Tirana, Toronto, Toulouse, Tunis, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich as well as domestic flights to and from Bari, Brindisi, Cagliari, Catania, Lamezia Terme, Naples, Olbia, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, and Rome.

As of April 2022 the airport wifi service is free, with caveats: you get 30 min without registration, and a few hours with registration. This is useful if you need access to online vaccination passports.

ATVO operates airport shuttle expressbus 35 service from Piazzale Roma to Marco Polo Airport between 04:20 and 23:30 every day and from Marco Polo Airport to Piazzale Roma between 05:20 to 00:50 every day. The trip on a coach bus with luggage stowed underneath takes about 20 minutes. ATVO ticket price is €8 one-way and €15 return, luggage included. Tickets can be bought at the airport from the automatic ATVO ticket machine in the arrivals baggage hall, at the ATVO ticket counter in the arrival hall (open from 08:00 to 23:45, +39 042 1594672 ) and from the automatic ATVO ticket machine outside the airport on the ATVO departure platform. In Venice, tickets can be bought at the ATVO ticket office in Piazzale Roma, near the Carabinieri station (+39 421 594 671 ), at automatic ATVO ticket machine outside the ticket office, at 'Chiosco di Pluff' newsagent in the center of the square 5 m from the departure point for the buses to San Marco Airport, at Botazzo Tobacconist's in Piazzale Roma, at the Novo Tour Agency in Piazzale Roma and at IEX Change Agency in St. Mark's Square under the Torre dei Mori. In Mestre, tickets can be bought at ATVO ticket office in Via Capuccina 183, near the railway station (+39 421 594 673 ), at automatic ticket machine outside the ticket office, at Bar Binario, situated near the ticket office, at ATAV - Associazione Turistica Albergatori Venezia, inside the railway station or at 365 Grandi Biglietterie Agency inside the railway station.

ACTV operates urban aerobus 5 service from Piazzale Roma to Marco Polo Airport on weekdays between 04:35 and 00:40 and during weekends between 05:40 and 00:40 and from Marco Polo Airport to Piazzale Roma on weekdays between 04:08 and 01:10 and during weekends between 04:08 and 01:10. The trip in a city bus takes about 23 minutes. ACTV ticket price for a 75-minute trip with water buses (vaporetti) and land buses starting and/or ending at Marco Polo Airport is €10 one-way and €15 return. One piece of hand luggage is included in the price. If you are willing to walk 1 km to save a few coins, walk to the Triestina Tessera stop and catch the same bus 5 (or some other routes) for €6. If you have a Venezia Unica card (see local transport), you can ride to/from the airport for €1.50 (see - "The ticket includes travel by bus to or from Marco Polo airport only if loaded onto the Venezia Unica card").

Alilaguna operates three water bus lines from the airport. Such a direct water bus from the airport may be more convenient than taking the bus to the bus station and then changing to the local water bus. To reach the boat jetty, turn left on leaving the terminal and walk 10 minutes along the covered walkway.

• Blue line (linea blu) runs from the airport to the Cruise Terminal (Terminal Crociere) via Murano, Fondamente Nove, Ospedale, Bacini, Lido, Arsenale, San Zaccaria, San Marco, Zitelle, Zattere, and Giudecca Stucky. Boats leave from the airport every hour from 06:10 to 08:10 and from 20:15 to 00:15 and every 30 minutes between 08:45 and 20:15, boats leave from the Cruise Terminal every 30 minutes from 07:50 to 17:20. The boat trip from the airport to the city center (San Marco) takes about 90 min. This trip is very long and boring, so bring something to do. The trip from the airport to Murano takes 30 min.
• Orange line (linea arancio) connects the airport with Giglio via Madonna dell'Orto, Guglie, San Stae, Rialto, San Angelo and Ca' Rezzonico. Boats leave from the airport every 30 mins from 08:00 to 19:00. Boats leaving later in the evening go to Fondamenta Nove or San Marco only. Boats leave from Giglio from every 30 minutes from 6:48 to 19:48, later boats leave from San Marco only.
• Red line (Linea Rossa) goes from the airport to Giudecca Zitelle via Murano Museo, Certosa, Lido, and San Marco. This is a seasonal service and only operates between April and November. Boats leave the airport every hour from 10:30 to 18:30 and San Marco every hour from 9:05 to 19:05. The ticket price from the airport to Lido, Venice, or Cruise Terminal is €15 one way (€8 IMOB smart card) and €27 return. Airport to Murano costs €8 one way (€4 IMOB) and €15 return. There are also tourist tickets which are valid for 24 hours (€30), and for 72 hours (€65). All tickets can be purchased online. The water bus services from the airport are operated by a different company (Alilaguna) than the other public water bus services in Venice, so separate tickets will be required.

From the same jetty, you can travel in style (and much faster) by hiring one of the speedy water-taxis (30 min) for about €110.

Treviso Airport

The Treviso Airport (IATA: TSF), located 25 km (16 mi) from Venice near Treviso, is relatively smaller but becoming increasingly busy as the main destination for Ryanair, Wizzair, and Transavia budget flights. There are flights to Treviso Airport from Bucharest, Charleroi, Chisinau, Cluj, Dublin, East Midlands, Eindhoven, Iasi, L'viv, Malta, Moscow, Paris Beauvais, Prague, Stockholm, Timisoara and Valencia. There are domestic flights from Alghero, Bari, Brindisi, Cagliari, Catania, Lamezia Terme and Palermo. Flights to and from Treviso Airport are operated by Lauda, Pobeda, Ryanair +39 895 8958989, Wizz Air +39 895 895 3322.

The airport runs over-capacity with seating and facilities, and the security line can sometimes be very long during peak travel times. If you arrive at the airport and the line is moving too slowly, you can purchase local fast track service at UFirst.com (dead link: January 2023) for €10. This is official but poorly advertised at the airport. There is no express passport control if departing the Schengen area.

ATVO operates buses from Venice to Treviso Airport daily at 05:30, 07:10, 10:30, and 18:30 and from Treviso Airport to Venice daily at 07:45, 08:15, 13:10 and 21:20 plus others not connecting to the flights to and from Treviso Airport. Flights arriving earlier or later than scheduled may affect the departure from the airport. If flights are cancelled the bus service will be suspended. The bus has two stops in Mestre, one in Corso del Popolo in front of BNP Bank in the historic center and the other one near the railway station and the journey takes about 55 min. The bus stop in Venice is at Piazzale Roma and the journey takes about 70 min. Ticket prices are €12 one-way and €22 return (valid 7 days) and have to be validated before boarding the bus. Tickets can be bought at Treviso Airport at the automatic ATVO ticket machine in the arrivals baggage hall or at the ATVO ticket office in the arrivals hall, operating from 07:30 to 22:30 (+39 422 315 381 ). In Venice, tickets can be bought at the ATVO ticket office in Piazzale Roma, near the Carabinieri station (+39 421 594 671 ), at automatic ATVO ticket machine outside the ticket office, at 'Chiosco di Pluff' newsagent in the center of the square 5 m from the departure point for the buses to Treviso Airport, at Botazzo Tobacconist's in Piazzale Roma, at the Novo Tour Agency in Piazzale Roma and at IEX Change Agency in St.Mark's Square under the Torre dei Mori. In Mestre tickets can be bought at ATVO ticket office in Via Capuccina 183, near the railway station (+39 421 594 673 ), at automatic ticket machine outside the ticket office, at Bar Binario, situated near the ticket office, at ATAV - Associazione Turistica Albergatori Venezia, inside the railway station or at 365 Grandi Biglietterie Agency inside the railway station. There is free Wi-Fi on the buses.

Barzi Bus Service offers a bus service via the motorway from the airport to Mestre train station (about 30 min trip) and Venice Tronchetto (about 40 min trip). Ticket prices are €12 one way and €22 return (valid 10 days). Tickets can be bought at their desk in the arrival hall (+39 348 836 71 85 ), or on the bus. Tickets bought on Ryanair flights are not valid for this service. Barzi Bus brings you to Tronchetto, from there you can take vaporetto line 2 to the city center.

If you'd rather avoid the highway traffic and don't have bulky luggage, take the local Mobilita di Marca bus no. 6 for €1.30 (€2.50 if bought on board). It will deposit you at the Treviso train station in about 10 minutes. There are 2-3 departures hourly from the airport between 06:00 to 22:00. Then it's about 30 minutes on Regionale or Regionale Veloce train to Venezia Santa Lucia (also 2-3 departures per hour). The ticket price is €3.40 for the train.

San Nicolo Airport

The San Nicolo Airport (ICAO: LIPV, no IATA code) is an airfield directly on the Lido. It handles only small aircraft, as the runway (grass) is about 1 km long, and does not have any scheduled flights, but might be of interest to private pilots (arrivals from Schengen Agreement states only) due to its convenience to the city (it is a short walk to the vaporetto landing).

By train

Venice is well-connected with the domestic train network, Rome and Milan are only a few hours away. Also there are some night trains from cities in southern Italy, though since 2012 most services have been canceled. Freccia Bianca (White Arrow) trains to Trieste leave from Venezia Mestre at 10:24, 19:45 and 21:59 and the trip takes about 1 hr 35 min. Regionale Veloce (Fast Regional) trains leave from Santa Lucia station at 09:11, 9:48, 12:09, 13:09, every hour from 14:11 to 18:11, at 19:35, the trip taking about 2 hr 5 min. Freccia Bianca (White Arrow) trains to Milan leave Santa Lucia station at 05:20, 06:20, 06:50, 07:50, 08:50, 10:50, 12:50, 13:20, 14:20, 14:50, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20, 18:20 and 19:50, duration of the trip is about 2 hr 35 min. There are Freccia Argento (Silver Arrow) trains to Rome leaving Santa Lucia at 10:25, 13:25, 15:25 and 18:25, via Bologna and Florence arriving in Rome 3 hr 50 min later, and an Intercity Night train leaving Santa Lucia at 00:07, arriving in Rome at 06:35 next morning. Iitalo offers train services from Santa Lucia to Rome at 07:55, 09:55, 12:55 and 18:55, arriving Romea Ostiense at 11:50, 13:50, 16:50 and 22:50, and at 15:55 arriving at Roma Tiburtina at 19:30.

Direct trains to Venice are available from many international destinations, there are sleeper trains from Munich and Vienna operated by ÖBB as part of their Nightjet brand. and also a weekly long-distance night train (four nights) from Moscow via Kyiv, Budapest and Zagreb.

• Nightjet trains to Munich depart Santa Lucia at 21:04 and arrive in Munich at 06:10. The train from Munich leaves at 23:20 to reach Santa Lucia at 08:24.
• Trains to Vienna depart at 21:04 and arrive in Vienna at 07:55 next morning. The other way departs Vienna at 21:27, arriving at 08:24 in Santa Lucia.
• The Thello sleeper leaves Paris Gare de Lyon at 19:15 and arrives in Santa Lucia at 09:35. The reverse trajectory departs Venice at 19:20, arriving in Paris at 09:37.

Also, Venice is the terminus for the luxurious Venice Simplon Orient-Express, a historical train that still make the overnight journey from London and Paris in original 1920s coaches. There are departures at least once a week between March and November. As one of the most sumptuous journeys in the world, the trip is expectedly very expensive, starting at €2,900.

Trains from the mainland run through Mestre on the mainland to the terminus Venezia Santa Lucia railway station on the west side of Venice; make sure you don't get it confused with the two stations on the mainland before the bridge. Many through trains only stop in Mestre, in that case just hop on to one of the very frequent trains to Santa Lucia (ticket €1.25). Also, ACTV has a ticket office at Mestre station, and queues might be shorter here. From the Santa Lucia station district, water buses (vaporetti) or water taxis can take you to hotels or other locations on the islands, but walking is usually the best option.

• Venezia Santa Lucia railway station (Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia), Fondamenta Santa Lucia (Northern edge of Cannaregio district). The main terminus station located in proper Venice. The strikingly modern building was built in 1934. Stepping out from the station you are immediately met with views of the canals and historic Venice. The station itself has plenty of amenities, including lounges for holders of first-class tickets. There's a left luggage facility next to the track on the north side of the station (to the right when facing the tracks). Price is €6 per piece for the first six hours. 2021-03-06
• Venezia Mestre railway station (Stazione di Venezia Mestre), Piazzale Pietro Favretti. Main station on the mainland, many through trains only call here. 2021-03-06
• Venezia Porto Marghera railway station (Stazione di Venezia Porto Marghera). Smaller station on the mainland, only local services call here. 2021-03-06

By car

Distances to Venice: Rome 540 km, Milan 279 km, Padua 60 km, Vicenza 75 km, Udine 125 km

Cars arrive on the far western edge of Venice, but remain parked at the entrance to the city (Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, which is Europe's largest car park.) There are no roads past this point, and never were, even before cars.

Parking

Car parking is very very expensive here (€26/12 hr, €30/24 hr) and the tailbacks can be quite large. Tronchetto is about a 1 km from Piazzale Roma, the city's main entry point, but there is an shuttle train service, People Mover, at €1.50.

• Parking Tronchetto, Isola Nuova del Tronchetto, 45.4426°, 12.3066°, +39 041 5207555, info-tronchettopark@interparking.com. Has 4,000 parking spaces (including 33 parking spaces for persons with special needs). Parking is open 24 hours throughout the year. Cars must not be higher than 2.10 m. Ticket price is €3 per hour for the first 2 hours, €5 per hour for the next 2 hours and €21 for the whole day. Most credit cards are accepted. 2016-08-16
• Autorimessa Comunale, Piazzale Roma, Santa Croce 496, 45.43881°, 12.31714°, +39 041 2727302. Open 24 hours every day of the year. Offers parking for more than 2000 cars and 3000 motor-cycles on 6 floors. Cars must not exceed a height of 2.20 m. The ticket price is €26 for cars under 1.85 m and €29 for cars over 1.85 m. Online bookings at this website get 10 percent discount. You can download a map on how to reach the Autorimessa. €23.40 for cars thinner than 185cm online
• S. Andrea Car Park, Piazzale Roma, 45.43792°, 12.31718°, +39 041 2727304. Open 24 hours every day all the year round. Inside the Autorimessa, accessible from Rio Terà S. Andrea, for short term parking. Cars must not be higher than 2 m. The ticket price is €7 for 2 hours. No advance reservation. You can download a map how to reach the S. Andrea car park.

An alternative is to use the car parks on the mainland (terra firma) and catch a train or bus or vaporetto into Venice. Park near the Mestre railway station, and catch a train to Venezia St Lucia; there are many trains, it is very near (8–10 minutes) and quite cheap (€1.20). Don't bother searching for free parking near Mestre train station - there are no free parking spots near, except on Sunday (free parking is on the other side of the station, in Marghera). Free and safe parkings are also near Mogliano Veneto and Oriago railway stations. Besides, Venezia St Lucia is a good starting point to visit Venice. However drivers going to the Lido can use the car ferry from Tronchetto (vaporetto 17, frequencies vary), right hand lane off the Ponte della Libertà into the city.

• Ca' Marcello Car Park, via Ca' Marcello, Mestre. Open every day from 06:00 to 24:00. Open air car park for 100 cars near the Mestre railway station. Ticket price €1 for 4 hours, €4 for the whole day (on week-days from 08:00 to 20:00 only).
• Terminal Fusina, via Moranzani 79, Fusina, 45.42039°, 12.25505°, +39 041 5470160, fusina@terminalfusina.it. Offers parking for 300 coaches and 15,000 cars. It has direct access from A4 highway and Strada Statale Romea 309. Prices €12 for up to 12 hours, €15 for up to 24 hours (20 per cent discount for online bookings). Terminal Fusina offers 3 boat lines to Venice:
  • Blue Line (Line Blu) runs from Fusina to Venice Zattere every hour from 08:00 to 19:00, also at 20:00 from Apr to Oct and during carnival and at 21:00 and 22:00 from Jun to Sept, travel time 25 minutes, return from Venice Zattere every hour from 08:30 to 19:30, also at 20:30 from Apr to Oct and during carnival and at 21:30 and 22:30 from Jun to Sept, ticket price one way €8, return €13
  • Red line (line Rossa) runs from Fusina to Alberoni on Venice Lido in winter M-F at 07:30, every day at 09:30, 11:30, 13:30, 15:30 and 17:30. travel time 35 minutes, return M-F 08:15, every day at 10:15, 12:15, 14:15, 16:15 and 18:45. Ticket price €7 one-way, €12 return.
  • Yellow Line (Line gialla) runs from Zattere to Alberoni at 08:45, 10:45, 12:45, 16:15 and 18:15, return from Alberoni at 09:30, 11:45, 13:45, 17:00 and 19:00, tickets €7 one-way, €12 return.
• Punta Sabbioni, Via Fausta, Cavallino Treporti, 45.44814°, 12.42764°, +39 0415301096, info@acivenice.com. ACI operates a large car park for 100 buses and 400 cars at Punta Sabbioni. This is a convenient way to enter Venice from the seaside resorts Lido di Jesolo, Lignano or Bibione. Vaporetto line 12 brings you to Murano, Burano and Torcello, lines 14 and 15 to S. Zaccaria.

Car rental

Most of the major rental car companies have outlets at Piazzale Roma, at the edge of the city. These are on the ground floor of one of the major parking stations. When you are dropping off your car, you need to find street parking and then walk to the rental car outlet and hand in the keys. Do not park in the parking station. There is a vaporetto stop across the road from the parking station.

By bus

For bus services between Marco Polo airport (VCE) and the Piazzale Roma bus station in Venice, see the By Place section. The Piazzale Roma bus station 📍 is well served by vaporetti and water-taxis ... and of course, you can walk everywhere.

From Mestre, you can take a bus to Venezia-Piazzale Roma. The ticket is €1.30, but if you buy it in the bus it will cost €2.50. You can buy bus tickets from specialized ticket kiosks and vending machines, as well as from tobacconists and newsstands. All of the city is connected to Venice by bus.

By tram

There is a tram connection from the mainland to Venice: Line T1 from Favaro to Piazzale Roma. One way/Single Ticket - 75 min €1.50. Ticket booklet - 10 tickets - 75 min €14. You can buy tram tickets from specialized ticket kiosks, vending machines, tobacconists and newsstands, and you can use the same ticket for buses and People Mover.

By boat

Ships arrive at the Stazione Marittima which is at the west end of the main islands, it is served by vaporetti and water taxis. To Piazzale Roma: take the People Mover operating every 3 minutes weekdays from 07:10 to 22:50, holidays from 08:10 to 21:50, price €1. To Santa Lucia Railway Station (distance 1 km): take the People Mover to Piazzale Roma, then walk or take the water taxi (+39 0412402711 , +39 041716922 , +39 0415222303 or +39 0415229040 ). To Venezia Mestre Railway Station (distance 7 km) take a taxi (Radiotaxi: +39 041 5952080 ) or take the People Mover to Piazzale Roma and the bus line to Mestre. To Marco Polo Airport (distance 13 km) take a taxi (40 minutes trip), a water taxi or take the People Mover to Piazzale Roma and then ACTV bus no 6 or ATVO buses.

Porters

Cooperative Trasbagagli, +39 041 713719 offers porter services at the following rates: 1 or 2 pieces €25 Venice City, €40 Giudecca, San Giorgio, Riva 7 Martiri, €50 Lido, S.Elena, Giardini, S.Servolo, S.Clemente, and €60 Murano. 3 or 4 pieces €35 Venice City, €50 Giudecca, San Giorgio, Riva 7 Martiri, €60 Lido, S.Elena, Giardini, S.Servolo, S.Clemente, and €80 Murano, 5 or 6 pieces €45 Venice City, €60 Giudecca, San Giorgio, Riva 7 Martiri, €70 Lido, S.Elena, Giardini, S.Servolo, S.Clemente, and €90 Murano. There are porter stations at Ferrovia +39 041 715272 , Piazzale Roma +39 041 5223590 , S.Marco Campo della Guerra +39 3478675491 , S.Marco Calle Vallaresso +39 3465881508 , S.Marco Bacino Orseolo +39 3282696025 , S.Marco Sant'Angelo +39 3406382287 , S.Zaccaria (Danieli) +39 3203385248 , S.Zaccaria (Jolanda) +39 3495803239 and Rialto (Imbarcadero Actv Rialto line 1 and 2) +39 3474348898 .

Get around

Venice, the world's only pedestrian city, is easily walkable, and the absence of cars makes this a particularly pleasant experience. However, walking and standing all day can also be exhausting, so it is best to pace yourself. The Rialtine islands – the 'main' part of Venice – are small enough to walk from one end to the other in about an hour, provided you don't get lost (a common occurrence).

If you want to get around a bit more quickly, there are numerous vaporetti (water buses) and water taxis. The vaporetti are generally the best way to get around, even if the service route map changes frequently. If you are going to be in Venice for a few days visiting, it is a lot cheaper to use vaporetti than private water taxis. If you want to have a romantic ride along the canals, take a gondola ride, although they tend to exist for more scenic purposes, rather than getting people from point A to point B.

Be warned that GPS navigation services such as Google Maps are notoriously unreliable in Venice. The density of stone buildings makes it fairly difficult to receive a proper GPS satellite signal. Additionally, Venice's complex network of pathways and public transit is poorly documented, and even entire transit services such as the Orange vaporetti Route are undocumented on Google Maps. You can mitigate some of these navigation issues using the Live View function in Google Maps, which uses your camera to orient yourself relative to businesses and landmarks around you.

The one surprising way you can't get around in Venice is by bicycle. Bicycles are banned in the main city. You are allowed to carry your bike in your arms (not ride, not wheel/walk) from the pIazzale Roma to the Venezia Santa Lucia train station, and if you are traveling through Venice to reach Lido or Pellestrina, then you can carry a bicycle like any other large package on public transit. There is a €100 fine for riding a bicycle in Venice.

By public transport

ACTV runs the vaporetti and other public transport services in the lagoon and on land.

• Line 1 runs from Piazzale Roma to Lido, passing the Railway Station (Ferrovia), Canal Grande, Rialto, S.Marco and S.Zaccaria and vice versa, leaving Piazzale Roma every 20 minutes from 05:01 to 06:01 and from 22:21 to 23:41, every 10 minutes from 06:21 to 22:01, leaving Lido every 20 minutes from 04:16 to 05:36 and from 21:46 to 23:06, every 10 minutes from 5:56 to 21:26. Notice that this service can be very crowded during the day as it passes through many sights along the Grand Canal.
• Line N is a night line, connecting Lido with Canal Grande, Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, Canale and vice versa. Boats leave Lido every 20 minutes from 23:26 to 04:06 and Piazzale Roma every 20 minutes from 00:09 to 04:49.
• Line 2 goes from S.Zaccaria over S.Giorgio, Giudecca, Zattere, Tronchetto, Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia, S.Marcuola, Rialto, S.Tomà, S.Samuele, Academia and S.Marco. Departure from S.Zaccaria every 20 minutes from 04:59 to 08:39 and from 20:49 to 23:09, every 10 minutes from 08:59 to 20:29. The route can be seen as a "C" running along the Grand Canal and Giudeca Canal, hugging the districts of San Polo, Santa Croce and Dorsoduro.
• Line 4.1 runs from San Zaccaria (Jolanda) to Murano via Arsenale, Giardini, S.Elena, S.Pietro di Castello, Bacini, Celestia, Ospedale. Fondamente Nove and Cimiterio and from Murano to San Zaccaria (Jolanda) via Cimitero, Fondamente Nove, Orto, Sant’Alvise, Tre Archi, Gugle, Ferrovia, Piazzale Roma, S.Marta, Palanca, Redentore and Zitelle. Boats leave Fondamente Nove to Murano (Museo) from 06:14 to 21:34 and from 21:42 to 23:22, from Murano (Museo) to Piazzale Roma from 06:32 to 19:32, from Murano (Museo) to Fondamente Nove from 19:52 to 21:52 and from Piazzale Roma to San Zaccaria from 06:18 to 20:18 every 20 minutes.
• Line 4.2 runs from San Zaccaria (Jolanda) to Murano via Zitelle, Redentore, Palanca, Sacca Fisola, S.Marta, Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia, Guglie, Crea, S.Alvise, Orto, Fondamente Nove and Cimitero, and return from Murano to San Zaccaria (Jolanda) via Cimitero, Fondamente Nove. Ospedale, Celestia, Bacini, S.Elena, Giardini and Arsenale. Boats depart at San Zaccaria from 06:13 to 20:33, from Piazzale Roma to Fondamente Nove from 06:56 to 20:56, from Fondamente Nove to Murano from 06:23 to 21:23, from Murano (Museo) to San Zaccaria from 06:43 to 20:43, and from Murano (Museo) to Fondamente Nove from 20:43 to 21:43 and from 22:07 to 23.47 every 20 minutes.
• Line 5.1 runs anti-clockwise from Lido to Piazzale Roma via S.Pietro, Bacini, Celetstia, Ospedale, Fondamente Nove, Orto, S.Alvise, Tre Archi, Guglie, Riva de Biasio and Ferrovia and from Piazzale Roma to Lido via S.Marta, Zattere. S.Zaccaria, Giardini and S.Elenea. Boats leave from Lido from 06:20 to 20:20, from Fondamente Nove from 06:24 to 23:04, from Piazzale Roma from 06:08 to 23:48 and from S.Zaccaria from 06:38 to 00:08 every 20 minutes.
• Line 5.2 runs clockwise from Lido to Piazzale Roma and back to Lido. Boats leave Lido from 5.52 to 20.32 and from 20:42 to 00:22, from S.Zaccaria from 06:06 to 20:46 and from 20:56 to 00:36, from Piattale Roma from 0626 to 21:06 and from 21:16 to 23:16 every 20 minutes.
• Line 6 runs from Piazzale Roma to Lido via S.Marta, S.Basilio, Zattere, Giardini and S.Elena. Boats leave Piazzale Roma from 06:19 to 20:29, and Lido from 05:42 to 20:02 every 20 minutes.
• Line 9 runs from Burano to Torcello, leaving Burno from 07:05 to 20:35 and Torcello from 06:40 to 20:10 every 30 minutes.
• Line 10 runs from Lido to San Marco Giardinetti via S.Elena, Giardini, Arsenale and S.Zaccaria and return from San Marco Giardinetti to Lido via S.Zaccaria. Boats from 18:01 to 20:21 and from San Marco Giardinetti from 17:39 to 20:21 every 10 minutes.
• Line 12 runs from Fondamente Nove to Punta Sabbioni via Murano Faro, Mazzorbo, (Torcello), Burano and Treporti and back. Boats leave Fondamente Nove from 07:10 to 19:40 and Punta Sabbioni from 07:56 to 20:26 every 30 minutes.
• Line 14, 14L, 15 runs from San Zaccaria Pieta to Punta Sabbioni via Lido and back. Boats leave S.Zaccaria Pietà from 08:15 to 20:15 every 30 minutes, later at varying intervals, last boat at 23.45. Boats leave Punta Sabbioni from 08:30 to 17:00 every 30 minutes, later at varying intervals, last boat at 00:20 Some boats do not stop at Lido.
• Line 17 is the Tronchetto to Lido (S.Nicoló) ferry. Ferry boats leave at Tronchetto at 00:10, 01:40, and from 06:40 to 23:20 every 50 minutes and Lido (S.Nicoló) at 00:55 and from 05:50 to 23:20 every 50 minutes.

Additional services for all lines in the early morning. Information for all ACTV services at Hello Venezia +39 041 2424 , daily 07:30 to 20:00. You can download a map of Venice water buses

A single ticket (biglietto solo andata) costs €7.50, permitting the use of public transports for 75 minutes from the moment you validate the ticket including transfers heading in the same direction. If you board a boat without having bought a ticket, you have to buy one from the on-board collector. There are no return tickets.

There are tourist travel cards (biglietto turistico a tempo) that cost €20 for 24 hours, €30 for 48 hours, €40 for 72 hours and €60 for 7 days. There are other versions available, including those offering discounts for youth under 29 year of age. Current rates can be found here.

Something you won't be told easily is that now anyone can purchase the Venezia Unica City Pass card (formerly IMOB) - the only difference is that in addition to its €10 cost for residents, foreigners need to pay a €90 extra "transport activation" fee. Unless you are in town for a couple of days and planning never to return, do it. It's a durable plastic card with your (webcam) picture, and once you have it, you are more or less a local - which means access to €1.50 single vaporetto tickets (save even more by recharging the card with 10 at once for €14), half-price discount on Alilaguna services, and even €0.70 traghetto crossings (instead of €2; flash the card to the gondolier). It is valid for 5 years from the month of issue. Register at the Venezia Unica site and pre-fill the application online, then go to one of the ACTV offices (not simply ticket points; probably the easiest location is at Piazzale Roma) and tell the clerk that you have a "contratto precompilato" - they'll pull it up, ask you to sign the privacy disclosures and issue the card on the spot (or you can fill the form at the counter; bear in mind it's in Italian). Moreover, if you happen to have a +39 Italian cell phone number, with it and your new Unica you can get a free code for use of the communal WiFi spots. If you lose the card, do not despair: it costs only €10 to get an immediate replacement, and the balance (along with your old photograph) is automatically transferred over.

The Venice Connected (dead link: January 2023) website of the Comune di Venezia (now integrated into Unica site) makes possible to book online (at least 7 days in advance) most services controlled by the town administration (public transportation, access to the civic museums, access to public restrooms, car park tickets, entrance to the Casinò and access to the municipal WiFi network covering the entire historic centre); the online prices vary according to the projected number of visitors but are always cheaper than the current on-site prices (and cheaper than with a Venice Card).

You can also get a Venice Card, which has various options that you can choose when you buy it (public transportation, cultural attractions, toilet access, Alilaguna, etc.) There is a 'Junior' version of the Venice that is available at a slightly reduced rate for those between 5 and 29 years of age. A Venice Card is not recommended for those with less than 3 days in Venice, as most of the top attractions are not included in the Venice Card. If you'll be staying in Venice for a week - get the Venice Card and enjoy travelling from island to island and exploring the various museums and churches it offers access to.

Maps are available at the vaporetto stops in the ticket booths. The map is quite reliable, and is free when getting a Venice Card (€2 otherwise) can be viewed on Internet.

Venice Cards can be reserved on-line (dead link: December 2020) for a considerable discount. There are long lines when taking the Venice Card from the ticket booths. The Venezia St. Lucia ticket booth that offers Venice Cards is the one most on the right when you exit the train station.

By foot

Otherwise, take a walk! The city is not that big, and you can walk from one end to the other in a few hours if you stick to the paths conveniently marked with arrows in the direction of major landmarks. But it would take months for a fit person to discover every path in the city. Make sure to visit some of the smaller alleyways, as they can be very interesting. Along the way you will discover marvelous art, superb architecture and breathtaking urban landscaping. Exploring the city randomly by walking is well worth it, but also be prepared to get lost easily! Signs all over the city indicate the direction to the main attractions, "Rialto" and "San Marco", as well as the way back to the train station ("ferrovia") and the bus terminal ("Piazzale Roma"). These signs make it easy to have the "get lost experience" even as a one-day tourist. For a faster and safer walk, you should walk on the right side of every path.

Be aware that addresses in Venice are of the form "District Number" (the Venetian word for district is "Sestiere"), not "Street Number". To find a specific place using a map, make sure you know which district it is in. The numbers are assigned at the start of the district and increase as they move farther away from the Grand Canal.

Travellers with mobility impairments will need to plan their routes carefully and allow extra time. Although the city is nearly flat, moving from one section to another requires either getting on a boat or climbing stairs to cross a bridge. The water buses are generally wheelchair accessible, though a wheelchair user may not be able to board when they are crowded. A few bridges have temporary ramps, and the city plans to add permanent ramps to a few more. This should, hopefully by 2030, allow people to move between the most popular attractions in the city without climbing stairs, although some areas of the city will remain difficult to access.

By water taxi

Water taxis (taxi acquei) are operated by Coop. San Marco (+39 041 5222303 ), Coop. Veneziana (+39 041 716124 ), Coop. Serenissima (+39 041 5221265 or +39 041 5229538 ), Soc. Narduzzi Solemar (+39 041 5200838 ), Soc. Marco Polo (+39 041 966170 ), Soc. Sotoriva (+39 041 5209586 ), Soc. Serenissima (+39 041 5228538 ) and Venezia Taxi (+39 041 723112 ).

There are water taxi ranks at Ferrovia (Railway Station) (+39 041716286 ), Piazzale Roma (S.Chiara) (+39 041716922 ), Rialto (+39 041723112 ), Lido (+39 0414222303 ) and at Marco Polo Airport (+39 0415415084 ).

In the historic city centre there is a fixed tariff for water taxis of €15 at departure plus €2 per minute on urban routes. There are supplements of €5 for call services and customer pick-up outside the taxi ranks, of €10 for night services between 22:00 and 06:00, of €3 pieces of luggage exceeding 4 pieces and of €5 or €10 for every person exceeding a group of 4. Rates are fixed by a resolution (dead link: January 2023) of the Venice City Council.

A water taxi service for persons with special needs is available at +39 041 2747332 or directly through the website Book Taxi Venice.

By taxi

'Normal' taxis can be called from Radio Taxi (+39 041 936137 ). There are taxi ranks at Piazzale Roma (+39 041 5237774 ) and Lido (+39 041 5265974 ).

By traghetto

There are small gondola ferries crossing the Canal Grande at

• S.Sofia 📍, M–Sa 07:30–20:00, Su and holidays 08:45–19:00
• Carbon (Rialto) 📍, M–F 07:00–12:30, weekdays only
• S.Tomá 📍, M–Sa 07:30–20:00, Su and holidays 08:30–19:30
• San Barnaba 📍, M–F 07:45–12:30,
• S.Maria del Giglio 📍, daily 09:00–18:00
• Dogana 📍, daily 09:00–14:00 Ticket price €2 one way, €0.70 for Venice residents and IMOB card holders.

By tour

Alilaguna Green line (linea verde) Alilaguna, +39 041 5235775 , operates a 4 hours excursion tour to the island of Murano, Burano and Torcello with explanations in English, French, German and Spanish. Departure from imbarcadero San Marco Giardinetti, Minimum 4 participants. Boat starts in Apr, May and Oct at 09:30, 11:00 and 14:30, from Jun to Sept at 09:30, 11:00, 14:30 and 15:30, from Nov to Mar at 11:00 and 14:00. Ticket price €20 (free for holders of Alilaguna 72-hr pass).

See

Children's view of Venice

Venice offers plenty for people of all ages to enjoy. See Venice with children for tips for making your visit with children a bit easier.

Venice is packed full of sights, with something interesting to see around each corner. The most spectacular sights, such as the Doge's Palace and Saint Mark's Basilica, are in San Marco, the historic seat of power.

• Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), Piazetta San Marco, San Marco 1 (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to San Marco), 45.4337°, 12.3404°, +39 041 2715911. Nov to Mar 08:30 to 17:30, Apr to Oct 08:30 to 19:00, closed Jan 1 and Dec 25. Don't miss the guided tour named Secret Itinerary, which will let you discover the part of the palace where the city's administration worked, as well as Casanova's jail and the wonderful 500-year-old roof structure. A MUVE museum. Adults €20, reduced €14
• Bell tower of St. Mark (Campanile di San Marco), Piazza San Marco, San Marco (vaporetto line 1 to San Marco), 45.43404°, 12.33905°, +39 041 5224064. Nov-Mar: 09:30-15:45; Apr-Jun, Oct: 09:00-19:00; Jul-Aug: 09:00-21:00. The current tower dates from 1912; an exact replica of the previous tower which collapsed in 1902. The top of the tower offers great views of Venice and the lagoon. €8
• Clock tower (Torre dell'Orologio), Piazza San Marco, San Marco (vaporetto lines 1-2-5, 1.5.2 to San Marco), 45.4347°, 12.3389°, +39 041 5209070. Having been closed for restoration for many years, the restored astronomical clock is now visible. The fascinating tour of the clock mechanism (and rooftop bell) can only be visited on a guided tour, in English: M-W at 10:00 and 11:00, on other days at 14:00 and 15:00, in French M-W at 14:00 and 15:00, advance reservation required online or by phone at +39 041 5209070. A MUVE museum. Adults €12, reduced €7
• Scuola Grande di San Rocco, San Polo 3052 (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to San Tomà, near the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari), 45.43653°, 12.32532°, +39 041 5234864. Daily 09:30-17:30, closed Dec 25, Jan 1, Easter Sunday. A masterpiece of Tintoretto, this guild house is an exquisite example of Mannerist art at its best. In order to allow a comfortable admiration of the detailed ceiling, mirrors are offered to the visitors. Cycles of allegories, life and passion of Christ, scenes from the Old and New Testament. Adult €10, concessions €8
• Jewish Ghetto of Venice (Ghetto Ebraico di Venezia), Cannaregio, 45.4452°, 12.3263°. While racial and ethnic neighborhoods had existed prior to the Venetian Ghetto, Venice's ghetto was the first "ghetto" (coming from a Venetian word for the Iron Foundry that was on the site previously) and "ghetto" eventually came to mean any neighborhood that was made up of a single ethnic or racial group. Today, Jewish life is still very active in the ghetto, and elsewhere in Venice, and is home to five synagogues. Visiting on Saturdays or late Fridays (the Jewish Sabbath) will prove very fruitless because all shops, restaurants, and other Jewish places will be closed.
• Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge), 45.43805°, 12.33592°. The bridge has become one of Venice's most recognizable icons and has a history that spans over 800 years. Today's Rialto Bridge was completed in 1591 and was used to replace a wooden bridge that collapsed in 1524.
• Zattere, Dorsoduro, 45.4295°, 12.3264°. It's a long and sunny walk along the Giudecca canal, protected during winter time from cold northerly winds for being exposed to south and shielded by buildings. You might find interesting to see how a gondola is made, stopping by the Squero (Venetian for small ship yard) across the canal near San Trovaso Church. It's one of the few still in business in town. With some luck, you'll see some gondole through various manufacturing steps (note that gondole are not straight to counterbalance the gondoliere push).

Churches

A lot of churches will charge an entry fee. This is true of the Basilica di San Marco. There is a "Chorus Pass" for entry into some churches, but be aware there is a limited selection of churches this applies to. If you plan to visit three churches or more, you are better off buying the churches pass. There is also a combined pass for museums, churches and transportation only available at the tourist information office but it is relatively expensive.

• Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), Piazza San Marco, San Marco 328 (water lines #1, 52, and 82 will take you from Santa Lucia (the train station) or Piazzale Roma to Piazza San Marco. Walking is another option but will require a map and lots of time and energy), 45.43453°, 12.33969°, +39 041 5225205 (procuratorial phone number). Oct-Mar: 09:45-16:45; Apr-Sep: 09:45-17:00. Saint Mark's Basilica is on the Piazza San Marco and is one of the highlights of a visit to Venice. As with most churches in Italy, you must be dressed appropriately to be allowed in; this means no short skirts or bare shoulders. You are not allowed to carry large bags or rucksacks inside, sometimes even small daypacks may need to be deposited. Storage is available just around the corner from the main entrance (free of charge). Filming and photography is forbidden so be prepared in advance. The visit within the basilica lasts ten minutes. Waiting for entry into the basilica can last up to five or so hours and it may be wise to use a ticket service to reserve your visit (reservation costs €3). Once you have a reservation you can take the group entrance on the left, where you hand in the printout of your reservation. As of April 2022 there is a small charge for admission to the basilica. Do note there are extra charges for the high altar and the museum. The museum entry is worth paying for as it allows you access to the balcony overlooking the Piazza San Marco; do note that museum access may be difficult if you have mobility issues. 2021-11-15
• San Giacomo di Rialto, San Polo, 45.43851°, 12.33547°. This church, built around 421, is possibly the oldest in Venice. It is most recognized for its 15th-century clock above the entrance. It is also recognized for the red pillars and beautiful gold accents around the church.
• San Giovanni e Paolo (San Zanipolo), Castello, 45.43927°, 12.34218°. A fine, huge Dominican church with the tombs of many Doges. It shares its piazza with the fine Renaissance façade of the Scuola San Marco and an equestrian statue of the mercenary (condottiere) captain Bartolomeo Colleoni. Look out for the testicles (coglioni in Italian - it's a lousy pun) on his coat of arms!
• Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (Basilica dei Frai, often just referred to as the Frari), San Polo 3072, 45.43679°, 12.32624°, +39 041 2728618. M-F 09:00-18:00, Su and holidays 13:00-18:00. Last admission 30 min before closing time. The big friary church, fine example of Venetian Gothic architecture, with fine monuments and paintings of Titian, Belliniand Donatello, among which the famous 'Assunta' by Titian. Adult €3, reduced €1.50
• Santa Maria dei Miracoli, Cannaregio, 45.43951°, 12.33927°. A perfect jewel box church, simple in form but ornamented with fine exterior marble facings.
• San Simeone Piccolo, Santa Croce (located opposite the Santa Lucia train station across the Canal Grande), 45.44040°, 12.32230°. The last church built in Venice. One of the things that it is recognized for is the fact that they celebrate Tridentine Mass on Sundays. It is also recognized for its dome because it is used to make the church look taller than it is and the dome itself is entirely covered with lead sheet.
• Santa Maria della Pietà, Castello, 45.43410°, 12.34493°. A church that used to house an orphanage and hospital in the 18th century, it is known among classical music enthusiasts as the church where the Catholic priest and composer Antonio Vivaldi worked for most of his career.
• Convento di S.Francesco del Deserto, S.Francesco del Deserto, 45.47357°, 12.41713°. Tu-Su 09:00-11:00, 15:00-17:00. Old Franciscan convent in one of the most beautiful islands in the Venice lagoon. By donation
• S. Francesco della Vigna, Campo San Francesco della Vigna, Castello, 45.4381°, 12.3486°, +39 041 5206102. Daily 08:00-12:00, 16:30-18:00.
• Gesuati (S.Maria del Rosario), Fondamente Zattere delle Gesuati, Dorsoduro, 45.429444°, 12.327222°, +39 041 5230625. Daily 08:00-12:00, 17:00-19:00.
• Gesuiti (S.Maria Assunta), Campo dei Gesuiti, Cannaregio, 45.443333°, 12.339167°, +39 041 5286579. Summer 10:00-12:00, 17:00-19:00, winter 10:00-12:00, 16:00-18:00, closed Su afternoon.
• S. Giobbe, Campo San Giobbe, Cannaregio, 45.445028°, 12.320322°. Daily 08:30-12:00, 15:30-18:00.
• S. Giovanni in Bragora, Campo Bandiera e Moro, Castello, 45.4344°, 12.347°, +39 041 5205906. Daily 06:00-11:00, 17:00-19:00.
• S. Giovanni Crisostomo, Campo San Giovanni Crisostomo, Cannaregio, 45.439167°, 12.337222°, +39 041 5227155. Daily 07:00-12:30, 15:00-19:00.
• S. Giuliano, Campo di San Giuliano, San Marco, 45.435694°, 12.338667°.
• Madonna dell'Orto, Campo Madonne dell'Orto, Cannaregio, 45.44639°, 12.33251°, +39 041 719933. Summer 09:30-12:00, 16:00-19:00, winter 09:30-12:00, 15:00-17:30. With the grave and 10 paintings of Tintoretto.
• S. Maria del Carmelo (Carmini), 45.4332°, 12.3225°.
• S. Maria Formosa, Campo Santa Maria Formosa, Castello, 45.4369°, 12.3411°, +39 041 5234645. Daily 08:30-12:30, 17:00-19:00.
• S. Maria della Salute, Campo delle Salute, Dorsoduro, 45.430833°, 12.334444°, +39 041 5225558. 08:30-12:00, 15:00-17:30.
• S. Michele in Isola, Isola San Michele, 45.4487°, 12.3469°.
• Basilica di San Pietro di Castello, Campo di San Pietro, Castello, 45.43460°, 12.35957°. Venice cathedral up to 1807, when the see was transferred to San Marco.
• SS. Redentore, Fondamente della Croce, Giudecca, 45.424992°, 12.332453°.
• S. Salvatore, Campo San Salvatore, 45.4366°, 12.3365°.
• S. Sebastiano, Campo San Sebastiano, Dorsoduro, 45.432°, 12.32°, +39 041 5282487.
• S. Stefano, Campo Santo Stefano, San Marco 3825, 45.433178°, 12.330189°, +39 041 5222362.
• S. Zaccaria, Campo San Zaccaria, 45.434722°, 12.343333°, +39 041 5221257. Daily 10:00-12:00, 16:00-18:00.

Museums

The Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (MUVE) (call center 848–08.2000) offers two museums passes for the San Marco Museums valid for 3 months at €16 (€8 reduced) granting admission to Palazzo Ducale, Museo Correr, Museo Archaeologico Nazionale, Sale Monumentali della Bibliotheca Marciana, and another museum pass valid for 6 months for €24 (reduced €18) granting admission to the above mentioned museums plus Ca' Rezzonico, Mesue del '700 Veneziano, Palazzo Mocenigo, Casa di Carlo Goldoni, Ca' Pesaro, Museo del Vetro Murano, Museo di Merletto Burano and Museo di Storia Naturale.

Art museums

• Correr Museum (Museo Correr), Piazza San Marco, Ala Napoleonica, San Marco 52 (on San Marco Square, vaporetto line 11-2-5, 1-5-2), 45.433605°, 12.337158°, +39 041 2405211. Nov 1 to Mar 31: 10:00-17:00, Apr 1 to Oct 31: 10:00-19:00, closed Dec 25, Jan 1. Interesting collection of globes, starting from the 16th century. There is also an only library hall, an archeological museum of Roman antiques and an important picture gallery. The museum offers a tour of Venetian history. Remarkable painting gallery with masterpieces of the 14th to 16th century from Venice, works of the Venetian sculpture Canova, studies on urban development and social life. At the end of your visit, don't miss the museum art cafe, with their tables on the San Marco Square. A MUVE museum. €14 (reduced €8), which also includes Doge's Palace
• The Peggy Guggenheim Museum, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Dorsoduro 701 (located to the east of the Accademia bridge, on the southern side of the Grand Canal), 45.43083°, 12.33154°, +39 041 2405411, info@guggenheim-venice.it. W-M 10:00-18:00. Closed on Tuesdays and on 25 December. Open on national holidays (including Tuesdays). The Peggy Guggenheim Museum offers a personal collection of modern art collected by Peggy Guggenheim. Peggy was an American married to modern artist Max Ernst, and funded a number of his contemporaries. The gallery includes a sculpture garden and works by Picasso, Kandinsky, Tanguy, Duchamp, Pollock, Dali, and Mondrian. Adult €15, seniors (over 65 years) €13, students (18 years and under or holders of valid student ID) €9
• Ca' Pesaro - International Modern Art Gallery (Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderne), Santa Croce 2076 (vaporetto line 1 to San Stae), 45.44094°, 12.33163°, +39 041 524695. Nov-Mar: 10:00-17:00, Apr-Oct: 10:00-18:00, closed Dec 25, Jan 1, May 1. Modern art collection, paintings of the 19th and 20th century. A MUVE museum. Adults €14, reduced €11.50 (valid for both museums in the Ca' Pesaro)
• Ca' Pesaro - Museum of Oriental Art (Museo d'arte Orientale di Ca Pesaro), Santa Croce 2076 (vaporetto line 1 to San Stae), 45.441°, 12.33146°, +39 041 5241173, capesaro@fmcvenezia.it. Nov-Mar: 10:00 to 17:00, Apr-Oct: 10:00-18:00, closed M, Dec 25, Jan 1, May 1. Beautiful palace housing the gallery of modern art focusing on Italian art in the 19th century as well as the Marco Polo Museum, a rich collection mainly of Asian exhibits (fabrics, clothes, armours, porcelain). A MUVE museum. Adults €14, reduced €11.50 (valid for both museums in the Ca' Pesaro)
• Galleria dell'Accademia di Venezia, Campo della Carità, Dorsoduro 1050 (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to Accademia), 45.431334°, 12.328487°. M 08:15-14:00, Tu-Su 08:15-19:15 (ticket office closes 1 hr before). Venice's most significant art museum which is also one of Italy's best. Among the most important paintings in the Accademia are: Gentile Bellini: Procession on St. Mark’s Square (1496) and Miracle of the Cross at the Bridge of S. Lorenzo (1500), Giovanni Bellini: Pieta (1500), Jacopo Bellini: Madonna with Child and Cherubs (ca. 1450), Paris Bordenone: A fisherman presents the ring of St. Mark to the doge (ca. 1535), Vittore Carpaccio: Legend of Saint Ursula (1490-1498), Cima da Conegliano: The Holy Virgin under the Orange Tree (ca. 1496), Giorgione (1477-1510): The Tempest and La Vecchia ("The Old Woman"), Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506): St. George, Veronese Paolo (1528-1588): The Feast in the House of Levi (1573), Tintoretto: The Miracles of St. Mark (1548), and Titian: Pietà (ca. 1576). Adults €12, reduced €2, advanced reservation fee €1.50
• Palazzo Grassi, Campo San Samuele, San Marco 3231, 45.4338°, 12.32794°. M W-Su 10:00-19:00. Last admission 1 hr before closing. Contemporary art museum. Temporary exhibitions from François Pinault's Collection. Adults €18, reduced €15
• Punta della Dogana, Dorsuduro 2 (on the tip between Grand Canal and Giudecca Canal, vaporetto line 1 to Salute), 45.43080°, 12.33618°, +39 041 2001057. W-M 10:00 to 19:00, closed Tu and Dec 24. Former customs house, centre for contemporary art, permanent exhibition of works from the François Pinault Collection. Renovation by world renowned architect Tadao Ando. €15, reduced €10
• Galleria Giorgio Franchetti Ca' d'Oro (Ca' d'Oro museum), Strada Nuova, Cannaregio 3932 (linea 1 to Ca d'Oro), 45.44088°, 12.33392°, +39 0415200345. Tu-Sa 08:15-19:15, M 08:15-14:00, Su 10:00-18:00, closed Dec 25, Jan 1, May 1. A collection of paintings and statues in a former palace from the 15th century. One of the best examples of Gothic architecture in Venice, sculptures, bronzes, paintings of Mantegna, Giorgione and Titian, Flemish and Dutch paintings. Adults €8, reduced €6
• Palazzo Fortuny, San Beneto, San Marco 3958 (laterale Calle della Mandorla, vaporetti line 1 or 2 to Rialto or S.A°ngelo), 45.43532°, 12.33208°, +39 041 5200995. W-M 10:00-18:00, closed Tu and May 1. Collection of paintings and lamps. A MUVE museum. Adults €12, reduced €10

Science and technology museums

• Telecom Italia Future Centre, Campo San Salvador, San Marco 4826 (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to Rialto), 45.4367°, 12.3361°, +39 041 5213272. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00; closed M, Dec 25, Jan 1. Centre dedicated to telecommunication technology. The building complex includes an adjacent church with important works of art, the Refectory (which is a conference hall today), Renaissance cloisters and a small museum focusing on the evolution of the telephone in the last 100 years. Free
• Physics Museum Anton Maria Traversi (Museo della Fisica Anton Maria Traversi), Liceo Marco Foscarini, Fondamenta Santa Caterina, Cannaregio 4942 (vaporetto line 1 to Ca d'oro), 45.44350°, 12.33671°, +39 041 5224845. Daily 09:30-12:30, and W 14:00-16:00, closed holidays and August. More than 200 instruments for educational and practical use, built to facilitate scientific research, conducted by physics teachers since the 19th cent, guided tours led by students. Adults €2, reduced €1
• Venice Lido Planetarium (Planetario di Venezia Lido), Lido. A planetarium. See Lido for details.
• Le Macchine di Leonardo a Venezia, Campo San Barnaba, Dorsoduro 2771, 45.43308°, 12.32546°, +39 339 7985464, paolotarchia@tiscali.it. Daily 09:30-19:30. An exhibition in the Chiesa di San Barnaba showing around forty models of machines reproduced from Leonardo's codices. Some of the exhibits are interactive and copies of the codices are available for further reading. It was supposed to have ended in 2012, but doesn't appear to be in a hurry to leave - and a good thing too, since the church, an attraction in itself (it's the one under which Indiana Jones finds catacombs in The Last Crusade, by the way), was rarely accessible to visitors before. Adults €8, over-65s, children and students €5 2017-01-15

Museums on religion

• Jewish Museum (Museo Ebraico), Cannaregio 2902/b (vaporetto line 1 and 2 to San Marcuola), 45.44510°, 12.32717°, +39 041 715 359, museoebraico@codesscultura.it. 1 Jun-30 Sep: 10:00-19:00; 1 Oct-31 May: 10:00-18:00. The museum is closed on Saturday (Shabbat), during Jewish festivities, on 25 Dec, 1 Jan and 1 May. Objects related to the social life of the Jewish community, in two synagogues of the 16th century. Entrance to the museum: adults €3, reduced €2. Entrance to the museum and guided tours to synagogues: adults €8.50, reduced €7
• Mekhitarist Monastery (Monasterio Mekhitarista), Isola di San Lazzaro degli Armeni (15.10 hrs at San Zaccaria), 45.4123°, 12.3609°, +39 041 5260104. Daily 15:25 (guided tour only). Library with historical manuscripts, collection of works, miniatures and documents of the Armenian history, Monastery Church. Tours in Italian, English, and Armenian. On the small island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni. Adults €6, reduced €4.50 2019-08-11
• Museo Diocesano, P.te della Canonica, Castello 4312 (vaporetto line 1-5 or 1-5-2 to San Zaccaria), 45.4345°, 12.3409°, +39 041 5229166. Th-Tu 10:00-17:00. Religious furniture and objects from now demolished churches and convents, one of the most appealing Romanesque cloisters of Venice. €4.00, reduced €2.50

Other museums

• Mocenigo Palace Museum (Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo, Centro Studi die Storia del Tessuto e del Costume), Santa Croce 1992 (vaporetto line 1 to San Stae), 45.44064°, 12.32987°, +39 041 721798, info@fmcvenezia.it. Apr-Oct: 10:00-17:00, Nov-Mar: 10:00-16:00; closed M, Dec 26, Jan 1, May 1. A collection of clothes dating from the 18th century. Splendid interior. Collection of dresses and accessories, fabrics, books, figurines in various period costumes. A MUVE museum. Adults €5, reduced €3.50
• Ca' Rezzonico - Museum of 18th Century Venice (Musei del Settecento Veneziano), Dorsoduro 3136 (vaporetto line 1 to Ca' Rezzonico), 45.43356°, 12.32655°, +39 041 2410100, info@fmcvenezia.it. Nov-Mar: 10:00-17:00, Apr-Oct: 10:00-18:00; closed Dec 25, Jan 1, May 1. Museum of the 18th century in Venice - attempts to revive the domestic atmosphere of Venetian nobilities. Furniture, interior decoration, paintings by Guardi, Canaletto, Tiepolo. On the third floor important paintings of the Venetian school. A MUVE museum. Adults €8, reduced €5.50
• Glass Museum (Museo del Vetro). On Murano, the island so typical of its glasswork. A MUVE museum. See Murano for details.
• Natural History Museum (Museo di Storia Naturale), Fondaco dei Turchi, Santa Croce 1730 (vaporetto line 1 to Riva di Biasio), 45.44201°, 12.32869°, +39 041 2750206. Jun-Oct: 10:00-18:00; Nov-Mar: Tu F 09:00-17:00, Sat S 10:00-18:00. 11 exhibition halls with sections on palaeontology, explorations and nature. A MUVE museum. Adults €8, reduced €5.50
• House of Carlo Goldoni (Casa di Carlo Goldoni, Centro di Studi Teatrali), San Polo 2794 (vaporetto line q or 2 to S.Tomà), 45.43615°, 12.32826°, +39 041 2440317. Apr-Oct: Th-Tu 10:00-17:00; Nov-Mar: Th-Tu 10:00-16:00; closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25. Birthplace of Venice's most famous playwright. Museum, library and theater studies center. A MUVE museum. Audlts €5, reduced €3.50
• Lace Museum (Museo del Merletto). A MUVE museum. See Burano for details.
• Museo Storico Navale (Naval History Museum), Riva S. Biasio, Castello 2148 (vaporetto line 1 to Castello), 45.43276°, 12.34996°, +39 041 2441399. M-F 08:45-13:30, Sa 08:45-13:00, Su closed. Collection of relics from the Serenissima Republic of Venice, the Italian navy, and the ancient Arsenale shipyards, miniature models, uniforms and stadarts, collection of sea shells. The main building of the Naval Historical Museum (Riva S. Biasio) is closed for renovation works. It's possible to visit the Ships Pavilion in rio della Tana, Castello 2162 (close to the Naval Museum). Adults €5, reduced €3.50
• Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Castello 5252 (near Camp S.Maria Formosa, vaporetto line 1-5, 1-5-2 to San Zaccaria), 45.4365°, 12.3411°, +39 0412711411. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00; closed M, Dec 25 and 26, Jan 1. Residence-museum of the Querini-Stampa family, library, picture gallery, furniture and household objects from the 16th cent onwards, important paintings by Bellini, Palma, Ricci, Tiepolo and Longhi. Adults €10, reduced €8
• Palazzo Cini, San Vio, Dorsoduoro 864 (vaporetto line 1 and 2 to Accademia), 45.430989°, 12.329973°, +39 0415210755. upon telephone reservation only. Residence of Vittorio Cini, collection of 15th and 16th cent paintings from Tuscany and Ferrara, period furniture, silver, ivory and ceramic objects.
• Byzantine Pictures Museum (Greek Institute) (Museo Dipinti Sacri Bizantini (Istituto Ellenico)), Ponte dei Greci, Castello 3412 (vaporetto line 1-5 or 1-5-2 to San Zaccaria), 45.43570°, 12.34447°, +39 041 5226581. 09:00-16:30. Collection of Greek, Cretan and Venetian icons of the 14th to 18th century. Adults €4, reduced €3.50
• Scala Contarini del Bovolo, Corte del Riso o del Bovolo, San Marco 4303 (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to Rialto), 45.43481°, 12.33456°, +39 041 3096605. Daily 10:00-13:30 and 14:00-18:00. A cylindrical tower with a spiralling series of arches, among the most characteristic examples of Venetian architecture at the period of transition from Gothic to Renaissance styles. From the top there are great panoramic views of the city. Adults €7, reduced €6 2017-10-25
• Music Museum (Museo della Musica), Chiesa di S.Maurizio, Campo di S.Marizio, San Marco 2603 (near Campo Santo Stefano; vaporetto line 1 to S.M-.del Giglio or line 1-2 to Accademia), 45.43308°, 12.33160°, +39 041 2719012. Daily 09:30-19:00. Beautiful church, collection of musical instruments, Venetian Baroque paintings. Interpreti Veneziani, the creators of the Music Museum, also offer concerts in the nearby San Vidal church. Free
• Palazzo Grimani, Ramo Grimani, Castello 4858 (near Campo Sta. Maria Formosa; vaporetto line 1 or 2 Rialto or Zaccaria), 45.43705°, 12.34241°, +39 041 5200345 (call centre). Tu-Su 10:00-19:00, closed Dec 25, Jan 1, May 1. A jewel of Renaissance architecture that was opened as a Venetia civic museum in 2008, collections of paintings, archaeological collection of Greek and Roman artefacts, temporary exhibitions. €14.50, EU residents age 18-25 €7.50 2020-03-27
• Archaeological Museum (Museo Archaeologico Nazionale), Piazetta San Marco, San Marco 52 (Vaporetti line 1 or 2 to San Marco), 45.4338°, 12.3391°, +39 041 5225978. 10:00-18:00. Collection of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, Egyptian, Assyrian and Babylonian artefacts. €4, reduced €2
• St.Mark's Basilica Museum (Basilica di San Marco -Museo), Piazza San Marco, San Marco (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to San Marco or Zaccaria), +39 041 2708311. 09:45-16:45. Visit the famous bronze horses. €5.00, reduced €2.50
• Scuola Grande di S.Giovanni Evangelista, San Polo 2454 (vaporetto line 1 or 2 ro San Tomà), 45.43837°, 12.32577°, +39 041 718234. occasional 09:30-17:00. Monumental staircase by Codussi, splendid San Giovanni Salon, Oratory of the Cross with precious reliquiaries. €5
• Scuola Dalmatina di San Giorgio e Trifone, Calle dei Furlani, Castello 3259/A (vaporetto line 1-5 or 1-5-2 to S.Zaccaria), 45.43622°, 12.34595°, +39 041 5228828. Tu-Sa 10:00-12:30 and 15:00-18:00, Su 10:00-12:30, closed M. Famous painting cycle by Vittore Carpaccio depicting the lives of St.George, Tryphon and Jerome. Adults €4, reduced €2 2016-08-16

Cemeteries

• San Michele Cemetery (Cimitero di San Michele), Isola di San Michele (vaporetto line 4.1-4.2), 45.4486°, 12.3462°, +39 041 7292811. Apr-Sep: 07:30-18:00; Oct-Mar: 07:30-16:30. Cemetery established following Napoleon Bonaparte's edict of 1804, part of the European circuit of monumental cemeteries. The Russian ballet dancer Serge Diaghilew, the Austrian physicist Christan Doppler, the American poet Ezra Pound, the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and the German-Italian composer Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari are buried in San Michele Cemetery. Free 2016-08-16

Monuments

• Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot), Via Garibaldi 1581, 45.4319°, 12.3511°. Venetian explorer of North America who worked for the British (c. 1450-c. 1500).
• Claudio Monteverdi, S. Maria dei Frari. Tomb, composer (1567-1643) and champion of the early Baroque seconda pratica and then-new genre of opera.
• Giuseppe Verdi, Giardini pubblici. Composer of operas; Italian nationalist and national hero (1813-1901).
• Richard Wagner, Giardini pubblici. German opera composer (1813-1883).
• Jacopo Robusti (Tintoretto), Madonna dell' Orto Church. Venetian painter (1578-1594), tomb.
• Gentile Bellini, San Giovanni e Paolo Church. Venetian painter and official portraitist of the Doges (1439-1507), tomb.
• Giovanni Bellini, San Giovanni e Paolo Church. Early Venetian oil painter and the most famous of the Bellini brothers (1430-1516), tomb.
• Caterina Cornaro, San Salvatore Church. Queen of Cyprus (1454-1510), tomb. 2016-08-16
• Paolo Veronese, San Sebastiano Church. Painter from Verona whose career was in Venice (1528-1588), tomb.

Do

Events

• La Biennale di Venezia is one of the most well-known culture institutions. Two events organised by Biennale are the Art and Architecture International Exhibitions happening alternately (Architecture Biennale in even years, Art Biennale in odd) but other fields are also covered - contemporary theatre, dance, music, cinema (Venice International Film Festival). Exhibitions take place mostly in two locations: Arsenale 📍 and Giardini 📍. They are both worth visiting even when no event is scheduled. Arsenale is the largest pre-industrial production centre in the world, dating back to 13th century, and Giardini is architectural gem filled with national pavilions from different parts of the world, often designed by famous architects, it was a venue for the International Art Exhibition since the 19th century.
  • Art Biennale. Year: 2024. Month: April. It is held at Arsenale (vaporetto line 4.1 and 4.2 to Arsenale) and Giardini (vaporetto line 4.1 and 4.2 to Giardini). The Central Pavillion and the pavilions of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brasil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Nordic Countries, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Spain, Switzerland, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela and the pavilion of Venice are located in the Giardini. The Biennale is open every second year from April to November, Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Admission for 219 was €30 for two days, multiple entries (ID required); €25 one day, single entry to each venue; €20 over 65, €14 students. There are many other exhibitions (collateral events) all over the city, often permitting to visit buildings which normally are not open to the public. Online guides to the exhibits are not substantive. The British Council provides a comprehensive guide to all exhibits available at the British pavilion at the Giardini. The Concordia/Antarctic Exhibition has closed early.
• Carnival of Venice (Carnevale di Venezia). Annual festival that is world famous for the carnival masks.
• Regata Storica. Celebrating a historic event from 1489, the regatta displays almost a hundred varieties of Venetian boats from the city's rich past. Large oarships, replicating ancient roman and medieval vessels, are rowed along the Canal Grande, followed by many smaller boats. There are several races, including a master championship for solo sculling in streamlined gondolini, painted in unusual white, pink, etc. colours. There are many excellent photo opportunities for this event. Early September.
• Vogalonga. Year: 2. The yearly equivalent of a marathon run on water. Vogalonga competitors must row 32 km under 3½ hours to receive a certificate of attendance at the finish line, but everybody with a human-powered vessel is welcome to participate (some foreigner teams take up to 10 hours to complete the journey just for the fun of it). The official purpose of the Vogalonga was to protest the sharply increasing use of powerboats in Venice, but the event has gradually grown into a festival since 1974, with up to 5500 racers in 1500 vessels attending by the early 2000s. The racetrack visits different parts of Venice as well as some of the nearby islands. Locals and tourists lining up alongside rios and canals cheer the racers. Visitors wishing to participate should have serious experience in rowing or sculling and practise duely, as the journey is physically demanding (even seasoned oarsmen develop calluses by the finish line). The event is mainly for teams, completing Voga Longa on a single oar is considered a major achievement. Extreme participation (scuba frogmen and surface swimmers) sometimes occurs, but it is not recommended due to water contamination issues. Late May.

Opera and concerts

• La Fenice Theater (Teatro La Fenice), Campo San Fantin, San Marco 1965 (300 m west of San Marco square), 45.43362°, 12.33368°, +39 041 786511, info@teatrolafenice.org. One of the best opera houses in the world. Info at Bigletteria Hello Venezia Call Center +39 041 2424 . You can also visit this historic theater with an audioguide (good explanations in several languages). The theater is an identical reconstruction (rebuilt in 2003) of the previous theater building that burned down in 1996. Tours: adults €10, students up to 26 and seniors over 65 €7, children up to 6 free. Slightly cheaper if purchased as part of a combined ticket with the Doge's palace
• Teatro Malibran, Campo del Malibran, Cannaregio 5873 (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to Rialto), 45.43896°, 12.33813°, +39 041 2424.
• Scuola Grande di S.Teodoro, Campo San Salvador. Opera and concert performances. €40, reduced €30
• Ateneo San Basso, Piazetta del Leoncini, San Marco (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to San Marco or S.Zaccaria), +39 041 52 82 825, info@virtuosidivenezia.com. Classical concerts. €25, reduced €20
• Chiesa San Vidal, Campo San Vidal, San Marco 2862/B (vaporetto line 1 or 2 to Accademia), 45.43242°, 12.32953°, +39 041 27770561, info@interoretiveneziani.com. Classical concerts by Interpreti Veneziani. They also run the nearby Music Museum in the nearby San Maurizio church. Adults €29, reduced €24
• Chiesa della Pietà, Riva degli Schiavoni (vaporetto lines 1, 5.1, 5.2, 4.1, 4,.2 to San Zaccaria). €25, reduced €20
• Scuola Grande dei Carmini, Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro 2616-2617, 45.43369°, 12.32241°, +39 041 5289420, info@scuolagrandecarmini.it. Daily 11:00-17:00. €5 full price; €4 concession

Activities on a boat

Gondolas

Riding a gondola along the canals with your own gondoliere, the oarsmen who symbolizes the city, is one of the major joys of being in Venice. It's also one of the most expensive, as gondolier-for-hire business licences are limited to just 430 to 455 oarsmen in Venice, making the market artificially scarce and inflating prices. The gondoliers trade is shaped by 900 years of tradition: most are born locals, and it wasn't until 2010 that Venice got its first licensed female gondolier.

Short trips of 30 minutes to an hour to cost upwards of €100. A small comfort is that the price is per ride, and not per person. Most gondolas can accommodate between 3-4 persons. Make sure you reach an agreement on price and time before you start in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. There are many tips on how to negotiate prices in guidebooks, some are pretty wild and even includes walking away and letting them chase you. Whatever method you choose, bargaining with the gondolieres might knock €20-30 off the price. However, there's an informal habit among the oarsmen to cut the most interesting and little-known parts from the journey path for "discount" customers. Reduced rate riders get less marvel in exchange for a moderate price drop, which may not be worth it.

Vaporetto and traghetti

If you find spending hundreds of euros for a gondola to be a bit much, ride a vaporetto or traghetto instead. There are plenty of vaporetto lines that passes by interesting sights at a more manageable price of €5–10. Additionally, one can cross the canals on a traghetti, stripped down gondolas used a municipal ferries. In the 1950s there were as many as thirty, but now there are seven points to find them, with some only operating at rush hours. The length of any crossing is just a few minutes. Many visitors enjoy visiting the open air markets near the Rialto Bridge and there is a traghetto station there, at the Pescheria (fish market) joining the Santa Sophia church along the Strada Nova. You will notice that traghetti passengers tend to stand up, but if you are not comfortable doing so, sitting is possible, if you are careful.

Rowing clubs

Venice is home to several expensive rowing clubs.

Other

Spend a day on the islands, mainly Murano, Burano and Torcello. There are boat services to all these islands at scheduled times, including between the islands themselves. Be prepared for long lines and long waits for the boats between islands. The Glass Museum in Murano and the Lace Museum in Burano are certainly worth a visit. In Burano you will find some of the most picturesque streets and houses, with each house sporting a different pastel shade. Its really beautiful. Though there is not much to see in Torcello except for the old church, and the supposed "Throne of Atilla". However, the peace and tranquility of the island is not to be found anywhere else in Venice! Torcello is also home to a very expensive Cipriani restaurant. But just walking around on these islands is a nice enough experience. If you've had enough of the hype and the other tourists, hop off the vaporetto at 'Cimitero', Venice's graveyard for a peaceful walk. There are many famous tombs, and the section dedicated to deceased children is particularly haunting. There is also a free toilet there.

While going through Venice, make sure you take in the beauty of it all. Walk through the alley ways, and take the water taxi to different parts of the island, sometimes at night you can just go sit in an open area and watch locals and tourists passing by. It is wonderful. There are many museums and churches that are around the city that allow tourists to go in a visit. They are many great sights to keep you busy throughout your visit.

The “Secret Itineraries in Doge's Palace” worth a visit, take the visitor into the most secret and fascinating rooms in the Palace. It's better to book in advance.

Because Venice is now pretty much only inhabited by tourists and people serving the trade, it gets very quiet by 21:00 and there is very little to do in the evening (outside of eating). There are a few exceptions, like some classical music concerts, which most probably only play Vivaldi.

If you would like to have a guide to show up the highlights of Venice, you can choose between many offers. There are walking or boat tours, focused on shopping or history or for art lovers, and many itineraries.

Take photos, using your camera or phone on every corner of Venice will inspire you. And if you have taken good pictures, consider entering the photo competition "OneDayInVenezia", running all year round, awarding monthly winners, and dedicated to amateur photographers. The Grand Prize is a weekend in Venice, trip included.

Send a postcard or even better, an entire letter dedicated to a loved one (the old "snail mail" one, not the electronic variety)! Venice has a long, celebrated tradition in postal services, paper and written communication in general (including one of the earliest medieval book printing houses).

Venice it's also Riviera del Brenta old canals. The Riviera del Brenta is famous for its extraordinary Palladian villas along the Brenta river, its museums and historical buildings and it is 40 km (25 miles) from Venice. This Riviera and its mainland include 7 small cities: Stra, Fiesso d’Artico, Dolo, Fossò, Mira, Oriago and Malcontenta. These places are good for cycling excursions and to see antique Palladian Villas built on the Brenta river. In Stra village, there is the famous gardens of Villa Pisani and the museum of the shoes is in Villa Foscarini Rossi. In this last museum you can admire 1,500 models of Italian-made shoes created in local factories for major brands including Fendi, Genny, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Ungaro, Anne Kleyn, Richard Tyles and Vera Wang. In Dolo village you can visit the square, old watermill (XI century) and big open air market.

• Teatro San Gallo, +39 041 2412002. Nov-Apr: 19:00, May-Oct: 20:00. Half-hour documentary based on the BBC series Francesco's Venice - an 'amazing film that puts the spectacular beauty of this great city in historical context'. Film in English, audioguides in Italian, Russian and Spanish. €39, seniors €35, students €25, children €15 2015-04-10

Football: Venezia FC were relegated in 2022, so they now play soccer in Serie B, Italy's second tier. Their home ground Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo (capacity 11,000) is on Sant'Elena, connected by streets to the main east island.

Learn

Venice is home to two major (and expanding) public universities, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia and Università Iuav di Venezia (dead link: January 2023). There are possibly hundreds of smaller schools in the city. Neither university exploits its name for merchandising, and "Università degli Studi di Venezia" sweatshirts for sale at stalls are not only unlicensed, but there is no single university in the city with that name to begin with.

Buy

Venice has always been a city of merchants. Consequently, most of the Venetians working in Venice still own or work at a shop. If the pride of the Republic of Venice was the extreme diversity and quality of goods and services which could be found in Venice, these days, however, mass tourism led Venice to be populated with many shops selling low-quality souvenirs. The local shops are suffering a lot from this situation and it is not easy to identify them within the crowd of shops selling harmful imported goods. Buying from the authentic local businesses has never been more important, as it is essential to the future of the Venetians and guarantees you to get the real thing and to have a much better experience of Venice. It is not easy, though. Thankfully, there is a social enterprise in Venice that works closely with the Venetian business owners (shops, restaurants and bars included). They have a certification process where the local artisan shops attest and commit to be selling products both authentic and sustainable as well as to give a 10% discount to the customers carrying a Venezia Autentica Friends' Pass (buyable online for only €10).

Euronet runs the majority of ATMs within tourist areas, which carry both hefty ATM fees and extortionate exchange rates. To avoid the extortionate exchange rates, you should reject the first currency conversion offered to you, which will allow you to default to your bank's rate. When possible, you should use ATMs provided by actual banks and financial institutions. The Credit Agricole ATM machines are notable because they do not charge ATM fees or offer excessive currency conversion rates for most Visa Debit and Prepaid cards.

• Atelier Marega. A hand-made mask and costume shop.
• Fanny (gloves & accessories), Calle dei Saoneri, San Polo 2723 (100m west of Cà Foscari, near Campo San Polo), +39 041 5228266, fannygloves@hotmail.it. Hundreds of leather gloves in all colours.
• Francis Model (leather articles), Ruga Rialto, San Polo 773/A (100m SW of Rialto bridge), +39 041 5212889, ruggero.dezorzi@libero.it. Locally made leather bags. Exceptional craftsmanship. There are reports that some travellers were cheated in this store, by being told that transaction didn't occur while using their credit card, and demanded cash while in fact transaction did occur properly and thus having made the travellers pay for the same item twice.
• Venetia Studium (High end Scarves & Shawls), Calle Larga XXII Marzo, San Marco 2425, +39 041 5236953, info@venetiastudium.com. Fine velvets and silks of every imaginable color are woven into delicate evening bags, scarves and pillows. The Company Venetia Studium produces in the Island the worldwide famous Fortuny Lamps

If you've come to Venice thinking that you won't be able to do a bit of designer shopping, think again. Just like in every major Italian city, you get the big fashion brand names. For label clothing shopping, the best area is that around the Piazza San Marco, where you can find Versace, MaxMara, Gucci, Armani, Louis Vuitton, Prada (and numerous more) big names. If you want to shop for clothing or accessories, though, you don't necessarily have to shop through the biggest names in fashion. In the Campo Santo Stefano and Calle della Mandola, you can get less famous or local boutiques, but you can find some excellent quality and/or unique items such as clothes, shoes, wallets or handbags.

Look for the hand-made paper and the exquisite miniature buildings made by Moro. Watch out for fakes; Moro "signs" his name on the back. Also, beware of fakes and "free" trips to neighboring Murano for its famous glass. (See article for details.)

Tourist Traps: "Coloured Pasta" and "Venetian Limoncello" (not the original napolitan one) are not Italian food, no Italian would ever eat them, they are particularly made for tourists. For typical regional Italian food in food shops, check the labels to discover where they have been made.

Don't miss the Rialto market on San Polo, the smallest sestiere. The Rialto market is for shoppers. To the east is an area of small shops and restaurants; to the west is the Rialto farmers' market. Shopping is slightly less expensive than in the tourist-filled Piazza San Marco.

Murano Glass

• L’Isola, Calle de le Botteghe, San Marco 2970, +39 041 523 1973, info@lisola.com.
• Archimede Seguso, San Marco 143, +39 041 5289041.
• Venini, Piazzetta Leoncini, San Marco 314, +39 041 5224045, venezia@venini.it.

Eat

Venice is home to a rich and distinct regional cuisine and there are numerous wonderful restaurants, including a few Michelin starred ones. However, the city is also home to many more mediocre eateries that will not shy away from servering you undercooked pasta for overinflated prices. This has led to it becoming widely regarded that the restaurants in Venice serve food of a quality and in quantities much lower than anywhere else in Italy. However, with a bit of caution and planning ahead you'll have many excellent experiences eating in Venice. Rule of thumb is that if there's a waiter outside pimping for business, it's probably best avoided!

One of Venice's trademark foods is Sepe al nero, cuttlefish and its ink. This intense black ink serves as a sauce and ingredient for polenta (corn meal), risotto (rice), and pasta. These dishes are normally indicated by the Italian words "nella seppia" (in cuttlefish), "alla seppia" (in the style of cuttlefish), or "nero di seppia," (black of the cuttlefish). For example, Polenta Nella Seppia is fried corn meal with the black ink of a cuttle fish. Despite the intensity in color, the ink has a surprisingly mild taste. Other Veneitian dishes include Fegato alla veneziana, chopped liver, cooked with chopped onions and Sarde in saor: fried sardines, dipped in fried onion, raisins and pine nuts, spices and vinegar.

For snacks, Venice has its own version of tapas, the cicchetti. Often paired with wine you will find that most restaurants and bars serves some variant of it. There are also many 'bacaros in Venice, a wine bar that serves a wide selection of cicchetti to go along.

What Venice is not famous for is its pizza, Italy is a big country and pizza is generally more of a speciality in its southern parts. While there are restaurants serving it and some even do it acceptably, don't compare it to other parts of the country. If you really are craving for pizza, try the local chain Pizzeria Ae Oche. Meals are plentiful and prices reasonable, look to spend between €5-10 for a pizza depending on how exotic your selection is. For Americans, you can find a place called Quanto Basta pizza that serves an American-style pizza with pepperoni and french fries.

Be careful when the prices are on a weight basis (typically by the "etto", abbreviated "/hg". or 100 g). One dish can easily contain 400g of fish or meat (almost a pound) - coming to 4 times the indicated base price! Restaurants might offer low prices for food on their menus that they advertise outside the entrance, but they will sometimes compensate this by charging high prices for drinks (which is naturally not advertised). €5 for 33 cl of beer is not uncommon. Le Bauta, an eatery on Fond del Gaffaro, is a good example. Also, please make sure that you get your change back after payment as sometimes it may be 'forgotten' by the waiters.

Budget

To save money at lunch, eat standing up - that's what Venetians themselves do. Every cafe, trattoria, osteria, enoteca or whatever it chooses to call itself is stocked at lunchtime with cicchetti - Venetian tapas, including tramezzini (triangular sandwiches on white bread), bite-sized rolls with various cold cuts, polpette (fried balls of minced fish or meat) and assorted antipasti. Order by pointing at what you want on the glass shelves, and wash the whole thing down with a glass of wine (un' ombra) or a spritz (made with, in order of bitterness and alcohol content, Aperol, Campari or Select). Bear in mind that as soon as you allow yourself to sit at the table and be waited on, instead of ordering and consuming your food at the counter, the prices for the same items go up - you can end up paying double. If you look at the (government-mandated) chart of prices stapled to the wall near the bar, you'll see 2 columns of numbers, accommodating this arrangement. However, sitting is worth it if you plan on staying a while. Some places will also serve free bread and water for seated patrons, but then there is usually also a small charge (€1-3 per person) for "pane e coperto" (bread and cover charge).

There are a few supermarkets in the city, so if you are in the need to save some money, these are an option as they serve a wide array of prepared and semi-prepared food. On the main street from the station to the Rialto bridge there is a Coop and a Billa supermarket. There are still many small bakery shops and "biavaroli" where you can buy bread, cheese etc., particularly near the Rialto market area. For fresh fruit (including chilled coconut) watch out for the street market stalls. There is always a boat parked in the canal on campo San Barnaba selling fruit and vegetables into the late hours.

If you want to buy water (Venice has excellent free tap water easily accessible at the numerous fountains located outside throughout the city) it is usually cheapest to get it at the supermarkets: there are Billa or Co-op stores located throughout the city, though supermarkets are often "disguised" in nondescript buildings in Venice for space limitations.

Head to the Dorsoduro area of Venice if you want to save a few euros. It is located on the south side of the city. It has the highest concentration of places where locals, especially students, go to eat. Generally staying away from the main squares will be the cheapest option. If you're willing and able to walk around the town, some back streets offer the best food for the lowest price. Seeing the city from this vantage point is a lot of fun too!

Mid-range

The Rialto food markets are an absolute must for fruit, vegetables and cheese, but most of all for the huge range of seafood, much of it fresh out of the lagoon and still moving! There are a variety of small stores around the city that sell fruits and vegetables, but tourists will be hard-pressed to find them. Anything else you will find in the one of the few supermarkets in the city.

Splurge

There are 6-7 Michelin star restaurants in Venice, with prices to match.

Near the Rialto bridge there's a row of restaurants with tables by the canal, where you can have the quintessential Venice experience of dining by the canal lights. Although they do have waiters outside bugging you, some have pretty acceptable quality for price, which is almost always expensive anyway.

Ice cream

You will find ice cream all over the city, and you will hardly survive a hot summer day without it. Prices are €1.00-1.50 for one scoop, €2.50-3.50 for three scoops.

Drink

The typical local drink loved by all Venetians is Spritz, which is a mix of liquor and Prosecco with sparkling water to top it off. Aperol Spritz is by far the most common but there are variants with Campari or Select too. Almost all bars in the city serves it with prices range from €5 to €12, depending on how close you are to the main tourist arteries. Spritz are usually paired with cicheti, the Venetian version of tapas.

Another famous drink is the Bellini was invented in Harry's Bar in Venice. It is a mix of white peach juice and Prosecco (the ubiquitous Venetian Champagne-like sparkling wine). Fermented at a low temperature Prosecco develops amylic aromas (fruit drops), though these perhaps mix better with fruit juices than does the more austere Champagne. Classic Bellinis should never be made with Champagne. Although by normal standards expensive, a Bellini in Harry's Bar (€17 for a 1.5 oz drink is obscene) is still much cheaper than on the terraces of similar '5-star' establishments in the city.

A small Grappa is a common way to end meals, but be careful as it is brandy with 30 to 60 per cent alcohol.

Beer in a small pub is about €5 for a pint (birra media).

Coffee

Coffee is everywhere in Venice, and both Venetians and the tourists avail themselves of the opportunities, usually by downing a quick dose at the counter (see warning about sit-down prices above). Rule of thumb: the bigger (and shinier) the espresso machine, the better the result. Espresso, the real Italian, is about €1 at the bar, €2 at a table.

• E Rosa Salva. One of the favorites is the mini-chain "E Rosa Salva", with three locations in the center - on C. Fiubera (from Piazza San Marco, take the underpass in the middle of the arcade, cross the bridge and take second right off C. Fabbri), Merceria S. Salvadore (off the campo of the same name), and right on Campo San Zanipolo (to the right of the church looking from the canal); the last one is a gelateria as well. For your €1 you'll get exactly 2 and a half sips at the bottom of a small cup, with rich crema and no bitterness. Assorted house-made sweets are €1.10.

Nightlife

There are a number of fantastic bars in Venice, most are small places with lots of charm. Bars that stay open after 23:00 are clustered around a few few late-night drinking areas in Venice. Notice that Piazza San Marco is not one of them, although it is very pleasant with many people wandering around late.

The actual late night scene is in either Campo Santa Margherita, where the student crowds from nearby the University Ca' Foscari in Dorsoduro hangs out; upscale Erbaria on the West side of the Rialto Bridge where the main vegetable market is held during the day and along Fondamenta de la Misericordia in Cannaregio. The bars along Fondamenta de la Misericordia is anchored by Paradiso Perduto, which features live music on most nights. There's usually youths cruising (in motor boats) along the canal, blaring Italian rap songs in Italian from the loudspeakers.

Pub crawls are best planned in advance, as there's a real risk of wasting an hour or two wandering aimlessly in search of a watering hole that's open, especially midweek. Most bars close at 1 AM, so make sure you notice which ones are open until 2 AM or 3 AM.

There's next to no night clubs in proper Venice, to get to those you have to follow the locals and head over the bridge into Mestre, or hop on the boat to Lido. Those looking for LGBT nightlife in Venice will be disappointed. Hop on the train to Padua instead.

Pubs

There are two Irish pubs in Venice. One is located along the Strada Nova in Cannaregio; the other one is the Inishark just before Campo Santa Maria Formosa.

Sleep

Due to the historic city's constrained area and international popularity hotels are expensive. Bed and Breakfasts and guesthouses offer better rates. Real budget solutions (like campings and hostels) can be found in Mestre (mainland Venice) and on the island of Lido. Alternative accommodation can be also found on the island of Murano. These are worth considering since historic centre is quite well connected with bus and ferries, so staying further from the centre is not such a big problem.

In the last few years, holiday or short rentals apartments have increased in number and quality, now you can rent (minimum stay is usually 3 nights) a Palazzo on the Grand Canal as a little flat near Rialto.

Budget

In the city of Mestre just in front of Venice is the A&O Hostel with shared rooms for about 17–23€ per night (July 2022).

Mid-range

• {{sleep | name=Ca' Amadi | alt= | url=http://www.caamadi.it/en/ (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=Cannaregio 5815 | lat=45.4385951 | long=12.3375372 | directions= | phone=+39 041-5204682 | tollfree= | fax=+39 041-5206701 | checkin= | checkout= | price= | lastedit=2022-07-01 | content=In the old town centre, close to the famous Rialto Bridge. This 13th-century palace was once home to Marco Polo. Décor is keeping with the period, and the rooms are utterly charming. Original wall frescoes from the 1400s adorn the hotel. }}
• Ca' Bauta, Castello 6457, 45.4384168°, 12.3442353°, +39 041 2413787, info@cabauta.com. Housed in a 15th-century building, this quaint hotel has very spacious rooms with high ceilings and is adorned with stylish furniture and fittings. Has a friendly, multilingual staff who are always eager to assist you in planning tours, booking concert tickets, and making restaurant reservations. Rates from €70 per night.
• {{sleep | name=Continental Hotel Venice | alt= | url=http://continentalhotelvenice.com/ (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=Lista di Spagna, Cannaregio 166 | lat=45.4419737 | long=12.3240286 | directions= | phone=+39 041 71 5122 | tollfree= | fax=+39 041 524 2432 | checkin= | checkout= | price= | lastedit= | content=Three-star hotel in the Jewish Ghetto. A historic building belonged to a noble family, with 93 bedrooms (€95-194) capable to host any kind of guests. }}

Splurge

Connect

As of Sept 2021, Venice has 4G from Iliad and TIM, and 5G from Vodafone and Wind Tre.

The city has been steadily building out the municipal Wi-Fi network, which now covers almost the entire area around the Grand Canal and some of the larger squares in the center. You can buy guest access at approximately €5 per day at the same unified Venezia Unica site where the transport and museum passes are sold. However if you only need occasional access, it may not be worth buying this as you can get free wifi at most accommodations and at a lot of the museums in Venice.

Venice has several internet cafes, but they are much more expensive than the rest of Europe with prices for an hour of access around €6. Wi-Fi is only available at some of them. There's a wonderful pub, Cafe Blue in Dorsoduro, which has free (password-protected) wi-fi. Buy a spritz and a panini and go to town.

At the Telecom Italia Future Centre in Campo San Salvatore (San Marco) you can browse for free for one hour, once registered with your ID card.

To use an Internet cafe, buy a mobile SIM card or get a contract for an Internet connection. Personal identification is needed by law in Italy. Internet cafes will not let you use computers without a passport or national ID card.

Calle Delle Botteghe on San Marco 2970 Venezia is a pretty art gallery type internet cafe with a book shop. It is on the expensive side with €3 for 15 min but you can just go in and play chess with a glass of wine.

Stay safe

Venice is considered a safe city. You have to take the habitual travellers' precautions however. Keep your valuable items (like wallet and passport) close to you because there are pickpockets, especially in more crowded parts of the city. In case of need, you can dial free of charge on any phone 112 (no area code needed) to contact Carabinieri or 113 (no area code needed) to contact the Police.

Sometime, in the evening and night hours, Campo Bella Vienna and Campo Santa Margherita are place for violence, so be carefull if you stay here.

Stay healthy

Do not touch or swim in the extremely polluted water in the canals. Some of that water comes from the surrounding Venetian Lagoon, but the rest comes straight from toilets and kitchen sinks. Venice has begun to install septic tanks in buildings, but much of the city has not yet been upgraded and releases untreated sewage directly into the canals. Avoid bathing yourself, touching the water, immersing feet, etc. in the canals looking for refreshment in hot season. Also, at night there is a risk of falling into the water, as there are many alleys which end in the water but have little or no lighting. In the warmest months, these conditions can sometimes generate foul odors. Choose other times to visit if they might ruin what should be a highly enjoyable stay.

Current regulations forbid certain behaviour, including bathing in the canals and walking around in a swimsuit or bare-chested. Violations are subject to fines up to €500 and being banned from the city for the next 48 hours, even if you have a prepaid hotel room and non-refundable tickets to events. More information available on #EnjoyRespectVenezia website.

You can reach the emergency medical service dialing free of charge on any phone 118 (no area code needed, conversation will be recorded) to have assistance and an ambulance sent to you.

Chemists' shops (Italian: Farmacie) are all around the town. They are open 24 hr a day, 7 days a week on a rotational basis: outside the shop there's always the list of operating ones with time-table, address and phone number. If you need a special drug you might be asked to book it in advance if it's not in common use. Note that the commercial name or brand of your prescription might differ from your country of origin, and make sure that the medication you want is available in the EU.

Respect

Much of Venice's famous architecture is extremely old and showing the effects of being mishandled by the flood of tourists, some small fraction of whom behave as if they were in a modern holiday resort complex instead of an ancient city. To preserve the wonder of this city for future generations, everyone needs to treat the city's infrastructure as if you were in a large, open-air art museum.

The city officials state that it is necessary to enforce rules that preserve the city's urban cleanliness and make sure visitors behave themselves. The following tips will come in handy:

• Walk on the right side of the street; especially on narrower streets, you'll contribute to making your and other’s walk faster, safer, and tidier. Do it always, even if the street is empty. Do not block the flow of traffic, especially on bridges.

• Do not bathe, dive into, or swim in the canals; it is not only dangerous and unhealthy (the canals are the city's ancient open-air sewage system, not to mention the mud churned up by the motorboat traffic and the risk of being hit by one), but it is also punishable by a fine of €350, and the police can immediately ban you from the area.

• Do not sit down or lie down on the ground, on monuments, on steps, on bridges, on buildings (or even lean against them), or sit in public on anything else except chairs and benches made for the purpose, and especially do not sit on the ground to eat. Picnics are banned in all public areas. It is punishable by a fine of €100–200, and the police can immediately ban you from the area. If you need to rest or want to watch the people going by, look for one of Venice's bright red public benches to sit (but not lie down) on.

• Do not camp or sleep in public areas; the fine is €200, and the police will immediately ban you from the area.

• Do not walk around bare-chested or in swimwear; it is punishable by a fine of up to €250.

• Do not feed the birds or other wildlife and do not litter; the fines go up to €500. It may seem strange that feeding the birds has a higher potential fine than disrespectful stunts like climbing on top of a monument, but the city is located inside a fragile wetlands ecosystem, so please exercise more than the usual care.

The municipality of Venice maintains an up-to-date list of rules and regulations in English and several other langues at their official website.

Cope

Orientation

The unfortunate side-effect of the small alleys which make Venice such a delight to visit is that it is remarkably easy to get lost. Even maps provided by hotels are frequently inaccurate, and the maze-like structure of the city can become very confusing. The tight cluster of little islands that comprise Venice is completely surrounded by the Lagoon, so it is not possible, no matter how lost you become, to leave Venice on foot. Sooner or later you will come upon a piazza that you can locate on your map.

One tip: as you cross bridges, note the house numbers before and after. A small change probably means you are on the same island/district and have crossed a "new" canal. A major change means you are now on another island. Most maps clump islands together into their voting districts, there are many more islands than districts.

One piece of assistance is to look for directional signs. These will be marked "Per" and then with the name of a prominent location or bridge in the city, complete with an arrow pointing in the relevant direction. Hence, to get to the Rialto bridge, the signs to follow are marked "Per Rialto". Those to St Mark's Square read "Per S Marco", and those to the train station "Per Ferrovia" (there are some others as well). Having oriented yourself to the nearest landmark, direction-finding can thus become (slightly) easier.

Remember, though, that the signs to read are the official ones. Graffiti will occasionally give other directions, frequently incorrect ones.

That said, some argue that getting lost in Venice is part of the experience of the city. The number of photogenic canals, hidden restaurants and shops where glass blowing is done almost guarantees that there is no such thing as a "dull neighbourhood". Additionally, the public transport means that it is relatively easy to arrive at the intended destination even after one has emerged from the web of alleys in a totally unexpected place.

Overcrowding

While Venice may not get more tourists than other famous Italian destinations as Rome and Florence, the narrowness of streets and open areas may at times make Venice feel uncomfortably crowded during (but not only) the peak seasons, at the San Marco sestiere, the surroundings of the Rialto bridge and the streets leading from Venezia Santa Lucia and Piazzale Roma to San Marco. Walking by itself can be difficult, let alone snapping a good photo, using a public lavatory, or sitting at a decent cafe or restaurant.

To avoid the worst of the crowds, unless it is winter, try to visit the San Marco and Rialto bridge areas during early morning and late evening. During the late morning and afternoon, stay away as far as possible from this area, for instance walking around west Santa Croce, north Cannaregio, eastern Castello and Giudecca. Alternatively, take day trips to places outside central Venice such as Burano, the Lido, Padua or Vicenza, or simply take the opportunity to refresh in your hotel.

Useful telephone numbers

• Police (emergency call), 113.
• Carabinieri (emergency call), 112.
• First Aid (emergency call), 118.
• Venice Hospital, +39 041 5294111.
• Medical Service on Duty, +39 041 5294060.
• Tourist Information, +39 041 5298700.
• Gondola Service San Marco, +39 041 5200685.
• Gondola Service Rialto, +39 041 5224904.
• Gondola Service Danieli, +39 041 5222254.
• Airport San Marco Information, +39 041 2609260.
• Airport San Marco Lost and Found Office, +39 041 2609222.
• Railway information, 892021 (in country only).
• Railway Lost and Found Office, +39 041 785531.

Consulates

Most of the consulates listed here are only honorary consulates, so can only offer limited consular services. If you need any serious help, try visiting Milan, where larger consulates can sometimes be found; however, it will usually be easier to visit the Italian capital, Rome, where most countries' embassies are found.

• 🇦🇺 Australia, Via della Libertà, 12, +39 041 5093061, mc@castelbrando.it.
• 🇦🇹 Austria, Santa Croce, 251, +39 041 5240556, consolato.austria@zoppas.com.
• 🇧🇪 Belgium, Dorsoduro, 3464, +39 041 5242944, piero.reis@sgpaa.lu.
• 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, Cannaregio, 3821, +39 041 2413984, venice@honorary.mzv.cz.
• 🇩🇰 Denmark, Santa Croce, 466/g, +39 041 2413984, covedk@hotmail.com.
• 🇫🇮 Finland, Rio dei Scudi 2654/A, +39 347 1245016, finland.consulate.venice@gmail.com.
• 🇫🇷 France, Castello, 6140, +39 041 5224319, cfvenise@yahoo.fr.
• 🇩🇪 Germany, Santa Croce, 251, +39 041 5237675, venedig@hk-diplo.de.
• 🇬🇷 Greece, Castello 4683/C, +39 041 5237260, grcon.ven@mfa.gr.
• 🇱🇹 Lithuania, Santa Croce, 764, +39 041 5241131, info@consolatodilituania.venezia.it.
• 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, Castello, 5312, +39 041 5222047, conslux@fastwebnet.it.
• 🇲🇹 Malta, Piazzale l.da Vinci, 8, Mestre, +39 041 3969100, maltaconsul.venice@gov.mt.
• 🇲🇽 Mexico, Santa Marta , Fabbricato, 17, +39 041 2712642, consuladodemexico.venecia@service.net.
• 🇲🇨 Monaco, San Polo. 747, +39 041 5223772, consmonaco.venise@tin.it.
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands, San Marco, 2888, +39 041 5283416, cons.paesibassi.ve@libero.it.
• 🇳🇴 Norway, Santa Croce, 466/b, +39 041 5231345, consolato.norvegia.ve@longanesicattani.it.
• 🇵🇹 Portugal, San Marco, 1747, +39 041 5223446, perchidoni@yahoo.it.
• 🇷🇺 Russia, San Marco, 4718/a, +39 04 12418879.
• 🇪🇸 Spain, San Polo, 2646, +39 041 5233254.
• 🇸🇪 Sweden, Sestiere Cannaregio 166, +39 041 5225489, consolato.svezia.venezia@gmail.com.
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland, Dorsoduro, 810, +39 041 5225996, venezia@honrep.ch.
• 🇹🇷 Turkey, Santa Marta, Fabbricato 17, +39 041 5230707, consolatoturchia@bassani.it.
• 🇺🇸 United States, Venice Marco Polo Airport, Via Galileo Galilei, 30, +39 041 5415944, USCitizensVenice@state.gov.

Post offices

• Venezia Centro: San Marco. Sottoportico delle Acque 5016
• Venezia 1: Cannaregio, Lista di Spagna 233
• Venezia 3: San Polo, Campo San Polo 2012
• Venezia 4: San Marco, Calle Larga de l'Ascension 1241
• Venezia 5: Castello, Calle Barbaria delle Tole 6674
• Venezia 8: Giudecca, Fondamenta Sant'Eufemia
• Venezia 9: Castello, Via Garibaldi 1641
• Venezia 10: Dorsoduro, Zattere Fondamenta al Ponte Longo 1507
• Venezia 11: Sant'Elena, Viale 4 Novembre 23/24
• Venezia 12: Santa Croce, Fondamenta Santa Chiara 411
• Venezia 13: Cannaregio, Calle dele Cooperative snc
• Murano: Fondamenta Navagero 48
• Burano: Fondamenta Terranova 162
• Lido di Venezia: Via Doge Domenico Michiel 1
• Malamocco: Campo Chiesa 1

Go next

Metropolitan Venice has many interesting destinations far from the Venetian crowds. Around the Venetian lagoon are other smaller islands, which have since been deserted but are worth a visit. There is also the Lido, which is a long narrow island with more modern buildings, hosting a youth hostel and a hotel.

• Burano — Island famous for lace, textiles and colorfully painted houses.
• Lido — The island of tranquility, a beach district 10 minutes by boat from San Marco, and where the Venice movie festival is held.
• Mestre — Town in the mainland, but still a part of Venice.
• Murano — Nearby island famous for its glassware.
• San Lazzaro — Nearby island with Armenian monastery and impressive art collection, some world class pieces.
• Torcello — Nearby island with a 7th-century basilica church and an archeological museum.
• Riviera del Brenta — Palladian villas around Brenta River, 20 minutes from Venice by car, or you can get there via biking tours with a local bike hire shop.
• Lake Garda — An easy day trip by train, it is Italy's largest lake and stunning in scenery.
• Po Delta — Peaceful and scenic marshy area southwest of Venice with bike trails.
• Eraclea — Typical for its pinewood and Laguna del Mort, 55 minutes from Venice by car or by boat.
• Jesolo — Jesolo is one of the most important beaches in Italy, just 45 minutes from Venice by car or by boat (ferry from Treporti to Venice).
• Padua (It. Padova) — 40 km west of Venice, home to the Basilica of St. Anthony, the Scrovegni Chapel, and the oldest Botanical Gardens in the world, among others.
• Cortina d'Ampezzo — Lovely alpine town, site of 1956 Winter Olympic Games. Great mountain scenery, might be very expensive. A couple of hours of car ride to the north of Venice, more than 3 hours by train and bus.

Related: Venice with children

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