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Writer's pictureDaniel Bates

What to do and see in Venice, Italy

Venice is one of those cities which has to be visited because of its history, location, beautiful buildings, the canals, the gondolas and festivals. Olga and I have been fortunate to visit the city twice and we bring to you our personal experience and a few pointers to help you plan a trip. Now before anyone asks, we did day-trips here. We didn’t spend any nights here because accommodation can be very expensive so we stayed in nearby Verona which has a direct rail line to the island where Venice is located and on our second trip we stayed about a two hour drive south on the coastline, so we drove.

Gondola, Venice
Gondola's of Venice

The first time we came here (which was Springtime), we walked around the whole island and got lost in the alleyways. We also noticed a funny smell first thing in the morning but this was because the tide was out. When the tide came in, the smell went away. Strange that. Fortunately there weren't many people this time of year so we got to see the magic that Venice has to offer. We were finding lots of mini squares, museums, shops (a lot of them selling the Venetian masks) and trying quite a few gelatos.

Venice, Italy

One of the main sights we came across is the Ponte di Rialto, which is one of the bridges that crosses over the Grand Canal. To be frank, this is the bridge to check out and is very busy with pedestrians as it is located on the main walking routes between the San Marco and San Polo districts of the island. The bridge has stood here for many centuries, starting out as a wooden floating bridge but it collapsed in 1524. First constructed for easier access to the Rialto Market (hence the bridge’s name). It was then rebuilt with Istrian stone and still stands today. The bridge was created by Antonio da Ponte, who beat out Michelangelo for the job. The entire bridge is made of Istrian stone and crosses the Grand Canal at its narrowest point. It offers amazing views of the houses that line the canal and is an iconic place to get pictures from. To beat the crowds, come at sunrise. 

Ponte di Rialto, Venice
Ponte di Rialto

The Grand Canal is one of the most spectacular we have come across on our travels. It's not just a body of water, it is everything overlooking it which makes it spectacular. There are a heck of a lot of buildings dating back to the 13th century. Also there are only four bridges which cross the canal as the main way to get around Venice wasn’t walking but by boat. The best way to check out the amazing architecture of the buildings is also from the boat.

Away from the canals, the main place where a lot of people hit up (and we mean a lot of people!) is St. Mark’s Basilica. This famous building has fantastic architecture which has remained untouched since being built in 1092. The ornate detail, artwork and sculptures of the facade is just truly awesome however inside the cathedral, the frescos and works of art are worth checking out. The Basilica is located in Piazza San Marco and can be reached by foot from the railway station (about thirty-forty minute walk with the crowds in the way) or the Waterbus, where the main stops are located on the water in front of the square. The Piazza has a lot of other ornate buildings with arched walkways around it and is worth taking a wander around and checking out the details. 

One building which can be seen for miles around is St Mark’s Campanile, a tower which is 98 meters high. The original building was built in the 9th century but collapsed in the early 1900s. The Campanile was used as a watch tower but now it is used as a tourist attraction. That’s right, to get the best views overlooking Venice from the top of the tower. 

Venice

The Doge’s Palace is just simply amazing and its facade features an arched design made of white stone with a diamond pattern on the wall. Tours of the palace can be done but arrive early. Inside the palace, the rooms are beautifully decorated and have all the original details, art and furniture. Located behind the Doge’s Palace is the Ponte dei Sospiri, otherwise known as the Bridge of Sighs and is one structure that shouldn’t be missed! The bridge connects the Doge’s Palace and the Prigioni Nuove which is otherwise known as the Palace Prison. There is a short story to go with the bridge. Criminals who were taken from the palace to the prison caught their last view of Venice and ‘sighed’ whilst walking over the bridge. The ‘sigh’ noise the prisoners made meant that they were considering their punishment and imprisonment. 

Bridge of Sighs, venice
Bridge of Sighs

Not too far from Piazza San Marco but on the other side of the canal is the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is the second most important church in the city. Completed in 1687, the church is known for its Baroque design, the four statues of the apostles on the outside and the main dome.


The island of Burano


As well as checking out the city of Venice, there is also a small trip to Burano island which is worth checking out. Burano is a name which may not come to mind straight away when mentioned but if you mention the nickname ‘the island of Colourful houses’ then nearly everyone knows where Burano is. The island is located in the lagoon of Venice and makes an excellent half-day or day trip away from the touristy city. We came to the island on our second trip to Venice to see what the fuss was all about.


On arrival the main sight of the island was already seen. Well, it’s not just one sight, it’s everywhere. The colourful houses. Already we were taken in by the stunning artwork which really makes the building stand out. I (Daniel) have to admit, I was snapping away with the camera a lot like all the other hundred or so visitors I saw in the first five minutes of arrival. This was one of the problems we found on our visit here, the crowds. We arrived around mid-morning and the place was starting to get swampy. This is probably the second most-swamped island with visitors after Venice itself. We are not a keen fan of crowds and whilst we were trying to take in the colourful houses, we were also trying to keep an eye on Amelie while the others were looking at the art work and lace in the shops. Lace is also a big thing here, by the way. But we have to admit, we weren't enjoying it and maybe we should have come at sunrise to miss the crowds.


Walking around taking in the main square, the roads along the canal which divides the island into two and the towers of the churches, it was nice to see there were some people doing some paintings of the town. How I wish I could paint and have a lot of time to actually do this as a hobby. I love my photography, don’t get me wrong but I wish I could spend some time improving my painting skills and come to places like this and just paint. We were overhearing a tour guide who was speaking English to a group of people on the street to find out why the houses were so colourful. To be frank, we don’t think there is one good answer. They have been a legend that the houses were painted in different colours so fishermen could find their houses easily in the fog (total rubbish in my eyes as a lighthouse would be the easy answer to find one’s way), and then there is something about the plague and to identify which house has it and which houses do not have it. Oh well, maybe one will never know but by heck! The houses are stunning!


We also loved the bridges which go over the canals here and are similar to those in Venice. They make great photography opportunities also and go well with the colourful houses in the background. As we had a three-year-old daughter with us we also had a buggy (stroller), to which it is useless going over the bridges. Got to carry them over guys.


How to get to Burano: the island is located four miles north of Venice and takes about forty-fifty minutes on the local boat service depending where you board the boat. The best and fastest way by the waterbus (which is a lot cheaper than the water taxi) is line 12 which departs from Fondamerta Nova A on the northern side of Venice. The route also takes in the neighbouring island Murano (which we hear is worth a visit but we didn’t have enough time to check this place out). Timetable and fare information on the water bus can be found here.

Day trip ideas from Venice


Ran out of ideas whilst in Venice. The city has great connections to other parts of Northern Italy by train, bus and car and I recommend the following.


Verona


If anyone asks me where I would recommend a romantic European break for the weekend, I always recommend Verona. I even put this ahead of Paris, Venice, Brugge and Avignon. Verona is a city located in the Veneto region in the north-east of Italy and has good train links to Venice, Milan, Lago di Garda and Bologna as well as a small international airport (Verona) and the nearest biggest airports are Venice and Milan. Before I came to Verona, I explored Venice, Milan and Rome. I didn’t really feel anything for those cities but when I hit up Verona with my wife Olga, we both fell in love with the city straight away. Less known, less crowded but had everything to dazzle us. This is my guide to those who want a romantic weekend break in this special city.


Centro Storico: All the sights mentioned in this blog post are located in the Centro Storico which is known as the historic centre of Verona. The thing I loved about walking from one place to another is that I was wandering through side streets, taking in wide piazzas and basically getting lost but at the same time, checking out beautiful buildings and amazing food places. Piazza Bra: Located on the southern outskirts of Centro Storico is the main square, the Piazza Bra. Here there are a few cafes and restaurants which look great but a bit pricey (my personal tip here so if looking for cheaper food, go into the Centro Storico and find a hidden restaurant away from the tourist sites). 


Verona Arena: Also located on the Piazza Bra is the famous Roman Arena which in my own personal opinion, is one of the best Roman Arena’s I have come across on my travels. Much better than the ‘big daddy’ in Rome but on par with the arenas in El Jem (Tunisia) and Pula (Croatia). Visitors can go inside either by themselves or with a tour group. We decided to go by ourselves to take a walk, walked around it and the best thing was the views from the top. Looking into (or shall I say) into the arena and dreaming of what went on here in Roman times, like Gladiator fights. Also the views looking out to the city were amazing also. The arena has stood here since the first century and is still used for events today like opera performances (and I have been told they are really spectacular here) to which crowds of 15,000 will be inside watching it. Another fact I found out recently whilst writing this post is that the arena will be used as the closing ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics which is being held in nearby Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.


Torre dei Lamberti: In the heart of Centro Storico is the Torre dei Lamberti which is a tower which has stood here since the 12th century and is one of the best places to get fantastic views of the city. There is an elevator which takes visitors to the top but I prefered the staircase.

Time for the touristy bit - but so worth it! Juliet’s house! Ok, so we all know the story of Romeo and Juliet which was written by Englishman William Shakespeare and first published in 1597. For those who need a recap, the story is about a long ongoing quarrel between the Capulet and Montague families (who really did exist). Romeo (who was in the Montague family) and Juliet (in the Capulet family) meet for the first time when he goes to a ball at Juliet’s father’s house. The two fell in love very quickly but because of the two families, their love is going to be doomed. Straight after the ball and Romeo being all loved up, he goes to the Capulet garden and overhear’s Juliet on her balcony who was saying rather lovely things about the guys she met. Then the famous balcony scene happened, Romeo declaring his love and vows to marry each other the next day! (So quick, it must be young love!). Then of course death came along later in the story but I don’t want to be a spoiler. 


However it is the balcony scene location which Verona has become famous for. But how? Ok, so in the book Shakespeare described some of the settings brilliantly and a lot of details. Most of the settings in the book are based on Verona. However, the 13th century house with the balcony, why here? Ok, I will try my best to describe (and I had to do some research afterwards as I was very interested in this subject). The house belonged to the Dal Capello family (also known as the Cappelletti) and this name was similar to Juiliet’s family name, the Capulets. Simple! But it doesn’t stop there, the most convenient fact to all of this is that there is a small balcony overlooking the small 


In the courtyard is a bronze statue of Juliet and I followed the legend which goes with this and rubbed my hands all over her right breast (but not in a pervy way!). By doing this I was supposed to be given love and fertility. No one knows where the legend started. Also the statue is a copy as the original is now housed in a museum to protect it but no one really knows this and there is still a lot of magic and excitement in the area when visitors come to see the statue and balcony. 


The entrance to the courtyard is interesting. It’s covered with lots of love letters and notes from everyone who visits who are searching for everlasting love or just want to leave a note to say how they feel about their loved one.

Castelvecchio: The Old Castle is a bit of a combo-castle, built as a fortress and a home at the same time but due to so many invaders over the centuries, there have been a lot of changes to the original structure. The castle hosts a museum but for us, we loved checking out the courtyard. However next to the castle is the bridge (one of many which spans the Adige River) known as Castelvecchio Bridge or Verona’s Scaliger Bridge. The bridge connects the castle to the left bank of the city. The bridge has been blown up once and that was in 1945 when those pesky Nazi German’s were fleeing the city and decided to blow up all of Verona’s bridges on their retreat. The walk along the riverbank in this area is also beautiful and worth taking time out for. 


Piazza delle Erbe: The square is also known as the Market Square and located here is the town hall, the Torre dei Lamberti, the judge’s hall, house of merchants and other medieval houses. However the other main feature here is the fountain which has been here since 1368 and has a statue called Madonna Verona. However, as it was a hot day, I spent a lot of time just sitting down by Madonna Verona having a gelato, it just had to be done. 


Do the passeggiata: What’s the passeggiata? This is a tradition which happens throughout the country and we did this on the first night of our stay. It’s basically an evening walk where families dress up and go through the city. Then they mingle with other locals or just sit outside a cafe and enjoy the view with a glass of wine. It is a really lovely way to end the day in the city. 


Verona was probably the biggest day trip we did from Venice, but I always recommend the following: nice, pleasant and smaller. A more laid-back approach when exploring this beautiful region of Italy.

Lago di Garda: Sirmione: A lot of visitors stay here as Sirmione is the top place to visit. It has everything, shops, restaurants, gelato stalls, charming streets and a beach. Here is the best spot to check out the sunset over the lake. The top place to visit is Scaligero Castle and is one of Italy’s best-preserved castles. Nearby at the top of the narrow strip of land which Sirmione is located on is the archaeological site of Grotte di Catullo. These ruins are named after the most famous Roman poet, Catullus. The ruins are of a Roman Villa and there are plenty of olive trees around here. My favourite thing to do here is to check out the gorgeous view over the lake. Sirmione is also a great place to get a boat to other towns along the lakeshore.


Lago di Garda: Riva del Garda: At the northern end of the lake is the small, quiet town of Riva del Garda and to be honest, this is where a lot of people do windsurfing. There is a different feel to this town compared to the towns on the southern side of the lake, a more Germanic feel as the town used to be part of Austria. There are a few churches and a clock tower in the square but my favourite thing to do here in my short time was to do a lake shore walk and take in the overlooking mountains.


Lago di Garda: Malcesine: Located on the eastern side of the lake, I loved walking around the cobbled streets and having gelato here. There are a lot of flowering trees here and I just love the colourful facades of the buildings. The top thing to do here as well as anything to do with the lake, is to check out Castello Scaligero which is a beautiful castle perched over the lake. The town itself is overlooked by one of the highest mountains in the area, Monte Baldo, to which visitors can take the cable car near the town to the summit (unfortunately only open in tourist season). 


Lago di Garda: Desenzano del Garda: Located on the South Western side of the lake, this town is pretty, it’s worth having a walk around and in the hot summer months, have a snooze on one of the three beaches here. I found plenty of restaurants and noticed that this is the town for nightlife. I also thought (as well as Sirmione), the town is the best place to get a view of the Italian Alps.


Lago di Garda: Peschiera del Garda: On the South Eastern side of the lake is Peschiera and is very similar to Desenzano. As well as restaurants and being the main gateway to visitors who are coming in from Verona and Venice, all I remember is the Braccobaldo beach which is a pebble beach. This town is very quiet compared to the others but still worth a wander around.

Ferrara: Nearly two hours away by car from Venice but still worth hitting up. Located on the River Po, Ferrara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for being the ‘City of the Renaissance’. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Ferrara became an artistic and intellectual center during the Italian Renaissance.


I always wanted to come to the city after watching the U.S travel game show ‘The Amazing Race - season one’ when they filmed scenes from the city’s most iconic building, the Castello Estense. This medieval castle has a moat surrounding it and visitors can walk across the drawbridge into the castle. I also saw the spot where the couple gained their next ticket on the show on the moats wall.  


As well as the castle, the city has a cathedral, many square’s with beautiful buildings with their facades, stunning cobbled streets, fortified walls and great shopping areas. This city can be done in one day.


Comacchio. Not too far from Ferrara (to the east towards the coast), is this small picturesque town nestled in the heart of the Po Delta. Known for its charming canals and waterways and historical significance. There are a lot of bridges here, so the town is also known as ‘Little Venice’.  

San Marino - yes, it is possible to visit another country whilst in Venice, but it will be a long day trip. If going by public transport, head to Rimini and then catch the bus from outside the train station which will take you to this mountainous country. My full blog post can be found here

San Marino, a great day trip from Venice

Now for some top tips on Venice


NEVER eat at the main touristy spots. Food, drink and service fees can be very expensive. Just go a few streets down and the food is a lot cheaper (and less busier!). If you try to really keep the costs down, buy food at the many markets around Venice and eat there, your bank account will really love you for it.


Forget GPS or taking a map. The touristy part of Venice is on an island. Walk and get lost in the many streets. At some point you will come across signs for the Piazza San Marco or the main train station.


If planning to do all the sights, consider purchasing the Venezia Unica pass, this will also save a lot of money. 


We noticed one thing in restaurants here: if we asked for water, we don’t get tap water, we get bottled water and it’s charged within the bill. Ask for tap water. When walking around and need water, refill a bottle at one of the city’s many water fountains. 


To get around Venice, there are three methods of getting around. (Well, four, if gondolas are included but that’s a really expensive option). There is the waterbus (Vaporetto) and then there is the water taxi. The waterbus is only worth using if going to the other islands. Venice (the city itself) is all walking and there is no point getting the water bus unless the feet are hurting badly. 


There are some crazy things visitors should be aware of and do NOT do! Let’s start with picnics! Yes, do not have picnics in the major tourist sites like St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. That means no eating or drinking whilst sitting on the ground at these sorts of places. Other rules to note is NO SITTING down at all at St Mark’s Square, the only place you can sit is at the coffee shops which will charge visitors a bomb for a cup of coffee! Whilst at the square, do not feed the pigeons or a hefty fine will come your way.


Venice has also got laws that visitors are not allowed to jump into the canals or put padlocks on the bridges which is common in other cities in Europe. Do not walk around in swimsuits ladies or men, make sure your chest is covered. Both of these are against the law here also. Despite the very limited public transport, it is against the law to ride a bicycle in Venice.


Combined museum pass, there are two good options for this. Grab either the St. Mark’s Square Museum Pass (which costs around 25 Euros for admission to all the attractions in St. Mark’s Square) or the Venice Museum Pass (which costs 45 Euros for admission to the St. Marks’ Square museums as well as nine other museums). 


Venezia Unica Pass. If you are going to do lots of sightseeing, this pass gives you discounts to the top museums, tours, and attractions. It is priced to save visitors money when compared to buying separate tickets. Go online and pick out what you want to see ahead of time. The price varies depending on what you want to see but you’ll save a lot.


How to save money on the vaporetto. Get a day pass (or multi-day pass) for the water bus if you plan on traveling around the city a lot. A single trip is 9.50 Euros and a one-day pass is 25 Euros. A two-day pass for 35 Euros and a three-day for 45 euros. If visitors are planning on staying longer, a seven-day pass is 65 Euros. 


Personal feelings after the visits


Olga & I don’t want to put people off from visiting Venice. It is such a beautiful city and is worth checking out the cobbled streets, beautiful buildings and taking in all the history. We didn’t take a gondola ride as we were quoted prices for over 100 euros for a short journey and we weren’t prepared to pay that. It is an expensive place to come to but if prepared right, then Venice can be done on a budget. The other thing we didn’t like is the cruise ships which come in and bring thousands of passengers into the city. We get people wanting to see the city but to come by cruise ship, the amount of pollution coming out of the vessels and dirting up Venice’s canals, we think it’s just bang out of order. That’s our personal view. Would we come back here, probably not as we have been here twice. The memories we take from here we will treasure forever and we did enjoy ourselves but for us, it is a tourist-trap city and we like the quieter side of Italy.

Now for all the important information: 


How to get to & where Venice is located: Venice is located in the Veneto region of Italy which lies in the northeast of the country and is very easy to get to.


The main airport, Marco Polo is one of the busiest in Italy. The other airport nearby is Treviso Airport, which is situated to the north of Venice, approximately an hour away. Verona, Bergamo and Milan airports can be reached by train and easy autostrada routes from Venice. There are two train stations in Venice, the larger one is on the mainland and is known as Venezia Mestre and the one on the island where all the visitors want to go is Venezia Santa Lucia.


Driving to Venice? If visitors are thinking, it is durable but not the best idea. Olga and I have driven here before and we were lucky. You see the part of Venice where everyone wants to go, very little of it is accessible by car. Once over the bridge, the road kinda ends here and this is where two car parks are located - on Piazzale Roma. There is Garage San Marco and Garage Autrorimessa Comunale. Looking for a cheaper option? Then before crossing the bridge to the island, take the last exit and there are cheaper parking lots, about half the price. Then from here, take the bus (and the bus tickets can be brought from the car parking lots) and this will visitors to the island where visitors can go on foot or take a water-bus to their final destinations.

Flying into the area: Then I would recommend using Skyscanner to find flights as that is our first point of call. Then if necessary use the airlines directly to find a good deal. We sometimes use Momondo as well to compare prices before booking. 


Travel insurance: This is essential to anywhere you go in the world. We always carry travel insurance. Having travel insurance will cover you from theft, illness and those annoying cancellations which can happen on the road. Safetywing is my first point of call when looking for insurance. 


Need a visa for Italy? Always check if you need a visa when coming to Italy, especially for those who come from outside Europe. Italy is in the Schengen zone, so there are no land-border checks; however I have noticed more checks on the border recently with the police doing surprise checks in Menton and on the main autoroute between France and Italy.


Language: Italy speaks Italian but I find English is common with younger people. If you are in an area next to the French Riviera, French can be understood but not so much and also in the Italian Alps around Bolzano, German-Austrian dialect is spoken (as the area borders Austria). 


Accommodation: There are a lot of accommodation options and a lot of websites which can do some great deals. My first point of call is always Booking.com and can offer a range of hostels, hotels, campsites, apartments, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts. After that I always have a look through AirBnb for great deals on apartments and other lodgings especially when traveling as a family. 


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Pinterest - Venice - Voyager avec Danik

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