Venice

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Top 10 things to do in Venice

Few cities offer such a wealth of beauty, charm and history as Venice. With so many incredible sights on offer, choosing can be a daunting task. Let us help: here are 10 essential stops that belong on the itinerary of every visit to The Floating City.

  • Grand Canal

    1. Grand Canal

    The Grand Canal is Venice’s main boulevard – made of water! Hop on a waterbus, taxi-boat or an iconic gondola and float past the gorgeous historic buildings lining the canal banks.

  • Doge’s Palace

    2. Doge’s Palace

    The wow-factor of the Doge’s Palace's majestic marble exterior is only exceeded by the treasures held within – history buffs and aficionados of classical art will never want to leave.

  • Saint Mark’s Basilica

    3. Saint Mark’s Basilica

    The opulent Saint Mark’s Basilica is arguably the jewel in Venice’s crown. With its multi-leveled domes, intricate facades and stunning mosaics, it’s a marvel of Italo-Byzantine architecture.

  • Bridge of Sighs

    4. Bridge of Sighs

    When riding a Gondola with your loved one, make sure to pass the Bridge of Sighs – Venetian lore vows that a kiss under the bridge will grant couples eternal love and happiness.

  • Piazza San Marco

    5. Piazza San Marco

    This gigantic public square is the centerpiece of Venice. Napoleon was so taken by the beauty of the architecture, he called Piazza San Marco “the drawing room of Europe.”

  • Rialto Bridge

    6. Rialto Bridge

    The Rialto Bridge is the oldest and most ravishing bridge across Grand Canal. Get up early to beat the crowds and enjoy the spectacular views at your leisure, you won’t regret it.

  • Lido di Venezia

    7. Lido di Venezia

    Take a breather from the touristic bustle and visit the charming Lido di Venezia. A short boat ride from the center, it’s where some of Venice’s best (and cheapest!) restaurants are hidden.

  • Teatro La Fenice

    8. Teatro La Fenice

    You don’t need to be an opera enthusiast to be blown away by the sumptuous Teatro La Fenice, one of the most important and renowned venues in the history of the art.

  • Torcello

    9. Torcello

    Quiet and picturesque, the island of Torcello is perfect for a relaxing day trip. Make sure to visit the charming basilica and admire the amazing views from its bell tower.

  • Gallerie dell’Accademia

    10. Gallerie dell’Accademia

    The Gallerie dell’Accademia contains some of the most illustrious examples of Venetian art. The mere size of the paintings is awe-inspiring – be warned, you may leave with a crick in your neck.

Planning Your Visit

  • Save money on transport

    The way the city is built, you’ll find yourself using the waterbuses (“vaporetti”) a lot more than expected. These trips can eat into your savings if you’re not careful. Bundle tickets are a great way of avoiding nasty surprises. The price of a 12-hour ticket is roughly equivalent to 3 singles and the relative cost keeps dropping for longer periods (tickets are available for up to a week).

  • Counters are your friends

    Eating and drinking can be very expensive in Venice. Bars and restaurants generally charge more for sitting at a table, so a great way of cutting costs is opting for the counter instead. Surcharges vary with some restaurants charging up to 500% in the busiest tourist areas!

  • Enjoy the view

    The view of the entire city from atop the bell tower on Piazza San Marco, which costs 8 EUR, is one of Venice’s most popular attractions. An insider tip is heading over to San Giorgio Maggiore – the view is arguably better and the privilege only costs 3 EUR.

Good to know

  • Language
    Italian
  • Currency
    Euro (€)
  • Time Zone
    UTC (+01:00)
  • Country Code
    +39
  • Best time to visit
    From September to November the city is most pleasant.

Top Attractions in Venice

Things to Do in Venice

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What people are saying about Venice

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 71,980 reviews

This is an excellent tour to have an overall introduction to Murano, Burano, and Torcello, without diving too deep into the details of each island. Perfect if you have never visited them and want to get an idea, less suitable if you want to gain in-depth knowledge about them. We were a small group, so the company booked a taxi, which was an absolute treat. Great first time to the Lagoon Islands, our favourite was Burano (we got covid masks with handmade lace! So stylish). Live demonstrations of glass blowing and lace making are included. The guide was approachable and knowledgeable, keeping us on time without making us feel rushed.

From Venice: Murano, Torcello & Burano Boat Trip with Guide Reviewed by Giovanni, 11/4/2020

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Me and my wife had an amazing time with Francesco! He’s a Milanese native with a lot knowledge of the city and its culture and food. He took us to true local spots and introduced us to some wonderful locals. He was entertaning, intelligent, and great storyteller with loads of personal stories. We did this tour on our first day, at the end, it turned out to be the best activity we did! I highly recommend tour provider Withlocals and Francesco to anyone looking to learn about Milanese food, drink and culture.

Private Venice Food Tour with 10 Tastings Reviewed by Ann, 1/28/2021

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Valerio war sehr freundlich und informativ und sprach perfekt deutsch. Die Tour war Covid-19 bedingt, etwas abgeändert aber trotzdem sehr schmackhaft und informativ. In winzigen Hintergässchen, die man sonst nie gefunden hätte, haben wir die mit den traditionellen venezianischen Köstlichkeiten kennengelernt. Insgesamt ein unterhaltsamer, lukulischer Ausflug zu den gut versteckten, ursprünglichen Lokalen der Venezianer. Außerdem danken wir für die Rezepte zu so mancher Köstlichkeit, die wir genossen haben!

Private Venice Food Tour with 10 Tastings Reviewed by Tom, 1/28/2021

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The tour with Loris was just WOW! He was authentic and he knew everything about Venice and it's history The food stops were great (not touristic at all) and we tried a lot of real Italian treats! I recommend to go with hunger as you will get a LOTS of yummy food. Between all the eating, we were walking through this amazing scenery of Venice, which is now even more beautiful and authentic, now there are way less tourists. I will recommend this tour to all my friends who will go to Venice!!

Private Venice Food Tour with 10 Tastings Reviewed by Bill, 2/17/2021

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Giada gave us an amazing food tasting experience around different neighborhoods in Venice. She took us to places we never would have found on our own and introduced us to Italian culinary treats we didn’t even know existed! She also took the guess work out of what restaurants we should eat at by recommending places that locals eat at and are off the tourist trail. She is also very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of Venice. Great experience!

Private Venice Food Tour with 10 Tastings Reviewed by Peter, 1/28/2021

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