Between the history, the hidden side streets, and the picturesque canals, Venice is truly magical.
Seven Corners can make the dream of a magical trip a reality with these Venice, Italy travel tips.
Where is Venice?
Venice is in northeastern Italy, along the Adriatic Sea. If you know anything about Venice already, it’s that it’s a city of canals, built on a lagoon. These canals connect more than 100 islands, including San Marco where Venice the city — not to be confused with Venezia the province or Veneto the region — is located.
What is the Weather in Venice, Italy?
Summer, particularly July, can get hot (high 80s Fahrenheit). The heat contributes to a distinctive odor from the canals, which is one reason many tourists choose to avoid Venice at the height of summer.
More popular times to visit are when the weather is more mild, typically late spring and early fall.
A combination of weather patterns — tides, currents, and low air pressure, to oversimplify the topic — leads to flooding in the city in the late fall and early winter. You can still travel to Venice during the acqua alta, but pack some rubber boots and be prepared to be ankle deep in water.
Do They Speak English in Venice?
Being in Italy, Italian is the official language in Venice, although you might also hear the local Venetian dialect.
It’s a good idea to have a few basic Italian phrases in your travel toolkit. If you’re still learning Italian, though, English is widely spoken at hotels, restaurants, and other tourist destinations. Most of Venice’s population is there because of tourism, and they aren’t local Venetians. As a result, you should be able to find someone who can assist you if you only speak English.
How to Get to Venice
The Marco Polo Airport is the only airport in Venice, and most flights come from other European cities. It is possible to get a direct flight from the U.S. to Venice. However, you will have limited airlines to choose from, and they may only be available during peak travel season.
The Venezia Santa Lucia Railway Station is Venice’s central train station and connects the city with many other destinations across Italy and Europe. The train might be the most economical route and is often the preferred method for how to travel from Rome to Venice, for example.
If you can’t find a direct flight to Venice, consider flying to another major city — Milan, Rome, Florence — and take the train the rest of the way.
Once you arrive in Venice, water taxi is a common way to get around, taking you from the airport, train station, or bus station to your hotel or other attractions.
Where to Stay in Venice
If you’ve never been to Venice or have a limited time there, look for accommodations in the San Marco area. This puts you in the heart of it all, close to major attractions like St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge Palace.
Of course, the central location means you’ll end up paying more for the convenience, so if you’re looking for a budget option, it’s worth branching out and looking in surrounding areas.
If you’re traveling to Venice on a backpacker’s budget, look in the Cannaregio neighborhood. You’ll be near the central train station, which some say makes it “less charming,” but you’ll have lots of options for cheap hotels, restaurants, and activities.
For something in between the luxury of central Venice and the cheaper rooms in Cannaregio, look to Dorsoduro. It's considered the university or cultural district. If you book early enough, you might be able to save some money on your hotel, and you’ll be close to some top-notch museums.
Alternatively, some local monasteries in Dorsoduro have guest rooms. Just don’t assume they’ll be cheaper than more traditional accommodations.
What to Eat in Venice, Italy
Eating is one of the best things to do in Italy. Sign up for a Venice culinary tour for a sampling of the region’s finest dishes and maybe even learn how some of them are made in a cooking class.
Put some of these can’t-miss foods on your menu during your trip to Venice, too.
Fritoìn or frito misto
So much of Venice’s most traditional and iconic dishes come from the sea. If you love fried seafood but can’t decide what to try first, look for a food stall selling frito misto.
Served in a paper cone (or scartosso), this sampler offers up fried calamari, shrimp, and fish balls.
Cicchetti
Not a single food, but rather a type of dish, cicchetti are essentially finger foods you get at a bacari, or bar. It’s Venetians’ equivalent of Spanish tapas.
Typical cicchetti includes crostini (tiny sandwiches with cured meats and cheese), polpette (fried meatballs), a selection of seafood, and other treats to be enjoyed at any time of day.
Cicchetti is a great way to eat on a budget, not to mention sample a variety of dishes without weighing yourself down with a full-course meal.
Risotto al nero di seppia
Yet another seafood dish that will leave a lasting impression is risotto al nero di seppia. It gets its strange, black appearance from the squid ink added to the risotto. Braised squid gives the dish extra flavor, although you might find a less traditional variation that also uses prawns.
Buranelli
For dessert, you can always get gelato. Or you can stray a bit from the obvious path by munching on buranelli, a traditional Venetian cookie.
Buranelli have been compared to shortbread cookies with more lemon flavor. To try them, look for donut-shaped or S-shaped cookies at a bakery or pastry shop.
What to Do in Venice, Italy
Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace)
Compared to other parts of Italy, Venice had its own very powerful republic from 697 AD until about 1800. During those years, it was ruled by the powerful Doge, a leader elected by Venice’s rich and famous.
All the major goings-on in Venice’s political scene happened at the Doge’s Palace on St. Mark’s Square. Today, it’s a museum full of Venetian art, history, and culture. If you’re traveling in Italy with kids, make sure to explore the prisons and armory.
Follow the audio guide available at the front desk to learn not only about the palace itself but the republic’s scandalous history, full of secrets, spies, and failed coups as well.
Bridge of Sighs
Back in the day, those imprisoned at the Doge’s Palace were taken from the courtroom of the palace over the Bridge of Sighs. There are two small windows in this fully enclosed bridge where the convict would get his last look at the outside world and, with a sigh, be taken on to serve his sentence.
When a bridge is considered one of the iconic landmarks in a city that’s known for its bridges and canals, you know it’s going to be something special. See it best from the Doge’s Palace or from below aboard a gondola.
St. Mark’s Basilica
Whether you’re in Venice for a month or merely planning what to do in Venice in two days, make sure St. Mark’s Basilica is on your itinerary.
It was originally the doge’s private chapel, which is hard to believe seeing its grandeur today. On the exterior, you’ll see stone arches and mosaics that turn a brilliant golden color at sunset. The basilica’s domes and bells are quite the sight as well.
Inside you can view the treasury, relics, and the stunning jeweled altarpiece — the Pala d’Oro. Ceiling mosaics are backed with golf leaf, meant to create a sense of divine light as the sun shines.
“The entire ceiling is made of gold mosaic with different biblical figures and saints interspersed throughout, so the interior seems to glow,” said Kathryn Snyder who wrote about her trip to Venice for Seven Corners. “In these different mosaics, you can see the effect the Byzantines truly had on this church. The mosaics look more like something you would expect to see in a Greek Orthodox church and is very different than what you see in most other Italian cathedrals.”
While St. Mark’s is one of the most popular attractions in Venice, remember that it is still an active place of worship. Here are some tips to help make your visit more enjoyable and respectful.
- Dress modestly, covering your shoulders and knees.
- Visit first thing in the morning to avoid long lines.
- Take a guided tour or download one yourself. Rick Steves’ Venice audio guide is popular. Just be sure to listen using headphones as one of the basilica’s rules is “no loud explanations.”
- Entrance to the church is free, and you can visit to pray or attend a service. To explore areas that are not part of the main church or to take a tour, you must have a ticket. Prices vary depending on what you want to do.
Carnival masks
Carnival in Venice is an experience like no other. Regardless of whether you visit during the festivities, you can still shop for typical carnival costumes, including masks.
You might even want to make your own masks. Look for traditional workshops like Cà Macana to create your own masquerade masterpiece.
Burano
Each of the lagoon’s islands has its own character. Some provide more luxury (and are more expensive), while others cater to a more relaxed and less touristy crowd. They can easily be reached from Venice by vaporetto (water bus).
Preferred by locals over the crowds of Lido, Burano is known for its handmade lacework and those buranelli cookies. Its colorful buildings are also a highlight.
“The overall effect is that of a rainbow on either side of very picturesque canals and bridges," said Kathryn.
Despite its small size, there are plenty of cafes, restaurants, and, of course, gelaterias to enjoy in between strolling the small, inviting streets.
Torcello
Another local favorite island, Torcello, is even smaller in size than Burano. But it’s not to be underestimated.
“Visiting Torcello was honestly one of my favorite outings in Italy,” said Kathryn. “When I went, it was later in the day toward evening, and there were not many other visitors. This was a nice change from Venice. As wonderful as Venice is, it’s a tourist city and can get very crowded.”
Enjoy the slower pace of Torcello with some tiramisu (Kathryn’s recommendation). See if you can spot Devil’s Bridge during your meanderings. The legend behind the bridge varies, although most versions have something to do with a pact made with il diavolo. Whatever you choose to believe, you can still appreciate the classic Venetian form of the bridge itself.
The Throne of Attila is another stop steeped in legend. While one story claims that Attila the Hun sat in this giant marble chair to pass judgement on people, another says that good luck will come to those who sit in the chair.
Yet another story has it that unwed people will be married within a year if they sit there. Who knows? This might be your next romantic getaway.
Travel Insurance for Venice
Venice is a magical place, but you don’t want to rely on supernatural powers to make your trip go off without a hitch. Be prepared for the unexpected and choose travel insurance before you head to the City of Bridges.
Travel medical insurance is always recommended because your health insurance from home often does not cover you overseas. Don’t pay expensive medical bills out of pocket. Let a travel insurance plan cover your treatment if you get sick or hurt in Venice.
Travel insurance can also reimburse you if you have to cancel or interrupt your trip, lose your luggage, or run up against a number of other travel mishaps.
Get a quick quote online to see how easy and affordable travel insurance can be. You can also talk to a licensed Seven Corners agent to make sure you have the best travel insurance for Italy.
