The Best Travel Guide to Venice (UPDATED 2024) | ArrivalGuides.com

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Overview

Venice The guide was updated: 2024-02-12

From its unmatched romantic allure to its historical heritage to its indisputable beauty, there is no other city like Venice. The "Queen of the Adriatic" is composed of a maze of islands, canals, and bridges, hiding magnificent buildings, historical landmarks of great artistic and cultural importance, as well as charming restaurants and squares. There are no cars in Venice, but you won't need them anyway since "The City of Bridges" is best explored on foot.

Facts

Population:	258,051 (2023)
Currency:	1 Euro = 100 cents
Search Accommodation:	Hotels »
Emergency numbers:	Police: 112 Carabinieri Force: 113 Fire Brigade: 115 Emergency Medical Service: 118
Newspapers:	Il Gazzettino — www.ilgazzettino.it La Nuova Venezia — nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/venezia La Voce di Venezia — www.lavocedivenezia.it
Website:	www.veneziaunica.it www.comune.venezia.it
Opening hours:	Shops in Venice are usually open 9am–1pm and 3pm–8pm, with some variations depending on the time of year.
Tourist information:	Tourist Information Office Piazza San Marco, 71B, Venice Open daily 9am–7pm

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Section in Venice

Venice is the only city of its type in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage site representing a cultural absolute, demanding preservation and transmission to future generations. The whole city is a unique sight in itself, and to enjoy its exceptional beauty, the best way to explore it is on foot.

St Mark's Basilica

St Mark's Basilica

Located in St Mark's Square (Piazza di San Marco), next to the Doge's Palace, The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark — commonly known as St Mark's Basilica — is the most important religious temple in the city, as well as one of the finest examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture.

St Mark's Square

St Mark's Square

St Mark's Square is the biggest and the most well-known square in Venice. If you truly want to comprehend the power of the former Venetian empire, this is the right place to visit. The square is full of striking and inspiring sights, like the bell tower, from which you can grasp a splendid view of Venice.

Doge’s Palace

Doge’s Palace

Built in Venetian Gothic style and one of the most iconic landmarks of Venice, the Doge's Palace or Palazzo Ducale used to be the residence of the Doge of Venice, as well as the seat of power for the Venetian Republic, which lasted more than 1,000 years. Both the court and the prison were located within the palace walls, but since 1923 the building is better known as a museum.

Gondola Ride

Gondola Ride

There are several tour operators offering different types of Gondola tours. You can choose between a more romantic style with serenades sung to you and your beloved partner or a more classical sightseeing tour with a guide telling you the history of all the beautiful buildings around. There are even tours where you can learn how to row the Gondola yourself. Whichever tour you end up choosing, you're sure to have a memorable experience.

Burano Island

Burano Island

Burano Island is famous for its brightly coloured houses, picturesque canals, and peaceful atmosphere. Other attractions include the Church of San Martino with its leaning bell tower and the Lace Museum – lacemaking is a fruitful industry in Burano, and you'll find many artisan lace shops on the island.

Murano Island

Murano Island

Murano Island is a popular tourist destination in Venice renowned for its glassmaking industry, which is the result of a centuries-old tradition. You can learn more about it by visiting the Murano Glass Museum or any of the numerous glasswork studios on the island.

Glassmaking Workshop

Glassmaking Workshop

The island of Murano in Venice is famous worldwide for its long tradition of glassmaking. And if you're looking for a fun and unique way to spend an hour and a half on Murano and then leave with a glass treasure you made yourself, consider taking a personalised glassmaking lesson. In this 90-minute glassmaking workshop with a local artisan, you'll learn how to craft your own glass artwork while discovering the secrets of Murano glassmaking techniques. The best part is that you get to take your glass creation home.

Venice Carnival Mask-Making Class

Venice Carnival Mask-Making Class

A fun activity for both kids and adults while visiting Venice is to craft your own Carnival mask. Enjoy a course on mask making from a master artisan in Venice while learning all about the history of this ancient tradition. Choose between a production class, decoration class, or both. Whichever option you choose, you get to bring home your creation as a souvenir from this unique experience.

Food Tasting Walking Tour

Food Tasting Walking Tour

A great way to eat your way around Venice and discover the local cuisine is by booking a guided food tour. And in this 3-hour food-tasting walking tour, you'll get a chance to sample an array of local specialities, including fresh seafood, homemade gelato, traditional Venetian cookies, and regional wines, plus get tips on the best places to drink and dine in the city.

Bridge of Sighs

Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) has inherited its sad name from the condemned prisoners crossing it on their way to the execution. The covered bridge connects the prison to the interrogation room in the Doge's Palace and crosses Rio di Palazzo. If you happen to pass under it at sunset, at the time the bells of St Mark's Campanile ring, remember to kiss your loved one: as the legend goes, your love will be eternal.

Rialto Bridge

Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge is one of the several bridges crossing Canal Grande. Be prepared to meet many other tourists here since this is one of the most well-known landmarks of Venice. The architecture is impressive, especially considering it was built on approximately 12,000 wooden pilings over 400 years ago.

Rialto Market

Rialto Market

This fish and vegetable market has been around since the year 1097, and there is frantic activity here, especially early in the mornings. The fishmongers, the bustling scenes, the old facades, and the fascinating canal combine to create a great experience for all senses.

Torcello Island

Torcello Island

Torcello is a small island that is usually not included on the typical tourist path in Venice. On this sparsely populated island, you'll find the oldest Byzantine church of Venice, which is truly amazing during the sunset, after which it even gets a little spooky.

Grand Canal

Grand Canal

Canal Grande is the largest canal in town, almost 4 km long and 90-metre-wide in some parts, with an average depth of 5 metres. Public transport is available in the form of gondolas, water taxis, and the popular vaporetti — water buses. Along the canal, which is crossed by three stunning bridges, you'll discover plenty of famous buildings.

Teatro La Fenice

Teatro La Fenice

La Fenice is a world-renowned opera house and a symbol of the Italian theatre tradition. Its name means "the phoenix", which suits the theatre very well, as it happened more than once that it burned down and had to be reconstructed. La Fenice was originally built in 1755 and witnessed several world-class performances, like the premiere of Verdi's La Traviata. Nowadays, you can either visit the theatre to see its magnificent interiors and learn about its rich history or enjoy a show there during the opera season.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Peggy Guggenheim, the wife of the artist Max Ernst, once resided in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, which now serves as a museum that houses her remarkable art collection, featuring works from Europe and America dating back to the first half of the 20th century.

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