A city on water, Venice isn’t to be missed on your Italian tour!

Travel

From JFK airport in New York, you can get a flight to Marco Polo airport in Venice that usually takes a short stop in Switzerland or Germany. If you’re coming from Rome or Florence, you can catch the express train that takes between 1 to 5 hours (depending on your departing city).

Stay

Hotel Antiche Figure is right across the bridge from the train station you’ll arrive at if you take the express train. This hotel has the traditional Venetian vibe, with views on the canal and beautifully decorated rooms. You’ll feel a sense of luxury here without the mega price tag.

Eat

Breakfast at the Hotel Antiche Figure includes homemade croissants made fresh every morning, served along with fresh fruits. It’s worth choosing a hotel with breakfast included as it’s usually more convenient than heading out.  

There’s excellent seafood in Venice on the water, so definitely take advantage of the freshly caught seafood dishes. Eat lasagna and pizza at Al Chianti in the Piazza San Marco to get your carb-fix. If you’re looking for dessert, you can pick up gelato at Venchi or visit the best Tiramisu maker in Venice, I Tre Mercanti.

Do

  • A tour of the glass factory in Murano, the home of the classic Venetian glass sculptures, is fascinating.
  • Take a Gondola ride, especially if it’s your first time in Venice. You have to undertake this classic activity.
  • Walk back and forth across the bridges over the canal. With everything being on the small islands in the lagoon, you can follow the water up and down the city with different views around every corner.
  • Go to the Piazza San Marco, not only home to the grand St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, the streets off the public square are great for independent restaurants, wine bars and small boutiques.
  • Take a trip to the top of Campanile di San Marco for a bird’s eye view of the city, but get there early to avoid the queues.

Top tips: 

  • In Venice there are no cars – to get around you’re either walking or taking a boat, even the bus is a boat!
  • On this, there are a lot of stairs and bridges, so it’s not the easiest place to navigate if you are handicapped.
  • Before you leave the main town to go to Murano or Burano, buy the ticket ahead of time so you have flexibility when you want to travel back;
  • The tobacco stores where you buy the transport tickets are closed from 12pm until 3.30pm.
  • Don’t avoid the tourist hotspots, they’re worth the crowds. But to skip the busiest times head out early in the day.

Don’t forget to check out our guides to Rome and Florence too.

Edited by Brianne Oliva