Top things to do in Venice
Attractions, tours and activities in Venice
Recommended museums in Venice
Where to discover culture and the arts in Venice
Venice: the city's best neighbourhoods
Find a great area to stay in Venice
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San Marco
0.2 miles from city centre
The beating heart of Venice. From dawn till dusk, stunning San Marco buzzes with footfall and camera-shutter clicks. Start the day with fresh pastry from Pasticceria Tonolo before getting your fill of selfies at Piazza San Marco and the Bridge of Sighs. Cap it off with a cocktail at Harry’s, the legendary bar loved by Ernest Hemingway. “Salute!”
Places to stay from £28 per night
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Cannaregio
0.7 miles from city centre
This one-time ghetto is a cache of offbeat treasure. Start the day with breakfast from a café in Campo di Ghetto, then get inspired at Bragorà, a funky handicrafts workshop. On sunny days, you can’t beat Al Timon, a small canalside bar with a moored-up gondola. It’s a tip-top spot to sit and tuck into spritz and “cicchetti” (snack dishes).
Places to stay from £4 per night
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Dorsoduro
0.7 miles from city centre
Keep it real in Dorsoduro. Away from the tourist swarms, this quiet district is home to bona-fide Venetians. Behind artistic treasure troves like Galleria dell’Accademia, you’ll find a whimsical labyrinth of picturesque squares and canals. Stroll down Zattere promenade to bask in the setting sun, then dine by candlelight at atmospheric La Bifora.
Places to stay from £22 per night
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Santa Croce
0.7 miles from city centre
Far from the madding crowds, where the real Venetians live. Friends have a tête-à-tête over biscotti and cappuccino, children chatter and play, and young couples idly stride across the square hand-in-hand. The humble (yet elegant) buildings contrast with the baroque and byzantine monuments that lord above the canal at every turn.
Places to stay from £23 per night
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San Polo
0.5 miles from city centre
History is writ large in San Polo. Ditch the map and follow the slender alleyways like Calle dei Botteri, winding past crumbling façades and impossibly small cafés. Head to Calle del Tintoretto, where Scuola Grande di San Rocco boasts a slew of paintings from the great man himself. Sip a riverside spritz in Ancorà, before a fresh fish supper at Muro Frari.
Places to stay from £17 per night
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Castello
0.4 miles from city centre
Old-school Castello is decidedly laid-back. Neighbours chatter, shirts drip-dry from washing lines strewn above alleys, and mornings start with cappuccinos and newspaper-rustle at the cafes around Giardini Pubblici (the public gardens). It’s also home to the Venetian Arsenal, shipyards that are anchored to the city’s history.
Places to stay from £9 per night
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Giudecca
0.8 miles from city centre
Most visitors head to the Redentore Church. However, if you only go there you’d be missing half the fun. This humble, car-free district is only accessible by waterbus. It was once the city’s industrial centre, where fabrics were woven and rolled, flour ground and turned into artisanal breads and tourists came in droves; now it’s as quiet as it gets.
Places to stay from £9 per night
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Venice City Centre
In the city centre
The colour of street signs matches the city centre’s interiors – pure gold. Modern-day Medici’s live in luxury in Venice’s most elite district. Before the stream of tourists becomes a river, watch the morning sun strike St. Marco Square – it’s magnificent. Afterwards, slip into Pasticceria Tonolo for a standing espresso and Venice’s best pastries.
Places to stay from £21 per night
About Venice
Including tips for the best time to visit Venice
Venice is one of the world's most unique cities, due to the fact that in the six centuries since it came into existence, it hasn't really changed. And despite being a sprinkling of islands built on water, it's home to spectacular buildings like the Basilica of St. Mark. Located in Veneto, a region of North-East Italy, Venice is a city worth getting lost in. Flanked by a labyrinthine network of charming canals, its spaghetti-like layout of narrow streets offer a new discovery around every corner.
Venice's famous Piazza di San Marco is the city’s centre of attention, with the majestic basilica towering over the square, as well as the Doges' Palace (Palazzo Ducale) and the columns of San Marco and San Todaro completing the iconic ensemble.
If you've got time, take a romantic gondola ride along the Grand Canal and under the Rialto Bridge, or a water taxi to Murano, world-renowned for its glassmaking. Venice also hosts the oldest film festival in the world, which takes place in late August or early September on the island of Lido di Venezia. Other cultural highlights include the prestigious Art Biennale exhibition which is held every two years and the annual carnival, where locals and visitors put on their traditional period costumes and elaborate Venetian masks.
Situated in the mainland area of Mestre, Venice Marco Polo is the closest airport to Venice itself, but many low-cost airlines touch down at Treviso Airport, 25 kilometres away from the city.
Tonight
From £103 per night
This weekend
From £341 per night
Next weekend
From £261 per night
| Most popular time to visit | October–December |
| Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
| Local currency | € 10 = £8.51 |
| Language | Italian |
| Average weekend price | £206 per night |
| Average weekday price | £231 per night |
| Typical stay | 2 nights |
Points of interest in Venice
Stay near the top sightseeing spots in Venice
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Piazza San Marco
In the city centre
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Rialto Bridge
0.3 miles from city centre
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La Fenice Theatre
0.2 miles from city centre
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The Bridge of Sighs
0.1 miles from city centre
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Ca' d'Oro
0.5 miles from city centre
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Basilica San Marco
0.1 miles from city centre
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Doge's Palace
0.1 miles from city centre
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Venetian Ghetto
0.9 miles from city centre
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Frari Basilica
0.6 miles from city centre
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Peggy Guggenheim Collection
0.4 miles from city centre
Venice reviews
What other travellers say about Venice
Stay at the Crowne Plaza Quarto dAltino 4 star hotel.
30 May 2024
Stay at the Crowne Plaza Quarto dAltino 4 star hotel...a 30 minute 5 Euros train ride that stops at the back of the hotel. That way you don't have to drag your luggage over the stairs on the bridges.
All sights were inundated with tourists to the point that it...
30 May 2024
All sights were inundated with tourists to the point that it was almost impossible to take a photograph without people crossing in front of the camera. One restaurant's waiter told us that his tip could not be put on the credit card I paid with and he wanted cash??? I have never had a server ask for a tip, let alone an under the table tip. His service was odd and forgetful too.
Great boat trip to Murano, Burano and Torcello.
29 May 2024
Great boat trip to Murano, Burano and Torcello. Loved the Gondala ride although 90 Euros for 30 minutes is pricey. It’s busy in the streets, we met a couple who had been pick pocketed so be mindful. Also expect lots of annoying posers staging photo shoots for their social media.
Venice is a beautiful city with a rich history, amazing...
29 May 2024
Venice is a beautiful city with a rich history, amazing sites to see, restaurants, affordable shopping and options for trips and tours. However, if you travel to Venice, make sure you do not have too many heavy bags. Depending on where you stay, you will have to walk a lot to get to your hotel. Since there is no public transportation in the city, you have to walk everywhere...... In addition, many hotels/apartments do not have elevators and thus Venice may be difficult to navigate for people with mobility issues.
Wonderful amazing place and exciting.
27 May 2024
Wonderful amazing place and exciting. Friendly and professional people. Awesome to sail around in either a taxi, gondola or bus even as well as see it. The streets are like a maze. Highly recommend this city, top 10. Different than other cities in a wonderful way. My husband and I loved Venice.
Best time to travel is May the weather is amazing.
27 May 2024
Best time to travel is May the weather is amazing. I did get caught in the worse storm they had in years but that is unusual. You have to add Venice to your bucket list, is romantic great shopping and just beautiful.
Popular places to stay in Venice
Stay in some of the best accommodation Venice has to offer
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Ca' ai Sospiri Castello, Venice
From £391 per night
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Acqua - Attico con terrazza Castello, Venice
From £303 per night
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Appartamento Calle dei Preti info at yourhomefromhomeinvenice-venicerentalapartments dot it Castello, Venice
From £237 per night
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Casa Marco Polo Venice City Centre, Venice
From £436 per night
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Ca' Alessandro Cannaregio, Venice
From £266 per night
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Other accommodation in Venice
Choose from a wide variety of places to stay in Venice
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Apartments
From £9 per night
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Villas
From £77 per night
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Cottages
From £28 per night
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Serviced Apartments
From £30 per night
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Holiday Homes
From £28 per night
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Guest Houses
From £4 per night
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Hostels
From £9 per night
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B&Bs
From £32 per night
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Homestays
From £26 per night
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Self Catering Accommodation
From £9 per night
