A Complete Travel Guide of Venice Italy

Venice Italy – the most romantic place on Earth

Many things could be said about this miraculous place in Italy and all would be in vain – words simply cannot describe the gorgeous Italian city of Venice well enough. You just have to see it with your own eyes and experience it with your own senses.  


 


What to see: In a place like this, everything is a noteworthy landmark. So whether you follow the dense tourist crowds to Venice’s most visited attractions or you decide to take a detour, you cannot be wrong.
The Venice’s canals – naturally, the most famous landmark in a place basically comprised of small islands in the middle of vast waters, are its canals. This is what Venice Italy is most famous for and what brings millions of tourists each year.

The Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) – this is arguably one of Venice’s most famous landmarks. And one of the most impressive ones, too! This was home to the notorious Venetian Doge – ruler of the former Venetian city state. It’s a great example of Italian Gothic architecture as well as home to many curious attractions, like Casanova’s jail. Sweet.


 


The Bridge of Sighs – as Venice Italy is one of the most romantic places on Earth, here you’re sure to find at least a dozen spots where lovers could experience their bliss. However, there’s this one place which is said to grant you eternal love with your sweetheart.

The Bridge of Sighs passes above one of Venice’s narrow channels and leads the way straight to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace. Lord Byron poetically referred to it this way, because it’s believed that the last thing prisoners saw before entering the dungeon, was this beautiful Venetian bridge and, naturally, they sighed at Venice’s eternal beauty.
So, if you want to make sure you got it all locked up, get on a gondola with your loved one at sunset, and kiss him/her right under the bridge when the bells of St. Marc’s basilica start tolling. The chances of this are mere, but it’s definitely worth the try.


 


Saint Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) – located on the signature for Venezia Piazza San Marco, this is the place to be when in Venice. You cannot miss out on this one. It may be crowded but it’d still stun you with its size, beauty and grandeur.

Other fascinating churches are San Giacomo di Rialto, San Giovanni e Paolo, Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Torcello and many others. If you want to enjoy Italy’s unique religious architecture, each church in the city is suitable for the task. Smaller cathedrals are just as beautiful and not so crowded, so keep that in mind.


 


Museums – the variety of museums in Venice Italy is simply mind-blowing. Larger and smaller, more general or more specific, historical or art – if you feel like going to the museum, you definitely have a lot to choose from.

The Jewish Ghetto of Venice Italy – having been home to a quite large Jewish community for the most part of its history, Venice now offers exciting walking tours through its Jewish quarter. Its rich historical heritage might interest you immensely and it definitely adds up to most major European cities’ Jewish parts.

Rialto – this is Venice’s central part and a gathering spot of all its major attractions and monuments. The Rialto market is a great place to merge with the locals and buy yourself something authentic Italian and the Rialto Bridge is one of the most famous landmarks in Venice.

What to do: Take a gondola tour on some of Venice’s gorgeous canals.
To take a better view of the city, from a bird’s eye perspective, climb up the notorious Bell tower of St. Mark (Campanile di San Marco). It’s a great, fulfilling experience that’s definitely worth the money.
Visit some of the many festivals. The Voga Longa is a rowing marathon and a very popular event in the city. And, of course, Venice’s Carnival is its most famous celebration, gathering hundreds of thousands of people in the city.

Shopping, of course, is always a great way to spend your time in Italy. Carnival masks, made of porcelain and richly adorned; gorgeous marbled paper; or stained glass – it’s all so magnificently beautiful and a nice way to remember this marvelous place.

Hit the back alleys and get lost. Unlike most other major European cities, getting lost here is a must. You just can’t appreciate Venice’s true charms without exploring its most secret niches. Small, decaying bookshops, smelling of paper and water and mould; stray cats on every corner, waiting to be fed or simply petted; hungry pigeons begging for a crumb (although you’d actually find them on the most crowded of places, like the Piazza San Marco); and so on. It’s always more exciting on the backstage, so don’t be afraid to get a little (or a lot) adventurous.


 


What to eat & to drink: An exciting way to delve deeper into Venice’s indigenous culture is to go on a food tour. Whether it’s organized or you’re its master, go for it! Enjoy all kinds of freshly prepared Italian food – some dishes are pretty familiar, but with the authentic taste of “made in Italy”; and others would completely surprise – so don’t fret and try it all! And taking a cooking class from an experienced real-life Italian cook is top of the iceberg. And don’t forget the gelato!

Spritz is a local drink, very popular among tourists. It’s hard to explain its taste, but it’s definitely worth the try! Of course, you cannot miss on the large variety of Italian wines, especially the Prosecco, which is Venice’s trademark sparkling wine. For some extra energy, try the real Italian espresso as locals have it – short and strong.

Where to sleep: Venice Italy is one of the most popular tourist destinations on Earth and as such it provides a great variety of accommodations, both more budget and more luxurious ones.

How to travel: This is world’s only pedestrian city. Meaning – you can go virtually everywhere on foot. And if you have to get faster to a place or get in and out of the city, only a boat can help you. No smog, no car hiss, no polluted air – this is a dream city for all eco-friendly people.

Remember that gondolas are pretty and all, but hardly the main means of transportation here. If you need to get somewhere faster or you’re simply tired of walking, the vaporetti (water buses) and water taxis are your best alternative.
The Vaporetto dell’Arte is your best choice, if you want to get around Venice Italy and see all its major landmarks, without having to sweat yourself through its tiny streets.


 


Useful tips: Gondolas are cute and definitely a selfie-worthy experience, but is it worth the money? Consider that before hopping into one of those. It may cost you as much as 200 bucks just to stroll around for 15 minutes.

It’s better to visit off the tourist seasons. However, keep in mind that Venice Italy is not a very nice place when raining, so that time of the year is also not such a good choice. Anyway, any time you visit the city, it’d be crowded, so you simply have to be prepared to fight your way through the crowds.

Beware of the Acqua alta (high water). It’s relatively unpredictable so you can’t really prepare for it, but it’s good to have a special map, showing you detours for when the main streets and squares get flooded. When the water flows the streets, special elevated paths are made, but it’s still not a very pleasant experience. It’s quite curious, though.

If you intend on visiting St. Mark’s cathedral (and you simply must), you’d better buy a ticket beforehand. Waiting on line to get inside the basilica may be up to 5 hours. And remember – you have to be dressed appropriately in order to get inside. However, keep in mind that you’re only allowed to stay in the church for as much as ten minutes.

Post by Angella Grey, the marketing manager at The Vacation Rentals Experts – an online and offline digital marketing agency that creates marketing solutions for vacation rentals, holiday homes and brands.


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