No cars, no shortcuts, and a city that floods with day-trippers by 10am.
Overview · VCE
Best timeApr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Time needed2–3 days
Main airportVenice Marco Polo (VCE)
Venice is small but slow: everything happens on foot or by boat, and the big sights around St Mark's Square run on timed entry. Book those and the rest of the day is for getting lost.
Two or three days is right. Stay overnight if you can: the city empties after the day-trippers leave. On some peak days, day visitors pay an access fee; hotel guests are exempt.
Must-book in Venice
You can wander Venice for free. These five you'll end up paying for, so book them before you fly.
01
Must-book · Tickets€€from €30
Doge's Palace
The seat of the Venetian Republic: gilded halls, Tintoretto's giant canvas and the Bridge of Sighs.
Our tip: The St Mark's Square museums ticket covers it. The Secret Itineraries tour adds the prisons and hidden offices, with very few places.
In Venice, where you sleep decides how much of the city you see on foot. These are the areas we recommend, and who each one suits.
€€€€€€ Price levels compare the areas within this city.
01
San Marco €€€ Higher prices
Best for: First-timers with little time
Steps from the basilica and the Doge's Palace. The priciest area and the busiest by day, magical at night.
02
Cannaregio € Lower prices
Best for: Value and local life
Long canals, neighbourhood bars and the old Jewish Ghetto. Close to the train station and Piazzale Roma.
03
Dorsoduro €€ Mid-range prices
Best for: Couples and art lovers
The Accademia and Peggy Guggenheim, quiet squares and sunset on the Zattere. Calmer than San Marco.
Hotel shortlists
Three picks per question, chosen with our selection criteria, with price ranges and what nobody tells you.
The 3 best hotels near St Mark's SquareComing soon
The 3 best luxury hotels on the Grand CanalComing soon
The 3 best value hotels in CannaregioComing soon
Airport to city
01
Alilaguna water bus ≈ 60–75 min
About 60–75 min to San Marco
Arrive by water. Slow but scenic, and it stops near most hotels.
02
Express bus to Piazzale Roma ≈ 20 min
About 20 min
Fastest and cheapest to the edge of the city; then vaporetto or walk.
03
Water taxi ≈ 30 min
About 30 min to your hotel's door
Expensive, but unforgettable. Worth it for groups that split the fare.
Frequently asked questions
The 10 questions everyone asks before going, answered straight.
01Is Venice safe for tourists?
Yes, Venice is very safe and crime is low. The main risks are pickpockets on crowded vaporetti and around the Rialto, overpriced restaurants near St Mark's and slippery steps. On certain peak days, day visitors must pay an access fee and register online, so check the dates before you go (overnight guests are exempt).
02When is the best time to visit Venice?
April to June and September to October are the best months. Summer is hot, humid and packed. From November to January there can be acqua alta (high water), but the city is foggy, romantic and quieter. Carnival, in February, is spectacular and very busy.
03What language is spoken in Venice?
Italian (with the local Venetian dialect). English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and shops.
04How many days do you need in Venice?
Two to three days is ideal, and sleeping in Venice lets you enjoy it when the day-trippers leave. With more time, add Murano and Burano, Verona, Padua or the Dolomites.
05What are the top 10 attractions in Venice?
St Mark's Square and Basilica
Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs
Rialto Bridge and market
The Grand Canal by vaporetto or gondola
Gallerie dell'Accademia
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
St Mark's Campanile
Burano
Murano
Dorsoduro and the Zattere
06Which of these attractions can you visit for free?
St Mark's Square, the Rialto Bridge and market, and the view of the Bridge of Sighs from the Ponte della Paglia are free. Getting lost in Cannaregio and Dorsoduro, walking the Zattere promenade and visiting the Libreria Acqua Alta cost nothing. The churches of Santa Maria della Salute and San Giorgio Maggiore are free to enter (their bell towers and sacristies are paid).
07Which museums are worth visiting in Venice?
The Doge's Palace is the essential visit. Add the Gallerie dell'Accademia (Venetian painting), the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (modern art), Ca' Rezzonico (18th-century Venice), the Scuola Grande di San Rocco with its Tintorettos and the Punta della Dogana.
08What are the locals like in Venice?
Few Venetians still live in the historic centre and they're tired of mass tourism, but kind if you're respectful. Don't sit or eat on monuments and bridges (there are fines), never swim in the canals and keep right on bridges. A coperto (cover charge) is common on bills.
09What is the typical food in Venice?
The best way to eat is cicchetti (Venetian tapas) in a bacaro with an ombra, a small glass of wine. Try sarde in saor (sweet-and-sour sardines), risotto al nero di seppia (black cuttlefish risotto), fegato alla veneziana, bigoli in salsa and baccalà mantecato. To drink, a spritz, born here, or a Bellini.
10Where should you stay in Venice?
San Marco is the most central and expensive. Cannaregio is local, close to the station and cheaper. Dorsoduro is artsy and quiet, at mid-range prices.
Staying connected
An eSIM is a digital SIM you install on your phone before you fly. No plastic card, no shop at the airport: you land, switch it on and you're online.
Low cost: plans for a few days usually cost far less than roaming
Coverage in every destination on tips2trip, and worldwide
Data from the moment you land: maps, ride apps and your bookings
Book your airport-to-hotel and hotel-to-airport transfers in advance and forget about the taxi queue, the bargaining and the 'where do we go now?'. When you walk out of arrivals, someone is already waiting with a sign with your name on it, helps you with the bags and takes you straight to the door.
Fixed price, agreed before you travel
Flight tracking: they wait if you're delayed
Child seats and vans for families or groups on request
