Venice in a nutshell

Location:

Veneto, Italy

Best known for:

The Italian city of canals and gondolas

Days needed to explore:

2+ - of course, you can see any city in a day, or two, if that’s all you have. Seeing some is definitely better than skipping altogether! But if you are able, Venice is spectacular enough that 3 days/2 nights or more would be ideal.

If you do opt for a day trip, be aware of the new tax implemented in 2025. Anyone over 14 not staying overnight on weekends or public holidays between April 18 - July 27, will have to pay a tourist tax. The fee is 5euro per person if booked at least four days in advance, or 10euro per person if booked less than four days before the visit.

Clock Tower in Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy

What to see and do:

Piazza San Marco - the heart of the city, a large piazza off of which you can see some other must-sees, such as Doge’s Palace and the Basilica di San Marco
Palazzo Ducale / Doge’s Palace - a museum off of Piazza San Marco with stunning Gothic architecture, once the ducal residence, a jail, as well as housing political institutions
Basilica di San Marco / Saint Mark’s Basilica - the large, ornate church off of Piazza San Marco dedicated to and supposedly holding the remains of Mark the Apostle. It was built starting in the 11th century
Ponte dei Sospiri / Bridge of Sighs - the famous bridge connecting the Palazzo Ducale with the once prison. The bridge was so named because the prisoners would sigh crossing the bridge, knowing it would be their last time seeing the outside world before their death
Ponte di Rialto / Rialto Bridge - the most famous and oldest bridge spanning the Grand Canal. It is considered an architectural and engineering feat of the Renaissance period
Canal Grande / Grand Canal - the largest canal in Venice
Mercato di Rialto - a large market with fruits, vegetables, fish, and more
Scala Contarini del Bovolo - a palace in Venice with a beautiful spiral staircase that offers excellent views of Venice from the top. Paid entrance, children under 12 are free
Visit the three islands Murano, Burano, and Torcello as a day trip. Take a vaporetto to get there. Murano is known for its glass, Burano is known for its colorful houses and lace, and Torcello is quieter but with a world famous restaurant, Locanda Cipriani where even Queen Elizabeth II has eaten

Palazzo Ducale and Campanile di San Marco

Established:

The exact origins of Venice are unknown, but tradition and evidence points to it being founded by refugees fleeing German and Hun invasions. Its name comes from the Veneti people who inhabited the area from the 2nd millenium BC to the first millenium BC. Venice was the capital of the Republic of Venice for almost 1,000 years, until Napoleon Bonaparte swept in. It was even under Austrian rule two separate times, until it became a part of the Kingdom of Italy in1866, and finally, the Republic of Italy as it is now today.

Typical foods to try:

Sarde in Saor - a sweet and salty antipasto of sardines, a dish for the adventurous!
Bacalà Mantecato - creamed salted cod. Bacalà is one of my favorites, and it’s a popular choice among Venetians. If some of the more unusual and fishy options don’t appeal to you, perhaps the bacalà will, it’s not very fishy tasting. It’s prepared in various ways, here as a creamy topping to Polenta fritters
Bigoli in Salsa - Bigoli, a long pasta, tossed in a simple sauce of onions, garlic, white wine, and anchovies
Risotto - while Risotto al Nero di Seppia (cuttlefish ink risotto) might be a Venetian choice, the Veneto region is a large producer of rice and the land of risottos. You’ll find less pasta here and more rice and corn in the form of Polenta and such
Fritole alla Veneziana - little fried pastry balls with various fillings, delightful treats available mostly around the Carnevale season

Where to eat:

Venice has wine bars aplenty, bacari, where you can get traditional small plates, called “cicchetti”. All’Arco is a good choice for a beloved bacari!

Corte Sconta - a well-known seafood restaurant
Vini da Gigio - for classic Venetian dishes
Bacán - Latin American cuisine for something different!
Osteria Giorgione da Masa - Japanese Italian fusion

Why I like Venice

Venice is a marvel. Water is beautiful, but so much water everywhere is both fascinating and slightly uncomfortable. On the list of cities I have loved visiting but would not desire to live, you’ll find Venice. I have more pictures of Venice than many other places I’ve visited but gosh, everything is just so unusual here, isn’t it?

Venice is wildly unique, with its watery roadways, history, and lively culture. It can be a pain to visit with the high tourist traffic, but it’s somewhere you really should visit if you can. Go just off season while the weather is still nice, but the crowds dissipate quickly once you get away from the train station and Piazza San Marco.

Venice is perfect for wandering, almost too good. Sometimes you want to be on the other side of the canal, but you just can’t manage to find a crossing. I prefer to wander cities as much as I can without using a map, but Venice was one of those that kept stumping us. Bridges everywhere, until you need one!

Venice reminds me of stark contrasts, some parts of the city are so congested, others feel almost abandoned. It will also always remind me of a very full bladder. You see, there are no free public restrooms, you either have to eat to drink somewhere or pay around €2 to use the bathroom. I had not yet learned the art of stopping in at Italian bars to get a water or drink and use the restroom. A good part of my day was spent refusing to pay for the loo, thinking I would find a free one somewhere before too long, only to realize that was not happening and suddenly needing to find any restroom and pay willingly! So there, I was bested by Venice.