Oh Venezia. I adored this city. I actually cried a bit as we drove away, the island city built in the water fading into the rearview mirror. I truly loved my five days in Venice and I hope I can share some of that excitement with you here.
Made up of more than 100 islands (every article and website claims a slightly different number) connected by between 400-500 bridges (again, every resource counts a different amount), Venice is a city steeped in magic. There are no roads in Venice, there are no cars, there are no traffic lights... instead, there are countless boats, ferrying people and cargo throughout the city on the rivers that function as the city's streets.
Highways in Venice
It's so beautiful. The colours are bright and endearing, the little pathways across the islands winding and every few moments a new bridge to cross. The food is delicious, the night air salty and the gelato so sweet. I spent four nights in Venice and here is everything I did:
By flight: If you're traveling from further away, the Marco Polo International Airport in Venice is located on the mainland. From the airport, you can take the bus or a water taxi to Venice.
As mentioned, there are no roads for cars in Venice. You can arrive at the edge of Venice by train, bus or with your own car. Then, you will transfer onwards into Venice by public ferry or on foot. Bear this in mind while packing!
By train: The Venice Train Station is ideally located at Ferrovia, right next to two of the main ferry terminals in Venice: Ferrovia and P.le Roma.
By bus: Buses stop just across the river from the train station, over Ponte della Costituzione, at the Piazzale Roma. Local, regional and international buses (such as FlixBus) all arrive here.
By car: You can also drive to Venice across the Via della Libertà. You will then need to park your car in one of the parking garages, also near the train and bus terminals, in order to catch a ferry. I can recommend parking in the Garage San Marco - it costs €45 per night and is staffed 24 hours a day. You leave your car keys with the attendees in case they need to move your car and it's all super well-organized from the moment you pull up, are assigned a parking spot and then return to pick your car up safely a few days later.
You get around each of the islands on foot, often crossing between them by bridge. For longer journeys or bigger rivers, you will take a public ferry. You can also get a private water taxi.
I recommend buying a day or multi-day pass to use the ferries. This is because a single ticket on a ferry costs €9.50 per person and can add up really fast whereas a full day pass is €25, so after three trips it's already worth it. You can purchase these multi-day passes when you arrive in Venice at P.le Roma ferry terminal or online on the Venezia Unica official website, and you don't need to buy them in advance. These day passes allow for unlimited ferry rides on any of the public routes.
At the time of writing, these passes cost:
- €25 - one-day pass
- €35 - two-day pass
- €45 - three-day pass - we had this one
- €65 - seven-day pass
Spot the ferry!
Wherever you stay, take into account that you'll be traveling by ferry or on foot to get there. This means you'll be unloading all your luggage from the car, bus or train and then onto a little public ferry through Venice and then walking across cobblestones and up and down staired bridges. So pack light!
We stayed on Giudecca Island, in southern Venice, which we absolutely loved. Mostly because it was so quiet, away from the busy touristy centre, such as around popular Piazza San Marco, which I would avoid.
The stylish Generator Hostel is based out here, for backpackers looking for an affordable stay in the island city. We stayed at the Maison Boutique al Redentore, a peaceful escape with gorgeous rooms and a luxurious stay.
Generator Hostel - Image via HostelWorld
Maison Boutique Al Redentore - Image via Booking.com
You absolutely won't be short of options in Venice when it comes to meals. There seems to be a restaurant or trattoria every few steps, with cafes and gelaterias and boutiques all stuffed in between. We honestly felt a bit overwhelmed by choice and so usually, when we felt hungry, just checked for places with good ratings and in close walking distance on Google Maps.
Gelato
Gelato Gallonetto Dal 1985
Luganegher
Gelatoteca Suso
Moro Cafe
Pasta
Trattoria Ai Cacciatori
Osteria Oliva Nera
Bacaro Vintido'
I could have stayed in Venice so much longer, wandering the little streets and crossing bridges, gelato in hand and my camera in the other. Venice is stuffed full of gems, and every tiny street - all for people only - is begging to be explored. The city is best seen slowly, for if you walk too fast you'll miss something. The shout of a local offering fresh pasta, the tiny little boutiques of glass and art, the views along the canals. Venice is a daydream.
Get lost in the beautiful streets and canals
So often, after having visited a specific highlight I had pinned on Google Maps, we then just wandered freely, turning down streets that enticed us and crossing bridges that looked like they had something to see on the other side. I can highly recommend this. Venice is quite compact and things aren't so far apart from each other. You can cross entire islands on foot in just a few minutes and there are so many beautiful corners to photograph along the way...
Cross the Ponte dell'Accademia
Perhaps one of the most iconic views in all of Venice is the view as you walk over the Ponte dell'Accademia. Admire it from afar first - there is a near-empty square at the riverfront, the Palazzo Barbarigo, from where you can see the busy Grand Canal full of boats and the Ponte dell'Accademia stretching across it. Then meander your way through the little streets, stopping for a gelato at Luganegher, before crossing the bridge and being absolutely blown away by the views on both sides. It's particularly gorgeous at golden hour...
Palazzo Barbarigo
Ponte dell'Academia
Golden hour
Watch the gondolas crossing the rivers
We didn't opt in for a gondola ride, although it is one of the most popular activities in the city. Rather, we preferred to capture the entire scenes of Venice including the many gondolas punting along the canals, their guides all decked out in the iconic black or red and white striped t-shirts that have become so synonymous with Venice. A particularly beautiful gondola-watching spot is across at the Gondola Traghetto di San Tomà, a gondola terminal.
Take in the atmosphere at the river
Much like gondola-watching, river-watching was one of the best activities in Venice because it simply means rocking up at any beautiful riverfront and watching the chaos of it all go past. The people wandering along, trying not to get splashed. The gondolas, water taxis, ferries and service boats all expertly navigating the waters and (almost) never colliding, unless you count the way the ferry boats crash against the terminal without a care... These photos were all captured during a river-watching sundowner at Palazzo Moro Lin.
Check out the Fondaco Dei Tedeschi Rooftop Terrace
Arguably the best terrace in Venice, and for some reason they allow people to check it out completely free of charge. Of course, that does mean it's super popular and you do have to book your 15-minute timeslot the moment they are released (about three weeks in advance), but taking the escalators through the luxurious floors of the Galleria T Fondaco dei Tedeschi to the rooftop is well worth planning in advance.
I highly recommend the 5:45pm slot, the last slot of the day, for the best light glinting across the Venetian rooftops. And somehow, I booked the terrace on the day of the annual Venice Regata, an event that happens just one day per year, and we even got to watch a race going past. Serendipity...
Find the most famous restaurant window in Venice
I have vague memories of seeing photos of this restaurant on Tumblr probably a decade ago. That's how well-known and oft-photographed this spot is. I can't speak for the food, but it really is a photogenic little spot, with just one tiny table nestled into a river alcove overlooking one of Venice's canals. I mean, if you're looking for an iconic dinner spot, this could very well be it.
Be disappointed in the Piazza San Marco
But awe-inspired by the architecture of the Basilica di San Marco. Admittedly, the Piazza San Marco, often touted as one of Venice's most famous landmarks, was a total let-down. And I'm not alone in saying this. It looks so beautiful on screen but in real life, it's often full of construction or other temporary structures for various events, and countless tourist set-ups with Venice-adorned sweaters and caps swaying in the breeze. It's just a bit blah. You know I'm all about honesty!
Spot the iconic Bridge of Sighs
Opened in 1603, this world famous white limestone bridge stretches between the Doge Palace / Palazzo Ducale and the New Prison. And so the name makes sense, as it was named after the sighs of the prisoners as they were marched across from the halls of justice within the Palazzo to their imprisonment in the New Prison, just across the Rio di Palazzo.
And then... (see the next item on the list)
Walk through the Bridge of Sighs
As part of the entrance ticket into the Doge Palace / Palazzo Ducale (next item on this list), you get to walk across the famous Bridge of Sighs and get goosebumps at the thought of prisoner's sighing on their way to their imprisonment in the New Prison. Tiny windows on each side provide an excellent view of all the tourists ogling for a view of the very bridge which you are unknowingly inside. Unless of course, you stick a tiny hand out and wave at them, sparking excitement and perhaps a wave or two back...
Explore the Doge Palace / Palazzo Ducale
Sure, it's €30 and that's a little pricey for a single experience. But this is Venice and my goodness was it worth it. The Doge Palace was a highlight of our visit to Venice, not only because it's gorgeous, the former seat of the Venetian government, home to the world's largest canvas and gives you access to the Bridge of Sighs.
Doge Palace seen from the water
Climb up the outdoor spiral staircase of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
Featuring a small gallery with some contemporary art, and an spiral staircase that claims to be one of the first outdoor ones and thus starting a new movement of outdoor staircases, you may think that €8 is a worthy price for a climb to the top for a view over Venice. You may also not. The photo from the bottom is cool enough. If you'd like to go up, you don't need to buy tickets in advance and can buy them on site.
Bonus: Attend the Venice Film Festival
When I booked this trip to Venice a few months ago, as part of my six-week backpacking trip through Italy, I had no idea the iconic annual international Venice Film Festival was going on at the exact same time. Then, I stumbled upon an Instagram story of Brad Pitt and George Clooney arriving by water taxi - as they always do - to the red carpet on the Venice Lido and knew I had to make an adventure out of it.
So we scored some last minute film tickets, dressed up in our finest (that we had in our bags), took a public ferry (4.2) out to the Venice Lido - not a private water taxi but fun nonetheless - and then wandered through the La Biennale where we spotted the red carpet and some finely dressed celebrities. What a magical, once-in-a-lifetime, spontaneous experience.
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
