Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. The romantic alleys, the floating houses, the sailing gondolas and the delicious food make this city a great destination. We visited Venice during our road trip through Italy, but it is also perfect to visit Venice as a city trip! There are so many beautiful sights in Venice, so read the blog to find out what you can expect from this special city.
HOW TO GET TO VENICE
Venice is located in the northeast of Italy and is a floating city with no less than 150 canals, 100 squares and 400 bridges. In the past it was not easy to reach this city, but nowadays it has become a breeze. You can choose to go by car from the Netherlands and make a tour through Italy, as we did. It is about 1300 km from Utrecht.
You can of course also visit Venice as a city trip and fly from Amsterdam. It is about a 2 hour flight to Venice and there are many different airlines that fly direct, including Transavia and KLM. Compare all flight tickets on the Kiwi or CheapOAir. At Skyscanner you can easily see on the calendar which day is the cheapest to fly. Once you’ve found a date, you can also compare prices on CheapOAir’s website. The prices and conditions can sometimes differ, so you can always compare. The conditions at CheapOair are often more flexible, so paying a little more also has its advantages.
✈ Airport transfer: there are several transfers that you can book in advance to get from the airport to the center of Venice.
✈ Rental car: It is best to rent a car from the airport. We have good experiences with renting a car at SunnyCars. You are always insured with them all-in and that is so nice when you are on holiday! Prefer a cheaper rental car? Then take a look at the RentalCars and Easy Terra websites.
✈ Parking: Are you still looking for a cheap parking space at Schiphol? Then make sure you reserve your parking space online as soon as possible. It is cheaper to arrange this early in advance and you can often cancel it up to a few days before departure. Always check the conditions on the website. We recommend Parkos for Eindhoven, Maastricht and Rotterdam.
SIGHTSEEING VENICE
There are many attractions in Venice and that is why you can certainly enjoy yourself for a few days in this city. I would advise you to stay in Venice for at least two days. This way you can do everything at your leisure and you have enough time to see everything.
SAN MARCO SQUARE IN VENICE
St. Mark’s Square is the most famous and most popular square in Venice. On this square you will find beautiful sights such as a basilica and tower, which I will tell you more about later. Everywhere you look in this square there is something beautiful to see. St. Mark’s Square is also known for the high prices on the terraces. Here you pay 13 euros (!) for a cappuccino, which is not only for the coffee, but for the entire experience around it. If you prefer to keep it a bit cheaper, it is best to go to one of the many side streets. But that does not alter the fact that St. Mark’s Square is very beautiful!
BASILICA OF SAN MARCO IN VENICE
As far as I’m concerned, the most beautiful building in Venice is the Basilica of San Marco, which you’ll find, you guessed it, on St. Mark’s Square. This cathedral is the largest church in Venice. The San Marco Basilica is nicknamed ‘the church of gold’ because of the extensive use of gold leaf. The church is not only beautiful from the outside, but also from the inside. It is always very busy so it is wise to book your tickets online.
DOGE’S PALACE IN VENICE
Venice used to be an independent republic. The Doge’s Palace on St. Mark’s Square used to be the palace of the government. It is an imposing building and now serves as a museum.
BRIDGE OF SIGHS IN VENICE
The Bridge of Sighs connects the Doge’s Palace with the prison. Prisoners used to be brought to prison via this bridge. There are small windows in the bridge where the prisoners sometimes saw the light of day for the last time.
CAMPANILE IN VENICE
The Campanile is the last attraction you will find on St. Mark’s Square. It is a bell tower almost 100 meters high. The tower used to serve as a lighthouse. You can also climb this tower for a nice view.
RIALTO BRIDGE IN VENICE
In Venice you will find more than 400 bridges, but there is one that you should not miss: the Rialto Bridge. It is the oldest bridge in Venice and crosses the Grand Canal, the largest lake in Venice. The very first version of this bridge was built in 1181, but the bridge you see today dates back to 1591.
PONTE DELL’ACCADEMIA IN VENICE
The Ponte dell’Accademia is another bridge in the center of Venice. The bridge itself is not very special, but especially the view is beautiful! You overlook the Grand Canal and the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.
BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA DELLA SALUTE IN VENICE
The Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute is a Venetian church and can be found along the Grand Canal. It is an impressive structure that was built in 1631.
THE MANY CANALS OF VENICE
The nice thing about Venice are the many canals. One canal is more beautiful than the other so your camera will work overtime. As far as I’m concerned, the most beautiful canals can be found in the Dorsoduro district.
WHAT TO DO IN VENICE?
In addition to all the sights in Venice, there are also a number of things you must do during a city trip to Venice.
TAKE A BOAT TRIP IN A GONDOLA IN VENICE
If you really want to see all of Venice, you must have taken a gondola ride through the canals. I admit it, it’s expensive, but nice to cross off your bucket list! Gondolas originated as early as the 11th century and were used not only for transporting people, but also for cargo. Today, the gondolas are only used for touristic cruises.
You don’t just become a gondolier. It takes about 400 hours of training to operate a gondola. In addition, there are strict dress codes and the student must take an exam. Not only an exam for driving the gondola, but also an exam about the history of Venice and its sights. A gondolier must also speak at least one other language besides Italian. It is therefore not surprising that you soon pay 80 euros for a ride in a gondola (per 40 minutes). In the evening you even pay 100 euros. It’s certainly not cheap, but it’s actually part of it. You see Venice from a completely different side and you are not standing on a bridge with a hundred other tourists. Are you alone or don’t mind sharing a gondola? To save costs you can book a gondola online and share it with others, making it ‘only’ 30 euros per person.
STROLL AROUND
The nice thing about Venice is that you see beautiful squares, shops, canals and houses everywhere. It is therefore just fun to walk through the city and go on a journey of discovery. Be sure to go to the suburbs, because that’s where you’ll find the most beautiful places!
DRINK WINE ALONG THE CANAL IN VENICE
Do you have a few hours to spare and is the weather good? Buy a bottle of wine or prosecco from the supermarket and relax by the river. Enjoy the weather and look around you. That is ultimate relaxation!
EAT THE BEST PIZZA’S AND PASTA’S IN VENICE
Italy is the land of the very best pizzas and pastas. You can’t get enough of it in Venice. Be sure to look for restaurants in the side streets or suburbs of Venice, because this is where you often eat the best and cheapest!
OUR FAVORITE ACCOMMODATIONS IN VENICE
We visited Venice during a car tour through Italy and stayed at campsites. For less than 45 euros per night we stayed in a mobile home at Camping Venezia Village. From this campsite you only have to take a bus to the center. This was a great base to visit the city! Prefer to stay in a hotel? The center of Venice is an expensive destination in terms of hotels. If you have enough budget and don’t mind paying a minimum of 200 euros per night, take a look at Hotel Torino. It is best to spend the night cheaper from Venice and then take a shuttle bus that will take you to the center in 10 minutes. Good alternatives are: Hotel Plaza or Hotel Delfino Venezia Mestre.