7 Ways To Do Venice Right

Many visitors claim that it was “love at first sight” when they stepped foot in Venice. That, unfortunately, was not my case.

Memories from my first visit to Venice more than 10 years ago were forgettable. I left Venice with images of an over-hyped theme park choked by the insane number of visitors, a rip-off and the oppressive heat. There was not one positive memory of Venice that I could conjure up.

That was one summer before we lived in Italy when we had this not-so-bright idea to hop over to Venice for a weekend in August. Little did we know then that even residents themselves seek refuge from the sizzling temperatures and massive crowds in the nearby Lido in August. Lesson learnt and we paid a heavy price for that mistake.

When we lived in Rome, I would flinch when people mentioned they were going to Venice as the unpleasant images would come flooding in. I could never comprehend how people could rave and be so enamored by Venice.

As years passed, through reading articles and books on Venice and connecting with locals living there, I discovered another side of this city. I learnt more about its history and traditions, the different neighborhoods, drooled at photos of the local cuisine and drinks, and saw glimpses of daily life.

Though the images from the first trip were still vivid – first impressions, especially negative ones, definitely last a lifetime – I got to know another Venice, one beyond St. Mark’s Square, which I found enchanting and beautiful.

Ready to do Venice right, I shared the idea of visiting La Serenissima (another nickname for Venice) with family who were coming to Rome. When I got a lukewarm response to that idea my plans almost unravelled. I lapsed into those memories of the past and was ready to make alternative plans, but understood then that to rid those persistent images, another visit to Venice was necessary.

Requiring a lot of effort and convincing, my family agreed and plans were made for a trip to Venice. We would travel by train for a short trip during the week in early June and when the city is still supposedly calm. The start to doing Venice right.

When we got to Venice and I stepped out of Santa Lucia train station, my eyes finally adjusted to the brightness and the blurry scene in front of me slowly came to focus. When it did, I sighed and those lingering memories of the past…what memories?

There really is no place like Venice. It was bustling scene yet one of normality: people walking around, some leisurely while others look like they had to get somewhere, the activity on the Grand Canal with boats and vaporetto ferrying people and goods to and fro, and gondolas bobbing gently on the canals. I knew that this time around, it would be a different, more magical experience and I would I dare say “love at second sight”?

An hour into this trip, I was already plotting a return with my husband who was left behind in Rome. What made this experience different? Doing some research. It makes a world of different and even a little comes a long way!

7 Ways To Do Venice Right

Choosing the neighborhood (sestriere) to stay in

Staying in the right neighborhood and place played a key part in our experience in Venice. My sister was charged with doing the research for accommodations and the only criteria I gave her was “not in the San Marco neighborhood”. But then again, if you are after grandeur, that would be the place to be.

On our first trip to Venice, we stayed in that sestriere and it was far too crowded for my comfort, not to mention that the bed and breakfast we stayed in was extremely costly for a B&B and a touch run-down. That was my fault, as on that trip I didn’t even know there were another 5 neighborhoods to choose from. It depends on what you are looking, and each neighborhood has its own charm.

This trip we stayed at UNA Hotel Venezia situated in Cannaregio. This is hands-down one of my favorite neighborhoods. Getting off the Ca d’Oro vaporetto stop, we navigated a few alleys, walked over bridges and less than a 5-minute walk from the vaporetto stop, the crowds thinned and we found ourselves at the entrance of UNA Hotel Venezia.

Sittingly serenely in a piazza where there was not a person in sight, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect location. I was stunned by how quiet it was here and it felt surreal considering that this is Venice. It is a haven to come back to after sightseeing and is only a 15-minute walk to St. Mark’s Square and even less to the Rialto bridge.

We booked an amazing Junior Suite, which was on two-floors, and got a nice discount. Thank you UNA Hotels as it was the perfect place for us.

Visit the other islands in the Venetian lagoon.

Many visitors have heard of Murano but there are also Burano, Mazzorbo, Torcello, Sant’Erasmo to name a few. Murano is an obvious stop so expect there to be a crowd. Still today I’m raving about Burano, the colors, the tranquility – there’s just nothing I didn’t like about this place.

Talking about tranquility, this brings me to the next point…

If possible, avoid peak season and holidays

Venice gets about an average 60,000 visitors a day. That number may not be daunting. What’s daunting is that there are 60,000 residents in Venice and that’s alarming. And during peak season, visitors easily outnumber residents on any given day.

So when’s peak? I would probably say end of June to mid September. We were there early June and not only were the crowds bearable but the weather was perfect. It was still packed at Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Basilica but nothing shocking. After all, this is Venice. We left the day the Architectural Biennale started but felt there Venice was starting to experience an influx of visitors.

Also expect crowds on public holidays and of course, the Venice Carnival.

As mentioned in an article in Ottawa Sun, if you can’t avoid visiting Venice in peak season, go beyond St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge, where you will still find areas that are plesantly calm.

Time visits to attractions and guided tours

Most visitors to Venice are here on a day trip with visitors storming in just before 10am and the city returning to its calm again after 5pm. If you plan on seeing the main sights such as St. Mark’s Square, the Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, get an early start. The Doge’s Palace opens at 8.30am, the Bell Tower usually at 9 am (except winter at 9.30am) and the Basilica opening later at 9.45am.

In summer (July-September), the Bell Tower stays open until 9pm which means you can enjoy this experience and St. Mark’s Square when the day trippers have left.

This trip, I was invited to join the Legendary Venice Tour with Walks of Italy. The tour starts at 9.30am with visits to Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica with privileged entrance (no time wasted waiting in lines), and special access to the terraces of the Basilica where the views are spectacular.

With just so much to see at these two attractions in Venice, it can be overwhelming. Our guide highlighted key features which we could easily have missed and shared intriguing anecdotes as we went from room to room in the Doge’s Palace. Eventually, we made our way across the renowned Bridge of Sighs and as I suffer from claustrophobia, I was thankful that it was not chock-full.

Just before noon, we stepped back out into the light in St. Mark’s Square and it was teeming with a line waiting to get into St. Mark’s Basilica. As we had special access, we were whisked in! The mosaics in the Basilica were stunning and when we made our way up to the terraces, we were able to have a close-up look at the details.

It’s mind-numbing to think that 8000 square meters of mosaic cover the walls, vaults and cupolas of the Basilica. I took a few moments to take in all this splendour before we stepped outside to the terraces.

Yet another spectacular sight – taking in St. Mark’s Square from above and I couldn’t have asked for a more grand ending. As our group said our good-byes, I continued to linger around as it was a fabulous spot to enjoy the bustling activity going on in the Square. Check out this video of Venice.

Explore Venice on foot

I truly believe that the best way to experience a place is to explore it on foot. So much so my husband sometimes wonder if his legs would fall off after a trip. I covered a lot of ground in Venice but also took the vaporetto with family.

The best part is that on foot, you won’t know what lovely surprise awaits you as you turn into another alley: children playing football in a small piazzetta, laundry hanging above the water, balconies adorned with flower or artisans busy in their workshops. And the more I explored Venice, the more I realized that most areas in Venice are serene, a norm rather than an exception.

From my own experience, I found it’s faster to get to a destination on foot in Venice. It depends where I’m going, but for example, from St. Mark’s Square back to UNA Hotel Venezia, I know it takes 15 minutes while waiting for the vaporetto, you are never sure as it depends on how often they pass by or if they are full, you’ll have to wait for the next one. In general, they do pass by quite regularly.

Also walking is a cheaper option. A single ride on the vaporetto costs €7 and if you plan on taking it frequently, you’ll be better off purchasing a Venice travel card with different options starting at €18 for a 12-hour card.

If I was traveling just with my sister we wouldn’t have bought a travel card and would have walked all over Venice.

Eat like a local

On the topic of exploring Venice on foot, I also took a cicchetti food tour of Venice with Monica, a local resident where we walked all around Cannaregio and San Polo. She brought us to places where locals eat, ordered and explained the specialties at each stop, and took us to corners of Venice that we would never have discovered on our own.

I’d be honest and tell you that I don’t remember how many places we stopped at to try the different cichetti, and I’d blame it on the wines and spritz we had! However, I do remember we had a fabulous and delicious time with Monica who was warm, full of energy, and passionate about sharing the food culture in Venice. Here’s a video of the cicchetti food tour.

Also don’t assume that just because you’re in Italy, you’ll eat well. That’s a myth that needs to be busted!! There are many places that are tourist traps (crazy prices and disappointing food) and especially true for the main cities like Rome, Florence and Venice.

Here is a handy article that Monica wrote on places to eat in Venice without breaking the bank and even more places here by Elizabeth Minchilli who has an app called “Eat Venice”.

Don’t overschedule

I know you can’t help but want to fit everything to see and do in Venice in a couple of days. That’s just not how Venice is meant to be experienced.

While she seduces you with her physical beauty, to ensure you will be scrambling back for more, she’s that kind of place that yearns for her visitors to return. And each time you do, she bares a little more, and you’ll begin to see she’s not only stunning but finally understand what makes this place magical.

And for that she deserves another visit, and another visit I am planning.

Share your experience in Venice with us in the comments below. Was it memorable or forgettable? What tips would you add?

Disclaimer: Some links in this article are affiliate links to Walks of Italy and Takewalks.com, meaning we get a small commission if you end up buying something from the links on this page. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and we really appreciate the support!