Venice
The city of canals is one of the world’s best historic cities
Italy > Venice
Henrique Ferreira / Unsplash
Venice is as magical as it looks in the pictures, but it’s also as crowded and expensive as you’ve heard. The key to enjoying it is knowing when and how to explore. Skip peak season if you can—summer turns the canals into a humid, chaotic maze of tourists.
Instead, visit in spring or autumn when the weather is still mild, but the crowds are more manageable. Arriving early in the morning or staying out late at night lets you see a quieter, more atmospheric side of the city, when the Grand Canal shimmers under the streetlights and the alleyways feel almost secret.
Getting around Venice is part of the adventure. Walking is the best way to soak in the atmosphere, but you’ll inevitably end up on a vaporetto, the city’s public water bus. It’s far cheaper than a gondola ride, which, while undeniably romantic, is also a tourist trap at around €80 for 30 minutes. If you do want that classic gondola experience, split the cost with others or take a traghetto, a gondola ferry that locals use to cross the Grand Canal for just a couple of euros.
Eating in Venice can be tricky—many restaurants in the tourist hotspots serve overpriced, mediocre food. Avoid places with laminated menus and pictures of dishes. Instead, look for small bacari, local wine bars where you can enjoy cicchetti, Venice’s version of tapas, along with a glass of prosecco or a spritz. For a memorable meal, head to the quieter districts like Cannaregio or Dorsoduro, where you’ll find authentic trattorias with fresh seafood and fewer crowds.
Venice is full of must-sees, but don’t just tick off St. Mark’s Basilica and the Rialto Bridge. Take time to explore beyond the main sights. Wander into Castello to see where real Venetians live, or hop on a vaporetto to Burano, the colorful island famous for lace-making and fresh seafood. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a great stop for art lovers, while Libreria Acqua Alta, with its books piled into gondolas, is a quirky hidden gem. The best way to experience Venice is to get lost in its alleys—somehow, you’ll always find your way back to the water.
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