We have always dreamed to visit Venice together, and it’s finally done! During our Italy road trip this summer we have spent 3 days in Venice and it was absolutely stunning. This city is straight out of a movie! Every corner is so beautiful, the buildings are orange, yellow or red. The architecture is absolutely incredible and the famous gondolas are floating in the canals. 3 days in Venice is pretty short because Venice is actually bigger than we expected but we had time to see the most famous places: the San Marco place, the Dodge Palace, the Rialto Bridge, the Grand Canal, many beautiful colorful streets and bridges and also to do a gondola ride! If you are planning to visit Venice, this post is for you!
When is the best time to visit Venice?
The best time of the year to visit Venice is April/ May, September/October. Obviously, it’s better to avoid the high season in July/August. We have been to Venice during August and it was quite busy. We woke up early to visit the city because from 9 am it starts to be very crowded.
How to get to Venice?
By plane
You can take a flight to Venice Marco-Polo Airport. Then, you will have several options: take a bus to the center of Venice, take a water taxi or rent a car. If you want to take a bus, you can take the ATVO and ACTV buses for 8€ per way per person. You can also take a shared water taxi for 32€ per person.
By car
If you are coming by car, you need to know that you will have to leave your car in parking at the entry of Venice. The price is around 21 euros per 24 hours. You can park at Tronchetto parking and then take the public boat just in front of the parking to go to your hotel. The price is around 7€ per person and per way. We have chosen this solution and it was really easy.
By train
You can go to Venice by train and go to the Santa Lucia train station.
Where to stay in Venice?
Most of the hotels are located in the district of Cannaregio and San Polo and San Marco. We stayed in Marco Polo, which is really nice to visit the old town. There are many hotels in Venice, you will have the choice! Especially if you book in advance. However, I am sorry to tell you this, but you will probably be really disappointed by the quality-price ratio. If you can afford a luxury hotel, you will love your room. If you have a budget, be ready to pay around 150€ per night for an 8m2 room not renovated.
Tips: If you are planning a trip to Venice, make sure to book in advance. And you should book around San Marco, it is one of the most beautiful areas to visit!
What are the best restaurants in Venice?
There are many restaurants in Venice. You should just walk and stop when you like a place! We had lunch at 1000 gourmet and the pizzas were amazing! All the pizzas are homemade in oven wood. The margarita is really good! They have a cute terrace. For dinner, we went to the restaurant da Raffaele. It’s a chic restaurant with a beautiful view of the canals. I tried the Pomodoro gnocchis and it was delicious. However, I will not lie to you the restaurants are very expensive. The main courses are around 30€ and at the end of the dinner, you will have a supplement tax of 15% for the service and pay for the cutlery. Fun fact: not sure if it is true but someone told us that the locals have another menu at reasonable prices!
Do a gondola ride
You are dreaming to do a gondola ride in Venice? I know it’s on your bucket list! It will costs you around 80€ for 30 minutes but honestly it really worth it. It was so romantic! We crossed the canals, admired the pretty streets and the bridges. And our gondolier was so kind. We were exploring the city early in the morning around 8:am and he asked us if we wanted to do a tour. It was the perfect timing as the light was still soft and the other gondolas were not there, all the tours are normally starting around 9 am. Our gondola tour was fabulous! I will never forget this moment.
If you are planning to do a gondola tour, do it early in the morning because after 9 am, an army of gondolas is sharing the small canals and you will probably be stuck in the traffic lol! It’s a little bit less romantic!
What are the best spots?
In Venice, every corner is so pretty and colorful. But there are a few places that you absolutely need to see if you are coming to Venice. The most beautiful spots are obviously the San Marco place and the Dodges palace which is absolutely incredible. You should also not miss the Rialto Bridge, the Bridge of Sights and the Grand Canal. The photo at the right was taken at the dock behind the hotel San Moisé. Also, you should just get lost in the little streets and I promise you will find the prettiest spots!
The city of love?
We can definitely say yes! This is clearly the most romantic city we have visited! Everything is romantic, the gondola rides, the bridges, having dinner with a view of the canal… The only problem is that Venice is very touristy and if you come during high season you will have to deal with mass tourism! But I can assure you that it is a place you must see once in your life! Have you already been? Or are you planning a trip to Venice? Let us know in the comments 🙂 Don’t forget to follow our adventures on Instagram!
Venice looks so beautiful and romantic! I need to go there!
Author
Ah yes it really was! You need to go there one day! 🙂
What was the name of the gondola company you used?