Venice is a unique and ancient city
Its morphology leaves no room for any vehicle that has wheels (not even bicycles!), which means there are only two ways to get around it: on foot or by boat (whether private or public)
Venice is a unique and ancient city
For those wondering what is the best way to enjoy Venice, the answer is on foot, so as to fully grasp its charm. It takes only an hour and a half (not counting spritzes) to cross the entire city from north to south. Bring comfortable shoes!
Small detail that many tourists don't know: Google Maps doesn't work very well in the historic center, so don't trust it blindly: you might end up in front of blind alleys or you might get lost in the maze that are the Venetian calli. Another way to easily get around the city and its endless islands is by the iconic vaporetto. The vaporetto is public water transportation, a ferry-bus operating 24/7 that connects, even late at night, Venice and its most remote islands. It is not the fastest method of transportation, however, it is very convenient if you do not want to walk too many miles.
How to get to Venice
In Venice. you should only move around on foot to discover and experience the city in 360 degrees.
- Public transport, however well organised and structured, cannot cover the Venice lagoon 100 per cent. Therefore, wear comfortable shoes, arm yourself with patience and go out to discover Venice! Along the way you will often find yellow signs indicating the directions of major points such as “San Marco,” “Rialto,” or “Ferrovia,” so you will understand where you are going.
As anticipated in the introduction, you should not rely too much on Google/Apple Maps because GPS works very poorly in Venice. To reach your destination, I recommend using a paper map and always ask local people for information.
- If you are in town for a short time (one or two days at most), it is advisable to study the itinerary well in advance or rely on guided walking tours.
In recent years, the walking tour with local guides has become one of the most popular tours, almost at the level of tours in gondola, because it allows you to discover the Secrets and hidden corners of the city in a short time (1 1/2 to 2 hours maximum) with an official guide from Venice.
Here you can find a small list of the best walking tours in the city. There are tours for all tastes, from those that deal purely with the history of Venice to those focused on themes of “secret corners” and ghosts, of which Venice is full.
- Historical walking tour of St. Mark’s Square: (history and anecdotes about the city’s main square). The tour starts at the Correr Museum, passes through Campo San Giovanni e Paolo, Rialto, and ends at the starting point.
Link to book (€27).
Both morning and afternoon departures. - Hidden and Mysterious Venice Walking Tour: this tour, on the other hand, which always starts from St. Mark’s Square, is ideal for those who have already been to Venice and want to learn about lesser-known and more “local” nuances. Along the itinerary you will discover secret calli, small artistic gems hidden in the maze of Venetian “calli” and narrow streets.
Link to book (€27).
Departure in both morning and afternoon. - Spooky walking tour that starts in the evening and takes you through the most “spooky” stories of Venice, including ghosts, old murders and more. This walking tour is known as the famous “Ghosts and Mysteries of Venice.” Note that it is only available in English or French and leaves at 7:30 pm. Link to book (€27).
- If, on the other hand, you want to discover the picturesque Cannaregio district with its Jewish Ghetto (the world’s first ghetto founded 50 years ago), then you should opt for this walking tour that starts from Santa Lucia Station and then goes all the way to Rialto.
Link for reservation (€20). Departure only in the afternoon. - If you have a passion for aperitifs, you should definitely take the famous “Bacari Tour.”
This experience is very typical for Venetians during the day off and consists ofgoing from bar to bar drinking spritzes, eating cicchetti and meeting people. I admit that it is the best way to socialize and make new friends.
- Historical walking tour of St. Mark’s Square: (history and anecdotes about the city’s main square). The tour starts at the Correr Museum, passes through Campo San Giovanni e Paolo, Rialto, and ends at the starting point.
There are bacari where a stop is a must: Lele(the most historic), Lo Squero (in front of one of the few still active gondola factories), Mercà (at the foot of Rialto) and many others.
- If, on the other hand, you want to travel alone without a tour, you will have to study the different Sestieri of Venice well to figure out which one is right for you.
- Cannaregio: one of the most populated by residents, very picturesque.
- Dorsoduro: the neighborhood of artists and travelers. Not surprisingly, Peggy Guggheniem built her flamboyant palace here.
- San Marco: needs no introduction: it is the oldest and most historic part of Venice. His beating heart.
- Castello: on the side of St. Mark’s, it is also one of the most populated and popular neighborhoods among residents. If you want to get away from the tourists, this is the right Sestiere.
- Santa Croce: little known to tourists (thankfully), full of pretty calli and romantic canal views.
- San Polo: the absolute center of Venice, it is a labyrinth in which it is easy and fun to get lost.
The “Gondola-Traghetto” is the most bizarre and romantic way to cross the majestic Grand Canal. This gondola, which is wider than those for tourist use, is an inexpensive means of transportation (only €2 for tourists and €0.70 for residents) to move from one side of the Grand Canal to the other. There are three “stazi” (gondola boarding points) that offer this service:
Santa Maria del Giglio: To move from the Sestiere of San Marco (only 5 minutes from St. Mark’s Square) to the Sestiere of Dorsoduro, near the Basilica della Salute. Honestly, it is also the most scenic route as you can enjoy the view of St. Mark’s Basin, Gritti Palace and the imposing Punta della Dogana.
San Tomà: This stazzo is somewhat hidden, but very useful, as it allows one to pass from Dorsoduro to San Polo. It will drop you off in an area 2 minutes’ walk from the Accademia Bridge and 10 from Rialto.
Rialto Market: If you are staying in Cannaregio and wish to shop at the famous Rialto fish market, you will want to use this stazo to cross the Grand Canal while admiring the Rialto Bridge.
These ferry gondolas can accommodate up to 15 people and operate continuously from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. (in summer) at regular intervals every 2-3 minutes.
The city of Venice has a well-organized museum system and offers many package or card options that allow you to visit different attractions in a flexible and convenient way. These may include tours or simply a set of services that will save you time and money.
The Venezia Unica cards are the most widely used and include the museums of St. Mark’s Square, Chorus and La Fenice Churches.
In addition, there is a booking dropdown with various packages and cards.
Venice does not shine with novelty, it remains unchanged like its beauty: the same vaporetto lines for decades, the same cabs and gondolas. But, even in the best stories, there is always an exception: starting in 2021, the company Venetiana Srl has created Venice’s first (and currently only) Hop on Hop Off service.
This picturesque Hop on Hop Off (by boat, of course) operates every 20 minutes and covers both the historic center of Venice (excluding the Grand Canal) and the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello, and Giudecca.
The boat is spacious, with comfortable seating and audio guides (in 6 languages) included and downloadable to your smartphone.
The advantage of audio guides is that they are not through “speaker,” but are heard through the individual cell phone, so those who want to listen and those who simply want to enjoy the view without listening to the guide can do so.
Tickets are divided into three bands:
- 24-hour ticket (25 euros)
- 48-hour ticket (40 euros)
You can find the service’s schedule and routes here.
The advantages of this service are: The convenience of the boats, which are spacious and comfortable, with air conditioning in summer and the indoor part for rainy days. They are never as crowded as steamboats. The service costs as much as a vaporetto. You can also use it to get around among the three islands, instead of standing in line at Fondamenta Nove and waiting in endless queues.
In addition, the service includes a glass demonstration at one of Venice’s oldest glass furnaces.
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