Venice: A City Guide

Venice is a city with no roads. The water taxis and endless alley ways have created a magical maze of beautiful culture and food. I would argue that it is one of the most unique cities in the world. Because there is literally no other city like it.

You may have heard it’s wet and stinky. I am happy to inform you that this was not true for us. It was beautiful and clean. Rumor has it, they’ve done a lot to clean it up and limit the capacity of people to keep it from getting that way. So go with an open mind, be ready to get lost, and explore the magic Venice has hidden around each corner.

Quick Tips:

Private Taxi

It’s almost hard to believe there are no cars. But it’s true. Whether you’re training or flying into Venice, you’ll need to find your way to the waterways and get on a boat. They offer public water buses. This is the cost effective way to go. But I highly recommend treating yourself to a Private Water Taxi. They are around $60-$80 depending on how far you’re going. And they’ll drop you off right at your hotel so you don’t have to wind through the alley ways with your luggage.

WiFi

You’ll want to make sure you have wifi or some kind of international phone plan because you will NEED your google maps. Unless you can see through walls, you will get lost without it. It is easy to lose your sense of direction because I am not kidding when I say, it is a city of alleys. We got HIPPOCKETWIFI for our entire trip so we didn’t have to pay for an international phone plan. It was much cheaper. We had wifi literally everywhere in Europe and never had to turn our phones off airplane mode.

Lastly, if you come across a shop or restaurant you love or that looks interesting, don’t just pass it by because you most likely will never be able to find the place again. That is the magic of Venice.

To Stay:

Il Palazzo Experimental

This adorable boutique style hotel with playful interiors is located on one of the main canals. It is a sister hotel to The Grand Boulevard we stayed at in Paris. We were leaning between this stay and the St. Regis, but ultimately went the other direction for this trip. We did stop in for a cocktail one afternoon to check out to see if it was worth the hype. We loved everything about it and decided this will be our #1 pick when we come back.

The St. Regis Venice

If you’re looking for more of an elegant, upscale (or boujee) stay in Venice, I highly recommend the St. Regis. You’ll most definitely feel like Angelina and Johnny from The Tourist whilst staying here. We typically lean toward the boutique style hotels like the Experimental Hotel, but we decided to do it up for the two days we were in Venice. It was a gorgeous stay that overlooked the main canal. It was about a 5 min walk to Piazza San Marco and central to everything else, making it easy to get around the island.

I recommend communicating with someone there at the hotel before arrival. We had some miscommunications about which room we had booked, which left me a little disappointed in our initial arrival. However, they were quick to accommodate and somehow we ended up in the presidential suite. We had the most beautiful room in the entire hotel!

To Eat:

La Zucca — a hidden gem and one you may not find on google. A friend of ours recommended this place. We loved it so much we went again the next day. The owner was this sweet Italian man. He was so excited to hear we would be returning the next day that he saved us the best seat on the patio. The menu changes daily and everything was outstanding. It felt like we were invited into a local’s home. Pro-tip: get the house wine. I still dream of it.

Osteria Anice Stellato — I still dream of the little pasta dish from this meal. It was an adorable, unasuming set up right on the canal. We chose to sit outside so we could enjoy the sunset that painted the local’s homes pink. You’ll definitely want to make reservations far in advance. We didn’t realize how popular this place was, but watched several people trying to walk in and getting turned away as the place was completely booked up for the night.

Terrazza Danieli — A romantic place to have dinner and feel fancy for the evening. It’s on the rooftop of an old hotel. The food and staff were 10/10. Go with an empty stomach, because you will leave FULL.

Il Ristorante Adriatica — A cute little spot for an afternoon cocktail or small bites. It’s part of the Hotel Experimental that I recommended above. I’m sure this would be a cute place for lunch or dinner as well.

Gelato Di Natura — This was our favorite stop to grab Gelato during our daily adventures. They’re located all over the island.

Other great options — If you’re still looking for more, Gina from GinaGoesTo has a great list of places here.

To Do:

My only major recommendation is to wander the streets, get lost and find some hidden gems. As I was scrolling through my photos, I was reminded of this vintage designer store I came across. If you find it, let me know.

We also loved visiting the famous Piazza San Marco and St. Mark’s Basilica. You do need to be aware that the Basilica is very strict about your shoulders being covered, so come prepared with a scarf or jacket if it’s a warm day. I highly suggest making it to the top and viewing the Piazza from the terrace.

**Disclaimer: these are just a few things we did and loved. There are many other amazing things to eat and see in Venice, so don’t let this be your only guide. If you questions, don’t hesitate to ask!