Venice

Venice sights

Venice, a popular Italian city ranks high as a major tourist destination in the world. The city that is best known for its rich art and cultural history attracts and appeals significant number of tourist from all across the world. This city is home to some of the world’s beautiful collection of art. Famous for the romantic gondola rides, Venice is often referred by many as “the floating city”. A reason why, gondola rides is a must while on a Venice trip. This city in Italy is also popular for being known as a romantic city.

Touring Venice

Venice is best explored and discovered on foot. A city of the pedestrians, this one features a number of walking tours of the city. Several tour operators offer a range of tour packages that is sure to introduce this romantic city to you at its best. Walking tours being the most famous of all offer you the real Venice, as it takes you across famous tourist attractions of the city. The most popular tours offering the best of the city includes, full day tour to the city, visit to the famous attractions, gondola boat rides, and city tour during the night. Here is a list of some of the mostly opted tours to Venice –

  • One-day tour in Venice
  • Venice ghost tours
  • Classic Gondola boat tours
  • Grand Canal boat tours
  • Tour to St. Peter’s Basillica

Attractions in Venice

Venice is popular for featuring a range of tourist attractions that appeal to almost all kinds of tourists. The city that is mostly famous as an art and cultural center primarily houses museums and galleries promoting the cultural heritage of the city. This Italian city is also famous for being home to spectacular beaches offering great scope of relaxation and indulging in fun activities.

Here is a list of some of the popular attractions that promotes the rich cultural and art history of the city.

  • Peggy Guggenheim Collection
  • Basilica di San Marco
  • Piazza San Marco
  • Ca’ Rezzonico – Museo del Settecento Veneziano
  • Scuola Grande di San Rocco
  • Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute
  • Gallerie dell’Accademia
  • Palazzo Grassi
  • Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore
  • Lido Beaches

Climate of Venice

This Italian city in general is home to very erratic climatic condition. The summers here get very hot and humid to the winters getting very cold, windy, and damp. The best season of visiting Venice is between October to March. The spring and the fall season are in general, the best time of planning a trip to this Italian city. These seasons also witnesses a less crowd. You can also plan a Venice tour during the summer months, though the city witnesses maximum crowds during this season.

While on a visit to Venice, be prepared to face ‘Acqua Alta’, phenomena of high water that has become a fact of Venetian lifestyle. The water level of the lagoon at times rises above the sea level flooding the streets. This occurrence usually happens more during the winter season. You can get access to ‘Aqua Alta’ map at the tourist offices at either the railway offices, St. Marks, or tourist offices. The notice board at the base of the Campanile in the Piazza San Marco shows the reading of live tide and prediction of the next few days. You can also get information from the tide measuring station at the Rialto vaporetto piers.

Tourist Venice

Getting to Venice

You can reach the city through train, flights, and buses along with boat services.

Here is a detailed look at the various transportation facilities offered by the several transport companies in and around Venice.

Getting by Bus

Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano (ACTV; 041 24 24). Local buses depart from the bus station on Piazzale Roma for surrounding areas, including Mestre and Chioggia.

ATVO (Azienda Trasporti Veneto Orientale; 041 520 55 30) operates buses to destinations all over the eastern Veneto. Tickets and information are available at the ticket office on Piazzale Roma.

Getting by Car

The crowded A4 links Trieste with Turin, passing through Mestre. You can opt for the Venezia exit and follow the signs. From the south, opt for A13 from Bologna that connects with the A4 at Padua.

You can hire a car from any of the car rental companies available in the City. The car companies in general, have offices on Piazzale Roma and at Marco Polo airport. Some of the companies even operate in or near Mestre train station too.

Getting by Train

Train services feature as the most preferable and friendliest transportation facility in Venice. There are train services running frequently to Venice’s Stazione Santa Lucia from locations throughout Italy and major European cities.

Venice is connected by train to Padua (€2.90 to €15.70, 30 to 50 minutes, three to four each hour) and Verona (€6.15 to €25.20, 1 to 2 hours, two each hour).

Regular trains operate further to Milan (€14.50 to €38.50, 2 to 3 hours), Bologna (€8.90 to €35.20, 1 to 2 hours), Florence (€21.50 to €54.50, 2 to 3 hours) and many other major points in France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia.

Getting by Boat

You can even opt for ferry services to reach Venice. Minoan Lines and Anek operate regular ferries to Venice from Greece, while Venezia Lines operates high-speed boats to and from Croatia and Slovenia in summer.

Getting by Air

In general, maximum of flights arrive and depart from Marco Polo airport situated 12km outside Venice, east of Mestre.

Economic flights to/from Paris, London, Shannon, and Dublin presently operates from San Giuseppe airport, about 5km southwest of Treviso and a 30km, one-hour drive from Venice.

Both the airports in Venice are connected to Venice’s Piazzale Roma and Mestre through airport bus services. Alilaguna fast ferry operates from Marco Polo airport. Eurobus of ATVO links Treviso’s San Giuseppe airport.