travel books for venice

8 Best Travel Books & Travel Guides Venice

• Post author: Avoid Crowds
• Post published: November 9, 2020
• Post category: Venice
• Post comments: 0 Comments

In 2024, the timeless allure of Venice continues to draw travelers from around the globe, eager to explore its storied canals, historic architecture, and vibrant cultural life. Whether you’re meticulously planning your first visit or returning to rediscover the magic of the city, we’ve refreshed our guide to ensure it’s packed with the most current insights and recommendations for your journey to this iconic city.

Updated for 2024, this guide is your essential companion to Venice, offering expert advice on how to navigate the city’s enchanting streets and waterways, uncover hidden gems, and make the most of your visit to one of Italy’s most unforgettable destinations. We provide valuable resources for avoiding crowds, securing exclusive deals, and experiencing Venice’s beauty and heritage in the most immersive ways possible.

To help you plan a seamless Venice adventure, we’ve included key links for deeper exploration:

• For daily crowd forecasts in Venice, ensuring you can savor the city’s charm with more space and less wait, visit Avoid-Crowds.com .
• To skip the line at one of Venice’s top attractions, Doge’s Palace, and discover exclusive ticket deals, check out our guide here .
• And for an extensive overview of Venice’s offerings, from cultural events to essential visitor information, visit VisitVenezia.eu .

As we move forward in 2024, Venice remains a testament to human creativity and historical richness, inviting explorers to witness its beauty firsthand. Whether you’re gliding through its canals, marveling at the artistry of its buildings, or indulging in its culinary delights, Venice offers a multitude of experiences that resonate with the soul. Through our updated guide, we aim to enhance your journey, making it as enriching and memorable as the city itself. Discover Venice in 2024, where history and modernity blend seamlessly against the backdrop of the Adriatic Sea.

• All books have been handpicked by us
• We exclude books with bad reviews that we haven't read ourselves
• This post includes affiliate links on which we could earn a commission

DK Eyewitness Venice and the Veneto

“DK Eyewitness Venice and the Veneto” invites you on an unforgettable journey through the dreamlike city of Venice and its surrounding region, Veneto. From the enchanting maze of Venice’s canals to the historical splendor of Verona’s Roman Arena and the natural beauty of the Dolomites, this guide covers it all. With a focus on bringing Venice and Veneto to life through vivid photography, detailed illustrations, and expert-led insights, it ensures travelers can experience the essence of the region. Updated post-COVID-19, this guide offers the most current advice for exploring this magical area safely and enrichingly.

Why you should consider this guide for your Venice and Veneto adventure:

• 🌟 Expert Picks : Discover must-sees and hidden gems in Venice and Veneto.
• 📅 Daily Itineraries : Make the most of each day with tailored suggestions.
• 🚶 Practical Advice : Tips on navigating the region, saving time, and cutting costs.
• 🍴 Local Recommendations : The best spots to eat, drink, shop, and stay.
• 🗺️ Detailed Maps : Navigate with ease and confidence through diverse landscapes.

“DK Eyewitness Venice and the Veneto” is your passport to the wonders of this Italian oasis and its breathtaking surroundings. Whether you’re soaking in the art and architecture of Venice, relishing the scenic beauty of Lake Garda, or exploring the alpine allure of the Dolomites, this guide ensures a trip filled with lasting memories.

Let this book be your trusted companion as you dive into the rich history, culture, and natural beauty of Venice and the Veneto. Experience the splendor of the region with DK Eyewitness, and create a journey that’s as enchanting as the destinations themselves. Don’t miss out on the chance to turn your travel dreams into reality with this indispensable guide.

National Geographic Walking Venice

“National Geographic Walking Venice, 2nd Edition” is an indispensable guide for travelers eager to explore the enchanting city of Venice on foot. Crafted by the esteemed National Geographic, this guide divides Venice into its six unique districts (sestieri), each with its distinct charm and history. From the grandeur of San Marco and San Polo to the artistic vibrancy of Dorsoduro and the historic significance of Cannaregio, this book provides detailed itineraries, insider tips, and essential information to ensure a fulfilling urban adventure.

Why this guide is essential for your Venice exploration:

• 🚶‍♂️ Customized Tours : Offers nine specially tailored tours to suit various interests, including art, cuisine, and family activities.
• 🗺️ Detailed Maps : Each chapter opens with a map to guide you through the highlights and hidden gems of Venice’s districts.
• 🏛️ In-Depth Exploration : “In Detail” sections offer comprehensive insights into significant sites, enriching your understanding of Venice’s heritage.
• 🎭 Cultural Insights : “This Is Venice” sections delve into the unique characteristics of each neighborhood, from local traditions to architectural marvels.
• 🌟 Curated Recommendations : “The Best” sections list top picks for food, wine, art, and more, ensuring you experience the very best of Venice.

“National Geographic Walking Venice” is not just a travel guide; it’s a gateway to experiencing the soul of Venice through immersive walks and insightful explorations. Whether you’re marveling at the reflections on the Grand Canal, indulging in the local cuisine, or uncovering the artistic treasures of the city, this guide ensures a rich, memorable journey through Venice’s storied streets and canals.

Embark on an unparalleled adventure with “National Geographic Walking Venice.” This guide promises to transform your visit into a deeply personal and unforgettable exploration of one of Italy’s most iconic cities. Walk the path less traveled and discover the heart of Venice with National Geographic by your side.

Rick Steves Venice

“Rick Steves Venice” is your definitive guide to navigating the enchanting city of Venice with wisdom, wit, and insight. As a trusted travel companion, Rick Steves empowers you to delve into the art, history, and culture of Venice, guiding you through its canals and narrow alleys with ease. This guide is meticulously updated to offer comprehensive coverage for an extensive exploration of Venice, including strategic advice on maximizing both your time and budget. From the iconic St. Mark’s Basilica and Rialto Bridge to the hidden gems and the quaint city of Padua, this book ensures a rich Venetian experience.

Here’s why “Rick Steves Venice” is indispensable for your trip:

• 🗺️ Strategic Planning : Receive expert advice on how to see Venice’s best without wasting time or money.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Hidden Gems : Discover Venice’s lesser-known corners alongside its top sights.
• 🎭 Local Culture : Engage with Venice’s vibrant culture in authentic ways, from markets to piazzas.
• 🚫 Avoid Tourist Traps : Benefit from Rick’s honest insights to experience the city beyond the usual tourist pathways.
• 🍦 Relax and Enjoy : Find the best spots for dining, sleeping, and unwinding with gelato in hand.

Rick Steves goes beyond mere sightseeing, inviting you to connect with Venice’s soul. Whether it’s greeting the morning market’s fishmongers or enjoying chicchetti at a wine bar, this guide offers self-guided walking tours, neighborhood insights, and a fold-out city map to enrich your exploration. Over 400 pages packed with valuable information ensure you’re well-equipped for your journey, without weighing you down.

“Rick Steves Venice” transforms your travel experience from ordinary to extraordinary, making every day and dollar count. With this guide, Venice opens up to you in new and exciting ways, making for an unforgettable adventure. Whether you’re planning a lengthy stay or a brief visit, Rick Steves provides the tools you need to explore Venice with confidence and joy.

Best time to visit Venice

Best tours in venice, michelin green guide venice and the veneto.

“Michelin Green Guide Venice and the Veneto” offers a comprehensive exploration of the enchanting city of Venice and its surrounding region, Veneto. This guide enables you to navigate the city’s labyrinthine streets, iconic bridges, and picturesque neighborhoods with ease, extending your adventure to the beautiful islands of Murano, Torcello, and Burano. With Michelin’s renowned star-rating system, you can effortlessly prioritize your visit to Venice’s most stunning attractions, from the bustling vaporetto rides along the Grand Canal to the intimate corners of the La Fenice area.

Why the Michelin Green Guide is your essential companion in Venice:

• 🌟 Michelin Star-Rating System : Navigate Venice’s attractions with an authoritative guide to what’s best.
• 🚶 In-Depth Walking Tours : Explore detailed walks through Venice’s museums, galleries, and historical sites.
• 🖼️ Cultural Insights : Delve into Venice’s rich history, architecture, art, and culture with expert-written sections.
• 🛶 Excursions and Side Trips : Venture beyond Venice with suggestions for exploring the Veneto region and its stunning landscapes.
• 🍴 Local Recommendations : Find the best places to eat and stay, catering to all budgets.

This guide not only details Venice’s timeless beauty and its myriad of canals and historic sites but also offers a unique insight into the region’s culture, history, and modern-day allure. Whether you’re captivated by the architectural marvels like the Doges’ Palace and Saint Mark’s Basilica, or you’re planning to uncover the scenic and historic corners of the city through multiple walking tours, this guide provides everything you need for an unforgettable trip.

With the “Michelin Green Guide Venice and the Veneto,” immerse yourself in the heart of Venice and its surroundings. The guide’s meticulous attention to detail, from attraction ratings to visitor information and expert recommendations, ensures a richly rewarding experience. Dive into an adventure filled with the art, culture, and unparalleled beauty of Venice and the Veneto, making every moment of your journey memorable.

Best Travel Books Italy and Venice

There are not that many travel guides that only cover Venice. That is why we are including multiple books that cover the entire country. We always select some of the best books on the market that we either own ourselves or books that we want to read.

Fodor's The Best of Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice & the Top Spots in Between

“Fodor’s Best of Italy” is a vibrant and comprehensive guide that encapsulates the essence of Italy, from the historic streets of Rome to the serene canals of Venice, and the scenic hilltop villages of Tuscany. The 2022 edition brings together all the essentials you need to navigate Italy’s top spots, packed with maps, expert recommendations, and the latest information to streamline your trip planning. Whether you’re drawn to the architectural marvels, the rich culinary landscape, or the bustling local markets, this guide has you covered.

Key highlights of “Fodor’s Best of Italy” include:

• 🇮🇹 Illustrated Guide : Visual highlights of Italy’s must-see experiences.
• 🗺️ Detailed Maps : Over 40 maps, including a free pull-out map for easy navigation.
• 📸 Vibrant Photos : Colorful photography throughout to inspire your travels.
• 🍴 Local Insights : Recommendations on dining, accommodation, and shopping from those who know best.
• 🎨 Cultural Deep Dives : In-depth features on iconic sights and Renaissance art.

This travel guide is an indispensable tool for anyone looking to explore Italy’s rich history, culture, and landscapes. From navigating the grandeur of Rome’s Colosseum to enjoying a gondola ride in Venice and shopping in Milan, “Fodor’s Best of Italy” ensures a trip filled with unforgettable experiences.

Embark on your Italian adventure with confidence and insider knowledge. With “Fodor’s Best of Italy,” you’re not just visiting Italy; you’re immersing yourself in a world of beauty, history, and culture that is unparalleled. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, this guide will help you discover the very best of Italy.

Lonely Planet Italy

“Lonely Planet Italy” is a comprehensive travel guide that invites you to experience the full spectrum of Italy’s wonders, from the ancient ruins of Pompeii to the lush vineyards of Tuscany and the wild beauty of Sardinia. This guide stands as your ultimate companion, offering a wealth of recommendations for both well-known and off-the-beaten-path experiences. Crafted by a team of experts, this book is filled with insider tips, local insights, and practical advice to enrich your journey across this diverse country.

Here’s why “Lonely Planet Italy” is indispensable for your Italian adventure:

• 🌍 Extensive Coverage : From Rome to Sardinia, uncover every corner of Italy.
• 🍴 Culinary Delights : Discover the must-try regional dishes and wines.
• 🚶‍♂️ Custom Itineraries : Tailor your trip with suggestions that match your interests.
• 📚 Local Insights : Get a deeper understanding of Italy’s culture, history, and people.
• 🗺️ Practical Tools : Navigate easily with detailed maps and language tips.

“Lonely Planet Italy” promises not just to guide you through Italy’s iconic cities and hidden gems but also to immerse you in the rich tapestry of Italian life. Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or an adventure seeker, this guide equips you with everything you need to explore Italy’s diverse landscapes, from the Alpine peaks in the north to the Mediterranean shores in the south.

Embark on your Italian journey with “Lonely Planet Italy” as your guide, and be prepared to fall in love with the country’s breathtaking scenery, profound history, and vibrant culture. This is not just a travel guide—it’s your passport to discovering the very soul of Italy.

DUNCAN THE TRAVELING MONKEY: CIAO FROM VENICE

“Duncan the Traveling Monkey: Ciao from Venice” by Debbie Ferreira, illustrated by Yvonne Abuda, is a captivating children’s book that blends the joy of travel with the warmth of friendship, all set against the picturesque backdrop of Venice. Through rhymes, poetry, and vibrant illustrations, young readers are invited to join Duncan on a Venetian adventure that is as educational as it is entertaining. This book is an excellent resource for introducing children to Italian culture, geography, history, and landmarks like St Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, and the Rialto Bridge.

Why “Duncan the Traveling Monkey: Ciao from Venice” is a must-have:

• 🌍 Cultural Exploration : Embark on a journey to Venice and immerse in its culture, language, and customs.
• 🎨 Educational Content : Learn about famous landmarks, art, and history in a fun, engaging way.
• 🐒 Fun and Friendship : Enjoy the adventures of Duncan and the life lessons on friendship and family.
• 📚 Interactive Learning : Offers post-reading activities for extended fun and learning.
• 🎁 Perfect Gift : Ideal for birthdays, holidays, or as a delightful educational tool for young explorers.

“Duncan the Traveling Monkey: Ciao from Venice” promises to take children on a whirlwind tour of Venice’s famed canals and streets, making learning about this iconic city an adventure in itself. With lessons on family, friendship, and cultural appreciation woven into the narrative, it’s more than just a storybook—it’s a gateway to a richer understanding of the world.

Dive into this enchanting tale with Duncan and discover the wonders of Venice through the eyes of a curious, traveling monkey. Perfect for young readers eager to explore the world, this book is a ticket to adventure, learning, and fun. Say “Ciao” to a new favorite read!

Venice: A New History

“Venice: A New History” by Thomas F. Madden offers an expansive and detailed account of Venice, from its modest beginnings to its rise as a dominant maritime empire and center of the Renaissance, through to its modern incarnation as a beloved tourist destination. Madden delves into Venice’s numerous contributions to world history, including its formidable naval power, its status as an economic titan and the cradle of capitalism, its influence on the opera, and its iconic architecture. Set against the backdrop of significant historical events like the Byzantine Empire’s evolution, the Crusades, and the might of the Ottoman Turks, this book provides a comprehensive look at the city’s development and its impact on the world.

Why “Venice: A New History” is a must-read:

• 📚 Comprehensive Coverage : A sweeping history that captures Venice’s journey over centuries.
• 🌏 Global Context : Places Venice in the broader narrative of European and Middle Eastern history.
• 🏛️ Cultural Insights : Explores Venice’s cultural and economic innovations and their global influence.
• 🚣 Unique Perspectives : Offers new insights into Venice’s social and political fabric, moving beyond stereotypes.
• 🎭 Rich Storytelling : Madden’s narrative brings to life the city and its people through engaging prose and meticulous research.

“Venice: A New History” challenges and enriches our understanding of this iconic city, revealing the depth and complexity of its legacy. Through careful analysis and vivid storytelling, Madden corrects long-held misconceptions and highlights the ingenuity and faith of the Venetian people, whose contributions have left an indelible mark on civilization.

Embark on a journey through time with this book, and rediscover Venice in a light never seen before. Whether you’re a history buff, a lover of Venice, or someone fascinated by the forces that shape our world, “Venice: A New History” promises a compelling and enriching read that will deepen your appreciation for this extraordinary city and its people.

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A Book Lover's Adventures

Traveling the world one book at a time

24 fabulous books set in Venice you need to read now

I think Venice, Italy has always been on my bucket list. But, thus far my life has not found a way to get me there. So, until that time comes, I’ve decided to visit this beautiful city through the pages of books. So, here’s my list of books set in Venice.

I’ve got books from almost every genre, so you’re bound to find a book set in Venice that is perfect for you!

Don’t feel like reading the article? No problem! You can listen to my podcast on Literary Escapes with Becki. I recorded a Books Set in Venice episode just for you.

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1. a thousand days in venice.

Author: Marlena de Blasi

Genre: Memoir

First up in our list of books set in Venice is a beautiful love story that just happens to be real.

Fernando first sees Marlena across the Piazza San Marco and falls in love from afar. When he sees her again in a Venice café a year later, he knows it’s fate.

He knows little English; she, a divorced American chef traveling through Italy, speaks only food-based Italian.

Marlena thought she was done with romantic love, incapable of intimacy. Yet within months of their first meeting, she quits her job, sells her house in St. Louis, kisses her two grown sons goodbye, and moves to Venice to marry “the stranger,” as she calls Fernando.

This deliciously satisfying memoir is filled with the foods and flavors of Italy and peppered with culinary observations and recipes. But the main course here is an enchanting true story about a woman who falls in love with both a man and a city, and finally finds the home she didn’t even know she was missing.

2. A Year at the Hotel Gondola

Author: Nicky Pellegrino

Genre: Romantic Comedy

This is a fun romantic comedy novel set in Venice.

Kat is an adventurer, a food writer who travels the world visiting far-flung places and eating unusual things. Now she is about to embark on her biggest adventure yet – a relationship.

She has fallen in love with an Italian man and is moving to live with him in Venice where she will help him run his small guesthouse, Hotel Gondola. Kat has lined up a book deal and will write about the first year of her new adventure, the food she eats, the recipes she collects, the people she meets, the man she doesn’t really know all that well but is going to make a life with.

But as Kat ought to know by now, the thing about adventures is that they never go exactly the way you expect them to…

3. The Aspern Papers

Author: Henry James

Genre: Classic

A short novel set in Venice written by Henry James. In it a nameless narrator goes to Venice to find Juliana Bordereau, an old lover of Jeffrey Aspern, a famous and now dead American poet.

The narrator presents himself to the old woman as a prospective lodger and is prepared to court her niece Miss Tina, a plain, somewhat naive spinster, in hopes of getting a look at some of Aspern’s letters and other papers kept by Juliana.

The story gets a bit twisted up. Miss Tina has conditions if she’s going to help him find the papers – she wants him to marry her – but the narrator isn’t sure he wants do that, though he really wants the papers.

4. The City of Falling Angels

Author: John Berendt

Genre: Biography

From the author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil comes a book set in Venice. Another true crime story to be told.

Turning to the magic, mystery, and decadence of Venice, Berendt gradually reveals the truth behind a sensational fire that in 1996 destroyed the historic Fenice opera house. Encountering a rich cast of characters, Berendt tells a tale full of atmosphere and surprise as the stories build, one after the other, ultimately coming together to portray a world as finely drawn as a still-life painting.

5. Cry to Heaven

Author: Anne Rice

Genre: Fantasy/Horror

And now our list of books set in Venice brings you the fantasty and horror of Anne Rice. In a sweeping saga of music and vengeance, the acclaimed author of The Vampire Chronicles draws readers into eighteenth-century Italy, bringing to life the decadence beneath the shimmering surface of Venice, the wild frivolity of Naples, and the magnetic terror of its shadow, Vesuvius.

This is the story of the castrati, the exquisite and otherworldly sopranos whose graceful bodies and glorious voices win the adulation of royal courts and grand opera houses throughout Europe. These men are revered as idols—and, at the same time, scorned for all they are not.

6. Dead Lagoon

Author: Micheal Dibdin

Genre: Crime/Mystery

There are some great mystery books set in Venice, and here’s one from Michael Dibdin. He gives us a deliciously creepy new novel featuring the urbane and skeptical Aurelio Zen, a detective whose unenviable task it is to combat crime in a country where today’s superiors may be tomorrow’s defendants.

Zen returns to his native Venice. He is searching for the ghostly tormentors of a half-demented contessa and a vanished American millionaire whose family is paying Zen under the table to determine his whereabouts-dead or alive.

But he keeps stumbling over corpses that are distressingly concrete: from the crooked cop found drowned in one of the city’s noisome “black wells” to a brand-new skeleton that surfaces on the Isle of the Dead. The result is a mystery rich in character and deduction and intensely informed about the history, politics, and manners of its Venetian setting.

7. Death at La Fenice

Author: Donna Leon

Genre: Mystery/Crime

Here’s another of the great mystery books set in Venice. During intermission at the famed La Fenice opera house in Venice, Italy, a notoriously difficult and widely disliked German conductor is poisoned—and suspects abound.

Guido Brunetti, a native Venetian, sets out to unravel the mystery behind the high-profile murder. To do so, he calls on his knowledge of Venice, its culture, and its dirty politics. Along the way, he finds the crime may have roots going back decades—and that revenge, corruption, and even Italian cuisine may play a role.

8. Death in Venice

Author: Thomas Mann

Genre: Literary Classic

Death in Venice tells the story of Gustave von Aschenbach, a successful but aging writer who follows his wanderlust to Venice in search of spiritual fulfillment that instead leads to his erotic doom.

In the decaying city, besieged by an unnamed epidemic, he becomes obsessed with an exquisite Polish boy, Tadzio.

9. Don’t Look Now

Author: Daphne du Maurier

Genre: Horror/Suspense

If you like a good horror story, then you’ll enjoy this collection of creepy stories from Daphne du Maurier. One of the stories in the book is set in Venice. A married couple on holiday in Venice are caught up in a sinister series of events.

Other stories include: A lonely schoolmaster is impelled to investigate a mysterious American couple. A young woman loses her cool when she confronts her father’s old friend on a lonely island. A party of British pilgrims meets strange phenomena and possible disaster in the Holy Land. A scientist abandons his scruples while trying to tap the energy of the dying mind.

10. The Floating Book

Author: Micheal Lovric

Genre: Historical Fiction

Because of its long history, there are so many wonderful historical books set in Venice to choose from. This novel is set in Venice, 1468. The beautiful yet heartless Sosia Simeon is making her mark on the city, driven by a dark compulsion to steal pleasure with men from all walks of life.

Across the Grand Canal, Wendelin von Speyer has just arrived from Germany, bringing with him a cultural revolution: Gutenberg’s movable type. Together with the young editor Bruno Uguccione and the seductive scribe Felice Feliciano, he starts the city’s first printing press.

Before long a love triangle develops between Sosia, Felice, and Bruno — who has become entranced by the verse of Catullus, the Roman erotic poet. But a far greater scandal erupts when Wendelin tempts fate by publishing the poet — and changes all of their lives forever.

11. The Glassblower of Murano

Author: Marina Fiorato

Genre: Historical Mystery/Suspense

This is another of the historical fiction books set in Venice. But this one includes some present day pieces in the story. But, it begins in Venice, 1681. Glassblowing is the lifeblood of the Republic, and Venetian mirrors are more precious than gold.

Jealously guarded by the murderous Council of Ten, the glassblowers of Murano are virtually imprisoned on their island in the lagoon. But the greatest of the artists, Corradino Manin, sells his methods and his soul to the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, to protect his secret daughter.

In the present day his descendant, Leonora Manin, leaves an unhappy life in London to begin a new life as a glassblower in Venice. As she finds new life and love in her adoptive city, her fate becomes inextricably linked with that of her ancestor and the treacherous secrets of his life begin to come to light.

12. Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

Author: Susanna Clarke

Genre: Gaslamp Fantasy

It was fun to find this book to add to our books set in Venice list. I had not heard of gaslamp fantasy, so had to look it up. It is a sub-genre of both fantasy and historical fiction. Generally speaking, this particular realm of fantasy employs either a Victorian or Edwardian setting.

This book is set in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars in 1806, when most people believe magic to have long since disappeared from England – until the reclusive Mr. Norrell reveals his powers and becomes an overnight celebrity.

Then another practicing magician then emerges: the young and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell’s pupil, and the two join forces in the war against France.

But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wild, most perilous forms of magic, and he soon risks sacrificing his partnership with Norrell and everything else he holds dear.

13. The Man in the Picture

Author: Susan Hill

Genre: Ghost Thriller

If you’re gong to have a list of books set in Venice, you need a good ghost story on it. So, here’s an extraordinary ghost story from a modern master.

In the apartment of Oliver’s old professor at Cambridge, there is a painting on the wall, a mysterious depiction of masked revelers at the Venice carnival.

On this cold winter’s night, the old professor has decided to reveal the painting’s eerie secret. The dark art of the Venetian scene, instead of imitating life, has the power to entrap it. To stare into the painting is to play dangerously with the unseen demons it hides, and become the victim of its macabre beauty.

14. The Merchant of Venice

Author: William Shakespeare

Genre: Comedy Drama/Play

Any list of books set in Italy needs to include William Shakespeare! I have two of his books set in Venice on this list.

In  The Merchant of Venice , the path to marriage is hazardous. To win Portia, Bassanio must pass a test prescribed by her father’s will, choosing correctly among three caskets or chests. If he fails, he may never marry at all.

Bassanio and Portia also face a magnificent villain, the moneylender Shylock. In creating Shylock, Shakespeare seems to have shared in a widespread prejudice against Jews. Shylock would have been regarded as a villain because he was a Jew. Yet he gives such powerful expression to his alienation due to the hatred around him that, in many productions, he emerges as the hero.

15. Miss Garnet’s Angel

Author: Salley Vickers

Genre: Women’s Fiction

If you want a sweet romance novel set in Venice, you’ll enjoy Miss Garnet’s Angel. After the death of her longtime friend and flatmate, retired British history teacher Julia Garnet does something completely out of character: She takes a six-month rental on a modest apartment in Venice.

There she befriends a young Italian boy and English twins who are restoring a fourteenth-century chapel. And she falls in love for the first time in her life with an art dealer named Carlo.

16. One Summer in Venice

Genre: Contemporary Romance

This romance book set n Venice celebrated happiness, romance and food! A delicious combination.

‘ This isn’t a mid-life crisis OK? For a start, I’m not old enough yet to have one of those. I’m calling it a happiness project. I’ve stolen an entire summer from my life and by the time it’s over I plan to leave this place with a list in my hand. The ten things that make me happy, that’s all I want to know. How difficult can it be? They may be small things – a perfect cup of coffee, a day without rain – or bigger ones. It’s still the beginning so how can I know? ‘

Addolorata Martinelli knows she should be happy. She has everything she thought she wanted – her own business, a husband, a child. So why does she feel as if something is missing? Then when her restaurant, Little Italy, is slated by a reviewer, she realizes that she’s lost the one thing she thought she could always count on, her love of food.

So Addolorata heads to Venice for a summer alone, aiming to find the ten things that make her happy. Once she’s found them, she’ll construct a new life around her ten things, but will they include her life in London?

17. Othello

Genre: Tragic Drama/Play

The second of my Shakespeare books set in Venice on this list. In  Othello , Shakespeare creates powerful drama from a marriage between the exotic Moor Othello and the Venetian lady Desdemona that begins with elopement and mutual devotion and ends with jealous rage and death.

Shakespeare builds many differences into his hero and heroine, including race, age, and cultural background. Yet most readers and audiences believe the couple’s strong love would overcome these differences were it not for Iago, who sets out to destroy Othello.

Iago’s false insinuations about Desdemona’s infidelity draw Othello into his schemes, and Desdemona is subjected to Othello’s horrifying verbal and physical assaults.

18. People of the Book

Author: Geraldine Brooks

I wasn’t sure whether to list this book as contemporary fiction or historical fiction as it starts in the present (or near present) and works its way back in history. Either way, this is an interesting book set in Venice, among other places around the globe.

In 1996, Hanna Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, is offered the job of a lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war.

Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish volumes ever to be illuminated with images.

When Hanna, a caustic loner with a passion for her work, discovers a series of tiny artifacts in its ancient binding—an insect wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, a white hair—she begins to unlock the book’s mysteries.

The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric past, tracing the book’s journey from its salvation back to its creation.

19. Stone’s Fall

Author: Iain Pears

This is another of the books set in Venice that both moves backward through time, and is set in multiple cities.

John Stone, a man so wealthy that in the years before World War One he was able to manipulate markets, industries and indeed whole countries and continents, has been found dead in mysterious circumstances. His beautiful young widow commissions a journalist to carry out an unusual bequest in his will but as he begins his research he soon discovers a story far more complex than he could have ever imagined…

As the story moves backward through time, from London in 1909 to Paris in 1809, before concluding in Venice in 1867, the mystery of John Stone’s life and loves begins to unravel. The result is a spellbinding novel that is both a quest for the truth, a love story that spans decades and a compelling murder mystery.

20. A Stopover in Venice

Author: Kathryn Walker

I added this novel to our list of books set in Venice because it sounds like a beautiful story of self-discovery. And what better city to go through that than Venice, Italy!

Nel Everett, a young American woman, is touring Italy with her famous musician husband when, in a moment of fury, she pulls down her luggage and gets off the train. As her life speeds away down the tracks, Nel is marooned and on her own for the first time in eight years.

Bewildered, Nel returns to Venice where she encounters a tiny dog who leads her to an enigmatic stranger, a contessa, and a decaying Gothic palazzo. She is soon drawn into a world of charismatic characters, centuries of Venetian history, and the mystery of a lost masterpiece. What begins as a tale of loneliness and heartbreak opens into a dazzling, enchanting story of secrets and self-discovery in a magical city.

21. The Thief Lord

Author: Cornelia Funke

Genre: Children/Middle Grade

I am always excited to find children’s books set in different places around the world. So, this was an easy book to add to this list of books set in Venice. Cornelia Funke spins a magical tale full of adventure.

Two orphaned brothers, Prosper and Bo, have run away to Venice, where crumbling canals and misty alleyways shelter a secret community of street urchins. Leader of this motley crew of lost children is a clever, charming boy with a dark history of his own: He calls himself the Thief Lord.

Propser and Bo relish their new “family” and life of petty crime. But their cruel aunt and a bumbling detective are on their trail. And posing an even greater threat to the boys’ freedom is something from a forgotten past: a beautiful magical treasure with the power to spin time itself.

22. The Villa

Author: Nora Roberts

Genre: Romantic Suspense

When I started putting together my list of books set in Venice, I knew I wanted to put this book on the list. While the whole book doesn’t take place in Venice, it starts there and revists throughout the book.

This is one of my favorite books to reread, especially if I’m in a funk.It has all the elements I love: a beautiful setting – Venice and Napa Valley, some good strong characters, a couple of fun romances, and a mystery that weaves it’s way throughout the book.

PR executive Sophia Giambelli loves her job and has never worried about competition. For three generations, her family’s wines have been world-renowned for their quality. But things are about to change at Villa Giambelli. Tereza, the matriarch, has announced a merger with the MacMillan family’s winery—and Sophia will be assuming a new role.

As a savvy businesswoman, Sophia knows she must be prepared for anything…but she isn’t prepared for Tyler MacMillan. They’ve been ordered to work together very closely, to facilitate the merger. Sophia must teach Ty the finer points of marketing—and Ty, in turn, shows her how to get down and dirty, to use the sun, rain, and earth to coax the sweetest grapes from the vineyard. As they toil together, both in and out of the fields, Sophia is torn between a powerful attraction and a professional rivalry. At the end of the season, the course of the company’s future—and the legacy of the villa—may take an entirely new direction. And when acts of sabotage threaten both the family business and the family itself, Sophia’s quest will be not only for dominance, but also for survival.

23. Vivaldi’s Virgins

Author: Barbara Quick

Another historical fiction/mystery book set in Venice. This time the focus is on music and Vivaldi. Welcome to eighteenth-century Venice at the height of its splendor and decadence.

A story of longing and intrigue, half-told truths and toxic lies, Vivaldi’s Virgins unfolds through the eyes of Anna Maria dal Violin, one of the elite musicians cloistered in the foundling home where Antonio Vivaldi—known as the Red Priest of Venice—is maestro and composer.

Fourteen-year-old Anna Maria, abandoned at the Ospedale della Pietà as an infant, is determined to find out who she is and where she came from. Her quest takes her beyond the cloister walls into the complex tapestry of Venetian society; from the impoverished alleyways of the Jewish Ghetto to a masked ball in the company of a king; from the passionate communal life of adolescent girls competing for their maestro’s favor to the larger-than-life world of music and spectacle that kept the citizens of a dying republic in thrall. In this world, where for fully half the year the entire city is masked and cloaked in the anonymity of Carnival, nothing is as it appears to be.

24. Watermark

Author: Joseph Brodsky

Genre: Autobiography

Rounding out our list of books set in Venice comes this brief, intense, gem-like book, equal parts extended autobiographical essay and prose poem. Brodsky turns his eye to the seductive and enigmatic city of Venice.

A mosaic of 48 short chapters―each recalling a specific episode from one of his many visits there (Brodsky spent his winters in Venice for nearly 20 years)― Watermark  associatively and brilliantly evokes one city’s architectural and atmospheric character. In doing so, the book also reveals a subject―and an author―readers have never before seen.

Wrap up Books Set in Venice

I am a big fan of traveling around the world with my books. And, Venice seems like such a lovely city to visit – whether through the pages or in person.

So, which of these books set in Venice is right for you? Are you into historical fiction? Or maybe you prefer romance? Or maybe a biography or memoir? Whatever your preferred genre, you’re bound to find a good book set in Venice to take you away!

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Becki is the author and founder of A Book Lover’s Adventures. She has a degree in elementary education, has worked and volunteered in libraries for years, and spent several years in the travel industry. All of this has led to a love of books and travel. Becki loves to share her love by finding literary escapes to share!

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Venice has been depicted and described so often that on arriving in the city you might have the slightly anticlimactic feeling that everything looks exactly as expected. The Canal Grande’s water-lapped palaces are indeed as picturesque as the coffee-table books made them out to be, Piazza San Marco is as perfect as a film set, and the panorama from the Palazzo Ducale is more or less as Canaletto painted it. Any sense of familiarity quickly fades, however, as you start to look around: seeing a stack of furniture being hoisted from a barge up to a top-floor window, or someone fishing knee- deep in the lagoon a hundred metres from dry land, you understand that life here is not like life anywhere else. And the more closely you look, the more fascinating Venice becomes.

Venice: a city shaped by history and water

10x the best things to do in venice, food and drink in venice, best areas to stay in venice, best time to visit venice, how to get around, how many days do you need in venice, how to get here.

Founded on a cluster of mudflats in the heart of the lagoon 1,500 years ago, Venice emerged as Europe's principal exchange between the West and the East. At its zenith, it commanded an empire stretching north to the Dolomites and across the sea to Cyprus. The city's wealth and population swelled, densifying its urban fabric amidst a unique blend of nature and man-made marvels. 

Today, the historical centre, comprising roughly a hundred islets , leaves no space undeveloped, no street or square without a trace of Venice's illustrious past. It's common to stumble upon medieval remnants in even the most hidden alleyways, embedding the city's rich lineage into its very walls.

Yet, Venice's melancholic charm partly stems from the contrast between its historic grandeur and its current state. Once home to 200,000 residents during the Venetian Republic's golden age, the city's population has significantly dwindled. It was a bustling metropolis, attracting merchants from across the globe, its economy setting continental benchmarks from the Rialto's banks and bazaars. 

The Arsenale's vast workforce could construct a warship in a day, and Piazza San Marco was a perpetual hub of commerce and governance. Now, Venice stands as a testament to its spectacular heritage, its survival heavily reliant on those drawn to its enduring legacy.

 San Marco square from the water © Shutterstock

Venice, a city spread across 118 islands, is interlinked by 435 bridges into six districts known as sestieri. The city's cultural richness extends to over fifty churches and revered institutions like the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, showcasing masterpieces by Tintoretto and Carpaccio.

You can't see everything, and we don't suggest you try, so here's a list of things we think, you need to visit!

Editors tip : make sure to read the 20 best things to do in Venice .

#1 Admire the Basilica di San Marco

San Marco is the most exotic of Europe’s cathedrals, and it has always provoked strong reactions. To Herman Melville, it was beautiful and insubstantial – as though “the Grand Turk had pitched his pavilion here for a summer’s day”. Mark Twain adored it for its “entrancing, tranquillizing, soul-satisfying ugliness”.

Herbert Spencer found it “a fine sample of barbaric architecture”; and to John Ruskin, it was the most gorgeous of holy places, a “treasure-heap…a confusion of delight”.

The Basilica di San Marco is certainly confusing, increasingly so as you come nearer and the details emerge, but some knowledge of the building’s background helps bring a little order out of the chaos.

Tips from Martina

Italy Travel Expert

"Don't just visit our famed canals, but also visit the cities less trodden paths. Delve into the serene atmosphere of the Cannaregio district, a treasure trove of local life, far from the crowd. Here, the authentic Venetian lifestyle unfolds in quiet squares and along peaceful canals".

St. Mark's Basilica and St.Mark's Campanile above the San Marco Square in Venice © Shutterstock

Grand Canal, Venice, Italy © Apple Kullathida/Shutterstock

#2 Embrace the art in Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni

Venice has two brilliant cycles of pictures by Vittore Carpaccio – one is in the Accademia, and the other is in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, which sits beside a canal to the south of San Francesco.

By the mid-fifteenth century, though, Venice’s Slavic inhabitants were sufficiently established for a scuola to be set up to protect their interests. After several years of meeting in the church of San Giovanni di Malta, the scuola built itself a new headquarters on the church’s doorstep at the start of the sixteenth century and summoned Carpaccio to brighten up the first-storey hall.

Painted from 1502 to 1508, after the Accademia’s St Ursula cycle, Carpaccio’s pictures were moved downstairs when the building was rearranged in 1551, and the interior has scarcely changed since.

#3 Stroll through the lively Rialto market

It was through the markets of the Rialto that Venice earned its reputation as the bazaar of Europe. Virtually anything could be bought or sold here: fabrics, precious stones, silver plate and gold jewellery, spices and dyes from the Orient. Trading had been going on here for over four hundred years when, in the winter of 1514, a fire destroyed everything in the area except the church.

The possibility of relocating the business centre was discussed but found little favour, so reconstruction began almost straight away: the Fabbriche Vecchie was finished eight years after the fire, and Sansovino’s Fabbriche Nuove followed about thirty years later.

Today’s Rialto market is much more modest than that of Venice at its peak, but it’s still one of the liveliest spots in the city and one of the few places where it’s possible to stand in a crowd and hear nothing but Italian-spoken.

#4 Take a tour of San Giorgio Maggiore

Palladio’s church of San Giorgio Maggiore, facing the Palazzo Ducale across the Bacino di San Marco is one of the most prominent and familiar of all Venetian landmarks. It is a startling building, with an impact that’s enhanced by its isolation on an island of its own.

Ruskin didn’t much care for it: “It is impossible to conceive a design grosser, more barbarous, more childish in conception, more servile in plagiarism, more insipid in result, more contemptible under every point of rational regard.”

Goethe, on the other hand, was sick of the Gothic art that was to Ruskin the touchstone of spiritual health and gave thanks to Palladio for purging his mind of medieval clutter.

#5 Enjoy the spectacle of the Regata Storica

Held on the first Sunday in September, the Regata Storica is the annual trial of strength and skill for the city’s gondoliers and other expert rowers. It starts with a procession of historic craft along the Canal Grande course, their crews all decked out in a period dress, followed by a series of races right up the canal.

Re-enacting the return of Caterina Cornaro to her native city in 1489, the opening parade is a spectacular affair and is followed by a race for young rowers in two-oared pupparini. The women come next (in boats called mascarete), followed by a race for canoe-like caorline; and then it’s the men’s race, in specialized two-man racing gondolas called gondolini.

Gondolas in Venice © Shutterstock

#6 Go on a day trip to Torcello

“Mother and daughter, you behold them both in their widowhood – Torcello and Venice.” So wrote John Ruskin, and it’s almost impossible to visit Torcello without similarly sensing an atmosphere of bereavement. This outlying island has now come almost full circle.

Settled by the very first refugees from the mainland in the fifth century, it became the seat of the bishop of Altinum in 638 and in the following year its cathedral – the oldest building in the lagoon – was founded.

By the fourteenth century, its population had peaked at around twenty thousand, but Torcello’s canals were now silting up and malaria was rife. By the end of the fifteenth century, Torcello was largely deserted – even the bishop lived in Murano – and today fewer than a dozen people remain in residence.

Read more about the best day trips from Venice .

#7 Explore Burano and Murano islands

Take a fascinating day trip to the Venetian islands of Burano and Murano, each with a special charm that complements the glamour of Venice.

A short vaporetto ride from the main island takes you to the vibrant realm of Burano, known for its rainbow-coloured houses and intricate lacework. Wander through narrow streets decorated with colourful linens and observe the artistry of local lacemakers, whose tradition dates back several centuries. The island's serene canals and warm, welcoming atmosphere make it the perfect place for a leisurely lunch by the water's edge.

Then head to the island of Murano, considered the birthplace of Venetian glassmaking. Explore its rich history and modern innovations by visiting the glass factories, where master craftsmen skilfully mould molten glass into intricate shapes. Discover a fascinating variety of glassware, from exquisite jewellery to ornate chandeliers. See ancient techniques passed down through generations and learn about this age-old craft.

Venice landmark, Burano island, Italy © StevanZZ/Shutterstock

#8 Attend Venice Biennale

If you have a keen interest in contemporary art and international culture, timing your visit to coincide with the Venice Biennale can be a fantastic idea. The Venice Biennale, Europe’s most glamorous international forum for contemporary art, was first held in 1895 as the city’s contribution to the celebrations for the silver wedding anniversary of King Umberto I and Margherita of Savoy.

The main site is by the Giardini Pubblici, with permanent pavilions for about forty countries plus space for a thematic international exhibition. This core part of the Biennale is supplemented by exhibitions in parts of the Arsenale that are otherwise closed to the public, such as the colossal Corderie or Tana and the Artiglierie.

In addition, various palaces and other sites throughout the city are used as national pavilions and as venues for fringe exhibitions, installations and performances.

Biennale, Venice © avphotosales/Shutterstock

#9 Make a pilgrimage to Santa Maria della Salute

In 1630–31 Venice was devastated by a plague that exterminated nearly 95,000 of the lagoon’s population – one person in three. In October 1630 the Senate decreed that a new church would be dedicated to the Virgin Mary if the city were saved. The result was the Salute – salute meaning “health” and “salvation” – or Santa Maria della Salute, to use its full title.

Resting on a platform of more than 100,000 wooden piles, the Salute took half a century to build; its architect, Baldassare Longhena, was only 26 years old when his proposal was accepted. He lived just long enough to see it finished – he died in 1682, one year after completion.

Each year on November 21 (the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin) the Signoria is processed from San Marco to the Salute for a service of thanksgiving. The Festa della Madonna della Salute is still a major event in the Venetian calendar, with thousands of people making their way here to pray for or give thanks for good health.

#10 Discover the hidden gem of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo

Located in a charming labyrinth of Venetian alleyways, Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is an amazing hidden gem waiting to be discovered. This architectural gem, often unnoticed by the crowd, charms those who dare to discover it. The main feature of the palace is the "Scala Contarini del Bovolo", a spiral staircase that rises gracefully upwards and is decorated with elegant arches that create a complex play of light and shadow.

As you ascend this spiral staircase, you are transported to another era where the artistic vision of the Contarini family is brought to life with breathtaking detail. As you climb up, the panorama of red-tiled roofs and Venetian vistas opens up, giving you a glimpse of a timeless city.

There’s more than an element of truth to Venice’s reputation as a place where mass tourism has produced monotonous menus, cynical service and slapdash standards in the kitchen. Venice has fewer good, moderately priced restaurants than any other major Italian city, it has more really bad restaurants than any other, and in some of the expensive establishments you’re paying not for a fine culinary creation but for the experience of dining in an expensive Venetian restaurant. 

However, things have been getting better in recent years, and in the less overrun parts of Venice there are now several good places where you can get a decent two-course meal, plus house wine, for €35–40 per person – which, in this city, is reasonable.

Eating out in San Marco

• Ai Mercanti : Revamped in 2013, Ai Mercanti in San Marco offers imaginative dishes like pumpkin and coffee bean risotto, starting at €13. Its dark wood and golden décor create a unique atmosphere. Open Mon 7–10:30pm, Tues–Sat 12:30–3pm & 7–10:30pm.
• Al Bacareto : A local favorite for over forty years, Al Bacareto offers genuine Venetian cuisine with main courses ranging from €15–20. Opt for cicheti at the bar for a taste of Venice on a budget.

Eating out in San Polo and Santa Croce

• Al Nono Risorto : Nestled off Campo San Cassiano, Al Nono Risorto attracts a young crowd with its pizzeria-restaurant vibe, live jazz and blues, and a charming small garden. Note: No credit cards accepted. Open Mon & Tues–Sun noon–2:30pm & 7–11pm.
• Alla Madonna : For over sixty years, Alla Madonna has served seafood in a lively, old-style setting, now managed by the founder's son. The ambiance is bustling, and the service quick. Despite recent price hikes, it offers relatively good value at about €45/person. Open Mon, Tues & Thurs–Sun noon–3pm & 7–10pm.

Venice ©Shutterstock

Insatiable demand makes Venice’s hotels the most expensive in Western Europe. What’s more, the high season here is longer than anywhere else in the country, but many places don’t recognize the existence of a low season any more.

There are, though, a few good-value hotels to be found in the city, and an ever-increasing number of bed and breakfast places, as well as a plethora of apartments for rent.

If you want to spend time surrounded by luxury, San Marco is the most suitable neighbourhood to do so. San Marco is the heart of Venice, home to the famous St Mark's Square, the magnificent St Mark's Basilica and the majestic Doge's Palace.

This neighbourhood offers exclusive shopping opportunities, high-end restaurants and breathtaking views of the canals. Treat yourself to luxurious accommodation options , including five-star hotels that offer stunning views of the city's landmarks. However, be prepared for higher prices as San Marco is a premium neighbourhood.

Dorsoduro is a neighbourhood worth staying in Venice for its artistic heritage and lively cultural life. Home to the prestigious Accademia Gallery and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, this neighbourhood attracts art lovers from all over the world.

Dorsoduro is also home to the University of Ca' Foscari, giving the neighbourhood a lively and youthful energy.

San Polo and Santa Croce

If you are looking for a place to stay in Venice to experience local Venetian life, the ideal neighbourhoods are San Polo and Santa Croce. These neighbourhoods exude genuine charm with their narrow streets, small squares and bustling markets.

Also, a must-see in these neighbourhoods are the Rialto Bridge, the lively Rialto Market and the historic church of San Giacomo di Rialto. Accommodation options , from cosy guesthouses to charming boutique hotels, provide an authentic Venetian experience.

The Cannaregio neighbourhood may not have any major attractions, but it is a place to stay to experience the atmosphere of Venice. Cannaregio is a less crowded residential neighbourhood that offers a more local and authentic experience. It is known for its picturesque canals, historic synagogues and lively Jewish ghetto.

Central Castello

Castello, located east of San Marco, is Venice's largest and most traditional neighbourhood. With winding streets, small squares and local shops, this neighbourhood has a more relaxed atmosphere.

Castello is home to the impressive Arsenale and the Biennale Gardens, where the prestigious Venice Biennale art exhibition takes place. Castello offers a wide range of accommodation options , from budget guesthouses to elegant boutique hotels.

Browse the best hotels in Venice.

The Canals of Venice, in Italy © Shutterstock

Choosing the right time to visit Venice can greatly influence the experience one gains from this enchanting city. Spring ( April , May and June ) and early autumn ( September to October ) are often considered the best seasons to explore Venice.

During these periods, the weather is pleasantly mild, and the city is less crowded than in the peak summer months ( July and August ). Strolling through the labyrinthine streets, gliding along the serene canals, and marvelling at the architecture under the warm sunlight becomes an immersive experience.

The winter months ( November and January ) can be cold. Venice's renowned events like the Carnival in February and the Venice Biennale in odd-numbered years draw a diverse array of international visitors, adding a unique cultural dimension to the visit. December is usually busy with locals but a fun time to visit.

Find out more about the best time to visit Italy.

The topography of Venice is uniquely complicated, and at first glance its public transport looks as convoluted as a wiring diagram. But the situation isn’t as daunting as it first appears: there are clear main routes through the warren of Venice’s alleyways, and you’ll need to get to grips with only a few of the water-bus routes.

Venice Water-Bus fares and tickets explained

Single journey & special ticket:

• Standard Ticket: €7, valid for 60 minutes with unlimited changes, not usable for return trips.
• One-Stop Ticket: €4, ideal for short crossings like San Zaccaria to San Giorgio Maggiore.
• Luggage Fee: €7 for each piece of large luggage beyond the first.
• Concessions: Children under 4 travel free. Wheelchair users pay €1.30; their companion travels free.

Save with Travel Cards

To avoid high single-ticket costs, consider ACTV Tourist Travel Cards

• 24 hours: €20
• 48 hours: €30
• 72 hours: €40
• 7 days: €60
• Rolling Venice Cardholders: Special 72-hour card for €20
• Airport Bus Supplement: €4 per journey with any ACTV pass.

Where to buy

• Tickets: Landing stages, shops with the ACTV sign, tourist offices.
• ravel Cards: Tourist offices, Piazzale Roma, train station, airport, and selected vaporetto stops like Ca’ d’Oro and San Marco Vallaresso.

Gondola rides in Venice

Gondola Navigation

Thanks to their design, gondolas can navigate Venice's narrow and shallow canals effortlessly, a testament to the gondoliers' skill. Previously a hereditary job, now anyone can become a gondolier after completing 400 hours of rigorous training, which covers manual skills, canal navigation, and the history of the profession. In 2010, Venice celebrated its first female gondolier, Giorgia Boscolo.

Costs & Hours

• Standard Fare: €80 for a 40-minute ride for up to six passengers. After 7pm until 8am, the rate increases to €100.
• Extended rides:Additional 20 minutes cost €40, or €50 after 7pm.
• Extras: Expect surcharges for an accordionist or tenor. Note that there's a debate on banning "O Sole Mio" to avoid stereotypical Italian experiences.

Avoiding overcharges 

Although fares are regulated, some gondoliers might charge more. Always confirm the price before departure. For a reliable service, use official gondola stands located at key points throughout the city, including Calle Vallaresso, Campo San Moisè, Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, Bacino Orseolo, in front of the Palazzo Ducale, Riva degli Schiavoni near the Danieli hotel, the train station, Piazzale Roma, Campo Santa Sofia near Ca’ d’Oro, San Tomà, and Rialto Bridge on Riva Carbon.

Venice Water Taxis

Venice's water taxis are stylish, fast, and can navigate most canals, accommodating up to 10 passengers. However, they're known for being one of the priciest taxi services in Western Europe.

• Base Rate: Starts at €15, with €2 added every minute.
• Surcharges: €10 per extra passenger beyond five. €5 for each luggage piece over five. €10 for rides between 10pm and 7am.

Booking tips

• Direct booking from stands or catching an available taxi can save surcharges.
• Phone bookings and concierge-arranged rides include additional fees.

Epiphany Regatta in Venice © Shutterstock

The ideal number of days to spend in Venice depends on your interests, the pace of your trip and what you want to see. Here are general guidelines to help you plan your visit:

If your schedule is tight, you can manage to experience the main attractions of Venice in one or two days. Focus on the main sights such as St Mark's Square, St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, take a gondola ride and perhaps stroll the streets. However, this will not allow you to explore more than the iconic sites.

3-4 days will give you a better chance of experiencing the essence of Venice. You'll be able to see the main sights, take a day trip to nearby islands such as Burano and Murano, and in your free time wander off the beaten track, discover local restaurants and soak up the unique atmosphere.

If you have more time, you can truly immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle of Venice. In addition to the above, you can visit less crowded areas, art galleries and museums, attend cultural events or festivals, and take day trips to neighbouring cities such as Padua or Verona.

Venice, Canal, Italy @ Shutterstock

Before you can lose yourself in its winding waterways and historic charm, you'll need to figure out the best way to get there. Whether you're flying in from across the globe or making your way from a nearby European city, various options are available to suit every budget and travel style.

• Flights from the UK and Ireland : Direct flights take around two hours from London . EasyJet flies between two and four times daily, while its chief rival, Ryanair, has one or two flights each day from London and less frequent services to Treviso from Bristol, East Midlands, Manchester and Edinburgh. Aer Lingus (Dublin) flies to Marco Polo up to five times per week, while Ryanair flies three or four times a week to Treviso in high season.
• Flights from the US and Canada: The only direct service to Venice from the US is with Delta, who fly from New York to Marco Polo up to six times a week in summer. Air Canada has direct flights from Montréal to Venice, and various indirect flights from Toronto and Montréal, usually via Frankfurt or New York.

The choice of rail routes and fares is hugely complex, but the cheapest route is to take the Eurostar from London to Paris, then change to the high-speed TGV from Paris to Milan, and change there for the “Frecciarossa” to Florence. The total journey time is 14–18 hours, and with some online research, you can put together a one-way ticket for a little over the cost of a return flight, though peak prices are considerably higher.

If you take a couchette, using the “Thello” sleeper for the stage from Paris to Milan doesn’t add much to the cost. Booking for these continental routes usually opens three months before the day of travel. Discounts for under-26s are sometimes available and advance booking is essential. If you’re planning to include Italy as part of a longer European trip you could choose to invest in an InterRail pass.

Find out the best ways to get to Italy .

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updated 11.04.2024

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Compass & Pine

The Ultimate Travel Guide

Venice Travel Guide: Your Passport to La Serenissima

Venice, La Serenissima , the most serene of cities, is like no other place on earth. A jewel in Italy’s crown, this city of canals and romance, whispers of history and echoes of the past, deserves a spot on every traveler’s bucket list.

Imagine cruising the Grand Canal as the sun sets, the soft lull of the water beneath you, and centuries-old palaces sliding past. Or getting lost in the winding alleys, where each turn brings a new surprise, a secluded piazza, a stunning vista, or a hidden bacaro.

Despite being a major European hotspot, an intimate charm pervades Venice. Every bridge crossed, every vaporetto ride, every ‘Buongiorno’ exchanged with the locals immerses you deeper into the Venetian way of life. This floating city promises unique experiences you’ll cherish long after your trip to Venice, Italy.

In this Venice Travel Guide, you’ll discover:

• Why a trip to Venice, Italy, should be on your bucket list.
• The challenges of over-tourism in Venice and how to balance them with the city’s romantic charm.
• Tips to avoid the crowds in Venice, including exploring hidden gems like the outer islands of Murano and Torcello.
• Strategies for making the most of your Venice vacation by exploring beyond the city center.
• A list of the top things to see and do in Venice, from iconic landmarks like Piazza San Marco to lesser-known attractions.
• Detailed information on Venice travel costs and money-saving tips.
• Insightful tips on getting around Venice, including an overview of the Vaporetto system and water taxis.
• Suggestions on the best time to visit Venice, considering factors like crowd levels, weather, and local events.
• Essential safety tips for your trip to Venice, with a special focus on issues like petty theft and flooding risks.
• Recommended booking resources to help you plan and book every aspect of your Venice trip, from flights and accommodation to tours and excursions.

Stay tuned for a comprehensive, insightful, and personal guide to planning your dream trip to Venice, Italy.

Balancing the Romantic Charm and Challenges of Overtourism

Tips for avoiding crowds.

• Discovering Venice's Hidden Gems: Outer Islands Like Burano and Murano

Making the Most of Your Venice Vacation: Exploring Beyond the City Center

Top 5 things to see and do in venice, immerse in the cultural heritage: visit basilica san marco, iconic landmarks: exploring the rialto bridge.

• A Glimpse of Royalty: Touring the Doge's Palace
• Experiencing Venice's Most Anticipated Event: The Carnival

Additional Things to See and Do

Immersive experience: take a walking tour.

• Marvel at Venice's Living Room: Wander Piazza San Marco

Seaside Solace: Visit Lido Island

Journey to the glass island: explore murano island, dive into local life at rialto market, contemporary art showcase: tour peggy guggenheim collection.

• A Panorama of Venice: Climb St. Mark's Bell Tower

The Rowing Spectacle: Watch Vogalonga

Delve into history: visit the national archaeological museum, artistic pursuit: check out correr museum.

• Embrace Fine Art: Peruse Galleria dell'Accademia

Unearth the Past: Explore the Jewish Ghetto

Savor venice: take a food tour, venice travel costs, housing options and prices: from luxury to budget-friendly accommodations, taste of venice: average cost of food and dining options, budget travel tips for backpackers: traveling to venice on a shoestring, money-saving tips, a taste of home: cooking your own meals, walk and explore: the best way to see venice, smart travel: using discount vaporetto tickets, smart savings: getting combined museum passes or the venezia unica pass, local drinks: buying your own beverages, getting around venice, navigating the waters: using the vaporetto system for transportation, luxury on water: water taxis as a pricier option, best time to visit venice, weighing the options: summer crowds vs. high prices, ideal seasons: spring and fall, navigating the acqua alta (flooding) in autumn and winter, a festive time: carnival season in february, safety tips, avoiding petty theft and pick pocketing concerns, beware of scams: tips for safe traveling, for solo female travelers: safety first, be prepared: dealing with acqua alta (flooding) risks, important emergency contact information for a safe venice trip, recommended booking resources, best flights deals with skyscanner, affordable hostels with hostelworld, varied accommodation options with booking.com, cheap flights with going.com, hostelpass for budget-friendly stays, plan your excursions with get your guide, efficient train travel in italy with trainline, pocket-sized wisdom: venice travel guide 2023 book, sustainable tourism: lifestraw for reusable water bottles, walks of italy for culturally rich walking tours, final words about visiting venice.

Venice’s popularity comes at a cost. In peak season, the city can seem more like a bustling carnival than the tranquil retreat that it’s often painted as. The tight-knit network of islands often reels under the impact of over-tourism.

But, fear not! As seasoned travelers, we’ll share with you some tried-and-tested ways to experience the beauty of Venice and dodge the most crowded areas. Get ready to unravel the lesser-known, yet equally enchanting, aspects of the city!

Discovering Venice’s Hidden Gems: Outer Islands Like Burano and Murano

Looking for a Venice travel guide that takes you off the beaten track? Look no further. One of the best ways to escape the crowds is by exploring the outer islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Take a vaporetto to Murano , known worldwide for its exquisite glass-making traditions. You can watch the master glass-blowers at work and even bring home a colorful souvenir.

Hop on to another boat to visit Burano , the rainbow island. Here, each house is painted a different vibrant color, making it a photographer’s dream. This quiet island is also famous for its colorful buildings and delicate handmade lace.

Explore the desolate and quiet Torcello island and to experience a place like no other in the Venetian Lagoon. With only 12 people living on the island, it makes for a great escape from the touristy crowds most people experience when visiting Venice.

While the allure of iconic landmarks found within St. Mark’s Square , like St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, is undeniable, the real charm of Venice often lies beyond the San Marco city center.

Spend a day getting lost in the quieter sestieri (districts) like Cannaregio or Santa Croce . Here, you’ll discover local markets, traditional eateries, and stunning, crowd-free vistas of the canals.

Visiting Venice, Italy, doesn’t have to be a whirlwind race through overcrowded tourist spots. It can be a leisurely, intimate exploration of the city’s lesser-known treasures. After all, in Venice, the journey truly is the destination.

The Basilica di San Marco, often referred to as the “golden basilica,” is not only a testament to Venice’s rich history but also a shining example of Byzantine art and architecture. The five domes and shimmering gold mosaics adorning the basilica represent a fascinating fusion of Eastern and Western architectural styles.

The spectacular mosaic floor, made from marble and glass, is a geometric wonder that catches the eye of every visitor.

The Basilica’s museum is an underrated gem, housing precious artifacts and providing a rare chance to view the original Quadriga – a set of Roman bronze statues depicting four horses that once graced the basilica’s exterior.

Climbing to the museum also gives you access to the outdoor loggia where you can enjoy stunning views over the Piazza San Marco.

After the crowds leave, you can also take an exclusive guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace .

No visit to Venice is complete without witnessing the architectural marvel that is the Rialto Bridge. One of the most iconic symbols of the city, Venice’s most famous bridge spans the Grand Canal and offers an unforgettable view of the waterway’s lively traffic of gondolas and vaporettos.

Built in the late 16th century, the bridge is not merely a scenic viewpoint but also houses a bustling marketplace teeming with shops selling local wares, from jewelry to Murano glass souvenirs.

Crossing the bridge is like walking through a microcosm of Venetian life, offering both picturesque scenery, fantastic views, and a slice of the city’s vibrant culture.

A Glimpse of Royalty: Touring the Doge’s Palace

Step back in time to Venice’s golden age with a visit to the Doge’s Palace. The palace served as the residence of the Doge (the ruler of Venice), as well as the city’s center of government and court.

Inside, the grandeur unfolds in rooms adorned with works by Tintoretto, Veronese, and other master Venetian painters . The palace’s highlight is perhaps the ornate Grand Council Chamber, boasting the largest oil painting in the world, Tintoretto’s “Paradiso”.

Don’t forget to walk through the infamous Bridge of Sighs, which links the palace with the prison. The famous bridge once offered convicts their last view of Venice before their imprisonment, hence the “sighs.”

There’s also a fantastic Secret Itineraries Tour of Doge’s Palace that we took earlier this year that explored rooms and areas that are off limits to tourists.

Experiencing Venice’s Most Anticipated Event: The Carnival

Should your visit align with Venice’s annual Carnival , you’re in for a truly unique spectacle. This world-famous festival dates back to the Middle Ages and is best known for the participants’ elaborate masks and costumes, filling the city with a sense of magic and mystery.

Aside from the visual spectacle, the Carnival offers a range of events, from grand masquerade balls to street performances, making the city even more enchanting than it already is.

The festival’s highlight is the “Volo dell’Angelo” or “Flight of the Angel,” where a person zip-lines from the Campanile di San Marco into the crowded Piazza, marking the official start of festivities.

A Colorful Escape: Day Trip to Burano

Escape the city hustle with a day trip to Burano . Famous for its brightly colored fishermen’s houses and lace making, Burano is an Instagrammer’s paradise and a delightful retreat from the crowds. Just be aware that it can get a little crowded in the middle of the day and evening, so try to take a day trip that starts earlier in the morning.

Discover the city from the perspective of a local by embarking on a walking food and wine tour of Venice . With fresh cicchetti, food, and wine in hand, you’ll navigate winding alleyways, charming bridges, and picturesque canals as a knowledgeable guide provides insights into Venice’s history, architecture, and culture.

You’ll not only visit major landmarks but also explore off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods, unearthing hidden gems that most tourists miss. With tales of ancient legends and the current Venetian lifestyle, a walking tour offers a nuanced understanding of this magical city.

Marvel at Venice’s Living Room: Wander Piazza San Marco

Often referred to as Venice’s living room, Piazza San Marco is an architectural masterpiece that buzzes with life.

Home to significant landmarks like Basilica San Marco, Doge’s Palace, and Campanile di San Marco, the square itself is an open-air museum of Venetian history and style.

Enjoy a cup of coffee at Caffè Florian, Italy’s oldest café, while you soak in the ambiance of the square.

Pigeon feeding, a long-standing tradition in the piazza, adds to the charming tableau.

Craving a beach break? Lido Island , Venice’s celebrity filled beach town, offers a tranquil escape from the city’s bustling tourist spots. This thin strip of land between the Adriatic Sea and the Venetian Lagoon boasts beautiful sandy beaches perfect for sunbathing, swimming, or just lazing around.

Hire a bike and explore the island’s Art Nouveau villas and tranquil streets or enjoy delicious seafood in its many restaurants.

Lido also hosts the prestigious Venice Film Festival every year.

Hop on a vaporetto to Murano Island , world-renowned for its glassmaking heritage. Witness master craftsmen transform molten glass into intricate pieces of art, a traditional practice that dates back to the 10th century.

The Glass Museum on the island chronicles the evolution of glassmaking and displays an exquisite collection of glass artifacts. Don’t miss the chance to purchase unique glass jewelry, vases, or chandeliers as souvenirs .

Experience a slice of everyday Venetian life at the vibrant Rialto Market. This bustling market brims with fresh produce, from fruits and vegetables to a diverse range of seafood, reflecting Venice’s lagoon bounty.

The sights and sounds of locals bargaining, the aroma of fresh food, and the colorful displays create an engaging atmosphere. The Rialto Market is an ideal place to sample local delicacies or pick up ingredients for a self-catered Venetian meal.

Situated on the Grand Canal, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a modern art enthusiast’s dream. The museum, once the private residence of the American heiress Peggy Guggenheim, boasts an eclectic mix of artwork from the most significant artistic movements of the 20th century.

Marvel at masterpieces from the likes of Picasso, Kandinsky, Dalí, Pollock, and many more. The tranquil sculpture garden and terrace overlooking the Grand Canal offer a serene setting to ponder the contemporary art pieces.

This art museum is not just about the great art on the walls but also about the story of a woman who dedicated her life to art and artists.

A Panorama of Venice: Climb St. Mark’s Bell Tower

Offering the most breathtaking views over Venice, climbing the Campanile di San Marco is a must-do activity.

The bell tower, standing at nearly 100 meters tall in the center of St. Mark’s Square, provides panoramic views of the city’s red roofs, winding canals, and the sprawling lagoon, extending to the Dolomite mountains on clear days.

Originally built in the 9th century as a watchtower, the Campanile is the city’s highest structure, and a ride up to its viewing platform is an experience you won’t want to miss.

Join in on the city’s annual celebration of its maritime heritage by participating in or observing the Vogalonga, a 30-kilometer rowing event through Venice’s canals and the lagoon.

This non-competitive “long row” is open to any rowing vessel and draws participants from all over the world. Whether you’re rowing or cheering from the sidelines, the Vogalonga offers a fantastic way to appreciate Venice’s historic connection to the water.

Venture into the world of ancient civilizations at Venice’s National Archaeological Museum . The museum holds a vast collection of Greek and Roman sculptures, bronze artifacts, ceramics, gems, and coins, as well as a notable Egyptian antiquities section.

The museum’s highlights include the gem collection of the Duke of Aosta, a collection of exquisite cameos, and ancient glass sculptures collected by Venetian nobles during their Grand Tour.

Immerse yourself in Venetian art and history at the Correr Museum .

Located at the opposite end of Piazza San Marco from the Basilica, the museum houses extensive collections that reflect Venice’s civic life, art, and history.

Notable exhibits include the Napoleonic Wing, showcasing rooms once occupied by Napoleon and later by the Austrian Royal Family, and the Picture Gallery, boasting a rich collection of works by Venetian artists from the 13th to 16th centuries.

Embrace Fine Art: Peruse Galleria dell’Accademia

Housed in the former Santa Maria della Carità church complex, the Galleria dell’Accademia is a treasure trove of Venetian paintings from the 14th to the 18th centuries.

This world-renowned gallery takes you on a chronological journey through Venice’s rich art history, featuring magnificent works by artists like Titian, Bellini, Tintoretto, and Veronese. Among its highlights is Vitruvian Man, a famous sketch by Leonardo da Vinci, displayed only occasionally due to its fragility.

The Galleria dell’Accademia is an absolute must-visit for any art lover, providing most visitors a unique opportunity to appreciate Venice’s contribution to the world of fine art.

Step back in time by visiting the Jewish Ghetto in Venice, the world’s first ghetto. This historic district was the area where Jews were forced to live during the Venetian Republic. Today, it remains the vibrant center of the Jewish community in Venice.

The Museo Ebraico, or Jewish Museum, located here provides a detailed narrative about Jewish heritage and Venetian Jewish history through a collection of religious and cultural artifacts.

Five historic synagogues, or ‘schole,’ still stand here, each a testament to the endurance of Jewish culture despite past hardships. The guided tour of the area offers a profound understanding of the centuries-old Jewish presence in Venice.

No visit to Venice would be complete without savoring its unique and diverse cuisine. Embark on a food tour to enjoy the full spectrum of Venetian culinary delights.

Guided by a local, you’ll meander through local markets, past traditional bacari (wine bars), and into historic osterie (restaurants), tasting local delicacies like cicchetti (Venetian tapas), risotto, and fresh seafood along the way.

Pair your food with local wines for an enhanced gastronomic experience. Not only will a food tour satiate your taste buds, but it will also enrich your understanding of Venice’s history, culture, and traditions through the medium of food. This culinary journey is indeed the perfect way to end your day in Venice.

Venice offers a range of accommodations catering to all budgets.

For a taste of luxury , stay at a 5-star hotel overlooking the Grand Canal, where prices typically range from €300-€800 per night.

Mid-range hotels , offering comfortable stays with standard amenities, are available in lesser-touristed neighborhoods like Cannaregio and Castello, with prices around €100-€200 per night.

Budget travelers can opt for hostels and budget hotels that offer rooms as low as €20-€50 per night. For a more local experience, consider renting an apartment through platforms like Airbnb, where you can find a wide range of options and prices.

Dining in Venice can range from moderately expensive to high-end.

Expect to pay around €15-€25 for a meal at an inexpensive restaurant, while a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant can cost you between €40 and €60 per person, excluding drinks. Dining at a high-end restaurant can easily cost over €100 per person. Casual dining options include cicchetti bars where you can sample local tapas-like dishes for €1-€3 per piece. Pizzas and paninis are other budget-friendly options, typically costing around €5-€10.

If you want a good place to start, we wrote a guide to the 25 best restaurants in Venice and broke them down by neighborhood.

Traveling to Venice on a budget is achievable with a few smart strategies. Stay in a hostel or budget hotel, or consider an apartment rental if you’re traveling in a group. Dine at cicchetti bars or grab a slice of pizza from a takeaway place to save on meals. Walk or use public transport instead of gondolas or water taxis. Lastly, take advantage of free attractions and cheaper off-season travel.

If you’re staying in a place with a kitchen, consider cooking your own meals. Shopping at local markets like the historic Rialto Market can be a fun and economical way to experience local food culture while also saving on dining costs.

Walking is not only the most cost-effective way to explore Venice but also the best. The city is relatively small, and getting lost in its labyrinth of alleys and canals is a quintessential Venice experience. Walking is also a great way to discover hidden gems that you might otherwise miss.

Opt for discount vaporetto (public water bus) tickets if you plan to use public transportation frequently. Buying a travel card for unlimited water bus rides over a set number of days can be more cost-effective than individual tickets.

Consider purchasing a combined museum pass or the Venezia Unica City Pass , which offers discounted or free access to many museums and attractions, depending on the option chosen. This pass also includes public transport, so you can save on getting around too.

Buying your own drinks from supermarkets can save a considerable amount compared to drinking in bars or restaurants. Plus, you can enjoy your drink while sitting along a canal or in one of the city’s many beautiful squares, providing a unique Venetian experience.

The last time I was in Venice with my wife, we found Enoteca La Fiaschetteria srls a small winery in Canaregio that has the most delicious and affordable wine available in the city. Seriously, pay them a visit.

Venice’s vaporetto system is the public transportation of choice for both locals and tourists. With 19 routes crisscrossing the city’s canals and lagoons, the vaporetto allows visitors to get to almost any point in the city and Venice’s outer islands like Murano, Burano, and Lido.

A single ticket costs €7.50 (as of writing) and is valid for 75 minutes from validation. For frequent travelers, a travel card or day pass offering unlimited rides over a certain number of days may be a cost-effective choice.

For a more personalized and faster, albeit pricier, travel option, water taxis are available. These private motorboats can accommodate small or large groups and provide a convenient way to get to your exact destination.

However, with fares typically starting around €70, they’re much more expensive than the vaporetto.

It’s important to agree on the price before starting the journey.

Venice is a popular destination year-round, but the summer months can be particularly crowded. Summer also brings higher prices for accommodations and flights. While the weather is typically warm and sunny, the city can be uncomfortable due to the humidity and the number of tourists.

Spring and fall are generally considered the best times to visit Venice . These shoulder seasons offer milder weather and fewer tourists, making it a more comfortable time to explore. Additionally, prices for accommodations and flights are usually lower than during the peak summer months.

Autumn and winter in Venice can be marked by acqua alta, or high water, which causes flooding in Venice . If you’re visiting during these times, be prepared for possible disruptions to transportation and attractions. Platforms called ‘passarelle’ are set up for pedestrians during flooding, and it can be quite an experience to see the city in this unique state.

If you can time your visit to coincide with the Carnival in February, you’re in for a real treat. This festive season brings the city alive with elaborate costumes, masquerade balls, parades, and unique events. However, this is also a popular time to visit, so expect larger crowds and higher prices.

Like many popular tourist destinations, Venice has its share of petty crime. Keep your valuables safe and secure, avoid displaying expensive items in public, and always be aware of your surroundings. Carry only essential items when you’re out and about.

Venice is generally a safe city, but it’s always good to be aware of potential scams. Be cautious of overly friendly strangers or anyone offering “free” gifts. Remember that legitimate businesses will clearly display prices, so avoid any establishments that don’t.

Venice is generally safe for solo female travelers. However, it’s advisable to follow standard safety precautions like avoiding deserted areas late at night and always informing someone of your whereabouts. Keep your belongings close to you and be aware of your surroundings.

During the acqua alta season, be prepared for potential flooding. Stay updated with weather forecasts, and plan your itineraries accordingly. Always heed local advice and follow established safety procedures during these times.

In case of emergencies, it’s good to have important numbers at hand.

• The general emergency number in Italy is 112.
• For medical emergencies, dial 118.
• For fire emergencies, dial 115.

The companies I’ve listed here are my top picks when it comes to travel. Their offerings consistently outshine the competition in terms of value for money, quality of service, and exceptional customer service. These companies form the foundation of my search for travel deals, given their reliability and excellence that I have personally experienced numerous times.

Skyscanner is an excellent resource for finding the best flight deals. The website compares prices across various airlines and booking sites, helping you secure the best possible price.

For budget travelers, Hostelworld offers a range of affordable hostel options in Venice. The platform provides detailed descriptions, reviews, and ratings to help you choose the right place for your next stay in venice.

Booking.com provides a wide variety of accommodation options in Venice. From budget hostels to luxury hotels, you can find something that suits your budget and preferences.

Going.com searches for cheap and rare flights and will notify you when one matches your home airport and a destination of your choice. We scored a non-stop, roundtrip flight from Newark (EWR) to Milan-Malpensa (MXP) for $359 in 2021 and then again from Philadelphia (PHL) to Marco Polo Airport (VCE) for $475 in 2023.

HostelPass can help you save money on your accommodation. With a single flat fee, you can stay in hostels in Venice and other European cities.

Get Your Guide offers a range of guided tours and activities in Venice. Whether you want a guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica or a cooking class, you can find it here.

Trainline can help you navigate Italy’s extensive train system and get you to Venice’s Santa Lucia train and bus station. It’s an efficient way to travel between cities if you’re planning to visit more of Italy during your trip.

For an in-depth guide to Venice, consider purchasing the Venice Travel Guide 2023 . It’s packed with useful information, tips, and maps to help you make the most of your visit.

Help keep Venice beautiful by practicing sustainable tourism. Consider investing in a reusable water bottle with a built-in filter like LifeStraw . It’s eco-friendly and ensures you have safe drinking water wherever you go.

For a deep dive into Venice’s rich history and culture, consider booking a walking tour with Walks of Italy . The guides are knowledgeable, and the tours offer a great way to explore the city on foot while visiting the main sites and top attractions.

Venice, with its maze of canals, rich history, and vibrant culture, is a city that promises a unique experience unlike any other. It effortlessly bridges the gap between the past and the present, immersing visitors in a tapestry of art, architecture, and authentic Italian cuisine.

Be it a romantic gondola ride under the Bridge of Sighs, exploring the myriad of artifacts in the Doge’s Palace, or simply getting lost amidst the picturesque Venetian streets, Venice caters to every kind of traveler.

With this comprehensive guide, you’re now equipped with all the insights and tips to make your Venetian journey truly unforgettable. So, get ready to embark on a trip of a lifetime, as the ‘Floating City’ awaits to enrapture you with its eternal charm.

About Todd O'Rourke

Todd is an award-winning writer and filmmaker who co-founded Compass and Pine with his dog Leg. Together, they have traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe, with their base of operations in Philadelphia.

He started Compass and Pine after living in Vicenza, Italy for three years and falling deeply in love with the country, the people, and, of course, the food.

His favorite city is Florence, Italy, and his favorite National Park is Olympic in Washington.

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30 of The Best Travel Books For Italy

Are you planning a trip to Italy? Looking for the best travel books for Italy?

Perfect!  If you have read any of my Italy posts you will know I am a huge fan of Rick Steve's books. It is the best guidebook for Italy out there. However, I am not going to be biased in this post.  There are so many other great Italy travel books we are going to explore.

One reason why I highly recommend getting an Italy travel guidebook is that it will help you know what the highlights of each area are and specific tips and tricks to help you navigate the area.  I also love that there are food recommendations.

In this post, I am going to list the best Italy travel books for the most popular places to visit in Italy.  I will also give a recommendation for the overall best Italy travel guide if you are visiting lots of locations.  

These travel books for Italy will make your vacation so much better, I promise! 

Let's explore your options for the best travel books for Italy and get you planning for your trip!

If you would like to save this information for later be sure to Pin this to Pinterest! 

This post may contain affiliate links that will give me a commission at no additional charge to you.

Best Travel Books for Italy (The Entire Country)

If you are planning on visiting more than one city in Italy, I recommend getting an Italy guidebook that will cover the entire country. 

On our last trip to Italy, we went to the following cities:

• Amalfi Coast and Pompeii

Rick Steves – Travel Books for Italy

We wanted a book that would guide us throughout our trip.  We decided to go with Rick Steve's Italy book and thought it was amazing. 

One thing I liked about this book is that there are insider tips to help you skip long lines.  There are also amazing food recommendations. 

We tried to pick out food on our own and it was terrible.  When we opened our book and took Rick Steve's advice we were blown away with his recommendations.  Overall, this is the best travel book for Italy. 

Fodor's Travel Guide

The Fodor's Guide is full of pictures and maps.  If you are a visual person this book may be a better option. 

However, this guide is not as in-depth as Rick Steve's book.  It does highlight some sights, restaurants, and hotels but it is more of an overview of each area .

If you want a very visual Italy travel book this is for you. 

Best Italy Travel Books for Venice

If you are planning on visiting a specific city and then journeying somewhere else in Europe an individual travel book for Italy that specializes in a certain area is a better option for you. 

Venice Italy Travel Guidebooks

Venice is an amazing place!  From the singing Gondoliers to the narrow alleyways, Venice is an amazing adventure.  What I love about guidebooks is that a detailed explanation is given so that you know exactly what to expect.  

If exploring the top sites in Venice is a priority make sure to do your homework and plan ahead.  I recommend reading your travel book for Italy before you actually go on vacation. You will also want to consider a day trip to Burano  and Murano.

Below are the best Italian travel books for Venice. These Venice Italy guidebooks are great options! 

Best Italy Travel Books for Milan

Milan, the capital of fashion, is located very close to the lake country.  Lake Como is one of the most popular spots to visit.  An Italy travel guide for Milian is very helpful because you will most likely venture out of the city for day trips from Milian. 

Plan Ahead with Italian Travel Books

Milan has many beautiful buildings and sites to see but did you know that you need to get tickets to the “Last Supper” months in advance?  

These Italy guidebooks help you navigate and plan ahead for some of the top attractions in the city. If Milan is your destination these Italy travel books will be your go-to!

Best Italy Travel Books for Cinque Terre

There are five towns included in the area known as Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre is a rugged coastline on the Italian Riviera and consists of five beautiful hillside towns: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.

An Italy travel guide for this region is helpful to plan out where you want to spend most of your time as you explore the area. 

Best Italy Travel Guide to Plan Cinque Terre

As you plan your trip to this area of Italy, knowing exactly what each town is known for and how long you should plan to spend at each stop is essential.  These Italy guidebooks will help you plan your adventure with ease.

Best Italy Travel Books for Florence

Florence and Tuscany offer a variety of art, food and wine, and history.  If you are looking for broad experience, getting a general Italy guidebook for “ Things to do in Florence ” is a good option.  

These travel books for Italy will help you navigate Florence with ease! 

Florence Italy Guidebook

If you have studied art, Florence provides the opportunity for a deeper experience, and you may want a Florence, Italy guidebook on specific art that you will find in the area.  

For more general questions about where to stay and what to eat, a traditional Italy tour book is a great idea.  

Best Italy Travel Books for Rome

Rome is probably the most visited city in Italy.  There is history, religion, and architecture.   Getting the best Italy travel book is very helpful in Rome! It is absolutely a huge city! The maps alone in these Italian travel books are super beneficial! 

Best Travel Books for Italy with Audio Tours

One advantage to the Rick Steve books is that audio tours come with them.  You can put in your headset and listen to tours that are included with your book purchase.  

This is very helpful in Rome as there are ruins such as the Colosseum and Roman Forum.  Having a guide is essential in knowing what exactly you are seeing. 

My vote for the best guidebook for Italy in Rome is Rick Steves because of the audio tours. 

These are the best guidebooks for Rome! 

Best Italy Travel Books for Naples, Amalfi Coast, and Southern Italy

I am not an author of a Italian guidebook but one thing I know is that you do not want to drive along the Amalfi Coast unless you are a “living on the edge” type of person or have a death wish! J/K  The Amalfi Italy guidebooks will help you know what transportation is best and how to book it! 

Know Before You Go

This area of Italy is one of the most beautiful parts.  You will not be disappointed.  Reading up on this area you will find that there are ruins such as Pompeii and Herculaneum.  As well as beaches in Positano.  Knowing where to go and how to get there is extremely helpful in this area because the roads tend to be a little more dangerous.

There are also many day trips from Naples that are amazing. Capri and Ischia are some of the best! There are many travel books for Italy for this part of the country. 

There are parts of Naples that are dangerous as well.  I don't think your Italy guidebooks are going to tell you that. Be careful and aware of your surroundings! 

Best Italy Travel Books for Sicily

If you are planning on visiting Sicily, I would recommend getting a book specifically for this area.  Sicily is a little different than other areas of Italy. 

Italian Guidebook

As I read my Italy guidebook, it says that petty crime is more prevalent.  If I hadn't read that I would have never known.  I highly recommend a Sicily Italy travel guidebook so you can stay safe and enjoy the beautiful areas of this part of Italy. 

Italian Language Phrase Books

Are you nervous about not speaking the language?  Getting a phrasebook can be very helpful.  Even if it is only to read certain street signs or say a friendly hello.

Italian Travel Books

If you have time before your trip, I recommend going to the library and getting some audio-Italian language lessons.  

Phrasebooks come in handy when you need to catch an Uber or order food.

Best Italy Travel Books for Transportation

There are a few ways to get around Italy.  We decided to do a combination of train travel as well as renting a car and completing a road trip.  This allowed us to see more of Italy than train travel alone. 

Cruise 

A Mediterranean cruise would allow for lots of coastal stops but also allow you to see the major cities such as Venice and Rome.

Italy Road Trip

We drove from Northern Italy down to Southern Italy but did not want to take the time to drive back so we flew from Naples to Venice.  This was a great way for us to be able to see and do more with our time in Italy!  

Planning out your transportation is a great idea! Here are a few Italy travel book recommendations for transportation.  

Are you Ready to Get a Italy Travel Book for Your Trip?

If you are a planner like me you will love reading and doing all the research. These are the best Italy travel books on the market.  I know you will love exploring all the pages!

Make an Itinerary 

Make an itinerary for what cities interest you most.  This is your next step.  If you want a little help I have a free complete Italy guide with itineraries for nine cities, hotel recommendations , food recommendations, and some helpful travel tips. As helpful as my guide is I still recommend getting an additional guidebook! 

Plan Your Trip

Plan Plan Plan!  Now that you have some solid recommendations go purchase one of the best Italy travel books and start reading!  This will help you narrow down what interests you most.  You will not be disappointed with Italy! Have so much fun!

Is Planning Overwhelming?

If this is all overwhelming, I recently partnered with a Tour Guide Company called TravelStride that will plan your entire trip for you! If that sounds nice you can look through all of the tours they offer.

If you do not want your entire trip planned for you but would still like to do tours in each area Viator has some amazing options! 

Travel Italy

If you have   one week in Italy   it is possible to visit lots of cities.  We started in  Venice one of the most romantic Italian cities . A   Romantic Venice   getaway was perfect.  Then headed to   Florence ,  Pisa and Lucca , and   Siena .  After visiting Tuscany we headed to   Gaeta , Naples ,   Capri , the   Amalfi Coast , and   Pompeii .

If you are looking for another   reason to visit Italy   or some great  Safety Travel Tips for Italy,  be sure to check out my other posts.

Facebook Community

If you have any questions be sure to join my   Facebook Travel Community     This great community can help answer any questions you may have about your upcoming trips. Plus, I try to add any great deals or promotions that companies send me!

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74 Comments

Such great info! I’d love to go to Italy. It’s always been in the back of my mind, but I started thinking about it even more when I had an exchange student from Italy on my speech team last year. Hopefully, I’ll get there someday!

I love reading books about the areas that we will betraveling too. It is great to learn about local customs.

I agree! I don’t want to do something wrong!

I’m mostly a Rick Steves travel guide person when it comes to Europe but I also have delved into Lonely Planet on occasion. I personally just love reading about and traveling to Italy.

I am huge Rick Steves. I love detail!

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What a great idea. I used to love going to Barnes and Noble before a trip and browsing the travel books. Love it!

I love Barnes and Noble too!

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Our family loves the Lonely Planet books as they have some great ones for children too. I’ll be saving this post to come back to when we visit Italy someday. Thanks for the recommendations!

Oh good. I need to get a few lonely planet books.

These are some great books. Personally, I am a Rick Steves fan. I love following his FB page too.

I am a huge fan! His books and tours are so helpful!

I enjoy Rick Steve’s books too. Before our trip to Italy my grandson and I bought a book of common phrases in Italian and downloaded a language app. It was fun to learn a bit of Italian.

That is awesome. We did that when we went to Germany.

Great list of books! Italy has been on my bucket list for a long time! I’m excited to buy a few of these! Thank you!

Oh good! I hope to be really prepared the next time I go!

I get so excited when it’s time to buy a travel book and start planning a trip! I usually scan a variety of books at the local bookstore, but then usually go with Rick Steves when going to Europe. We often use Lonely Planet for travel to Central and South America. They are great for identifying smaller not-to-miss places, like the best place for ice cream, best place for music, etc.

That is awesome! Finding the hidden gems!

This is an awesome resource! Hoping to get to Italy sometime in the next few years. I love books by Rick Steves and think he makes great recommendations!

His food recommendations are amazing!

Thanks for sharing! I love reading books about places I want to visit before going.

It makes it so much better for me to know what there is to do in each place.

So many great travel book suggestions. I’ve yet to visit there but definitely on my list.

It is a great country. I plan to go back few more times!

What a great post! Such useful information and I agree, Rick’s books are great!

They are great! Thanks!

What a comprehensive list! Let the planning and dreaming begin!

Exactly, a great place to start when planning trip to Italy.

Great list of books! I will know everything there is to know about Italy!

I think my favorite part from Rick Steves is food recommendations. Amazing!

Great ideas! My son and daughter-in-law are planning to go to Italy in May. I will share this with them. I love the photos! Thanks for the great book reviews!

May is a perfect time to go to Italy! We went a few years ago! So beautiful!

Venice is my favorite city in Italy. I want to spend a month there when I retire.

I know I want to spend a month in Italy too!

These trip planning books seem like they’d make planning a trip to Italy a lot less overwhelming. Thanks for sharing!

It makes the trip so much easier!

I would love to go to Northern Italy. I love how these books are broken down into smaller regions!

If I was visiting just one city, I think it would be better to just get that book.

Thank you for the suggestions. I would love to travel to Italy, and when I do, I will surely get one of these books. Thanks for the recommendations.

They are super helpful!

I have never heard of Rick Steves books… but I definitly have a small collection of Lonely Planet books for various locations! I love travel books and may have a small addiction LOL. We are hoping to go back to Italy someday, as the kids have only been to Hubby’s hometown, and need to see some of the larger cities.

Rick Steves is master of Europe. He gives great advice.

These are really excellent sources of information!

What a great list of resources. A jam packed post for sure. Thanks for the information.

Good place to start planning a trip,

Good to know what travel books are worth it!

What a great, comprehensive list of travel books for Italy! I would love to page through all of them! 🙂

Me too! I am the ultimate planner!

Thanks for this great list of resources for traveling to Italy! I’m bookmarking this post so I can refer back when I finally get to book that dream trip of mine!

oh good! yes I hope you get to go soon!

I am a consummate planner when we travel. Have never thought about guidebooks. I may just have to add them to my repertoire.

It was very useful in Europe!

I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the distancing reading and researching Italy – cannot wait to travel there in the future!

I love how you include transportation. I have no plans to travel right now. Thank you for the information.

A transportation plan is important!

These are great books to use when I finally get to travel to Italy someday! Thanks for putting this together!

Hopefully, it helps!

What great tips! I can’t wait to be able to get to Europe again!

I know me too! I am planning an epic trip!

This is such a good idea – if you can’t actually travel yet, it makes sense to read about the places you plan to go!

Exactly, to me that is the fun part!

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So many great gift ideas. My daughter is dying to get to Italy, so I need to mark some of these as Christmas and/or gifts before we plan a trip.

Italy is wonderful. I am excited to go back.

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World » Europe » Italy » Venice

The best books on venice, recommended by matthew rice.

Venice: A Sketchbook Guide by Matthew Rice

Venice once ruled an empire that stretched across the eastern Mediterranean, but by the early modern period was already evolving into a city whose greatest claim to fame was as a tourist destination. Here Matthew Rice , author and illustrator of Venice: A Sketchbook Guide , recommends books to read about Venice and its history and architecture, as well as a couple of crime thrillers to read while you're there.

Interview by Sophie Roell , Editor

The Stones of Venice by John Ruskin

Italian Venice: A History by R.J.B. Bosworth

The Girl from Venice by Martin Cruz Smith

The Architectural History of Venice by Deborah Howard

Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon

1 The Stones of Venice by John Ruskin

2 italian venice: a history by r.j.b. bosworth, 3 the girl from venice by martin cruz smith, 4 the architectural history of venice by deborah howard, 5 death in a strange country by donna leon.

B efore we get to the books you’ve recommended, what do you feel someone visiting Venice needs to know about the city and what drives it? Is it the phrase that comes up in your book, ‘ com’era dov’era ’ ?

The phrase com’era dov’era gets coined when the campanile of San Marco falls down in 1902 and the Soprintendenza say, ‘It’s got to go back exactly the same, we don’t want anything different. It’s got to be in the same place, looking the same.’ So, despite the fact that Augustus Pugin and William Morris and everybody else was horrified by what the Italians were doing to Venice in the late 19th century, not much happened and one is still looking at a late 18th-century view of the place. It’s the most extraordinary thing and why it has been worth doing com’era dov’era.

What I wanted to do with my book, I suppose, is get past the crowds and the bad effects of mass tourism. There are lots of good effects, mass tourism is keeping Venice going—and has done for about 300 years. It’s not new, but people do come back and say ‘I had a horrible time. It was expensive, it was filthy food, and we couldn’t move anywhere.’ Occasionally you do find yourself inadvertently walking to the station at five o’clock in the evening or going along the Riva degli Schiavoni in front of the Bridge of Sighs at midday, elbowing your way along shoulder to shoulder, and you think, ‘This is absolute hell on earth.’ I was trying to help people find, it’s a bit corny to say the ‘real’ Venice, but at least a Venice that’s as unaffected by change as one could hope to find.

Of the books you’re recommending about Venice, what were you trying to cover in your choices?

Venice is quite filtered, it’s quite interpretive. Probably, as much as any city one knows, it’s seen through a literary lens. That’s true of London and New York and other cities as well, but there’s a lexicon of writing about Venice, partly because in modern times—say post-1550—it’s been the most service of economies. Venice’s heyday in the Middle Ages had been eclipsed by the end of the 16th century.

Venice had been the second most populous city in Europe. Paris was the biggest, but Venice outdid London, Rome and other early medieval European cities in population even though its actual size was so small. Then there was a seismic change as trade moved from the Silk Road and the route to the East and spices to the New World and Venice’s whole raison d’ être began to fall apart. Suddenly Cadiz was more important. At the same time, Venice also lost out to the Ottoman Empire . Its sea empire, the ‘Stato da Màr,’ which controlled the Adriatic and Eastern Mediterranean—and included a lot of islands, Cyprus and unofficially Corfu—began to fade.

“I was trying to help people find…a Venice that’s as unaffected by change as one could hope to find.”

As you’ve mentioned him, let’s talk about his book first. It’s called The Stones of Venice and the edition you’ve chosen is edited by the British travel journalist and author Jan Morris.

Yes, it’s a neatly filleted version of The Stones of Venice . So Augustus Pugin had already written a book called Contrasts in the 1830s where he has two pictures: one of the medieval city and one of the new city. The new city is full of factories and classical, pedimented museums and town halls; the old city is Gothic towers and spires, and crocketed finials and Gothic-ry. The message is very, very clear, which is that the medieval world is a world of craftsmanship, personal fulfilment, independence, spiritual probity and commercial honesty that finds a language, a physical manifestation, in the Gothic.

Ruskin, writing 15 years later, is part of that same group of thinkers who are obsessed with medieval ways. William Morris, as well, is tackling that. Ruskin says that even to work on classical buildings must have been a diminishing experience. He writes about how awful it must have been to carve the dentils on a cornice (the little teeth that go along it) because all creativity would be killed by doing this job. Instead of a mason carving bosses in the shape of leaves or carving animal heads or wonderful gargoyles who look like your school teacher, everybody is reduced to this mechanized work.

Ruskin is also making a moral religious point that saying goodbye to the Gothic is saying goodbye to God, the idea of good, and moving into the world of Mammon. Ruskin ties up the idea of the neoclassical and the Renaissance with the Industrial Revolution and an end to goodness, for want of a better word. So Ruskin writes with venom, really, about the Renaissance. He calls it evil and sinister. The Baroque is abhorrent, a monstrous wrongdoing to mankind in his mind. He’s the most intemperate man you could possibly imagine and absolutely absurd. (He was also a tricky husband to Effie, whom he was married to. He was horrified, it is said, to find pubic hair because he’d only ever seen a Greek statue of a woman. He assumed everything would be white and marbly).

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But he was a marvelous painter and an amazing thinker. His ideas were behind the Natural History Museum in Oxford being built, and the O’Shea brothers carving those extraordinary capitals. Someone would bring a plant from the botanical gardens in the morning, and these Irish masons would carve that plant into the building. A lot of those ideas about the Gothic, Ruskin cuts in Venice. He spends a lot of time drawing and measuring. He’s very careful, trying to tabulate the world. He has a lot of ideas about when arches became Byzantine, and when they became Romanesque. He is quite often quite wrong. But the idea is a powerful one, that Venice, as a Gothic city, is an act for good.

His ideas then have a tremendous life in diaspora, particularly around Britain. You get buildings like Templeton Carpet Factory in Glasgow, the Meadows building at Christ Church, or St. Pancras station in London. There are a number of buildings that use the language of Venice in English architecture. It is a political thing, it is saying, ‘This is how you do good.’

Reading the whole of The Stones of Venice is unbelievably stiff and solid, but this edition is one of two or three very good, filleted versions of it with commentaries. It’s got such a bearing not just on how you read Venice, but on how you read our own built environment. There’s the Gothic Revival, which turns into the Arts and Crafts movement . It’s at the root of a lot of socialist ideas. William Morris is writing News from Nowhere at the same time as he is trying to help campaign for Venice to be looked after properly. It’s a powerful document. It’s a book that says Venice is not just a beautiful playbox, it’s also a crucible of ideas that have had a massive effect on Northern European culture and social life.

In what sense social life?

Let’s turn to the history book you’ve chosen. This is Italian Venice: A History by Richard Bosworth, who is a senior research fellow at Jesus College, Oxford. This is about modern Venice, I believe, after the fall of the Republic in 1797.

The end of the Most Serene Republic of Venice happens when it cedes to Austria. We have Napoleon, Austria, and Italy, all foreign powers—and certainly Venice sees Italy as every bit as much a foreign power as Austria, possibly even more. It’s a bit of history that’s probably less well handled in most guidebooks because it’s quite complicated, but it has quite an effect on what the city looks like. There’s the filling in of some canals, the straightening of some roads, the building of some fairly gloomy social housing. There’s a Teutonic effort to rationalize the city, though if ever there was an absolutely futile project it would be trying to make sense out of Venice.

The book also deals with the fact that Venice, as well as being fabulously rich, was piss poor. The poor in Venice were much poorer than the poor in other places. There was very little running water and not much in the way of facilities. The fishermen and people who operated Venice were living in very low-quality, medieval accommodation, sharing a well. Life expectancy was low and I think life was brutish and short. This book is very good on the extent of urban poverty.

It is also very good on the still current quite big issue, which is migration out of the city. The whole world is full of people moving into cities, but when you get highly developed as Venice did you move out. That probably starts in earnest after the Second World War, but it had happened before. There was the building of Mestre, and then of Marghera, the chemical port.

“There’s definitely a whole world of Venetian gloom, but it seems absolutely joyous to me”

The book introduced me to an amazing man called Giuseppe Volpi. He was called the ‘Last Doge’ and I’d never heard of him. He was a businessman of terrific acumen and was made Count of Misurata by Mussolini. He also became governor of Tripolitania, which is Libya. He set up the Venice Film Festival and the Biennale and massively changed tourism in Venice as well as setting up a lot of industries. So he set up Marghera, which is both negative in that it has caused terrible petrochemical pollution, but also provided employment. He had a huge effect on changing the place.

I found Italian Venice absolutely brilliant. It is a very, very good book to read when you’re there. Some of the stories! One of the things that’s mentioned in every guidebook on Venice is Molino Stucchi, this great big Gothic behemoth of a building on the end of the Giudecca. It’s now got a Hilton in it and, on top of it, there’s a Nutella bar. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t allowed to mention the Nutella bar in my Venice guide. It seemed to me one of the things that everybody would be most interested in. I’ve never been to a Nutella bar before, but if you like Nutella…But that mill was built by an Austrian to feed Venice, and he was beset by a series of terrible personal misfortunes. Eventually, it burnt down, he died, everything went wrong, and it sits there as a great ghost town factory. That end of the Giudecca has also got the woman’s prison and one other prison. It’s not a surprise that it’s the most communist of Venice’s sestiere because it’s quite rough.

That’s why I would recommend Bosworth’s book. He writes brilliantly, it’s not humorless, and it deals with some of the nitty-gritty of population loss, of poverty, of economic reforms and changes.

This is the thriller you recommended, The Girl from Venice by Martin Cruz Smith.

Yes, it’s a thriller that’s set in the lagoon and in Venice and northern Italy, towards the end of World War Two, in 1945. It begins with the murder of a German officer and it’s about a Jewish woman who is rescued by a fisherman who hides her. It’s an extraordinary adventure story. The fisherman’s brother is a rising star of Fascist Italian cinema and is a great favorite of the local Gauleiter but also of Il Duce. So one brother is basically a partisan and the other is an apparatchik of the regime.

It deals with this extraordinary moment in history. Things go badly at beginning of the war for Mussolini and eventually the king, who is sitting in the Villa Ada in Rome, says to Mussolini, who’s living in the Villa Torlonia down the road, ‘Could you come and see me this afternoon? Don’t wear a uniform.’ Mussolini’s wife asks, ‘Why aren’t you wearing a uniform darling?’ And he says it’s because his majesty said don’t wear one, which is a bit odd, but never mind. So he goes down the road. And the king says, ‘Listen, things didn’t go well for you in parliament yesterday.’ They had gone very badly. But Mussolini said (a bit like Boris), ‘We’ve got a majority. It’s alright.’ And the king said ‘No, it’s not alright. It’s no good. And this is going to play badly for us all. So I’m afraid you’re going to have to stand down now.’ And Mussolini says, ‘Okay, well, I’ll just get my driver.’ The king says, ‘No your driver is already gone. The reason I asked you to wear ordinary clothes is you’re going to be going by ambulance. And he is sent out of the back of the Villa Ada and packed off and is disappeared. Later, he gets reinstated after a couple of satisfactory German operations. The worst bits of Nazi activity in Italy are from this second manifestation of Mussolini, where he’s hardened up and is under German orders. That’s when the ghetto is emptied, that’s when in The Garden of the Finzi-Continis , instead of being told they can’t be members of the tennis club, the entire family is deported and killed. It’s also where things go drastically and appallingly wrong for Mussolini and, in due course, he is shot against a wall and hung up outside the Esso garage with his girlfriend Clara Petacci.

Let’s move on to The Architectural History of Venice by Deborah Howard, which seems to go right from the beginning, the founding of Venice.

It is a most erudite, solid and full guide to the buildings of Venice. If you are more interested in buildings than my book tells you, it’s the one to go for. She has all the facts.

The architectural history of Venice is extraordinary, not least because it’s built on water. The whole construction of these buildings, the number of piles that were built to make the foundations! So you drive the piles into the mud. Then, on top of that, you set a series of huge, crisscrossing larch planks, which make a raft called a zattera . When you’ve got this semi-stable foundation, you’ve got to build as thin and as light as you possibly can, because the building is sitting on a load of old sticks. So the walls of most Venetian buildings are terribly thin.

There’s a 6th-century Roman description of Venice, of a fishing community on an island where everyone is living on alder poles in houses made of rushes in similar poverty. It’s a good foundation myth of people of all estates living equally side-by-side that is absolutely central to the idea of Venice as a republic. Venice’s ruler, the doge, was unbelievably disadvantaged by his role. It was very arcane and famous for the dotty way he was elected, with 20 people choosing 100 and 100 choosing six, and six choosing two and two choosing 40 and 40 choosing 20. They go from one vast room to another and, eventually, I imagine the name of the person somebody wanted in the first place pops out of a hat. But theoretically, people didn’t have such a vested interest and in any case, their rule was often short-lived because it was such a gerontocracy.

But those early buildings are, I suppose, genuinely vernacular, built of what’s around, which wasn’t much. Later, bricks had to come from Treviso or somewhere on terra firma and timber had to come first from the pine forest along the coast and from oaks in the hills and then later from further round into Istria. The numbers are astonishing: 500,000 piles were needed to make San Marco and Santa Maria della Salute had millions of acres of forest denuded to make it stand up.

Then you make a damp course of Istrian stone, which is incredibly impermeable marble. And as long as the water goes up and down on that, the water doesn’t get into the building. Then you can build with brick on top of that. That’s one of the problems. One of the much-vaunted threats to Venice is the rising water levels which would take the mean water level above the Istrian stone damp course in old buildings. That’s why everybody is concerned about that.

“An awful lots of what’s most exciting about Venice is in churches”

Deborah Howard’s book deals with not only how things are built, but how the early buildings were very influenced by Venice’s initially belonging to the eastern half of the Roman Empire (when the Roman Empire splits, Venice becomes part of the Exarchate of Ravenna and is answerable to Byzantium) and turning to Constantinople, both culturally and politically, rather than to Rome. One then deals with the effect of Byzantium, whether it’s in terms of mosaic and gold or just the nature of the arches and stilted arches, and then the Gothic develops.

Venice is conservative all the way through the Renaissance. It’s very slow and resentful about change. The first Renaissance building, probably by Mauro Codussi, is San Michele on the graveyard island and is 70 to 80 years after Donato Bramante’s building in Rome. It’s even longer after Giotto and Filippo Brunelleschi are building in Florence.

One of the tropes is that Venice looks backward because it doesn’t have a past. By 840, a lot of the parishes in the middle of Rialto were already decided, but it doesn’t have an ancient history. So there’s this overriding desire to get the credibility of ancientness. There’s this idea of spolia —stone saved from other buildings—and borrowed antiquity. Take the porphyry sculpture of the Tetrarchs, brought back from Constantinople, probably in the Second Crusade, and embedded into San Marco—as are all sorts of panels and discs of porphyry and other precious stones. Even St. Mark’s remains are famously rescued from Alexandria. It isn’t actually the cathedral until about 1807, but the ducal chapel.

So San Marco has this strong Byzantine flavour?

Absolutely. It’s dark and numinous and glittering and oriental. Even Ruskin, who loved it more than his mother, hates the cresting that goes around it. He’s full of frightful fury about various people’s work to it. But it’s right up there with Hagia Sophia as one of the great Byzantine, early Christian buildings.

If we’re talking about the architectural history of Venice, do we need to mention Palladio?

When I said that the Gothic was the great export of Venice, probably more unique to the Veneto and Venice and equally pervasive globally, is Palladian classicism. Andrea Palladio was actually called something quite different, but was adopted by a grandee of Mantua, who called him Palladio after Pallas Athena because he was such an amazing god of drawing. He was a stone mason, as was his father, and had these extraordinary ideas.

Italy was the cradle of humanism, particularly in Padua and Rome, and the buildings of ancient Rome were being unearthed. People were trying to work out the lost wisdom of the ancients and the architecture was under their feet. Raphael famously recorded the paintings of the Domus Aurea in Rome. Palladio looked at these emerging buildings and, in the early 16th century, developed a new language of classicism which was of huge significance.

Sebastiano Serlio had already been tabulating how the orders were used and making rules and people were aware of the work of Vitruvius, who was the first century architect/writer who wrote about defense, beehives, constructing bridges, and drainage. Palladio took this and applied it initially to villas on terra firma , then on a series of church facades in Venice: the Redentore, San Pietro di Castello, San Francesco della Vigna and posthumously—allegedly—the Zitelle and various other smaller works. For example at the Carita, the nunnery that was turned into the Accademia, there’s a cloister inside that was done by him.

One of his particular tricks is superimposing one pediment on another, so you end up with two entablatures, one in front of another. But the main thing is that he’s building churches with temple fronts. He’s using the language of non-Christian Greece and Rome to express church architecture. It’s a big dramatic change, and it’s why it comes late to Venice. Then it goes everywhere. After Villa Rotonda appears, you get buildings like Mereworth Castle in Kent, Chiswick House in London, Monticello in Virginia and George Washington’s house, Mount Vernon. I suppose because Venice is a republic, Washington espouses Palladianism as a language of this new country and it takes off. It makes the English country house and is woven back into Dutch and French neoclassicism, which up to then had been based mainly on Dutch copybooks.

So Palladianism is for some people the most and for others the second most important architectural export.

What about the Venetian artists, Mantegna, Tiziano, Giorgione etc. is there a lot to see of their work in Venice?

There’s not much Mantegna, Giorgione’s Tempest is in the Accademia as are several Titians. The Accademia is a very good museum because it hasn’t got much in it. The best Titian in Venice is this extraordinary, bright red altarpiece in Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, which is a Dominican, mendicant order Gothic church on the Dorsoduro in St Polo.

It does occasionally rain in Venice, so you do need some indoor excursions. For sheer artistic passion, I’d recommend the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, which is a bizarre series of Tintoretto paintings. The scuole were guilds, either of craftsmen, or sometimes just of rich tradesmen, who would gather together to do good and get power. They built assembly halls to work in and they were big focuses of non-ecclesiastical resource. They were nominally religious, not either parish churches or monastic orders, but rivals to churches in their spending. There were chapels in each one of these scuole . San Rocco is this extraordinary narrative of St. Roch and the paintings are huge, 20 yards by 15 yards. They’re full of wild, dramatic chiaroscuro and extraordinary blown-up perspectives. You look at them by sliding around the floor with a mirror on a school dinner trolley. It’s absolutely brilliant.

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The absolute other end of paintings to go and see would be the Carpaccios in the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, which is behind San Marco. They’re almost genre pictures because they are pictures of Venice as it was in 1500. There is this extraordinary, overriding oddity about Venice, which is that because it’s so unchanged whether it’s in Carpaccio or Bellini, Guardi or Canaletto, you’re looking at paintings with a costumed cast that could be you. That’s such an exciting thing. Obviously, things change a bit: the gondolas used to have covers, now they don’t. But, in general, many views, whether medieval or later, are recognizably unchanged.

The Correr Museum has also got a lot of wonderful paintings in it. Napoleon was very, very pleased to have got this great bauble, Venice, for his empire and called San Marco the greatest drawing room in Europe. He knocked down the Church of San Frediano, which faced San Marco, and built himself the Ala Napoleonica. It’s a whole series of Empire rooms and big staircases, charmless but grand and with wonderful things inside.

Another extraordinary museum, less for paintings but for odd things, is the Naval Historical Museum, which is up by the Arsenale. It’s an extraordinary collection of model boats and shells. One of my favorite things is a series of working drawings for First World War battleships. They’re huge, complex, and very neat, and they did all this without a felt pen. They must have been waiting for the ink to splotch at any moment, and for the whole thing to be wasted.

Let’s get to your final book, which is a book in Donna Leon’s Inspector Brunetti crime fiction series, Death in a Strange Country .

These are probably the most read books set in Venice. She’s written about 25 of them. They’re all exactly the same. It’s always terribly hot or terribly cold. They revolve entirely around Brunetti, our hero, going back for lunch with his wife, with whom he is very much in love, and having a quick brandy while she does the washing up, and then stomping off back to the Prefettura to do some essential police business.

I think it’s really easy to go to Venice and not believe anything’s happening there. I think what’s exciting about those books is that they give you a very believable, compelling idea of something that is happening. Italians love uniforms and there are a lot of policemen and different types of police launches in Venice. She brings to life the idea of civil Venice, and to a degree also of a darkness and a world of crime, drugs, prostitution, human trafficking and all sorts of the world’s ills which don’t exclude Venice.

Brunetti is a most sympathetic hero who one can only identify with, with his children and his wife who is an academic, a Jane Austen scholar or something highly convincing like that. The children are busy writing their homework, while he’s sorting out gory crimes. There’s also the most marvelous lady, a Miss Moneypenny figure who is a constant through the books, who’s always tutting and letting him in to go and see his superiors. There’s not an overarching dramatic narrative as exciting as the Cruz Smith book, but these books do immerse you in Venice. She’s American, but her complete fluency in the ways of Venice allows us to dive in with her.

I like mysteries so I’ve read quite a few of Donna Leon’s books over the years, just because there are so many of them. When I was reading your travel guide to Venice and you mentioned the name of a place, I kept going, ‘Oh, yes, I know that name. Brunetti is always walking along there.’

In coming up with these books, I was trying to provide a series of overlays, each one of which explains Venice a bit more. It’s a city that’s got a very good back catalogue of books that you can layer on top of it, all adding another bit, and I’ve tried to do that with all the books I’ve chosen. It’s the idea that you’re enriching the place.

I didn’t choose Death in Venice because it’s too jolly obvious, but there are all sorts of miserable books out there. There’s a big trope of Venice as depressing and black and gloomy. I’ve been every week of the year and I just can’t find it. I’m well aware that people do. There’s definitely a whole world of Venetian gloom, but it seems absolutely joyous to me. I’ve been sad there, but in quite a nice, picturesque way.

Another very good book I read was about two men who want to be members of the Venetian aristocracy, Venice’s Intimate Empire by Erin Maglaque . There was a book called the Libro D’Oro, which listed the nobility. After the serrata in 1297, no one could rise to join Venice’s Grand Council anymore. One of these men is the illegitimate son of a noble family, whose family are trying to get him legitimacy so he’s on the list. The other is a tradesman’s son, who is almost rich enough to get onto the list. One ends up being the governor of Candia, which is Crete, and the other is the governor of another town on the mainland, in Istria. The tradesman marries a local princess, and consequently does get elevated. The other one marries a servant girl who he loves, which makes it even harder for him.

It’s the idea of the Venetian Republic as a complicated world. We don’t get it now because we’ve had universal suffrage for so long, but people longed to be an elector. In Venice, if you weren’t on that list, you didn’t have a vote as to who would be Doge and, as such, preferment was unlikely to come your way.

If somebody wants to read about the Venetian Empire is that a good book to start with?

No, there are lots of more general ones. John Julius Norwich, A History of Venice , which is more than 700 pages long, is very, very good. It’s probably the most thorough of all the histories. It touches on that period, and some of the issues around social mobility and the concentration of power and, also, the feeling of an empire. Now we just see Venice as a beautiful town. We don’t see it as an empire anymore because it ain’t, but it was one.

August 29, 2022

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Matthew Rice

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45 Essential Tips for Venice, Italy – A Must-Read for First-Time Visitors

By Author Rossi Thomson

Posted on Last updated: 4th September 2022

Categories Veneto , Venice

Here are 45 essential tips for Venice in Italy to make your visit to this unique and magical city a truly wonderful travel experience.

All tips are based on my explorations of venice over a period of 15 years (with six of them spent living next door to the city of water)..

By sharing these tips with you, I want to help you streamline your Venice travel planning and make your time there truly memorable and enjoyable.

Venice in Italy is a magical city that sits at the top of many travel wishlists. Founded 1,600 years ago on a cluster of islands in the Venetian Lagoon, throughout the centuries Venice has charmed many travellers with its beautiful architecture, rich catalogue of art, and deep layers of history. Nowadays, millions of people head to Venice each year eager to see for themselves its spectacular scenery and unique cultural heritage. 

At the same time, visiting the city of water also presents some very specific challenges. Venice, after all, is a car-free city where you need to rely on boats and your own feet to take you places. It is also a city that is struggling to preserve its centuries-old traditions and way of life against a world of cheap travel, fast movement, and excessive consumption. 

As result, Venice can make you feel both elated and dejected. It can charm you and repel you. And it can make you fall in love with its beauty and yet do your head in with its whimsicalities. Often, within the same minute.

So, I wrote this blog post to help you experience this magical city in the best possible way while avoiding common pitfalls. My 45 essential tips for Venice, Italy are organised into nine groups: when to visit , airports , accommodation , travel , food , sightseeing , health and safety , money management , and time management . I’ve also included a special bonus tip for Venice right at the end of this blog post. In a way, this bonus tip is the most essential tip of them all! You’ll see!

I hope that my 45 essential tips for Venice will come in very handy so that your time in the city of water is as exciting and enriching as possible. Especially, if this is your first visit there. 

Have a look!

45 Essential Tips for Venice, Italy – A Must-Read for First-Time Visitors

When to visit tips for venice, italy.

1. Venice is Always a Good Idea

Venice is one of the most famous cities in the world and a dream destination for millions of people. With its unique location in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon and with deep layers of history, visiting the city of water is always a good idea. 

Venice has a lot to offer every month of the year. And its beauty is dramatically marked by the seasons. With the wisterias dripping in purple blooms in spring, with the canals glistening in millions of shades of teal in summer, with autumnal mists adding to the mystery of the city, and with the riot of Carnival in winter, Venice always is a delight to discover.

So, don’t delay it! As soon as you have a few free days and travelling is an option, head to Venice to see for yourself its spectacular scenery and rich heritage.

2. Yet The Best Months to Visit Venice Are…

Venice is especially great to visit during the shoulder season. This is the travel period between the low and the high season and vice-versa. So, from March through April to the start of May and then from the end of September through October to mid-November are particularly lovely times of the year to find yourself in Venice.

This is when the crowds of tourists are very manageable, the city feels authentic and it basks in beautiful spring or autumnal sunlight. Temperatures during the shoulder seasons in Venice customarily are also very pleasant.

3. Plan Your Visit to Coincide with a Large-Scale Venetian Event

If your travel plans are not dependant on school holidays or any other such restrictive scheduling, then try to visit Venice during one of its big traditional celebrations. This way you can experience the pomp of the city, relive its glorious past, and/or see the world’s latest trends in terms of films, art, and architecture.

The Carnival of Venice is a particularly great time to visit the city of water. It is held in the weeks before the Catholic Lent. Then you have La Sensa in May, the Vogalonga in May or June, the Festa del Redentore in July, the Historic Regatta and the Venice Film Festival in September, and the Festa della Salute in November. Add to this the Venice Biennale and the Venice Architecture Biennale which are held over several months. 

Click here for more details:

• Carnival of Venice – History and Traditions of the World’s Most Illustrious Party

4. Stay in Venice as Long as You Can

Venice truly has a lot to offer. Trying to squeeze its many landmarks in a day or two is a recipe for rushing around and missing out on some truly unique and wonderful sights. If you only have a day or two at your disposal, by all means, don’t let this stop you from coming to Venice. My first visit to the city of water was indeed a day trip. While time really flies quickly here, a day can be a great taster of Venice and it can start a lifelong love affair with the city of water. As it happened to me!

Yet, if you know that you are unlikely, for whatever reason, to return to Venice in the future, then try to put aside as much time as you can for your visit to it. If you have three full days, for example, you can spend two days in Venice and then dedicate a day to exploring other islands in the Venetian Lagoon. If you have four days, then you can spend the fourth on a day trip to the Italian mainland. And if you have five, six days or a whole week, then you can explore Venice in a very methodical and yet spontaneous way, delving deep beneath the surface and discovering the truly hidden gems that make the city of water so unique. From visits to artisan workshops to taking gondola rowing lessons, the variety of things you can do in Venice is only limited by your imagination. 

5. Make Sure That You Visit Venice Sooner…

…rather than later. Venice requires a certain physical and emotional stamina. Walking everywhere and spending whole days on your feet can get very taxing very quick. Especially during the very hot summer months and the chilly winter days. Then, the huge quantity of art, architecture, history, and traditions to process can be simply overwhelming.

So, don’t postpone your visit to Venice, Italy. Do it as soon as you can both in terms of time and money. 

Airport Tips for Venice, Italy

6. Know the Best Airports for a Venetian Holiday

There are several Italian airports you can fly into for a visit to Venice. The two most convenient ones are:

• Venice Marco Polo Airport
• Treviso Airport

Yet, you can use the following airports, too:

• Verona Airport Valerio Catullo
• Trieste – Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport
• Bologna Guglielmo Marconi  Airport

While the first two are physically the closest airports to Venice, the other three are a very manageable train ride away, too. So, depending on plane ticket prices and available flights, keep an open mind as to which airport you can fly into for your Venetian holiday.

• 5 Best Airports for Venice, Italy (With Transfer Options and Travel Times)

7. Plan Your Trip from the Airport to Venice

There are many different ways to get from your airport of arrival to Venice.

If you fly into Venice Marco Polo airport, then you can choose one of the following options to reach your destination in the city of water:

• water bus ;
• shuttle bus ;
• shared water taxi ;
• private transfer by car ;
• private transfer by car and boat ; or
• taxi. 

Shuttle buses, taxis, and private transfers by car will drop you off at Piazzale Roma. Once there, you can either walk or use Venice’s water buses ( vaporetto ) to travel to the vaporetto stop that is nearest to your accommodation. Click to buy a single, one-day or a multi-day ticket for Venice’s vaporetti in advance.

Shared water taxis and private transfers by boat should drop you off at the nearest to your accommodation mooring point.

If you fly into Treviso Airport, then again you can rely on a shuttle bus to take you all the way to Piazzale Roma in Venice. Another option is to get a bus from Treviso Airport to Treviso Centrale train station and then travel to Venice by train . Alternatively, you can book a private transfer , too.

And if you fly into either Verona or Bologna , then you can take the shuttle from the airport to respectively Verona Porta Nuova train station or Bologna Centrale train station. High-speed and fast regional trains connect Verona and Bologna to Venice all throughout the day.

Flying into Trieste Airport is very convenient, too. The airport has its own train station which is served by direct trains to Venice.

• Bologna to Venice – A Beautiful Day Trip in Italy – for tips how to reach Venice from Bologna by train
• Verona to Venice – An Unmissable Day Trip in Italy – for tips how to reach Venice from Verona by train

8. To Be Extra Organised, Book Your Train Tickets to Venice in Advance

If you decide to travel from your chosen airport to Venice by train, check these two websites for train prices and times: 

• Italo Treno

The first website shows you all available trains for your date and time of travel. This includes high-speed trains, fast regional trains and regional trains. It pays to book your tickets for the high-speed trains in advance as they increase in price the closer to the date of departure it gets. The prices for tickets for the fast regional and the regional trains remain unchanged no matter when you buy them.

For close distances in Italy, the fast regional trains are the best option. They are inexpensive, run often, and stop only at the most important cities and towns along the way. For long distance travel in Italy (for example, Bologna to Venice), the high-speed trains are the better option. They cost more but offer quick and smooth travel.

The second website is of Italy’s private high-speed train operator. Italo’s trains offer fast and smooth travel between many of Italy’s largest cities. Again, it pays to purchase your tickets in advance as the price increases the closer to the day of travel it gets.

9. Allow Plenty of Time to Reach the Airport from Venice

At the end of your time in Venice, make sure that you allow plenty of time to travel back to your chosen airport. During your stay in the city of water, you will come to feel how time seems to flow differently here. Somehow slower, more unhurried. Plus, the beautiful setting of Venice makes you prone to daydreaming and relaxing into yourself. So, it may be a bit of a shock to the system when you need to quickly switch back.

Plan carefully how long it’s going to take you to reach the airport from your Venetian accommodation . Then add 30% more time to it. Consider that you will have to carry your luggage (probably heavier on account of the many wonderful things you have bought in Venice) all the way to the nearest mooring point or vaporetto stop or even to Piazzale Roma or the Venezia Santa Lucia train station. There may be crowds you need to navigate. Or you may get lost for one last time in the maze of narrow curving streets.

While the vaporetti and the trains here traditionally run on time, give yourself some extra minutes just in case. Plus, if you take the  water bus to Venice Marco Polo Airport, don’t forget that there is a long-ish walk from the docks to the terminal. 

10. Shop Exquisite Italian Food, Fashion, and Crafts at the Airport

Getting early to the airport after a wonderful vacation in Venice pays in yet another way. You will have plenty of time to explore the many lovely shops there and stock on Italian food, fashion, and crafts.

This applies mainly if you travel back from Venice Marco Polo Airport or (to a degree) Bologna Airport. They are bigger and have several excellent shops. Buying at the airport can save you the effort of lugging extra weight from your accommodation in Venice to the plane. 

Just remember that the choice is not going to be as big as in Venice itself. Also Bologna Airport will not necessarily have traditional for Venice crafts. Still, shopping at an Italian airport is always very exciting. Especially in terms of coming across delicious deli items, the latest Italian styles, and beautiful artisanal gifts. 

Accommodation Tips for Venice, Italy

11. Stay in Venice Proper

Venice has two parts:

• The historic centre of Venice – built on 118 islands in the Venetian Lagoon and surrounded by water on all sides. This was the capital of the Republic of Venice and nowadays is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world. 
• The mainland area of Venice – known as Venezia Mestre or simply Mestre, this is the large borough on the mainland. It houses many of Venice’s administrative and local government offices.   

Many guidebooks and blog posts suggest that you stay in Mestre as hotels there tend to be cheaper. Yet, if you want to explore the beauty and heritage of Venice and truly feel the authentic atmosphere of the city of water, then I would strongly suggest that you book your accommodation in the historic centre.

This way you will have Venice all for yourself in the early mornings and the late evenings. Plus you won’t have to spend time and money every day on train or bus transport from Mestre across the water to Venice. While Mestre has a pretty historic centre, it’s not on par with Venice. If this is your first or, you suspect, only visit to Venice, then it’s advisable to have the full Venetian experience by actually staying in the historic centre.

I usually prefer to book all my accommodation through  Booking.com . Click to see all available options for places to stay  in Venice, Italy.

If you need some visual help in terms of precise location and price range, have a look at this map. It gives you a quick idea of the prices and whereabouts of the many hotels and other forms of accommodation you can book for your stay in Venice, Italy.

You can zoom in and out in order to search for a place to stay. You can also click on the option that interests you to find out more details or to make a booking directly.

In addition, if you click on ‘Accommodation’ in the top right corner of the map and select ‘Experiences’ from the drop-down menu, then you can see some truly exciting experiences you can book directly in Venice, Italy:

12. Choose Carefully the Venetian Sestiere (or Island) To Base Yourself in

A  sestiere  (or one-sixth in English) is a term used to signify the districts of Italian cities and towns that are divided into six subdivisions. Venice is one such city and it has six sestieri:  Cannaregio, Castello, San Marco, San Polo, Santa Croce, and Dorsoduro . 

San Marco and San Polo are the two most central  sestieri . This is where a large number of the most famous Venetian sights are. They also tend to be the busiest spots in town.

My personal favourite is Dorsoduro. It provides easy access to the train station and it’s dotted with wonderful churches, museums, and art galleries. It affords beautiful views over the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal . Dorsoduro also tends to have pockets of peace and quiet next to some very lively hotspots. It is also where you can go on a guided visit of Ca’ Foscari – the University of Venice.

Before booking your accommodation in Venice , make sure that you research in some detail the city’s six sestieri . Then choose the one most convenient for you based on the things you want to see in Venice, how far you are prepared to walk to reach your hotel/B&B, and what other amenities you want to have nearby.

Again, while some guidebooks and blog posts suggest staying on either Giudecca or Lido – two of the largest islands in the Venetian Lagoon – if this is your first visit to Venice or if you are only spending a couple of days here, then try to stick to Venice itself. Both Giudecca and Lido are lovely and offer additional things to do. Yet if you want to concentrate on Venice and the main sights here in addition to a few hidden gems , then the daily travel to and from these two islands (no matter how close they are) can become a time-eater and an inconvenience.

13. Decide on the Type of Accommodation to Book in Venice

There are many different types of accommodation in Venice to please any pocket. From lavish five-star hotels to humble hostels, from atmospheric B&B’s to historic palaces, you will have a lot of fun choosing where to stay. Heck, you can even book a room in a monastery during your time in Venice!

For a detailed overview of the different types of accommodation to pick from, have a look at this blog post:

• Where to Stay in Italy – 19 Types of Accommodation to Choose from in Italy

14. Consider Paying a Bit More for Some Purely Venetian Extras

Your stay in Venice can be made so much more special if you choose to book a place equipped with some typical for Venice architectural and artisan details. Here are some examples for your interest:

• Altana – a traditional for Venice rooftop terrace. Built of wood, it offers an open-air space to spend precious hours of relaxation and to simply admire the splendid views of Venice from above. 
• Murano glass chandeliers – there is nothing like staying in a room adorned with an original Murano glass chandelier. It makes you feel really grand and it gives you a very immediate understanding of the lavish heritage of the city of water.
• Frescoed walls – many old Venetian palaces nowadays have been turned into hotels with a varying number of stars. With frescoed and stuccoed walls and ceilings, they offer you a chance to feel surrounded by art at all times during your Venetian stay.
• Canal views  – ask for a room with a canal view (although this may cost a bit more). You want to see the boats and gondolas passing by, the beautiful facades of the buildings on the edge of the canal, and just have the full Venetian experience. 

15. Space is a Premium in Venice

Venice is a densely built city where buildings lean onto other buildings in a never-ending parade. Also, the Venetians of yore seem to have been physically a tad slimmer than us. 

So, don’t be surprised if your hotel room seems somewhat small or is a bit quirky in shape. Space is often ingeniously utilised though. You will see how every nook and cranny have been made to serve a purpose and/or look pretty in many different ways. I remember booking a single room in a Venetian hotel about ten years ago. Upon arrival, I realised that in the past my single room must have been a cupboard. Or something like that. It was very narrow and long. Still, it was beautifully frescoed. 

The last hotel we stayed in Venice was in a palazzo just round the corner from Rialto Bridge and with views of the Grand Canal. We had the Murano glass chandelier, walls dressed in beautiful fabrics, the works. And two bathrooms. Both of which were tiny yet one had a bath in. It was a bath that you could only sit in but still a bath.

Travel Tips for Venice, Italy

16. travel light for an easy transfer to and from venice.

You don’t want to arrive in Venice burdened with heavy suitcases. Lugging them around town can be incredibly tiring and frustrating. Just consider all the bridges you will need to go up and down. Not to mention the crowds that you will need to brave in the more touristy parts of Venice. Of course, you can hire a porter at the train station or a water taxi to take you right to your hotel. 

Otherwise, consider packing lightly for Venice. Leave space in your suitcase for all the wonderful things you can buy there, too: handmade Venetian masks , authentic Murano glass, precious jewellery, wonderful antiques, great paper products and so on.

17. Get Off at the Right Train Station for Historic Venice or Venice on the Mainland

There are two train stations under the name Venezia (which is Italian for Venice). Both of them are on the same train line:

• Venezia Santa Lucia train station – if you want to visit Venice proper, i.e. the historic centre of Venice on the islands in the Venetian Lagoon, this is the train station you need to travel to. It’s an end of the railway line station. Reaching it involves crossing the lagoon on the incredibly long bridge Ponte della Liberta’.
• Venezia Mestre train station – if you have a specific interest in Mestre – the mainland administrative borough of Venice – you need to get off at this station. Bear in mind that it precedes the Venezia Santa Lucia train station.

First-time visitors of Venice at times get confused and get off the train at Venezia Mestre when, in fact, they need to stay on the train to Venezia Santa Lucia.

18. When in Venice, Know Your Watercraft Options

Venice is a city of water and the traditional way to travel around town is by boat. In a tiny, simplified nutshell, there are four types of watercraft you can use here:

• Vaporetto – Venice’s water buses go up and down the Grand Canal, some smaller canals, around the city, and connect it to nearby islands. 
• Motoscafo – Venice’s water taxis. They are beautiful and sleek. Quite pricey, too. Yet, if you want to do Venice in style, consider booking a motoscafo .
• Traghetto on the Grand Canal – black boats that look like an unadorned gondola. They serve to take you across the Grand Canal at spots that are far from the four bridges that cross it. You can read all about my first experience taking a traghetto in Venice here . 
• Gondola – Venice’s most famous boat, the elegant gondola can be hired for a panoramic ride around the city’s pretty canals. There are set prices for a set amount of time. If you want your gondolier to serenade you, this costs extra.

19. Learn How to Orient Yourself in Venice

Venice is a city built on 118 islands in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon. It is completely car-free and looks like a maze where it is only too easy to lose yourself. Often navigation apps go a bit haywire here and may try to send you across a canal where there is no bridge or make you walk in circles time and time again. 

Plus, I always take with a pinch of salt any walking times estimated by the navigation app and double them in my mind. It’s only too easy to get distracted when walking in Venice and end up taking the wrong turn. Plus, navigating the crowds of people at the city’s most popular spots can stretch immensely any time estimate.

Yes, there is nothing better than to relax and simply explore Venice by following its narrow curving streets to whatever hidden gems they may take you. Yet, things can quickly get frustrating if you have only a limited amount of time or if you are trying to find your hotel heavy luggage in hand.

So, it always pays to spend a bit of time looking at the map of Venice before your visit to the city. Having a clear idea of where your accommodation is located or how close to it are the different sights you want to visit, can really help you make a general plan for your time in the city of water.

Learning a few of Venice’s topography terms is also very useful. Check the Place Names section in this blog post to find out what calle , campo , fondamenta , rio tera’ , salizzada , and sotoportego mean. This will come in handy when finding your way around Venice.

20. When in Venice, Walk on the Right and Don’t Obstruct the Bridges

When walking around Venice make an effort to keep to the right at all points. Venice is a living city with its own citizens who try to go about their daily lives while millions of people around them sightsee, suddenly stop in their tracks to take photos, and sometimes behave with no decorum.

With narrow curving streets – many of which are used by thousands of people every day – keeping to the right ensures that the pedestrian flow is as fast and smooth as possible. 

Bridges are very much Venice’s links of communication. They connect the dozens of tiny islands on which the historic city is built, provide access to shops and private homes, and serve as useful points of reference when you are walking around. As such, obstructing a bridge or lingering on a bridge is frowned upon by the Venetians and can actually incur a heavy fine.  

Food Tips for Venice, Italy

21. Think Before Ordering a Pizza in Venice

Think carefully before ordering a pizza in Venice. While pizza is the most famous Italian export, it is not a traditional Venetian food. In Italy, there are dozens of regional and provincial cuisines. They are incredibly varied and based on centuries-old customs, techniques, local products, and in some cases trade routes that were established as early as the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

As such, when in Italy, it’s always best to eat the food that is traditional for the city or province you are in. Pizza – originally from Naples – has taken deep roots all over Italy in the past few decades. Yet, Venice is the only place where I would advise caution before tucking into one.

Why? Often the pizzas served in Venice are not freshly made and have arrived in the city of water mass-produced and in a frozen state. This is especially true for those eateries that have printed pictures of dishes plastered all over their windows or on a large board by their entrance. 

If you simply must have a pizza in Venice, then make sure that you head to the places visited by the locals. This blog post gives you a good idea of where to find them and what to expect there in terms of pizza. It’s in Italian, so if need be, you can use Google Translate to get the gist of it.  

22. Indulge in Venice’s Traditional Sweets and Pastries

Sugar first reached Europe by the way of Venice. So, the city of water has a longstanding tradition in terms of pastries, sweets, and baking.

Start each day with a typical local breakfast of coffee and pastries. The most popular one is called brioche . It looks a bit like a croissant but it’s larger, much less flaky, and it can have so many different fillings. My favourite one is pistachio spread (imagine a chocolate spread but made of ground pistachios instead of cocoa! It’s so good!).

During the Carnival, tuck into frittelle – fried balls of dough stuffed with different creams or chocolate. The rest of the time, indulge in tiramisu, pasticceria mignon (sweets and cakes in tiny sizes), marzipans, local biscuits (like the Esse from Burano ), and handmade chocolates. I am partial to Pasticceria Rosa Salva but there are dozens of great patisseries all over town.

A good way to sample the best of Venice’s sweets and chocolates is to join a guided tour. This one will introduce you to a Venetian master chocolatier and their exquisite truffles, pralines, and hot chocolate. This one will take you on a morning walk of Venice so that you can enjoy the city’s main sights while tucking in a number of traditional local pastries and sweets. While this kid-friendly tour will open the world of Venetian sweets and desserts in front of your eyes by taking you to authentic local bakeries and patisseries across all six Venetian sestieri and revealing to you the stories of Venice’s most famous sugary delights.

• 14 Typical Italian Breakfast Foods and Drinks or What Do Italians Eat for Breakfast
• 10 Rules of Breakfast in Italy or How Do Italians Eat Breakfast

23. Have Lots of Traditional Venetian Seafood

Venice is a great place to indulge your love for seafood. With centuries-old culinary traditions and with the Venetian Lagoon providing a huge variety of fish, crabs, and molluscs, you will be spoilt for choice.

For an idea of what’s on offer, head to Rialto Fish Market early in the day to see the freshest catch. Over ten centuries old, the market is housed in a fetching Neo-Gothic structure a step away from the famous Rialto Bridge.

Grab a portion of fritto misto from a nearby eaterie. This is a mix of seafood and julienned vegetables that have been battered with durum wheat semolina and cornmeal. Then they are served deep-fried on a bed of polenta.

Deep-fried moeche is another typical for Venice dish. These are soft-shelled crabs that can be enjoyed only for a limited time in autumn and spring. Sarde in saor is sardines in a sweet and sour sauce made with vinegar and raisins among other things. It sounds wacky but it’s so incredibly tasty you will regret not giving it a try. Don’t miss a taste of baccala’ mantecato – the most iconic dish of the Venetian cuisine. It’s prepared with stockfish from Norway’s Lofoten Islands and has been a Venetian staple since the 15th century.

For a quick introduction to Venetian seafood, join a specialised guided tour in the city of water. This semi-private food experience will take you from Rialto Fish Market to two of Venice’s top eateries so that you can wine and dine on traditional Venetian drinks and dishes. And this one offers you a five-course Italian seafood feast cooked by a Venetian sailor.

24. Stop for Coffee in Venice

Just like sugar, coffee also reached Europe through Venice. In addition, the world’s oldest coffee house – the mythical Caffe’ Florian – first opened its doors here on 29th December 1720. 

Coffee traditions are still very much alive and kicking in Venice. So, indulge in proper coffee during your Venetian holiday. Caffe’ Florian is a must-see for its wonderful decor, literary connections, and coffee heritage. Grancaffe’ Quadri is another unmissable historic coffee house in Venice.

Don’t forget the many small torrefazioni – coffee roasters. They roast and serve wonderful varieties of coffee in Venice, too. Torrefazione Cannaregio is particularly famous.

• 21 Types of Italian Coffees and How to Order Coffee in Italy Like a Local
• 19 Rules of Italian Coffee Culture or How to Drink Coffee Like an Italian
• Coffee in Italy or 101 Facts about Italian Coffee Culture

25. Snack on Cicchetti and Tramezzini – Venice’s Traditional Finger Foods

Cicchetti (pronounced chi–KEH–tee) are traditional Venetian finger foods. Served in small portions, there are many varieties of cicchetti and they can cost as little as a euro or two per piece. This can be a small slice of white polenta with a helping of baccala’ mantecato or a piece of crusty bread with one of many delicious toppings.

A mix of cicchetti makes for a great lunch in Venice giving you a taste of many local foods and food combinations. Customarily served in small eateries called bacaro (pl. bacari ), cicchetti are washed down with an ombra – a small glass of house wine.

Osteria Al Squero is a particularly famous place to eat cicchetti in Venice. You will find it right opposite Squero Tramontin – a gondola-making and -repairing boatyard in the sestiere of Dorsoduro.

Tramezzini are triangular sandwiches made with super soft crustless bread and stuffed with many different fillings. For example, sliced boiled egg and artichokes, sopressa salami and red radicchio , tuna fish, ham and mushrooms, and so on. They make for a great snack or – if you buy a selection – for a nice and inexpensive lunch, too. 

As you walk around Venice, keep an eye out for small bacari serving delicious cicchetti and tramezzini . Alternatively, this guided tour will introduce you to the flavours and traditions of Venetian finger food.

• Italian Food – 13 Ways to Eat Well in Italy Without Breaking the Bank

Sightseeing Tips for Venice, Italy

26. Head Early to Venice’s Most Famous Sights

To avoid the crowds and queues, make sure that you head early to Venice’s most famous sights. For example, St. Mark’s Basilica and its bell tower. Queues here can be an hour or so long. However, if you turn up right before opening times, you can minimise or totally avoid queuing.

Plus, you can get lots of beautiful photos of Venice’s most iconic sights without the usual crowds of people that besiege them!

27. When in Venice, Get Off the Beaten Path

For all its worldwide famous sights and museums, Venice is also incredibly rich in hidden gems. No other destination gives you as much satisfaction as Venice when exploring it off the beaten path.

Quirky corners coupled with curious stories abound here. Make sure that you experience as many of them as possible for yourself. This blog post gives you pointers for 101 little-known yet fabulous things to do in Venice. And this blog post will reveal to you the haunted Venice of ghostly apparitions, centuries-old legends, and even mysterious crypts. Have a look!

28. See Venice from the Water

Venice was designed to be seen from the water. Its lavish palaces have their most splendid facades turned towards the canals. Its most important buildings are on the water’s edge.

Make sure then that you see Venice as the visitors of the city in the past centuries did. From the water, floating down its canals on a boat. This way you can truly appreciate the beauty, the elegance, and the grandeur of Venice – a city that challenges all conventions of the traditional urban settlement.

There are many ways to get on a boat in Venice. Check tip number 18 above for four of the most popular watercraft here. Catching a traghetto across the Grand Canal is one of the simplest, quickest, and cheapest ways to see Venice from the water.

In addition, you can get on vaporetto line 1 from either Piazzale Roma or Venezia Santa Lucia train station and then travel all the way down to St. Mark’s Square. This way you can revel in the beauty of the Grand Canal and marvel at the most iconic buildings, palaces, and churches of Venice as they come into view. Click to buy your Venice vaporetto tickets in advance.

A gondola ride is one of the most iconic things you can enjoy in Venice. You can either have it all for yourself or share it with other passengers. If you prefer, you can have a romantic gondola experience followed by a meal for two. Seeing Venice from a sleek black gondola is the stuff memories are made of!

You can hire a gondola on-site by simply approaching a gondolier at one of the many gondola stops around Venice. The tour lasts around 25-30 minutes and the price is currently set at 80 euros for up to six passengers. If you want your gondolier to serenade you, this comes with a surcharge. Also, evening and night-time gondola tours cost more.

Alternatively, you may want to book your gondola tour in advance or combine it with different activities – from a walking tour to a photoshoot. There are many different ways to do it, so have a look here for an exhaustive list of the different options and the respective prices.

29. For the Best Introduction to Venice, Book a Guide

A private tour with a Venetian guide is an unmissable opportunity to delve into the history of Venice, discover hidden gems , marvel at unique works of art, and just get to know Venice as a local does.

With the sheer amount of things to do and see here, it’s only too easy to become overwhelmed and not know where to start from or what to see first. Or you may end up missing several must-see sights. In such cases, booking a private tour in Venice is a great way to truly experience the city of water and see it from the most authentic point of view. 

I always recommend Luisella Romeo from See Venice  and Erika Cornali from  When in Venice . Both are wonderful people, they speak several languages and are truly dedicated to bringing the beauty of Venice to you.

Alternatively, you may prefer using one of the large tour sites to pick a top-rated guided visit or activity in Venice. The best options are Viator , Get Your Guide , and Tiquets .

30. To See the Authentic Venice, Wake Up Early and Go to Bed Late

One of the best ways to see the authentic Venice, is to go for a walk around the city early in the morning and late in the evening. You will discover a whole new face to it. Free of tourist crowds, Venice is incredibly peaceful and cinematic and you feel like the luckiest person in the world to have all this beauty for yourself.

It really pays to wake up very early in the morning and go for a walk while the city still awakes. And then do it again in the evening and see how Venice quietly winds down after another hectic day. To have enough energy for these early rises and late bedtimes, make sure that you take an Italian riposo in the afternoon.

Health and Safety Tips for Venice, Italy

31. to walk around venice, bring your most comfortable shoes.

Venice is a car-free city which means that you will spend your time here walking everywhere. Taking the vaporetti (Venice’s water buses) or the motoscafi (Venice’s water taxis) is a great way to travel long distances around the city. Yet, it can be time-consuming and in the case of water taxis, very costly, too.

Plus, there are many places around town that can only be reached on foot. Benches are lacking, sitting on the steps of churches and historical buildings is forbidden, and spending long hours upright can be very, very tiring. Even if you are in great physical shape, Venice can be truly overwhelming. What with the many sights to see and the many masterpieces to walk up to, stop in front of and admire, your feet may start feeling heavy long before the end of the day.

Hence, it’s essential that you come to Venice armed with your most comfortable shoes. 

32. When You Walk Around Venice, Always Mind Your Step

While Venice is a nice and flat city that is easy (but taxing) to walk all over, make sure that you mind your step when strolling around town. Especially, in the following two scenarios:

• steps leading down to the water – you will notice that often some of these steps are covered with algae. Avoid stepping on them at all cost as they are very slippery. Many a tourist, eager to take a close-up artsy shot of a gondola or two has braved the steps with the green tinge. Only to find themselves completely soaked.
• edges of the canal paths during acqua alta – when the tide peaks, sometimes the water levels rise so high that Venice gets flooded. While, in most cases, you can put a pair of wellies on and still walk around town, you need to be careful not to incidentally end in the water by overstepping the edge of a canal path (known as fondamenta in the Venetian language).  

33. Never Swim in the Venetian Canals

Venice is universally known as the City of Canals on account of its 150 waterways. Narrow and wide, short and long, curved and straight, the canals of Venice are the city’s arteries.  

Swimming in them is not allowed for many reasons. A large number of boats – many of them motorised – crisscross Venice’s canals at all hours of the day, so it would not be safe for swimmers. Also, the water – beautiful and inviting as it looks – is polluted and you don’t want it on your skin or in your mouth. Lastly, swimming in the canals goes against Venetian decorum. This is a historic city of art, after all, not a seaside resort. Hence, a heavy fine awaits anyone swimming in the Venetian canals.

I would also advise you against sitting on the edges of the canals and dipping your feet in the water. You honestly don’t want the water on your skin. Plus, such behaviour will not endear you to the locals. 

If you want to swim, then head to one of the nearby beaches. Spiaggia Alberoni on the island of Lido di Venezia, the beaches of Sottomarina near the town of Chioggia , the beaches of Lido di Jesolo, and the beaches of Caorle are particularly famous and within an easy-ish distance from Venice.

34. If You Visit Venice In Summer, Bring Suncream

Venice can get incredibly hot in summer. Add to this the air’s high humidity and the feeling is of being inside a very hot oven. The strong sunlight is reflected by the water in the canals and it bounces off the beautiful facades thus making your eyes squint in pain.

A high factor suncream and sunglasses are a necessity!

If you are desperate for a bit of shade, head to the Giardini Reali – a small, nicely landscaped garden facing the Grand Canal next door to St. Mark’s Square. Alternatively, go for a walk in the Giardini della Biennale in the sestiere of Castello. My favourite small garden with free entry in Venice stands adjacent to Ca’ Rezzonico – the museum of 18th-century Venice. It’s lush with plenty of shade and flowering shrubs. Plus, it has a small playground for the kids to run around.

35. And If You Visit Venice in Winter, Bring an Extra Layer or Two

Venice is not a winter sun destination. While the sun may be shining high and the sky may be nice and blue, there is a chill in the air during the day and at night it can get very cold.

Sometimes, it even snows! This doesn’t happen often (more or less, once every couple of winters or so) but when it does, it turns Venice into a magical fairytale. A slippery one at that as the stone fondamente – Venice’s canal paths – can be challenging to navigate with a dusting of snow on top.

The rest of the time, the high humidity chills you to the bone and fogs often add to the mystery of Venice.

If you visit Venice in late autumn and winter, then definitely wrap up warm. It’s better to feel nice and cozy and peel a layer off when needed than suffer the cold chills.  

Money Management Tips for Venice, Italy

36. When in Venice, Expect to Spend

Venice is a difficult city to live, work, and do business in. With no cars, everything has to be transported by boats and then lifted and carried by hand. Insurance premiums are high and acqua alta can cause anything from inconvenience to devastation. Prices factor in all this.

So, Venice is not a budget destination and to truly see and experience its very best sides, you need to be prepared to spend. Mind you, not for tourist gimmicks and overpriced food. But for museum tickets, concert tickets, and exhibition entry fees. For great local food which is freshly made following centuries-old techniques. For handmade artisan items which you will love and use for years to come. And for beautiful jewellery, unique decorations, lovely handmade notebooks, traditional Venetian masks , luxury fabrics, charming antiques, and one-of-a-kind pieces of art. And, of course, for a gondola ride!

To be honest, in terms of daily expenses, I find London much more expensive than Venice. Whereas a single espresso in London can cost anything from £1.50 to £2.00, in Venice you can get a proper Italian espresso and a breakfast pastry for more or less the same money. And while a quick lunch from a chain shop in London can cost anything from £10 to £15, in Venice a lovely plate of cicchetti made in a small bacaro that has been there for dozens if not hundreds of years will cost less than that. So, you can get yourself a nice glass of wine, too.

37. When in Venice, Always Buy Authentic Crafts

There are so many wonderful things in Venice that it makes sense to take every opportunity to stock on some lovely gifts for friends, family, and yourself. In doing so, make sure that you support authentic Venetian artisans rather than yet another cheap souvenir shop. Imported souvenirs are cheap in Venice but they lack in quality and undermine the work of honest craftsmen. 

For example, cheap masks sold on the streets of Venice often are made with dyes that are harmful to the skin. While they are produced for decorative purposes only, often you are not told this by the stall trader eager to make a sale. It is much better to buy Venetian masks made in one of Venice’s acclaimed mask workshops where the traditions of Venetian mask-making have been researched in depth and brought back to life. 

Venice has a great concentration of skilled artisans and craftsmen. Visiting their studios and shops is such a great experience. They preserve the living history and traditions of the city. And their work needs support. From handmade glass, jewellery, and lace to unique ceramics, prints, silk velvets, and marbled paper, the choice is enticing and the quality is high!

• 10 Facts About Venetian Masks – History, Traditions, and Meaning

38. Bring a Water Bottle and Fill It for Free from Venice’s Water Fountains

You don’t need to buy bottles of water in your explorations of Venice. The city is dotted with dozens of drinking fountains providing for free deliciously cold water to both residents and visitors of Venice.

You quickly start to appreciate them when you are asked to pay 3 euros for a small bottle of water in a touristy cafe. 

Just bring a reusable water bottle with you and you are good to go.  

39. Invest in Passes To Maximise Your Sightseeing in Venice

To make your euros stretch further in Venice, consider investing in a pass that is designed to offer savings and convenience to visitors. Click on these links to get an idea of what to expect: 

• The Venice Pass
• Venezia Unica City Pass
• Chorus Churches Circuit
• MyPassVenezia App

40. Take Advantage of the Sales Seasons in Venice

There are two sales seasons in Italy. Traditionally, one is at the start of January and the other is in summer. The dates vary a bit from year to year and from one Italian region to another. They are decided on a regional level and publicised in the press in advance.

Venice is the capital of the Northern Italian region of Veneto . As such, you can check the dates for this year’s seasonal sales by performing a web search for saldi invernali in Veneto (winter sales in Veneto) or saldi estivi in Veneto (summer sales in Veneto).

Famous Italian and French fashion houses, as well as international high street brands, have their shops in Venice. So, timing your visit to coincide with sales season can lead to some great savings if shopping is what you like to do best. 

Time Management Tips for Venice, Italy

41. Have a Good Idea About What You Want to See in Venice

Venice is rich in sights to see and things to do. With all the walking, stopping for photos, and gawking at all the beauty around you, time in Venice quickly flies away. Plus, the more you see the more you want to see. Arriving in Venice without much of a clue and hoping that you will work out what to do on the spot is a recipe for wasted moments and missed experiences. You may still end up seeing some of the most famous landmarks. Yet looking back in hindsight, you may beat yourself up about how much you have missed. 

To make the most of your time in Venice, make sure that you research the many different things to do here in advance and have a clear idea of what you want to see and experience. Is it art and museums, beautiful views and fresh seafood, traditional crafts and hidden corners?! A mix of all or something very particular?!

Jot down a rough plan of what you want to do each day of your stay in Venice. Pick sights that are within close proximity to one another. Even if you are in peak shape, all the walking and spending long hours on your feet quickly add up. Try not to plan too much for any one day. Leave plenty of time for each sight – both to reach it without rushing and to be able to fully enjoy its atmosphere and artefacts. 

42. Yet Be Spontaneous in Order to Experience Venice Authentically

Venice is the best place in the world to be spontaneous. Every narrow curving street you take leads you to yet another worldwide famous sight or hidden gem.

Be adventurous! While your rough plan will guarantee that you will be exploring Venice in a purposeful manner, take every opportunity to adapt it if you come across something else that catches your eye. Visit every church you come across. Follow the locals to their favourite gelaterias and eateries. Stop to admire artisans at work and to purchase their handmade wares. Spend long moments at quiet squares (locally called campi ) where you can observe the authentic Venice. Go for long walks trying to spot as many typical for Venice architectural details like patera and finestrata . 

With its rich heritage and with hundreds of things to do and see, it’s practically impossible to know in advance what exactly you will fall in love with in Venice. You may be thinking that you want to visit Venice for all the art and then, once arrived, you may be drawn to the local crafts and compelled to discover as much as possible about them. Or you may be planning to visit Venice for all the gorgeous photos you can take and then, without even being religious, to become intrigued by the Venetian churches and to want to visit as many of them for their architecture, art, and history.

43. Put a Day Aside for the Islands in the Venetian Lagoon

While Venice is the undisputable star of the Venetian Lagoon, there are dozens of islands here that deserve a visit, too. For their history, for the local crafts, for their beauty, for their colourful houses, for their peace and quiet, for many reasons, really.

Murano, Burano, and Torcello are the three most famous islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Many visitors to Venice spend a day visiting all three. Murano is famous for its locally made glass. Burano – for its lace and houses painted in a riot of colours. Torcello is where the history of Venice started as it was the first island in the Venetian Lagoon where a settlement rose back in the 5th century AD.

Yet, there is also:

• Giudecca with its peaceful atmosphere and some very interesting buildings;
• Lido with its wonderful beaches;
• Chioggia which at one time was more powerful than Venice;
• Pellestrina where you can cycle along the murazzi – the long wall separating the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea;
• Mazzorbo (connected to Burano via a wooden bridge) with the Venissa restaurant and vineyard;
• Sant’Erasmo with Venice’s fruit and vegetable gardens. 

And if you want something different, then you can head to the island of San Michele. It has served as Venice’s cemetery since the start of the 19th century. Alternatively, explore the island of San Servolo. This is where people with mental illnesses used to be sent to in the past. Nowadays, the former insane asylum on the island hosts a very thoughtfully curated museum.

It is only by visiting the different islands and by travelling between them that you come to appreciate the spectacular scenery of the Venetian Lagoon. It is quite amazing really how such an inhospitable environment has been elevated into one of the most beautiful and special places on earth.

You can visit the islands in the Venetian Lagoon by yourself by taking advantage of the very well-organised network of vaporetti . Or you can book a guided tour whisking you from island to island in one active day or half-day.

This full-day excursion , for example, will take you on a tour of Murano, Burano, and Torcello directly from Venice’s train station. This half-day experience includes a visit to a glass factory on Murano and a lace workshop on Burano.

44. Take a Day Trip to Italy’s Mainland

If you are spending more than three days in Venice, make sure that you put a day aside for a trip to Italy’s mainland. High-speed and fast regional trains connect Venice numerous times a day to such beautiful destinations as Padua , Vicenza , Verona , Lake Garda , Milan , Brescia , and Bologna . Not to mention the myriad of medieval walled towns dotted all around the Veneto – the Northern Italian region of which Venice is the capital.

Train travel is quick, inexpensive and very well-organised. You can reach Padua from Venice in less than half an hour and then spend a wonderful day discovering the frescoed Scrovegni Chapel, Italy’s second-oldest University, and the world’s oldest academic botanical garden. Or, in an hour and a half, you can reach Italy’s largest lake – Lago di Garda – which is a great destination for families with kids, couples, and solo travellers.

It’s so nice to be able to see more and do more in the span of the same Italian holiday. Visiting Venice gives you a chance to visit many other unique and beautiful Italian destinations, too. Take full advantage of that!

• Venice to Milan – A Cool Day Trip in Italy (With Travel Tips and Sights to See)
• Venice to Padua – The Best Day Trip in Italy (With Travel Tips and Sights to See)
• Venice to Verona – A Day Trip in Italy to Fall in Love With (With Travel Tips and Sights to See)
• Venice to Lake Garda, Italy – 3 Easy Ways to Travel
• 10 Best Cities in Veneto, Italy to Visit and What to See in Each

45. Book a Return Trip to Venice

No matter how long you spend in Venice, it’s never enough. There is just so much to do, see, and enjoy here. The city of water has a way to get under your skin, to make you really fall for it. 

So, don’t stress that you were not able to see it all and do it all while here. Instead, make sure that you book a return trip to Venice so that you can continue your exploration of this most unique and beautiful city in the world.

A Bonus Tip for Venice, Italy

Toilets! A totally essential topic for any visitor to Venice and Italy in general. Now, if you need to spend a penny, don’t fret! It’s all very nicely and logically organised in Venice as long as you know where to look. Here is how it works:

• Paid public toilets – dotted at crucial points with high footfall around the city. Here is a map for you to see where the paid public toilets are located in Venice. They are very clean and thoroughly sanitised throughout the day. Do keep euro coins on you, as you need to pay every time you use them. If you buy the Venezia Unica City Pass (see point 39 above), you can add a Public Toilet Service as an option to it. This works out slightly cheaper compared to paying for each separate visit.
• Toilets in Museums/Sights – museums and sights in Venice have well-equipped and clean toilets which you can make use of during your visit. Usually, you can’t just pop in from the street to use their facilities though. 
• Cafes/Eateries/Restaurants – as a paying customer you can access the toilet on the premises. At times, these can be tiny but make use of them, especially if you find the fee for the paid public toilets prohibitive. In any case, please, remember that the toilets in Venice’s cafes, eateries, and restaurants are only for paying customers.

In Conclusion

Venice is a dream destination for many. With its unique location in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon and with its many layers of history, the city of water has a lot to offer to the traveller seeking beautiful and memorable experiences.

Yet, Venice doesn’t reveal its secrets easily. For the many things you can do and enjoy here, often, you also need to dig deeper beneath the surface to find your way around Venice. As a car-free city with a maze of narrow curving streets, its own centuries-old traditions, and many, many quirks, Venice can be a challenge. Especially if you arrive here hoping to discover it all on the spot as you go.

To help you have the best experience in the city of water, in this blog post I share with you my 45 essential tips for Venice. They are particularly useful if this will be your first visit. From no-nonsense travel and accommodation tips to health and safety and time management tips, I’ve organised the information in logical chunks to help put you in Venice mood and mode.

I hope that you will find these tips for Venice helpful and that they will galvanise you to head to the city of water as soon as possible.

Enjoy your time in venice, italy, more helpful venice info for you.

Venice:   Major Landmarks , Hidden Gems , Best Tours , Venetian Place Names , Nearest Airports , Boats in Venice , Haunted Venice , Day Trips from Venice , Arco del Paradiso Venice Videos: Grand Canal , St. Mark’s Square at Carnival , St. Mark’s Square , View from Rialto Bridge , View from Accademia Bridge , Venetian gondolas , Historical Regatta , Squero di San Trovaso , Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo , Fondazione Querini Stampalia , Palazzo Grimani , Rialto Fish Market , Ca’ Macana , Festa della Madonna della Salute

More Helpful Italy Info for You

Best of Italy: Italian Piazzas , Italian Food , Italian Markets , Italian Coffee Culture Northern Italy: 18 Best Cities to Visit Lake Garda: Best Towns , Nearest Airports , Travel Options , Lake Garda with Kids Lake Como: Things to See , Nesso Veneto: Best Cities to Visit , Top 15 Places , 30 Adventures , 15 Most Colourful Places Friuli Venezia Giulia: Venzone , Most Beautiful Villages Emilia Romagna: Bologna , Ravenna , Comacchio , Most Beautiful Villages Marche: 6 Reasons to Visit , Gradara , Frasassi Caves , Temple of Valadier Verona: Things to Do in One Day , Day Trips from Verona Padua:   Things to Do in One Day ,  101 Facts About Padua ,  10 Reasons to Visit Padua ,  Day Trips from Padua Vicenza: Things to Do , 10 Must-See Museums , Day Trips from Vicenza

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13 Best Italy Travel Guide Books

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• 13 Best Italy Travel Guide…

Italy has so much history, art, and culture that naturally attract travelers. The enchanting peninsula isn’t the largest European country. But, it offers diverse and rich things to see and do. Each city and region have something different to offer. From preserved treasures, ancient towns like Pompeii, to its beautiful coastline and beaches. For the best authentic experiences, we cannot recommend you enough to plan first. And travel books about Italy are your best option for travel preparation. Guidebooks help you get the best insight into destinations you want to visit. Plus, you’ll get plenty of information for planning.

How To Choose The Best Travel Books about Italy

When you decide to visit Italy, you first need to read travel guides to learn more about the country. However, it can be difficult to find the best travel guides for Italy since there are so many options available. Before you purchase one, here are a few things to help you choose your own.

Check the published date

When buying the best travel books for Italy or any other country, you need to make sure you get new and updated information about the country. So, it’s important to check the published date. If you buy the old version of guidebooks, the information may be outdated.

Guidebook format

Many publishers offer travel books about Italy in two versions: printed and digital. Consider buying both printed and e-book for your next trip. You can take notes on the printed version – plus, it makes a great coffee table book – while the e-book can be used on the go.

Check the author bio

To have the best experience while traveling, only equip yourself with first-hand information. We recommend choosing local-based and experienced authors and writers. For example, if you want to visit villages in Italy , it’s best to buy a travel book from someone who came from that village or at least has spent a significant local living there as a local.

What is the best way to tour Italy for the first time?

You should mix relaxation and sightseeing in your itinerary for the best experience. Generally, you can combine the sights of Rome and while staying at hotels in Florence with a more relaxed ambiance. Tuscany or Venice are also great choices. Get a travel guide for Venice Italy to get an unforgettable experience in Venice.

How many days is enough for Italy?

Generally, you would need about ten days to explore Italy. Though you’ll need much more time to discover and enjoy a complete Italy experience. But, you still be able to cover many of the top sights.

How do I organize my trip to Italy?

If you only have 3-5 days, choose only one destination. It could be a city or region. For 10 days trip, you can cover 1-3 places, either the north, central, or south of Italy. You can set aside two weeks? If so, you could explore 3-4 places in the south and north.

Italy Travel Guide Essential Tips For First-timers in Italy

Planning on traveling to Italy for the first time can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Italy Travel Guide Essential Tips For First-timers in Italy is what you need. Find out how to enjoy Italy’s beauty to the fullest with this guidebook. The book has 11 chapters, which 5 of them cover the cities and regions. They include Rome, Florence and Tuscany, Venice, Milan and Lombardy, and Sicily. Unlike other best travel books for Italy, the author even devoted a chapter to the best Italian beaches. Not to forget some of the less-traveled ones.

The chapter starts with the History of Italy. Here, you can get brief information about the Roman Empire. Another chapter covers how to plan a trip to Italy. There is so much information you can get, like the best time to visit which place. Get the most of your visit by learning some Italian phrases to help you get around.

We think The Cultural Tips: Not To Do in Italy and Travel Tips sections are the best sections. If you plan to eat and drink in Italy, you’ll find some helpful sections. These include How to Order Coffee, How to Choose a Restaurants, and Drinking Wine in Italy. Also, there’s a chapter on What to Do When Things Go Wrong and Airport Tricks that you’ll find very supportive and useful. All these trips and tricks will complete your arsenal to explore Italy.

Foodie, beach-goers, first-time travelers, backpacker, family, and group travelers

Michelin Green Guide Italy

Create your memorable journey to Italy with Michelin Green Guide Italy . It’s one of the travel guides for Italy that will give you depth descriptions of the locations and sites, whether you’re visiting Italy’s must-see cities or outdoor activities.

Do you prefer wine regions and gourmet destinations? Historic cathedrals, castles, and Roman ruins? Wandering around the sunny Sicilian villages? Or, hunting postcard-perfect photos in Lakes Region? This book gives travelers the most reliable recommendation on where to go, where to eat, and where to stay. There’s also a section about activities for kids. You’ll also get information on how to get there and what to see and do.

Get some practical A to Z information that will help your trip, from embassies, pharmacies, and public holidays. It also provides maps and pictures. Getting to know more about Italy will make the best of your trips. You can get some insights from the book about Italian history. Besides, there’s brief information about Italy today, nature, plus art and culture.

Family travelers, photographers, backpackers, adventurers

The Rough Guide to Italy

The Rough Gu i de to Italy gives everything you need to know when planning a trip to Italy. The book includes extensive lists of must-see sights, practical advice, even an off-the-beaten-track. Plus, it provides insights on what to see and do, how to get around, and things not to miss. Besides, there’s an itinerary section that helps tailor your own schedule. With excellent reviews, you’ll discover the recommended restaurants, shops, and hotels. The full-color maps and photos will inspire your places to visit.

The book has four main chapters in the table of contents. They include Introduction, Basics, The Guide, and Contexts. The Introduction provides information all travelers would need. You’ll find itineraries, where to go, when to go, and author picks. Meanwhile, the Basics cover practical information and pre-departure tips. Getting there, getting around, festivals and travel essentials are among the topics.

Next, The Guide Chapter is divided into 17 cities and regions. It covers Rome and Lazio, Umbria, Sicily, Lombardi and the Lakes, Tuscany, Sardinia, and more. Also, you’ll find highlights, brief history, maps, and more information on each city and region. Contexts give you information about the history, Italian art, and useful language. Plus, recommended books and films. Make the most of your time in Italy! Whether you plan to experience the Piazza San Marco in Venice, enjoy the spectacular Amalfi Coast, or explore the collections of art in Florence. Did you know that there are great gay-friendly hotels in Florence ?

You’ll get an e-book for every paperback purchase. All these make this book one of the best travel books for Italy as well as a travel guide for Venice Italy.

All type of travelers, such as adventurers, city slickers travelers, solo travelers

Italy The Best Places to See by Rail

If you’re interested in exploring Italy via Rail, Italy The Best Places to See by Rail is your best choice. The book is perfect for solo or group travelers who don’t want to join the fixed scheduled tours through travel agencies. Or, travelers who don’t want to drive in a foreign country. If you want or spend as much as time you want on each sight, this book helps planning your own itinerary.

This entertaining travel guide includes five major itineraries. They are Venice, Rome, the Lake District (Como, Maggiore, and Lugano). Besides, it also covers Sicily, the Amalfi Coast, and over the Alps on the world-famous Bernina Express. The author also provides a chapter about hotels near the stations. So, you only need to walk less than 15 minutes to your hotel. There’s also a guide on how to choose each hotel along the way based on your budget.

You’ll also find websites on how to obtain your rail and attraction tickets on this easy-to-read guide book. It helps save your time and money on the internet. Other information, such as recommended restaurants and places of interest are provided. Including tables and maps. This book really helps travelers to have a stress-free trip around Italy on its superb rail system. Making it also the best travel guide for Venice Italy and travel books about Italy.

Independent travelers, adventurers, group or family travelers

Rick Steves Venice, 16th Edition

Make the most of your vacation in Venice with Rick Steves Venice . It’s the perfect choice for a travel guide for Venice Italy. This updated version provides new restaurant reviews and city walks. Either you’re exploring the great city for a week or more, the book offers comprehensive coverage. Find top sights and hidden gems, such as the Rialto Bridge, the charming city of Padua, or St. Mark’s Basilica. Also, don’t miss exploring the canals and wandering down the cobblestone alleys as you soak up the culture, art, and history of Venice.

The book also includes the best places to eat and sleep. Besides, you can use the self-guided walking tours of museums and Grand Canal Cruise tours. Traveling with your best friends? You’ll also find some useful info about the best nightlife and places to relax in Venice.

The Italian survival phrases help you connect with local people and get to know their culture. The book also provides a historical overview and recommended reading. You’ll like the useful packing list given in the book. What’s more, the detailed maps and fold-out city map will help you get the most of your time. Get this guide in paperback or digital version.

Party-goers, family or group travelers, and backpackers

Lonely Planet Italy’s Best Trips

Lonely Planet Italy’s Best Trips is one of the most useful travel guides for Italy, especially, if you’re planning for a road trip to Italy whether to explore somewhere new or places you’ve been before. The book features 40 amazing road trips in Northern Italy, Central Italy, and Southern Italy. These road trips include Grand Tours and World Heritage Wonders. Plus, you’ll have up-to-date expert advice on the destinations you’ll visit along the way.

Embrace the majesty of the Dolomites or enjoy the Tuscan landscape and stop by on the dazzling Amalfi Coast. Jump in the car, turn on the music or one of the best audiobooks , and hit the road with your trusted travel companion! The book includes insider tips to get around like a local. Other information is included, like places to eat, sleep, sightseeing with honest reviews. To start your road trip, there’s a section on Road Trip Essentials. It provides plenty of information, from how to hire a car, insurance, road conditions, to fuel and parking.

While you’re on the road, you can always use the features like Stretch Your Legs and Detours. The gorgeous color photos throughout the book help pick your interests and needs. On top of that, it has easy-to-read and full-color route maps, which is important for your road trip. It provides detailed directions for exploring Italy accessible by car.

Family or group travelers, adventurers, photographers, frequent wanderers

DK Eyewitness Venice & the Veneto

With so much to see and experience in Venice, you’ll need the best travel guide for Venice Italy. Planning to wander around the magical maze of Venice canals? Or, exploring through majestic mountains and sampling delicious cuisine? Experience all Venice has to offer with DK Eyewitness Venice & the Veneto . Not only does it offer a watery oasis, but the book also includes more places you should visit. The alpine forests and verdant hills in the Dolomites, the third-largest Roman Arena, and the beautiful scenery of Lake Garda are among the others.

This book is divided into three major sections; Discover, Experience, and Need to Know. There’s everything you need to know about the Vento region. It includes excellent walking tour suggested itineraries. So, you can create your own itinerary that suits your likes. If you have limited time, take the suggested itineraries given. Learn more about the history of the region in its section Brief History.

Each section of the city in the Experience chapter is completely updated with places to see and things to do. Besides, it covers the opening times and website. Plus, you’ll find recommendations for hotels and places to eat. The Venice map is very helpful for exploring Venice and Veneto. Besides, it provides bus and water taxi maps. Other information includes bus and train services. Useful telephone numbers and a street map of Venice and Murano are included. Also, you’ll have the DK Eyewitness special, the virtual 3D map! You can get this guide in paperback and digital versions on Kindle.

Couples, group or family travelers, photographers, foodies

Kids’ Travel Guide Italy

Are you traveling with your family to Italy? Or, moving to live in the country temporarily? Kids’ Travel Guide Italy is not only interesting but also a fun way of learning. Specially designed for children, they may not realize they’re learning while reading at the same time. Also, the book helps to keep your children occupied while traveling. There are plenty of fun activities for kids to do. With this book, even children get to prepare what to bring before traveling.

The table of contents makes finding anything about Italy easier and faster. The book includes a section about places you should visit and why they’re famous. It guides your children to walk through the famous Grand Canal Venice and the magnificent piazzas and basilicas. And your children will love discussing pizza, gelato, and spaghetti!

Furthermore, the book provides history, flags and symbols, culture, plus geography. It also provides some popular Italian words and phrases. It will help you and your children interact with local people. One of the best travel books about Italy for children, it’s available in Kindle edition. The e-book is perfect if you’re flying with luggage restrictions. But, if you prefer a more interactive experience, you can get the paperback edition.

Family travelers, long-term travelers, temporary residences

Fodor’s Essential Italy 2020

Fodor’s Essential Italy 2020 is recognized as one of the best travel books for Italy. It’s something you need to create the perfect adventure and experience the country. This guidebook provides information and explanations about culture and history. It also helps enrich your travel. Find which cities or regions you’re looking for with the color-coded category icons and two-column text. This book covers Venice, Lake Como, Pisa, Tuscany, Vatican City, Rome, and more.

This book also includes customizable itineraries for various trip lengths. And it provides info for the best walking tours. Known for accuracy and attention to detail, you’ll find top recommendations and exclusive tips from the locals. Its section of ‘best of lists’ provides the best things to do and see. Plus, there are expert recommendations on hotels and restaurants. What’s more, you’ll find some practical tools and tips for getting around as well as basic Italian phrases, a calendar of events, and festivals.

There’s even a section to guide you on what to read and watch before your trip! We love the beautiful color photos and features throughout. It includes features on hiking the Cinque Terre and Sistine Chapel. With more than 70 detailed maps and a free pull-out map, it’s definitely one of the best travel guides for Italy.

Adventurers, photographers, and backpackers

Frommer’s Italy 2020

Whether you’re planning for a family trip or special food and wine trip, Frommer’s Italy 2020 is one of the best travel books for Italy you can have. Its chapter of suggested itineraries gives you the most helpful day-by-day info to plan something that suits your interests and schedules. You’ll get helpful advice from Frommer’s authors themselves. Do you prefer walking among the ancient ruins of Pompeii? Or, exploring off-the-beaten-path Puglia? What about floating along the canals of Venice? Whichever you prefer, this one of the travel guides for Italy is brilliant to help planning your trip.

You’ll find up-to-date guide Italy destinations. These include honest recommendations on where to eat, where to stay, and what to do in each place. Besides, the book also provides cultural information. So, you’ll understand the history, traditions, and cuisine of Italy better. What’s more, there’s some helpful accurate information of websites, transportation, and telephone numbers.

The book divides cities and regions into each section. You’ll find Bologna & Emilia-Romana, Genoa & Cinque Terre, Venice, Tuscany, and more. Milan and Rome, Italy’s fashion capitals are also covered. On top of that, it provides one chapter about the maps and a handy pull-out map. Get the travel books about Italy both in paperback and e-book on Kindle for your Italy’s best authentic experience!

Any type of travelers, including business travelers and fashionistas

Rick Steves Italy 2020

Are you planning your first trip to Italy? Rick Steves Italy 2020 should be your top choice of travel guides for Italy. It gives references and guides for those unfamiliar with the country. The book provides updated information on some best places. It covers Milan, Florence, Tuscany, Naples, Pompeii, and Venice, making it also the best choice for your travel guide for Venice Italy. Experience Italy, from the Colosseum, the Mediterranean to the Alps, or discover the relaxed rhythms of sunny Cinque Terre.

Even before you leave, you’ll find so many useful things in the book. What to pack, currency to use, city history, and customs are examples. Plan your trip to the max with everything you need to know about Italy in this book. These include places to stay and see, how to book and use transportation, and how to avoid tourist traps. We love that the book helps travelers figuring out the transportation system. Plus, it has a chapter with a planned three-week trip from Milan to Rome using public transportation.

Make your trip easier and connect with the locals by learning some Italian common phrases. The book also provides information on the opening times and days closed for major sites. Plus, there’s a section on historical overview. Detailed maps, including a fold-out map, are very helpful. You can rip it out and fold it in your pocket for handy reference.

Backpackers, family, or group travelers

DK Eyewitness Italy 2020

You’ll find this guide to be useful in making your trip across Italy easy. Whether you want to explore the ancient ruins of Pompeii, cruise down Venice’s Grand Canal, soak in the sunny Capri, it’s one of the best travel books about Italy that has everything covered. Finding the best gelato or enjoying the lavish foodie culture? You’ll find the book is organized into three major sections: Discover, Experience, and Need to Know.

Discover provides brief introductions to the history and architecture of the country. Experience is divided into three main sections of twenty different towns and regions. First, Central Italy (like Rome, Lazio, and Florence). Second, Northern Italy (including Milan and Venice). And third is Southern Italy (Sicily, Sardinia, Naples, and more). Each region, city, or town comes with a brief history and some highlights. There is information like places to see, insider tips, suggested places to eat. Plus, many sections have detailed maps. The last one, Need to Know, gives you expert advice and practical information about getting around and a few Italian phrases.

You’ll also find a selection of itineraries to help planning your trip, so you can enjoy the best of Italy. Whether you’re staying for a few days or few weeks, this travel guide makes sure you experience all Italy has to offer. What’s more, DK Eyewitness Italy 2020 provides lots of color photos. Also, maps and illustrations. It’s perfect for those who want to get places and sights visually. And it includes plenty of those 3D photos of cathedrals and historic buildings that you’ll love.

Good planner travelers, backpacker, photographers, and foodie travelers

Lonely Planet Italy

Lonely Planet Italy is one of the must-have travel books about Italy for independent travelers, who long for the best way to discover this country. It’s also perfect for those planning a trip to Italy, but unsure where to go. You’ll get everything you need. Enjoy the adventures and hidden gems from the information and recommendation in this book.

The book gives you up-to-date info on what to see and skip. Sample the varieties of olive and wine in Tuscany, toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Rome, or wander through streets in Pompeii. Anywhere you want to go, such as Rome, Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, and the Dolomites, this book covers them.

Get the best place for you to sleep, eat, sightsee, and more from honest reviews that meet all budgets. The book includes itineraries to help you set up your trip to your personal interests. Or finding cultural insights, like art, history, and customs? We also love the photos throughout the book. Plus, the pull-out Rome map and hundreds of other colored maps that really helpful. This is why Lonely Planet Italy sits on top of our list of the best travel books for Italy.

Backpackers, adventurers, solo travelers

Author:  Julie Wharton

As a solo traveler, I have discovered the freedom and adventure that comes from exploring the world on your own terms. With a backpack on my back and a thirst for new experiences, I have journeyed to some of the most remote and fascinating destinations on the planet. As a travel blogger, I share my stories and insights with fellow solo travelers who are looking to break free from the constraints of group tours and package deals. Whether you're a seasoned backpacker or a first-time adventurer, my blog is dedicated to helping you plan your solo travels with confidence and ease. From tips on finding the best hostels to recommendations for off-the-beaten-path destinations, I provide a wealth of information that will help you make the most of your solo journey. And with a passion for photography and storytelling, I bring each destination to life through vivid imagery and captivating narratives. So if you're ready to embark on an adventure of a lifetime, join me on my journey and let's discover the world together.

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Frommer's EasyGuide to Rome, Florence and Venice Paperback – March 29, 2022

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There is no better introduction to Italy than the classic itinerary of Rome, Florence and Venice. But it is not dummy-proof, which is why we enlisted three of Italy’s most knowledgeable Italy experts to pen this guide, which was totally revised after Italy’s pandemic lockdowns. Their helpful advice and honest, opinionated recommendations will allow you to find the hidden gems that other visitors miss, avoid crowds and lines and, most importantly: plan the vacation of a lifetime.

Frommer's EasyGuide to Rome, Florence and Venice includes:

• Tons of useful maps, including a detachable fold-out map
• Detailed itineraries to help you make the most of your time while avoiding the crowds and lines
• Can't-miss experiences that let you appreciate Italian culture, history, and cuisine like a local
• Rewarding day trips to fascinating destinations such as Pompeii, Verona, and the Tuscan countryside
• Candid reviews, with star ratings , of the best places to eat, shop, stay, and sample the nightlife in each city, in all price ranges
• Accurate, up-to-date info on prices, transportation, addresses, and everything else you will need to plan your trip
• Part of series EasyGuide
• Print length 320 pages
• Language English
• Publisher FrommerMedia
• Publication date March 29, 2022
• Dimensions 5.1 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• ISBN-10 1628875259
• ISBN-13 978-1628875256
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

About the author.

A longtime contributor to Frommer's guides,  Elizabeth Heath is a writer and editor based in Umbria, central Italy, from where she writes about travel and culinary adventures in Italy, Europe and farther afield. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, Trip Savvy,  and other outlets. When not traveling and writing about it, she enjoys rural life with her extended Italian family and houseful of pets.

Stephen Keeling has been traveling to Italy since 1985 (when a serving of gelato was 1000 lire), and covering his favorite nation for Frommer's since 2007. He has written for The Independent, Daily Telegraph , various travel magazines, and numerous travel guides. Stephen resides in New York City.

Donald Strachan  is a writer and journalist who has written about Italy for publications worldwide, including National Geographic Traveler, The Guardian, Sunday Telegraph,  and The Independent. He resides in London, England.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ FrommerMedia; 8th edition (March 29, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1628875259
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1628875256
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• #47 in Florence Travel Guides
• #72 in Rome Travel Guides
• #565 in general Italy Travel Guides

About the author

Elizabeth f heath.

I am a travel writer, editor and guidebook author living in central Italy, from where I write about cultural, culinary, family and soft-adventure travel in Italy, the rest of Europe and points farther.

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Venice Travel Guide

Last Updated: August 23, 2023

With its iconic canals, picturesque gondolas, and winding streets, it’s no surprise that Venice is considered one of the most romantic cities in the world. But while the city is popular with honeymooners, it’s also a huge destination for cruisers and backpackers too.

It should be obvious as to why.

Venice is beautiful, fun, and full of narrow streets and alleys to get lost in. It’s a magical place unlike any other. There are museums, palaces, historic town squares to explore, and endless gelato to eat.

Unfortunately, the city is also expensive and overtourism has become a real problem. No matter what time of the year, you’re going to encounter crowds. In fact, if you come in the summer, it’s going to be unbearable (and if you come when a cruise ship is docked, it’s even more unbearable!)

But that doesn’t mean you should skip a visit!

You can avoid the crowds if you skirt around the center of the city and head to some of the outer islands like Burano and Morano. Tourists tend to cluster in a few places and are easy to escape.

This travel guide to Venice can help you beat the crowds, save money, and make the most of your time in this famous Italian city!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Venice

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Venice

1. Visit the Basilica San Marco

St. Mark’s Basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of the city and is located in the Piazza San Marco. While there has been a place of worship on this site since 820 CE, the current basilica was built in 1063. It’s filled with amazing 11th-century mosaics, marble-covered walls, statues, and five, gold-covered Byzantine domes. The High Altar also supposedly contains some of St. Mark’s remains. It’s 3 EUR to visit the basilica (or 6 EUR for a skip-the-line ticket). There are also a variety of combined entrance tickets depending on which attractions in the complex you want to visit. The Complete Basilica Ticket, which includes the Basilica, Pala d’Oro (golden altar), Museum, and Loggia Cavalli (terrace with views and other exhibits), costs 20 EUR, which includes skip-the-line entry. You can also do a guided tour after hours when the crowds have left with Walks of Italy for around 100 EUR.

2. Walk across Rialto Bridge

While it’s now one of four bridges that cross the Grand Canal, for centuries, the Rialto Bridge was the only way to get from one side to the other. Originally built as a floating bridge in the 12th century, it was first constructed for easier access to the Rialto Market (hence the bridge’s name). The current iteration of the bridge, completed in 1591, was created by Antonio da Ponte, who beat out Michelangelo for the job. The entire bridge is made of Istrian stone and crosses the Grand Canal at its narrowest point, connecting the San Polo and San Marco districts. To beat the crowds, come at sunrise.

3. Tour the Doge’s Palace

Located in St. Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace is one of Venice’s main landmarks and was the home of the duke who ruled Venice. The massive building was originally built in the 14th century in the Venetian Gothic style, though it has been renovated, extended, and modified over the centuries. The interior is filled with artwork, gilded ceilings, and an armory. You can also descend into the prisons and cross the famous Bridge of Sighs. Admission is 26 EUR as part of the Combined Museums of San Marco ticket, which includes entrance to the Correr Civic Museum, the National Archaeological Museum, and the monumental rooms of the Marciana National Library.

4. Attend Carnival

Carnival is ten days of masquerade madness every February leading up to Mardi Gras, the day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The tradition goes back centuries, starting in the 12th century and reaching the height of popularity in the 18th century. The festival was on pause for nearly two centuries, starting in 1798 when the city was under Austrian rule (when masks were banned). It wasn’t until 1979 when Carnival was revived. Today, it is one of the biggest festivals in Italy , with millions of people attending every year. The iconic and diverse masks are a central part of the festivities and every year there is a contest for the most beautiful mask. If you have the funds, you can even pay to attend a traditional masquerade ball! (Book your accommodation early as the city fills up months in advance).

5. Day trip to Burano

Other things to see and do in venice, 1. take a walking tour.

The first thing I do when I arrive in a new city is take a free walking tour. It’s the best way to see the main sights on a budget while connecting with a local guide who can share their insider tips and advice. Venice Free Walking Tour runs regular free tours that cover all the highlights. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end!

If you want to invest in your experience and take a more detailed walking tour, my favorite company is Take Walks . They have amazing walking tours and boat tours all around the city. They use expert local guides so you’ll not only have fun but you’ll learn a lot too!

2. Wander the Piazza San Marco

This is the most famous and largest piazza (city square) in Venice. The grand square has long been a popular meeting spot for Venetians and is home to many important city highlights, including the basilica, its bell tower, the Doges Palace, and the National Archaeological Museum. (You can visit all of these sights on a combined Piazza San Marco ticket, which costs 26 EUR). The Piazza is most impressive when approached from the water as you get a full sense of the scale and history of these antiquated buildings.

3. Head to the island of Lido

If you want to escape the city, Lido is a nearby island where people go to relax on the beach. There are lots of picturesque canals here, as well as restaurants, cafes, and bars. Every August, the world of cinema descends on Lido for the Venice Film Festival, the oldest and one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. Lido is only a 20-minute vaporetto ride (water bus) from Venice. A round-trip ticket costs 10 EUR, or for 13 EUR you can get a round-trip ticket that can be used for the buses on Lido too.

4. Visit Murano Island

Close to Venice, this island is the home of the famous Murano glassblowers, who have been creating intricate glassworks here since 1291. Although Murano is filled with expensive souvenirs (avoid buying anything on the island if you’re on a budget!), you can still have an educational and fun afternoon learning and watching how the glass is blown. The Murano Glass Factory only costs 5 EUR, which includes the glass blowing demonstration and guided tour of the factory. To get to Murano, you can take the ferry for 8 EUR.

5. Wander the Rialto Market

The Rialto Market is Venice’s main market and it has been around for the past 700 years. It’s a huge food market with all kinds of meat, produce, and fish. Come in the morning before the market is flooded with tourists to watch all the hustle and bustle. You’ll find the market northwest of the Rialto Bridge in the district of San Polo.

6. Tour the Peggy Guggenheim Collection

This is the personal art collection of art collector Peggy Guggenheim, located in her former mansion along the banks of the Grand Canal. It is a massive, avant-garde collection of art with works from more than 200 artists. While modern art is not my favorite kind of art, there are countless pieces by surrealists, abstract expressionists, and Italian futurists that make this worth a visit. There’s also an outdoor sculpture garden. Admission is 16 EUR.

7. Climb the Campanile di San Marco

Built in 1912, this tower in Piazza San Marco is a replica of the original Bell Tower of St. Mark (which was built in the 16th century and collapsed in 1902). It said that every last detail of the structure is a match. Standing at almost 100 meters (328 feet) tall, it’s the tallest structure in Venice. The tower was originally constructed for defensive purposes so that watchmen could see ships coming in and out of the city. For 10 EUR, you can climb up through the inner workings and get a panoramic view of the city.

8. Watch the Vogalonga

The Vogalonga is a non-competitive 20-mile marathon rowing event held annually in May. This tradition originated in 1974 as a protest against the increasing amount of powerboats taking over Venice’s waters. Thousands of people from all over the world take part every year, in all different kinds of boats, including gondolas, kayaks, canoes, dragon boats, stand-up paddleboards, and more (some people even swim!). It’s incredible to watch and one of the biggest events of the year.

9. Visit the National Archaeological Museum

This museum was created in 1523 by Italian nobleman and cardinal, Domenico Grimani. Although it’s a small museum, the National Archaeological Museum’s collection of Greek sculptures, Roman busts, funerary stelae, and other relics date back as far as the 1st century BCE. Tickets are 26 EUR as part of the Combined Museums of Piazza San Marco (which includes entrance to the Doge’s Palace, the National Archaeological Museum, and the monumental rooms of the Marciana National Library).

10. Check out the Correr Civic Museum

The Correr Civic Museum includes an expansive collection of art and artifacts showcasing the city’s history, as well as works from the homes of former royals (including Napoleon Bonaparte). You can spend hours here viewing the frescoes, ancient maps, statues, religious paintings, and more. Tickets are 26 EUR as part of the Combined Museums of Piazza San Marco (which includes entrance to the Doge’s Palace, the National Archaeological Museum, and the monumental rooms of the Marciana National Library).

11. Peruse the art at the Galleria dell’Accademia

The Galleria dell’Accademia was established by Napoleon Bonaparte and is home to numerous artistic works from the 14th-18th centuries, including masterpieces from Bellini and Tintoretto. Its most famous piece, however, is Leonardo da Vinci’s small ink drawing titled Vitruvian Man (however, it’s rarely on display due to the fragile and light-sensitive nature of the work). Tickets are 12 EUR.

12. Explore the Jewish Ghetto

The Jewish Ghetto is a neighborhood located in the north-western part of Venice. It’s considered to be the world’s first ghetto, established in 1516 when everyone in the city’s Jewish community was forced to relocate here. They were only allowed out during the day and then were locked up and heavily guarded in the evening. Despite its troubling history, the Jewish Ghetto is now full of restaurants, shops, museums, and synagogues. It’s a lively place to explore but is often overlooked by tourists.

13. Take a food tour

To learn more about the history and culture behind Venice’s cuisine, take a food tour. It’s the best way to eat your way around the city sampling the best eats Venice has to offer while learning what makes the cuisine unique. Devour Tours runs in-depth food tours led by expert local guides that will introduce you to the food culture and its history. If you’re a foodie like me who wants to learn more about the history and culture behind each dish, these tours are for you! Tours start at 89 EUR.

  For more information on other cities in Italy, check out these guides:

• Cinque Terre Travel Guide
• Florence Travel Guide
• Milan Travel Guide
• Naples Travel Guide
• Pisa Travel Guide
• Rome Travel Guide
• Sorrento Travel Guide

Venice Travel Costs

Hostel prices – A dorm bed in a hostel usually costs 27-45 EUR per night for a 4-6-bed dorm in peak season and 22-30 EUR per night off-peak. Private rooms cost between 75-150 EUR per night in peak season and 60-85 EUR in the off-season. Free Wi-Fi is standard and several hostels have kitchens or a bar/cafe on the premises. None of the hostels in Venice currently offer free breakfast.

For those traveling with a tent, camping outside the city costs 15-30 EUR per night for a basic pitch without electricity. There are also small lodges and cabins for 30-50 EUR.

Budget hotel prices – A room in a two-star budget hotel in Venice costs 75-125 EUR per night in peak season and 50-65 in the off-season. Free Wi-Fi is included and some also include free breakfast.

On the main island, Airbnb has private rooms starting from 60-80 EUR per night. Entire apartments go for closer to 125-150 EUR per night. Expect to pay double that price if you don’t book early.

Average cost of food – Italian cuisine is beloved around the world, though every region in Italy offers its own distinct flavor. Tomatoes, pasta, olives, and olive oil form the backbone of most meals, with meat and fish and various cheeses rounding out the menu.

In Venice, seafood is an important staple, with popular traditional dishes being bigoli in salsa (pasta in anchovy sauce), risotto al nero di seppia (risotto with cuttlefish ink), and fried sardines.

Overall, eating in Venice is really expensive. It’s hard to get a cheap meal in the city. If you do want to eat out, it’s better to go out for lunch rather than dinner since lunch menus are often around 15-20 EUR.

If you want to splash out, a mid-range meal with drinks and an appetizer costs 35-50 EUR. A set, 4-course meal is 65-70+ EUR.

Fast food (think McDonald’s) costs around 8.50 EUR for a combo meal. Sandwiches are usually just 3-7 EUR, while pizza is 5-8 EUR for a small and 12-15 EUR for a large.

Beer is 4-5 EUR, a glass of wine is 3-4 EUR, and cocktails start at 7-9 EUR. A latte/cappuccino is closer to 2 EUR while bottled water is 1 EUR.

If you plan on cooking your own food, a week’s worth of groceries costs around 50-60 EUR. This gets you basic staples like rice, pasta, produce, and some meat or seafood.

Backpacking Venice Suggested Budgets

On a backpacking budget of 60 EUR per day, you can stay in a hostel dorm, cook all of your meals, limit your drinking, take public transportation to get around, and do mostly free activities like taking free tours and wandering the markets. If you plan on drinking, add 5-10 EUR to your daily budget.

On a mid-range budget of 145 EUR per day, you can stay in a private Airbnb or private hostel room, eat out for most meals, enjoy a few drinks, take the occasional water taxi to get around, and do more paid activities like day-tripping to the nearby islands and touring the museums and galleries.

On a “luxury” budget of 265 EUR or more per day, you can stay in a hotel, eat out for all your meals, drink as much as you want, take more taxis, and do whatever tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get an idea of how much you need per day. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day, who knows!). We just want to give you a general idea of how to budget your money. Prices are in EUR.

Venice Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

It doesn’t matter what time of year you visit, Venice is going to be expensive. That said, here some ways to you can lower your expenses when you visit Venice:

• Don’t eat at Piazza San Marco – This is the area with the most tourists, making it much more expensive. Avoid eating here at all costs, no matter how tempting the cafe patios might be.
• Cook your food – Food is one of the biggest costs in the city so if you’re on a budget it’s a good idea to cook your own meals. It’s not fancy but you’ll save a ton!
• Walk around and get lost – Venice is so beautiful that it’s a thrill just strolling through the city seeing the old building, churches, artists, and, best of all, get a bit of people-watching in.
• Use discount vaporetto tickets – Get a day pass (or multi-day pass) for the water bus if you plan on traveling around the city a lot. It can save you money after just a few trips.
• Get a combined museum pass – There are a couple of main options for combined museum passes: St. Mark’s Square Museum Pass (which costs 26 EUR for admission to all the attractions in St. Marks Square) or the Venice Museum Pass (which costs 36 EUR for admission to the St. Marks’ Square museums as well as 9 other museums, including the Murano Glass Museum).
• Get the Venezia Unica Pass – If you are going to do lots of sightseeing, this pass gives you discounts to the top museums, tours, and attractions. It is priced to save you money when compared to buying separate tickets. You go online and pick out what you want to see ahead of time. The price varies depending on what you want to see but you’ll save a lot.
• Buy your own booze – You can buy a great bottle of wine for under 10 EUR at the store. Getting your own bottle is a much more economical way to drink. Sit in one of the squares, have a glass of wine, and watch the world go by.
• Stay with a local – Accommodation is very expensive in Venice. Try using Couchsurfing to stay with locals for free and make a new friend to show you around this amazing city.
• Go on a free walking tour – This is the best way to learn about the city on a budget. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end!
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Venice

Finding an affordable place to stay in Venice is challenging, but not impossible. My recommended places to stay in Venice are:

• Generator Venice
• Anda Venice (10% off, a free welcome drink, and free city map if you’re a member of HostelPass )
• Ostello S. Fosca – CPU Venice Hostels
• Camping Serenissima

How to Get Around Venice

Venice is a pedestrian city. Unless you’re taking water taxis or floating buses, you’ll be walking everywhere.

Vaporetto – A vaporetto is a floating “bus” that can get you just about everywhere you need to go. They’re not cheap, with one-way tickets costing 7.50 EUR. Tickets are valid for 75 minutes. You can get a 24-hour pass for 20 EUR, a 48-hour pass for 30 EUR, a 72-hour pass for 40 EUR, or a 7-day pass for 60 EUR.

If you’re traveling to Murano, Torcello, or Lido, you’ll be on the same vaporetto system but on a larger boat known as motonave . The prices are the same.

When to Go to Venice

Venice is at its peak busyness in the summer. Prices skyrocket and the crowds are intense. Temperatures hover around 18-28°C (66-83°F) from June through August. If possible, I’d avoid visiting during this time as the city is bursting with cruisers and the crowds are massive.

Spring is a beautiful time to visit since temperatures are more manageable, usually between 17-22°C (63-72°F), and the city is not overly crowded.

Tourism also eases off in the fall and winter, and temperatures are cooler, ranging from 4-12°C (44-55°F). However, this is also known as the acqua alta (“high water”) period, where flooding in the streets can occur.

In February, Carnevale takes over the city. It’s a great time, but expect chaos and inflated prices.

Overall, you’re going to face crowds whenever you go, but if you can avoid peak summer you’ll find the city pleasant to visit.

How to Stay Safe in Venice

Venice is a very safe place to backpack and travel. As with most of Italy’s cities, Venice’s biggest safety risk is petty theft and pickpocketing. This is especially true in crowded tourist areas and on public transportation, so keep a close eye on your belongings and never flash your valuables when out and about.

Scams here are rare, but if you’re worried about getting ripped off, you can read about common travel scams to avoid here.

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.)

If you come during autumn or the winter, you may be at risk for acqua alta (“high water”). Flooding is a common occurrence due to rising ocean levels. Choose accommodations closer to the upper part of town, near Piazzale Roma or the rail station.

If you experience an emergency, dial 113 for assistance.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID. Forward your itinerary along to loved ones so they’ll know where you are.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Venice Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
• Walks of Italy – This walking tour company provides inside access to attractions and places you can’t get elsewhere. Their guides rock and they have some of the best and most insightful tours in all of Italy.
• BlaBlaCar – BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing website that lets you share rides with vetted local drivers by pitching in for gas. You simply request a seat, they approve, and off you go! It’s a cheaper and more interesting way to travel than by bus or train!

Venice Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on backpacking/traveling Italy and continue planning your trip:

The 6 Best Hotels in Florence

Where to Stay in Florence: The Best Neighborhoods For Your Visit

Where to Stay in Milan: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit

The 6 Best Hotels in Milan

The Best Walking Tours in Florence

The 8 Best Hotels in Rome

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Uncovering the Best Travel Books for Italy [2024]

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Looking for an Italy travel guide book to help you plan your trip? There are many options to choose from so we rounded up those that delivered the best information for planning, insight into the destinations you want to visit and those that added a little something extra.

Guidebooks are an important resource to help you plan your travels to Italy. Usually thoroughly researched and detailed, they offer a great starting point as you begin your initial trip planning. As you begin to firm up your itinerary you can also check back for tips on logistics and general information prior to arrival.

Fortunately, there’s a host of high-quality Italy travel books out there, and we’re here to tell you which are best, including guides for specific cities and regions. All of these books are available in print or digital formats depending on your preference.

Article contents

3 Best Italian Travel Guides

Rick steves italy, lonely planet italy, dk eyewitness travel guide italy.

Rick Steves is the go-to guy for many Americans when it comes to travel in Europe.

For almost half a century he has spent ⅓ of every year traveling around the continent, and he’s made it his mission to make travel in Europe accessible to Americans.

Rick Steves’ guide to Italy is easy to read and full of useful information, from travel tips and recommendations to history and cultural insights.

It covers popular attractions as well as off-the-beaten-track gems, and is perhaps the best travel book for Italy.

As a general rule, Rick Steves is selective about the places he includes. His guides may not cover every destination in Italy, but the places that are included are well worth visiting. This book delves deep into Rome , Milan , Tuscany, Naples, Venice, and Sorrento, amongst others.

It is, however, missing information on several key areas of Italy, such as Sicily, Puglia, Basilicata, Sardinia, Piedmont, and Matera. As such, it may not be ideal if you’re planning a trip around the whole of Italy or any of the aforementioned destinations.

That being said, his philosophy is to include places based on their worthiness rather than popularity or fame. So if you don’t have an Itinerary for your Italian adventure, following Rick’s guide certainly won’t leave you disappointed!

This guide is best suited to first-time travelers and has a focus on making the entire experience less intimidating. Rick’s writing is soaked with passion and enthusiasm.  This is a guy who lives for travel, and his love for it certainly shines through!

Lonely Planet is the gold standard when it comes to travel guide publishers, and they’ve been crafting world-class guides for decades.

Lonely Planet’s Italy guide is amazing when it comes to day-to-day travel tips and advice, such as where to stay, what to eat, and how to get around.

You’ll also find plenty of interesting information on Italy’s history and culture and insider tips that will help you save money and time.

It contains detailed itineraries and allows you to tailor your trip to suit your interests, making it a strong contender for the best Italy guide book. 

Lonely Planet’s guide is broader than the Rick Steves alternative, covering more of the country. As a result, the guides on specific cities and towns are more condensed, and so offer a bit less detail. This guide isn’t especially visual, but it does feature a good amount of color images and plenty of maps throughout!

While this guide is great for those traveling on any kind of budget, it is particularly well-suited for low-budget and mid-range travel. Backpackers and independent travelers will love it most, but it’s a great resource for any kind of traveler. Use the code UNTOLD10 to get 10% off on Lonely Planet .

DK Eyewitness travel guides give you the best picture coverage of any guide book. Through its compelling images, this travel guide transports you to your destination before you’ve even left, giving you a tantalizing taste of what’s to come!

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Italy includes all of the basics and is undoubtedly one of the best travel guidebooks for Italy. 

It includes fully planned out Itineraries and detailed histories to helpful tips, suggestions, and information.

DK Eyewitness books have a keen focus on culture, art, and architecture, and this one is particularly visual, featuring amazing photographs and hand-drawn color pictures. DK’s guides tend to concentrate more on ‘ see’ rather than ‘ do’ .

DK Eyewitness has a less personal feel than Rick Steves and is more focused on facts and histories than personalized suggestions. It mostly covers major tourist attractions, but covers them well and in detail. 

You’ll find maps, birds-eye images, and beautiful illustrations of famous landmarks’ interiors. This travel guide is amazing if you’re a dreamer who enjoys visualizing your trip and finding inspiration before you leave. 

Top Guides for Rome

Rick steves pocket rome, dk eyewitness travel guide rome, glam italia 101 fabulous things to do in rome, blue guide rome.

Rick Steves Pocket Rome is packed with everything you need to know about the Eternal city. You’ll find fascinating histories and cultural information alongside recommendations, helpful tips, useful information, and on-the-ground travel insights.

Rick offers his advice on how you should prioritize your time in Rome during a visit of any length, whether it be a day or a week.

As the title suggests, this guide is small enough to easily carry around as you explore, and can be tucked away in a pocket when not in use.

The book also includes promo codes for tours; if you take a couple of them, you could easily save more than the cost of the book, making this an extremely cost-effective purchase. 

As with all of Rick’s guides, Pocket Rome’s writing style has a personal touch. It contains insights that could only be curated by such a seasoned traveler.

The DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Rome  is a great tool for planning a trip to Rome. It offers itineraries for different length stays and includes sections for different kinds of travelers, such as art lovers, foodies, families, and architectural admirers.

This can help tailor your experience to suit your interests. It also contains a healthy amount of history and cultural information, alongside some helpful tips and suggestions.

It is an exceptionally visual book, with beautiful color images dominating pretty much every page. This, again, allows your mind to wander through Rome before you’ve left home, and is a great source of inspiration when planning your trip!

This guide is best suited to those who wish to see the main, popular sights of Rome and anyone who has a keen eye for aesthetics.

This guidebook was written by Corinna Cooke who runs small group tours in Italy and has been traveling to Rome for several decades. She is exceptionally well experienced and knowledgeable, and pours it all out onto Glam Italia! Rome ’s 394 pages.

The book has a distinct focus on avoiding the tourist crowds and absorbing a side of Rome that is less traveled. Corinna details the best sights, markets, and experiences, sharing insightful travel tips along the way. Amongst the tips and suggestions, you’ll find quirky illustrations, fun stories, interesting facts, and history.

This guide will give you a truly unique and enjoyable experience of Rome and is best suited to those who want to explore off the beaten track. We think it’s one of the best travel books for Italy.

Blue Guide Rome is almost encyclopedic, overflowing with information on just about every corner of Rome. Co-authored by an art historian, it truly contains a wealth of information on the city’s history, art, culture, and architecture, with an unparalleled level of detail. 

The book’s writing style conveys intelligence and deep knowledgeable understanding, and is the perfect guide for travelers who like to dig deep into culture and history!

It is, however, a little light on visuals as well as practical tips and suggestions, and so may not be ideal for first-time travelers.

Top Guides for Florence and Tuscany 

Dk eyewitness travel guide florence and tuscany, tuscany, italy: small-town itineraries for the foodie traveler.

• Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things To Do In Florence: Insider Secrets To The Renaissance City

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Florence and Tuscany is an easy-to-use travel tool that, just like other DK Eyewitness Guides, is strongly visual. It offers useful travel tips and practical information alongside cultural and historical context.

The color-coded chapters make navigating the guide a breeze, and the book is packed with plenty of user-friendly maps. There’s even a large pullout map of Florence tucked inside.

Expect exploded illustrations of key sights as well as gorgeous images that will whet your travel appetite like no other guidebook. Perfect for lovers of all things visual, this book offers an inspiring taste of Florence and the rest of Tuscany.

This travel guide for Tuscany takes you on a journey to discover the highly-celebrated Tuscan cuisine, exploring the region’s gorgeous historic sights, natural beauty, and vibrant culture along the way.

It provides travel tips and information, making recommendations for places to stay and visit beyond culinary establishments. But if you’re a foodie traveler, this is without a doubt one of the best Italy travel guides for you!

Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things To Do In Florence

This guidebook was written by Corinna Cooke, who runs small-group boutique tours to Italy and is a best-selling author. She travels to Florence regularly and is well-experienced and knowledgeable on the ins and outs of the city. She shares all the tips and tricks she has learned in Glam Italia! Florence .

The book guides you to avoid the tourist crowds and get off the beaten track in Florence. Corinna shares the best sights, eateries, and experiences, as well as many other insightful travel tips and suggestions for a stress-free visit. 

This guide is full of interesting facts and history, as well as hilarious anecdotes and is best suited to those who like to get off the beaten track and explore a unique and sometimes quirky side to the city.

Top Guides for Venice

Rick steves pocket venice.

• Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things To Do In Venice: Fantastic Finds In The most Unique City On Earth

Rick’s Steves Pocket Venice is a fantastic, compact guide to Venice , that comprehensively breaks down the city in order to help you get the most out of your trip. You’ll find the usual travel tips, recommendations, and information, including some history and cultural insights.

It’s more visual than his Italy guide, with color images scattered throughout. There’s also a large pullout map of the city, which comes in particularly handy when exploring the maze that is Venice. 

It contains some great walking tours through the city, as well as some downloadable audio tours. Rick’s passion for European travel is once again conveyed through the book’s personal writing style. 

Pocket Venice is a great option for anyone who wants to avoid Venice’s tourist traps and travel the city with insider information.

Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things To Do In Venice

Another excellent guide from best-selling author Corinna Cooke, who has been traveling to Venice half her life and knows the city inside out. She shares her insider knowledge and tips in  Glam Italia! Venice .

With Venice being a notoriously busy tourist hotspot, this book tells you when and where to get you away from the crowded center. The guide is full of places to get off the beaten track in Venice and will help you find this lagoon city’s hidden gems. 

Best Regional Travel Guides for Italy

• Rick Steves Snapshot Naples & the Amalfi Coast

Lonely Planet Sicily

Rick steves snapshot naples & the amalfi coast: including pompeii.

This Rick Steves guide is the perfect companion for those planning a trip to Naples and the Amalfi Coast . With detailed suggestions on where to go and what to see, as well as first-hand advice on accommodation, food, and nightlife.

The guide covers the main sights and destinations, including Vesuvius, Pompeii, Amalfi Town, and Positano. You’ll find detailed maps as well as some black and white images. Featuring Rick’s usual writing style, this book helps you travel like a local, and provides a good amount of historical context.

This is a great option for those who want the advice of an experienced traveler to heighten their explorations of Naples and the Amalfi Coast.

As with all Lonely Planet guides, Lonely Planet Sicily is packed full of helpful on-the-ground travel tips.

This book allows you to get to the heart of the region and helps you to get around the island like a local. It’s great for exploring the main sights and attractions, as well as for discovering hidden gems.

Amongst several other destinations, it covers the Aeolian Islands, Western and Central Sicily, Palmero, and much of the region’s extensive coastline.

The writing is practical and useful, and the guide is well-suited to adventurous travelers who want to dive into Sicily , head first.

Choosing the best Italy Travel Book for your trip

When selecting the best Italy travel guide for your preferences and interests, there are several important considerations you should take into account. 

Some guidebooks are more focused on pragmatic hands-on information, often in the form of tips and advice. Some favor a more informational approach with a focus on providing historical and cultural context to the sights and destinations. 

You’ll find that some guidebooks tend to be more visual, with plenty of images and diagrams and less written content, while others are text-heavy and rich in information. Others include handy extras such as maps. 

It’s important that you check the publication date of the Italy travel book you’re considering. We live in a world of constant change; more recent guidebooks will have more current information and are more likely to be useful.

Also, be sure to check the table of contents so that you can compare the areas covered in the guide to the list of areas you would like to visit.

Italy trip planning

We hope this guide to the best Italy guidebooks has given you some useful insights and helped you make an informed decision. We’ve curated this list with every traveler in mind, and we’re sure that you’ll find something that suits you and your itinerary !

Choosing the right guidebook can really make a visit to Italy special, and, no matter which book you choose, we hope you have a wonderful adventure.

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35 Best Travel Guide Books for Italy to Read

Hey there, fellow traveler! This expertly curated selection of the best Italy travel books will help you navigate the country’s breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and delicious cuisine.

Even in this digital age, there’s something magical about turning the pages of an Italy guidebook . It’s more than just collecting facts and figures – it’s about savoring the anticipation, picturing yourself in the most beautiful places, and preparing for the Italian journey of a lifetime .

This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through one of the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.

Top Picks: Best Travel Books for Your Italian Adventure

Rick Steves Italy

A thorough, immersive guide for Italian travel , recommended for its blend of iconic sights and hidden gems.

The Rough Guide to Italy

Discover abundant off-the-beaten-path recommendations . The perfect guide for travelers who want to delve deeper into Italy’s hidden corners .

DK Eyewitness Italy

Rich in historical context and stunning visuals.

It enables travelers to appreciate Italy’s rich history and culture on a deeper level.

Keep reading to uncover the rich tapestry of Italy’s unique regions, sample its delectable cuisine, and bask in its timeless architecture, all from the comfort of your home.

The list of Italian travel guidebooks below is structured into two main sections :

• All-Encompassing Italian Travel Books
• Area-Specific Travel Guides

Each book will be reviewed based on a brief description, pros and cons, and the type of audience it’s most suitable for. Let’s start exploring!

Recommended Reading : Discover our detailed guide on the 21 Safest Cities in Italy for Travelers & Expats.

All-Encompassing Best Travel Guidebooks

1. rick steves italy travel guide.

Rick Steves Italy is an invaluable travel companion for anyone venturing into Italy’s breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cities. Rick’s guide is packed with comprehensive, up-to-date information for planning an unforgettable multi-week trip to Italy.

It introduces readers to top sights and hidden gems , from iconic architectural wonders like the Colosseum and Michelangelo’s David to cozy corner trattorias serving delicious Italian cuisine.

• Offers strategic advice on maximizing time and budget .
• Provides candid insights to beat crowds, skip lines, and avoid tourist traps.
• Suggests the best places to eat, sleep, and experience “ il dolce far niente .”
• Contains self-guided walking tours of lively neighborhoods and museums.
• Equips travelers with vital trip-planning tools.
• Includes detailed maps , including a fold-out map for on-the-go exploration.
• Lightweight design with over 1,000 pages, making it portable without compromising content.
• A considerable amount of information could be overwhelming for some readers.
• The “bible-thin” pages might be fragile and prone to tearing.

Suitable for:

Rick Steves Italy is ideal for seasoned travelers and those new to Italy, particularly those looking to immerse themselves in local culture. It’s also perfect for anyone planning a long trip and needing an in-depth guide to the country’s many offerings.

The book’s inclusion of COVID-related travel info makes it especially relevant in the current travel landscape.

Recommended Reading : Master essential Italian phrases for travel with our 135 basic phrases and PDF cheat sheet.

2. DK Eyewitness Italy (Travel Guide)

The DK Eyewitness Italy (Travel Guide) is a comprehensive and immersive tool that transports you to the beauty of Italy – from its breathtaking natural landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage Sites to the variety of its gastronomic traditions.

It uncovers the depth and diversity of Italy , presenting not just the acclaimed sights but also the hidden gems in this splendid country. With a beautiful blend of expert insights, practical advice, vivid photographs, and hand-drawn illustrations, this guide is an all-inclusive ticket to a memorable Italian journey .

• Offers a fully illustrated guide on top experiences and hidden gems.
• Includes accessible itineraries to optimize your daily exploration.
• Provides honest and expert advice on safety, timings, preparations, and cost savings.
• Features color-coded chapters covering every part of Italy.
• Gives practical tips on the best dining, shopping, and accommodation places.
• Contains detailed maps and walking routes for easy navigation.
• Overwhelming information could be daunting for some readers.
• The large scope of coverage may not suit travelers focusing on a specific region.

The DK Eyewitness Italy (Travel Guide) is an ideal pick for both seasoned and first-time visitors to Italy seeking a comprehensive overview of the country’s landmarks and hidden gems.

The guide’s practical advice and detailed itineraries make it a valuable resource for individuals looking for a well-planned, immersive experience. Also, art enthusiasts , nature lovers , and food connoisseurs will find this guide particularly enriching.

Seeking the perfect tribute to Italy? Check out our article 75 Italian Gifts for Italy Lovers: Best Gift Ideas for the ultimate gift guide.

3. Lonely Planet’s Italy (Travel Guide)

Italy is such an amazing place, and as one of the most in-depth guides available, Lonely Planet’s Italy offers an extensive exploration of Italy’s rich tapestry.

From traversing the beautiful ruins of Pompeii and enjoying a Tuscan wine tour to uncovering the picturesque Italian Riviera’s hidden gems, this book is your reliable travel buddy . It’s packed with the best and lesser-known experiences, making your Italian adventure unforgettable.

• Provides tailored itineraries catering to personal interests and needs.
• Delivers enriching local insights into history, culture, landscapes, and politics.
• Presents a visually inspiring collection of the top amazing experiences.
• Highlights regional dishes and drinks for an ultimate gastronomic journey.
• It gives insider tips to save time and money and avoid tourist traps.
• Offers planning tools for solo, LGBTQIA, family, and accessible travel.
• Features colorful maps and images throughout the guide.
• Includes essential language phrases and helpful travel tips.
• The extensive coverage might be too much for travelers focusing on a specific region.
• The size and weight may make it less portable.

Lonely Planet’s Italy is perfect for any traveler, whether a seasoned adventurer or a first-time visitor. Its well-rounded and inclusive approach also makes it suitable for solo, LGBTQIA, and family travelers and those seeking accessible travel advice.

If you’re a food lover or a history buff, this guide is advantageous, given its focus on regional cuisines and historical insights.

4. Glam Italia! How To Travel Italy: Secrets To Glamorous Travel

Penned by Italian travel guide and blogger Corinna Cooke, Glam Italia! How To Travel Italy is a comprehensive guide aimed at helping you design a personalized, memorable, and affordable vacation in Italy.

The book is packed with insider tips , from appreciating Italy’s art, cuisine, and landscapes, to navigating its fashion scene.

The author’s step-by-step methods for trip planning, regional cuisine, wine lists, the best time to visit (peak season and off-season), and cost-effective flight booking tips are thoughtfully designed to enhance your Italian journey. Whether planning to travel lavishly or on a budget, this guide offers priceless advice to enjoy Italy like a local.

• Provides detailed, step-by-step methods for planning your trip.
• Includes comprehensive lists of regional cuisines and wines.
• Offers practical advice on flight booking to save money.
• Gives precautionary tips for safe and healthy travel.
• Emphasizes local advice for a genuine Italian experience.
• As the book was published in 2018, some information might be outdated.
• While enjoyable, the cultural immersion aspects may not suit readers seeking strictly logistical advice.

Glam Italia! How To Travel Italy is perfect for anyone who dreams of an Italian vacation , whether they’re first-time travelers or experienced explorers.

The book’s emphasis on experiencing Italy as a local and its cost-saving tips make it a fitting choice for those traveling on a budget and individuals seeking an authentic, immersive cultural experience.

5. Frommer’s Italy (Complete Guide)

The completely revamped Frommer’s Italy , a trusted name in travel, serves as a thorough and opinionated guide for your Italian escapade. It provides well-researched , valuable information for walking through the ancient ruins of Pompeii, cruising the Venice canals, admiring Renaissance masterpieces in Florence, or exploring less-traveled places like Puglia.

Suggested Reading : Discover the best Pompeii tours from Rome – 20 curated day trips to step back in time.

The guide makes you appreciate the la dolce vita in Rome and uncovers timeless marvels like Tuscan vineyards and the cliff-edge towns of the Amalfi Coast.

• Includes full-color photographs and handy maps , with a removable fold-out map for ease of use.
• It contains meticulously crafted itineraries to optimize your trip planning.
• Provides intriguing cultural insights into Italy’s history, cuisine, and traditions.
• Honest reviews with a star rating system for a quick understanding of what’s worth your time and money.
• Offers up-to-date practical information such as transportation details, useful websites, and healthcare options.
• Comes with budget-planning tools, including precise pricing and money-saving tips for travelers on a wide range of budgets.
• Being an opinionated guide, it might only align with some readers’ tastes or preferences.
• Comprehensive and detailed, it might be overwhelming for travelers seeking a brief, casual overview.

Frommer’s Italy (Complete Guide) is ideal for travelers seeking a comprehensive, culturally rich guide to Italy . Whether you’re an avid history buff, a food enthusiast, or a leisure traveler looking to soak up Italy’s landscapes and cities, this guide provides comprehensive coverage.

Thanks to its wide range of money-saving tips and diverse itinerary options, it’s perfect for budget-conscious travelers and those seeking luxury.

6. Fodor’s Essential Italy (Full-color Travel Guide)

Fodor’s Essential Italy is a detailed travel guide crafted with love and expertise by local travel connoisseurs . This comprehensive guide aims to transform your journey, whether visiting the historic Colosseum, shopping in Milan’s designer boutiques, or hiking through the picturesque Cinque Terre.

Packed with over 78 detailed maps , a free pull-out map, and vibrant photographs, this guide ensures your Italian adventure is as smooth and fulfilling as possible.

Suggested Reading : Discover the top 10 shopping destinations in Italy : your Italy shopping guide, from luxury fashion to artisanal crafts.

• Features an illustrated guide to the best experiences Italy has to offer.
• Includes multiple well-organized itineraries to maximize your time effectively.
• Offers over 78 detailed maps and a complimentary pull-out map to assist in confident navigation.
• It contains stunning color photos throughout to inspire your travels.
• Presents reliable recommendations from locals on attractions, dining, accommodation, nightlife, shopping, and more.
• Provides photo-rich features on topics like “The Best Ancient Sites in Rome,” “Italy’s Best Beaches,” and more.
• Gives practical trip-planning tools and tips , including the best times to visit and how to save time and money.
• Offers historical and cultural insights into the local people, arts, architecture, and more.
• Special features on landmarks like “T he Sistine Chapel ” and “ Cruising the Grand Cana l.”
• Includes Italian language primers to help you with essential phrases and useful words.
• This guide might be too detailed and extensive for someone seeking a brief overview.
• Those who prefer minimalist design find the guide visually overwhelming.

Fodor’s Essential Italy is a perfect companion for travelers seeking a detailed, locally-informed guide to Italy. It is ideal for history buffs, adventure seekers, food enthusiasts, and cultural explorers. It’s especially beneficial for first-time visitors to Italy , assisting them with language, navigation, and insider recommendations.

7. Italy in Your Pocket!

Italy in Your Pocket! is a compact guide that promises to uncover the myriad of Italy’s rich history and vibrant culture. This pocket guide will ensure you won’t miss the charming villages, stunning mountains, bustling cities, or serene countryside.

More than just a tool to navigate Italy’s well-known tourist spots, this guide aims to immerse you in the authentic Italian lifestyle .

Authored by someone who has considered Italy their second home for over two decades, this book is your ticket to uncovering the essence of Italy that locals hold dear.

Suggested Reading : Discover the enchantment of Christmas in Italy with our guide, featuring prime locations and cherished customs.

• Highlights the beautiful contrast between Italy’s rural and urban life.
• Guides on how to avoid tourist crowds and experience the real Italy.
• Reveals off-the-beaten-path outdoor activities, accommodations, and attractions.
• Offers insight into traditional Italian events , customs, and yearly gatherings.
• Provides helpful tips on safety, interacting with locals, and integration into Italian society.
• It may not provide enough detail for travelers looking for a comprehensive guide.
• Readers already familiar with Italy may not find a lot of new information.

Italy in Your Pocket! is an ideal companion for travelers looking to experience Italy beyond the typical tourist perspective. It is perfect for adventure-seekers , cultural explorers, and individuals desiring to mingle with the locals and blend seamlessly into Italian life.

Those who appreciate the convenience and seek a compact, easy-to-carry guide will find this book especially useful.

8. The Rough Guide to Italy

The Rough Guide to Italy is a comprehensive and practical guide to discovering authentic Italy, including hidden gems and renowned hotspots.

Replete with an easy-to-follow, color-coded layout, this guide helps you effortlessly plan your trip from pre-departure to your journey’s end.

It covers regions from Rome and Lazio to Sicily and Sardinia, offering structured lists of all sights and lesser-known treasures. This guide was updated post-COVID-19 and comes with a free eBook for easy accessibility.

• Extensive regional coverage and clear structure within each chapter for easy navigation.
• Recommendations are suitable for all types of travelers, whether seeking adventures in Sicily or family activities in Tuscany.
• Provides practical travel tips , including pre-departure information, tips for traveling with children, sports and outdoor activities, festivals, culture, etiquette, and more.
• Time-saving itineraries and detailed routes showcase the richness and diversity of Italy.
• Offers insights into getting around like a local, with tips on beating crowds, saving time and money , and finding the best local spots.
• Full-color photography and color-coded mapping for visual appeal and easy orientation.
• It may overwhelm first-time travelers due to its comprehensive nature.
• Some travelers might prefer a more focused guide tailored to specific cities or regions.

The Rough Guide to Italy is ideal for first-time and seasoned travelers seeking a comprehensive understanding of Italy’s diverse regions.

Its detailed and wide-ranging content makes it an excellent resource for those with varied interests, such as food and drink, festivals, outdoor activities, and cultural exploration. Furthermore, this guide benefits travelers who appreciate planning their trip in detail with time-saving itineraries and expert recommendations.

9. Michelin Green Guide Wine Trails of Italy: Travel Guide

The Michelin Green Guide Wine Trails of Italy offers a fascinating tour through Italy’s wine regions . This guide covers 125 driving tours that take you to Italy’s renowned wineries, charming towns, villages, and captivating countryside.

It introduces you to the art of Italian wine-making , tasting, and serving. It encourages you to delve into Italy’s rich history, culture, and, unquestionably, its delectable wines.

Suggested Reading : For wine lovers in Bologna, don’t miss the Best Wine Tours & Tastings .

• Provides 125 driving tours offering a comprehensive exploration of Italy’s wine regions.
• The book offers insights into Italian wine : its creation, tasting, and the art of serving it.
• Uses a star-rating system for points of interest, facilitating decision-making.
• Features well-researched recommendations for accommodation and dining options .
• Encourages discovery of Italy’s history, culture, and, of course, its wines.
• It might not appeal to readers who are not interested in wine.
• It could be overwhelming for those seeking a less comprehensive guide.

The Michelin Green Guide Wine Trails of Italy is perfect for wine connoisseurs and enthusiasts, individuals interested in Italian culture and history, and anyone looking for an immersive, off-the-beaten-path exploration of Italy’s wineries and vineyards.

This guide will also appeal to those who enjoy self-guided driving tours and exploring new cuisines and dining experiences.

10. ITALY Made Easy for Seniors: An Alternative to the Escorted Tour

Authored by Bob Kaufman, the president of National Travel Vacations for 30 years, ITALY Made Easy for Seniors dispels the misconceptions that hinder seniors from experiencing Italy’s charm.

This handy guide includes comprehensive itineraries , covering not just Rome, Florence, and Venice but also hidden gems like Sicily, Puglia, Cinque Terre, and The Lakes.

Suggested Reading : Experience Tour Rome by Golf Cart – Uncover the city’s charm through the best private tours.

With tips specifically designed for seniors , like avoiding hilly areas for accommodation, the book also proves to be an insightful companion for first-time visitors and repeat travelers.

• Covers all major cities beyond Rome, Florence, and Venice.
• Provides practical tips specifically designed for seniors.
• Informs readers about convenient accommodation options.
• Includes “ short and sweet ” historical facts, eliminating the need to carry heavy history books.
• It doesn’t include many color pictures, which might be expected in a travel guide.
• It might not be as relevant to younger travelers or those seeking more adventurous itineraries.

Italy Made Easy for Seniors is ideal for senior citizens looking to explore Italy, particularly those making their first, second, or third trip. It’s also beneficial for anyone looking for a cost-effective and well-planned travel guide to Italy , even if they’re not seniors.

This book is a must-have for anyone yearning to delve into the enchanting Italian culture without worrying about breaking the bank or getting lost in complex planning.

11. Italy: The Best Places to See by Rail (An Alternative to the Escorted Tour)

Bob Kaufman’s Italy The Best Places to See by Rail is the ultimate guide for those who yearn for a freestyle yet well-planned journey through Italy without the confines of an escorted tour.

Leveraging his 30 years of experience running National Travel Vacations, Inc., Kaufman presents a refreshing alternative to traditional tours with his cost-effective way to travel by train in Italy .

This book empowers travelers to chart their unique path with five main itineraries covering Rome, Florence, Venice, the Lakes District, and Sicily, along with the Bernina Express over the Alps option.

The book also includes specific details for day trips from various cities and a dedicated chapter on hotel options near train stations for convenience. It is a comprehensive planning tool with relevant website references to secure rail and attraction tickets, helping save time and resources.

• Offers a flexible, budget-friendly alternative to costly and strict escorted tours.
• Presents easy-to-follow, comprehensive itineraries for exploring Italy.
• It provides an accessible format with larger and bolder text, making it easier for seniors to read.
• Includes essential details such as hotel choices near train stations, tourist attraction ticket purchasing, and recommended restaurants.
• Packed with valuable insights derived from almost thirty trips to Italy by the author.
• It might not be suitable for those who prefer the structure and convenience of escorted tours.
• Requires more individual planning and decision-making compared to pre-arranged tours.

Italy The Best Places to See by Rail is ideal for younger travelers who prefer setting their pace, waking up, eating when they want, and spending as much time as they wish on each site.

It benefits those hesitant about driving in a foreign country or feeling confined by escorted tours. With its handy tips and detailed itineraries, this book ensures a rewarding Italian vacation without breaking the bank.

Dive into Italy: Area-Specific Travel Guides

1. rick steves rome travel guide.

Rick Steves Rome Travel Guide offers a timely, comprehensive resource for travelers navigating the Eternal City. As a trusted source, Rick Steves shares strategic advice on making the most of Rome—from exploring ancient ruins and the Vatican City to experiencing local culture.

The guide includes top sights and hidden gems, valuable tips to dodge tourist traps, best places to eat, sleep, and live “ il dolce far niente ” (the sweet doing nothing).

It offers self-guided walking tours of vibrant neighborhoods and renowned sights, such as Piazza Navona, detailed maps, a helpful packing list, an Italian phrase book, and historical insights. Also included are resources for COVID-related travel information, ensuring a seamless journey.

2. Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany Travel Guide

Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany Travel Guide is your quintessential handbook for immersing yourself in the cultural heart of Italy . This fully updated guide steers you through Florence and Tuscany, sharing top sights from the Uffizi Gallery to the Duomo and hidden gems like a centuries-old perfumery.

Suggested Reading : Unleash Tuscany’s splendor with our selection of the best Vespa tours from Florence .

You’ll learn to integrate with the local culture, from strolling morning markets to sipping robust wines with locals. Rick’s strategic advice will help you optimize your time and money , navigate crowds, and find the best places to dine, sleep, and relax.

The book also includes self-guided walking tours, detailed maps , and driving tours through Tuscany’s wine country.

3. Rick Steves Venice Travel Guide

Your trusted guide, Rick Steves, invites you to glide through the canals and wander down cobblestone alleys in his latest book, Rick Steves Venice Travel Guide .

You’ll learn to maximize your time and budget effectively by offering a fully updated and extensive guide for spending a week or more in Venice.

The guide covers top sights and hidden treasures from St. Mark’s Basilica to the charming city of Padua , along with strategic advice to beat the crowds and avoid tourist traps.

Discover how to connect with local culture , the best places to eat and sleep, and even enjoy self-guided walking tours.

The book features detailed neighborhood maps and a fold-out city map, with complete and current information on the city’s districts and side trips.

4. The Rough Guide to Italian Lakes

Discover the enthralling beauty of the Italian Lakes with Rough Guide’s comprehensive guidebook. This guidebook offers the most relevant and current suggestions for what to see , what to skip, and those hidden treasures that await you.

Traverse Lombard’s vineyards, get adventurous on Lake Garda or marvel at the 600-year-old Duomo in Milan.

Inside, you’ll find color maps and pictures, highlights, itineraries, and insider tips to navigate the Italian lakes like a local, bypassing crowded areas and saving time and money.

Expect enriching cultural insights and extensive coverage of regions including Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, Lake Garda, Milan, Verona, and more.

5. Fodor’s The Amalfi Coast, Capri & Naples (Full-color Travel Guide)

Unleash the charm of Southern Italy with Fodor’s insightful guide to The Amalfi Coast, Capri & Naples . Whether you’re planning to drive along the Amalfi Coast, explore Pompeii’s ruins, or savor authentic pizza in Naples, this guide has got you covered.

It’s brimming with maps, local expert recommendations , beautiful color photos, and valuable trip-planning tools.

The guide features multiple itineraries for effective time management, over 15 detailed maps for confident navigation, and honest suggestions on the best sights, eateries, hotels, outdoor activities, nightlife, shopping, and more.

Delve deeper into the local culture with historical insights and special features on the Amalfi Drive , Capri by boat, and the ancient city of Pompeii.

6. Puglia Travel Guide: Are You Ready to Visit Southern Italy?

If you’re yearning for an extraordinary exploration of Southern Italy, Puglia Travel Guide: Are You Ready to Visit Southern Italy? has got you covered.

This guide, penned by a native Apulian and passionate traveler, Francesco, serves as your comprehensive companion for discovering the hidden marvels of Puglia.

The book outlines the top five unmissable historic sites and over 50 spectacular beaches, from tourist hotspots to untouched natural locales, and introduces you to unique local cuisines .

Packed with more than 200 vibrant full-color photos, this guide makes planning your unforgettable Puglian adventure a breeze.

For those exploring Southern Italy, another honorable book mention goes to Lonely Planet Southern Italy , an excellent guidebook that unveils the vibrant and diverse region of Southern Italy.

Immerse Yourself Deeper in Italy: Beyond Travel Guides

If you wish to dive even deeper into the heart of Italy beyond the fantastic sights and delightful cuisines, we recommend looking at our curated list of prominent Italian best books .

These esteemed works offer profound insights into Italy’s intricate culture and society, weaving tales of love, family, politics, and the very fabric of human nature. This enriching list is in our “ 17 Best Italian Books: Explore Italy’s Rich Culture ” article.

Reading these masterpieces will enhance your understanding and appreciation of Italy before and during your journey. The books mentioned in the article are:

• Elena Ferrante – L’amica geniale ( My Brilliant Friend )
• Andrea Camilleri – La forma dell’acqua ( The Shape of Water )
• Italo Calvino – Il sentiero dei nidi di ragno (The Path to the Nest of Spiders)
• Carlo Levi – Cristo si è fermato a Eboli ( Christ Stopped at Eboli )
• Alessandro Baricco – Seta ( Silk )
• Paolo Giordano – La solitudine dei numeri primi ( The Solitude of Prime Numbers )
• Umberto Eco – Il nome della rosa ( The Name of the Rose )
• Elsa Morante – La storia ( History )
• Primo Levi – Se questo è un uomo ( If This Is a Man )
• Roberto Saviano – Gomorra ( Gomorrah )
• Niccolò Ammaniti – Io non ho paura ( I’m Not Scared )
• Italo Svevo – La coscienza di Zeno ( Zeno’s Conscience )
• Dante Alighieri – La Divina Commedia ( The Divine Comedy )
• Giovanni Verga – I Malavoglia (The House by the Medlar Tree)
• Giovanni Boccaccio – Il Decameron ( The Decameron )
• Luigi Pirandello – Il fu Mattia Pascal ( The Late Mattia Pascal )
• Alessandro Manzoni – I Promessi Sposi ( The Betrothed )
• Beppe Severgnini – La Bella Figura : A Field Guide to the Italian Mind

Best Travel Guide Books for Italy: Final Thoughts

We’ve come a long way on our literary journey across Italy! We’ve delved into general guides about the country as a whole and honed in on the specifics of its mesmerizing regions. Remember, each travel guide provides a different perspective and unique insights – just like Italy, each book has its personality and charm.

I hope this guide to the best Italy travel books proves helpful in preparing for your Italian adventure, whether you’re planning to bring one of these great books along on your trip or just reading in advance to immerse yourself in the beauty and culture of this beautiful country.

After all, these books are about more than just sightseeing – they’re about living and experiencing ‘La Dolce Vita,’ the sweet life, the Italian way. – Until our next Italian journey, Arrivederci!

Recommended Reading : 23 Best Italian Grammar Books to Master the Language

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KidsTravelBooks

Best Children’s Books for a Trip to Venice, Italy

Blog · Italy

People love the idea of visiting Venice. When I was a travel agent I found people who considered Venice a must-do prior to their big Europe trip came back with mixed feelings. It’s always really awesome, or not worth the hassle. Because of this, I never quite understood the fascination. Then our own big Europe trip had an itinerary that brought us close to the city, so I thought it was time to check it out for myself. But first, here are some awesome children’s books for a trip to Venice , Italy. Books help make the trip even better , yep, even for Venice.

At the bottom of this post I have a link to download a free Venice themed activity printable, which is part of a group of travel activity printables I’m creating free for my readers.

This post has affiliate links.

First impressions of Venice.

We took a train through southern Germany and Austria to get to Italy. I had the schedule wrong and so when we started to see the Italian coast I thought we still had a good 2 hours to go. The coast was gorgeous. I noted to myself that I had to come back someday.

Then I realized we were pulling into Venice’s Santa Lucia station. I was already hooked.

There are some places in the world that photograph really well, some places that feel magical, some that sound magical… Venice managed to do it all for me.

I’m sure, had our stay been more than two days, I could have a different story to tell. But my Venice story is of blue skies, clear water, good food, and music filling the air with people singing and practicing their instruments.

If you’re planning a trip that includes Venice, I have some books to recommend to help prepare your family for the visit. I also have some things to do while you’re in town. However, I won’t feel good about recommending these books without mentioning the problem with Venice.

Tourism is a problem in Venice – #enjoyRESPECTvenezia

Before going to Venice, educate yourself. Find out more about the tourism issue with some of the links I have here. Check the busy-prediction calendar to see what days may be better if you have more flexibility. Make choices that will support the local economy and help do whatever you can to preserve the city. Then pick up some books to learn more about the history of the city.

• The city put out a list of rules for the responsibility Venice tourist
• The Impact of Tourism in Venice
• Venice in Peril
• Saving Venice from too many tourists

What did we do? We stayed a local hotel. We avoided the busy parts of the city whenever we could, and we supported the local restaurants and souvenir shops. 

and now… the books.

Children’s books for Venice

Best language book for a trip to venice.

My favorite language book for kids to recommend for any destination is from the Teach Me Everyday series. 

My favorite language book for kids to recommend for any destination is from the Teach Me Everyday series. For those who are studying Italian for their Venetian trip, there are two books available: Everyday Italian and Celebrating the Seasons .

A board book for a trip to Venice

While this book isn’t specific to Venice, it’s still a fun way to introduce the tiniest travel to the sites of Italy in an easy to hold board book.

Picture books for a trip to Venice

This variety of picture books should have something to appeal to most young travelers. Talk about the images in the books before the trip, refer to them during the trip, and remind them of what they really saw or compare to personal photographs of the same sites after the trip.

A pop-up book for Venice

Finding a fun book is an easy way for kids to make the connection between books and place. This book is especially fun because it can be a souvenir. The cute drawing will appeal to all ages.

A classic children’s book for Venice

If an M. Sasek book exists about a destination, I will recommend it. We purchased this book when we came back from Venice. I do wish we would’ve bought it before the trip so that we would’ve taken time to try to find some of the places mentioned in the book.

A chapter book for Venice

The Greetings from Somewhere series is a fun chapter book for early readers. This book uses words and only a few pictures, but really highlights some Venice places.

Venice Activity Booklet – FREE DOWNLOAD

I created a free download for readers. Just click on the image or button below and enjoy.

Visiting Venice with Kids

Don’t forget to review ways to be a responsible tourist in Venice, and share these ideas with the family.

• Review ways to be a responsible tourist in Venice (see above), and share the ideas with the family prior to the trip.
• There are tons of bridges and stairs. Practice carrying the stroller or skip it and get everyone used to walking.
• Take lots of breaks, as needed, but be sure to only eat where it’s allowed.
• The Venetian streets are confusing. We relied heavily on Google Maps. If your group is large and you fear breaking into smaller groups, set up an easy-to-navigate-to meeting point in advance. Plaza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge are two easier options.

Tours to consider for a trip to Venice with Kids

• On the list of tours I wish I did is this food tour of Venice . My daughter was too young (it’s ages 6+), but I would’ve loved this introduction to Cicchetti that we saw all around town.
• One of those pinch-me moments ever was watching a Gondola go by and hearing someone singing a gorgeous song. Everyone on the bridge stopped and I fumbled for my camera to get a video of the kids watching. You can pre-book a Gondola ride (one price for 2-6 people) that includes a serenade . Or you can do what we did and have a quiet ride. (Which we just booked on the spot.)
• Time constraints and my own lack of interest in it kept us away from going inside the Doges Palace and San Marco Basilica, but if this is your thing you’ll want to get skip the line access to avoid the crowds.
• One place I really wish we could’ve visited was the Murano and Burano islands. I’m in love with Venetian glass and lace and I think these islands are a nice reprieve from crowded Venice. If you’re into those things or cool buildings that make both great memories and Instagram photos, then be sure to check it out .

Where to stay for a family trip to Venice

If you’re traveling with young kids that don’t like to walk or with a stroller, a centrally located hotel is probably your best bet. We have a family of walkers who are no longer in strollers, but we had time constraints. We opted to stay as close to Santa Lucia train station as possible so we didn’t have to worry about dragging our luggage around. (See below for a note about luggage.)

Hotel Abbazia

Our hotel was the Hotel Abbazia . It was literally one street over from the station and avoided all bridges. The staff was friendly, the room was large for our family of four, and breakfast was perfect. The best part of the experience was the large common areas. The inside “great room” was spacious and I’m sure it’s appreciated on a rainy day. However, we had gorgeous weather. The interior courtyard was perfect. In a city with so many canals, having an enclosed spot that’s both away from the crowds and safe was so relaxing. We spent a lot of time out there in the evening with a drink from the hotel’s bar while the kids played, and ate a laid-back breakfast while they played some more.

The only negative – it was not exactly central. Unless you want to be next to the train station like we did, there is a bit of a walk to get to most of the popular sites. Personally, I didn’t think it was bad at all. The hotel also doesn’t have a pool, which I know a lot of traveling families prefer.

Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

One of the other hotels I wanted to try was the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice . This is across the waterway from the main city center, so there are great views with little crowds. However, it also means that you have to take the ferry to get over. We couldn’t justify that travel time with our limited schedule. But, if you have more time and want to enjoy a rooftop pool during your downtime, definitely consider this option. Please note: that it does get more expensive with more family members since they have strict room occupancy limits.

Luggage in Venice

Getting bags up and down the many bridges is a big consideration for people traveling to Venice. There are porters all over the place, but I’ve heard that some aren’t as trustworthy. I would discuss options with the hotel as they may know best. There are luggage lockers throughout the city, too.

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A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational and economic legacies –  all of the things that quite literally make us who we are. - Steve Berry

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