Take a trip to wonderful Venice
Venice is well known for being one of the most popular cities to visit in the world. Such is the popularity of Venice that the city’s officials have even taken the controversial steps of banning cruise ships from visiting the Italian city. Despite this, Venice is still open for business and everybody should take a trip to this beautiful place at least once in their lives.
Obviously, you will know all about the gondolas and waterways of Venice, but what else is there to do in Venice? Even the most world-weary traveller will find plenty to enjoy here, and so we thought that we should briefly showcase some of the main reasons as to why Venice has become such a hit with tourists. Although its name doesn’t do it justice, the Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is one of our favorite hotels in Venice. It is an old flour mill refurbished and transformed into a unique and beautiful hotel.
Enjoying the canals of Venice
Venice is famous for its picturesque canals, but not a lot of people will realise that cars are banned from the centre of this city. This means that you will probably fly into the airport on the mainland and then get a bus over that will drop you off on the outskirts. You will quickly realise that the water is the only way that much of the business in Venice happens with everything from the rubbish bins to shop deliveries taking place via the canal boats.
If you want to get out on the water, then bear in mind that the popular gondolas are hideously expensive. But you can still experience the waterways of Venice by taking one of the water buses that navigate the city’s islands, or even take one of the cute little gondolas that goes back and forth from either side of the Grand Canal. These crossings are very regular, won’t cost too much, and they can save your legs as you navigate this city.
Exploring the back streets
The absence of cars in Venice means that it still has a labyrinth-like feel as you negotiate the winding and often unpredictable backstreets that make up the city. There are a few main streets that bear a passing resemblance to a standard city high street and for most of your stay in Venice, you will probably enjoy getting lost in the back streets and finding all manner of unexpected treats.
Venice is an incredibly pretty city to roam around, with cute bridges, quaint squares and wonderfully crumbling architecture to enjoy. Just remember that some of the most popular sights like the iconic Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge are packed with tourists even in low season so you might have to wait a while to get that iconic holiday photograph.
St Marks Square
There are few squares more beautifully laid out than St Marks Square. This is the focal point of Venice and it understandably is often packed with tourists. Bear in mind that this place is ripe with overpriced coffeeshops and tacky tourist attractions, but it’s still an essential place to visit on your time in Venice.
Be sure to take a trip across St Marks Square to the imposing St Marks Basilica. This spectacular cathedral has a stunning interior and still has a dramatic atmosphere that recalls the glory days of the Venetian empire. Similarly, the nearby Doge’s Palace is also well worth visiting as you can see how the rulers of the city used to live. If possible, take the special behind the scenes tour that can show you how things weren’t always as glamorous as you’d expect in this initially picturesque city.
Venice’s incredible art
The city is not only hugely beautiful in itself, but Venice has an almost unparalleled reputation for artistic excellence. If you go to magnificent churches like the Basilica dei Frari, then you will get to see masterpieces like Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin in their original setting.
But Venice has also kept up with the times by attracting some of the biggest names of the modern art world. This can be witnessed by taking a quick trip down to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection that has all manner of famous artworks by modern artists such as Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. The Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art is another great place to visit if you are in the mood for art as it host important works by the likes of Gustav Klimt as well as plenty of cutting-edge modern art.
We should also mention that Venice isn’t just about the visual arts, as the city’s musical heritage is ruled by the Italian master, Vivaldi. There are plenty of places that host regular concerts of the composer’s famous Four Seasons work and it’s a great way to spend an evening. Plus we have to mention the legendary La Fenice opera house that is a typically lavish building and you can even take a quick guided tour without having to sit in on full performance.
Endless secrets to discover in Venice
With a history as rich and varied as Venice’s, it’s truly impossible to run out of things to do in this enchanting city. Many visitors love to take a boat trip out to the surrounding islands to witness the cute streets and the famous glass of Murano, although others prefer to head to San Lazzaro which was once a leper colony.
One thing to remember is that even though Venice is an Italian city, you might not find the perfect pizza as the wood-burning ovens are banned here. Instead, you can treat yourself on many typically Venetian treats such as the legendary seafood that come fresh from the surrounding lagoon.
Many visitors might be put off by the endless horror stories of Venice being completely overrun by tourists. There is no shortage of selfie-sticks on display in Venice but if you come off-season you should be able to enjoy the city without too many distractions. There are many options for places to stay so check out the hotel prices. And it’s important to remember that the car-free lifestyle in Venice means that this city is actually relatively quiet and it’s even possible to relax in this famous city.
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