VeniceAdriatic Coast · Italy

All About Venice

Venice is the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, and it is made of 100 small islands creating a lagoon within the Adriatic. There are no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile tower offering views of the city’s iconic red rooftops. Taking a ferry to Venice is easy, just use Ferryscanner to compare companies and book ferry tickets.

The city wasn’t built directly on land due to water from the islands but instead on wooden stilts. The stilts were originally used to build foundations of fisherman’s houses, but this method of architecture was eventually used to support the whole city, and it created the Venice that exists today. While it is a tourist destination most well-known for its canals and gondolas, there is so much to see and do in this magical place.  
 

Route and Ferries to Venice

Venice Ferry Port is one of the busiest and popular ports, providing Southern Europe with an entrance to the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas. Venice Ferry Port is situated on the edge of Venice and offers a view of every one of its main attractions. Ferries to Venice sail across the Adriatic to Pola, Porec, Rabac, and Rovigno on the gorgeous Croatian coast with Venezia Lines. Ferry companies such as ANEK Lines and Minoan Lines, sail to the ports of Corfu, Igoumenitsa, and Patras. Check out Ferryscanner to compare prices, and easily find ferry tickets to and from Venice.
 

Ports of Venice

The Port of Venice (Porto di Venezia in Italian) is the main port serving the city. It’s the eighth-busiest commercial port in Italy and it is one of the important ports within the Mediterranean, especially for the cruise and yachting sector. Since it offers several large passenger terminals it can easily diversify and cater to every type of vessel. Whether you’re arriving via yacht, cruise ship, or ferry – this port will be your gateway into Venice. 
 

Best Beaches

Venice Lido Beach

This 10km long beach on the island of Lido near Venice has been made world-famous because of its photogenic look and picturesque feel. The island Lido di Venezia (simply referred to as Lido) separates the lagoon of Venice from the open sea. On the beach of Lido, there are only a few high waves since the northern Adriatic is usually pretty calm. From June to September there are tons of people gathered and events happening on the beaches closest to Venice. 

Cavallino Beach

Cavallino Beach is an example of a natural environment where the ocean and lagoon merge. In this case, it creates unique scenery, with a sandy beach and lush green pine trees. There’s also a marina and a lighthouse off in the distance.  This beach is more of a natural park, dominated by the vast forest which offers an oasis of cool shade when the sun becomes too much. From Ca’ Berton Village you can reach the beach on foot in just a couple of minutes by heading down the main shopping street. Ca’ Berton Village offers beach umbrellas and deck-chairs to rent directly from the reception.

Punta Sabbioni Beach

The beach of Punta Sabbioni in Cavallino-Treporti is perfect for families with children and those looking to enjoy a beach day with their pets. Punta Sabbioni is actually the only beach in Venice where dogs are allowed to swim in the sea. The golden sand beach is wide open, so visitors can choose whatever spot best suits them. There are two options for sunbeds and umbrella rental, so don’t worry about bringing those along. There are also a few kiosks and a restaurant where you can dine after a long swim. You can easily spend hours relaxing under the sun here while the kids have fun in total safety. 

Sottomarina Beach

Sottomarina’s beach runs along the Adriatic shore. It’s long and sandy and lined with private bathing establishments, as is normal in Italy. They are mixed in with little cafes and snack bars on the beach, so you do not have to leave the sand all day if you are not ready to. Aside from the beach with its brightly colored beach umbrellas and comfy sunbeds, the most appealing part of Sottomarina is that it is the oldest part of town and chock-full of rich history.
 

Neighborhoods

San Marco

San Marco is one of the tourist centers of Venice, home to impressive sights like St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs. San Marco is usually thronged with people, either milling about or dining at one of the many restaurants around St. Mark’s Square that offer multilingual menus for the international crowd. The encompassing streets are crammed with casual snack bars, upscale fashion boutiques, and shops selling glass art and gift items.

Dorsoduro

This district was named Dorsoduro because it wasn’t raised on a swampy area – and therefore it is considered more stable than others. Dorsoduro features churches, palaces, and museums, which are second only to the sestiere (neighborhood) of San Marco. Within the Dorsoduro, there’s Campo San Barnaba, which is famous because of a church that was featured in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  It is a great place for museum lovers as there are tons of diverse options to explore. . This sestiere houses the Gallerie dell’Accademia, which contains a set of Venetian paintings, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Palazzo Vernier), where there are various styles for every type of art lover.

Castello

The Castello area of Venice might not be the city’s best-known district, but there’s plenty to make your time here worthwhile. Since it’s hardly ever crowded it’s an area where you’ll enjoy a quieter side of Venice, faraway from the hustle and bustle of the more touristic hotspots, such as the Grand Canal. Stop by the beautiful Giardini and stroll through the public gardens to check out all the greenery. Alternatively, have a snack by the sea and check out one of Castello’s niche museums. 

San Croce

Santa Croce in the northwest part of Venice. Notably, it is the only neighborhood where cars are able to travel. If you come to Venice by plane, Santa Croce is the first province you will see because it houses Piazzale Roma, the massive square where the central bus terminal is. Several buses each day adjoin Venice Polo Airport and Treviso Airport with Piazzale Roma. An artificial island called Tronchetto is on the west side of Santa Croce. It was built specifically as a parking zone for both tourists and locals to leave their cars while they’re spending time in Venice. It does include several small, pretty churches like San Giacomo dell’Orio, San Nicola de Tolentino, San Simeon Grando, or San Stae which are all worth a visit.
 

Transportation Around Venice 

Only four bridges cross the Grand Canal into Venice, but you don’t need to stick to just those bottlenecks. Instead, climb into a traghetto just like the local Venetians do, which are found at one of seven traghetto stops along the canal. Essentially, traghetti is a less fancy version of gondolas and they are operated by two people rather than one. You will notice that the locals stand instead of sit because the trip is usually so short. 

There are private motorboats everywhere in Venice, including many water taxis. They are much faster than the vaporetti, but they are also more costly. There aren’t any flat rates when riding Venice’s water taxis but if you have got a reasonably large group (water taxis can usually fit up to 10 people), splitting the value makes it more reasonable.

Most people want to ride a gondola during their visit to Venice. Some say it’s a major part of having an authentic Venice experience. There are official gondola fares set by the city every year and fares are paid per gondola, not per person. If you are going to go on a gondola ride during your trip, check the official rates ahead of time so that you can make a well-informed decision before setting off.