The city on the lagoon: St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, the Grand Canal by vaporetto water-bus, the Rialto, gondolas, and the islands of Murano (glass) and Burano (coloured houses). No cars: trains arrive at Santa Lucia on the Grand Canal. Day-trippers pay an access fee on set spring and summer days; hotel guests are exempt but register. From October to January high tides (acqua alta) can flood St Mark's Square. Indian restaurants near the station and Rialto.
Highlights
- St Mark's Basilica
- Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs
- Grand Canal by vaporetto
- Gondola ride
- Murano glass and Burano's colours
- Rialto market
- Cicchetti bar crawl
Things to do
- St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's PalaceMorning · 4h
- Grand Canal on vaporetto line 1Afternoon · 1h 30m
- Gondola rideEvening · 30m
- Murano and Burano by boatMorning · 5h
- Cicchetti and wine in CannaregioEvening · 2h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: March – May, September – November
Heads up
Ferragosto: Cities Half-Closed in August
Around Ferragosto (15 August, a national holiday) and for much of August, Italians take their holidays: many family restaurants, bakeries and small shops in the cities close for one to three weeks, and Sunday-style hours spread across the week. Museums and the main sights stay open. Book restaurants and check opening days before you go.
Worth knowing
Venice Access Fee for Day Visitors
In 2026 Venice charged day-trippers an access fee on 60 days from 3 April to 26 July (mostly Fridays to Sundays and holiday bridges), 08:30-16:00: €5 if paid at least four days ahead, €10 after that, under-14s free. Visitors staying overnight in Venice do not pay but must register for a QR code with their hotel booking. For 2027 the city council has approved 72 fee days, from Good Friday (26 March) to mid-August, with the fee still up to €10; check the exact days on cda.veneziaunica.it before you travel.
Worth knowing
Acqua Alta: High Tides Flood St Mark's
From October to January (sometimes later) high tides can flood the lowest parts of Venice, St Mark's Square first, for a few hours around high water. The MOSE barriers close the lagoon for the highest tides, but moderate ones still wet the square. Raised walkways go up, sirens sound the warning, and shops sell boots. Check the tide forecast on the city's Centro Maree app and plan St Mark's for low tide.
- Venice Carnival — About two weeks of masks, costumes and masked balls in the run-up to Lent, ending on Shrove Tuesday. The opening weekend on the Grand Canal and the costume parades in St Mark's Square draw huge crowds. Hotel prices jump and rooms sell out: book months ahead. The ticketed balls in palazzi are expensive; the street costumes are free to watch.
- Festa del Redentore — Venice's favourite night: a pontoon bridge is built across the Giudecca Canal to the Redentore church, and on the Saturday night thousands of boats and waterfront tables watch a long fireworks display over St Mark's basin. Book a waterfront dinner or a boat place early.
- Venice Film Festival — The world's oldest film festival, on the Lido from late August to early September, with red-carpet premieres. Some public screenings sell tickets; Lido hotels and boats are busy.
- Regata Storica — A parade of historic boats in costume up the Grand Canal, followed by rowing races. Free to watch from the banks; grandstand seats on the canal are sold.
Part of a longer route
Venice is a stop on 2 curated circuits through Italy.