Venice

Main sights

• St Mark's Basilica

  A Byzantine-style church with gold mosaics, at the eastern end of St Mark's Square. The square is low-lying and can flood at high tide.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for St Mark's Basilica (opens in a new tab)
• Doge's Palace

  The Gothic seat of the Venetian Republic, linked to the old prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. Walk east along the waterfront past the palace for the view of the bridge from outside.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Doge's Palace (opens in a new tab)
• Rialto Bridge and market

  The oldest bridge over the Grand Canal, joining San Marco and San Polo, beside a morning fish and produce market. Follow the yellow signs and expect a crowd on the steps.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Rialto Bridge and market (opens in a new tab)
• Gallerie dell'Accademia

  The great collection of Venetian painting, in Dorsoduro by the wooden Accademia bridge. The bridge is one of the few Grand Canal crossings and links directly to San Marco on the other side.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Gallerie dell'Accademia (opens in a new tab)
• Santa Maria della Salute

  A domed Baroque church at the mouth of the Grand Canal, facing St Mark's. Reach it on foot through Dorsoduro, and carry on to the Zattere for an easy finish.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Santa Maria della Salute (opens in a new tab)
• Jewish Ghetto

  In Cannaregio, north of the Grand Canal. It combines well with a walk along the Cannaregio canals.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Jewish Ghetto (opens in a new tab)

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Neighbourhoods worth wandering

• San Marco

  The monumental centre around the square, crowded and expensive but essential. It holds the best-signed routes and the worst of the congestion. Come early or late.

• Cannaregio

  North of the Grand Canal, with long straight canals, local bars and the historic Jewish Ghetto. Its long waterside walks make it one of the easier districts to find your way around.

• Castello

  East of San Marco, with the old shipyards of the Arsenale and quiet residential streets.

• Dorsoduro

  South of the Grand Canal, with museums, the Zattere waterfront and a student atmosphere around Campo Santa Margherita.

• San Polo and Santa Croce

  The two districts on the far bank of the Grand Canal from San Marco, including the Rialto market. Many walkers cross them between the station and the Rialto without stopping.

Best areas to explore on foot

1. Rialto to St Mark's

   The classic route through the Mercerie shopping streets. The yellow signs make it easy to follow, but it is the most crowded walk in the city, so go early or late. Keep moving on narrow stretches.

2. Cannaregio canals

   Along the Fondamenta della Misericordia and Ormesini. The long, straight waterside paths are a relief from the maze, and the evening bar scene is local.

3. The Zattere

   A long, sunny waterfront in Dorsoduro facing Giudecca, with few bridges and room to stroll. It works well after the Accademia or the Salute.

4. Castello to the Arsenale

   East from St Mark's along the waterfront, then inland past the old shipyards and into residential streets. A good route out of the crowds, with a boat back if you tire.

Practical walking notes

• Bridges

  Hundreds of bridges, almost all with steps. A few have temporary ramps. Wheeled luggage and pushchairs are hard work, so travel light.

• Navigation

  GPS is unreliable among tall stone buildings. Follow the yellow-and-black signs to Rialto, San Marco, Ferrovia (station) and Piazzale Roma, and allow time to get lost. Addresses use district numbers, so note a nearby campo too.

• Flooding

  High tides (acqua alta) occur several times a year, mainly in colder months, and can flood low areas such as St Mark's Square. Raised walkways appear in some places. The MOSE barriers, first used in October 2020, are raised for higher tides, so lower floods can still wet your feet.

• Day-tripper fee

  In 2026 the access fee applied to day visitors on 60 peak days from 3 April to 26 July, between 8.30am and 4pm. Overnight guests are exempt but must register. Check the official site for the current calendar.

• Etiquette

  Keep to the right in narrow alleys, do not stop on bridges, and do not sit on monuments or bridge steps to eat; fines apply.

• Summer heat

  Hot, humid and crowded. Walk early and in the evening, and use the shaded inner alleys in the middle of the day rather than the open waterfronts.

• Choosing a walk

  Since 2024, guided groups in the historic centre have been capped at 25 people and loudspeakers are banned, so tours are fairly small. Tip-based tours exist, some about 90 minutes around the main sights. A paid guide earns the money for the basilica or the Ghetto. A self-guided route suits early mornings, before the groups arrive.

When to visit

• Spring

  Mild and lovely, but crowded at Easter and on spring weekends.

• Summer

  Hot, humid and at its most crowded; walk early in the morning and in the evening.

• Autumn

  Softer light and fewer visitors, with the chance of acqua alta from October.

• Winter

  Cold, misty and quiet, except during Carnival in February.

Getting there and getting around

Arriving

• By rail

  Venezia Santa Lucia station is on the Grand Canal itself. Fast trains reach Milan in about 2 hours 30 minutes and Florence in about 2 hours 15 minutes.

• By air

  Marco Polo airport is on the mainland, linked to the city by bus to Piazzale Roma or by water bus and water taxi.

Local transport

• On foot

  The only way to explore the alleys. San Marco to the station is about 45 minutes on foot.

• Vaporetto

  Water buses run along the Grand Canal and out to the islands. Day passes are good value if you ride several times.

• Traghetto

  Gondola ferries cross the Grand Canal at a few points for a small fare, saving a long walk to a bridge.