Scenic route
Grand Canal
Venice, Italy
Venice's main waterway, lined with palaces, best seen from a public water bus.
City · Italy · Veneto
Venice
A city of canals and bridges built on a lagoon, with no cars and a fairytale skyline.
about 5 h
For storytellers
Why Venice matters
Venice shouldn't exist, and that is exactly why it is magical. A merchant republic built its palaces on wooden piles in a lagoon, and the city still moves by boat and on foot. Cross St Mark's Square, get lost in the back alleys, ride a vaporetto down the Grand Canal and you will see why artists and writers have been enchanted for centuries. Go early or stay overnight to see it quiet, and visit the lagoon islands of Murano and Burano for glass and colour.
Talking points
- There are no cars: everything moves by foot, water bus or gondola.
- The Grand Canal is lined with centuries of palaces in different architectural styles.
- Early morning and late evening are the best times to see Venice without the crowds.
- Cicchetti, small snacks served in bars called bacari, are the local way to eat and drink.
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What to see in Venice
Church, mosque or temple
St Mark's Basilica
Venice, Italy
Venice's glittering Byzantine-style cathedral covered in golden mosaics.
Palace
Doge's Palace
Venice, Italy
The Gothic palace of the Venetian rulers, with grand halls and a prison across a bridge.
Bridge
Bridge of Sighs
Venice, Italy
A small covered bridge linking the Doge's Palace to the old prison.
Church, mosque or temple
Santa Maria della Salute
Venice, Italy
A grand baroque church with a white dome at the mouth of the Grand Canal.
Art gallery
Gallerie dell'Accademia
Venice, Italy
The main museum of Venetian painting, from medieval to the 18th century.
Museum
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Venice, Italy
A modern art museum in a canal-side palace once lived in by an American collector.
Market
Rialto Market
Venice, Italy
Venice's morning fish and produce market beside the Rialto Bridge.
Festival or event
Venice Carnival
Venice, Italy
The pre-Lent festival where Venetians wear elaborate masks and costumes.
Also nearby
Within about 40 km, closest first.