Venice Travel Guide

Venice (Italian: Venezia; Venetian: Venexia) is a sanctuary on a lagoon that is virtually the same as it was 600 years ago, which adds to the fascinating character. Venice has decayed since its heyday and suffers from overtourism, but the romantic charm remains. It is also known as the birthplace of composers Tomaso Albinoni and Antonio Vivaldi, and of the poets and opera librettists Apostolo Zeno and Carlo Goldoni. Venice and its lagoon are a UNESCO World Heritage site. It used to be an independent republic, and remains one of Italy's most important cities, with a quarter million inhabitants. Venice is also known as the home of the world's first international film festival, founded in 1932.

Water plays a crucial role in transportation, as Venice is on a lagoon. Whichever way you arrive, the last part of your journey will be on foot from the nearest waterbus/watertaxi jetty. Bear this in mind when choosing your hotel location and route to it, especially if you need to carry bags along the narrow streets. (The sound of hard suitcase wheels on cobblestones is annoying, and they can damage marble steps.) A lot of the higher priced hotels will offer complementary water boat transfers f

Venice, the world's only pedestrian city, is easily walkable, and the absence of cars makes this a particularly pleasant experience. However, walking and standing all day can also be exhausting, so it is best to pace yourself. The Rialtine islands – the 'main' part of Venice – are small enough to walk from one end to the other in about an hour, provided you don't get lost (a common occurrence).

Venice is considered a safe city. You have to take the habitual travellers' precautions however. Keep your valuable items (like wallet and passport) close to you because there are pickpockets, especially in more crowded parts of the city. In case of need, you can dial free of charge on any phone112(no area code needed) to contact Carabinieri or113(no area code needed) to contact the Police.

Due to the historic city's constrained area and international popularity hotels are expensive. Bed and Breakfasts and guesthouses offer better rates. Real budget solutions (like camping and hostels) can be found inMestre(mainland Venice) and on the island ofLido. Alternative accommodation can also be found on the island ofMurano. These are worth considering since historic centre is quite well-connected with buses and ferries, so staying further from the centre is not such a big problem, as for e