Top Ten Attractions
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St Mark’s Square
The religious and political centre of Venice since the 12th century. Ringed by chic sidewalk cafes and fancy shops and thronged by tourists and pigeons.
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St Mark’s Basilica
A beautiful church consecrated in 832 AD. Contains fabulous mosaics, the Pala d'Oro bejewelled altar screen and the famous four bronze horses. http://www.basilicasanmarco.it
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The Campanile
Venice’s famous bell-tower, standing 325 feet. The view of the city from the top is a must. http://www.europeforvisitors.com/venice/article...
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Doges’ Palace
For nine centuries, the seat of the Venetian republic. Take a tour – and choose the public route or the secret route through the dungeon. http://www.venetia.it/m_ducale_eng
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The Bridge of Sighs
The linking corridor between the Doges’ Palace and its prisons.
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Rialto Bridge
The most famous of the hundreds of bridges in Venice. It’s a meeting place and a market place and a place to ponder the delights of the city. http://www.europeforvisitors.com/venice/article...
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The Grand Canal
The main thoroughfare of Venice: a wide waterway lined with beautiful buildings.
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Gondolas
there were once 14,000 of the hand-made craft, now there are no more than 400. Take a romantic ride – but be prepared to pay a high price for the privilege.
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San Giorgio Maggiore
The closest island to the city, untouched by commerce.
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/San_Gio... -
The Lido
The main land barrier between Venice and the open sea. The beach was made famous by the movie Death In Venice.
Eating and Drinking
The Italians enjoy eating in sociable surroundings and you’ll find plenty of good restaurants in Venice. As a rule, the nearer it is to St Mark’s Square, the more expensive it’s likely to be. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s better to head for the outlying districts such as Cannaregio, Santa Croce and Dorsoduro where the prices are more reasonable. You can still have pizzas and pasta in a pizzeria, but now there’s little difference between a ristorante and a trattoria (which used to be more informal and less expensive.) The osteria or bacaro is the Venetian equivalent of a wine bar. Most of these places have a few seats, but the locals mainly go for a quick bite of cicheti (a variety of little snacks) and a glass of wine standing at the bar. Prices range from 10 Euros in an osteria to 50 Euros in a smart restaurant in a good location. The Fiaschetteria Toscana is regarded by many as the best fish restaurant in Venice. It also boasts delicious desserts. www.fiaschetteriatoscana.it
Shopping
Tutto e possible a Venezia – everything’s possible in Venice, as everyone in the stores will be quick to tell you. You can buy a piece of lacquered furniture, order a personalised Carnival mask, a copy of your favourite painting by Canaletto or have a Murano glass chandelier shipped home. Business sense comes naturally in a city that has built its wealth on trade. As a general rule, the shops in Venice open every day except Sunday (and sometimes Monday morning) from about 9-1 and 3-7 or 8. Over the Christmas period, at Carnival time and in the summer, tourist shops will probably open on Sunday and work through the traditional midday break. The shopping areas are mainly located in the San Marco (St Mark’s) district – all round the Piazza and also in the Mercerie, which is like an open-air shopping mall and one of the liveliest places in the city. It’s just behind St Mark’s. There’s also the calle larga XXII Marzo which starts from St Mark’s to the west and looks like a smaller version of the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Sales take place in January and July from the second week in the month onwards. Look out for the signs saying sconti or saldi. Venice is the most expensive city in Italy, but prices are displayed everywhere, except in luxury jewellery stores. Beware of buying fake goods – they could land you with a hefty fine if they’re seized by customs. There are a number of antique dealers in the city, but for a less expensive option, there’s the secondhand market in Campo San Maurizio. It’s generally held at Easter, the third weekend in September and the weekend before Christmas. The most famous fruit, veg and fish market in Venice is the one at the Rialto Bridge.
Night Life
Musical life is intense in Venice, but only if you like classical; it’s fair to say that the other types are not so well represented. Nevertheless, Venice has its wine and cocktail bars to start an evening out as well as some discos and casinos. It will be difficult to get a ticket for operas or very popular ballets without reserving several weeks in advance, but it should be possible to secure a place at a concert. To attend one in a church is sometimes more simple: you just have to go there during the day and buy a ticket. There are always plenty of people around offering flyers about one concert or event or another. To find details of concerts, cabarets and discos, get hold of a listings paper. A good one is Venezia da vivere, which is a free bi-lingual quarterly available at the tourist information centre. If you’re looking for a particularly elegant and typically Venetian atmosphere, try the lounge of the Monaco e Grand Canal, the Dandolo bar in the historic Hotel Danieli or the Longhi bar in the Gritti Palace hotel. Then there’s the most famous of them all – Harry’s Bar just off St Mark’s - the watering-hole of Proust and Byron and many a millionaire. Sip a Bellini (fresh peach juice and sparkling wine), but make it last … this will seriously cost you.
