At the end of August, Patrick and I visited Venice. We had visited many places in Italy, but Venice was still on our bucket list. It worked out great because our good friends were getting married in Salzburg at the end of August, and the train ride from Venice to Salzburg is beautiful. We also visited Verona and Lake Garda on this trip. We had heard that Venice can be smelly in the summer time, but we did not experience this at all. It definitely was crowded, but we planned around this by staying on a nearby island and our hotel offered a complimentary water taxi to and from the hotel to the main square in Venice. The water taxi ran every half an hour so this was very convenient. We also woke up a little earlier than normal to explore before it got too crowded. Unfortunately, Venice is being destroyed by this overtourism, which you can read more about here.
The food in Venice was not our favorite compared to other Italian cities we have visited, and we found the prices in Venice to be much higher. But nothing beats the beauty of Venice! There is a reason it is considered one of the most romantic places in the world. Overall we had a wonderful time, and would definitely stay at the same hotel again.
What to do in Venice:
Saint Mark’s Square and Basilica: The largest and most prominent square in Venice, and Saint Mark’s Basilica is the most famous church in Venice.
Grand Canal: The busiest canal in Venice. There are lots of restaurants and cafes along this canal.
Rick Steves Walking Tour: Free way to walk around the city and learn about it’s incredible history. Download here.
Gondola rides: Rides last about 40 minutes and there are set rates for day and night time rides.
Visit Giudecca Island: This is the island we stayed on. Giudecca is a tranquil place to get away from the touristy crowds. Exploring Venice without the crowds is every traveller’s goal. Sadly, it is becoming impossible due to the mass tourism, as well as the never-ending and constant arrival of cruises. The solution is to stay in Giudecca. Our hotel had a complimentary water taxi that ran between Venice and Giudecca (a ten-fifteen minute ride) every half an hour.
Where to eat in Venice:
Osteria da Moro: This was right next to our hotel in Giudecca and we ate here every morning. We usually ordered cappuccino and sat at the tables right next to the water.
Cantina do Mori: Great wine selection and delicious cicchetti. Good prices for Venice. A little off the beaten path so it wasn’t crowded.
Harry’s Dolci: Also right next to our hotel in Giudecca. Fresh seafood, pasta, and seating right on the water with a beautiful view of Venice.
Harry’s: This is the bar that invented the Bellini, which is why it is famous. It was outrageously priced and I would much rather spend time and money at the Rooftop Bar on Giudecca.
Skyline Rooftop Bar at Hilton: Not only is there a fantastic panoramic view of Venice from the rooftop bar, but there are also delicious cocktails. It’s a little on the pricey side, with prices around 12-20 euros per glass.
Where we stayed in Venice:
Hilton Stucky Molino: LOVED this hotel. Would definitely stay here again. Perfect location, easy access by the free water taxi to Venice. Such a nice, tranquil escape from the overcrowded parts of Venice. We didn’t use it, but they had a rooftop pool. They also have a great rooftop bar as I mentioned above.
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