Luxury Venice Holidays

Lagoons and canalside palaces in La Serenissima

Venice

Venice is the kind of city that needs little introduction – its gondola-flecked canals, ornate bridges and waterside palazzi have graced the covers of hundreds of travel magazines and brochures. Its main island is split into six districts, each with their own distinct character.

There’s San Marco, where you’ll find the famous piazza and mosaicked basilica. Adjoining it is quieter Castello and Cannaregio, home to the Jewish Ghetto and a great jumping-off point for exploring lagoon islands like Murano and Burano.

Cross the Rialto Bridge and you’re in San Polo. The Rialto Market is the big name here, its stalls piled high with fresh, local produce and just-caught seafood. Neighbouring it are sleepy Santa Croce and Dorsoduro, where the Accademia art gallery is located. Last but not least is Giudecca, a laid-back island with a lengthy promenade offering fantastic views across the water.

Things to do in VeniceExplore the Doge's PalaceThe Doge’s Palace, or Palazzo Ducale, was once the home of Venice’s rulers and acted as the headquarters for the republic. Nowadays, the lavishly decorated rooms and halls are open as a museum, and are a fantastic place to spend a morning or afternoon.

Things to do in VeniceGlide along the Grand CanalA trip along the Grand Canal is a great way to see Venice. Whether you travel by vaporetto (water bus) or opt for a traditional gondola ride, you’ll be able to get up close to some of the city’s grandest palazzi, as well as passing right underneath the famous Rialto Bridge.

Things to do in VeniceMarvel at St. Mark's BasilicaSt. Mark's Basilica dominates the eastern end of Piazza San Marco, and is packed with Byzantine, Gothic and Romanesque artworks. Its interior is coated in gleaming gold mosaics, which illustrate scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Just opposite the basilica is a campanile - take the lift up to the top and get a bird's-eye view of the city's canals and palazzi.

Things to do in VeniceSip coffee in St. Mark’s Square

Canals replace roads, while cars are swapped for speedboats in Venice. After all, this is a lagoon city of over 100 islands, cut in half by the sweeping Grand Canal. You could easily – and happily – spend days getting lost among the islands, passageways, bridges and squares. Not sure where to start? There’s always the tried-and-tested Piazza San Marco. Check out St. Mark’s Basilica, tip the archway violinists, or sip a wallet-emptying espresso at Caffè Florian.

Our pick of the top hotels in Venice

Every one of our hotels is handpicked and personally visited by our team

Belmond Cipriani

Italian Cities, Venice

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Hotel Westin Europa Regina

Italian Cities, Venice

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San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice

Italian Cities, Venice

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Typical Costs

Bottle of beer

€6-8

Bus

€7.50 one way

Cup of coffee

€2-4

Glass of wine

€4-7

Main course

€15-30

Small souvenir

€7-15

Flight Information

Flights from the UK to Venice take around 2 hours.

Transfer Time

Transfer time from Venice airport to Venice is approximately 45 minutes.

When to go

Summer in Venice sees beautifully balmy temperatures in the high 20s. That said, the humidity can be fairly high, which does lead to the odd afternoon or early evening thunderstorm – these tend to clear pretty quickly, though. If you visit during late summer, you might catch the Venice Film Festival, which takes place in early September. Spring and autumn are cooler, but still usually warm enough to dine outdoors, while winter gets pretty chilly (only slightly warmer than the UK) but has a fraction of the summer crowds. Early February is a good month to visit, as it’s when the famous Venice Carnival takes place – if you fancy taking part, there are plenty of lavish balls and parties you can buy tickets for.

Visa Information

British citizens do not currently require a visa to visit Italy.

Tipping

When you dine out in Italy, you will generally be charged a coperto (cover charge), which is for the bread, tablecloth, cutlery, etc. Tipping in Italy is not customary, but is always appreciated.

Introduction to languages

The official language of Italy is Italian. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.

Venice specialities Being a city on water, seafood plays a big part in Venetian cuisine. Local favourites include baccalà manteco (a creamy cod dish served with polenta), sarde in saor (sardines marinated in a sweet-and-sour sauce) and risotto nero, which is stained black with squid ink. Risotto in general is big here, especially the traditional risi e bisi – a simple but delicious combination of rice and fresh peas. For a light dinner or pre-dinner snack, consider cicchetti, the Venetian take on tapas.

Luxury Venice Holidays

Venice

Belmond Cipriani

Hotel Westin Europa Regina

San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice

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