I recently returned from a wonderful two-week trip organized by Go Real Travel, and I cannot recommend them enough. Their mobile app was incredibly helpful, keeping all of our transit details, event tickets, and hotel bookings organized in one place. The selected hotels were very nice, featuring great included breakfasts and adequate air conditioning. I also appreciated their transparency, as they proactively warned us that our assigned train seats were not guaranteed. The app even initiated check-ins to see how our trip was going, and customer support replied instantly in real time whenever we had questions. Finally, the private drivers were highly appreciated, and the private tours were absolutely excellent. They made our vacation seamless and stress-free from start to finish!
Venice Travel Guide
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- Italy
- Currency
- Euro (€)
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Daily highs averaged over 2015–2024, from Open-Meteo Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 8° 10° 13° 17° 21° 26° 29° 29° 24° 19° 13° 9°
Must-See Attractions in Venice
Grand Canal
The Canal Grando, as it is known to the locals, is the central vein running through the heart of Venice. A watery main street, under Roman rule, the canal became vital to overseas trade. Later, under the Byzantines, buildings along the canal were decorated with imported sculptures and columns, leading to the Venetian-Byzantine school of architecture. A boat trip through the Grand Canal is, for many, the highlight of an entire trip to Europe. Here you can see buildings spanning over a thousand years of Italian history, from Byzantine to the Renaissance. The stunning Santa Maria della Salute church’s massive dome stands over the canal. If you disembark and head inside, you’ll find Tintoretto’s famous paintings, artworks that rival the beauty of Venice itself.
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Saint Mark's Basilica
In Venice’s famed Piazza San Marco lies Saint Mark’s Basilica. One of the best surviving examples of Venetian-Byzantine architecture, St Mark’s was built around 1060. Much work has been done in the intervening centuries, leading to the church being embellished with hundreds of years of Italian art and sculpture. Built as a testament to Venetian power and wealth during its golden age, the church is opulent in all the best ways. No trip to Venice is complete without a trip to this Basilica. A tip to anyone visiting Saint Mark’s is to look up. The ceiling of the church is adorned with wonderful and strange golden mosaics. You would also be remiss to not see the Pala d’Oro, the stunning altarpiece complete with hundred of gems.
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Rialto Bridge
Built in 1591, the Rialto is the oldest of the four bridges to span the Grand Canal. Originally the site of a simple pontoon bridge, Rialto is now one of the major tourist attractions in Venice. Carvings and reliefs of Venice’s patron Saint Mark are said to bless anyone who travels under them. Anyone who has visited Venice knows that Rialto must be seen twice. The first time, by gondola during the day, and the second at night. Once you have made sure to get the blessings of Saint Mark, there is the Rialto Market a few hundred yards away, famed for its fresh seafood. Rialto has become a cultural symbol of Venice, and it isn’t hard to see why.
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Gallerie dell'Academia
Located on the southern banks of the Grand Canal, the Gallerie dell’Accademia was established in 1750 to house the masterworks of Venetian artists. If you are enthusiastic about paintings, especially those from the Italian Renaissance , then a trip to the Gallerie should be at the top of your list. The gallery houses more than 800 paintings, and the collection grows each year, recently become home to more international artworks. The focus, however, is still very much on Venice’s storied artistic history.
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Islands of Murano & Burano
The islands of Murano and Burano are located at the northern end of the Venetian lagoon. Only about 40 minutes from Venice proper by Vaporetto (Venices famed water buses), these two islands are known around the world for their pastel-colored homes and artisanal crafts. On Murano, glass-blowing demonstrations are done every hour at the Murano Glass Factory, and the gift shop contains many items that were made that day. In Burano, historically, the primary economy was lacework, and the Venice Lace Museum is located in a gothic building on Burano’s main square. A trip by boat or foot through either of these charming towns, with their brightly- colored houses is a great way to top off the day.
Read moreOptional Day Trips from Venice
Vicenza
About an hour’s train ride away from Venice is the city of Vicenza. Destroyed by a Hungarian army in 899, Vicenza was rebuilt as an important center of trade and commerce in the era of the Venetian Republic. Today, Vicenza is a cosmopolitan city with its many museums, art galleries, and churches. Vicenza has a love-affair with the famed architect Andrea Palladio. 23 buildings in the city are designed by him, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Teatro Olimpico the most magnificent. This theatre, with its stone statues and archways, is unlike any other you will ever see.
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Verona
Not far from Venice lies the city of “fair Verona” (Shakespeare’s own words). Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is set here, drawing fans of the Bard from all over the world. Verona is known as a cultural hub in Northern Italy, with many art and music festivals and a vibrant nightlife. If you find yourself in Verona, be sure to visit the Verona Arena. Built in the 1st century, this Roman amphitheater is still in use to this day. Many nights you can see operas, plays, and concerts there. Sitting amongst the ancient stonework and taking in one of Leoncavallo’s operas is about as Italian as it gets.
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Bologna
Once one of the largest European cities in the Middle Ages, and home to Europe’s oldest university, Bologna is steeped in history. Today, Bologna is one of the wealthiest cities in Italy, with many tech companies headquartered there. The clash of medieval works with glass and steel buildings is a remarkable sight. No trip to Bologna would be complete without a visit to the Two Towers, one of the symbols of the city. A short walk from there is the 10th largest church in the world, San Petronio, which has not been finished to this day. Finish your trip at a table of one of Bologna’s many restaurants. The city is renowned for its cuisine, including tagliatelle al ragù and lasagne alla bolognese.
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Reviews From Venice Travelers
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- Go Real Travel Reviews (2)
I cannot say enough good things about Go Real Travel, we are not real confident travellers and this was our first trip on our own with the help of Go Real Travel. They planned our itinerary, booked our hotels, which were all in great locations and all but one included a great breakfast, they also booked our trains going through Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Poland. If we had to pick our favorite things about booking through Go Real Travel it would have to be the Go Real Travel app that had our itinerary, hotels and tours on it with our train tickets which made it really easy to check times and scan at train stations. The other favorite thing was the private walking tours we got in every stop, they were so knowledgeable and would point out sites we might want to take more time at. Also their text chat always answered quickly with any questions and were so personal. Highly recommend booking through them. Barb and Rick Pejski
Once again Go Real provided us with an issue free service, this time in our trip from Belgrade across the Balkans and finishing in Venice, Great drivers and support when needed.
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