Travel Guide: Venice, Italy

The final stop on our Italian vacation was Venice… and I have never seen a city like this! I mean, I have definitely been to cities that have lots of water and rivers or even oceanfront property, but for some reason I did not realize that Venice is literally floating on water. When we arrived at the airport to drop off the rental car, I was totally convinced we’d be able to catch a cab to Venice. Uh, nope. Turns out we needed to either take the water bus or rent a water taxi! We splurged on the latter and chalked it up to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. During the entire powerboat ride to Venice, my mouth was basically hanging wide open. I had just never witnessed a city like this before! Without further ado, here is my Venice Travel Guide:

Venice Travel Guide

Travel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitaly Travel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitaly

When we told people we wanted to go to Venice, there were a few naysayers who encouraged us to go elsewhere because the city can be stinky and expensive. We ultimately decided to go anyways just so we could experience it and form our own opinion… and we were happy we did! I am actually quite sensitive to smells, but didn’t notice much of a stink as long as we were further away from the more touristy areas. We still strolled through some of the must-see monuments and historical landmarks, but for the most part our time in Venice was spent wandering and getting lost and discovering amazing hidden treasures. And eating… lots of eating!

Travel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitaly

Things to Do in Venice

There is just so much to do in Venice, but the issue is that it can be incredibly touristy. While we were in St. Mark’s Square, I joked to Sean that we were just hanging out with a few thousand of our closest friends… and it wasn’t untrue! The more well-known spots are gorgeous, but prepare yourself to be annoyed by the number of people and pigeons.

A few things to check out:

  • Definitely take a boat ride of some sort. We did a water taxi and had water bus (aka vaporetto) passes. I also sort of regret not going for a gondola ride even though it’s so cliché.
  • Basilica di San Marco
  • Piazza San Marco
  • Campanile di San Marco
  • Rialto Bridge (warning: it was insanely crowded)
  • the Cannaregio district — I highly recommend eating most of your meals here, too. There are soooo many good ones.
  • Canal Grande — I didn’t realize how big it was!
  • Murano and Burano — use your water bus pass to go to these islands to wander around. Murano is known for it’s beautiful brightly colored glass, while Burano is know for the houses in rich, saturated colors.

Also, for an incredible view of most of Venice, I have a very surprising tip: go to the top of T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi for a free pass to the roof top area. This is actually a luxury mall, but they have the most incredible view of the city! Click here to book your visit to the Rooftop Terrace. And maybe splurge on some designer goods on your way back down like I did…

Travel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitaly Travel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitalyTravel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitaly

Where to Stay in Venice

For this leg of the trip, we booked an Airbnb again. I actually would not recommend the one we stayed in because I wasn’t really happy with it. I’d still use Airbnb in Venice if we go back again, but just not this one. I’d recommend making sure that the apartment or home you rent is owned by an actual individual instead of a management company. We ended up with the latter and were frustrated by some of the policies they sprung on us at the last minute. I did like where it was located, however, because we were close to the water bus line that seemed to go everywhere we wanted!  While booking a place to stay in Venice, be sure to pay attention to that because it will make your life so much easier.

Travel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitaly

Best Restaurants in Venice

Oh, the food… this was the last stop for our trip to Italy, so we reallllllly indulged. Pasta, fish, Aperol spritzes… we pretty much had one of everything. It’s a wonder we fit into our plane seats to go home. Some of the restaurants we loved:

We didn’t make it to Burano, but was told to check out Riva Rosa as a great place to eat, too!

Travel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitaly Travel Guide for Venice in Italy including what to see, where to eat, and where to stay and tips for traveling in Venezia. #travelguide #italy #wanderlust #venice #veniceitaly

If you’re local to Venice or have been before, what’s missing from this list? I’d love to know what some of your favorites are! And in case you missed them, here are the travel guides for our entire Italian vacation:

Stay tuned for more travel guides to Lake Como and Venice.

Photography by Jojotastic.

Want even more travel inspiration? Find more travel guides here.

Behind The Blog

Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.

Let's stay in touch:

Shop my picks on Amazon

Shop now

Please note that I use affiliate links at times here, as well as on my social media accounts. This means that if you click on a link to a product and purchase that product, I may receive a commission based on your purchase. I only feature products that truly inspire me. Any products that have been gifted to Jojotastic for review are noted at the bottom of the post. Sponsored posts are noted as such. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.

Leave a Comment