Venice | 5 reasons why you should visit this city

Venice is worth a visit every season of the year. Although this Italian city of bridges and canals is very popular with tourists, you’ll be seduced by its many attractions, narrow streets and remarkable architecture.

 

We are great lovers of Italy. We’ve already visited a few regions of this magnificent country and invite you to read the articles:

• Naples, nos conseils et coups de cœur par quartiers
• La Côte Amalfitaine et ses villages perchés
• Notre mini guide pour découvrir la Côte Amalfitaine
• Notre Top 5 des villages des Cinq Terre
• Notre mini guide détaillé des Cinq Terre

 

Returning to Venice, I’ve already been there a few years ago. I loved the atmosphere and would love to return to discover new addresses. By the way, if you have any tips or new places to eat to share with us, don’t hesitate to add them in the comments.

Venice is very easy to reach with low-cost airlines offering direct flights at low prices or packages of flights and hotels.

 

1 | Romanticism in Venice

 

Obviously, the first reason could only be for its romantic with those famous gondolas you see everywhere.

You can’t miss them, as every canal is invaded by these typical little boats with their gondoliers in traditional dress on board, singing to you “O Sole Mio “. A bit kitsch, but it’s a big hit with foreign travelers. Cost: 80 euros for half an hour… To prolong the romance, take a stroll along the decks at sunset, when the colors are warm and flamboyant!

 

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2 | The cultural side of Venice

 

Venice abounds in religious buildings and listed monuments. Among them are such mythical landmarks as Piazza San Marco, the city’s largest square pronounced in Italian Piazza San Marco with its hundreds of pigeons. There’s also the Basilica of San Marco with its campanile “El paron de casa” and the Doge’s Palaces, one of Europe’s most beautiful palaces.

Venice wouldn’t be Venice without its many bridges, the best-known and most popular with tourists being the bridge of sighs. The circumflex-shaped Rialto Bridge is nonetheless a must-see, but for a breathtaking view of Venice, head for the Academy bridge. Go there at sunset for the ultimate in romance!

Come and celebrate the mythical Carnival of Venice, one of the most original in the world, in February.

 

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3 | The more authentic side of Venice

 

Take a stroll through the Castello district in the far east of the city, which is rarely visited by tourists. Here, you’ll find it easier to make contact with the locals. We lose ourselves in the less crowded alleyways, admire the Basilica Santi Giovanni e Paolo and enjoy the peace and quiet. Venetians are charming, open-minded, smiling and rather attractive… Italian charm oblige!

You can also explore Venice’s canals by paddle, an activity that must be really nice and peaceful!

 

➡️ Check paddle availability and book now

 

4 | His cuisine so tasty and varied

 

Due to the diversity of the climate and the nature of the region, Venetian cuisine, like all Italian cuisine, is refined without being overly elaborate, and is made from simple, very tasty ingredients. For the best experience, step away from Piazza San Marco, the tourist trap, to discover it. It’s by getting lost in the city’s narrow streets that you’ll find its best restaurants, small Italian bodegas, Osteria, Enoteca (wine bars) serving a kind of fish-based antipasti called “cicheti” but not only.

You can also try the good pizzas at Antico Forno in the San Polo district, near the Rialto Bridge, or pasta with squid ink, pesto or simply tomato and basil. Here, tables are prettily decorated with a checkered tablecloth and an old wooden water pitcher. The counter is often long, so you can enjoy a real Italian-style coffee!

Don’t hesitate to sample the delicious artisanal ice creams and immortalize the moment in front of a small bridge! There are also numerous bakeries serving sandwiches, excellent paninis and local pastries such as Moro and Golosesso, walnut or almond cakes.

If you’re visiting Venice and love to cook, consider enrolling in a cooking class to prepare pasta and tiramisu in a welcoming home.

 

➡️ Check cooking class availability and book now

 

For those who love street food, visit the Rialto market with a local guide. Eat your way through Venice on a two-and-a-half-hour tasting tour of some of the city’s restaurants, taking in views of historic monuments and attractions along the way.

 

➡️ Check cooking class availability and book now

 

 

 

5 | Venice’s colorful facades and lost alleyways

 

With its shades of orange, pink, blue, gray, yellow and cream, Venice will enchant you. Note also that you can go to one of the islands opposite the town, and the most striking is Burano population 3,000. Accessible by vaporetto (wooden waterbus), it’s famous for its lace and colorful canal-side houses.

 

➡️ Check boat availability and book now