Location: Venice
Top Things to do in Venice
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What to do and see in Venice, Veneto: The Best Neighborhoods
With its gondolas, canals, amazing restaurants, and unforgettable romantic ambiance, Venice is definitely a city for one's bucket list. Waterfront palazzos, palaces, and churches make drifting down the Grand Canal feel like cruising through a painting. To really experience Venice you must go to the opera or to a classical music performance, nibble fresh pasta and pastries, and linger in the exhibit halls of an art gallery. Label lovers will drool over the high-end shopping in Piazza San Marco.
Restaurants in Venice
1. San Polo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 228 reviews
Venice district that offers many interesting historic sites such as the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto, thought to be the oldest church in Venice.
Reviewed By Raffiella11 - Leicestershire, United Kingdom
True heart of the city, centres around the Rialto Bridge/bustling Rialto market,dense in history/culture, secluded Palazzo’s down narrow alleyways, if only we knew where they were/we would love to see inside. Overflowing with tourists on the bridge taking photographs and just wandering around, most not knowing any history of the area. Take time to read about San Polo’s history it is totally fascinating, and things you see will make more sense.. At the bottom of the Rialto Steps is a double sided array for very tacky tourist stalls. Wander away from the area of the market, there is a vast array of local food/wine & clothes shops. Do not miss the Spice Street it has been here since the 16th century when spices were brought from Asia, plus fabulous cheese shops, bakeries etc . Do not miss the oldest church in the city, San Giacomo di Rialto, opposite is the statue which most tourists miss of Gobo – the hunchback. Looking towards arches, is wine bar/restaurant Banco Giro this is the site of the first bank in the world. There are other bars nearby but Banco Giro is far the best. My advice while walking around, look up at the buildings, and there are fabulous sights to be seen. Walking on the Fondamenta dell O'lio at the side of the Grande Canale takes you into the heart of San Polo. Narrow alleyways, pretty canals, peaceful squares,,local venetians are going about there daily life, unusual churches, some fabulous individual designer shops. It also has masses of the most interesting musuems, some on the side of the Grande Canal, others hidden away. Last year we visited Palazzo Mocengo, near the San Stae stop – 17th century furniture/costumes – well worth a visit This district has a great array of fabulous restaurants whether looking for a casual lunch, or a more upmarket dining experience, you just have to find them. We often take this walk which leads us into Campo San Cassian, we just keep on walking - my advice is just get lost. Sometimes you can be totally alone, walking down narrow alleyways, and coming across a huge door with an amazing door knocker – unkown it is probably the most fabulous Palazzo behind the large wooden door, with lavishly decorated huge rooms, they all have a rear door which gives access to a small canal, where they have a boat. We actually got lost, found a lovely osteria where we had a fabulous pizza/plus wine. Still lost we came across the Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari church, the exterior is very plain, once inside it is totally mind-blowingly fabulous – we have been trying to find this church for years. If you take the Vaparetto from the market going north on the Grande Canale, sit back, take in the wonderful sights of Palazzo’s - all different shapes/styles, which have been there since the 16/17th century. Some are breathtakingly beautiful, others rather grey and unloved.
2. Campo del Ghetto
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,294 reviews
Dating back to the 16th-century, this is the oldest Jewish Ghetto in the world with its five synagogues, which are the oldest still existing.
Reviewed By 303SteveA303 - Bath, United States
When you describe the experience of visiting Venice, it seems to always include St Mark', the Doge's Palace, the Rialto Bridge, the Grand Canal and perhaps a day in Murano across the lagoon. We stayed in the Canneregio neighborhood and enjoyed a part of Venice that is a little removed from the main tourist areas. It is also where the Jewish ghetto is and we found it to be a very interesting place to wander about and explore. The story of Jews in Venice is fascinating. Our visit to the Jewish museum on the Campo del Ghetto Nuovo gave us a better understanding of the role that Jews played in the social and economic history of Venice. The tour they offer of the old synagogues in the ghetto is also excellent to help understand the religious traditions Jews brought to Venice. As in other parts of Venice, there are canals, narrow streets, and squares; but here there are also old gates intended to lock in residents of the ghetto after dark. There is also an excellent kosher restaurant, Gam Gam, nearby that serves some really good food and should not be missed. Right down the street from the restaurant is a wonderful pastry shop .... another reason to visit the ghetto.
3. Cannaregio
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,481 reviews
Rival to Castello for bragging rights as the largest of Venice's six sestieri (boroughs).
Reviewed By tobiasr577 - Gothenburg, Sweden
If you Wanna see the ”real” Venice and communicate With the people of Venice you should live and walk around in this area! You Will feel the Italian warmth spread around you and also see How the Venetians live and Maybe even love!
4. Campo Santa Margherita
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 640 reviews
A popular piazza in Venice's Dorsoduro district.
Reviewed By andyb8176 - Ludlow, United Kingdom
On my first visit to Venice, I spent an evening here, the price of spritz or prosecco was half that of anywhere else( at the time); this is the student quarter, in the square there was a pizzeria selling huge slices of pizza and in the bar with the huge traditional coffee making machine you could sit quite comfortably with a spritz or a coffee. Of course on my second trip I sought it out again and as I was having a coffee I realized you should never return to the same place twice because these are only for memories of certain times: of events and experiences and breaks in between the boredom of life elsewhere. However, saying that, if you manage an apertivo here it would set you up for a start of a great evening as you ultimately get lost and discover the beauty that is venice to the sound of the bell of the church nearby.
5. Santa Croce
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 130 reviews
Reviewed By TheAngeloS - Hilliard, United States
We had this as our "home sestieri" for our visit to Venice. There seem to be two main pathways that most tourists take through to get from the train station to the Rialto. Wander about 10M off of those and it becomes a quiet, beautiful Venice. Find a small bar or pasticceria in this area and enjoy a little of living like a local.
6. Dorsoduro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,398 reviews
This Venetian district is home to some of the city’s most renowned art collections, including Galleria dell’Accademia—which is packed with Venetian Renaissance works—and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which houses 20th century art in a gorgeous palazzo setting.
Reviewed By Raffiella11 - Leicestershire, United Kingdom
The left hand side of Dorosoduro you have the sunny Zattere a long paved area where locals walk their dogs, children on scooters, more local life - the righthand side is the Grande Canale which is lined with some fabulous Palazzo's, my favourite is Palazzo Dario with its beautiful ornate frontage and extremely tall chimneys - it has a very chequered past. There are many squares both large and small, my favourite is Campo Santa Margherita, one of the city's liveliest , its fish stall, flower stall, numerous, outdoor cafés/ restaurants, excellent ice-cream shops and very small ones. At the far end leads into Campo San Barnaba where an unusal canal barge is moored selling fabulous fresh vegetables and fruit. The bridge at the side, Ponte dei Pugni notice the footsteps - this is were rival families used to fight. Leaving Zattere you walk at the side of the Rio di San Trovaso, Church of San Trovaso looking out over a grassy square, next door is Venice's oldest boatyards, gondolas are still made and maintained. This area is a true oasis of peace - small stone bridges, pretty canals, mansions. The crowning glory is the most beautiful and majestic San Salute church and a little further down the customs house. Jump on a waterbus at San Salute, as you slowly meander along the Grande Canale you will see the most amazing beautiful Palazzo's Take time to wander around this wonderful quarter of the city, it is fascinating - we have stayed here 6 times, and always find something new to see every time.
7. Campiello dei Squelini
8. Campo San Toma
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 38 reviews
Reviewed By romanshorner - Munich, Germany
It is a little beautiful square. It is not one of the main sights of Venice and so there are only few tourists. On one side of the square, there is the San Tomà church, which gives the squae the name. As we were there during Carneval, we saw local people celebrating there. I saw two restaurats nearby, which looked very good with moderate prices for Venice and didn't seam as to be tourist traps, as it is not a touristy area. It is a good area to enjoy the authentic Venice.
9. Strada Nova
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 80 reviews
Reviewed By Bandit-One - Lucerne, Switzerland
Walking in Venice is a great thing to do. This time we walked everywhere, never even took a Vaporetto. When you start at the Train Station you can walk along Rio Terà Lista di Spagna, then head on Rio Terà San Leonardo, which turns into this nice street here, the Strada Nova. It's a nice, long and wide walking street. There's lots to see. Besides the countless cafés and restaurants you have the chain and independent stores, supermarkets and lots of landmarks like the Santa Fosca church with the picturesque Campo Santa Fosca, the San Felice Church, the Santa Sofia Church and the Chiesa Cattolica Parrocchiale dei Santi Apostoli. Even you not plan on eating or shopping, the walk itself is worth doing it. Especially when it gets later and the streets are getting less visitors it's a wonderful, romantic walk.
10. Fondamenta Ospedaleto
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By Raffiella11 - Leicestershire, United Kingdom
This walkway is at the side of a very pretty canal in Dorsoduro, away from the hustle and bustle of San Marco area, it has some very interesting shops. Whether you wander in the day, stopping and window shopping, or even more magical at nightime when the lights from the shops glimmer in the small canal. At the side of the pretty bridge at the far end is the most fantastic true Venetian Restaurant called Ai Gondolieri - as our hotel is nearby we dine here twice on every visit to the city. Carry on over the bridge, and wander along to Accademia Bridge.
