The Grand Canal on the line 1 vaporetto
1 hEveryone; under-6s freeAll year
Vaporetto · whole Grand Canal · €9.50 ticket · All year
From €9
See the activity
Stay2–3 nights
AccessFlight to Marco Polo or train to Santa Lucia
Getting aroundOn foot and by vaporetto
Access fee€5 on designated days
What to do
What to do in Venice
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Secret Itineraries of the Doge's Palace
1 h 15From age 6; not suitable with claustrophobia or vertigoAll year
Guided tour · 1 h 15 · From age 6 · €40
From €40
See the activity
Murano, Burano and Torcello by vaporetto from Fondamente Nove
7 hEveryoneAll year
A self-guided day by vaporetto from Fondamente Nove to Murano, Burano and Torcello on line 12 with the €25 ACTV 24-hour pass.
From €25
How to do it
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Getaways from Venice
Plan the trip
Venice, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Venice
March to May and September to November, with less heat and fewer people than in summer. In autumn and winter there can be fog and acqua alta, which change the vaporetto lines. On the busiest days an access fee is charged if you don't sleep in the city.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Venice your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Direct flight to Marco Polo and boat or bus into the city
Venice is easily done by plane from Spain: according to AENA there are direct flights to Marco Polo airport from Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia, Alicante, Málaga and Seville. You do not need a car at any point: from the airport to the city you go by bus to Piazzale Roma, about 20 minutes, or on the Alilaguna boat, which drops you at the landing stages of Fondamente Nove, San Marco or Santa Maria del Giglio. Neither is included in normal vaporetto passes.
- Getting thereVenice Marco Polo (VCE), with…
- Getting aroundOn foot and by vaporetto…
- Where to sleepHotel Flora, in San Marco…
- ServicesVenezia Unica ticket offices and…
Getting there
- Venice Marco Polo (VCE), with direct flights from seven Spanish airports
- Treviso (TSF), further away; the bus takes about 40 minutes to Piazzale Roma
- ATVO or ACTV bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma, about 20 minutes
- Alilaguna, blue line via Murano to Fondamente Nove and San Marco; orange line to Santa Maria del Giglio
Getting around
- On foot and by vaporetto: buy the 1, 2, 3 or 7-day pass if you will take more than two boats a day
- Water taxi to your hotel door, if you are laden with luggage or in a group
Where to sleep
- Hotel Flora, in San Marco, three minutes from Santa Maria del Giglio, where the orange line stops
- Foresteria Valdese, in Castello, five minutes from the Ospedale stop of the blue line
- Generator Venice, on the Giudecca, with line 2 or 4.1 from Piazzale Roma
Services
- Venezia Unica ticket offices and machines at the landing stages, and the AVM Venezia app for tickets
- Registration and payment of the access fee if you are visiting only for the day on the designated dates
A whole city without cars
There are no cars or bicycles in Venice's historic centre, so here travelling without a car is not an option: it is the only one. You arrive by plane or train, get around on foot and by vaporetto, and the boat serves as bus, taxi and excursion. The budget runs from a hostel bed with cicchetti at the bar to a hotel in San Marco with a fish dinner.
70–200 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepGenerator Venice, on the Giudecca…
- Getting aroundVaporetto: 75-minute ticket at €9.50…
- Where to eatCicchetti and a glass at…
- ServicesVenezia Unica ticket offices at…
Where to sleep
- Generator Venice, on the Giudecca, with dormitories and private rooms
- Foresteria Valdese, in a palace in Castello, with private or shared bathroom
- Hotel Flora, beside St Mark's, with a garden and breakfast included
Getting around
- Vaporetto: 75-minute ticket at €9.50 or day pass at €25
- 72-hour pass for €27 with the Rolling Venice, ages 6 to 29
- On foot between districts: from Rialto to St Mark's, a quarter of an hour
Where to eat
- Cicchetti and a glass at the bar of Cantina Do Spade, beside Rialto
- Market fish at Trattoria alla Madonna, also in Rialto
- A special meal at Al Covo, in Castello
Services
- Venezia Unica ticket offices at the landing stages and the AVM Venezia app
- Luggage storage on departure day at the Foresteria Valdese and at Generator
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Venice for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Boats, oars and coloured islands
Children like Venice because everything goes by water: the bus is a boat and the street can end in a canal. Tiredness comes from the bridges, so alternate short walks with vaporetto trips.
- What works bestThe line 1 vaporetto along…
- Where to sleepCannaregio and Castello, quieter and…
- Where to eatCicchetti in bàcari: small portions…
- Keep in mindA pushchair is a bad…
What works best
- The line 1 vaporetto along the Grand Canal, free for under-6s
- The Venetian rowing lesson: no minimum age and under-4s do not pay
- Burano, with its coloured houses, and Torcello, with space to run around
- The Lido beach in summer
- St Mark's Campanile, to see the city from above
Where to sleep
- Cannaregio and Castello, quieter and with neighbourhood life
- Lido, if you go in summer and want a beach
Where to eat
- Cicchetti in bàcari: small portions that almost everyone likes
- Picnics in the campi with benches and wellheads, as in Castello
Keep in mind
- A pushchair is a bad idea: there are steps on almost every bridge. A baby carrier is better
- The Secret Itineraries of the Doge's Palace do not admit under-6s
- Under-14s do not pay the access fee
What to do as a family
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Flora
Why we like it: Family-run forty-room hotel in San Marco, three minutes from the vaporetto, with an inner garden, breakfast included and family rooms.
Foresteria Valdese
Why we like it: Guesthouse of the Waldensian Church in Palazzo Cavagnis, in Castello: rooms with frescoes or a canal view, breakfast and modest prices.
Generator Venice
Why we like it: Hostel on the island of the Giudecca, opposite St Mark's: dormitories for over-18s and private rooms, some with a canal view.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Venice
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Cantina Do Spade
What to order: fried cicchetti at the bar with a local wine by the glass; at a table, sarde in saor or bigoli in salsa
Trattoria alla Madonna
What to order: the house fish antipasto, the granseola in its shell or the seafood risotto, and a fry to share
Al Covo
What to order: the fish of the day chosen at the market, the bigoli mori in salsa or the paranza fry; if the whole table agrees, the seven-course tasting menu
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Sleep inside
The early morning hours and the night are another city, and you save the access fee.
- 2Vaporetto pass by days
The 1-day costs €25 and the 3-day €45. Those aged 6 to 29 can get the 72-hour pass for €27 with the Rolling Venice.
- 3Check the tide
With acqua alta above 95 cm the vaporetto lines change. ACTV publishes the alerts.
Driving all the way to the city
You can only park at Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, and it's expensive. Leave the car on the mainland and come in by train or bus.
How do you get there from Spain?
Fly to Marco Polo airport, which has direct flights from several Spanish cities. From there there's a bus to Piazzale Roma and Alilaguna boats into the city; neither is covered by the normal vaporetto passes, which exclude the airport. If you arrive by train from another Italian city, you get off at Venezia Santa Lucia, already on the Grand Canal.
How do you get around the city?
On foot and by vaporetto. There are no cars or bikes in the historic centre: everything is done on foot along streets and bridges, and the vaporetto covers the Grand Canal, the outer circuit and the islands. A single ticket costs €9.50 and is valid for 75 minutes, so if you're going to take more than two a day, buy the 1-, 2-, 3- or 7-day pass. Children under 6 don't pay.
What do you need to book in advance?
The Doge's Palace secret itineraries, tickets for the basilica, the campanile and the Loggia dei Cavalli, and rowing lessons. If you're only visiting for the day on one of the dates designated by the city council, register and pay the access fee: €5, or €10 if you do it late. If you sleep in Venice or are under 14, you're exempt.
Where to sleep and where to eat?
For sleeping, three ways to be inside: the Hotel Flora, a family hotel with a garden five minutes from San Marco; the Foresteria Valdese, a guesthouse in a frescoed palace in Castello; and Generator Venice, a hostel with private rooms on the Giudecca.
For eating, cicchetti at the bar of the Cantina Do Spade, open every day next to Rialto; market fish at the Trattoria alla Madonna, which closes on Wednesdays; and a special meal of lagoon produce at Al Covo, in Castello.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to enter Venice?
On the dates designated by the city council, anyone entering only for the day pays €5 (€10 if they register late). Those who sleep in the city and children under 14 are exempt.
How many days do I need?
Two or three nights: one day for San Marco and the Grand Canal, another for the lagoon islands and half a day to get lost in Cannaregio or Castello.
Is it a good idea with children?
Yes: the vaporetto is a ride in itself, under-6s don't pay and they like the islands. Leave the pushchair at home: there are bridges with steps at every turn.
How much does the vaporetto cost?
€9.50 for the 75-minute ticket and €25 for the one-day pass.
Can you see the parts of the Doge's Palace that aren't normally open?
Yes, with the secret itineraries: 1 h 15 min, €40, by reservation and with no Spanish-language session.