Travel guide
Independent guide to visiting Venice
Independent guide to help you plan your trip to Venice: districts, places to see, itineraries, maps and practical tips for your stay.
Start my itineraryVenice reveals itself as much through its sestieri - the six historic districts that structure the city - as through its lagoon, with islands each having their own distinct character: Murano and its glass, Burano and its colours, Torcello and its origins. In between, hundreds of places to see: basilicas, palaces, bridges and museums, each linked to its district to help you plan your visit.
No need to see everything at once: add the places that interest you to your personalised itinerary as you read, and find them organised to help plan your route through Venice.
Highlights
Monument
Venetian Arsenal
Ancient naval complex of the Republic, industrial and military heart, this part of Castello is today partially linked to the Biennale. Around the walls of …
Monument
Venice Ghetto
Historic sector of Cannaregio where the Jewish community of Venice was confined to residence starting in 1516. Near the busy streets close to the station, …
Island
Island of San Giorgio Maggiore
An island facing San Marco, known for Palladio's basilica, its campanile and the Giorgio Cini Foundation. San Giorgio Maggiore suits an excursion from San …
Prepare your trip
Hotels and places to stay
Conseils pratiques pour choisir son quartier et son hébergement à Venise, avec une carte interactive des disponibilités.
My itinerary
Places added while planning are kept in this browser. You can add a place directly from the map below or…
Find guided tours and book tickets
Book your guided tours, skip-the-line access and entry tickets in advance for the main sights and museums of Venice.
Must-sees
See all
Monument
St Mark's Campanile
Standing 98.6 meters tall at the center of St Mark's Square, the Campanile has dominated Venice for over a thousand years. Rebuilt identically after its co…
Monument
Venice Ghetto
Historic sector of Cannaregio where the Jewish community of Venice was confined to residence starting in 1516. Near the busy streets close to the station, …
Theatre
La Fenice Theatre
Venice's great opera house, rebuilt several times, tied to the story of Italian and European music.
Church
Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
The great votive basilica by Longhena, built on the tip of Dorsoduro after the plague of 1630.
Maps of Venice and the lagoon
Culture
Places to discover
Square
Campo San Barnaba and Ponte dei Pugni
Lively little campo in Dorsoduro, famous for its neighbour the Ponte dei Pugni, an ancient theatre of ritual fights between rival factions of Venice.
Church
Church of Saint Zachary
A 9th-century church where the doges came every Easter Monday, famous for one of Bellini's masterpieces and the crypt of the first doges of Venice.
Square
Campo San Polo
A large and popular square in San Polo, long used for festivals, markets and neighborhood gatherings.
Monument
Venetian Arsenal
Ancient naval complex of the Republic, industrial and military heart, this part of Castello is today partially linked to the Biennale. Around the walls of …
Church
Church of San Giorgio dei Greci
Greek Orthodox church with a noticeably leaning bell tower, seat of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Malta, with its neighbouring icon museum.
Museum
Scuola Dalmatà San Giorgio degli Schiavoni
Ancient Dalmatian confraternity of Castello, famous for the cycle painted by Vittore Carpaccio.
Districts
Sestiere
San Marco
Visiting San Marco is entering the historic and monumental heart of Venice, where the Republic showcased its power with a flair for spectacle. Around St Ma…
Sestiere
San Polo
San Polo brings together several faces of Venice: the great commercial center of Rialto, an exceptional religious and artistic heritage around the Frari, b…
Sestiere
Cannaregio
The vast sestiere of Cannaregio stretches to the north of Venice, from Santa Lucia station to the shores of the lagoon.
Still largely residential, it reve…
Sestiere
Santa Croce
Santa Croce is often hurriedly crossed from Piazzale Roma, yet it is well worth slowing down for. Behind the main thoroughfares lie peaceful squares, ancie…
Sestiere
Castello
The Castello district is the easternmost and largest in Venice. Its history and appearance have been deeply marked by the Arsenal, which for centuries conc…
Sestiere
Dorsoduro
Dorsoduro is one of the most varied and pleasant districts of Venice. It brings together some of its great museums, major churches, Grand Canal palaces and…
Events
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Practical Venice
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