Are you dreaming of a beautiful ride through the canals of Venice? Gorgeous pictures of the bridges? You’ve come to the right place! Venice is a great place to do all of the tourist activities while also throwing in some unique things to do! There are multiple areas within Venice. The area we primarily visited was the Central and Northern sections of the two main lands. So first, let’s find out some history and fun facts then we can move on to great activities!

Venice History and Facts

The city of Venice is comprised of 118 small islands that are connected by the canals. The largest and most well known canal is the Grand Canal. It is possible to walk over the bridge at the Grand Canal very easily. The city’s unique setting has led to the construction of buildings on wooden pilings driven into the marshy ground. It has a population of ~260,000. There can be over 50,000 tourists in Venice in one day (with higher days being over 100,000!).

Venice was founded around the 5th century and was known for its trade in spices and silks. With a deep history surrounding the arts, there are still many art festivals held in this area. It is also possible to see the influence of the art throughout the town.

A primary concern is the raising of water. The city has flooded multiple times throughout history. For this reason, the lowest level of houses are not used for living. They are instead utilized for storage. When walking around, you can see where floods have caused damaged at the bottoms of buildings.

Ok, enough history!

What is there to do in Venice!

1. Take a gondola ride

This is often high on everyone’s to do list. It is pretty easy to find a boat when walking around. They start as early as 9 am and often run late into the evening. For a 30 minute ride, expect to pay 80€. For a longer ride, the price increases. If going late into the evening, the price also increases. The gondoliers are often very kind. Ours shared a ton of information as we went throughout the city and took our photo for us! We recommend doing this at the beginning of your visit. It is a great way to get acquainted with the area and find out the history before you start exploring by foot.

It is also possible to book a ride ahead of time. If you are comfortable sharing a gondola with others, check out this link — Gondola Ride with Commentary.

2. Libreria Acqua Alta,

Venice Bookshop

Looking for a super unique book shop? This is it! There is a main entrance to the store but also the side exit (great for photo ops). Inside you will find tons of books in multiple languages as well as art. The center of the store is a gondola full of titles to choose from. Heading straight to the back from the main entrance is the small outdoor area that has the book staircase. They do have someone monitoring and keeping the line going. The first time, it was super busy so we walked through a second time after crowds had left to get our photos.

Address: C. Longa Santa Maria Formosa, 5176b, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy

3. Bridge photos

Need I say more? Venice is full of bridges, big and small! Some of our favorites were the quaint and quiet ones. It’s tons of fun to watch the gondolas go under the bridges. The Rialto Bridge is one of the most well-known in the city. It is much bigger and overlooks a good portion of the city. Expect it to be crowded. Luckily everyone was very kind about taking turns getting photos.

4. Get an Aperol Spritz to-go

These lovely drinks are super common throughout Italy. Due to the drinking laws being different than in the states, it is common to get to-go beverages that contain alcohol and many vendors sell them on the streets directly. It is easily possible to find a large size spritz for between 4-5€. If you are going in the especially warmer months, these are a great way to cool down.

5. Eat Gelato. Eat a lot of Gelato.

Gelato is a bit different than ice cream due to how it is made and having more milk and less cream in the ingredients. It is also a bit softer and served at a slightly warmer temperature. This tasty treat can be found on every street in Venice. Many of the shops offer different flavors so it is worth taking a peak as you walk by in case there is something specific you are looking for. I got a wine and tiramisu cup for 3€. Ross got 5 scoops, each a different flavor for around 5€.

Quick Tips for Visiting Venice

1. If possible, use a backpack for luggage. There are tons of stairs and you likely will be walking a bit to get to your accommodation.
2. Wear comfortable shoes. Once again, it’s a lot of walking and a lot of stairs.
3. Expect to pay a bit more for everything. It’s a huge tourist location and the prices reflect this.

Do you love Italy? What else would you add to our list? Let us know! We loved Italy and all of the food we ate while there along with the views! Keep an eye out for our other posts from Italy!

Europe Posts:

• An Amazing Visit to Nantes, France
• All the Necessary Tips for a Great Visit to Switzerland
• Paris Tourist Tricks for the Best Experiences

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