VENICE
Stay:
- Hotel Bisanzio. 4* hotel close to Piazza San Marco and the Biennale fair grounds. You can book it here.
- Hotel al Sole. Basic 3* hotel with high ceilings. You can book it here.
- Foresteria Levi. 3* hotel in the Palazzo Giustinian, located right at the Canal Grande next to Accademia bridge. You can book it here.
- Hotel Bauer. For a luxurious 5* stay right at the Canal Grande. You can book it here.
Eat:
- Ristorante Wildner. Delicious food and fish soup, located right by the water.
- Antiche Carampane. Close to Rialto bridge and absolutely great sea food.
- Ai Barbacani. Small restaurant at a small canal with nice appetizers, great fish platters and friendly service. They have a cute two-seater table right at the canal.
- Hostaria da Franz. Elegant fish restaurant with a very good wine selection.
- Corte Sconta. A real gem – don‘t miss the seafood appetizer plates!
- Al Covo. Charming family-owned restaurant close to the Arsenale area.
- Campo Santo Stefano is a nice and tranquil square close to Accademia. At Ristorante Santo Stefano you can get Pizza, Spaghetti alle vongole and more.
- On the way between the Biennale locations of Giardini and Arsenale you can find a lot of restaurants and bars on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi.
Drink:
- For drinks before dinner: Under the arcades of Campo San Giacomo di Rialto you will find various bars, e.g. Osteria Bancogiro.
- The pretty square in front of the church Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista in Bragora has a lot of outdoor bars, e.g. Osteria alla Bandiera.
- For cocktails check out the Oriental Bar at the Hotel Metropole, which is open even late in the night.
Do & See:
- Teatro La Fenice. If you do not have time to see a play, it is possible to visit the impressive interiors of the building as a tour.
- Main sights of Venice (beside its beautiful streets, bridges and canals): Basilica San Marco (get there by 11.30h to see it in best light), Doge`s Palace, Rialto bridge (great view on Canal Grande), Bridge of Sighs.
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Peggy Guggenheim‘s former home with her personal collections and a beautiful garden.
- Palazzo Franchetti. A pretty palazzo by the Canal Grande with changing exhibitions.
- Palazzo Fortuny. Museum set in an old gothic palazzo and former atelier of artist Mariano Fortuny.
- Fondazione Prada. Since 2011 the Fondazione in Venice has its headquarter in this old palazzo.
- Scuola di San Rocco. Confraternity building with impressive ceiling paintings by Jacopo Tintoretto.
- Cà d Oro. Best known gothic facade at Canal Grande, nowadays a gallery.
- Venice Biennale. Very recommended to get a guided tour when you visit the exhibitions at Arsenale and Giardini.
- Scala Contarini del Bovolo, San Marco, 4299. Lovely spiral staircase.
- Fondaco dei Tedeschi. The former headquarter of the German merchants has been transformed into a luxurious department store by architects from OMA. The roof terrace has a nice view over the Canal Grande.
- For fans of Italian architect Carlo Scarpa there are two highlights: The store Negozio Olivetti right at San Marco square and the Fondazione Querini Stampalia with its garden.
- The islands around Venice are also very beautiful, e.g. Murano with its glass museum and San Giorgio Maggiore with its church by Andrea Palladio.
Tip:
- To take a water taxi from the airport costs around €100-150 per boat, with a group of people it is a beautiful way to enter Venice.
- Getting around in Venice usually means on foot or on water. There are comfortable day passes for the water buses known as "vaporetto". Note: When Venetians celebrate the Regatta Storica on the first weekend of September, you cannot use them.