Planning & Practical Info

General Advice

Introducing Venice
Our three-page orientation covers the basics (including the city's layout) for first-time visitors.

'Is Venice connected to the mainland?'
A railroad bridge and the Ponte della Libertà, a highway bridge, connect the Venice's historic center to the modern mainland districts of Mestre and Marghera.

Five Myths About Venice
Is Venice's aquatic elegance tarnished by tourists, horrendous prices, smelly canals, and Vesparazzi? Is the city likely to sink while you're asleep?

Venice Tourist Statistics
The City of Venice's annual "Yearbook of Tourism" is packed with interesting data, and the month-by-month numbers can help you avoid peak-season visitor crowds.

Venice's Entry Fees for Day Tourists
Starting in 2024, the city of Venice will begin a congestion-pricing scheme for daytrippers, with a �5 admission tax on peak days.

Arriving in Venice
Tips on reaching the city center from Marco Polo airport, the railroad station, and mainland highways.

Planning your trip to Venice
When to come, how long to stay, the most convenient ways to reach the city, and which guidebooks are indispensable.

Top 11 Tourist Mistakes in Venice
(And how to avoid them.) Our illustrated article isn't just a list--it's packed with useful advice.

Venice Street Signs
Local place names don't always correspond to map and guidebook spellings, so know how to interpret signs in Venetian dialect.

Early-Morning Flights from Venice
If you're departing at dawn, read our advice on where to spend your last night and how to reach the airport in the morning.

Medical emergencies

Ambulances and hospital emergency room
Where to call, or where to go, when you need medical help.

Accessible Travel

Accessible Venice
Venice wasn't built with wheelchair travel in mind, but it's easier to get around than you might think.

Baggage

Baggage Storage - Left Luggage
Here's a list of places where you can store suitcases before or after your arrival or departure at the airport, railway station, bus and taxi terminal, or cruise terminal.

The Golden Luggage
Nicola Brusò's left-luggage shop is a convenient place to park your bags if you're catching a water bus from Piazzale Roma.

Luggage Lockers
Self-serve baggage locker services like Vaise offer an alternative to traditional deposito bagagli offices. Some also provide dropboxes where you can pick up keys for vacation apartments.

Boating

Venice Boat Rentals
Cruise the Venetian Lagoon as captain of your own vessel with a self-drive Penichette from Locaboat Holidays.

Currency and Credit Cards

Money in Venice
Here's what you need to know about getting cash, exchanging currency, and using credit cards.

Euronet ATMs
If you see the name "Euronet" on a cash machine, turn the other way and look for a legitimate "Bancomat" or "Postamat."

Discounts

Venice Card
Enjoy unlimited travel on public transportation plus other benefits such as free use of public toilets, local discounts, and admission to leading museums.

Dogs

'Can I bring my dog to Venice?'
Venice is a dog-friendly city, and your pet is welcome if you know the ropes and follow the rules.

Drinking water

Is Venice's tap water safe to drink?
The city's water comes from deep wells on the Venetian mainland, and you can fill your water bottles for free at 122 public fountains in the Centro Storico or historic center.

Ethic Travel

Jewish Venice
Learn about the Venetian Ghetto, the Jewish Museum, and kosher hotels and restaurants.

Family Travel

Venice for Families
Churches, art museums, and walking tours may not be to every child's taste, but Venice does have its share of attractions for very young tourists.

Flooding

Acqua Alta
High tide, low atmospheric pressure, and a scirocco wind can make Venice feel like Atlantis. Our illustrated article tells what to expect and how to prepare for "high water."

Internet Access

Venice Wi-Fi Network
The Comune di Venezia has hot spots along the Grand Canal and in many campi. You can use them for a small daily or weekly fee.

Cellular Abroad's MiFi Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot
Rent a pocket-size device that includes unlimited Wi-Fi bandwidth for up to five smartphones, tablets, computers, etc. at once. (Unfortunately, it's available only to residents of the U.S. and Canada.)

Venetian Navigator
Check your e-mail, browse the Web, burn images from your digital camera onto a CD, and get a Venice for Visitors reader discount at Mauro Pregolato's Internet point in Castello.

Laundry

Venice Laundromats
Whether you call them laundromats, launderettes, self-service laundries, or lavanderie, they're in short supply. We tell you where they are and how to reach them.

Maps/Local Geography

The Best Tourist Maps
Illustrated reviews of a detailed city map, an indexed street atlas, a handy pocket map, and two regional maps for motorists and boating buffs.

Piazza San Marco by the Numbers
Use the figures in the photo to identify the major landmarks around St. Mark's Square.

St. Mark's Basin by the Numbers
Follow the numerals to find the Salute Church, the island of Giudecca, and other Venice landmarks.

Mosaics

Orsoni Mosaic Courses
Learn mosaic technique or portraiture at a studio run by an internationally-renowned glass foundry. (Courses last from 3 to 14 days, and you can book a room at Orsoni's own B&B.)

Spa Treatments

Hotel Cipriani's 'Gondola Massage'
The luxury hotel's Casanova Beauty and Wellness Center offers a boat-and-massage combination for hurried, harried, and well-heeled tourists.

Toilets

Venice's Public Toilets
They can be crowded and hard to find, and the fee to pee is shockingly high, so think twice before drinking that second liter of Perroni or Pellegrino.

Tourist Warnings

A Fishy Experience
A reader complains of a high restaurant bill, and we tell what to do (and where to call) in the unlikely event that you're fleeced by a local tourist business.

Tourist Fines for Bad Behavior
Venice's public officials make it easy to match your misdemeanor to your budget.

Weddings/Honeymoons

A Venice Wedding
Before you tie the knot, let an expert help you cut the red tape.

Honeymoon in Venice
Who needs a heart-shaped bathtub in the Poconos when there's a singing gondolier beneath the terrace of your bridal suite?

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