My Favorite City in the World: The Beautiful Venice Italy

After several years of travel, I’d have to say Venice, Italy, is still my favorite place of all time. There’s something unique about a city floating in water and gondoliers singing their way through the canals.

It’s not even so much about the architecture or the food (which I do love), but it’s more about the feeling I get when I’m there.

Beautiful Venice made me fall in love with traveling, and it continues to shine through the visits.

Why Visit Venice?

 “I think that if you ask any traveler which country is their favorite, they’ll probably  tell you the first country that made them fall in love with traveling. We feel that  connection to the one where we got bitten with the travel bug.” – NomadicMatt

I honeymooned through Italy in 2011, and Venice was our first stop. I’ll never forget the awe I was in the entire time I was there. At that moment, my travel list grew exponentially, and clearly, it hasn’t stopped since. How can you forget that feeling?

I’ve now been to Venice three times, plus 19 other Italian towns and numerous countries worldwide, yet Venice still wins me over.

It’s such a visited city, and parts of it can be so touristy. But it has this charm that even the most seasoned travelers can’t deny. As I was editing these photos, I was reminded of how much I love this city and all its dreamlike moments, like looking out of the hotel window and watching the gondoliers casually passing by.

Or catching the traffic jam under the Bridge of Sighs. Legend has it that the Bridge of Sighs got its name because prisoners who crossed it on the way to their cells or execution chambers would sigh as they caught their last glimpse of Venice through the tiny windows.

Nowadays, you can actually go inside this palace and cross the bridge yourself *sighs optional*.

Click here to book your ticket to the Doge’s Palace.

Even something as simple as seeing the locals run their errands and wondering if they realize how magical their city is.

Then passing by an artist who’s painting a picture of the scene.

And visiting Florian, one of the oldest (and most gorgeous) cafes in the world, born in 1720. I recommend you sit outside and enjoy their live orchestra; it definitely adds to the experience.

Or taking in the views from the Rialto Bridge and capturing that perfect photo.

I mean, come on! How can you not feel like you’re walking through a movie scene whenever you’re in Venice? Whatever the moment is, I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one enamored with this floating city.

How to Get to Venice City Center From Airport

If you’re flying into Venice’s airport, you can step right outside and try to catch a bus to the city center.

You can also book that ticket beforehand to make life a little easier. Click here to purchase your bus ticket.

The bus is a much cheaper route to get into the center. Then, you can either walk to your hotel (cheapest option) or take a quick water taxi.

The water taxi rides are worth it, especially for your arrival and departure. The city can be hard to navigate. First, it’s basically a maze once you go into the side streets.

We got so lost the first year we visited just trying to get to our hotel, not the fun kind of lost.

Save yourself time and take a taxi to your hotel, enjoy the views of the city from the water, and take lots of photos along the way.

Click here to book a water taxi that will take you from the airport straight to your hotel! Though this is the more expensive option, it’d surely save you a lot of time and energy.

How Many Days in Venice?

Venice is tiny, but it packs so much character and great food that you need to give it a minimum of 2 days. I’d say go for 3 days to fit in a day trip to explore the other islands if you have the flexibility.

If you have even more days available, I’d suggest venturing out and visiting neighboring cities.

As you can tell from my post alone, Venice is a photographer’s dream. It’s full of unique facades, surprising nooks, shops, and of course, the famous Venice canals. It’s a city that is best explored at a leisurely pace. Slow down and take in the city of love.

We were walking around aimlessly when we stumbled into the cutest and most unique bookstore we’ve seen to date.

The last time we visited Venice was in April. Actually, we always tend to go in April (since that’s our anniversary month). The weather is usually kind to us for the most part.

We only experienced heavy rain one day out of all the times we’ve visited. There was minimal flooding, and we were able to carry on the next day just fine.

What to Eat in Venice

But enough about the magic, let’s talk about what to eat in Venice…

Gelateria CA’ D’oro– My favorite gelato place in town! Try the Amarena flavor, my favorite of all.

Torrefazione Cannaregio– Well-reviewed roastery making delicious cappuccinos while you stand by the counter like a true local. The service is amazing, and you can even bring some coffee beans home with you. Aren’t those the best souvenirs?

Dal Moro’s– Takeaway pasta, and one of the best-reviewed places in town. Venice isn’t cheap, and paying for a sit-down meal every day and night can get expensive. Dal Moro is a great option for a cheaper dinner, and it’s so good that you’ll most likely run into a line while you’re visiting, but it moves pretty quickly.

Gelatoteca Suso– Another great gelato shop with excellent reviews to back me up. I loved their coconut flavor.

Frulalà Fruit Bar– This place was so fun! They had two locations when we were there, and we chose the outdoor stand with a handful of stools and people walking by wondering what all our fuss was about. The guy working the juice/cocktail bar was offering people free shots as they walked by as a way to draw them in, lol. It worked. Cocktails are made with real fruit, super refreshing, and delicious.

Antico Gatoleto– This restaurant is tucked away from the crowd and had great pasta dishes.

Da Mamo– We visited this restaurant for our 3rd wedding anniversary and loved it. It’s tiny, so I recommend you reserve ahead of time.

Best Places to Stay in Venice

Hotel San Cassiano – Residenza d’Epoca Ca’ Favaretto– This was the first hotel we stayed in when visiting in 2011. It’s right on the Grand Canal, and we chose a room with a canal view. The rooms are decorated in traditional Venetian style. They serve a wonderful breakfast, and the breakfast room has a balcony with a gorgeous view of the canal.

Carnival Palace Hotel– Located near the Jewish quarter (and Cannaregio). This hotel is further away from the Grand Canal but closer to the train station, which is good if you need to fly out early on your departure date. Our room had a canal view, and the decor was more luxurious modern. Their breakfast options included an omelet bar and mimosas! Seriously luxe for not luxe prices.

You can also go for an Airbnb in Venice anywhere near or around the areas mentioned above or the Cannaregio District. Cannaregio is a great area that’s not as crowded as the center and filled with many cool facades and food options.

Venice Gondola Ride

If this is your first time visiting Venice, splurge on that gondola ride (if it’s on your list). We did it the first year to have the experience and loved it, but it’s too expensive to do it every time.

Shop around, there’s a base price of 80 euros for 40 minutes, but gondoliers will add to it depending on the length and time of day. Look for them outside of main areas, and you’ll usually find a better deal.

Don’t be afraid to haggle a little.

Venice Day Trips 

Please do not leave without visiting Burano, the most colorful island I’ve ever seen in my life, and it’s only a 40ish-minute boat ride away.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and could not stop taking photos. Read more about that visit HERE. If you have more time, check out the neighboring island of Murano.

We made the Burano day trip on our own so that we wouldn’t have any time limits. You can, however, book a half-day tour that includes transportation plus alone time to explore both Burano and Murano. Learn more about that tour here.

I hope this guide was helpful, and it inspired your trip to Venice even more so. I know you’ll fall in love with this place.

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