Venice Weekend Escape

Best time to go: October and November are probably the best months to visit the city, obviously you’re still going to find touristA wandering around but definitely less than during the summer months or bank holidays, that I would recommend to avoid. Also the temperature during these 2 months is quite pleasant, not too cool and not too warm.

General Advice: It is not easy to find a hotel in Venice. As the city is very popular and touristic, there are too many options at astronomical prices! A few recommendations below with different pros and cons:

• "Palazzo San Lorenzo" – the most affordable option and the most central one. Very well located at a short distance from Rialto Bridge and Basilica San Marco. Maybe not the best décor but does the job.

• "NH Collection Hotel Dei Dogi" and "Hilton Molino Stucky Venice" – both with beautiful décor and elegant furnishings but a bit further away from the city centre (1 mile/ 1.6 km).

• "Sina Centurion Palace" – excellent location overlooking the Grand Canal and a beautiful design, therefore the most expensive option but it is absolutely worth it.

Day 1: Arrival

On your first day, before going for dinner enjoy a walk around the centre of Venice as this is the best way of getting to know the city.

The recommended restaurant for dinner is "Osteria Alle Testiere ", serving delicious seafood and pasta the menu changes daily as it gets decided on the day depending on the fresh available products. It is incredibly small so you might need to fight for a table!

Day 2: Classic Venice

On the next day you can start by visiting the most famous spots in Venice. I will indicate how long it takes you from one point to the next and whether it is better to walk or get by vaporetto. Start the day at Santa María della Salute. You can take the vaporetto to get there or see it directly from San Marco´s side.

• Santa María della Salute – it was founded in 1631. The basilica was built to commemorate the end of the plague that began in 1630, and killed a large portion of the Veneto population. It was dedicated to Our Lady of Health. It took 56 years to build and was completed in 1687.

• Piazza San Marco - the heart of Venice and the largest square in the city. It is the location of important government buildings and other facilities central to the goings on in Venice. (7 min including the vaporetto). At the piazza you will find the following landmarks:

  • Basilica di San Marco – the highlights to see are the 4,240 square meters covered in ethereal and luminous gold mosaics, the magnificent golden Byzantine retable known as the Pala d'Oro, the inlaid marble floors, and the gold reliquaries and icons in the Treasury.

  • Palazzo Ducale - the Doges ruled the Venetian Empire Until 1797and they lived at the Palazzo Ducale alongside the government offices that were also in this building. Inside the palace you will find majestic staircases, the Doge's apartments, the government chambers, the prison cells and the Bridge of Sighs. Outside, along the piazzetta, each column is different. Between the ninth and tenth column death sentences were declared and executions carried out.

  • Campanile di San Marco - the bell tower of St Mark's Basilica. The current campanile is a reconstruction completed in 1912, the historical tower having collapsed in 1902. At 98.6 metres in height, it is the tallest structure in Venice.

• Rialto Bridge and surroundings - the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal connecting San Marco and San Polo, it has been rebuilt several times since its first construction as a pontoon bridge in 1173. Make sure you spend some time exploring the surrounding area including the Mercato di Rialto. (6 min walk from Piazza San Marco)

It is time for a lunch stop at "Al Mercà", amazing Cicchetti to have with a Spritz.

• Jewish Ghetto – it was instituted in 1516 and is the oldest Jewish ghetto in the world. The Ghetto is an area of the Cannaregio sestiere, divided into the Ghetto Nuovo and the Ghetto Vecchio. (17 min walk from Rialto Bridge).

Once that you have seen all the main attractions, it might be a good time to take a gondola ride and tick all the boxes of a tourist in Venice.

For your second night the recommended restaurant is " L’Osteria di Santa Marina", a mix between creativity and tradition serving fantastic venetian food.

Day 3: Burano and Murano

For your last day there are 2 alternatives, either spending the day visiting the venetian museums properly, or you can visit one of the neighbouring islands.

You can visit Burano, the island famous for its colourful houses and there you also can try a typical Italian dish called "linguine alle vongole", my favourite Italian dish! After you can visit Murano island, famous for its glass factories.

If you decide to spend the day in Venice instead of travelling make sure you have lunch at "Osteria Al Squero" next to Gallerie dell'Accademia.

A great place for your last meal in Venice is "Osteria Anice Stellato" located in the north of the city (far away from the crowds of tourists). This is a restaurant visited by the locals. The pasta is absolutely fantastic.