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12+ Powerful Tips To Make The Most Of Your Trip – OUR CROSSINGS
Last updated on the 6th of August, 2025
Venice in Italy is a magical city that sits at the top of many travel wishlists.
Founded 1,600 years ago on a cluster of islands in the Venetian Lagoon, throughout the centuries, Venice has charmed many travellers with its beautiful architecture, rich catalogue of art, and deep layers of history.
Despite persistently claiming the title of Most Romantic City in the World, this Italian wonder presents a few very specific challenges, especially as it is a car-free city where you need to rely on boats and your own feet to take you places.
It is also a city that is struggling to preserve its centuries-old traditions and way of life against a world of cheap travel, fast movement, and excessive consumption.
As a result, Venice can make you feel both elated and dejected.
Therefore, it is a good idea to come prepared.
I hope that my 10 tips for visiting Venice will come in very handy so that your time in the city of water is as exciting and enriching as possible. Especially, if this is your first visit there.
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By now I’ve been to Venice multiple times each time at different seasons and having just returned from yet another trip, I decided to write up a small list of things to exercise to make your journey to and around Venice more meaningful and enjoyable.
All tips are based on my explorations of Venice over 15 years.
In this blog post you’ll find some basic – but very useful – travel tips along with the not-so-basics.
#1. Do Your Research Before You Travel To Venice
The most useful advice we can give to anyone visiting the beautiful Venice lagoon – manage your expectations.
If you read travel news and updates, you may have noticed a new trend where many posts about ‘What places to visit’ are replaced with ‘What places not to visit.”
Venice is on every list.
That’s because the 1,700-year-old ‘floating city’ has become a victim of its own popularity and in recent years has suffered from massive overtourism to the point where it doesn’t even have an off-season.
Visiting Venice when busy and crowded is not for the faint of heart and you could easily leave hating the city that you wanted to visit so much.
With an influx of tourists and limited land space, the constant crowds, elbowing your left and right, will undeniably test your patience.
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#2. Best Time To Visit Venice
In short, spring and early autumn are the best times to visit Venice.
But, of course, it depends on your interests.
The Carnival | If you want to experience the Carnival, then the end of February/early March is the best time.
Venice Film Festival | If it’s the Venice Film Festival you are interested in, then you should visit at the end of August/ early September.
Venice is a popular destination to visit all year round with the best weather being from late spring until the end of the summer.
But it’s also when the city is extremely crowded, resulting in long waits to access top sights and attractions as well as sparse accommodation options.
Outside of the peak season, the city will still be busy, but the crowds will be a tad more manageable, and the temperatures will be a little bit cooler.
Given that Venice is a major European cruise port, it is a good idea to check the cruise ship schedule to see how many ships will be docked during your stay.
*Acqua Alta– when planning a trip, keep in mind that Acqua Alta Venice – a high tide seasonal phenomenon that floods the lowest areas of the city – often occurs from late autumn to early spring.
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#3. Spend At Least Two Days In Venice
I’ve been to Venice many times and can say that it’s simply not possible to explore the city on a day trip.
You might be able to visit Piazza San Marco to take a few photos, take in the view from the Rialto Bridge and visit Doge’s Palace to see one of the best examples of Gothic architecture.
But that would only be possible if you have a strategic plan and stick to a strict itinerary with dedicated timeslots, which means you wouldn’t have much time to enjoy the city’s magical appeal.
There’s nothing worse than rushing around trying to squeeze everything in.
I would recommend 3 or 4 days in Venice as this way you’ll have enough time to see the highlights, explore the city in a relaxed mood and even visit surrounding islands like Morano and Burano.
However, if you are short on time, my advice would be – don’t attempt to see all the sites and allow yourself extra time to get from point A to point B.
The crowds in Venice are staggering, the bridges are narrow, and there are so many things to see and do. Pick a few and examine them thoroughly.
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#4. Skip The Line Tickets Are a Must
The entrance lines to the city’s churches and museums are ridiculously long and can take hours. And you can end up spending a fair share of your precious time waiting in lines if you come unprepared.
If you’re visiting a city as beautiful as Venice, you don’t want to be spending most of your time queueing for ‘top attractions’ and guided tours, and you risk missing the essence of Venice.
To avoid wasting time, I would strongly suggest pre-booking skip-the-line tickets to the city’s top attractions.
This way, you get to zip past the crowds and save plenty of time, especially if your time in Venice is limited.
Keep in mind that due to the crowds, it’s not possible to avoid the lines entirely, but you’ll be glad to skip them at least partially.
*Good to Know – to avoid disappointment, you need to follow a precise dress code for some places like the Basilica. Your shoulders, knees and thighs have to be covered
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#5. Don’t Leave Without a Gondola Ride
I was on the fence whether or not I wanted to splurge out for a gondola ride.
If you are dying to go for a quick spin, there are a few things you should know.
First of all, the city of Venice sets official rates for gondola rides, so be prepared to pay 80 euros for 40 minutes and even more for the evening rides and special sunset cruises. Second, agree upon the price and the duration of the trip before you set foot on the boat.
It may seem like a daytime robbery, but if you look into how much a gondola costs to produce, maintain and how rigorous the training is to become a gondolier, you’ll quickly learn why it costs a pretty penny.
If you look past today’s commercial enterprise of the boat business and sink your teeth into the history, you’ll find that only after passing a very demanding, six-month course are gondoliers allowed to operate these black and sleek boats, tastefully decorated, through its crisscrossed myriad of canals.
Plus, you’re in Venice for Christ’s sake…. when are you ever going to get a chance to go on a gondola again?
If you can’t afford a gondola ride, don’t worry, as a somewhat great alternative to Venetian Gondolas is to take the Water Bus down the entire length of the Grand Canal.
Just pick a seat and take in the views of beautifully decaying facades. You can listen to the singing gondoliers and capture your surroundings.
*Fun Fact – Today, these floating symbols of Venice are approximately 35 feet long, weigh 1,100 lbs, have 280 components and use eight types of wood. They cost a staggering 30,000 EUR and lasted for about 20 years.
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#6. Be a Respectful Visitor
Don’t be spooked, but instead, before you go, do some research regarding local customs on how to dress, tip and behave in public.
Remember that actual rules and fines have been introduced for visitors to Venice, ranging from 40 -240 euros!
So, don’t switch your brain off once you leave home, but mind your surroundings and be respectful of other people. after all, travel is more about learning and growing as a person and not so much about taking selfies and collecting likes on Instagram and other social media platforms.
On top of that, stay away from McDonald’s (why would you travel to Italy and end up with BigMac in your hands in the first place?), savour local cuisine and support local restaurants, keep politics at home, don’t pose on the bridges for too long and don’t leave the trash behind.
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#7. How to get to Venice
Plenty of budget airlines from Ireland, the UK and the rest of Europe offer direct flights to Venice. Remember that Ryanair actually lands at Treviso airport, which is about an hour’s bus ride from Venice.
The Venice Marco Polo Airport and Treviso Airport are the closest ones to the historic centre, and you’ll need to use the water taxi, public or shuttle bus to get farther into the city.
You can use the following airports, too:
Quite a lot of people arrive in Venice by train because Italian cities like Verona, Milan, Florence and Rome are all well connected to the Venezia-St.Lucia station.
If you choose to travel by train, keep in mind that there are two train stations in Venice: Venezia-Mestre and Venezia-Stazione-Santa Lucia.
As you may know, Venice is surrounded by water, and the only way of getting around is on foot or by using water buses and taxis. Do your research before regarding schedules, times and prices.
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#8. Finding the Best Neighbourhood for Your Stay in Venice
Venice is not a cheap place to stay. Even a room at a 3-star hotel can cost you over 150 Euros
We booked the beautifully presented Ca’ Nigra Lagoon Resort, dating back to the 17th century, located 100 m from Santa Lucia train station and didn’t have to carry luggage too far, didn’t have to pay for a water taxi and all the significant sites were within easy reach.
If you are scratching your head and don’t know where to book accommodation, then scroll through its neighbourhoods and find the best to suit your needs.
Venice is divided into six districts: Castello, San Polo, Cannaregio, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce and San Marco.
If time is crucial and you prefer to be very close to all the notable attractions and most famous sights, then book one of the elegant hotels or chick boutiques around Saint Marcus Square as it is the most central location in Venice.
Prices will be much higher than anywhere else, but Doges Palace, St. Marks Basilica and the Bell Tower are close by and where else can you splurge and feel entirely pampered if not in Venice?
Budget travellers can stay in one of the incredible Venetian hostels.
- We Crociferi Built inside a renovated 12th-century monastery the hostel is based in the Cannaregio district of Venice.
- Generator Venice Hostel is situated on the shores of Giudecca Island, and you can choose from private rooms that suit traditional shared dormitory rooms.
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#9. Learn the beauty of doing nothing
Although we both love planning and lining up the sites to see (usually as many as possible) while in Venice, we took a different approach and borrowed a suggestion from the Italian concept—the beauty of doing nothing!
Photographed and featured about a million times on different media platforms, with its painted and repainted facades, Venice really is a unique and characteristic place to visit and can become an unforgettable experience, especially if you visit on your own terms.
Instead of rushing off to St.Mark’s Square or Piazza San Marco, the very core of the tourist gathering point, we spent a great deal of the day at leisure in hushed alleyways near our hotel and embarked on the surface as the sun was vanishing behind the ginger rooftops.
The city is truly a magical and quiet place at night after day-trippers return to cruise ships and the mainland, leaving more room to breathe. Much to our delight, the moon appeared and serenaded our patience, tossing vibrant shadows over mallow canal waters.
It wasn’t easy to leave this place; each corner represented a new discovery, and each bridge led us deeper into the wonderland.
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Other Useful Tips and Hints for Visiting Venice
- Wear comfortable walking shoes (I can’t emphasise this enough) and buy a good map as the tourist offices don’t provide free maps to tourists.
- Don’t eat in a restaurant with menus translated into six languages, where food is overpriced and served without much care. Do your research beforehand or go on a Cicchetti Tour of Venice.
- Visit Venice during the world-famous Carnival, which takes place annually. Admire extravagant costumes, fireworks, and musical performances on display or even dress up yourself and attend one of the glamorous Venetian balls.
- Brush up on your Italian. Just a few simple phrases will go a long way. Gracie – Thank you. Per favour – Please. Buongiorno! – Hello and Good morning!
- Pack light. Due to the limited modes of transport, you’ll need to carry your luggage on and off boats, as well as by foot if you’re not dropped right in front of your hotel.
- Know Your Watercraft Options. There are four different types of watercraft to choose from – motoscafo, traghetto, gondola and vaporetto.
- Never swim in the Venetian Canals as it goes against Venetian decorum.
- Bring a Reusable Water Bottle – Venice is dotted with many drinking fountains offering cold water to both residents and visitors of the city.
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Now, over to you!
Have you been to Venice? Do you have any tips for visiting? Let us know in the comments below!
Let us know if you are plotting a visit to Venice and have travel-related questions!
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