Venice Travel Guide

Don't just stick to the tried, true and obvious. Sure, the Basilica di San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Gallerie dell'Accademia are all important. But 'lesser' sights like Ca' Rezzonico, Ca' Pesaro, the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and Arsenale all give special insight into the city.

A city for meanderers, Venice rewards every minute devoted to penetrating its cat's cradle of intertwined lanes. And while millions stream into this tiny city, it's easy enough to find peace and discover the extraordinary: after all, barely a building here isn't a unique monument of some sort. Parts of the Cannaregio, Dorsoduro and Castello sestieri (districts) are near empty of tourists. Lose yourself in the labyrinth - that's part of the fun!

The city's busiest times are between May and September, Christmas and New Year, during Carnevale (February) and at Easter, but it is always a good idea to make a hotel booking in advance.

Venice is relatively safe, but do beware of pickpockets

EU citizens do not need a visa to enter Italy. Nationals of some other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and the USA, do not need visas for stays of up to 90 days in Italy, or in any Schengen country. Italy is one of the 15 signatories of the Schengen Convention, an agreement whereby participating countries abolished customs checks at common borders. The Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

The standard tourist visa for a Schengen country is valid for up to 90 days. As a rule, a Schengen visa issued by one Schengen country is valid for travel in other Schengen countries, although it's always worth checking as individual countries may impose additional restrictions on certain nationalities. You must apply for a Schengen visa in your country of residence and you can apply for no more than two in any 12-month period. They are not renewable inside Italy.

Technically all foreign visitors to Italy are supposed to register with the local police within eight days of arrival. However, if you're staying in a hotel you don't need to bother as the hotel does this for you - this is why they always take your passport details.

Rivoalto (later contracted to Rialto), the highest spot in the collection of islets that formed the nucleus of the lagoon city, was one of the areas of first settlement - although the more active part was initially on the San Marco side of the bridge. The San Polo side slowly gained the ascendance and became the centre of trade and banking for the Republic. This is where dosh traded hands, voyages were bankrolled, insurance was arranged and news (or gossip) was exchanged.

Napoleon dubbed it the 'finest drawing room in Europe', and visitors and pigeons alike have been flocking here for centuries to strut and crow. There is a constant carnival atmosphere thanks to the cacophony of duelling cafe orchestras, cooing pigeons, and constant traffic of waiters serving alfresco diners.

St Mark's is one of the most spectacular houses of worship in the world, attesting to the Venetian Republic's former maritime and commercial might. Adorned with an incredible array of plundered treasures, it is a seething mass of domes and arches. The dress code requires knees, shoulders and upper arms be covered.

The Basilica di San Marco is at once a remarkable place of worship and a singular declaration of commercial-imperial might. Building work on the first chapel to honour the freshly arrived corpse of St Mark began in 828, but the result disappeared in a fire in 932. The next version was demolished when, in 1063, Doge Domenico Contarini decided it was poor in comparison to grander Romanesque churches in mainland cities.

Welcome to the command centre of the Venetian Republic. The Doge's Palace, a rare example of civil Venetian Gothic, was home to the doge (duke) and all arms of government, including prisons, for much of the thousand or so years of the Republic. Two magnificent Gothic facades in white Istrian stone and pink Veronese marble face Piazzetta San Marco.

This fine baroque mansion is considered one of the most important on the Grand Canal, started by Longhena and completed in 1710 by Gaspari. Since 1902 it has housed the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, a broad collection that includes pieces by De Chirico, Miró, Chagall, Kandinsky, Klee, Klimt, Moore and others.

This superb 17th- to 18th-century mansion, facing the Grand Canal, is the Museum of the 18th Century. Designed by Longhena and completed in the 1750s by Massari, it was home to several notables over the years, including the poet Robert Browning, who died here. The grand residence holds a collection of 18th-century art and furniture, and provides a rare insight into how the Venetian nobility lived towards the end of La Serenissima.

Long the parish church of the German community related to the nearby Fondaco dei Tedeschi, the church has undergone numerous reincarnations. Evidence suggests there was a church on this spot in the 9th century, but what you see today is the result of reworking in the wake of the building of the Ponte di Rialto and later changes. Much of the artwork inside is signed by Palma il Giovane.

Rome is an easy place to get to. It's served by direct flights from across the world and hundreds of European connections. Once you're in the city, there's a comprehensive public transport system which makes getting around pretty simple.

Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano (ACTV; 041 24 24) local buses leave from the bus station on Piazzale Roma for surrounding areas, including Mestre and Chioggia.

ATVO (Azienda Trasporti Veneto Orientale operates buses to destinations all over the eastern Veneto. A handful of other companies have the occasional service to more-distant locations but, for most places in Italy, the train is an easier option. Tickets and information are available at the ticket office on Piazzale Roma.

The congested A4 connects Trieste with Turin, passing through Mestre (and hence Venice). Take the Venezia exit and follow the signs. From the south, take the A13 from Bologna, which connects with the A4 at Padua.

Once over the Ponte della Libertà bridge from Mestre, cars must be left at one of the car parks on Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto. You will pay €20 or more for every 24 hours. Parking stations in Mestre are cheaper.

The car-rental companies listed here all have offices on Piazzale Roma, as well as at Marco Polo airport. Several companies operate in or near Mestre train station too.

Venice's Stazione di Santa Lucia is linked by train to Padua (€2.70 to €10, 30 to 40 minutes, three or four each hour), Verona (€6.10 to €14, 1¼ to 2¼ hours, two each hour). Regular trains race further afield to Milan (€24, three hours), Bologna (€8.20 to €21, one hour 20 minutes to two hours 10 minutes), Florence (€15.90 to €30, three to four hours) and many other cities. You can also reach Venice by rail from major points in France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia.

Minoan Lines and Anek run regular ferries to Venice from Greece. Venezia Lines runs high-speed boats to and from Croatia in summer.

Venice's modern Marco Polo airport is12 km outside Venice and just east of Mestre. Some flights, notably Ryanair's budget services, use the minuscule San Giuseppe airport about 5 km southwest of Treviso and 30km (about an hour's drive through traffic) from Venice. Airport bus services link both airports with Venice and Mestre, and the Alilaguna fast ferry runs from Marco Polo airport.

The service charge might be included in restaurants although it is customary to leave a tip (5 to 10%).

GMT/UTC plus one hour (Central European time).

Metric

Daylight Saving Start: Last Sunday in March
Daylight Saving End: Last Sunday in October

220V 50Hz

Local area code: 041

Official: Italian

Euro (€)