21 Essential Venice Tips: Your Local Guide to a Stress-Free Vacation

Are you dreaming of a Venice city break or even a more extended holiday to see all the attractions in Venice? Among those things to do in Venice, there are also things you need to know and other things to avoid to do in Venice or, if you want to call it, mistakes that first-time travelers make when visiting the famous city of La Serenissima.

One of the things that I never forget to do before leaving for a trip is to check the essential tips to visit my destination and what things are better to avoid doing to ensure that my holiday will be a success and not a failure. Still, I inevitably find something new when I am at my destination. I created this list for you, my dear traveler friend, to ensure you will have a wonderful time in Venice.

So follow my advice, and you will be more than okay. Your Venetian holiday will be such a fantastic experience that you wish to return one day.

How long should I stay in Venice?

I advise you to stay at least four full days in Venice. There are so many things to do in Venice and places to see. There are famous museums and palaces like the Doge’s Palace, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and La Biennale (see my articles about the best museums in Venice).

There are so many stunning churches and cathedrals that you won’t regret, I promise you. !

21 Things to Don’t Do in Venice

1. Don’t go to Venice for only one day:

It might seem small, but trust me, there are so many things to see in Venice that one day is not enough. The fantastic churches, picture-perfect little alleys, bridges, historical buildings, art museums, and famous Islands. You will see only a little tiny part of it in one day. 

So please plan to have more days to explore every corner of Venice and all its attractions. It deserves your time and attention. 

2. Don’t limit your visit to only the main island:

There is so much to see in Venice that staying and visiting only the main island would be a shame. 

Venice is not only a big group of islands (118 tiny islands form the main one, with 435 bridges and 176 canals); there are also Murano, Burano, Torcello, San Michele e Sant’Erasmo’s Island. Murano and Burano are the most visited, but the others deserve a visit if you have more time to explore.

See my Top Islands to Visit in Venice.

Heads up! Do you want to know more about Venice? Check out my “How to Plan a Trip to Venice” and all my posts to visit Venice to get all the info to make your travel successful. 

3. Don’t forget to bring a map with you:

The main island of Venice is quite extensive. There are many museums to visit, perfect picture spots for your Facebook or Instagram account, famous buildings, churches, handmade souvenir shops, and don’t forget typical cuisine restaurants. 

Plan your visit by adding everything you don’t want to miss to a map. This is the best way to see everything Venice offers without forgetting what you have planned to visit.

4. Don’t have an overplanned itinerary. Get Lost!

As I said in tip 3, having an itinerary with everything you want to see is excellent, but please don’t plan to explore Venice in just one day. It is impossible, and you won’t enjoy it at all! You will end up just running, trying to see everything, without enjoying your holiday. 

So plan a day when you can stop for a more extended lunch, take the same picture 10 times because you are trying to make it perfect and get lost exploring this beautiful city. Don’t plan a too straight itinerary. If you see an exciting alley, don’t be afraid to explore it because even in the smallest passages, you can find an incredible picture spot.

If you are a female solo traveler, please avoid exploring narrow alleys at night. Venice is not always safe at night.

Heads up! Forget Doge’s Palace lines & airport stress! The Venice Discovery Pass whisks you in style (& skips queues) with an airport boat transfer, Doge’s Palace fast track, Vaporetto pass & more! It’s like a magic carpet for organized princesses (and okay, maybe a few clumsy princes, too ) – explore stress-free & live your Venetian daydream!

5. Don’t go to Venice between June and September:

Venice can be so hot you will hate to be there during summertime. Imagine walking all day at 40 degrees Celsius in a very crowded city with so many tourists that you cannot take a single picture without people walking in front of you and pushing you. 

You won’t enjoy it at all, so please avoid planning a visit to Venice in the summer.

6. Don’t forget to purchase activity and attractions tickets in advance: 

Traveling can be expensive, but there are many ways to save money and still see and do everything you want. So, I advise you always to check what you wish to see, do it in advance, and purchase the tickets. 

You will always find skip-queue tickets that will allow you to save a lot of time (Venice is a very touristy city, and you can be stuck in a queue for at least one hour waiting to enter a museum or church) and money. 

I always purchase my tickets in advance on GetYourGuide, Tiqets, and Viator.

Do you want to save money in Venice? Check out the Venice Museum Card, which includes visits to Marciana National Library, Palazzo Ducale, the Correr Museum, the Archeological Museum, public transport, and much more.

7. Don’t forget to book a glass factory in advance from a trusted website: 

How you can visit Murano Island and not see the fantastic work behind a glass factory in Venice is a mystery to me. It is an exciting experience. Those glass masters are artists. Seeing how fast and efficiently they can make a horse has been a wonderful experience. 

So please book ahead and avoid joining those “free Murano Glass tours” where they promise to take you to the island for free, to a non-professional glass factory where you will be pushed to make a purchase. 

I booked a Murano Glassblowing and Burano Lacemaking experience, and it was awesome.

Visiting Venice?

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18 Beautiful Places to See in Venice
38 Stunning Hotels in Venice with Canal Views

8. Don’t pack too heavy: 

Of course, many of you want different outfits to look amazing in every picture. Still, unfortunately, Venice doesn’t have regular streets where you can get to your accommodation by taxi or bus.  

You will catch a ferry or a water taxi that will take you to a stop on the central canal, closer to your Hotel. Still, from there you will have to carry your luggage so try to pack light if you can or book accommodation close to the train station as I did so you will have to walk only a few minutes. 

Welcome to my travel guide, my lovely anxious traveler! Want to know who is behind Valentina’s Travel Guide? Let me tell you more about myself.

9. Don’t pay for a Gondola ride on the spot, but book it in advance and save a lot of money:

A romantic and trendy Gondola ride in Venice can cost you 90 euros for as little as 30 minutes if you pay for it on the spot. If you ask for a serenade from your “Gondoliere,” it might cost you double, so if this is an experience you wish to have, don’t wait till the last minute to pay a fortune.

See the fantastic offer I found for you! 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to enjoy a romantic gondola ride where you can take a stunning picture from the Gran Canal for as little as 30 euros for 35 minutes instead of paying 100 euros or more? I’ve got you covered with a fantastic deal.

See the private Gondola ride offer available with your loved one or a friend.

10. Don’t Eat around St. Mark’s Square:

Yes, I know that a picture of you sitting in St. Mark’s Square having an aperitivo will look amazing on your Instagram profile, but be ready to pay a price that won’t be cheap. 

Every place around the central Square is costly, so unless you are willing to pay 12 euros for a coffee (maybe some musician will be playing for you), please avoid eating and drinking there. Far from the Main Square, you can get a delicious Italian coffee for just 1 Euro, so keep your budget in mind.

Venice is beautiful but also a perfect place to taste its region’s delicious food and wine. So Why not have an unforgettable experience to remember for the rest of your life? I have some great ideas for you.

Fancy Wine in Venice?

Have a look at the Venetian Wine Tasting. You won’t have this problem with many different wines because you will try only the best ones!

​If you love cooking like me and are always looking to try different recipes, after testing this fabulous Cooking class and tasting at a Cesarina’s home in Venice, you will feel so satisfied that you will feel like a local.

11. Don’t Dine in a Tourist Trap:

Unfortunately, you will see many tourist traps in a city like Venice, so please be wise and avoid them. You can see if a place is local, like this one in the picture; if it looks old and you see many Italians eating there, it is probably local.

Do your research about where to eat or have a look at my article “Best Local Restaurants in Venice”, where I listed the best places where you can have a delicious Venetian meal, where the locals go, and you won’t be overcharged because you are a tourist.

If you are looking for some places where to have a light lunch or an aperitivo, read my “Complete Guide of Where to Have Lunch in Venice.”

12. Don’t go to eat in an American Restaurant:

I know some young and not-so-young people like to go to McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants, but you are in Venice, one of the most famous cities in Italy, so please be thoughtful and try Venice’s fantastic recipes. 

They won’t serve you frozen or ready-to-eat meals but only fresh fish from the Adriatic Sea. So think about it before ordering a burger with a side of fries (you can eat it at home anytime, but you won’t be able to eat Venetian food at home. Think about that). 

Aren’t you going to feel hungry after walking so much through Venetian Art and Culture? Guess what? I’ve got you covered! Read my article about the delicious foods and drinks to try in Venice to know which delicacies you will enjoy, and then find out the best places to have an aperitivo or light lunch in Venice.

So now you know where to go for a quick and delicious bite between visiting a museum and admiring a church.

Want to become a SUPER-ORGANIZED TRAVELER and fight TRAVEL ANXIETY? Check out my Travel Anxiety Tips Page, where you will find all the help, tips, tricks and guides to plan your next adventure in the most organized way!

13. Don’t cool down your feet in the canal water.

The water already looks brown and unappealing, so if you see some tourists doing that, do a favor for your health and don’t do the same. An estimated 90 % of Venice’s human waste is flushed directly into the city’s canals. A public health study identified the Hepatitis A virus and enteroviruses in 78 % of the channels tested from 2003 to 2005.

Venice’s canal-based sewer system is more than a thousand years old and continues to work well by medieval or pre-Victorian standards. That means (I explain it again to make sure you understand it) bathing your feet in the water canal means you will wash your feet with the pee and poo of millions of tourists. 

Please don’t say that I didn’t warn you then.

Plan Your Vacation in Venice 

Check out all my articles in the “Most Complete Guide of Venice” and get all the information you need to make your next travel successful. 

14. Don’t use public toilets:

It would be best not to use a public toilet for many reasons, but I will tell you only one. In Venice, public toilets cost 2 euros, and who knows how many people use them daily (and how often they clean them). There are so many museums, restaurants and bars where you can go when you can. You can stop for a delicious Italian coffee or a healthy fruit juice in the morning. 

At lunchtime, for example, there are so many “Bacari” (local wine bars) where you can have an authentic Venetian lunch. Aren’t you going to visit a museum? Of course you will and in the afternoon don’t you fancy an Italian ice cream or a coffee? Of course, everybody does when in Italy. 

Do you see it? I have already given you four ideas on how to find a clean and free-of-charge toilet. You are Welcome! 

Venice Budget Tip: Don’t forget that one espresso can cost you as little as 1 euro in a cafe’ far from St Mark’s Square.

Food in Venice?

18 Foods & Drinks to Taste in Venice
5 Amazing Restaurants with a View in Venice

15. Don’t buy cheap and fake Venetian souvenirs made in China. Buy original handmade in Venice:

You will see many street stands and souvenir shops trying to sell you fake stuff, so please keep your eyes open and buy only originals worth the money; you will also help real Venetian artisans. There are so many fantastic handmade Masks of every color and shape.

You can also book a Carnival Mask Workshop, where they will teach you how to make your own Carnival Mask.

Do you like Murano Glass? At one of the official Murano Glass-making demonstrations, you will find many original Murano Glasses to purchase, like jewelry, picture frames, vases, glasses, and other beautiful little accessories that will remind you forever of your wonderful Venetian holiday.

16. Don’t forget a scarf to cover your shoulder during the warm months to visit churches:

Covering your shoulders while visiting a religious building is respectful and good education, so please don’t forget to pack a pashmina. Some places will not allow you to enter.

17. Don’t forget to pack some waterproof shoes:

“Alta marea” (high tide) doesn’t happen very often, and it doesn’t even last for so long. It usually occurs in autumn and winter, and the months with more chances to see high tide are November and December.

If you plan to visit Venice during these months, bring some comfortable, waterproof boots so you can explore without any problems.

18. Don’t forget you will walk a lot:

Venice is more significant than you think. There are many bridges to cross, and no taxis or buses like in any other city. In Venice, the only transport you will find are ferries and water taxis, and they only move up and down the Grand Canal and around the island (don’t forget Venice is a big island made of hundreds of little islands connected by bridges).

So, be prepared to walk all day, wear comfortable shoes, drink plenty of water, and take thousands of stunning pictures.

Want to say Thank You?

Finding all my free tips & info useful and want to thank me for them?
Doing it in the Italian way by buying me a coffee ⤵️

19. Don’t block the passage on the street:

Remember that Venice streets are primarily narrow alleys and little streets on the side of a canal. If you visit during the high season, you will find walking difficult among many tourists. 

So, do not stop in the middle; find a place where you are not blocking the passage. Most importantly, if it is crowded and you are walking on a canal-side street, walk in line and close to the wall. Too many tourists end up in the dirty canals because too many people walk on a narrow street, and everybody is pushing to pass through.

Visiting Venice?

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10 Picturesque Bridges in Venice
17 Most Visited Museums in Venice

20. Take off your backpack on the Vaporetto (ferry):

Unless you visit Venice from November to March (much quieter), Vaporetto (ferry) tends to get very crowded. So, remove your backpack, leave more room for other people, and avoid hurting someone with it because you keep turning around to look outside of the window.

21. If you are a man, don’t remove your t-shirt:

Even if you are a woman. I know Venice can be so hot during summer you wish to jump into the canal (please don’t do it; the water is a mix of sewage and other stuff). But walking top-less is forbidden. And it doesn’t change if you are a man.

So keep your T-shirt on; I know it is hot, but I told you to avoid visiting Venice during summertime. Next time, please listen to me; I give you advice for your good.

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