"No matter how far you travel, or however many far flung corners of the earth you explore, you will never find another city quite like Venice."
Glide around its intricate waterways and interlacing canals in a romantic gondola, and you'll be entranced by the procession of unbearably picturesque villas, bridges, waterside restaurants, churches and palaces. Mellow terracotta combines with plasterwork faded to the colour of soft fruit; apricot, peach, avocado and nectarine. Walk over the Bridge of Sighs and you may well find yourself doing exactly that, sighing in delight. The view is not one you can easily walk away from, and it is only the exquisite Doge's Palace that draws you to the other side. Built in the 14th century, this magnificent building is a Gothic kaleidoscope of crenulations as delicate as lace, rich pink marble and perfectly proportioned colonnades. Originally the residence of the dukes of Venice, the palace now houses priceless Tintoretto and Veronese masterpieces. Step back out into the sunlight of St Marks Square and you'll be presented with living art. A breathtakingly bold campanile fights an ornate Byzantine-style basilica for your attention whilst, all around you, the square buzzes with a passing parade of stylishly-dressed Venetians. Stand on the Rialto, overlooking the Grand Canal and you'll understand the inspiration that moved Canaletto – himself a native Venetian – to create so many major works of art. Yet, brilliant though his paintings are, they never quite prepare you for the vivacity, or the subtlety of the scene. If you're tempted by Venice, remember one thing. Give yourself plenty of time – you'll always wish you had just two more days. Or three, or….
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Venice hotels and apartments
Our hotels and apartments in Venice include Venice Twin Centres.
More Italian Cities holiday destinations
Looking for holidays in Italian Cities? Our Italian Cities holiday destinations include Rome and Venice.
Beaches
While Venice is undeniably the main draw, visitors also flock to the Venetian Riviera to enjoy the sun-baked beaches of nearby Venice Lido and Lido di Jesolo. Venice Lido's slender shores serve as the city's beach resort. While the sea and sand offer a welcome respite from the city, staying here can prove costly - a hangover from the days when it was one the world's most fashionable holiday resorts. By contrast, the purpose-built resort of Lido di Jesolo, over on the Italian mainland, offers wider beaches which melt into the sapphire waters of the Adriatic. Colourful parasols and sunbeds line the 15 kilometre sandy sweep that stretches along the full length of the resort. Made up of clean, golden sands, Lido di Jesolo's beach gently shelves into the sea, making it ideal for bathing. If you tire of topping up your tan, you can try the many aquatic activities on offer including windsurfing.
Eating out
From cosy family-run trattorie to sophisticated ristoranti, you'll have no trouble finding somewhere to eat in Venice. Unsurprisingly pasta, pizza and ice-cream are on offer at every turn. The Adriatic offers up a wide selection of seafood and so fresh fish dishes can be found on most restaurant menus - try brodo di pesce, a type of fish soup infused with saffron, or spaghetti alle vongole, pasta with clams flavoured with a spicy chilli-pepper sauce. Along with pasta and fish, the northeast of Italy is also rather partial to polenta, made from maize flour, and risotto, the famous Italian rice dish. Risotto comes in a variety of forms such as the staple risi e bisi, rice with peas and bacon, or the startling risotto alle seppe, rice coloured black with cuttlefish ink. Desserts are just as tempting. Tiramisu, literally meaning 'pick me up', is perhaps Italy's most famous sweet and is a rich blend of light marscarpone cheese and sponge fingers soaked in coffee and dusted with chocolate powder. The Veneto also produces large quantities of good quality wines, including the well-known white variety of suave and sparkling prosecco. Of course, Italy is also famous for its ice-cream so why not indulge yourself and treat your taste buds to a scoop or two of delicious tutti-frutti in one of the many ice-cream parlours? Salute e buon appetito!
Nightlife
On balmy summer evenings, Venice bustles with people enjoying leisurely al fresco meals and fine wines. Of course, Venice is the perfect place for romance - wander arm in arm through this beautifully illuminated city and listen to the orchestras fill the night air with music in St Mark's Square or drift along the canals on an intimate gondola ride. Venice is also home to a good number of late night bars, jazz clubs and discos, although, in keeping with the look and feel of Venice, these tend to be quite discrete and hidden away. It's a different story on the mainland, however. As the sun sets, Lido di Jesolo erupts into a riot of neon as the resort's many cocktail, disco and piano bars come to life. Whether your idea of a perfect evening is sipping a cappuccino in a piazza or dancing the night away under a glitter ball, Lido di Jesolo has something to suit everybody's tastes.
Shopping
Shops and boutiques galore line the labyrinthine streets of Venice. There are countless designer fashion stores selling the latest Milan trends and endless shops offering imaginative variations on Venetian glass. For a real slice of Italian life take a walk over the famous Rialto Bridge to the nearby food market where you'll come face to face with crates piled with polished aubergines, sun-ripened courgettes and plump vine tomatoes. While in Venice it's well worth taking a trip out to the nearby islands of Murano and Burano. Set adrift in the Venetian Lagoon, these legendary isles are a joy to behold. Since the 13th-century, Murano has been the centre of the Venetian glass industry and you can view the centuries-old methods of glassblowing at a factory and perhaps even buy a couple of the sparkling creations as souvenirs or presents. Neighbouring Burano is a vibrant patchwork of brightly-coloured houses and is renowned for its lace. Lido di Jesolo, meanwhile, boasts a great shopping strip which extends for about 10km along the resort and plays host to designer boutiques and jewellers as well as handicraft and bucket and spade shops.
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