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Gondolas and palazzi along the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge, Venice

No. 30 Top 100 City Destinations 2025

Venice

Italy

A city of canals, palazzi and lagoon islands, with Byzantine mosaics and Venetian painting.

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Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Venice is No. 30 in Euromonitor International's Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025. Built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon at the head of the Adriatic, it was for centuries the capital of a great maritime republic. Venice and its Lagoon have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

There are no cars: people travel on foot along narrow lanes and over bridges, or by boat along the canals. On certain peak days, day-trippers must pay an access fee; check the city's official site before you go.

Piazza San Marco with St Mark's Basilica and the campanile, Venice
Piazza San Marco with St Mark's Basilica and the campanile, Venice. Photo: This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message. This image is not in the public, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Best time to go

April to June and September to October are the best months. Carnival, in the weeks before Lent (usually February), is famous but very crowded.

Summer is hot and busy. From autumn to early spring, acqua alta (high tides) can flood low-lying areas such as St Mark's Square; the MOSE flood barriers now protect the city from the highest tides.

Top sights

  • 1

    St Mark's Basilica

    The Byzantine-style basilica glitters with gold-ground mosaics. Book a timed entry slot in high season.

  • 2

    Doge's Palace In our Top 100 Museums

    The Gothic palace of the Venetian Republic's rulers, with grand council chambers and the Bridge of Sighs.

  • 3

    Grand Canal

    Ride vaporetto line 1 along the city's main waterway for views of palazzi from every century.

  • 4

    Rialto Bridge

    The 16th-century stone bridge over the Grand Canal, beside the Rialto fish and produce markets.

  • 5

    Gallerie dell'Accademia

    The great collection of Venetian painting, with works by Bellini, Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese.

  • 6

    Peggy Guggenheim Collection

    20th-century art in the American collector's former home on the Grand Canal.

  • 7

    Murano and Burano

    Lagoon islands known for glassmaking (Murano) and brightly painted houses and lace (Burano), reached by vaporetto.

Getting there

Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is on the mainland. Buses run to Piazzale Roma in about 20–30 minutes, and Alilaguna water buses run to stops in the historic centre.

Trains arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia station on the Grand Canal, with high-speed services from Milan, Florence and Rome. Make sure your ticket is for Santa Lucia, not Venezia Mestre on the mainland.

Getting around

Walking is the main way to get around, and getting lost is part of the experience. Vaporetti (water buses) run by ACTV serve the Grand Canal and the islands; travel passes are cheaper than single tickets.

Traghetti (gondola ferries) cross the Grand Canal at a few points for a small fare.

Practical tips

Currency
Euro (EUR). Cards, including contactless, are accepted almost everywhere.
Language
Italian. English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
Local rules
Swimming in the canals and sitting or eating on monuments and bridges are banned, and fines apply. On access-fee days, day-trippers must book and pay online.
Safety
Venice is generally safe; watch for pickpockets in crowds and on vaporetti. The emergency number is 112.
Visa & entry
Italy is in the Schengen Area. Many visitors, including citizens of the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) now records non-EU travellers' entries and exits at the border, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is due to follow. Check the official EU site travel-europe.europa.eu and your own government's travel advice before you go.
Power
230 V, 50 Hz; plug types C, F and L.

Official information: Venezia Unica (official city tourism and transport website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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