Anna Venice is a popular day trip but I think this city is best discovered slowly. Venice spans over 100 islands, but it’s small and one can walk the entire length in about an hour. That is unless you get lost — and you probably will, because the city is a maze-but that’s one of the best ways to see the city. Once you wander away from the main tourist attractions (centered around Piazza San Marco), the “side streets”, or canals are so quiet and calm.
I love wandering aimlessly along the smaller canals. They’re so pretty, with their blue-green water lapping the stone embankments and a lazy Gondolas meandering by. It’s so serene, it’s no wonder that the city is nicknamed La Serenissima.
I recommend taking a stroll around the winding canals and taking in the details of the buildings, their windows, balconies, and courtyards, the bridges and storefronts. Enjoy the residential areas and get a sense of how people live in Venice.
Every corner has something to see, there is SO much history packed each neighborhood. For example, the Jewish quarter has one of the oldest ghettos. I love that random buildings have super-ornate facades- these are usually old homes of merchants, who used to conduct business from their house so they had to be distinguished.
Check out the flooded crypts of San Zaccaria
San Zaccaria is an old church with an eponymous piazza and vaporetto stop. It’s close to several main attractions, but garners much less foot traffic than the heavy hitters like S. Marco and Santa Maria della Salute. However, this church does not disappoint. It has a beautiful facade and an impressive interior, with elaborate altarpiece under soaring rondelle windows and a swooping frescoed dome. However, what’s really interesting about this church is that it has permanently flooded crypts that are still open to the public.
Visit Burano and Murano Island
One thing I find sort of ironic is that Venice catches some shade for being too busy and crowded. But this isn’t exactly true– it’s only crowded around the most popular attractions. I.e. Piazza San Marco at noon. However, the lagoon has so many small islands, and many travelers don’t take advantage or this space and sadly miss out an authentic Venetian experience as a result. I implore you to seek out the other islands.
Burano Island is an old fishermen’s village located on a small island in the Venetian lagoon. It’s about an hour boat ride from the main part of the city. One can reach it by the vaporetto, the water buses that are part of the public transport system, and therefore very affordable. N.B. vaporettos are different from the expensive water taxis. The village is known for its brightly colored houses and its traditional lacemaking. One can observe a lacemaking demonstration from the local craftswomen. It’s a quite island; much smaller than the main counterpart, so taking a stroll around the tiny canals to check out the unique and picturesque views from the bridges is a peaceful way to pass the time here. However, there’s plenty of small restaurants here, where you can try authentic Venetian cuisine like risotto made with squid ink, or tiramisu, which also originated in this region. Trattoria Da Romano is a notable, famous restaurant on Burano that I covered in: The best foods to try in Venice, Italy.
On the way to Burano, the vaporettos drive right by Murano island, which is closer to the main part of Venice and also much better know. Murano is famous for glass-blowing and production, an industry that made the Republic of Venice a European powerhouse. The island is so interesting and integral to the history and culture of this region. Therefore, this is a highly recommended tourist destination. Yet, the island feels and looks a lot like a mini version of Venice. Burano is a little further off the beaten path. Both islands can be toured in the same day, either in a guided tour or on your own.
Check out the Island of San Servolo
Speaking of other small islands, don’t miss San Servolo. It’s tiny, but island has an exciting history. Long story short, the island was used as an INSANE ASYLUM. Now the site houses a museum that highlights the stories of the patients at the psychiatric hospital, complete with a display of real human skulls and preserved brains. The island also has a restaurant, lush gardens, and a small church- it’s frequently used as a setting for academic courses and conferences. This island is easily accessible by vaporetto, but the museum has fairly limited hours, so plan our visit accordingly.
Classy Cocktails with a Luxury View at Arts bar
This trendy cocktail bar is also an immersive art experience. It’s located in part of the famous St. Regis Hotel. It serves up performative craft cocktails (think smoking beverages under glass domes). The drinks are served in Murano glass vessels made distinctly for the cocktail they hold. Each cocktail tells a story- and is served with a print of a famous art piece with notes detailing how the drink embodies the masterpiece. There’s also live music and food.
Admire the coolest bookstore in the world: Libreria Acqua Alta
This charming bookstore is so unique. Acqua alta literally means high water, and is a reference to the seasonal high tides that inundate and damage the city: I.e. lower floors of apartment buildings, crypts, city squares, and of course bookstores. To mitigate the risk of soggy books, the volumes are stacked in protective waterproof containers. For example, there’s an ACTUAL GONDOLA in the store full of books (🤩). There are stacks of books everywhere, aligning the courtyard, and the alleyway and stacked on the back patio, making a staircase that leads to the top of the canal. This was once a “hidden gem” of Venice, but now that the secret’s out, this place can draw quite a crowd. If it is busy, one can still appreciate the whimsical decor and grab photos. However, sometimes at peak volume, it’s a little hard to actually browse. So, if you want to shop, avoid midday.
Secretly the best view in Venice: T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi
This is an upper scale department store with a public rooftop terrace. You can obtain an entrance ticket for a designated time slot to enjoy a break on the terrace to soak up views of the grand canal, Rialto Bridge, and terra cotta roofs as far as the eye can see. Well, at least 3km because Venice is actually a tiny city. The store can be found right at the foot of the Rialto bridge.
I hope you enjoyed these suggestions give you an idea of some cool things to explore in Venice. There are so many hidden gems and treasures to find around the city. Once you break away from the beaten path of the popular tourist attractions, you’ll be rewarded with a wildly different, intriguing and fulfilling Venetian experience.
Thank you for reading and I hope you found these suggestions useful. If you’ve been to Venice and have more suggestions for cool hidden gems, I’d love to hear about them!
