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Julia Buckley is a travel writer based between Venice and the UK, who previously lived in Venice and a number of other Italian cities. She has written for Sunday Times Travel, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, CNN Travel, and was the Assistant Editor at Hotel Chatter.
Ignore Venice’s somewhat stuffy reputation - this is a place to live the good life. Think art, architecture and (of course) the Aperol Spritz, and you’ve got Venice. It’s busy, obviously, but most people are there to see St Mark’s and the Rialto Bridge. To avoid the crowds, you just need to know the right spots. A whopping 118 islands linked by over 400 bridges make up the centre of Venice, so there is a whole lot to explore - and that’s where we come in. Maybe you just want to get lost in the narrow calli, sit canalside with cicchetti (Venice’s famous finger food) hearing the slap-slap of the water, or wander the Biennale gardens. Maybe you’re coming for the art – Renaissance maestros and modern marvels are all covered here. Maybe you’re here to party like it’s 1699 at Carnevale, or maybe you just want to get away from it all, and hit the outer islands of the lagoon. Whatever you’re into, here are the best things to do in Venice, by a local. RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best Venice restaurants🏘️ Where to stay in Venice🍷 The best bars in Venice🏨 The best hotels in Venice🛏️ The best Airbnbs in Venice Julia Buckley is a travel writer based in Venice. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
It’s no secret that there are a hell of a lot of tourist traps in Venice. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up spending half your earnings on a bowl of simple pasta and a glass of wine, and leave saying atrocities like ‘Venice is great, but the food wasn’t that good’. This, dear friends, is a fatal error when visiting the city. What you need is a local to show you the ropes. Someone who’s been here long enough to know the spots no one else does. And that’s where we come in. The spots on our list are delicious, varied and they won’t break the bank (and the ones that do are actually worth it). Here is our local’s guide to the best restaurants in Venice. RECOMMENDED:🏘️ Where to stay in Venice📍 The best things to do in Venice🏺 The best museums in Venice🏛️ The best attractions in Venice This guide was recently updated by Julia Buckley, a travel writer based between Venice and the UK. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.