Discover Forte dei Marmi's hidden gems: insider tips from a local
October 20, 2025
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There is so much fun to do in Venice, the unique city known for its iconic canals and bridges. But its history, culture and architecture are also admirable. Venice is built on a group of 118 small islands, most of which are connected by bridges. Unfortunately, Venice is a sinking city (it sinks about 1 mm per year). All the more reason to visit Venice while you still can. These are the best things to do in Venice!
Basilica di San Marco
Basilica di San Marco is the largest cathedral in Venice and is located in the very famous St. Mark's Square. It was built around 1060 and both the exterior and interior, with all the marble and beautiful mosaics, are incredibly impressive. For only €3 per person you can go inside to admire all the splendor.
Campanile
Next to the Basilica di San Marco you will find the Campanile, a 98.5-meter bell tower that you can climb for €10 per person. The bell tower is the highest point in Venice and from the top you have a beautiful and wide view of the city.
Giardini Reali
If you want a break from all the hustle and bustle of St. Mark's Square, head to the park Giardini Reali. This hidden gem can be found right behind St. Mark's Square and has not yet been discovered by the masses. Relax here on a bench, take a walk through the park or enjoy a delicious lunch or cup of coffee at Illy Caffè.
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
Visit this octagonal Baroque church from the 17th century, where you can see works by painters Tintoretto and Titian. After your visit, take the troghetto boat to St. Mark's Square. Tip: Across the street, you can board a troghetto for a short and inexpensive gondola experience.
Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
This small palazzo built in the 15th century for the Contarini family is somewhat tucked away in a quiet street. The property has a beautiful spiral staircase. For €8 per person, you can visit this palazzo and climb the spiral staircase for a beautiful view of the city. Book your ticket, via this website, in advance online as you must reserve a time slot.
Fondaco dei Tedeschi
Another cool viewpoint in Venice can be found on the rooftop terrace of Fondaco dei Tedeschi shopping center. The view of Canal Grande is really beautiful and what makes this even more fun is that it's free. By the way, you have to book a time slot in advance via this website.
Libreria Acqua Alta
The bookstore Libreria Acqua Alta offers a unique shopping experience and has several fun corners for taking photos. For example, do you want a photo in a gondola but don't want to spend money on this? Then you can step into a gondola on the canal here for that unique photo. In addition, in the back of the store you'll find a staircase made of books that I'm sure you've seen past several times. As a cat lover, you'll also get your money's worth here, as they have several pet cats roaming around, purring in the sun and waiting to be petted.
Pier at Hotel San Moise
Venice has many beautiful piers, but you'll find the most beautiful one right next to Hotel San Moise. Get a pizza and something to drink in advance and take some time to sit here for an hour, watching and waving at the gondolas passing by.
Santa Maria dei Miracoli
The church Santa Maria dei Miracoli was built in the 15th century and is located in my favorite neighborhood Cannaregio. The church itself is not very special, but the neighborhood and the squares around it are beautiful and wonderfully peaceful. Sit at one of the terraces on the Campo Santa Maria Nova for a coffee or Aperol Spritz and enjoy the peace and quiet.
The bridges of Venice
Venice, of course, is known for the many bridges that connect the multiple islets. In total, more than 400 bridges can be found in this city. To walk them all is a bit ambitious, so here are the bridges that are really worth a visit:
Ponte dei Sospiri
Also known as the "Bridge of Sighs. Built between 1600 and 1603, this bridge served as a transition between the Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) and the Prigioni Nuove prison. The name "Bridge of Sighs" is a reference to the sigh the prisoners uttered as they walked across this bridge to the prison. From the adjacent bridge Ponte della Paglia, you have a view of Canal Grande on one side, and the Ponte dei Sospiri on the other.
Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge is one of the four bridges over Grand Canal. This bridge was built in 1591 and is the oldest of the four. On the bridge you will find several stores. For a photo with this beautiful, white bridge in the background, walk to the pier at the bottom of the bridge.
Ponte Chiodo
The Ponte Chiodo is the only bridge in Venice without railings. It is somewhat secluded in the Cannaregio neighborhood that is not much visited, but well worth walking through. As mentioned earlier, this is my favorite neighborhood in Venice.
Ponte di San Pantalon
If you are an art lover, a visit to this bridge is a must. In fact, next to this bridge you will find a real Banksy artwork called "The Migrant Child.
Ponte degli Scalzi
Ponte degli Scalzi, like the Rialto Bridge, runs across Canal Grande. The bridge offers great views of the city and connects the Santa Croce and Cannaregio neighborhoods.
Ponte dell'Accademia
Built in 1984, this wooden bridge is also one of the four bridges that cross Canal Grande. It connects the districts of San Marco and Dorsoduro. From this bridge, in my opinion, you have the best view of Venice and it is therefore a popular photo spot. In fact, from here you look out on the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, which is a truly spectacular view.
Bonus tips to do in Venice
Here are a few additional tips for when you visit Venice for an extended period of time.
- Take a day trip to the colorful island of Burano. This island can be reached by line 12 Vaporetto and the trip there takes about an hour.
- Get lost on purpose! My suggestion is to do this in the Cannaregio neighborhood.
- Go to Venice during Carnival. In 2024, the Venice Carnival will be held from Feb. 3 to 13.
Great places to stay in Venice
There are an awful lot of places to stay in Venice, but there are only a few that we can really recommend. And those are the following beautiful hotels in Venice:
Great places to eat and drink in Venice
There is no shortage of good food and drink in Venice, these are great restaurants to remember:
- Wine Bar Teamo (Rio terra de la Mondola 3795)
- Ae Veste Bar (San Marco 2013)
- Illy Caffé (Giardini Reali)
- Caffè Florian (Piazza San Marco 57)
- Terrazza Danieli (Riva degli Schiavoni 4196)
- Gelatoteca Suso (Sotoportego de la Bissa 5453)
- La Lista Bistro (Rio Tera Lista di Spagna 225)
- Torrefaziano Cannaregio (Fondamenta dei Ormesini 2804)
- La Zucca (S. Croce 1762)
- Osteria alle Testiere (Calle del Mondo Novo 5801)
Ayda Hasanoglu
My greatest hobby is traveling. I like to do this as often as possible. With a job as a teacher I am lucky to have 12 weeks of vacation a year. This means that I often go out on my own to discover the most beautiful places in the world. I can really enjoy traveling solo and not having to take anyone into account. Now that I have a baby, my goal is to show you that traveling with a baby is possible too!
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