Venice Holidays 2024/2025
Venice is one of Italy’s most famous destinations, and is well worth the visit if you get the opportunity. Think gorgeous gondolas, beautiful bridges over vast waterways and plenty of romance – a holiday to Venice has it all. And with a whole host of sights to tick off your to-do list, we won’t be surprised if you want to go back, time and time again!
Venice Holiday Deals
Wonderful Waterways
Venice is built on a group of 118 small islands and is connected by more than 400 bridges! There are no roads in the city either, so getting about means packing your sensible walking shoes or heading to the water and taking advantage of the city’s fantastic water taxi system. Venice was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. It includes the lagoon, and some of the stunning monuments found in the city centre.
The most famous waterway in Venice is, of course, the Canal Grande, which splits Venice in two. Across the Grand Canal, you’ll find four beautiful bridges helping locals and tourists get from one side to the other safely. The oldest of the four bridges is Rialto Bridge which, though it has been rebuilt several times, was first constructed in 1173. There are several beautiful shops along Rialto Bridge with a particular speciality in glass and linen, but you need deep pockets to shop here!
Must See Sights
Venice itself is a must-see sight and one of the best ways to soak up everything there is to see is by hopping on a gondola ride along the many canals in the city. Gondola rides have been used in the Lagoon for almost 1,000 years and were the standard mode of transport prior to the invention of motorboats.
Piazza San Marco, or St Mark’s Square to us, is another place that should definitely be on your Venice hit-list. It’s the city’s main public square and contains its most famous buildings such as St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Around the square you’ll find a variety of coffee shops and restaurants where you can perch and enjoy an espresso while watching the world go by.
St Mark’s Square gets even more beautiful at night, and has a much more laid back vibe after dark. In the evenings, the cafes swap caffeine for cocktails and serve up beautifully chilled mixes in elegant glasses. If you’d rather stray from the beaten track, head for the Campo San Margherita in the Dorsoduro District. This long, triangular plaza is really popular with students for its bars, beer gardens and ice-cream shops.
Authentic Venice
There are two souvenirs that are often found in people’s suitcases when they return from Venice, Murano glass and carnival masks. You can find plenty of cheap knock off versions around the city, but if you’re looking to bag the real deal then you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled and know what you’re looking for.
For authentic glass, the island of Murano is your best bet. This is glassmakers’ territory and most items wear the Vetro Artistico Murano trademark. For masks, the trick is simply to look for quality and a unique design. If there’s a whole display of identical masks, it’s likely they’re straight off a factory production line.
Feasts For All
For us, holidays are all about sampling new cuisines and enjoying the best of what different countries have on offer. Sarde in saor is a sweet-and-sour dish served as an appetiser in authentic Venetian restaurants all over the city. It’s made up of fried sardines marinated in a tangy mixture of vinegar, onions, pine nuts and raisins. Doesn’t sound like your sort of thing? What about cicchetti?
Cicchetti is similar to tapas, bitesized portions of fried food, which are perfect for sharing. It’s popular with locals and tourists alike, especially accompanied by pre-dinner drinks. One of the most common dishes you’ll find on the menu is olive ascolane – green olives stuffed with meat and deep fried.
To wash it all down, we definitely recommend giving a Venetian spritz a try. It’s Venice’s go-to cocktail, so you’ll have no trouble finding it on bar menus. It’s made with a bitter, red Italian liquor like Aperol, prosecco, a splash of soda and an orange garnish.