You might consider it a tourist thing, but we all know that taking a private gondola ride in Venice is something that worths it.
If you think about Venice, probably the first image that comes up in your mind is about a gondola cutting through a quiet canal. Gondolas were the main transport used by Venetian during the Serenissima Republic and taking a private gondola ride is, somehow, a way to remember how Venice was like in its period of maximum splendour.
Being rocked on a gondola is an amazing experience. You can feel the water accompanying the gondola along an invisible path, you can fill your eyes with beauties, which are only visible from the venetian canals.

How much does a private gondola ride in Venice cost?
You might have heard a lot of stories about how expensive a private gondola ride could be, but let us say something: you might only be here once, do you really want to miss this experience?
The city of Venice sets official rates for a gondola ride: 80 euros for 40 minutes, before 7pm and 100 euros after 7pm.
A gondola can take up to six people, this means that, if you are a group of friends, you can divide the cost of a ride.

Reasons why taking a private gondola ride worths it
Venice can be really crowded in high season. Sometimes, finding a tranquil place where to spend a romantic moment with your partner can be really difficult, especially during summer.
Taking a gondola ride is a way to escape packed streets and experience a new side of Venice: the one on the water.
If you are traveling as a couple, it could be the perfect way to end your romantic holiday in Venice.
But, apart from that, taking a private gondola can give you the chance to know more about the city, discovering places you only saw in a movie such as Casino Royale or learning some curious stories about Casanova and other famous Venetian historical figures.
The gondolier will take you down some narrow and quiet canals, that people cannot reach on foot.
But, taking a private gondola ride isn’t only a thing for couples. If you are traveling with your family or with some friends, it can be an occasion to spend some times together, experiencing something you won’t find anywhere else.

Hermann Hesse, a famous German-born Swiss poet, after taking a gondola, said “it has the beauty of a dream, and is an integral part of the city of idleness, love and music”.

Venice is probably the most romantic city in the world and you are not wrong if you are thinking about proposing here.
Venice can be crowded, but you can still find out some romantic places where to spend an unforgettable night with your better half.
Here’s a list of the 5 most romantic places to propose in Venice, we hope you’ll find the perfect one for you.

Punta della Dogana
There isn’t a better place to propose in Venice than Punta della Dogana. This place is located right in front of St. Mark’s Basic, close to one of the most fabulous churches in Venice: Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.
Punta della Dogana used to be Venice’s custom point during the Serenissima Republic, but now, the custom building is an art museum.
Usually not many people come here, except on the Redentore day, since it’s the perfect spot to watch fireworks.
Here you’ll find the tranquility and the privacy you’re looking for that special moment.

On a gondola
We have abundantly talked about the reasons why you should take a private gondola ride and proposing is surely one of them.
Ask the gondolier to be brought to some hidden corners, better if at sunset, where nobody can disturb you. Venice is the perfect setting for proposing, especially if it’s seen by the water.
Don’t worry about the gondolier, he knows how to be discreet, like his forefathers used to be in the past, during a romantic gondola ride.

On a bridge
Another romantic place where to propose in Venice is on a bridge. Venice is full of bridges – more than 400 if we have to be precise – but we suggest you to avoid the most known ones.
In the Cannaregio district, where our hotel is, there are a lot of tiny and hidden bridges where you can stop by, without risking to be interrupted.

In a Campo
Campo is the world we use to identify those little squares you find all around Venice. Some of these “campi” are out of the common touristic paths, such as the one called Campiello del Remer.
This picturesque square faces the Grand Canal and when the restaurant Taverna al Remer is closed, on Wednesday, it’s completely isolated and silent. You’ll have the chance to propose while looking at the magnificent Rialto Bridge, from a unique point of view.

Burano Island
The last of the 5 most romantic places to propose in Venice is Burano island. Burano is one of the main three islands of the lagoon and it’s famous for its lace artworks and for its colors. Proposing on Burano island would be like doing it surrounded by a rainbow.

If you want to see the sunrise, the perfect place to see it is in St. Mark’s Square. But if you want to watch the sunset in Venice, there are a lot of places where you should go. Even if this city is astonishing and fascinating at every corner, here’s a list of the best places to watch the sunset in Venice.

Accademia Bridge
Millions of tourists every year take – at least – a photo to the splendid Madonna della Salute church, from this wooden bridge. And not only because it’s a great spot itself, but mostly because the sunset here is something you won’t see anywhere else.
By the way, you should consider that it’s one of the most known attractions in Venice and it can be packed at sunset, taking away all the romanticism. Watching sunset here is unique, but if you are willing to propose to your partner, probably you would like some more privacy. That’s why we wrote an article about the most romantic places to propose, in Venice.

Fondamenta delle Zattere
Less frequented, Fondamenta delle Zattere is a long promenade, facing Giudecca island and the picturesque Mulino Stucky.
From here you have a 180-degree view: St. Mark’s Basin on a side and a slice of the Venetian lagoon, on the other.
Embrace your partner tenderly and watch the sunset coming up and coloring Venice.

Giudecca Island
Another point of view. Crossing the Giudecca Canal, with a vaporetto departing from Fondamenta delle Zattere, you get to Giudecca Island. Here you have the most incredible view of the Venetian Lagoon. On your right side, you have the magnificent St Mark’s Square and on the other the color of the sun reflecting on the water.

Rialto bridge
The symbol of Venice, Rialto Bridge. Here, thousands of tourists go up and down its stairs, taking photos on each side, every day. But, at sunset, you can have the most beautiful view of Venice’s Grand Canal. Check the clock and get there in time, to take your place and watch the show.

Murano island
Murano is one of the three main islands of Venice, famous for its centenary glass art. This island is perfectly located and its position makes Murano one of the best places to watch the sunset in Venice.
You can easily reach it taking a vaporetto and if you haven’t your ticket yet, you can buy it at the reception.

The history of the Venice Carnival dates back to 1024, when this festival was mentioned on a document of Doge Vitale Falier, for the first time.  However, the Carnival of Venice was recognized as an official holiday by the Senate only in 1296.
This centennial festival was quite different from the one we are used to live nowadays. First of all the Carnival used to last months, from the 26th of December until Ash Wednesday, even if wearing masks were allowed since October.  
Originally the Carnival of Venice masks were used to level out the differences between the classes, since they can guarantee the anonymity of people.

Types of Venetian masks
Venetians used to wear just two kinds of carnival masks: the Bauta mask and the Moretta mask.
The Bauta mask is not only a mask, but a complete costume, composed by the traditional white mask and a black cloak, called “tabarro”. Wearing this mask gave the possibility to all Venetians to be the person they wanted to be, no matter what class they belonged to.
That is to say that rich people could act as poor and vice versa.
The Moretta mask, instead, is a typical feminine mask. Wearing this mask, women couldn’t speak, since they had to held it by gripping their teeth on a button inside the mask. In this way, women could decide when and whom to speak. As you can imagine, this masks allowed women to create an air of mystery around themselves.

How Venetians used to celebrate Carnival
During the Carnival period, Venice was full of events. Jugglers, acrobats and dancers entertained people with their performances in Saint Mark’s Square and in private parties.
Theatrical performances started to be played in cafes, private homes and theaters, becoming the perfect excuse to turn the party into a transgressive one.
Unfortunately, the anonymity gave spiteful people the opportunity of committing crimes, such as thefts and rapes. This is the reason why wearing a mask after sunset was banned in 1339.

The end of the Venetian Carnival and its rebirth
The last Carnival in Venice is dated at 1797, the year when the Venetian Republic fell. With the Napoleonic domination, many of the Venetian traditions and feasts were abolished, including the Carnival.
After almost two centuries, in 1967, the Carnival of Venice was officially restored.

Nowadays Venice Carnival is one of the most famous festival in the whole world, full of activities and parties all around the city.
You can still live the traditional atmosphere of the Venice Carnival by wearing a typical period costume and participating to a masked ball, hosted in a marvelous Venetian palace.

Venice is always Venice. It’s the romantic city par excellence, the place that every couple should visit, at least once.
Venice is where lovers find their perfect moment.  
Venice is magic. It has the power of making you feel in the right place with the right person, every day.
Venice is the flawless backdrop for your romantic getaway.

If you want to make your vacation unique and surprise your partner with something truly unexpected, here’s a list of special things to do in Venice.

A night out at Teatro La Fenice
You can go to St. Mark’s Square or just walk around the infinite streets of Venice – which are both two nice things to do in a city like this – but give yourself the chance to live a one-in-a-million night at the Teatro La Fenice is definitely even better. Close your eyes and imagine yourself stepping into this ancient and gold Venetian theatre, holding your partner’s hand. It’s a feeling that you can’t describe, you must live it.

Gondola ride for two
You can consider it a little bit too touristic, but taking a private gondola ride in Venice always worths it[link], especially if you think that it’s something you can’t do anywhere else.
You can judge the price of a ride, but remember that you’re paying for something you’re going to do once, only.
By the way, this is the most romantic way to propose.

A special dinner in a special place
A dinner is always a good idea to spend a couple of nice hours with your better half. A perfect dinner can turn into a nightmare if you don’t know a good restaurant. Here’s why we are always happy to suggest you the best places where to have a romantic dinner, with a  good atmosphere. Leave your partner having a shower up in your room and come to our reception: we will recommend you the best restaurant for you two.

Watch the sunset or the sunrise, hand in hand
Sunset in Venice is something you can’t only see in a photo, you must see it personally. Lots of photographers come from all over the world to immortalize it, but the only two places where it lasts forever are in your heart and in your memories.
Read this article to discover the best places where to watch the sunset in Venice.

A kiss from the top
Have you ever given a kiss at almost 100 meters, surrounded by an unparalleled view? You can climb the St. Mark’s tower bell till the top. Embrace your partner, look at this incredible city from above and make this moment even more special, kissing your other-half while the sun is shining in the sky.

There’s an island in the Venetian lagoon that has the privilege to sit right in front of St. Mark’s Square, every day. San Giorgio Maggiore is the island we are talking about, a little paradise a few people know.

Why visiting San Giorgio Maggiore
Being located right in front of the Doge’s Palace, San Giorgio Maggiore island is an iconic place. Thousands of pictures have been taken here, with the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore as background, and now are filling several albums of memories.
But, San Giorgio Maggiore can’t only be admired from St. Mark’s Square. In fact, to get the most of it, you should go on the island and discover all its secrets.
You definitely have to visit the church of San Giorgio Maggiore and the monastery.
Inside the church, you’ll see paintings by Jacopo Tintoretto, Domenico Tintoretto, Palma il Giovane, Matteo Ponzone and many others.
The famous architect Palladio was the one who built this beautiful church.
Next to the church, you can visit the monastery. Over the centuries it became a theological, cultural and artistic center of primary importance in Europe. Today is an oasis of peace, a piece of paradise.
Don’t let your vertigos win and climb the bell tower of San Giorgio for a view you’ll never have anywhere else. The inner cloister is amazing. The ticket costs 6 euros and includes the church.
And, before leaving the island, why not getting lost in the Borges Labyrinth? We are kidding, you can only visit the labyrinth with a tour guide, but we are sure you’ll have fun.

How to get to San Giorgio Maggiore island from Venice
Getting to San Giorgio Maggiore island from Venice is easier than you think. From the train station stop, take the vaporetto line 2 and get off at the island. It takes about 45 minutes.
If you are planning to reach the island from St. Mark’s Square, don’t worry, the vaporetto line 2 is stopping at San Zaccaria and it will take you to the island in less than 5 minutes.

After a long and interesting tour of discovery around the Venice Jewish Ghetto, your stomach will probably ask you to stop and get some food, before start exploring Venice again. But the question is: what should you taste at the Venice Jewish Ghetto? What kind of typical food should I eat first? Let’s start saying that the Jewish cuisine introduced several ingredients into the Venetian way of cooking food. For example, the use of raisin and pine nuts, which gave birth to the extremely famous Sarde in Saor.
Being aware of this, we can now introduce you some traditional food you must taste at the Venice Jewish Ghetto.

Hummus
Classical and unavoidable, Hummus is a soft mousse made by chickpeas, olive oil, lemon and tahini. This cream is usually served with some bread, like a pita.

Haman’s Ears
These are filled-pocket cookies with jam, almonds, poppy seeds or chocolate. There are several bakeries that sell them, it won’t be difficult to find them.

Shawarma
This is a meat preparation. Lamb, chicken or other kinds of meat are cooked on a vertical rotating spit and then served with some lafa flatbread. Delicious.

Bisse
These cookies are one of the most typical sweet treats from the Venice Jewish Ghetto. Even if they are usually prepared for Passover, you can find them almost all year around. They are unleavened cookies with an “S” form since the term “bissa” means grass snake in Venetian dialect.

Impàde
Among the things you must eat at the Venice Jewish Ghetto there’s another pastry, called Impàde. It’s a long pastry biscuit filled with a sugar, eggs and almonds dough.

Matzah ball
If you are visiting Venice in winter, this soup will warm you up. This soup is made from a mixture of matzah, water, eggs and a fat.
If you have already eaten Knödel, you ‘ll find some similarities in its flavor.

Rugelach
Last but not least, here’s another typical pastry: the Rugelach. At first sight, it looks like a banal croissant, but in reality, it has nothing to do with it. Rugelach can be made with sour cream or cream cheese doughs, but you can even find them with no dairy ingredients.

Shopping is a passion. Shopping in Venice is a must.
Venice is not only famous in the world for its history and architecture, but also for being full of nice and high-quality shops and brands.
Where to go shopping in Venice so? Here’s a list of places where you can find different kind of stores and beautiful handmade products.
Shopping in Venice can be expensive, but it’s always worth it.

Mercerie
The area from Campo San Bartolomeo to Saint Mark’s Square is called Mercerie and it’s where Venetian people used to stroll and stop by those stores where you could find everything you wanted.
Back in centuries, at the Mercerie you could find different dry goods stores and places where to buy some unique accessories. Nowaday, these streets are covered with brand shops, such as Gucci, Bottega Veneta and many others.
If you want to immerse yourself into a luxury world, this is the right place where to dream and buy something that make you feel like a modern Venetian noblewoman.
Looking for a Venetian mask? You’ll find thousands here!

Fontego dei Tedeschi
This is a brand new shopping center in Venice. The palace of Fontego dei Tedeschi is the ancient headquarters of the city’s German merchants. It was built in 1228 and during the 20th century Poste Italiane had some of its offices here. Today, the palace has been renovated and taken by DFS Group Limited, the world’s leading luxury retailer catering to the traveling public.
If you are looking for a prestigious bottle of wine, a pair of shoes, or a fascinating Murano glass vase, this place won’t disappoint you.
Don’t miss the chance to visit the beautiful rooftop terrace, from where you have a breathtaking view of the city.

Burano island
If you want to come back home with an original Venetian lace, Burano island is the place to buy one. In the city you’ll find several shops that sell Burano laces, but walking around in a colorful world, taking your time, visiting the Lace Museum and then choosing you piece of art has totally another taste.

Murano island
Do you think that a Murano Glass sculpture will fit with your living room? There’s spoilt for choice, but we suggest you to pay a visit to a furnace, to learn how those fantastic works of art are created.
The technique used for blowing and managing glass in Murano is ancient and unique, this is the reason why the cost of a chandelier or a vase is high. Don’t trust all those shops where a small prancing horse costs a couple of euros, it might be nice and cheap, but it’s not original.

Last but not least, we are sure that if you get lost, especially around Fondamente Nuove, you will find some artisans boutiques and hidden ancient shops. Are you still in doubt of where to go shopping in Venice?

Venice is the perfect place where to take a walking tour, especially because it’s a city built on water and if you don’t want to take a vaporetto or a gondola ride, walking is the only other way to get the most of it. Here’s a virtual and self-guided walking tour in Venice, we are always happy to suggest to our guests.

Jewish Ghetto
Starting from you hotel in Strada Nuova, you can easily reach the most ancient European Jewish Ghetto.
Here, you can visit one of the three opened synagogues and the Jewish Museum, but you also can just walk around and take some photos of the uncountable glimpses on your way to our next stop.
We recommend you to read “A day in the Jewish Ghetto”, a fully dedicated article about this unusual place.

Ca’ D’oro
This amazing palace is our next stop. Its name means “Golden Palace” because its facade used to be covered with gold. Can you image how beautiful this palace must have been from the Grand Canal?
Inside you can admire a rich collection of furniture, paintings, medals, tapestries, bronzes and sculptures.

Rialto Bridge
To get to one of the most iconic symbols of Venice, Rialto Bridge, we suggest you to take the so-called traghetto. Right next to Ca’ D’oro there’s a place called Stazio Santa Sofia, where you can take a gondola to cross the canal.
In a minute you’ll be walking around the stands of Rialto Market, just few steps away from Rialto Bridge.

St Mark’s Square
We left the best for the end: St. Mark’s Square. Here you can indulge your whims and visit the Doge’s Palace, the St. Mark’s Basilica and even the Clock tower.
However, why not climbing the bell tower too? Or spending an hour visiting the ancient Marciana library?
We know, it’s difficult to decide what to see and what not, since everything worths it. But you can still come back here the day after.
If you feel like having a nice cocktail in a traditional Cafe after this walking tour in Venice, a few steps away from St. Mark’s Square there’s the famous Harry’s Bar.

Enjoy it!

Even if Venice is famous for being a city with no cars, it doesn’t mean you cannot arrive here by car.
Venice is well connected to the mainland through the long and monumental Ponte della Libertà, which let you reach the city with your own car. But, then, you have to find out a place where to park in Venice.
Here’s what this article is for.
Parking in Venice can be expensive, but there are multiple options you can choose from, with different prices and locations.

Parking in Venice: how to choose the right park lot
First of all, be aware that Mestre is also a good place for parking your car if you want to spend a bit less. If you park here, then you have to take a bus or a train to get to Venice. Not a big deal if you consider that it takes about 20 minutes.
Apart from that, at Piazzale Roma you’ll find several parking lots with different ranges of prices. Of course, the closer you park the more you pay. What we suggest you do is consider both the price and the kinds of services the parking lot offers. Parking in Venice hasn’t to be stressful, but just the beginning of your trip in the most beautiful city in the world.

Where to park in Venice: all the parking lots close to Piazzale Roma
As we said, you can choose among a wide range of security-monitored parking lots, some of them are in Piazzale Roma, where the bus station is, and some other are in the area of Tronchetto.
Tronchetto is an artificial island, mainly used as a car park. The so-called People Mover, a public transit system, connects it to the city entrance, Piazzale Roma. You can also walk from here, to reach the city center, but it takes about 20 minutes.

Garage San Marco
This is one of the biggest and well-served parking lots in Venice. It’s open 24/7  and there’s space for 900 cars.
You can book your parking space online and if you stay at our hotel, you can get a 10% discount on the total amount when you take your car back.

Tronchetto Parking Venice
As the name suggests, this car park is situated in Tronchetto. It’s cheaper and wider than the previous one, but it isn’t the closest to the city. You can’t book a place online, but you won’t have any difficulties in finding one when you get there.

Autorimessa Comunale
It’s the public parking garage of Venice and it can host up to two hundred cars.
It’s open 24/7 and you can book your car place online, by adding this option to your Venezia Unica card.

There’s a place in Venice, like no other: Libreria Acqua Alta. This is the most original bookshop you could find in the floating city, hidden in a street called Calle Longa S. Maria Formosa.
It’s not easy to discover it if you don’t know where to go, but losing your bearings and find yourself in front a magic world like the one you can live inside the Acqua Alta bookshop is totally worth it.

Why visiting Acqua Alta bookshop
Everyone in Venice knows about the Acqua Alta bookshop, and it’s not a case. Imagine a world apart from everything, where you can lose and find yourself at the same time, among thousands of books.
Once you enter Acqua Alta, the first impression you probably get is a sense of confusion, but don’t be deceived by appearances.
Books seem to be put randomly on shelves and boxes, but they are not. The owner knows exactly where every book is, you just need to ask for some help.

Gondolas and bathtub are part of the furniture, in fact, they don’t only help the owner collect the books, but also prevent them to be touched by water, during high tide. The name Acqua Alta, in fact, means high tide.

If you experience Venice in winter, you’ll see that many ground floors get flooded. This is what happens to Acqua Alta too.
A cat will probably say hello to you once in, or maybe more than one. Cats here have found their perfect home, with a lot of narrow refugees where to hide.
Make your way out to the bookshop and discover the amazing little court, in the backyard.
Here, a book-staircase is inviting you to climb it up and see what’s on the other side of the wall.
Venice’s beauty is at every corner and one of these corners is right here, behind the wall.
Acqua Alta is a place which will remain in your heart, this is why you should visit it.

How to get to Acqua Alta bookshop from Hotel Arcadia
As we said at the beginning of this article, finding Acqua Alta is not so easy. Leaving our hotel, turn on your left and go straight until you find the Santi Giovanni e Paolo Basilica. Then, take Calle Vesier, on the right side of the campo, and go on until Calle Pinelli, you’ll see Acqua Alta bookshop on your left.

Torcello is one of the most known island in the Venice lagoon, but few people know that it was the first Venetian colony before Venice was born. Torcello was the first place Venetians called home, since the Hunns’ invasion forced them to escape from Altino.
We suggest you to take a boat tour to the three main islands of Venice [link], but if you don’t have time to explore all of them, you can only visit Torcello, there are a lot of things to do here!

The Devil’s Bridge
This bridge was built in the 15th century and the origin of its name is still uncertain, even if there are a couple of legends that explains why it was called in this way. The peculiarity of this bridge is that it has no parapets, in fact, originally all the bridges in Venice was like this one.

Torcello Cathedral
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the basilica of Torcello. This is an example of Venetian-Byzantine architecture and is one of the most ancient building in the whole region of Veneto.
Inside the church you can see several Byzantin mosaics, the earliest remaining ones in the Venice area.

Santa Fosca
A few steps from the Cathedral there’s another church called Santa Fosca. The internals of the church aren’t full of mosaics as the basilica, but there’s a nice octagonal portico all around it, which deserves a visit.

The Archaeological Museum of Torcello
The Archaeological Museum is tiny but rich of remains and fragments, organized in two parts: the archaeological section and the medieval-modern one. The first part is located inside a single room in the Archive Palace and shows a rich collection of pots, bronze objects and sculptures, dated back to the 11th-12th century.
The second one, instead, takes place in the Council Palace and tells the story of Torcello island itself, during its most flourishing period.

Attila’s throne
We have mentioned that Torcello was born after the Hunns’ invasion, but this is not related to the so-called Attila’s throne that you find on the island. This stone chair dates back to the 5th century and it was used by the governor of the island, during council meetings and when administering justice.

How to get to Torcello Island from Venice
If you are not going to Torcello Island with an organized boat tour, you have just another way to get there.
Unfortunately there is no direct line from Venice to Torcello, but you can still take the vaporetto line 4 from Fondamente Nove to Burano island and then change to line 9. You can easily reach Fondamente Nove from our hotel with a 20 minutes walk.

Venice is certainly one of the most cinematic cities in the planet, in fact, a great number of movies have been shooted here. Some of them tell about its glorious times and some others celebrate its traditions and its romantic side.  Here’s a list of 6 movies filmed in Venice, we recommend you to watch, before your journey starts. Once in Venice, looking for those places, where all these films were shooted, can be an adventurous way to discover the city.

The Italian Job
We have already talked about this movie in a previous article about the Venetian locations, where The Italian Job was shooted. One of the most spectacular scenes is a thrilling boat chase along Venice’s canals.

Casino Royale
Everyone has seen a 007 movie at least once. Casino Royale is one of the latest, where Daniel Craig, in the role of the most famous secret agent in the world, arrives in Venice to solve a case.

The Merchant of Venice
If you know Shakespeare, you know about his passion for Italy and its cities. Romeo and Juliet takes place in Verona, The Merchant of Venice, instead, in Venice. It’s a story of love, loyalty, and justice. It’s a play about a risky deal between a Jewish usurer and a Venetian merchant. 

Casanova (2005)
The story of a great lover and writer: Giacomo Casanova. This movie is entirely set in Venice and shows well how life was lived at Serenissima time.  

The tourist
Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp are the two protagonists of The Tourist, a movie about mistaken identities and deep love.
Even if it didn’t receive good reviews, it’s worth it to see several glimpses of Venice and some of its palaces’ interiors.

Indiana Jones and the last crusade
Just a few parts of this movie was filmed in Venice, but nevertheless memorable ones. Follow the steps of Indiana Jones until Campo San Barnaba and find out the sewer cover from where the professor comes out.

Right behind one of the most known streets in Venice, Strada Nuova, there is an area that seems to be living apart from the rest; the Jewish Ghetto. Starting from Hotel Arcadia, walking down two  or three  “calle” (street), you can  easily reach the Jewish Ghetto. The easiest way to get there from the hotel is going to Ponte delle Guglie and turning right, walking along the canal and turning right again, at Sotoportego San Giovanni. Before stepping into this world, we suggest you stop for a minute and have a look at the two sides of the sotoportego.  Look around and you will see the old hinges of the doors, which were used to close the ghetto area after the sunset. From the moment the doors close, nobody could get in or get out. Passing through this portico, you are definitely entering the Jewish Ghetto.

What does “ghetto” mean?
The word “ghetto”, that is commonly used nowadays, is a Venetian word. It comes from “geto” (pouring), because before being a Jewish Ghetto, there was a foundry in that neighborhood. The pronunciation of “geto” became “ ghetto” because the Jewish people weren’t able to say it with the Venetian accent.

Discovering the Jewish Ghetto
Let’s go on with our tour and start discovering this fascinating world. Follow Calle del Forno till the end, then turn right into Calle del Ghetto Vecchio. Crossing the bridge, you will be in the oldest part of the Jewish Ghetto, the oldest in all Europe. If you pay attention to the buildings you will notice that they have more floors and are taller than the Venetian houses. . Are you wondering why? The reason is simple. The priority here was to create more apartments to accommodate the higher concentration of people in a small area.
Five of the  nine synagogues are still used  by the Jewish community, who  have been keeping its traditions for 500 years. You can visit  three of the  five synagogues. Do you want to know how to recognize them? Look at the windows and count: the buildings with  five windows in a row are the synagogues! In the Ghetto there is also the Jewish Museum.
Proceeding on Calle del Ghetto Vecchio you will reach Campo Ghetto Novo, a  small and quiet square. The Ghetto Novo – “the new ghetto” – was created in 1541 to face the growing number of Jewish coming to Venice. In 1663, Venetians had to expand the ghetto area again, creating the Ghetto Nuovissimo – “the newest ghetto”.

Sit down on a bench and enjoy the people walking around. Try some traditional Jewish sweets, such as the Hamantaschen or the Rugelach.
The Ghetto is not a typical tourist area, making it unlike many other areas in Venice, enjoy it!

Venice is the perfect location where to film a movie, no doubt on it, and the 2003 version of The Italian Job is one of the movies that were partially filmed here, exactly as Casino Royale  [All the locations in Venice where Casino Royale was filmed]. But, if the opening scene of the Italian Job (2003) was filmed in Venice, the rest of the movie is set in Los Angeles. In this article we are only going to discover The Italian Job locations in Venice, since we would like to give you an original idea for a self-guided tour around the city.

St Mark’s Square
The very first scene shows Donald Sutherland, as John Bridger, walking in St. Mark’s Square while on the phone with her daughter Stella. Here, we can easily recognize the Basilica of St. Mark, the two columns facing the basin and the Marciana Library, right behind John and Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg).

Campo San Barnaba
Even if John and Charlie have a short walk on Riva degli Schiavoni, they soon get to Campo San Barnaba. You might have recognized the Church of San Barnaba from the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade movie. Gillian (Mos Def ) and Handsome Rob (Jason Statham) are waiting for John and Charlie, the former is reading a book entitled “How to think like Leonardo da Vinci”. If you are wondering why he’s reading such an unusual book, the answer is easy to find: inside the Church of San Barnaba hosts a permanent exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions.

Accademia bridge, the Grand Canal and the Freedom bridge (Ponte della Libertà)
After having stolen $35 million in gold bars, there’s a boat chase throughout Venice. Even if the shots are really fast, you can still recognize some iconic places of Venice such as: the Accademia bridge, the Grand Canal and the Freedom bridge (the long bridge that connects Venice with the mainland called Ponte della Libertà) with the huge public parking building behind.
During the chase a boat falls on a market-boat that really exist and it’s always docked near Campo San Barnaba. You can actually go grocery shopping there!

Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
The very last scene of the part filmed in Venice is a shot on one of the most famous and beautiful churches in Venice : the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute.

If you like having happy hours as we do, you certainly know about the most famous and traditional aperitif in Venice; the Spritz. In the article we wrote about a bacaro tour idea [link to bacaro tour idea], we mentioned that Venetians love to have a break after work, sit down at a bar and sip a “ombra” (little glass of wine), but the truth is that we often order a spritz too. Spritz is a word that means many things to us. It represents a moment of sharing with friends, an occasion to meet people we haven’t seen for a long time and a way to end the day with a smile.  

The history of the Venetian Spritz
During the Habsburg Empire in Veneto, the Austrian diplomats and employees got used to Venetians’ habit of drinking a glass of wine after a long day at work. The fact is that they weren’t accustomed to such strong wines. The Veneto’s wine were too alcoholic for them and this is the reason why they started asking to spray a bit of water into the wine, to make it lighter.
As you see, originally the Spritz was just made by water and white wine, but when the siphons for carbonated water became available, the Venice’s Spritz Aperitif started to be the one we know and drink nowadays.
After a while, in 1919, Aperol was presented at a fair in Padua, and the idea of adding it to the traditional Spritz started to take a shape in Venetians’ minds.

A curiosity about the name “spritz”
Spritzer is the name that Austrians use to call their cocktail made by soda water and wine. This is the reason why the most famous Venetian aperitif is called Sprtiz.

How to make an Aperol Spritz
Once you have taste it in Venice, you can easily replicate it at home.
Here’s the original recipe of the Venetian Aperol Spritz, but you can also make it with Cynar, Select or Campari.
In order to make a real Aperol Spritz, you have to put the same quantity of sparkling water (or selz if you have it), prosecco (not any wine) and Aperol.

Let’s start:

1. Take a cold glass and put some ice inside
2. Pour the prosecco wine (⅓ )
3. Add the sparkling water (⅓ )
4. Add the Aperol (⅓ )
5. Garnish with a slice of orange and a olive
6. Served with something salty to eat

Your favourite drink is ready.

If you tried to count how many churches exist in Venice, you would probably lose count. There are more than 250 churches in Venice and each of them has a story to tell, but we are not expecting you to visit them all! Even if choosing the top 5 churches to visit in Venice can be really hard, we tried to select those we love most.

1. St. Mark’s Basilica
   How not include St. Mark’s Basilica among the top 5 churches to see in Venice, since it’s one of the most known and beautiful attraction in the city. Visiting the St. Mark’s Basilica is free and for this reason the queue is usually quite long, but fast. If you don’t have time to queue, you can buy a ticket to skip the line, that you can easily purchase online. Inside the Basilica, you’ll be encircled by hundreds of mosaics. The ceiling is shining, thanks to all the gold Venetians used to decorate it.
2. Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
   Usually called “Frari” from Venetians, this is the second biggest church in Venice. You can literally lose yourself, observing all the painting preserved inside, such as the Assumption, painted by Tiziano Vecellio.This is the church where the burial monument dedicated to the great neo-classical sculptor Antonio Canova is located. It’s composed by a huge pyramid, symbol of Great Architect of the Universe.
3. Madonna dell’Orto Church
   We have already mentioned this church in the article we wrote about a self-guided tour in Cannaregio. Madonna dell’Orto (Madonna of the Orchard) isn’t the original name of the church, in fact, it used to be called St. Cristoforo Church, but when the miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary, done by Giovanni de Santi, arrived at the church, the church itself took the name the people gave it. The priest of Santa Maria Formosa church commissioned to Giovanni de Santi a statue of the Virgin Mary. What happened is that the priest didn’t like the sculpture and Giovanni decided to keep it in his garden. After a while his neighbours noticed that the Virgin Mary statue emanated light. When the bishop of Venice heard about the story of the miraculous statue, he decided that Giovanni’s sculpture had to be places in the nearby orchard.
4. Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
   A wonderful church to remember an important, but also terrible, event. The Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, also known as “Salute”, was built to thank Virgin Mary for having sent the plague away from Venice. Inside the church you’ll surely notice an unusual choice for that time: a Black Madonna painting.
5. Basilica of San Giovanni e Paolo
   This church had a great importance during the Serenissima Republic, since it was the burial place of Doges and Nobles. The Basilica of San Giovanni e Paolo is also one of the largest of Venice.

At first sight the gondola only looks like an elegant vessel, but the truth is that it hides a lot of secrets, behind its shape.
Taking a private gondola ride is an experience we suggest you to live, not only because it is something typical, but because you’ll see with your own eyes its beauty and its hidden symbols.

The length of a gondola
You might have noticed that each gondola hasn’t a symmetrical shape, in fact, it leans to one side. In this way the gondola balanced the weight of its gondolier. Back in centuries the gondola wasn’t as long as it is today, mainly because the prow became bigger too.

The symbols of the prow
The metal decoration in front of the gondola is called “fero” (literally “iron”) and its shape is not random. In fact, each part of the “fero” refers to something related to the history of Venice.
Its shape reminds of an “S”, for example, is echoing the curves of the Grand Canal, whereas the six prongs sticking out the front represent the six districts of Venice, called “sestieri”.  Specifically, the six sestieri are: Dorsoduro, Cannaregio, San Polo, Santa Croce, San Marco and Castello. The backward prong represents the island of Giudecca and those little decorations between the forward prongs stand for the islands of Burano, Murano and Torcello. 
The upper part of the “fero” recalls the shape of the Doge’s cap, also called the Ducal Horn.
Finally, the little arch between the upper part of the fero and the first froward prong represent the Rialto bridge.

Where the gondolas are built
The gondolas are custom made, based on the physique of the gondolier who commission them.
During the Serenissima Republic there were several places where the gondolas were built, these places are called “squero”.
Nowadays you can still see and visit a squero, the one of San Trovaso, located near Fondamenta delle Zattere.
You’ll notice the unusual shape of the house next to the squero, in fact, it looks like a lodge. The reason why this house looks completely different from all the other palaces in Venice is that originally the “squerarioli”, as Venetians call those people who actually build gondolas, were from Cadore, a mountainous area in the Veneto region.

See how many things gondolas hide?

Visiting a city like Venice can be stressful, if you think that more than 2 millions of people come to visit it every year.
Streets and bridges are packed, taking the right vaporetto can be the hardest thing in you life and finding a good place where to eat a yummy traditional dish could turn into a real adventure. That’s why we create this survival kit to let you visit Venice with no stress.

1. Check transportation lines and timetable in advance
   Venice has no car, but boats, even for public transportation. The vaporetto is like a bus, it can take you almost everywhere in the city, but only if you catch the right one. While you are planning your trip to Venice, don’t forget to check the ACTV web page to know more about public transportations lines and timetables. If you are going to visit some of the Venice Lagoon Islands , you should check the Venezia Unica website too and learn more about the Venice’s official City Pass.

2. Walk on the right side of the street
   The majority of the streets in Venice are narrow and sometimes it could be difficult to pass through them, especially if there are people coming from the opposite side. In order to avoid a really stressful moment and keep stuck in the middle of a calle, try to walk on its right side. People coming from the opposite side, should do the same.

3. Wear comfortable shoes
   We always suggest our guest to walk around Venice, wearing a pair of comfortable shoes. Even if walking in Venice is the best way to discover the city and to see something you won’t notice from a vaporetto, it can turn into a nightmare if you are wearing heels. Be sure to pack a pair of sneakers into your bag.

4. Don’t stop on bridges
   We perfectly know that a bridge-view of Venice is something that must be in a photo, but try to not stay there for too long. Bridges connect the hundreds of island on which Venice is built, which means that they always need to be clear, to let people walk.

5. If you are coming in November, bring or buy a pair of rain boots
   Another thing that will help you to visit Venice with no stress, especially between November and January, is wearing a pair of rain boots to save your feet from high tide. High tide can ruin your holiday in Venice if you don’t have rain boots, forcing you to stay at our hotel for hours. Be prevident, check online or download the Hi!Tide Venice app before coming to Venice.

Imagine a place full of colors. A island in the Venetian lagoon where the time goes slow. This is Burano Island.
The island of Burano is situated near Torcello island, at the northern side of the lagoon, and it’s really well connected with Venice, by public transports. Burano is famous mainly for laces and its wonderful colors, but there are several other things to see and do on this island.

What to see in Burano island 
Burano will astonish you from the first sight with its bright colors and its narrow streets. We won’t be surprise if you take a picture of it, right after dropping off the vaporetto! Burano is a dreamland on earth.
Apart from its colorful houses, Burano has a lot of things to see.

Lace museum
As we said, Burano is famous for its centuries-old tradition of lace-making, it’s not a case, there’s an entire museum dedicated to it.
The Lace museum is located in a gothic palace, where the ancient lace school used to be.
The visits start with a English subtitled video showing the story of the lace tradition and ends with a rich collection of laces, from the 16th century to the 20th century.

Church of St. Martin and the leaning tower of Burano
The Church of St. Martin is located in Piazza Galuppi, the main square of the island, and houses a painting by Gian Battista Tiepolo.
Behind the church you will notice its leaning tower, but don’t worry, it won’t fall.

Bepi’s House
There’s a house in Burano, hidden among narrow streets, that is really something you have to see. It’s colorful too, but not as all the others.
The wall and even the door are decorated with geometrical shapes. It’s worth a picture.

The Pescarìa Vecia
If Venice has is own fish market near Rialto bridge, Burano has its own, called Pescarìa Vecia (literally “old fish market”).
Burano was the island of fisherman, this is also the reason why the houses are shining with different colors, since they could be seen from the lagoon even through the fog.

Remigio Barbaro’s statues
Remigio Barbaro was a sculptor, he was born in Burano in 1911 and spent all his life on this island.
His greatest wish was to turn his house into a museum, but it hasn’t happened yet, even if a lot of his masterpieces are still there.
You can admire two of his sculptures at Piazza Galuppi and near the the actv ferry stop.

How to get to Burano island from Venice
Burano is connected to Venice by vaporetto line 12, departing from Fondamente Nuove. It takes about 45 minutes to get there.