Venice Travel Guide

How Do You Get from the Port into Venice?

Large cruise ships dock at Porto Marghera on the mainland. Free shuttle buses take you to Piazzale Roma (15 minutes), the road-end gateway to Venice. From there, take Vaporetto Line 1 down the Grand Canal — it's the most spectacular bus ride in the world. Buy a 24-hour pass for €25.

What Can You See in 6 Hours?

1. Vaporetto Line 1 down the Grand Canal — Your first glimpse of Venice from the water. Palaces, churches, and gondolas glide past. Stand at the front or back of the boat.

1. St Mark's Square & Basilica — The heart of Venice. The Basilica is free to enter (queue early). The Campanile bell tower offers panoramic views (€10, elevator).

1. Rialto Bridge & Market — The iconic stone bridge. The fish market underneath operates mornings only — arrive before noon for the full spectacle.

1. Bacari crawl — Venice's version of a tapas crawl. Hop between tiny wine bars eating cicchetti (small bites) and drinking ombra (small glasses of wine). The area around Rialto has dozens.

1. Dorsoduro neighbourhood — Quieter, artsy, with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and stunning views from Punta della Dogana.

Where Should You Eat in Venice?

Cicchetti: Venice's answer to tapas. Small bites served at bacari (wine bars): baccalà mantecato (creamed cod), sarde in saor (sweet-sour sardines), mozzarella in carrozza (fried mozzarella). €1-3 per piece.

Avoid: Any restaurant in St Mark's Square (astronomical prices) or with a menu translated into 10 languages. Walk 5 minutes away for better food at a third of the price.

Is Venice Worth Exploring Independently?

Venice is the ultimate city for independent exploration. The entire city is pedestrian. Getting lost is half the fun — and you always find your way back to a canal. Ship excursions to Venice are particularly absurd since there's nothing to 'tour' — the joy is in wandering. Buy a vaporetto pass, download offline maps, and let Lucy handle the Venetian dialect menus at the bacari.