Hotels in Venice

Venice: Canal City Built on 118 Islands

Venice sits in a saltwater lagoon in northeast Italy, connected to the mainland by a 4-km causeway completed in 1846. The city is divided into six sestieri — Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Marco, San Polo, and Santa Croce — spread across 118 small islands linked by roughly 400 bridges. The Rialto Bridge, dating to 1591, and the Basilica di San Marco, consecrated in 1094, anchor the historic core. Carnival draws crowds each February, while the Venice Biennale brings the international art world every odd-numbered year.

Where to Stay in Venice

Hotels cluster most densely around San Marco and Rialto, where canal-view rooms command premium rates. Dorsoduro, southwest of the Grand Canal, offers quieter streets near the Gallerie dell'Accademia. Cannaregio, in the north, sits close to Santa Lucia railway station and tends to offer lower nightly rates. Visitors arriving by air use Marco Polo Airport, 13 km northeast; water taxis reach the city in roughly 30 minutes.

Practical Tips

• Getting around: Water buses (vaporetti) run all major canal routes; a 48-hour pass costs around €35.
• Crowds: San Marco is least crowded before 9 am and after 6 pm.
• Luggage: Wheeled bags face steep bridge steps — pack light or use porter services from the station.
• Tides: Acqua alta flooding occurs most often October through January; pack waterproof footwear.