Palazzo Ducale or the Doge's Palace was one of my favorite parts of my trip to Venice. Ducale or…read moreDoge means Duke. The Duke was the highest governing position in Venice, and this is once where they lived. While strolling St. Mark's Square I already admired the beauty of the building. The building has gothic architecture with influences from the Byzantine times, Islamic and European Medieval styles. My camera does not do its' beauty justice. The tickets to Doge's Palace are time entry tickets, but they didn't seem to be too strict compared to other museums. Tickets are 37€/person. There is a baggage check in area for large items like a backpack, at no cost. It's nice because my boyfriend and I left our stuff there, even things that weren't required to be checked so we walked around more lightly. I only kept my phone for photos. One of the first things I remember seeing is the snitch mailbox. In the olden days the citizens were encouraged to rat on one another and they can leave anonymous tips for the government here. Unfortunately as a result many were wrongfully imprisoned... and there is a full on prison in the later ends of the tour. It was really scary to walk through. On a more positive note, there had the most stunning golden staircase and one of the most incredible largest paintings in the world, the Il Parasido by Jacopo Tintoretto. A must visit when visiting Venice!

Situated between the Basilica di San Marco and the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront, the Palazzo…read moreDucale, or Doge's (Duke's) Palace, is arguably the jewel in the crown. It was the seat of the government of Venice for centuries and hosted various government institutions, including the Great Council and the Council of Ten, which controlled the affairs of the republic. Its façade featured intricate marble reliefs, elegant arches, and decorative elements that showcased the beauty of the place where my partner, our friend, family members, and I had gotten self-guided tickets without a reservation last Saturday and moved quickly. One entered the palazzo through a door next to the Lagoon into an enormous courtyard and the Arco Foscari. Here we saw the mix of styles that made up the palace, as successive doges tried to make the palace ever more magnificent. Inside, one can explore a series of opulent rooms, grand halls, and ornate chambers adorned with exquisite artworks, stunning frescoes, and elaborate ceilings. Notable rooms include the Doge's apartments, the Hall of the Great Council, and the Chamber of the Council of Ten. Plan a minimum of two hours to get a good bit of history, which is a living echo of a world that helped shape Europe. We can recommend.

This Basilica is small but beautiful. Make sure to follow the dress code, knees and shoulders…read morecovered. There are additional features that you need to get separate tickets for (or get a bundle) so make sure to do your research beforehand and and book appropriately. It will be a short visit given the venue isn't large but it's worth it when you're in Venice!

Basilica di San Marco or the St. Mark's Basilica is dedicated to St. Mark, the patron saint of the…read morecity and a house for his relics. This is without a doubt the most important religious site in the city of Venice. At the time of our visit, there was construction on front of the building, but it was still beautiful. It is a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture with Gothic influences. There was so much incredible detail that went into every inch of the building. I did not get to go inside but the outside was already impressive. A great spot for photos.

Solid, seafood-focused quality food that's a significant cut above the typical Venice tourist slop…read more Decent wine list, although a bit pricey by Italian standards. Charming, casual environment tucked away in a hidden location. Perfect romantic spot. Staff are always very gracious and help navigate the ample menu.

All I can say was wow…read more Absolute favorite restaurant in Venice. Very quaint, intimate and tucked away. The food, service and atmosphere was amazing! Make sure to get the dessert as well. Very rich in flavor, appropriately priced.

Always February - March during the rainy season. You may get stuck in rising waters, so be prepared…read moreand have the pullover rain booties and an umbrella. They will sell ponchos as well. The costumes are elaborate and beautiful! Some terrifying. But all of them are handmade. You can purchase the carnivale masks all year round, and even have them custom made. I had our football teams made on a mask for my husband and I.

Carnival in venice started (according to wikipedia) in the 12th century..and is still celebrated…read moretoday. The event does atrract large crowds. What i liked - great for people watching & great costumes - good opportunity to dress up - flight of the angel(make sure to check the programm) Some tips: arrange accomodation on time and do invest in a mask.

We opted for the Ca d'Oro when the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia sounded too daunting and too…read morefar away. Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca d'Oro was a great beginner's introduction to the island's many art galleries and museums. The museum is just the right size (housed in an old palace, just a few floors) and is not crowded. You basically get the whole museum to yourself and its a nice contrast to the busyness of Piazza San Marco. The art is so so but the building is what truly shines here. The Bon family designed the palace. If that family name makes no sense to you at all, just know that they also designed Doge's Palace! The courtyard is a beautiful space and is made up of the most amazing tile work. Also nice is the balcony and area where your boat would pull up from the canal. Just imagine what that would be like if it were back in the day. Not much has changed in terms of the structure and it is easy to picture what life was like in this palace.

This was probably one of my favorite places to grab a drink based on the quality of the cocktail in…read moreVenice. Near the Rialto Bridge, you'll find a good mix of locals and tourists and an extensive cocktail menu. There's just one guy who runs the joint, but he make a helluva cocktail. I ordered a Mint Julep and he definitely made one of the better mint juleps I've had. It's definitely a sight to watch him at work as he'll put in a solid amount of time and effort into each cocktail. Plenty of people here ordered wine as well. Everything was about 9-10 euro per glass. There is also a selection of cichetta here that looked pretty good. One other perk is that you can drink outside the bar.

Great place to get a glass of wine and listen to live music if in the area! Hidden away in an…read morealley, we found out only because of the music. House white wasn't great but who cares!

Beautiful interior! Didn't get to see a show here but came just to take a look inside. Didn't need…read moreto purchase tickets in advance there wasn't a line. There were performers practicing which was cool to see!

Beautiful theater. It is definitely worth going on a tour of the theater. You won't be…read moredisappointed. It is an amazing building.

Cute little museum that showcases their local hero with his life and work. It's more of an…read moreinteractive museum of replicas of some of his most famous creations. Located in a historic section of Venice. It's in need of some updates but over all it's cute.

Wonderful museum with so much to see. Would highly recommend on your next trip to Italy.read more

This was one of my favorites on my recent trip. Not so much for the art inside (fairly typical…read moreItalian paintings, sculptures, etc.), but mainly for the building itself. The Ca d'Oro is one of Venice's most breathtaking architectural offerings and this museum lets you go inside and have a glimpse of what it was like to be there long ago. The inside rooms are now art gallery spaces, but you get access to both the 1st and 2nd floor terraces with their fabulous views of the Grand Canal. And you get to explore the ground floor portico with its magnificent mosaic work, garden, and view of the canal.

Best cicchetti hands down. Each one is enough for two people. Delicious. The seafood sampler is…read moreamazing.

A one-star review. That happens very rarely with me. When travelling I prepare myself well…read more Checking ratings, reading reviews. Making lists with options to eat. So, what happened here you might ask? We walked by this restaurant a day before our experience. A lively place selling tasty-looking seafood. Checked the ratings, looked all fine. So we decided to come back the next day to get some nice early dinner. We wanted to sit inside actually, but were told to get a table outside. Looked like rain soon - which luckily didn't arrive. Our waiter seemed rushed and not really in a good mood from the start. Got handed the menu. But there's a nice counter inside with all kinds of nice fish and seafood. That's actually what we came for. We asked the waiter on how to order that, but were told "no need to rush" without further explanation and left. So my wife went inside to have a look, since we didn't find that on the menu card we've got. She ordered a nice plate of mixed seafood inside. Which somewhat angered our waiter. I was still reading the menu for some more dishes to order. Waiter took it out of my hand, telling me "you don't need that anymore, you already ordered". Yeah, some. But we wanted more. But we made a decision that moment to leave it and to stop ordering more. Really weren't in the mood for food anymore. Shortly after he arrived with the mixed seafood. And that was actually very tasty. Fantastic even. Had two glasses of white wine with if, tasty as well, but not cheap. After less than half an hour we decided to pay and leave. Even great, we didn't enjoy it much anymore. Asked for the bill, our waiter arrived with it shortly after. Then the reason for the one-star review came (actually reason enough at that point already). My wife merely asked if she could pay with a credit card. "Be quiet!" was the answer. Yes! Be Quiet...to my wife! These exact words. Not because of a language barrier (his english was more than fine), not because of a misunderstanding. Plain and simple rudeness. I hope his mother is proud of him. How dare you talk to a woman, to a paying guest like that. If my wife wouldn't have signaled me to stay calm, I would have caused a very big scene at that moment. But we were on vacation. We won't a moment like this kill our mood for the rest of the trip. But at that moment I was cooking inside. A verbal attack like this I've never encountered. I've read some more reviews later. It seems not the first time that service here is out of line. It's a shame. The food is wonderful. Not cheap though, paid almost 50 Euros! Coperta is a normal thing, but here a bit higher than elsewhere. And this is the first time I've thought that the coperta was not deserved. Almost took it off the bill, but we didn't want to cause a bigger fight. Not sure what was/is wrong with this certain waiter. A dislike to tourists? A bad day? But: there's no reason to treat us like this. THE worst service experience we've ever had. And that means something. If you read up on my reviews here on Yelp and other platforms you'll see that bad reviews like this rarely happen. Nothing's gonna happen to Mr. Friendly anyway job-wise. But I wish at least he would be told by his boss. Then again, one day he'll meet guests that won't hold back if he acts like this again. And I find comfort in that.