Venice

Italy

Venice Holidays and Hotel Information

Venice is in a lagoon, accessible only by boat, and was once Europe’s main trading post between the West and the East.

You might want your sea legs on you when on a Venice weekend break as the city is built on a network of islands and has over 150 canals. Transport is normally via Gondola. A Gondola is an 11 metre long boat. That is still made today, and can be moved by one person even when heavily laden.

There is a wealth of accommodation in Venice divided between it’s six areas - Castello, Canneregio, San Marco, Santa Croice, Drsoduro and San Polo and some islands - Srdecca and San Geogio, Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands with the Lido di Venezia, stretching south for some 6 miles, the most famous of them all.

St Mark is the patron saint of Venice and his body is in the church, the Basilica of San Marco, which is situated on St Mark’s Square. There is always an exciting atmosphere in this busy square, with many cafes often playing live music. It is without doubt one of the finest piazzas in the world, surrounded on three sides by the arcades of public buildings, the Procuratie Nuove to the south, the Procuratie Vecchie to the north and the Ala Napoleonicato the west.

The stunning rounded domes of the Basilica San Marco add to the character. The Ca' d'Oro is a Venetian Gothic palace and was built in the 15th century. It is full of many detailed sculptures and ornaments that were once covered with gold and is probably the finest example of Gothic architecture in Venice, the facade too was once gilded, hence the name 'Golden House'. The Campanile (Bell Tower of San Marco) in San Marco Square allows you to climb inside for views of the square from high up.

There is also The Museum of Modern Art and The Museum of Oriental Art with their wonderful collections of paintings and don't forget to visit The Peggy Guggenheim Museum and The Corerr Museum.

Venice Hotels

Lowcostbeds have a wide range of hotels in Venice available to book online as well as deals on Venice breaks!

Search for a Venice hotel using our site search facility, or use the link below to view the full listing of all our hotels in Venice.

Shopping

A Venice break offers a wide range of shopping. From the Piazza San Marco to the Rialto area, the Mercerie and the nearby Calle dei Fabbri have been the main shopping streets in Venice for hundreds of years, attracting crowds of shoppers.

In the Calle della Mandola and the shops around the Mercerie, you with find an excellent selection of leather goods, including shoes bags, wallets and also a wide-range of colourful, traditional Venetian slippers. In the San Marco area of Venice, there are many top fashion designer outlets with names including Armani, Gucci, Missoni, Prada, Valentino and Versace all near to the Piazza.

There are some interesting and more unusual shops to the west of San Marco, in Frezzeria where upmarket stores can be found from the Piazza to the Accademia Bridge and these provide a wide-range of merchandise.

For souvenirs and gifts, one of the best places to go is the streets just north of Campo Santo Stefano, where there are many gift shops. For a wide choice of some less expensive shops, the narrow streets from the Rialto area to San Polo, just across the Grand Canal, are ideal. These shops are full of character, atmosphere and often some real bargains.

Nightlife

Nightlife in Venice consists of plenty of restaurants, some night clubs, theatres and bars and there is also a casino.

For a night of dancing try The El Souk, Casanova and the Acropolis.

If you prefer a quieter, more romantic venue there are plenty.

The world famous Harry’s Bar is the haunt of the famous, you can eat and drink, but it is expensive. There is also live music and cocktails.

The historic theatre Gran Teatro La Fenice reopened in 2003 after a fire and has a wide and extensive programme with the Opera season running from December to May, while Jazz Concerts and the Festival of Contemporary Music take place in September.

Bars in Venice mainly function as cafés, although they do serve alcohol. There are many different types of food served in Venice's restaurants, but amongst the most popular are pizzas and pasta. Pizzas can be eaten in a pizzeria, where large, round, thin pizzas are cooked in traditional wood-burning ovens. Pasta comes in an enormous array of shapes, colours and styles. Probably the most popular type most often served in local restaurants is spaghetti, and is usually served with sauces, including olive oil and garlic, or rich tomato and basil.

Information