Is Venice worth visiting – with soaring costs and so much overcrowding? Find out in our guide here.
Is Venice worth visiting? Emphatically, absolutely, it’s a resounding yes from us. But for some of you, it’s not that simple.
You may be planning long-haul trip to Italy or Europe, and trying to decide whether to include Venice in a long itinerary. Or perhaps you’re contemplating a city break in Venice from elsewhere in Europe.
We’re all aware of the uniqueness of the city, built on a series of muddy islands. Likewise we know about the staggering beauty of the city. I’ve been lucky to have visited Venice around 15 times, an immense privilege. I’d urge any of you to do the same if possible.
Venice is worth seeing, but it comes at a cost. It is swamped with visitors for much of the year, with the main thoroughfares and sights clogged with crowds. It’s believed that over 20 million visit each year, and the city is too small to cope.
You also pay a premium – a massive one – to stay in Venice, or even just eat there. These are a pretty strong deterrent to visiting Venice for many.
In this article I’ll look at the pros and cons of visiting Venice. When looking at the reasons some choose not to visit Venice, I’ll also suggest ways to work around these concerns and problems.
Why Visit Venice Italy
A Unique Experience – A City On The Water
I remember every moment of the first time I set foot in Venice. I stepped out of Santa Lucia station, to see traffic buzzing by along the Grand Canal in both directions.
Bulky vaporetti – waterbuses – took most of the burden of passengers. Sleek wooden watertaxis slipped in between gaps in the traffic. And a few gondoliers guided their elegant long black boats towards the side canals.
Across the Grand Canal, the large green dome of San Simeone Piccolo faced towards the elaborate Baroque façade of the Scalzi Church.
This was one of the biggest thrills of my travelling life, comparable to seeing Big Ben in London or the Arc de Triomphe in Paris for the first time. I was in my late twenties when I saw this, but felt the same excitement as I did as a child.
And this is just the back end of Venice, the part the vast majority skips. Just wait until you see the rest of it.
Trip on the Grand Canal
The Grand Canal Venice is the most beautiful street in the world. It’s lined with amazing medieval palaces like the ornate Ca’ d’Oro, some of the most famous landmarks in Italy like the Rialto Bridge, and some of the finest churches in Venice like Santa Maria della Salute.
Gondola Ride Optional
It took me until something like my twelfth visit to finally indulge in a gondola ride in Venice. It’s not for everyone, especially with a €80 euro (for 40 minutes) price tag. It took until my in-laws came over from Australia for me to finally go for a gondola ride.
It turned out that I loved every moment of it. It’s a magical way to see Venice. We opted for a glide around the back canals of the Castello district, away from the main sights. There is beauty in every canal and street corner there, and the gondola is a wonderful way to appreciate and experience it.
Venice Is Great For Families
A huge part of travelling is experiencing something new, and that’s just what Venice is for kids. It’s a whole new adventure, seeing a city on the water and wondering how on earth it all came about. Take them in the low season or away from the crowds and you may well have set them on a life-long love affair with the place.
Venice Architecture
Venetian architecture is often astounding. Stand in the Piazzetta – next to St Mark’s Square – and marvel at the Byzantine-influenced domes of St Mark’s Basilica, the Venetian Gothic of the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) and the Renaissance palace housing the Libreria Sansoviniana.
And just across the water, the Palladian church of San Giorgio Maggiore, with its Neoclassical influences, is one of the most captivating reasons to visit Venice.
Venice Churches
Another of the best reasons to visit La Serenissima is to visit some of the sublime churches in Venice. The extraordinary St Mark’s Basilica is one of the most beautiful churches in Europe – not to mention overcrowded and poorly managed.
Yet there are so many stunning Venetian churches to seek out, it’s just a question of knowing where to look. San Giorgio Maggiore and Santa Maria della Salute are breathtaking, and both within sight of the San Marco waterfront.
Further afield, the likes of Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Madonna dell’Orto – at opposite ends of the large sestiere of Cannaregio – are exquisite for different reasons.
Art in Venice
Venice is also swamped with art treasures, much of them produced by artists from the city and around.
Titian and Tintoretto are two of the giants of Venetian art, and you can see their work at many venues across the city, including churches and museums. We particularly recommend the Galleria dell’Accademia and Scuola Grande di San Rocco – the later containing an amazing series of works by Tintoretto.
The Doge’s Palace is also worth braving the crowds for Paolo Veronese’s series of paintings in the Sala del Collegio.
Getting Lost In Venice
One of the most enjoyable things to do in Venice is getting lost there. I’ve always loved wandering the city, sometimes not quite knowing where I am or where I’m going to end up.
It’s a wonderful way to discover the city, and you find so many places you don’t expect. I found Campo San Rocco, one of the finest Venice squares, this way. And I also stumbled across the canal-side pizzeria on Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio around 25 years ago. I still haven’t managed to get a table, but one of these days….
Burano and Venice Lagoon
The Venetian lagoon is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe. The low-lying flat muddy islands weren’t ideal places to live, but they were defensible, hence their settlement.
The vast lagoon has plenty more islands to visit than those comprising the city of Venice. Murano is famous for its glass-blowing factories, and the fishing village of Burano is one of the most beautiful villages in Europe.
You can see Burano from a distance as you approach from Venice. Its wonky church tower leans a few degrees out of the perpendicular, a guiding landmark as you pass through the channels marked by wooden piles of logs tied together.
There are enough things to do in Burano to spend a full day there, especially if you add an hour or so in nearby Torcello. It’s one of the easiest day trips from Venice, and the main reason most people visit is to see the extraordinary painted houses of the village. No shades of grey here – it’s bright, vivid and uplifting to see, even on a cloudy winter’s day.
Is Venice Worth Visiting – Reasons Not To Go
High Costs – Venice Can Be Very Expensive
For much of the year, Venice is a budget-buster. You feel the euros draining out of your pocket from the moment you step out of the station.
A single journey on a vaporetto, or waterbus, down the Grand Canal will set you back an eye-watering €9.50 (£8 or $10.50) – but a day ticket would be better value.
But accommodation in Venice is usually the budget-breaker. In high season some of it is ridiculously overpriced. A tiny room not much bigger than a large cupboard can set you back well over €200 a night.
Avoiding High Prices In Venice – When To Visit Venice
The best way to avoid soaring costs in the floating city is to visit Venice in winter. January is the best time price-wise for visiting Venice, with many Venice hotels slashing their rates. They frequently go as low as 20-25% of their peak rates. This means that the luxury Venice hotels around San Marco – often charging €500 or more per night – charge as little as €100-150.
If you can only visit Venice during the peak season, there are other options. One is staying on the mainland in Mestre, where most Venetians now live.
Another option is staying a 30-40 minute train journey from Venice in Padua. I did this a couple of times, and was so glad I did. I had plenty of time to see Venice, but also got to discover and fall in love with Padua. It’s one of the best cities to visit in Italy, and one of the most underrated cities in Europe.
It’s also worth checking out our Best Area To Stay In Venice feature for more ideas on places to stay in Venice and nearby.
Overcrowding In Venice
Venice is horrendously overcrowded in the peak summer season, and very busy in the shoulder seasons. The area around Piazza San Marco and the nearby Molo waterfront is often crammed with visitors, so much so that you can barely move.
But around 15 visits to Venice have taught me that the crowds tend to converge in the same few places every single day. Rialto is another, as are the narrow streets around it and those leading to San Marco. The area around the station is similarly busy.
How To Avoid The Crowds In Venice
You can escape the vast Venice crowds by seeking out Venice off the beaten path. Most of the people visiting Venice aren’t going to spend long there, they want to tick off the same few Venice landmarks like St Mark’s Square and the Bridge of Sighs.
It doesn’t take long to find a very different Venice. Head for somewhere like the Scala Contarini del Bovolo, a hidden palazzo with a stunning external staircase, and you’ll hardly see another soul. Or take a walk to the Castello sestiere, exploring beautiful Venice squares like Campo Santa Maria Formosa and the nearby Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo.
From there, head down the back streets towards San Francesco della Vigna, and the crowds will seem a million miles away.
Poor Restaurants
Yes, many restaurants in Venice are overpriced and the food mediocre. This is especially true around San Marco and Rialto – the same areas the worst of the crowds build up. The ones serving pizza and a broad range of Italian cuisine tend to be the worst.
Good Food and Restaurants In Venice
As we mention in our Italy Food Tour article, you’re better off seeking out restaurants serving Venetian cuisine. This consists of seafood such as sarde in saor, a marinated sardine dish, and cicchetti, a range of bar snacks not dissimilar to Spanish tapas.
Other local produce includes vegetables from the lagoon islands and rice. Another of my personal favourites is risotto al nero di seppia, with rice served in black cuttlefish ink.
I recommend several restaurants and bars serving food around Venice. Osteria al Squero (in Dorsoduro) is one of the best places for an introduction to the world of cicchetti. Otherwise take a boat trip along the Zattere to San Basilio, and the excellent Osteria Ca del Vento.
Alternatively, the best place to eat near San Marco is Le Bistrot de Venise, which serves traditional Venetian classics on Calle dei Fabbri.
Is Venice Worth Visiting FAQs
Is Venice A Good Place To Visit?
Venice is a wonderful place to visit – especially when you explore away from the main sights and avoid the huge crowds.
Is Venice Expensive?
Yes. It’s the most expensive city in Italy, and in high season it can be exorbitantly expensive. However, if you visit at certain times of year, Venice is a lot more affordable.
Is Venice Overrated?
No, I don’t think it is. Overpriced at certain times of year, yes. But this is one of the most beautiful cities in the world
Is Venice Over-touristed?
Yes, sadly, very much so. It’s often flooded with tourists but it’s worth bearing in mind that the vast majority of them converge on the same few places.
Are there other cities like Venice?
Not really, no. There are great cities with an abundance of canals like Amsterdam, but it’s nothing like Venice, very different in feel.
Is Venice Worth Visiting – Final Thoughts
As I said at the beginning of the article, I think Venice is absolutely worth visiting.
The overcrowding and high prices are good reasons to avoid certain parts of Venice at some times of the day. They are also reasons to consider avoiding Venice at certain times of year. But I don’t think they are reasons to avoid Venice altogether.
Visiting Venice may require a change of plans and a tweak to your itinerary, but I wouldn’t miss it. The wealth of things to see and do in Venice is overwhelming. And I suggest doing whatever you can to see it at least once in your lifetime.
Check out more of our articles on Venice here:
- Sunrise In Venice – best places to watch the sunrise in Venice
- Sunset In Venice – best sunset spots in Venice
- Cannaregio Venice – one of the most overlooked districts in Venice
- Day Trip To Venice Itinerary – how to spend one day in Venice – and avoid the crowds
- Weekend In Venice – how to spend the perfect two days in Venice
- 3 day Venice Itinerary – how to spend a magical 3 days in Venice
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.