Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Here is a collection of 17 of our favourite photos of Venice that will hopefully whet your appetite for more.
Venice is also unique, built on hundreds of tiny islands in a lagoon off the coast of northeast Italy. Incredibly, this city grew from a few huts on muddy islands to one of the greatest and richest cities in the world, with trading links and an empire across the Mediterranean.
Venice is an astounding city, and there is a staggering wealth of sights to see there – St Mark’s Square and its stunning Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, Palladio’s San Giorgio Maggiore, the distinctive domed church of Santa Maria della Salute, the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge and so much more. Then there are the many canals, with the graceful gondolas effortlessly gliding along them. Every corner you turn you find beauty.
Here is a collection of some of our photos of Venice to whet your appetite.
Where To Stay In Venice
***** – Hotel Danieli – one of the great hotels of Europe, never mind Venice – amazing medieval waterfront palazzo, a few steps from the Doge’s Palace
**** – Residenza d’Epoca San Cassiano – the sumptuous Ca’ Favretto palace on the Grand Canal waterfront, a short walk from the Rialto Markets
*** – Hotel Bel Sito e Berlino – beautiful 3-star with front windows directly opposite the Baroque facade of Santa Maria del Giglio, one of the most ornate churches in Venice
Tours of Venice
There are hundreds of possible tours of Venice, and I’ve whittled them down to a few of the best:
Grand Canal Gondola Ride – one of the ultimate Venice experiences, and an app commentary comes as part off the package
Hidden Gems of Venice Guided Walking Tour – a walking tour of the backstreets and canals of the Castello sestiere of Venice
Jewish Ghetto and Cannaregio Food and Wine Tour – Jewish history and an introduction to delicious Venetian food, including cicchetti (bar snacks)
Photos of Venice
This shot of Palladio’s magnificent San Giorgio Maggiore was also made on the Molo, one of the best sunrises I had ever seen just kept getting better and better.
This shot of the Palazzo Ducale, or Doge’s Palace, was also made on the Molo, the first warm golden rays of sunlight catching the façade, a wonderful start to a winter’s day.
The Basilica di San Marco, St Mark’s Basilica, just before dawn with snow on the domes and Piazza. I had to ask one of the local council workers to stop shovelling snow out of the way so I could get this shot first. I still owe him a cup of coffee for that.
The Grand Canal at sunset, with a lone gondolier, shot from the famous Rialto Bridge.
The Rialto Bridge, or Ponte di Rialto, shot from a little-known vantage point in Cannaregio, with the Grand Canal flowing underneath.
The Baroque façade of Santa Maria del Giglio church, a few minutes’ walk from St Mark’s Square.
A wide view of the Grand Canal at dusk, also shot from Rialto Bridge.
Santa Maria della Salute, seen here at night with gondolas in the foreground.
Across the Grand Canal in the same district as the Salute church, the Rio degli Ognissanti is one of the most picturesque canals in the city.
The Squero di San Trovaso, one of the last gondola repair yards in Venice, sits on the corner of the Rio degli Ognissanti.
Santa Maria della Salute, again from the Molo, this time bathed in the first light of day with the gondolas moving in the foreground.
The island of Burano, in the north of the Venetian lagoon, is renowned for its beautiful brightly-painted fishermen’s cottages. We love this canal and street with the wonky belltower of San Martino church overlooking the scene.
The houses of Burano are painted in an amazing array of colours, like this vivid pink.
Burano is a photographer’s dream, the colourful houses reflected here in the almost-still canal water.
This yellow house on Burano is one of our favourites. The sign next to the door says that colour, like music, awakens the senses and emotions.
And finally – a last peek at the city, at San Giorgio Maggiore.
Photos of Venice – Final Words
I hope you’ve enjoyed this taster of Venice and that it inspires you to visit one day.
I’ve written this short article as an introduction to Venice, and I’ve written numerous posts about this amazing city. They are all illustrated with my own photos of Venice, shot over a great many visits.
For more overviews of the city, take a look at my detailed photo guide to the Grand Canal Venice. It’s one of the most beautiful streets in Europe, indeed the world.
Also check out my guide to the best Venice landmarks to see, as well as the best churches in Venice to visit.
If you’re interested in photographing Venice, be sure to check out my guide to the best things to do in Burano. This colourful fishing village in the north of the Venetian lagoon is always a draw for photographers – we think it’s one of the most beautiful villages in Europe.
For shooting the best photos of Venice, don’t miss my guides to the best places to watch sunrise in Venice and sunset in Venice.
You may be wondering how much time you need in Venice. Take a look at my guides to a Day Trip To Venice, a Weekend In Venice and a 3-Day Venice Itinerary. These may well help you decide.
Finally, check out my guide to the best day trips from Venice. These range from around the Venice lagoon to across the Veneto region and Northern Italy.
- Is Venice worth visiting?
- Sunrise In Venice – best places to watch the sunrise in Venice
- Sunset In Venice – the 10 best places to see it
- Grand Canal Venice – Visual Guide To The Most Beautiful Street In The World
- 14 Most Beautiful Churches in Venice
- 34 Wonderful Venice Landmarks – the unmissable sights of La Serenissima
- Bridges In Venice – from the Bridge of Sighs to lesser-known sights including the Bridge of Fists and the Bridge of Tits
- Venice Off The Beaten Path – 18 Hidden Gems In Venice
- 17 Photos That Will Make You Want To Visit Venice
- 12 Most Beautiful Venice Squares – San Marco, Campo San Zanipolo and more
- 16 Best Day Trips From Venice – Burano, Verona, Padua and More
- Squares in Italy – 15 of the most beautiful squares in Italy
Areas of Venice
- Cannaregio Venice – complete guide to the largest sestiere (district) in Venice
- Things To Do In Burano – Venice’s colourful fishermen’s village
- Things To do In Torcello Venice – the remote island where Venice began in the 8th century