Let's get one thing straight; Venice is touristy. Yes, Venice is also beautiful, decadent, fantastically gastronomic and all sorts of romantic, but it's not the place for a city breakers looking for that undiscovered neighbourhood full of fancy coffee shops.
That said, Venice is touristy for a reason. It's a city built on canals for goodness sake. So, if you haven't been yet, it's time to rectify that. Because once you get past the selfie sticks and groups of school children, it's a fascinating city that has as much culture as water.
Oh and the food offerings and Aperol spritzes? Yeah, you're going to want to get on them too.
Getting there
It's just one hour and forty five minutes to Venice from Gatwick on Easy Jet with prices starting from around £24 one way. There's also non-stop options from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, and Edinburgh.
Once in Venice though, things get a little trickier. Marco Polo airport is a fair distance away from the historic centre. The cheapest (and easiest, IMHO) way in is probably just on the bus (Aerobus Line 5). It goes from right outside the airport, costs €8 (buy your tickets on the ACTV app which will also help you with the vaporetto water busses) and takes about 25 minutes. Once you arrive at the main station, hop over the Ponte della Costituzione to the Piazzale Roma and you're in. There is also a water bus - Alilaguna - which makes for a more picturesque journey although it's a little pricier at €15 and takes one hour and 12 minutes.
If you're not worried about money, consider a water taxi (best done when the sun is shining) for a really gorgeous experience. It's around €120.
Walking most places in Venice is easier (and cheaper) than boat hopping. From Piazzale Roma all the way down to Isola Sant'Elena at the far end of the island it's only about an hour's walk and there's an endless thread of bars and restaurants to break it up.
Obviously, to get to the other islands you'll need to go by boat. Avoid the aforementioned water taxis (eye-wateringly expensive) and stick to the vaporetto to reach Burano, Murano, Giudecca, Lido and more. It's €7.50 for a 75 minute pass so, if you're going to do a lot of the island hopping, consider looking into one of ACTV's deals . If you're planning on going to a lot of museums then get yourself a Unica Card, which you pay for up front (€58.70) and which gets you free access to museums and transport.
Where to stay
Thanks to Airbnb, you're now able to get some very good deals on places to stay in Venice, which is good, because some of the hotels are very expensive indeed. If you aren't getting a travel pass then make sure your hotel or B&B is on the main island because having to pay €7.50 for a three minute journey every time you want to pop home is very annoying.
Avoid, if you can too, the super touristy area of San Marco and instead opt for the slightly quieter Dorsoduro or the much more local Cannaregio.
Airbnb
Most B&Bs list their rooms on Airbnb under "private rooms" in Venice. Make sure you get one which has tourist tax included with your room fee like this one (£49 a night), otherwise you could find yourself being charged up to an extra €5 per person, per day.
Locanda Fiorita
This hotel is traditional and, despite being in a somewhat busy location, is tucked away far enough into a hidden square that it feels secluded. It's very reasonable too. Prices start from £79 a night.
Casa Flora
For those who want something outrageously special, Casa Flora is an entire house, designed impeccably and big enough to fit plenty of people within it's marvellously aesthetic walls. Prices are on request but see also its sister hotels (much more affordable) Novecento and Hotel Flora.
Where to eat
I mean where not to eat. Avoid the big multi-lingual menu places on Saint Mark's square but do follow your nose into other places that look good. If it looks like there's locals in there, it's probably a good shout.
Frary's
Frary's surely must be one of the best restaurants in the city. Definitely book to avoid disappointment (do this on Facebook Messenger if you're shy). It's Mediterranean food so expect a mix of Turkish, Greek, Italian and more. It's so good. SO good. And not expensive.
Osteria Al Squero
There's really very little need to sit down and have a full meal at any point; just keep yourself going by hopping from cicchetti bar to cicchetti bar, paying as little as €1 for delicious tapas style bites of cold meats and salad on bread, croquettes, arancini balls and more. Oh, also, pretty much all of these bars serve Aperol Spritz for €2.50. Our favourite is Osteria Al Squero (which is, coincidentally, everyone else's favourite too). See also Caffe Rosso , Il Paradiso Perduto, and (slightly fancier) Vino Vero, El Sbarlefo San Pantalon and Estro.
Taverna Al Remer
For a restaurant big on the romance factor, check out the Taverna Al Remer which is hidden in a little square, encased within beautiful stone walls, lit by candlelight, decorated with wine barrels, has nightly live music... the whole shebang. The food's delightful too.
Where to go out
Campo De Margerita
If you're around the city on a Friday or Saturday night, head straight to Campo Santa Margherita near the university for an overwhelming collection of attractive young people jumping from bar to bar or just sitting out in the square, taking in the evening. Hit up Caffe Rosso (again), Chet Bar, Bakarò Do Draghi, Al Bocon Divino... It's a whole thing. Go, drink, bar hop.
Cafe Noir
Just up the road from Campo De Margherita, is this staple on the Venitian nightlife scene. Expect good music, cheap beer, basic but delicious eats, friendly staff and a cosy place to settle in for the night.
Harry's Bar
The iconic cocktail bar hailing from the 1930s. Go once, order a Bellini (it was invented there), be sad that it cost you €20 and move on. It's a rite of passage for all Venice visitors.
Caffè dei Frari
Literally next to Frary's restaurant is this beautifully decorated cocktail bar with a, quite frankly stunning inside balcony, delightful staff and delicious cocktails and wine.
Bierreria Forst
This pub/bar is super cheap, super laid back, local and friendly. They have rye bread sandwiches on hand, good beer and good wine. A winner all round.
What to see
Of course there's the Doge's Palace, there's St Mark's Square, there's the gondola rides... All amazing incredible things to do and see, but there are a few cheaper options out there too.
Libreria Acqua Alta
Imagine a bookshop so packed to the rafters with books that it's tough to move around inside. This infamous bookshop (with pet cats) is right on the canal and uses old boats to stack and store it's thousands of books which are in lots of different languages and cover every topic under the sun. The prices aren't bad either.
Aldo Strasse
A second hand shop that's been around for decades. Expect top quality vintage clothing, old machines, cameras and records at prices that are pretty darn reasonable. Also, it's out of the way so isn't overrun by tourists.
Mercati di Rialto
Visiting the busy markets in any European city is a total must to see the actual city in action. Stop by the pescheria for fresh fish and the erberia for veggies. Super handy if you're staying in an Airbnb with kitchen access.
Gianni Basso Stampatore
A business card maker might not be first on your list of things to visit but stick with us here. Gianni has been running his store just fine thanks to the number of famous people's cards he's designed in the window. Go for a fascinating lesson in design (and some good Instagram pictures).
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
This isn't free - but it really is worth the €16.50 entry fee. As a member of that fantastically rich Guggenheim family, Peggy, daughter of Benjamin, niece of Solomon, amassed a stunning collection of art the first half of the 20th century (at one point she was buying one painting a day) which is now exhibited in her old house, the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni.
Orsoni Furnace
Another oddity that's worth it for a Insta pics. This is the last working glass furnace in Venice and has a fantastically aesthetic library of glass tiles in all sorts of different colours.
San Michele Cemetery
Yes, wandering around a cemetery could be seen as a little morbid but Venice's Cimitero di San Michele is fascinating, so there you go. It's got many famous people buried there like Stravinksy and Ezra Pound although their graves are not easy to find.
Burano
The home of handmade lace (not that much of it is made there any longer). This northerly island is worth a visit for it's stunning array of brightly coloured houses.
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