Hi guys! Visiting Venice was one of the best things I have done, it was a beautiful city! However with every holiday there are always things to know before you go. There is nothing wrong about being well-informed before a trip. Here are some travel tips I wish I had known before visiting Venice.

Price

It is really easy to get ripped off – use the price of gelato or coffee as an indicator of a price range – if you are paying €3 per scoop of gelato then it is a place to avoid.

Every other shop is a mask shop. And can range from €8 to €40. However, some of the Venetian masks were made of plastic, not the original papier mache, which you can tell by the texture of the back. It will also have the official made in Venice stamp if it is legit, if it does not, it is most likely to have been made in China.

There is a 10% fee added to all bar, cafe and restaurant prices if you sit down, so don’t be surprised if you find locals drinking their coffee standing up.

For the best view of Venice go to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, only €3 will take you up to the top of the bell tower and a panoramic view.

Gondolas are ridiculously expensive and only worth it if you have a big group with you (€80 for 40 minutes, €20 for every 20 minutes thereafter).

Some Murano glass in Murano is made in China. You can tell by the extreme drop in price.

Murano glass is very expensive so avoid getting ripped off – the price have been increased for tourists.

Being a Tourist

Google maps is incredibly unreliable. A lot of the streets are not recognised by the location app so my advice is to get your bearings on your first day to avoid getting lost.

However, getting lost is expected. You can be going down a parallel street to the main one and have no idea. Just appreciate your surroundings and do not panic too much, happens to everyone.

Almost everyone on the main island are tourists. LIKE EVERYWHERE. It was so surprising but so useful when it came to buying things in shops as they just assumed you were a tourist and switched to English.

Get to know the water bus schedule, you will find it very important when travelling through islands and the airport transfer.

There are really as many bridges as you would imagine, but any sign of rain and they become really slippery, so be cautious.

Churches require you to wear appropriate clothing when entering, some will give you a throw to cover your shoulders.

Before visiting Venice, I highly recommend planning a trip to Lido, it has one of the best beaches I have ever been to.

Miscellaneous

The staff in the city were super lovely. Like so nice it almost seems fake. They were all so welcoming and were not offended if you did not know Italian, they were more than happy to speak English.

Sometimes, there really is a smell, that isn’t a myth.

Have you been to Venice before? Did you like it?

Related Posts: Check out my Nice Itinerary and A Day Trip in Monaco