Venice is a Mazeing
It is December, the time to visit Christmas markets in Europe. That was our plan, going to Germany, Austria, France… but after seeing the prices that were the same as a flight to México and back, we decided to opt for a place not in high demand during winter: Bella Venezia!
We have been wanting to visit Venice for a long time, and going against the grain is very beneficial when it comes to avoiding crowds and high prices, so it sounded like a great plan, and it was!
Venice is in my opinion the most beautiful city I’ve visited till today in Italy. I fell in love with every corner of this picturesque city, a paradise for any photography enthusiast.
Even though we opted for Venice over a Christmas market paradise destination, we still planned to visit the Christmas markets the internet said we would find in this city. Turns out the internet lies or is very outdated, as the Christmas market we were supposed to indulge in hasn’t been operating for the past 10 years. So that was a big disappointment. Thankfully we could enjoy a visit to the Mestre Christmas market at Piazza Ferretto that is about 30 min by bus. We got surprised by a very nice Christmas carols performance that added to the vibe. So yes, moral of the story: the internet lies and AI is not up to date.
Even though there was no Christmas market it was the best decision to go. We were very lucky with the weather and it was practically empty. So yes, if you want to visit this city and get lost in its streets discovering cute shops, restaurants and cafes, go in winter!
How to get around Venice
I’m the kind of person that loves to just walk through a city and discover. No map, just a general destination in mind, discover during the journey and get lost in the process.
Venice is a bit of a tricky one. This city is a maze! Turn a corner and find a dead end, turn another and fall into a canal. Walk for 5 minutes to finally find the bridge that was just in the parallel road from the one you were in before. Safe to say we walked in circles a few times! So, do keep Google Maps available if you have a specific place in mind you want to get to.
Let’s understand the lay out so that your navigation through it will be a bit more organized than mine was.
We walked around all the main districts except Giudecca and the islands.
Venice is divided into 6 historic districts called sestieri (from sesto = sixth). Each one has its own personality, vibe, and “reason to visit.” Here’s a clear, traveler‑friendly breakdown:
This is the more local, lived‑in area. You will find a great number of bars, restaurants and shops. In Cannaregio especially it is known for its nightlife. Very convenient stay as it is next to the bus terminal and train station. So ideal if you have early departure or late arrival. We stayed in Cannaregio and really enjoyed it.
Cannaregio Highlights:
Jewish Ghetto (historic & cultural)
Fondamenta della Misericordia (bars & restaurants)
Beautiful canals with fewer tourists
San Croce Highlights:
Piazzale Roma (cars & buses)
Grand Canal palazzi
Local neighborhoods
It’s a very nice and quiet area, or that is the feel I got walking through. We encountered a lot of restaurants and some parks. It has a very residential feel, good for family and slow travel.
Highlights
Arsenale (historic shipyard)
Biennale Gardens
Local trattorias
San Marco is the place to go if you want to see the “iconic Venice” whilst Dorsoduro is more of the “artistic & relaxed Venice”. Both of these places are a must visit. San Marco for the first time visitors, if you just do that it is ok, but walking around Dorsoduro discovering the different artisanal shops and galleries apart from the modern art museums is a wonderful time to spend an afternoon.
San Marco Highlights:
St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
St. Mark’s Basilica
Doge’s Palace
Luxury cafés
Dorsoduro Highlights:
Gallerie dell’Accademia
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Zattere waterfront (great sunsets)
Squero di San Trovaso (gondola workshop)
San Polo is a place full of restaurants, markets, shops and wine bars. It is a very lively area during the day where you can get lost and enjoy the everyday life in Venice. It is a very important historical place where commerce was done. Ideal for food lovers.
Highlights
Rialto Market (fish, fruit, spices)
Traditional bacari (wine bars)
Creature di Gomma – Venice Vintage Toys
Giudecca is a residential lagoon island south of Venice’s main islands — physically separate but well connected by vaporetto (water bus). It’s known for being much quieter and more local, still preserving parts of its industrial and craft history — from rope‑making areas to boatyards (squéri) and art studios. From here you will enjoy a beautiful view of Venice (especially during sunset). Maybe enjoy a nice afternoon strolling along the streets and enjoy a wine or even a peaceful dinner.
Highlights:
Il Redentore Church
Casa dei Tre Oci
Molino Stucky
Here are other areas that are outside the Sestieri (islands) but still an important part of Venice.
We didn’t get to visit these places so they will remain on my bucket list.
Murano
Famous for glassmaking
Workshops & glass museums
Burano
Colorful houses
Lace‑making tradition
Very photogenic
Torcello
Quiet, rural, historic
Old cathedral & natur
Lido
Beach island
Film Festival
Relaxed, resort‑like
The public transport
In my opinion the best way to get around is walking, as this way you discover and see things you would otherwise not. But the most efficient way is using the water Vaporetto, Venice’s public transport system. They work like city buses; fixed routes, numbered lines and timetables.
The bus stops are yellow floating platforms. Before getting on these platforms you will have a machine where you have to either validate your ticket or place your contactless card to pay for the trip.
You can buy your tickets at the machine you’ll find in major stops, the ACTV ticket offices, in the official app and in the Tabacchi shops.
See official website with pricing here.
You do not have to buy a ticket; you just swipe your contactless at the ticket scanner the same way you do with the regular city buses.
🗺️ Main Vaporetto Lines (the ones you’ll actually use)
Line 1 – The scenic route
Runs along the Grand Canal
Stops at every major stop
Slower but beautiful
Good for: Sightseeing, first‑time visitors
Line 2 – The fast route
Also along the Grand Canal
Fewer stops
Much faster than Line 1
Good for: Getting around efficiently
Lines 4.1 / 5.1 – Outer loop
Circle Venice clockwise & counterclockwise
Connect major areas and islands
Good for: Moving between districts without backtracking
Lines 12, 14, etc. – Island routes
Connect Venice to Murano, Burano, Torcello, Lido
Less frequent but reliable
Our 2‑day itinerary
Basilica di San Marco
Palazzo Ducale
Gallerie dell’Accademia
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Our personal itinerary
We visited for 2 days so seeing everything was never in our plan, especially because I do not enjoy running from one place to the other when traveling. I like getting lost discovering as I go and just living the city more than seeing as many landmarks as I can. If you are like me, here is what we gave priority to and what we visited. If on the other hand you want to see as much as possible you will be able to add many more places to your trip as the city is small and definitely doable.
How to get to Venice from the Marco Polo airport
To access Venice from and to the Marco Polo airport you have 4 options:
Express bus. This is a direct bus that will leave you at the main bus station in Venice without stopping. To book this bus you will have to get a ticket at the machines you can find inside the airport as well as at the bus stop. If the bus is full you won’t be able to get a ticket. The price is 10€ and 18€ with return.
Regular city bus. This is the option we took. It took about 40 min to get till the main bus station. The price is also 10€ each way but you do not need to pre‑buy your tickets. Just jump on and swipe your contactless card on the machine.
Vaporetto. As mentioned before this is another public transport service but via water. This may be a very nice beginning of the trip arriving in Venice in style. You have different routes and stops so depending on your destination you can catch accordingly. They operate from approx. 5:30 to 23:00. Regarding the pricing it is around 18€ one way. As with the city bus you can pay with your contactless usually on all vaporettos.
Taxi. Fast option that will cost you 40€. The most comfortable and fast option if you are staying anywhere near the main train/bus station.
Accommodation
We stayed at Hotel Guerrini, a small 2‑star hotel in the Cannaregio district. It’s an old building but nicely refurbished inside. Everything was clean, the staff were super friendly, and the location was amazing — just a short walk from both the train and the bus station. That made our lives much easier, especially since we arrived late at night and had to leave very early in the morning.
Day 1
We woke up early and went in search of breakfast. Even though there are plenty of cafés around, we ended up in a small, charming bookshop that also doubles as a café (or a café that is also a bookshop…) I loved the cozy atmosphere so had to go in. We had a coffee and a type of sponge cake that, as I was told, is a typical Italian breakfast treat. We didn’t go for a full breakfast, though — it was a bit on the pricey side.
Later, we stumbled upon a tiny sandwich shop and had a delicious sandwich that quickly made up for the light start. Once our hunger was under control, we headed toward Piazza San Marco, where we visited St. Mark’s Basilica — no queues! thank you low season. We had bought tickets online, which also included access to the top floor of the cathedral. I totally recommend doing that! The view over the square is incredible, and there’s a small museum up there as well.
Afterward, we decided to enjoy the sunshine and stopped for a coffee at one of the cafés in the square. We were expecting slightly higher prices, but when the bill came — €50 for two “Casanova” coffees and a few biscuits — we were in total shock. Lesson learned: always check the prices before ordering in Venice! 😅
Once we recovered from our little heart attack, we headed to the Doge’s Palace. I really enjoy architecture, so I found this visit much more interesting than I expected (I’m not usually a big museum person — small ones are fine, but the big ones tire me out). The ticket also gives you access to several other museums around the square, but we ran out of time and couldn’t fit them in.
After our cultural must‑dos, we were ready to explore what we thought would be the Christmas market. As I mentioned before, though, there wasn’t one in Venice after all! Apparently, we’d been bamboozled by the internet. 😄 Still, we made the best of it, walking through the pretty streets, grabbing some mulled wine from a shop, and just soaking in the evening atmosphere.
Day 2
For our second day, the main plans were the Toy Museum and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection — but first, breakfast (of course). On the way toward the museum, we found a café that looked and smelled too good to pass, so we stopped there for our morning ritual. Without breakfast, I’m simply not a great company, so we didn’t look too far.
Somehow, we took a wrong turn and ended up by the Gallerie dell’Accademia, so we decided to visit since we were already there. The gallery is filled with stunning classical artworks — a huge contrast to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which features modern and contemporary art. Her private collection is displayed in her former home, which she donated in her will. Walking around that area is lovely; it’s full of small galleries and unique art shops that are worth exploring.
In the afternoon, after also visiting the Toy Museum, also a private collection and apparently the biggest collection of soft plastic toys, we had lunch and kept wandering through the city before heading to Mestre, determined to find at least one real Christmas market on this trip. Even though it turned out to be a small one, it had such a warm, cheerful atmosphere that we truly enjoyed it — browsing the different stalls, sipping mulled wine, listening to Christmas carollers and just taking it all in. Once they started closing up, we took the train back to Venice and had dinner near our hotel.
If you’re the kind of traveler who prefers fewer crowds, lower prices, and a chance to really wander without rushing, Venice in winter is a no‑brainer. We did get very lucky with the weather, but I think even with less sun the slower pace and the freedom to get lost in the alleys without bumping into tour groups is a good trade. Pack light but warm, wear comfortable shoes, and get lost in the maze that is Venice — it’s a city that rewards curiosity more than any checklist.