Venice & Veneto holidays

What you can find in Venice that you won't find anywhere else?

It takes a hefty dollop of audacity to build a city across 118 islands, with 170 canals and over 400 bridges connecting them, plus innumerable palazzi and campi (squares, only St Mark's is a piazza), in the middle a lagoon, and yet successive generations of Venetians have done just that. There are very few places in the world that can claim as spectacular a natural setting as Venice, which is only enhanced by the mish-mash of architectural and cultural influences - from Roman to Byzantine and Ottoman - that makes the city a living and breathing work of art. St Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Square must be among the most visited spots in the world, and their breath-taking beauty is best appreciated at sunrise or after sunset once the hoards of tourists have returned to their hotels for the evening, safe in the knowledge that you're seeing something truly special. (Gentlemen - or, for that matter, ladies - if you're going to propose in Venice this would be the moment to drop to one knee!).

Romance aside, Venice is the ideal city for getting lost. Stray five minutes off the tourist trails and you will almost certainly be lost, but you'll most likely have found a deserted campo (so called because they were once grassy spaces for grazing livestock) which feels almost like it did 500 years ago. You will uncover churches that are works of art in themselves, and you might even get lucky and stumble across one with an Old Master behind an altar. Should you want to get even further under the skin of this magical city, we have a raft of local guides who are experts in art, history and architecture on hand, as well as local chefs who can arrange private cooking classes to learn the secrets of Venetian cuisine. Anyone lucky enough to have eaten at Russell Norman's popular Polpo restaurants in London will know quite how good the local food can get.

While we're on the subject of food (and this is Italy, after all), eating out in Venice can be more difficult than you'd imagine. Caffe Florian is iconic - and once the site of many an evening's drinking session for Hemingway and Fitzgerald - and drinking bellinis in Harry's Bar is probably just the right side of cliché, but both venues can be crowded and extortionately expensive. A better bet is to head away from St Marks to the tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-them local haunts, where everything is fresh, and made from whatever looked best at the market that morning, according to the recipe nonna (grandma) passed down from her nonna. Our Concierge will give you an insider steer on the best of these secret spots. Start with some chichetti (Venetian tapas) and a couple of Aperols (everyone's favourite drink was invented in the Veneto) before whatever looks best from the menu and plenty of local wine and finally a late evening passeggiata around the labyrinthine streets until you eventually find yourself back at your hotel.

Away from the city itself, the outer islands, particularly Murano (famous for its beautiful hand-blown glass) and Burano (home to the brightly-painted houses of many an Instagram feed, and exquisite hand-made lace) are well worth a visit, if just for a late afternoon wander, and the Lido - where Venetians go for a day by the seaside - is great fun.

Who are Venice holidays best for?

Whoever nicknamed Paris ‘the city of love’ clearly forgot about Venice. Walk hand in hand with your special someone through the whimsical winding streets and share a serene gondola ride to experience the city as it should be seen - from the water. While Venice is undoubtedly for lovers, families with children of all ages will also find plenty to delight here. Try to keep up as they run from bridge to bridge and brave a gondola (with strict instructions to the little ones not to rock the boat unless you want to be towed back to shore wet and shivering by your less than happy stripy-topped driver).

Which experiences is Venice best for?

Visit Venice once and then come again and again to see the city change with the season. Whether it’s sun-drenched and simmering in the summer or quiet and mysterious in the winter, the city never fails to charm. Take the chance to walk through the winding streets and admire the crumbling architecture before the city gets swallowed up by the sea.

Special things to do in Venice

Comfortable shoes are a must on holidays to Venice. Spend your days walking through the labyrinthine streets of the city and then head back to your private apartment where you can experience what it’s like to live as the locals do. Alternatively, nab a room in a luxury hotel and soak up the grandeur of this magnificently romantic place.

Unique experiences on a trip to Venice

- Drift along canals and under bridges as you enjoy a serene gondola ride through the city. A popular experience among tourists, there is a price tag to match, but it is well worth the money to discover the city by water.
- While submerged in the watery wonderland of Venice, it’s impossible to forget about the food. Duck into a trattoria (Italian restaurant) to sample some of the city’s most sumptuous flavours and wash it down with a glass of wine in an osteria (tavern).
- Get off the beaten track on your Venice holiday and experience the real-life, living breathing city as you speak to friendly locals and hear stories about their one-of-a-kind city.