In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Book a named, timed slot at St Mark’s Basilica (€10, from 90 days ahead), then the Doge’s Palace (€35, or €30 online 30 days ahead) and the Campanile (€15). Bags over 40 x 30 x 20 cm are refused at the Basilica. A gondola is €90 a boat by day, for up to five. No fee is charged to enter Venice now, and nothing is fixed for 2027. The former Chorus churches are free Monday to Saturday, and the old Chorus Pass is not needed. Monday closes the Accademia and Ca’ Pesaro, Tuesday Ca’ Rezzonico and the Peggy Guggenheim, Saturday the Ghetto. Ca’ d’Oro has been closed since 2 February 2026. From the airport the ATVO coach is €12. Prices are in euros. Or book a tour: the Doge’s Palace, New Prisons and Basilica tourad is from €79 and the Murano, Burano and Torcello boat tourad from €25 (GetYourGuide).
What to book before you go
Prices are the adult rate in euros, from the operators. Buy from the operator: search results for the Basilica, the Campanile and the Doge’s Palace include sites with the sights’ names in their web addresses that say on their own pages they are independent or unofficial.
The Piazzetta from the water: the Marciana Library, the Campanile and the Doge’s Palace. Photo: Wolfgang Moroder, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
| Sight | Book how far ahead | Adult price | Book at | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mark’s Basilica | A named slot; tickets go on sale 90 days ahead | €10. €20 with the Pala d’Oro or the Museum, €30 for all | tickets.basilicasanmarco.it | Opens 14:00 on Sundays. Bags over 40 x 30 x 20 cm and wheeled cases refused |
| Campanile | A timed slot; or add it on site to a Basilica ticket | €15 | tickets.basilicasanmarco.it | Lift to the bell chamber. Closes in wind |
| Doge’s Palace | Online tickets carry a time slot; no slot means entry from 12:00 | €35, or €30 online 30+ days ahead | muve.vivaticket.it | Open every day. Luggage over 1 m refused |
| Secret Itineraries tour | Reservation only | €40, entry included | muve.vivaticket.it | English 10:00, 11:30, 13:00. Under-6s not admitted |
| Accademia | Optional; recommended on busy days | €20 | gallerieaccademia.it | Open Tuesday to Sunday. Free on first Sundays |
| Peggy Guggenheim | Advised, by entry slot | €17 | ticket.guggenheim-venice.it | Closed Tuesdays. No large bags |
| Ca’ Rezzonico, Ca’ Pesaro | No booking | €15 each | carezzonico.visitmuve.it, capesaro.visitmuve.it | Rezzonico closed Tuesday, Pesaro Monday |
| Frari and San Rocco | No booking; San Rocco sells nothing online | €8; €12, or €14 with the church | At the door | Neither takes a pass |
| Free churches | No booking | Free | At the church | Monday to Saturday, 10:30 to 17:00 |
| La Fenice visit | No booking | €12 | Campo San Fantin | Hours change daily |
| Ghetto synagogue tour | Online or at the office | €15, plus €2 online | ghettovenezia.com | Closed Saturdays |
| Gondola | Pay at a station | €90 per boat by day | The gondolier | Up to five people. Agree the length first |
| Museum Pass | No reservation | €50 | muve.vivaticket.it | Twelve civic museums, six months |
- The Basilica and the Campanile are one site, St Mark’s Basilica tickets and St Mark’s Campanile tickets, and the Palace is another. The Museum Pass covers the Palace but not the Basilica.
- The Accademia and the Peggy Guggenheim are on different ticket sites. Best museums in Venice has the prices, closed days and the Dorsoduro Museum Mile discount.
- The views. Best views in Venice separates the free spots from the towers and says what has closed.
- The 2027 Biennale is the Architecture exhibition, from 8 May to 21 November 2027, closed on Mondays: see Venice Biennale 2027.
Does a pass pay back?
The Museum Pass costs €50 for twelve civic museums over six months, with no reservation. It does not cover the Basilica, the Campanile, the Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim. Venice Museum Pass: is it worth it? has the sums.
- For the Palace alone it loses. The Doge’s Palace is €35, so the pass costs €15 more.
- With Ca’ Rezzonico it ties. The two cost €50 separately.
- With a third museum it wins. Add Ca’ Pesaro at €15 and the separate tickets are €65.
- Themed tickets are cheaper for one theme. The Museums of 18th-century Venice, the Museums of modern and contemporary art and the Island Museums are €20 each for three months.
- A Basilica ticket is a small pass of its own. Within six months it also opens the paid spaces in the former Chorus churches, Torcello’s cathedral and the Salute sacristy.
Hours and closed days
Hours are those from 1 April to 31 October, and the civic museums close an hour earlier from 1 November.
| Sight | Hours | Closed or late |
|---|---|---|
| St Mark’s Basilica and Pala d’Oro | Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 17:15 | Sundays and holidays: opens 14:00. Last admission 16:45 |
| Museum and Loggia dei Cavalli | Daily 9:30 to 17:15 | Sunday mornings: the only part open |
| Campanile | Daily from 9:30; closes 21:15 April to October, 19:15 November to March | Wind and bad weather |
| Doge’s Palace | 9:00 to 19:00 (from 1 November, 9:00 to 18:00) | Never; last admission one hour before closing |
| Museo Correr | 10:00 to 18:00 (from 1 November, 10:00 to 17:00) | Never |
| Ca’ Rezzonico | 10:00 to 18:00 | Tuesday |
| Ca’ Pesaro | 10:00 to 18:00 | Monday |
| Gallerie dell’Accademia | Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 19:00 | Ticket sales end 18:00 |
| Peggy Guggenheim Collection | Daily 10:00 to 18:00 | Tuesday; 25 December. Last entrance 17:00 |
| Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana | Daily 10:00 to 18:00 | Tuesday; 25 December. Last entry 17:00 |
| Scuola Grande di San Rocco | Daily 9:30 to 17:30 | 1 January, Christmas, Easter. Ticket office closes 17:00 |
| Frari | Monday to Friday 9:00 to 19:30, Saturday 9:00 to 18:00 to 31 October, then 9:00 to 18:00 Monday to Saturday | Opens 13:00 on Sundays. Closed Christmas, Easter, 15 August |
| Free churches | Monday to Saturday 10:30 to 17:00 | Sundays, 1 January, Easter, 15 August, Christmas |
| Teatro La Fenice, visits | Daily from 9:30; closing changes daily | See the theatre’s schedule |
| Jewish Ghetto, synagogue tours | Sunday to Thursday 10:00 to 18:00, Friday 9:00 to 17:00 | Saturdays and Jewish holidays |
| Scala Contarini del Bovolo | Daily | 25 and 26 December |
| Libreria Acqua Alta | Daily 9:00 to 19:10 | Book staircase last access 17:15; closed in rain and at high or low tide |
| Rialto produce market | Monday to Saturday 7:00 to 20:00 | Sunday |
| Rialto fish market | Tuesday to Saturday 7:00 to 14:00 | Sunday and Monday |
| San Giorgio Maggiore basilica | Daily 9:00 to 18:00 | Bell tower closed |
| Art Biennale 2026, to 22 November | 10:00 to 18:00 | Mondays, except 16 November |
Closed or changed
- Ca’ d’Oro: the museum has been closed since 2 February 2026 for restoration and a new display, and the regional museums authority expects it to reopen in spring 2027. The Gothic front can still be seen from the Grand Canal.
- San Giorgio Maggiore bell tower: temporarily closed for extraordinary maintenance, and the abbey’s site gives no reopening date. The basilica is open.
- T Fondaco dei Tedeschi terrace: the free rooftop terrace by the Rialto has been closed since 1 May 2025, when the shopping centre shut.
- Jewish Museum of Venice: the permanent exhibition is being renovated, and the museum says it will reopen in autumn. The synagogue tours run.
- Mondays: the Accademia, Ca’ Pesaro, Palazzo Mocenigo, the Art Biennale and the Rialto fish market are closed. The Doge’s Palace, the Correr, Ca’ Rezzonico and the Peggy Guggenheim are open.
- Tuesdays: Ca’ Rezzonico, the Fortuny Museum, the Peggy Guggenheim and Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana are closed.
- Saturdays: the Ghetto is closed.
- Sundays: the Basilica opens at 14:00, the Frari at 13:00 and San Rocco at 13:30. The free churches and the produce and fish markets are closed, and the Accademia is free on the first Sunday of the month.
Free things worth a line
- The former Chorus churches are free from Monday to Saturday, 10:30 to 17:00. Four spaces inside them charge €3.50, and a Basilica ticket opens all four. See Venice churches.
- The first Sunday of the month opens the Accademia free, with no booking and a queue. The next are 1 November and 6 December 2026, and 3 January 2027. Entry is free on 4 November 2026 too.
- Always free: the Rialto Bridge, St Mark’s Square, the Riva degli Schiavoni and the Libreria Acqua Alta. Free things to do in Venice has the rest.
The access fee
No fee is charged to enter Venice now. In 2026 the Comune ran a trial from 3 April to 26 July, on 60 listed days: €5 if the code was bought by the fourth day before the visit, €10 after, for visitors over 14, in the old city and not on the lagoon islands. Overnight guests were exempt but registered. The Comune says the trial has ended and that later years are for its governing bodies, so no 2027 dates or price are fixed. Venice access fee has the detail.
Venice’s tourist tax
Hotels and rentals collect the imposta di soggiorno on top of the room price, per person per night, for up to 5 consecutive nights. Children under 10 are exempt and ages 10 to 16 pay half. January is 30% lower.
| Where you stay | Historic centre and Giudecca | Lido and the other islands | Mainland, including Mestre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel, 1 star | €1.00 | €0.80 | €0.70 |
| Hotel, 2 stars | €2.00 | €1.60 | €1.40 |
| Hotel, 3 stars | €3.50 | €2.80 | €2.40 |
| Hotel, 4 stars | €4.50 | €3.60 | €3.10 |
| Hotel, 5 stars | €5.00 | €4.50 | €3.50 |
| B&B or holiday home, 2 to 5 “lions” | €2 to €5 | €1.60 to €4.00 | €1.40 to €3.50 |
| Tourist rental, by category | €3 to €5 | €3 to €5 | €3 to €5 |
The tax is separate from the access fee. Overnight guests pay the tax.
Getting in from the airport
Venice airport to the city compares the options. Marco Polo is the main airport.
- ATVO coach: to Piazzale Roma or Mestre station in about 20 minutes, €12 single or €20 return, with luggage included.
- ACTV Aerobus (line 5): to Piazzale Roma, €10 single or €18 return.
- Alilaguna boat: €18 single or €32 return to Venice. It is not covered by city tickets.
- Land taxi: a fixed €40 to Piazzale Roma, €35 to Mestre centre and €45 to the cruise terminal.
- Water taxi: the fare is agreed before boarding, and a shared boatad is from €39 a person.
- From Treviso Airport: the ATVO coach takes about 40 minutes to Venice for €14 single or €24 return.
From Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia station is a walk of about 8 minutes over the Calatrava bridge.
Getting around
The vaporetto lines are the city’s public transport. Venice public transport has the lines and the rules. Line 1 calls at every stop along the Grand Canal.
A vaporetto on the Grand Canal. Photo: Jean-Pol Grandmont, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| 75 minutes | €9.50 |
| 24 hours | €25 |
| 48 hours | €35 |
| 72 hours | €45 |
| 7 days | €65 |
| People Mover, one way | €1.50 |
Children up to 5 travel free. A 75-minute ticket or longer includes three pieces of luggage within the size limit. You can tap a bank card on the validators, and tickets bought on board are paid for digitally only. City tickets do not cover Alilaguna.
Entry rules for Italy
Italy is in the Schengen area, so the 90 days count across every Schengen country you visit.
| Citizen of | Visa | Passport | At the border |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | None for up to 90 days in any 180 | Issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area | Fingerprints and a photo taken at your first entry |
| United States | None for up to 90 days in any 180 | Valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, and issued less than 10 years ago | Fingerprints and a photo taken at your first entry |
| Canada | None for up to 90 days in any 180 | Valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area | Fingerprints and a photo taken at your first entry |
| Australia | None for up to 90 days in any 180 | Valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, and issued less than 10 years ago | Fingerprints and a photo taken at your first entry |
| EU citizens | None | Valid passport or national ID card | No registration |
The photo and fingerprints are the EU’s Entry/Exit System, which replaces passport stamps for non-EU visitors and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. It costs nothing and needs nothing before you travel (EU). The ETIAS travel authorisation, a €20 online form for visa-free visitors, is not yet required: the EU says ETIAS is not in operation and will announce the start date several months ahead (ETIAS).
Italy has border checks on its land border with Slovenia from 19 June to 18 December 2026. Carry a passport or national ID card on any cross-border trip.
The rules above come from the UK, Canadian and Australian government travel pages, the EU’s passport rule for visa-free visitors and its guidance for EU citizens. For official safety advice, see the UK Foreign Office and US State Department pages for Italy. Pickpocketing in crowded places, trains and stations is the main crime risk they name.
Day trips
Day trips from Venice compares every trip by train, bus, boat and tour. The ones with something to know:
- Murano, Burano and Torcello: line 12 from Fondamente Nove takes 9 minutes to Murano and about 41 to Burano, and Torcello needs line 9 from Burano. The Island Museums ticket is €20.
- Padua: 26 to 28 minutes by fast train, and the Scrovegni Chapel is pre-booked online only.
- Verona: 1 hour 12 minutes by Frecciarossa, with the Arena open by day.
- The Dolomites: there is no train, so it is a tour or a car.
- The Prosecco hills: the train to Conegliano takes 50 to 67 minutes, then a bus or a tour.
Food, drink and when to go
Where to eat in Venice lists the restaurants, and cicchetti and bacari says what to order at the small bars. Venice food tours and Venice walking tours set the guided options side by side. Best time to visit Venice gives the weather by month, with acqua alta, Venice Carnival 2027 and the Festa del Redentore for the dates that change a visit.
Other Italian cities
Florence is 2 hours 13 minutes from Venice Santa Lucia by Frecciarossa, and Rome is 3 hours 51 minutes to 3 hours 56 minutes. Fares move with the date and how early you book. Day trips from Florence has the Florence end of that train, and what to book before you go to Rome covers the capital.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- 1 May 2025: the T Fondaco dei Tedeschi shopping centre closed, and its free rooftop terrace with it.
- 1 July 2025: St Mark’s Basilica began selling named, timed tickets online, and its ticket now also opens Torcello’s cathedral, the Salute sacristy and the Manfrediniana gallery.
- 2025 to 2026: the churches of the Chorus network moved to free entry, so the Chorus Pass is not needed.
- 2 February 2026: Ca’ d’Oro closed for restoration and a new display.
- 3 April to 26 July 2026: the access-fee trial. No fee has been charged since 27 July.
- 10 April 2026: the EU Entry/Exit System became fully operational.
- 1 September 2026: ATVO’s airport coach fares became €12 and €20 for Marco Polo, and €14 and €24 for Treviso.
- 8 May to 21 November 2027: the Architecture Biennale.
Plan the trip
- Where to sleep: where to stay in Venice compares the areas, and hotels near St Mark’s Square lists the hotels beside it.
- Getting there and about: Venice airport to the city, Venice public transport and the Venice access fee.
- When to go: best time to visit Venice, acqua alta, Venice Carnival 2027, the Festa del Redentore 2027 and the Venice Biennale 2027.
- The sights: St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and the Campanile each have a ticket guide. Best museums in Venice, Venice churches, the Rialto Bridge and market, the Jewish Ghetto, La Fenice and best views in Venice cover the rest, and the Venice Museum Pass runs the pass sums. Free things to do in Venice gathers what costs nothing.
- The water: the gondola ride page has the fares and the shared rides.
- How many days: Venice in one or two days and 3 days in Venice build the plan round the bookings.
- Tours: Venice walking tours and Venice food tours.
- Food and drink: where to eat in Venice and cicchetti and bacari.
- Day trips: day trips from Venice, with Murano, Burano and Torcello, Verona, Padua, the Dolomites and the Prosecco hills.
Itineraries
Day-by-day plans for a first visit.
Itinerary
Venice in One or Two Days: A Route That Works
One day in Venice: St Mark's Basilica at 9:30, the Doge's Palace, lunch at the Rialto bacari and a gondola. A second day adds the Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim and the Frari. What to book, €97 for the five paid sights, and what Monday, Tuesday and Sunday close.
Itinerary
3 Days in Venice: Itinerary with What to Book
Three days in Venice: St Mark's, the Doge's Palace and the Rialto on day one, the Accademia, a second museum and the Frari on day two, and Murano, Burano and Torcello on day three. What to book, the Monday and Tuesday closures and how the Museum Pass sums come out.
Which ticket to buy
The official ticket, the tours that include entry, and which sells out first.
Tickets
St Mark's Basilica Tickets, Venice: Prices, Booking
St Mark's Basilica is €10 from the Procuratoria di San Marco, €20 with the Pala d'Oro or the Museum and terrace, €30 for everything. Tickets are named, timed and go on sale 90 days ahead. Bags over 40 x 30 x 20 cm are refused, and on Sundays the Basilica opens at 14:00.
Tickets
Doge's Palace Tickets, Venice: Prices and Secret Tour
The Doge's Palace ticket is €35, or €30 online for visits at least 30 days away, and it also opens the Correr, the Archaeological Museum and the Marciana Library rooms. The Secret Itineraries tour is €40 with entry included. Hours, bag rules, the official GetYourGuide ticket and what to see.
Tickets
St Mark's Campanile Tickets, Venice: Price, Hours
The St Mark's Campanile is €15 from the Procuratoria di San Marco, booked online, and a lift reaches the bell chamber in 30 seconds. Hours, wind and weather closures, who does not get in free, the Basilica terrace at €10 extra and the other viewpoints.
Tickets
Venice Museum Pass: Is It Worth It? The Sums
The Venice Museum Pass is €50 for 12 civic museums over six months, with no reservation. The Doge's Palace and Ca' Rezzonico already cost €50 separately, so a third museum pays for it. The three €20 themed tickets, the closed days of each museum and what the pass leaves out.
Tickets
Best Museums in Venice: Prices and Closed Days
Venice's museums with price, hours and closed day for each: the Accademia at €20, the Peggy Guggenheim at €17, Ca' Rezzonico and Ca' Pesaro at €15, Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana at €20. Which are shut on Mondays and Tuesdays, the Museum Mile discount and Ca' d'Oro's closure.
Tickets
Venice Churches: Which Are Free, Frari, San Rocco
The former Chorus churches of Venice are free Monday to Saturday, 10:30 to 17:00, and the Chorus Pass is no longer needed. The Frari costs €8, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco €12, and neither takes a pass. Paid spaces at €3.50, Sunday hours and which church holds which painters.
Tickets
La Fenice Venice: Visit Tickets, Opera and Concerts
A daytime visit to Teatro La Fenice is €12 with a free audio guide and the Maria Callas exhibition, bought at the theatre's desk or online. Opera seats for 2026/27 run from €20 for a listening seat to €230, and the Vivaldi and Baroque concerts are €32 to €35. The dated productions.
Tickets
Gondola Ride in Venice: Official Prices, Worth It?
The city's official gondola fare is €90 per boat for 30 minutes by day and €110 for 35 minutes at night, for up to five people. That is €18 or €22 a head in a full boat. Shared rides on GetYourGuide cost €36 to €42 a seat. Where to board, the €2 traghetto, and the sums.
Tickets
Jewish Ghetto Venice: Synagogue Tours, Museum, Hours
The synagogue tour at the Jewish Museum of Venice is €15, plus a €2 advance fee online, in English every hour from 10:00. The Ghetto is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, the museum's permanent exhibition is being renovated, and tours resold elsewhere cost €49 and €89.
Tickets
Free Things to Do in Venice and What Costs Money
What is free in Venice and the rule attached to each: the former Chorus churches, Monday to Saturday; the Accademia on the first Sunday of the month; the Rialto, the Square and the Riva; the Libreria Acqua Alta. No access fee is charged now, and the entries that cost money, with prices.
Tickets
Best Views in Venice: Towers, Terraces and Free Spots
The Campanile is €15 by lift, the Basilica terrace is in the €20 ticket, the Bovolo staircase is €9, and the Accademia Bridge and the Grand Canal by vaporetto cost little or nothing. San Giorgio Maggiore's bell tower and the T Fondaco terrace have closed. Prices, rules and what each view shows.
Tickets
Venice Walking Tours: Free, Paid and Themed
Venice walking tours: a donation-based walk at 10:00 or 11:00 every day, paid city walks from €24, a Spritz walk at €27, crime and Brunetti walks, and guided Basilica and Doge's Palace tours from €72. Where each starts and ends, and which price includes entry.
Day trips from Venice
Out and back in a day, with the tours compared against going on your own.
Day trip
Day Trips from Venice: Train, Bus or Tour
Padua is 26 to 28 minutes from Venice by fast train, Treviso 31, Vicenza 44 and Verona 1 hour 12 minutes. The Dolomites and the Prosecco hills need a tour or a car, and Lake Garda a train and a ferry. The day trips compared on fare, time and what a tour adds.
Day trip
Murano, Burano and Torcello Day Trip from Venice
ACTV line 12 from Fondamente Nove reaches Murano in 9 minutes and Burano in about 41; Torcello needs the line 9 shuttle from Burano. A 24-hour pass is €25, the three island museums are €20 together, and boat tours start at €18. Times, tickets, the Murano glass mark and the Lido.
Day trip
Venice to Verona Day Trip: Train, Arena, Tours
Verona is 1 hour 12 minutes from Venice by Frecciarossa from €29.00, or 1 hour 30 minutes by fast regional from €10.55. The Arena is €12 by day and closed on Mondays; the 2027 opera season runs from June to 11 September with stone-step seats from €22. Trains, tickets, the VeronaCard and tours.
Day trip
Venice to Padua Day Trip: Scrovegni Chapel Tickets
Padua is 26 to 28 minutes from Venice by fast train, from €5.00 by regional or fast regional and €20.00 by Frecciarossa. The Scrovegni Chapel is €16 with two museums, booked online by the day before, with bags banned and late arrivals refused. Trains, the Urbs Picta card and tours.
Day trip
Dolomites Day Trip from Venice: Tour or Train
No train reaches the Dolomites from Venice: Belluno is 2 hours 4 minutes away and ATVO's coach to Cortina runs only on listed days. Day tours of 9 to 10 hours start at €98.45 and visit Cortina, Lake Braies, Lake Misurina and the Tre Cime. The tours, the coach and the train compared.
Day trip
Prosecco Tour from Venice: Hills, Wineries, Trains
Prosecco tours from Venice run 5 to 7 hours in groups of up to 8, from €126.65. The train reaches Conegliano in 50 to 67 minutes from €6.60, but not the vineyards. The UNESCO hills, three tours and two tastings compared, and the buses to Valdobbiadene.
Where to stay
Areas and hotels, chosen for a visitor rather than a resident.
Where to stay
Where to Stay in Venice: Areas and Hotels
For a first visit, stay in San Marco or Castello, within 850 m of St Mark's Square. Eight Venice areas compared with distances to the Square, hotels with addresses, rooms and Michelin Keys, the tourist tax by star rating and the dates that fill the city.
Where to stay
Hotels Near St Mark's Square, Venice
Hotels near St Mark's Square by straight-line distance, from Splendid Venice at 210 m to Palazzina Grassi at 820 m: the Danieli, reopened by Four Seasons on 26 August 2026, the Gritti Palace and Nolinski with two Michelin Keys, and what each is like.
Airport transfers
From the airport to the centre, every option priced and timed.
Getting around
Tickets, passes and the transport a visitor actually uses.
What's on, month by month
Festivals, holidays and closures that change a visit.
Events
Best Time to Visit Venice: Weather by Month
Venice month by month from the WMO's 1991 to 2020 normals: highs of 17.6°C in April and 29.0°C in July, 11.7 days a month above 30°C, and no acqua alta in July or August in the Comune's study. Carnival from 23 January 2027, the Biennale from 8 May, the Redentore on 17 July.
Events
Venice Carnival 2027: Dates, Events, Masks, Balls
The Venice Carnival 2027 runs from Saturday 23 January to Tuesday 9 February, with Fat Thursday on 4 February. The streets are free; the Official Dinner Show (tables from €650) and the Ballo del Doge on 6 February are ticketed. Mask workshops from €49.50, the sweets, the weather and where to stay.
Events
Acqua Alta in Venice: Season, Alerts, What to Pack
Acqua alta in Venice: Piazza San Marco floods from +80 cm and 12% of the city's walking surface is under water at +110 cm. The MOSE barrier was raised 49 times in 2025 to 2026. Sirens, Telegram and SMS alerts, the walkways from 15 September to 30 April and what to pack.
Events
Festa del Redentore 2027: Dates, Fireworks, Boats
The Festa del Redentore 2027 is on Saturday 17 July, the night of fireworks over the Bacino di San Marco and dinners on boats. The Regata Storica follows on Sunday 5 September. What the feast marks, the Redentore church on the Giudecca, the July weather and where to stay.
Events
Venice Architecture Biennale 2027: Dates and Tickets
The 20th International Architecture Exhibition runs from 8 May to 21 November 2027 at the Giardini and the Arsenale, 10:00 to 18:00 and closed Mondays, curated by Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu. Tickets and guided tours are sold online only at labiennale.org. Art and Architecture alternate years.
Food and drink
Where to eat, what to order and when to book.
Food and drink
Where to Eat in Venice: What Sources Agree On
Where to eat in Venice: Glam and Oro with two Michelin stars, then the places 75 English and 56 Italian publishers name most: All'Arco, Cantina Do Mori, Cantinone Già Schiavi and Osteria Al Squero, with hours, booking rules and what to order.
Food and drink
Best Cicchetti in Venice: Bacari and What to Order
Cicchetti in Venice: how a bacaro counter works, the bacari that 33 English and 34 Italian publishers name most, from Cantina Do Mori to All'Arco, the dishes to order, the rough cost of a cicchetto and the tours that eat through them.
Food and drink
Venice Food Tours and Cooking Classes Compared
Venice food tours from €45.60 for a 2.5-hour street food walk to €119 for the 4-hour Ghetto and Cannaregio tour, the 3,032-review Street Food Tour, and pasta and tiramisu classes from €48.19. Who runs them, how long they take, what each includes and how to choose.
More guides
Guide
Venice Access Fee 2027: Is It Charged and How Much?
Venice's day-visitor access fee is not charged now: the 2026 trial ended on 26 July 2026 and nothing is decided for 2027. The trial was €5 or €10 on 60 listed days for visitors aged 14 and over to the old city; overnight guests were exempt and pay the tourist tax instead.
Guide
Rialto Bridge and Market, Venice: Hours, What to See
The Rialto Bridge is free and always open. The Rialto produce market runs Monday to Saturday, 7:00 to 20:00, and the fish market Tuesday to Saturday, 7:00 to 14:00, so it is shut on Sunday and Monday. The T Fondaco rooftop terrace has been closed since 1 May 2025.
Plan your trip
The rules and costs that apply to every city on the site.
Common questions
What do I need to book before going to Venice?
A slot at St Mark's Basilica, which sells named, timed tickets online from 90 days ahead; the Campanile if you want the tower; and the Doge's Palace, whose online ticket carries a time slot and is €5 cheaper bought 30 days ahead. The Secret Itineraries tour is reservation only. The Peggy Guggenheim and the Accademia are worth booking on busy days. The free churches and the Rialto need nothing.
How much are St Mark's Basilica tickets?
€10 for the Basilica, €20 with the Pala d'Oro or with the Museum and terrace, and €30 for all three. The Campanile is a separate €15. Tickets are named, timed and sold by the Procuratoria di San Marco. Bags over 40 x 30 x 20 cm and all wheeled cases are refused.
How much is a ticket for the Doge's Palace?
€35 for the St Mark's Square Museums ticket, which also opens the Correr, the Archaeological Museum and the Marciana Library rooms, or €30 booked online for a visit at least 30 days away. The Secret Itineraries tour is €40 with entry included.
Is there a fee to enter Venice?
Not now. The 2026 trial ran from 3 April to 26 July, at €5 or €10 on 60 listed days, for visitors over 14 in the old city; overnight guests were exempt. The Comune says the fee is no longer in effect, and nothing is fixed for 2027.
Which Venice sights are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays?
On Mondays the Accademia, Ca' Pesaro, Palazzo Mocenigo and the Rialto fish market. On Tuesdays Ca' Rezzonico, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana and the Fortuny Museum. The Ghetto is closed on Saturdays. The Doge's Palace and the Correr open every day.
How much is a gondola ride in Venice?
The city sets €90 per boat for 30 minutes by day and €110 for 35 minutes at night, for up to five people. Longer rides are priced in proportion, and a traghetto across the Grand Canal is €2.
How do I get from Marco Polo Airport to Venice?
By ATVO coach to Piazzale Roma, €12 single or €20 return in about 20 minutes, by the ACTV Aerobus at €10 or €18, by Alilaguna boat at €18 or €32, or by land taxi at a fixed €40 to Piazzale Roma. A water taxi is quoted before you board.
Does Venice have a tourist tax?
Yes, collected by your hotel for up to 5 consecutive nights: €1 to €5 per person per night in the historic centre, depending on stars. It is about 20% less on the Lido and the islands and 30% less on the mainland. Children under 10 are exempt and ages 10 to 16 pay half.
Do I need a visa or any other permit to enter Italy?
Not as a UK, US, Canadian, Australian or EU citizen. The first four can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, on a passport valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area. Visitors from outside the EU have their fingerprints and a photo taken at the border by the EU's Entry/Exit System, fully operational since 10 April 2026. The ETIAS travel authorisation is not yet required.