IDEAS TO BEAT TOURISTS IN VENICE, ITALY
Are you thinking of going to Venice but are concerned about mass tourism and put off by the hoards of people at the main attractions? It’s a valid concern and one I can help you navigate. Here are my 12 tips for avoiding crowds in Venice, beating the tourists, finding some hidden gems, and still enjoying the magic of this beautiful city.
Venice has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world that people flock to, wanting to experience the romantic, historic and artistic aspects of the famous floating city, one of the most unique places on the planet.
So it’s understandable you will want to visit the iconic Venetian landmarks of St Mark’s Basilica, St Mark’s Bell Tower, Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs and Rialto Bridge. Here, I will give you some useful advice and tips on how to best visit these attractions and some equally fascinating places a little further afield.
I have a deep fondness for Venice and a personal connection, it being my father’s birthplace and childhood hometown, and have relatives living there. I’ve visited the city on many occasions, at various times of the year, so I can give you some honest advice on avoiding crowds in Venice.
The first tip for avoiding crowds in Venice is don’t go in June, July and August, Europe’s Summer, which is peak tourist season. The city is swamped with tourists and holiday makers from nearby cities, day trippers, cruise tour groups – everyone seems to be here during the crazy season!
In Summer time it is harder to get the tours and time slots you prefer. Lining up for over an hour to get into sites is normal during peak, and there are masses of people everywhere. Definitely not the best way to spend your precious vacation and limited time you have available.
My recent visit was in March 2024 and it was a little busy but not too bad. Shoulder seasons (before and after Summer) are the best times for lesser crowds and reasonable weather.
Secondly, make the effort to wake up early and get out there before the tourists arrive. You are guaranteed no crowds at 7-9am, as most of the tourists are day trippers from around Italy and nearby European countries, who generally arrive mid-morning on tours to see the main sites for a few hours.
Catch a sunrise and experience Venice like a local for an early morning walk and coffee. Take an early morning walking tour of the city.
Enjoy late afternoons and evenings in Venice, when many tourist groups are gone and the crowds have died down. Night time amongst the historic palaces and canals is magical and a wonderful way to experience Venice, with the monuments and bridges illuminated, and shining in the water. The city is peaceful and romantic in the evening, perfect for a stroll and admiring the sites with a different perspective. St Mark’s Square is really quite enormous at night when it’s empty.
You can take a Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica Night Tour crowd-free, or a gondola ride at night if you’re up for it, or an evening boat cruise in the lagoon.
Skip-the-line access helps you bypass the lengthy queues and be fast tracked to enter sites more quickly. Sometimes you may still have to wait 15 minutes during peak season, even with skip the line tickets, but it won’t be as bad.
Guided tours also provide skip-the-line access, and your tour guide is able to get you in to the attractions more easily.
Buy tickets online in advance and your tickets are emailed to you. Make sure to go to the designated entry door for skip the line ticket holders, and avoid the regular entry line with long queues.
You can also consider a Venice City Pass, which includes skip the line access to many attractions. Well worth it.
Most tourist sites in Venice open at 9am, so book tours for the early morning or late afternoon time slots. You’ll enjoy having less people around and fewer people in your tour.
Avoid the main tourist sites in the middle of the day, as they will be very busy, with long lines and people everywhere.
Most tourists congregate in 2 districts (sestieri). In the neighbourhood of San Marco, to see St Mark’s Square & the Doge’s Palace, and in the San Polo neighbourhood, to see the Rialto Bridge.
Venice is made up of 6 districts and some of them don’t see many tourists at all. The 6 districts in the historic part of the city are:
- Cannaregio
- Santa Croce
- San Polo
- Dorsoduro
- San Marco, and
- Castello.
Many exciting hidden gems can be explored in all the districts, simply by roaming a little further away from the popular sites, walking down the alleys, away from the crowds. Piazzas, palaces, bridges, canals, small churches, museums, galleries, restaurants – there is so much to discover.
You can take a tour of the hidden gems, or check out some of these places in Venice by yourself at your leisure:
- Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute – this church’s grand dome is visible from afar but is located opposite St Mark’s Square, on the other side of the Grand Canal in the district of Dorsoduro. You can walk or take a boat over.
- The district of Cannaregio – the least touristy area of Venice in the northernmost part of the old city. See the beautiful palace of Ca’ d’Oro, now a Museum, the old Jewish Ghetto that’s been here for centuries, and Ca’ Vendramin Calergi which is Venice’s Casino.
- Campo Santa Margherita – one of the largest piazzas of the city, located in the southernmost district of Venice, called Dorsoduro. A large square near 2 universities, thus many students hang out in the area. Away from tourist crowds, you can enjoy markets, bars, and restaurants with the locals.
- Arsenale di Venezia (Arsenal of Venice) – heart of the Venetian naval industry, the shipbuilding factory of ancient Venice and symbol of its maritime power. Located in the Castello district, take a tour on weekdays.
- Libreria Aqua Alta (Book Shop of High Water) – in preparation for high tides, this eclectic book shop stores books in a gondola, bath tub and high shelves to keep them dry, and has a very unique staircase at the back made of books.
- Gran Teatro La Fenice – a world class venue for opera and theatre, you can take a tour or go to a show. Located in Campo San Fantin.
- Scala Contarini del Bovolo – (bovolo – snail) this palace has a unique spiral staircase outside the building. Located near Campo Manin in San Marco district.
- Fondaco dei Tedeschi – (warehouse of the Germans) is a luxury shopping centre, next to the Rialto Bridge, with a fabulous terrace above that offers panoramic views of the city.
If possible, try to stay in the historic centre, or just outside of Venice in Mestre, so you can take advantage of the city’s beauty and charm at all hours. It means you can be out there early before tourists flood the city, and explore in peace. And also make the most of the evenings and enjoy late night outings, when the hoards have gone.
By having your accommodation in central Venice you’ll appreciate the flexibility of going out at the best times to avoid the crowds, wander a little more freely, mingle with locals, and enjoy the sites without the hustle and bustle.
Search for accommodation in Venice here.
Murano and Burano are the most popular Islands and tend to get very busy these days, but definitely well-worth visiting, particularly early in the day.
Also try visiting the islands of San Giorgio Maggiore, Torcello, Lido, Mazzorba, Sant’Erasmo or Giudecca. Chioggia is the southernmost island and is further away, but it’s like a mini Venice. Read about Chioggia here.
Visit the islands by vaporetto (water taxi) or ferry. Enjoy the many gardens, scenery and tranquil atmosphere of these hidden gems of Venice, where there are no crowds.
Or, take a tour of several Venetian islands.
Discover the beauty of other islands in the Venetian Lagoon, for a few hours or a day trip.
Some islands also have accommodation for a quiet sojourn. Check Klook for island accommodation.
The gondola is the symbol of Venice, built here in the squeri, since the 11th century, so of course you want to take a ride. Explore smaller Venetian canals and more intimate areas of the city by taking a gondola ride away from the Grand Canal and busy main tourist areas. Board a gondola in places such as Jewish Ghetto or Ponte San Polo for a quieter, calmer experience.
Also consider an early morning ride before the crowds, or an evening ride when many tourists have gone for the day.
Of the tourists who come to Venice each year, only 20 per cent visit the city’s museums. Other than St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, some of the other museums, galleries and palaces you can visit here are:
Gallerie dell’Accademia – in the Dorsoduro sector, a prestigious art gallery of famous Venetian paintings.
Guggenheim Museum – on the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro neighbourhood, American, Peggy Guggenheim, started her own modern art collection in her home here, which later became a museum.
Ca’ Rezzonico Museum – this lavish palace on the Grand Canal houses artefacts of 18th century Venice showcasing the opulence of the Venetian nobility.
Punta Della Dogana Museum – in Dorsoduro, where the Grand Canal meets the Giudecca Canal, the pointed building was the old Venice sea customs point. Now the restored triangular premises houses a museum of contemporary art, accessible via ferry.
Leonardo da Vinci Museum – at a Scoletta di San Rocco, in San Polo district, showcases replicas of his models, interactive displays, and paintings.
Palazzo Mocenigo Museum of Textiles – in Santa Croce area, a stunning mansion that was owned by one of the most important Venetian families of the same name.
Generally Venice is busier on weekends with lots of day trippers and people coming for weekend getaways from Northern Italy. It’s a very popular weekend destination for those in nearby European countries also. Many arrive for Easter Weekend, so it’s best to avoid Easter, when prices for everything in the city skyrocket.
The Carnevale is usually held in February each year and is a fabulous festival but it is very busy and lasts for 2 weeks. The Carnival attracts about 3 million visitors each year and prices for everything during this period are increased. So unless you specifically want to attend Carnevale, it would be better to avoid it.
In Sum
Avoiding crowds in Venice is possible in many ways, if you are prepared and armed with these useful tips and advice I’ve given you. You can’t avoid tourists completely of course, but you don’t have to let the masses spoil your time in the historic centre of Venice where there is so much to enjoy.
Finally, I recommend you visit restaurants, bars and cafes away from the main attractions, where there are less people, more authentic Venetian food, and cheaper prices. You should try to go early, at opening time so you don’t have to wait.
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17 Comments
These tips are really so helpful. We also don’t like very crowded place. Visiting off season is the best idea according to me,
Great tips! The one about late afternoon bookings is sooo true in Europe, at least in the Mediterranean. Here in Spain I uusually book activities for after the siesta breaks. Helps it not be so hot outside, too!
Those are great tips. I visited Venice in the Febuarary of 2019 and it was absolutely magical. There were barely any other tourists around. The canals were not frozen and while I was chilly – it was nothing compared to the Canadian winter waiting for me back home.
These tips are so helpful for navigating Venice, especially for those of us who want to experience its beauty without the overwhelming crowds! I love the suggestion of visiting in the off-season and exploring the lesser-known areas—it really allows you to soak in the city’s charm at a slower pace. Thanks for these insights, they will definitely come in handy for my next trip to Venice!
We loved Venice and were very lucky that it wasn’t crowded ! These are good tips
I would definitely want to visit and explore Venice someday and if ever, I’ll visit in the Fall. Thanks for the tips!
Hearing suggestions about a city from someone with family there is always the best! Thank you, I don’t love crowds and know that Venice is normally quite busy.
Thanks for these practical tips on when’s the right time to visit Venice. I’d love to come to the city one day and enjoy it’s overall beauty.
We want to go back to Venice so will save this post as any tips to help us make the most of our time will help us out alot. Thank you for this x
Great tips. When we went to Venice we went in November and it was very quiet compared to what I’d expect the summer is like. Although we did experience some flooding and we couldn’t get over to Murino so we’re really keen to go back but earlier in the year like April time x
This is a fantastic helpful post—thank you for all the wonderful tips! I’m not into crowns they make me nervous to be honest, I’ll definitely keep these great suggestions in mind if I ever visit Venice. Your pictures are absolutely stunning!
I’m bookmarking this! We’re planning a trip to Venice next year, and I definitely want to avoid the crush if I can!
It’s like you wrote this just for me. I love traveling, but I have the most fun when I’m away from the crowds. I like to focus on where I am, not avoiding bumping into someone!
I went to Venice years ago on a day trip and have always wanted to go back and spend more time there these tips are really helpful
Thank you so much for all of these great tips, I have never been to Venice before, but I have always wanted to go. I will look into a trip in the future and look at skip the line tickets.
Mesmerizing! The pictures are fabulous and the story is enticing. So much to see in Venice away from the crowded areas.
These are great tips! Thanks!