Venice is a town of 261,362 inhabitants in the province of Venice, in Veneto, Italy. It is the capital of Veneto.
The municipality covers 415.94 km², with a density of 628 inhabitants per km².
The nearest airport is Venice Marco Polo (VCE), about 8 km away as the crow flies. Read our guide to the airport.
Why visit
Canals, St Mark's Square and the lagoon islands. Discover Veneto
A city built on water
Venice rises on more than a hundred small islands in a lagoon, linked by some four hundred bridges, with canals instead of streets and boats instead of cars. Once the capital of a powerful maritime republic, it is unique in the world and, together with its lagoon, a UNESCO site.
What to see
St Mark's Square is the heart of the city, with the golden mosaics of St Mark's Basilica, the bell tower and the Doge's Palace, linked to the old prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. Ride a vaporetto along the Grand Canal to see the palaces, pass under the Rialto Bridge and visit the market nearby.
The Gallerie dell'Accademia hold Venetian painting from Bellini to Titian, while the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is devoted to modern art. Get lost in quieter districts such as Cannaregio and Castello, and take a boat to the islands: Murano for glass, Burano for lace and colourful houses, Torcello for its ancient cathedral.
Food
Cicchetti with a glass of wine in a bacaro, sarde in saor, risotto with cuttlefish ink, liver alla veneziana and tiramisù, which was born in the Veneto.
Getting there and around
Marco Polo airport is linked to the city by bus and water bus, and Santa Lucia station is right on the Grand Canal. Inside the city you move only on foot or by boat. The Carnival in February and the Biennale are the busiest periods.
Venice on the map
Nearby towns
Where to stay in and around Venice
Tours and activities nearby
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