Travel tips · Venice · Italy
Venice travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Venice is a living city of fewer than 50,000 residents in the historic centre, hosting millions of visitors a year. Venetians are proud of their maritime republic's history and protective of their daily life, so courtesy towards residents — keeping to the right, not blocking bridges, keeping noise down — matters as much as visiting the sights.
Key facts
- Language
- Italian
- Currency
- EUR
- Plugs
- Type C, F and L sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe, and public drinking fountains in many campi provide free…
- Emergency
- 112 (European emergency number)
Things to know
- Keep to the right in narrow lanes and do not stop in the middle of bridges to take photos.
- Sitting on monuments, eating in St Mark's Square and swimming in the canals are banned and can bring fines.
- Cover shoulders and knees in churches, including St Mark's Basilica.
- Keep voices down at night; many apartments line the narrow canals.
- Give way on vaporetti to residents with shopping and let passengers off before boarding.
- Book St Mark's Basilica ahead: Queues are long from late morning; book a timed entry online for a small fee.
- Book Doge's Palace ahead: Buy timed tickets online to avoid ticket queues, especially from spring to autumn.
- Book La Fenice opera house ahead: Performances sell out; book online well ahead.
- Buy a multi-day vaporetto pass rather than single tickets, which are among the most expensive public-transport fares in Europe.
Tipping
A cover charge is standard and service may be included. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected; gondoliers and water-taxi drivers do not expect a tip on the official fare.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buongiorno | Good morning / hello |
| Grazie | Thank you |
| Il conto, per favore | The bill, please |
| Un'ombra | A small glass of wine (Venetian) |
| Permesso | Excuse me (to pass) |
| Quanto costa? | How much is it? |
What to wear
Smart-casual clothes suit Venice; carry a scarf or light layer for churches. Wear comfortable, grippy shoes for bridges and stone steps, and bring waterproof footwear from November to March in case of acqua alta.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C, F and L sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking water
- Tap water is safe, and public drinking fountains in many campi provide free water.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Phone and internet
- Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés; EU roaming applies to European SIMs, and eSIMs are easy for other visitors.
- Time zone
- Europe/Rome
Venice has little serious crime, but pickpockets work on crowded vaporetti and around the Rialto and St Mark's. Stone steps and fondamente are slippery when wet, and during acqua alta raised walkways appear on main routes; check tide forecasts in autumn and winter.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Italy's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Venice?
A cover charge is standard and service may be included. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected; gondoliers and water-taxi drivers do not expect a tip on the official fare.
+Can you drink the tap water in Venice?
Tap water is safe, and public drinking fountains in many campi provide free water.
+What plugs are used in Venice?
Type C, F and L sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Venice?
Italian.