Where to stay · Venice · Italy
Where to stay in Venice
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in San Marco. St Mark's Square, grand hotels, La Fenice and luxury shopping streets. Best alternatives — families: Castello; budget: Cannaregio; nightlife: Dorsoduro.
Key facts
- First visit
- San Marco
- Families
- Castello
- Budget
- Cannaregio
- Nightlife
- Dorsoduro
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | San Marco | St Mark's Square, grand hotels, La Fenice and luxury shopping streets |
| Families | Castello | The Arsenale shipyards, Biennale gardens and laundry lines on Via Garibaldi |
| Couples | San Marco | St Mark's Square, grand hotels, La Fenice and luxury shopping streets |
| Budget | Cannaregio | Canal-side bars, the historic Ghetto and everyday Venetian life near the station |
| Luxury | San Marco | St Mark's Square, grand hotels, La Fenice and luxury shopping streets |
| Nightlife | Dorsoduro | Art museums, the Zattere waterfront and the student square of Campo Santa Margherita |
| Food lovers | Cannaregio | Canal-side bars, the historic Ghetto and everyday Venetian life near the station |
| Solo travellers | Cannaregio | Canal-side bars, the historic Ghetto and everyday Venetian life near the station |
| Quiet stays | Dorsoduro | Art museums, the Zattere waterfront and the student square of Campo Santa Margherita |
| Beach | Lido | A long beach island of Art Nouveau villas, bikes and the Film Festival |
Venice neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, luxury and couples
San Marco
The San Marco sestiere wraps around St Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace and runs along the Grand Canal towards the Rialto and the Accademia bridge. It has the city's grandest hotels, the La Fenice opera house and designer shops on Calle Larga XXII Marzo and the Mercerie, but it is also the most crowded and expensive part of Venice.
- Good
- Steps from the main sights; Grand hotels with canal views; Vaporetto stops everywhere
- Watch out
- Heavy crowds by day; Highest prices for food and drink; Floods first during acqua alta
- Nearby
- St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, La Fenice, Rialto Bridge
$$$ · Best for couples, culture, nightlife and quiet stays
Dorsoduro
Dorsoduro, across the Accademia bridge from San Marco, holds the Gallerie dell'Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the domed Santa Maria della Salute. The Zattere promenade faces the Giudecca Canal at sunset, and Campo Santa Margherita, near the Ca' Foscari university, is lively with students in the evenings.
- Good
- Major art museums on the doorstep; Sunset walks on the Zattere; Quieter than San Marco
- Watch out
- Fewer vaporetto stops in the interior; Some bridges to cross with luggage
- Nearby
- Gallerie dell'Accademia, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Santa Maria della Salute, Zattere
$$ · Best for food lovers, budget, solo travellers and nightlife
Cannaregio
Venice's largest and most residential sestiere stretches from the Santa Lucia railway station to the northern lagoon. The Fondamenta della Misericordia and Fondamenta degli Ormesini are lined with bacari and canal-side tables, the Jewish Ghetto is in its western part, and Strada Nova is a busy local shopping street leading towards the Rialto.
- Good
- Authentic local atmosphere; Good-value bacari and restaurants; Easy from the station with luggage
- Watch out
- A 20–30 minute walk to St Mark's; Strada Nova is crowded by day
- Nearby
- Jewish Ghetto, Ca' d'Oro, Fondamenta della Misericordia, Santa Lucia station
$$ · Best for quiet stays, families, budget and culture
Castello
Castello stretches east from St Mark's past the Riva degli Schiavoni to the old Arsenale shipyards and the Giardini, the main Biennale venues. Further east, Via Garibaldi and the island of San Pietro di Castello feel like a working neighbourhood, with washing hung across lanes and local trattorie.
- Good
- Walkable to St Mark's but quieter; Green space at the Giardini; Local trattorie
- Watch out
- Eastern end is far from the station; Riva degli Schiavoni is crowded
- Nearby
- Arsenale, Giardini della Biennale, Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Riva degli Schiavoni
$$$ · Best for food lovers, first-timers and culture
San Polo and Santa Croce
These two small sestieri on the west bank of the Grand Canal hold the Rialto Market, the Frari basilica and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, plus Campo San Giacomo dell'Orio, one of the most relaxed squares in the city. Santa Croce borders Piazzale Roma, the bus terminus for airport buses, which makes it practical for arrivals.
- Good
- Central and atmospheric; Excellent bacari near the Rialto; Easy airport bus access from Piazzale Roma
- Watch out
- Rialto area is very crowded at midday; Maze-like lanes are easy to get lost in
- Nearby
- Rialto Market, Frari, Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Piazzale Roma
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, luxury and couples
Giudecca
Giudecca is a long island facing the Zattere across the wide Giudecca Canal, with Palladio's Redentore church, converted industrial buildings and some of Venice's most exclusive hotels at either end. It is quiet and residential, with a direct vaporetto across to San Marco and Dorsoduro.
- Good
- Peaceful, with views back to Venice; Few day-trippers; Luxury hotels with pools
- Watch out
- Every trip needs a vaporetto; Few restaurants open late
- Nearby
- Il Redentore, Zattere, San Giorgio Maggiore
$$$ · Best for beach, families and quiet stays
Lido
The Lido is a narrow barrier island about 15 minutes by vaporetto from San Marco, with an Adriatic beach running most of its length, early-20th-century villas and hotels, and the Palazzo del Cinema where the Venice Film Festival is held. Cars and buses run here, and cycling is the best way to explore.
- Good
- Beach on the doorstep; Calm and spacious; Good for families in summer
- Watch out
- Vaporetto needed for every trip to the historic centre; Quiet out of season
- Nearby
- Lido beaches, Palazzo del Cinema, Malamocco
$ · Best for budget
Mestre
Mestre is the modern mainland part of the municipality, connected to the historic centre by the Ponte della Libertà. Hotels near Venezia Mestre station are much cheaper than in the lagoon city, and trains and buses reach Santa Lucia or Piazzale Roma in about 10–15 minutes, but there is no historic atmosphere.
- Good
- Much lower hotel prices; Easy trains to Venice and the region; Good for day trips by rail
- Watch out
- No Venetian atmosphere; Station area feels rough at night; Daily commuting into Venice
- Nearby
- Venezia Mestre station, M9 museum, Ponte della Libertà
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| San Marco | $$$$ | St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, La Fenice, Rialto Bridge |
| Dorsoduro | $$$ | Gallerie dell'Accademia, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Santa Maria della Salute, Zattere |
| Cannaregio | $$ | Jewish Ghetto, Ca' d'Oro, Fondamenta della Misericordia, Santa Lucia station |
| Castello | $$ | Arsenale, Giardini della Biennale, Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Riva degli Schiavoni |
| San Polo and Santa Croce | $$$ | Rialto Market, Frari, Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Piazzale Roma |
| Giudecca | $$$ | Il Redentore, Zattere, San Giorgio Maggiore |
| Lido | $$$ | Lido beaches, Palazzo del Cinema, Malamocco |
| Mestre | $ | Venezia Mestre station, M9 museum, Ponte della Libertà |
Getting to your hotel
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is on the mainland about 8 km from the city. Buses reach Piazzale Roma in about 20–30 minutes, Alilaguna water buses go to stops including Fondamente Nove, Rialto and San Marco in about 60–90 minutes, and private water taxis take about 30 minutes. Treviso Airport (TSF), used by some low-cost airlines, is about 30 km away, with coaches to Piazzale Roma.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Venice for first-time visitors?
San Marco. The San Marco sestiere wraps around St Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace and runs along the Grand Canal towards the Rialto and the Accademia bridge.
+Where should families stay in Venice?
Castello: Walkable to St Mark's but quieter.
+Which area of Venice is best for a budget stay?
Cannaregio ($$): Canal-side bars, the historic Ghetto and everyday Venetian life near the station.