The first thing is Venice is marvellous, most visitors are there for just the day. The later or earlier in the year that you can visit the better, less visitors and it looks even more amazing. Contrary to rumours, certainly at that time of year it does not smell, nor is it expensive you just have to stay away from the tourist traps around St Marks Square.
Get a guide book Rough Guide, Time Out or Cadogan and check out the layout, transport etc. Also get a good map it is hard to find places without a detailed map
On Arrival if you arrive at Venice main airport as oppose to Treviso take the airport water bus which runs frequently to meet flights, it goes to St Marks from where you get a Vaporetto. Alternatively Local Bus ACTV No 5 there is also a faster coach ATVO costs both go to Piazzale Roma and you need to get tickets in advance
There is nothing I would specifically recommend to see - the bliss is after you have seen St Mark’s Square, walking around the other parts of the city where you don’t see many visitors and you can get lost find lovely canals and sit out at cafes in the many squares and the get lost again
It really doesn’t matter where you stay sometimes it is better to get somewhere that is handy for arrival and will give your more local choices for eating at night.
Hotels check out www.venere.it and look at three/two star hotels there are a number you can select your dates so you know that they are available this site is very reliable
Hotel ai Due Fanali www.aiduefanali.com near the station but in a beautiful square overlooking the Grand Canal.
Beautiful Hotel & Apartments are available at www.cadellacorte.com great off season rates, highly recommended.
Palazzo Odoni, Fondamenta Monotto 151 Santa Croce a ten minutes from the railway station is a beautifully converted place and in a great area to walk to many excellent bars and restaurants good off-season rates and a very high standard and very nice people www.palazzoodoni.com
There are also now lots of sites which offer apartments a good alternative to a hotel
Alle Testiere, Calle de Mondo Novi, Castello 5801 - Reckoned to be one of the best places for seafood and fish in Venice and it is truly memorable - two sittings 7 & 9.30 go for the later, more relaxed the place only sits 24 and try the whole thing, starters, pasta, mains, and then the cheese and incredible experience €€€
Osteria Anice Stellato, Fondamenta de la Sensa, Cannaregio 3272 Great Food & Fantastic Value. Book in advance as it is very popular - the menu is in Italian but the ownder will help and it is excellent €€
Ristorante Riviera, Fondamenta Zattere, Dorsoduro 1473, another highly rates restaurant especially for fish and seaffod a bit more formal than Alle Testiere - in the summer lovely tables outside €€€
Vini di Gigio Canneregio 30131 an excellent restaurant it has to be booked. Web site www.vinidagigio.com traditional cooking and incredible wine list near La Cantina below
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Osteria Al Pantalon Dorsoduro 3958 off Salizida San Pantalon past Café Blue & Café Noir on the left and take the first alley on the left an excellent local restaurant, great food & friendly service €€
Osteria San Marco Frezzeria , San Marco 1610 New and modern restaurant minutes from St Mark’s Square, booking required €€
Cavatappi Camp della Guerra, San Marco 525 a very smart new wine bar with great wines and food, main courses and snacks like cheese platters € to €€
La Cantina Campo San Felice, Canneregio 3689 (off Strad Nuova) wine bar with platters of cold meats & cheeses, excellent quality, very nice staff and great seafood on Saturdays
€ to €€
Al Gondolleri Dorsoduro 36, Ponte del Formager near the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery superb food and service advisable to book €€€
Alla Madonna Calle della Madonna 594 near the Rialto great very local restaurant lots of locals €€
Da Remiggio Salizzada Dei Greci 3416 near St Marks an excellent again local restaurant worth booking €€
Al Mascaron Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa wine bar and restaurant it is very local and modern, take the recommendations from the staff €€
nearby Enoteca Mascareta a wine bar with tables for eating, good wines but best to stick to the cold meat and cheese platters
Taverna San Trovoso Dorsoduro 1016 Fondament Pirulí well priced good portions and a mix of locals and visitors € to €€
La Zucca San Giacomo dell’Orio San Croce 1762 very friendly reasonably priced restaurant some dishes are slightly different from standard Venetian fare €€
Birraria La Corte San Polo 216B great modern bar restaurent with the most fantastic pizzas booking in the evening recommended € to €€
La Colombina Campiello del Peglotto , Canneregio 1828 new wine bar with excellent food huge wine range (slightly pushy on the wine) €€
Osteria Ai 40 Ladroni Canneregio Fonadmenta della Sensa 3523 this has been recommended
Improntacafe, Calle Crosers, Dorsoduro 3815 - an excellent new modern bar and restaurant run by two great guys Massimo & Simo. Good selection of wines and cocktails - try the Rossini, and with excellent food served till late. Go in at Appertivi time for an excellent Spritz and some lovely free nibbles € to €€
Wine Bar with no apparent name, Fondamenta della Ormesini, Canneregio 2754, excellent small wine bar with a great selection of wines and chichetti
Vivaldi, Calle de la Madoneta, San Polo 1457, a small wine bar with tables for lunch and dinner - it has changed hands recently and the food and service has improved - very reasonable for a pasta lunch € to €€
Da Alberto, Calle Larga Giacinto, Canneregio 5401 a lovely Enotec with excellent good value past dihes at lunch time €€
Al ponte, Ponte del Cavello - small Enoteca with tables for lunch can be pricier than it looks
Muro Vino e Cucina, Camp Caesare Battisti Gia Bella Vienna San Polo 222, great new modern bar near the Rialto Market great wine selection and snacks €
Un Mondo Di Vino, Salizada San Caciano, Canneregio 5984A - an excellent wine bar with snacks - there are a couplemof other wine bars in the same street
Bar Al Trove, Camp San Silvestro - new modern bar in a lovely Campo also does some food €
Al Bottegon Fondamento Nani near SanTrovaso canal family run wine shop and enoteca
Osteria del Assassini Calle della Assassini difficult to find between Rialto & San Marco but worth finding
All’Arco Calle dell Orchialer San Polo 436 small lane of Ruga Vecchia Near the Rialto & Do Mori below a small stand up bar with great selection of snacks
Cantina do Mori Calle de Mori , San Polo Near the Rialto Market difficult to find but one of the original bars round the Rialto Market
Vini Da Pinto Campo delle Becarie Rialto Local market bar good food and wine
Osteria all Botte Campo San Bartolomeo San Marco 5482 , behind the square excellent wine and snacks and meals in the back room
All Volta Calle Cavali San Marco 4081 Enoteca with a range of wines and snacks
Paradiso Perduto, Fondamenta della Misercordia 2540 Cannaregio Late night eating and drinking bar
Al Guibaglo Bar Just at the Fundamente Nova Vaporetto Stop a modern bar with good snacks and good looking cheap main courses used by local vaporetto staff
All Fontana, Fondamento Cannaregio Cannaregio 1102
Bentigodi Calesele, Cannaregio 1423
Cantina Vecia Carbonera Rio tera Madalena, Cannaregio 2239
Al Postali Fondamento Rio Marin San Croce 821
Al Diavolo e L’Acqua Santa Calle della Madonna San Polo 561B newish Rialto bar with great snacks and meals
Bancogiro Campo San Giacomo di Rialto San Polo 122 a new bar great setting near the Rialto also does meals - now with tables outside one of the best views while sipping a glass of wine that you could wish for
Da Sandro Calle lunga San Barnaba Dorsoduro 2753A another new bacaro
Bacrao Jazz San Marco 5546 opposite the post office just off the Campo San Bartolomeo happy our 4 to 7 and late night opening
In St Mark’s Square the well known cafés are very expensive but you can stand in the American Bar and have a drink and gaze out onto the square - there are a couple of new modern places in the area Bacaro & Centrale
A local drink to try is a “Spritz” also called “Apperitivo” either Campari or the sweeter Aperol with some white wine & Soda finished with an olive. Be like the locals and try one, two maximum is the recommended limit best made in Bar al Campanile Calle Larga San Marco , San Marco 310 a minute from St Marks Square
