Welcome to Venice

Where is Venice?
Venice is situated in North-Eastern Italy and the capital of the stunning Veneto region. Unlike anywhere else in the world, the city is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea.

What is Venice’s climate like?
Venice has a Mediterranean climate, meaning summers are generally very hot, sunny and humid, whilst winters are cool and wet.

July and August are the hottest months, with highs of 29°C (84°F) whilst June and September are also sunny and warm, with temperatures averaging at 22°C (71°F). Temperatures and hours of sunlight drop between October to February however, with average highs of 11°C (52°F) and lows of 3°C (37°F). It does begin to warm up between the months of March to May, with average temperatures of 18°C (64°F).

What languages are spoken in Venice?
Venetian, a dialect of Italian, is the most spoken language in Venice, but modern Italian is also spoken and understood by the majority of locals. Due to its status as a tourist hotspot, English is also widely spoken and understood.

What is the local currency of Venice?
The local currency is the Euro and you can use cash or card in the city.

What etiquette should I be aware of in Venice?
Venice welcomes millions of tourists from all over the world, and with all those people it’s important that certain rules are respected. When walking through the narrow lanes, always keep to the right and walk at a brisk pace. Don’t obstruct any of the bridges and dress modestly if you want to visit any churches or monuments.

The Venetian council introduced a new set of rules as part of its 2017 #EnjoyRespectVenezia campaign, which banned tourists from sitting down in certain parts of the city, including St Mark’s Square and on the steps of the Rialto Bridge. This campaign also prohibits public picnics, jumping into the canals, riding bicycles, feeding pigeons and wearing swimwear and other inappropriate clothing. So, please do respect these rules on your next Venetian trip.

What is Venetian cuisine like?
In one word – delicious! Venice offers the very best in traditional Italian cuisine, such as antipasti, pizza, and pasta, but there’s so much more to Venetian cuisine. Here are some of the delicious traditional delicacies:

• Baccalà - creamed, dried salted cod
• Risi e Bisi – a hybrid risotto and soup dish
• Sarde in Saor – fried sardines topped with crispy onions
• Sepe col nero – local squid cooked with oil, parsley, and white wine

What time zone is Venice in?
Venice is in the Central European Summertime (CEST) zone, this is UTC/GMT +1 hour.

Which airports serve Venice?
Venice’s Marco Polo Airport is the city’s official airport and is located 8 miles from the city center. It is the most widely used airport in Venice and is served by major international airlines.

Alternatively, Treviso airport is smaller and located a bit further out - 19 miles from the city center to be exact. The airport receives regular charter flights and a large number of budget airlines fly into Treviso airport.

How do I get around Venice?
As Venice is a city of islands and built on water, you cannot get around by car as you would in other cities. You can walk and take in the sights of the streets and canals, or if you’re going somewhere further afield, water buses (Vaporetto) are widely available and popular with tourists and locals alike.

The Vaporetto network has 22 lines taking visitors around Venice’s top sights and attractions and also has connections with practically all of Venice’s surrounding islands such as Murano and Burano. Single-use tickets start from €7 for 60 minutes, while tourist travel cards allow unlimited travel for periods from 12 hours to 7 days.

Alternatively, water taxis take visitors around Venice’s many islands and are the best form of transport to and from Marco Polo airport. And you can’t take a trip to Venice without experiencing one of their famous Gondola rides!