Venice Travel Guide: Local Tips, Hidden Gems & Unique Places to Stay

June 27, 2025

Venice: Beyond the Crowds -  How to Live Like a Local in La Serenissima

Venice is one of the world’s most iconic cities  a place of gondolas, golden light, and grandeur. Of course, you’ll want to visit St. Mark’s Square, admire the Doge’s Palace, and glide beneath the Rialto Bridge on a gondola ride. These are the postcard moments, and they’re worth it.

But if you truly want to feel the magic of Venice,  the Venice locals love, you need to step off the main route, take a breath, and let yourself wander.

Because in Venice, you’re never truly lost. And sometimes, the best way to experience this city is to get a little lost on purpose.

Live Like a Local in Venice: OfftheBeatenTrack Moments

Here are a few of my favorite ways to discover Venice beyond the crowds:

1. Explore the Castello District

Just east of the tourist center, Castello is Venice’s largest  and most authentic  sestiere. Wander through quiet alleyways, visit the local produce market near Via Garibaldi, and sip a spritz at a no-name bar beside the canal. This is where real Venetians live, shop, and chat.

2. Skip the Gondola, Rent a Rowboat

Want the canals all to yourself? Try a traditional rowboat with Row Venice  you’ll learn how to row like a Venetian and get a very different view of the city, far from the tourist routes.

3. Visit the Libreria Acqua Alta

This charming, slightly chaotic bookshop is stacked with vintage books in bathtubs, gondolas, and shelves that climb toward the ceiling. There are friendly cats, a back terrace with canal views, and plenty of photo worthy nooks.

4. Go Cicchetti Hopping in Cannaregio

Venice’s version of tapas, cicchetti are best enjoyed standing at the bar with a glass of wine. Head to Cannaregio at aperitivo hour and hop from bar to bar like a local. Look for the unassuming spots packed with Venetians and try things you don’t recognize.

5. Take a Vaporetto to the Islands (but not just Murano)

Sure, Murano and Burano are beautiful. But also hop over to Torcello, home to one of Venice’s oldest churches, or Sant’Erasmo, Venice’s rural “vegetable garden,” where time slows down and the crowds vanish. There is a great restaurant here – featured in a Netflix series I can tell you about

6. Shop at the Rialto Market Early

Get there before 9 AM to see locals shopping for the day’s fresh fish and produce. Watch the quiet negotiations, and perhaps even pick up a few things for a picnic lunch along the canal.

7. Pause and Just Wander

Some of my favorite memories in Venice come from taking a wrong turn. One moment you’re lost in a narrow alley, the next you’re standing before a quiet canal with a flower draped bridge and no one else in sight.

Venice rewards the curious. Every doorway tells a story, and every alley leads to something unexpected. Get Lost in Venice - and enjoy every moment.

Whether you're staying in a chic apartment near the Grand Canal, a hidden villa tucked in a quiet neighborhood  or one of our handpicked boutique hotels  Venice invites you to slow down and savor.

Hotel Idea! With special perks 

Featured Hotel: Hotel L’Orologio Venice

This hotel on the Grand Canal makes experiencing the charms of Venice easy. Just a few steps from the famous Rialto Bridge, the Hotel L'Orologio is perfectly located away from the crowds, yet still within walking distance of Venice's main attractions.

With only 43 contemporary style rooms, guests of this intimate boutique hotel are extremely well looked after by an impressively attentive staff. The Hotel L’Orologio offers great value for all its guests, especially for families staying in either of their two large apartments facing the Grand Canal.

To start planning your dream Italian vacation, contact me today!

Book with us and enjoy these exclusive benefits: ( only available through us )

• Complimentary upgrade to the next room category (if available at check-in)

• Personalized welcome amenity curated on our behalf (Made in Italy, seasonal)

• A welcome aperitivo o

• Personal greeting from the Hotel Manager or a designated host

Suite or Family Room bookings also receive:

• Seasonal welcome amenity

• Meet & Greet with the Hotel Manager

• Voucher worth €45 per person (age 6+) to enjoy at the hotel bar (F\&B only; not cumulative with consortia benefits)

I have personally curated several beautiful places to stay in Venice  from elegant apartments to a stunning private villa (Palazzo Canaletto)  right in the city. If you'd like help finding the right one for your next visit, I’d be delighted to help you travel like an insider.

Planning a trip to Venice or Italy?

Contact me via [ClassicVacationRental.com](https://classicvacationrental.com) or message me on Instagram @classicvacationrental.

#VeniceTravel #HiddenVenice #LiveLikeALocal #VeniceItaly #SlowTravel #ItalyVacation #OffTheBeatenPath #ClassicVacationRental #ItalyTripPlanning #WanderlustItaly

 

 

 

 

 

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