Susan Serven

Venice is an ancient city, built on water, with canals instead of roads and boats instead of cars. It feels like stepping into another time, especially when the evening light hits the old stone buildings.

The Hotel Excelsior

We went during a business trip and spent 3 days there. Upon arrival (at Venice Marco Polo Airport, VCE) I splurged and took a water taxi directly to the hotel we were staying at, the historic c1908 Excelsior Hotel, famed for its history and it mix of Belle Époque style and Moorish details like like arches, domes, and rich decoration. The hotel quickly attracted rich guests, writers, and film stars, and it is even mentioned in Thomas Mann’s “Death in Venice.” 

In 1932, the hotel helped host the first Venice International Film Festival, with movies shown by the sea, which linked the Excelsior closely with film and celebrity culture. 

Even today, the Excelsior is still the “go to” place to stay during the Venice Film Festival.

The neighborhood around the hotel is quiet and charming, with wonderful restaurants and local shops that sell cheese, dried mushrooms and the best balsamic vinegar I've ever had. 

Main sights in Venice

The center of Venice is St. Mark’s Square, a large open square surrounded by arches and historic buildings.

Here you’ll find St. Mark’s Basilica, famous for its gold mosaics inside, and the tall Campanile bell tower, which you can ride up for wide views over the city and the Grand Canal.

Close by is the Doge’s Palace, once the home of Venice’s rulers, with its pointed arches and views over the water.

The Bridge of Sighs connects the palace to the old prison, and the story goes that prisoners crossing it took one last look at Venice before being locked away.

A short walk brings you to the Rialto Bridge, where you can stand and watch all kinds of boats moving along the Grand Canal.

Gondola rides and canals

One of the things you’ve got to do while in Venice is take a gondola ride. Gondolas are long, narrow boats rowed by a gondolier who (often while singing) stands at the back and guides you through the canals.

For a more relaxed experience, try to go early in the morning or near sunset, when the light is softer and the canals are quieter.

Ask your gondolier to take you on some of the smaller side canals instead of staying only on the busy Grand Canal. Floating under stone bridges and past faded palaces at water level gives you a very different view of the city.

If a gondola is out of budget, you can ride a traghetto, a larger shared gondola that locals use to cross the Grand Canal at certain points. It is a short trip, but it lets you stand in a gondola and see how it feels without paying for a full private ride. You can also use the public vaporetto boats to cruise the length of the Grand Canal and see many famous buildings from the water.

Shopping and local finds

Shopping in Venice ranges from tiny artisan workshops to big-name fashion brands. Around St. Mark’s Square and along nearby streets, you’ll find luxury boutiques, perfume shops, and jewelry stores, along with well-known Italian and international labels.

These central areas are good if you are looking for designer clothes, leather bags, or high-end accessories.In the narrow side streets near the Rialto and in quieter districts, you can discover small shops selling Murano glass, handmade masks, paper goods, and prints. Look for glass pieces that are labeled and sold in reputable stores if you want higher-quality items rather than mass-produced souvenirs.

Many mask makers and paper shops have workbenches in the back so you can sometimes see artists at work.

Food lovers can browse markets and specialty food shops for local products like pasta, spices, biscuits, and sweets to take home. Near the Rialto Market, you’ll see stalls and small stores selling fresh produce, cheese, and regional items, along with wine shops where you can fill a bottle with local wine on tap.

When shopping in Venice, it helps to step off the main tourist lanes—prices are often better, and you are more likely to find unique pieces.

One of my favorites stops, and a must-see IMO, was the Leonardo Da Vinci museum, with hands-on, interactive exhibits of Leonardo's machines, plus digital copies of paintings, drawings and models based on his codices.