Day Trips~£10
Burano and Murano Islands
Lagoon islands
Colourful fishermen’s houses in Burano and glass-blowing studios in Murano.
- Suggested time: 5 hrs
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples
Boats run daily from Fondamente Nove
Venice
12 quieter places to add to the big sights: viewpoints, markets, walks, small museums and local favourites.
12 places in Venice
Hidden GemsFree
Cannaregio and the Jewish Ghetto
Cannaregio
A quieter district of everyday Venice, with canal-side bars and the world’s original ghetto.
- Suggested time: 2h 30m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples
Open-air; museums keep their own hours
Culture~£15
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Dorsoduro
A modern art museum in a canal-side palazzo, with Picasso, Pollock and sculpture gardens.
- Suggested time: 1h 30m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples · Culture lovers
Wednesday–Monday, roughly 10:00–18:00; closed Tuesdays
Hidden Gems~£12
Scuola Grande di San Rocco
San Polo
A lavish guild hall covered floor to ceiling with Tintoretto’s paintings, nicknamed the “Sistine Chapel of Venice”.
- Suggested time: 1h 15m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily, roughly 9:30–17:30
Hidden GemsFree
Libreria Acqua Alta
Castello
A wonderfully quirky bookshop with books stacked in gondolas and bathtubs, with a staircase made of old volumes.
- Suggested time: 30 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Food lovers
Daily, roughly 9:00–19:00
Hidden GemsFree
Squero di San Trovaso
Dorsoduro
One of the last working gondola boatyards in Venice, seen from the canal bank.
- Suggested time: 20 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Everyone
Open-air; the yard is viewable from the canal
Hidden GemsFree
Zattere Promenade
Dorsoduro
A sunny waterfront promenade facing the Giudecca canal, beloved by locals for ice cream and evening strolls.
- Suggested time: 1 hr
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples
Open-air; always accessible
Hidden Gems~£8
San Giorgio Maggiore Bell Tower
San Giorgio Maggiore
A lift up a bell tower on its own island for the finest view of the St Mark’s skyline.
- Suggested time: 45 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers · Photographers
Daily; hours vary
Hidden gems are the quieter alternatives to the headline sights. Prices, hours and booking advice are approximate, so check the official site before you go.