Julia Buckley

There are over 400 bridges connecting the 118 islands of Venice, and after five years of living here I’ve barely crossed half of them. This mesmerising floating city is a labyrinth of art and architecture (and Aperol spritzes, and cicchetti bars). Of course, I’m hardly unique – everyone loves Venice, and sometimes it feels like the city is being loved to death. That’s your cue to swap the city for the lagoon and see this still-wild environment where tiny islands rise from the water, where boats bump alongside salt marshes, and where, on the Lido, one of Italy’s loveliest beaches squares off against the Adriatic. The real Venice is always in front of you – you just have to know where to look. Can you do Venice in a day? Can you see what everyone comes to see? Yes. Can you get a real understanding of the floating city? Only if you ditch those main sights and get off the beaten track. Ideally you’d need at least three days in Venice, but if you can only spare 24 hours you have two routes. First up: the classics. In a day you can sail down the Grand Canal under the Rialto Bridge and explore the area around Piazza San Marco (including the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica). You should have time to lose yourself in the alleyways around San Marco, maybe to stop for some cicchetti or to slide into a church. Venice is eminently walkable – you can get from the train station to the Piazza (basically the length of the city) in around 40 minutes. You’ll have seen the sights, but not escaped

Look, we’re not one to toot our own horns here at Time Out. But if there’s any city where you really need us, it’s Venice, a city crammed full of buzzy tourist traps posing as neighbourhood trattorias. The only way to avoid them? Local knowledge. Lots of it.  So that’s where we come in. Our local writers have scoured the city (tourist traps and all), to bring you a legitimate list of its best restaurants. If they’re on here, we love them. If they’re pricey, they’re worth it. These are the best restaurants in Venice, without a dud in sight. Enjoy folks. RECOMMENDED:🏘️ Where to stay in Venice📍 The best things to do in Venice🏺 The best museums in Venice🏛️ The best attractions in Venice This guide was recently updated by Julia Buckley, a travel writer based between Venice and the UK. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

‘Venice in winter?’ I hear you cry. ‘You must be joking.’ After all, the floating city is a city of the seaside, isn’t it? A place to drink waterfront spritzes, meander through the lagoon, lounge on the beaches of the Lido and clack your way through the alleyways in strappy sandals in the sunshine.  But hear me out. I’d done Venice in the summer, when it‘s packed, sweaty and full of tourists. It never did much for me. And it’s only getting more extreme – things have got so crowded here that this year, the city even introduced an entry fee for tourists during the summer months, set to be extended next year once again.  My own love story with the city started when I spent a full December here some years ago, which was the first time I really understood the magic. It was then that I saw La Serenissima at her most serene as the fog rolled in across the lagoon, chomping away at grand palazzos, unfurling around the waterfront, and swallowing up every sound except my echoing footsteps. Venice in winter is beautiful, mystical, melancholic and gothic all at once. It is Romantic with a capital R.  🏨 Discover the best hotels in Venice What is Venice like in winter? I’d be lying if I said winter here was always easy. I’ve lived in the city since 2020, and it can be bone-chillingly cold. It can be windy, especially if you’re on the north side. It is, it goes without saying, pretty damp at times. Sometimes there’s acqua alta (flooding) – much less than there used to be, thanks to the MOS

What’s the vibe?  Vero sits in Ca’ di Dio, a swanky five-star hotel on the Riva degli Schiavoni – so the feel is less buzzy, more quiet luxe. Spanish starchitect Patricia Urquiola designed the restaurant as well as the hotel, so here she’s jazzed up a smallish waterfront room with lagoon-green walls, banquettes and chairs, and a ceiling that appears frescoed – very Venice, only it’s fish and vegetables taking centre stage, rather than the usual chubby angels.  What are the prices like?  This is one for a special occasion. Lionetti is all about tasting menus – Vero offers three menus, from a four-course, lagoon veg-based one (€120) through a five-course, seafood-heavy affair (€150) to the seven-course Incontro menu, which combines a bit of everything for €170. You can also pick and mix your own menu of two or three courses from €90. What should I order?  In a city of seafood restaurants, what stands out at Vero is the use of vegetables and herbs grown in the lagoon. The four-course menu (also called Vero) is vegan, but don’t let that put you off if you’re a meat-eater – dishes like risotto and retellings of Sant’Erasmo’s famous artichokes can convert even the most ardent carnivore. Alternatively, if you see the cappelletti of red-cow parmesan on the menu, grab it – the oozy, cheesy dumplings (like big tortellini) are served swimming in lobster consommé with lobster chunks on top.  What’s worth visiting nearby?  Plum on the Riva degli Schiavoni, this is right in the middle of t