Hey travel geeks! After Florence, Pisa and Rome, let’s float over to Venice. These photos are from April 2026: a soft, cloudy spring day spent wandering from the Grand Canal into the quiet little canals where the real magic happens. We made it a 2-day stop on our way to Vienna from Milan, and staying two nights meant we got Venice in the early mornings and evenings too, after the day crowds head home.
No movie brought us here this time, but I’ll admit it: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a big favorite of mine, and it has some great Venice scenes. So yes, I kept an eye out for Indy on every canal!
First look: the Grand Canal from the Scalzi Bridge
If you arrive by train at Santa Lucia station, the Ponte degli Scalzi is basically your welcome mat. The single stone arch you see today, designed by Eugenio Miozzi, opened in 1934 and replaced an iron bridge from the Austrian era. From the top you get a classic first look at the Grand Canal, with the green copper dome of San Simeone Piccolo on the opposite bank. The church was rebuilt between 1718 and 1738.
Getting lost on the side canals
The best part of Venice is putting the map away. Just a few turns off the Grand Canal, we found quiet canals with wisteria spilling over garden walls, gondoliers gliding past crumbling brick palazzi and boats tied up at striped mooring poles.
The view from the Accademia Bridge
If you only climb one bridge for a photo, make it the Ponte dell’Accademia. Looking down the Grand Canal you get water taxis, palazzi on both sides and the domes of Santa Maria della Salute at the end. The Salute has a powerful story: the Venetian Senate vowed to build it in 1630, when the plague was sweeping the city. Baldassare Longhena started construction in 1631, and the church was consecrated in 1687.
San Giorgio Maggiore across the water
From the waterfront near St. Mark’s, look across the basin to the bright white facade of San Giorgio Maggiore. It was designed by Andrea Palladio. The foundation stone was laid in 1566, and the facade was finished in 1610, after Palladio’s death. We even got a gondolier rowing right through the shot!
Practical tips (as of Oct 2026)
- Venice Access Fee: In 2026 Venice ran the day-tripper fee as a trial on 60 set days between April 3 and July 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It cost €5 if you paid by the fourth day before your visit and €10 after that. You pay at cda.ve.it. Overnight hotel guests are exempt but still have to register, and the fee applies only to visitors over 14. The trial ended July 26, and right now there’s no fee. Fun fact: neither of our days in Venice turned out to be a fee day, and since we stayed overnight we’d have been exempt anyway. Planning for 2027? As of Oct 2026, the city has approved 72 fee days, from March 26 to August 15, 2027 (mostly Friday to Sunday, plus holidays), from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The price (up to €10), the exemptions and the booking details are still being finalized, so check cda.ve.it before you go.
- Vaporetto (water bus): A single ACTV ticket costs €9.50 and is good for 75 minutes. Passes cost €25 for 24 hours, €35 for 48 hours, €45 for 72 hours and €65 for 7 days. If you’ll ride three or more times in a day, the day pass pays for itself. One tip from us: watch out for transport strikes (sciopero in Italian). We got caught by one, and after a long day of exploring we splurged on a private water taxi back to the hotel. We could have walked, but zipping across the water was so much fun! Just know that private water taxis can be pricey, so always agree on the fare before you get in.
- Gondola rides: The city sets the official fare: €90 for 30 minutes during the day, or €110 for 35 minutes after 7 p.m. That’s per gondola, not per person, and up to 5 people can ride. Agree on the price before you step in. Want a gondola moment on a budget? Hop on a traghetto, a gondola ferry straight across the Grand Canal, for €2 cash (as of 2026). The crossings running are Dogana, Santa Maria del Giglio, San Tomà , Santa Sofia and Riva del Carbon (weekday mornings only), with San Samuele and San Marcuola closed.
- Wear comfy shoes. Venice is a walking city, with lots of bridges and steps. Like I said about Florence, walking is the best way to explore Europe!
- Go beyond the Grand Canal. The quiet side canals are where you get the photos (and the peace and quiet). Away from the Grand Canal is also where we found the best food and the less touristy spots.
Have you been to Venice? Gondola ride or vaporetto? Do you have a favorite bridge or hidden canal? Share below. Let’s geek out!
More Italy (and geeky adventures) coming soon. Safe travels!
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