If your travel destination is Venice, that means it’s going to be a romantic trip no matter what. The whole island has such a unique and romantic ambiance that it is impossible to have an non-romantic holiday here. Pretty much why it is considered to be one of the best spots to travel to as a couple. Above all, the bridges, churches, squares, ferries all over in Venice make this place very eclectic, historical and definitely a must-visit city. In order to create a truly romantic trip to Venice, we have prepared for you a list of the best romantic things to do in Venice!
With bubbly Prosecco to enjoy, mesmerizing views from almost everywhere, tasty food, the romantic setting of your hotel – almost everything is enchanted here. From the beginning until the very end, you’ll enjoy the city’s great atmosphere. It’s as if getting going back in time as you find your way around the small streets and alleyways and cross the many bridges over the canals. It’s one of the best places to get lost in, especially hand in hand with a loved one.
1.TAKE A GONDOLA RIDE
One of the reasons why Venice is such a romantic place is due to the gondolas. The gondola is a part of Venetian culture and all gondola men are highly appreciated people due to their position. They carefully show you around while standing and leading the gondola at the very corner of it. If you are lucky, they will also perform a song for you as well! You can find the gondola stops all over the canals, the fee is fixed by the municipality. For a ride during the day you will pay 80€ and at night the rate increases up to 100€. However, it is for sure it worth this; you can witness the most amazing views from the gondola. Actually, it is also one of the most popular options to propose in Venice too!
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2. EXPERIENCE THE WINE BARS
Venice has its own version of a wine bar: Bacaro. A typical Venetian bacaro serves great wine usually called ombra along with some snacks called cicchetti. If you want to enjoy more local drinking and eating experience in Venice, this is a really good choice. Away from the busy narrow streets of Venice, you can find many good wine bars. They don’t look fancy but actually, those are the best! Give a wine break at Cantina Do Mori, reportedly the oldest wine bar of Venice or Bacaro Risorto which is another local favorite bacaro frequented by Venetians. Try new dishes and enjoy the good wine.
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3. GET LOST IN THE ISLAND
It will not be very hard to do this. Venice is an island like a labyrinth. You may end up in a blind street quite often. However, it is also one of the beauties of here. It always surprises you with those hidden places, streets or little shops. You find an inmate corner along a bridge to drink a glass of wine or maybe a small art gallery to visit. Especially after the evening trains, when the island’s populations decrease until the early morning; it is the best time to take a romantic walk around the Grand Canal and wander around. Don’t forget to find a place to watch the moonlight reflecting on the sea as well!
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4. SEE A SHOW
Venice used to be a very popular city for the ball, official dinners and international gatherings. Therefore, there was always something artistic to offer to these crowds. Teatro La Fenice still stands today to give an impeccable experience to art lovers visiting Venice. The theatre offers seasonal shows including opera, ballet, classical music concerts, and chamber music. The establishment hosts many great international artists all over the world as well. The tickets sell out very fast, so don’t forget to book early for the programs. Even only La Felice building is enough to blow your mind, both with its ambiance and the architecture. Book a private box at the theatre hall to upgrade a romantic show for your night.
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5. HAVE A PERFECT DINNER
Italy has one of the most prominent and well-known cuisines in the whole world. In Venice, the situation is the same. You’ll taste a different bite of Northern Italian cuisine here. Venetian cuisine has a big array of ingredients. The island was one the main ports in Europe back in the old days for import and export. This opportunity gave Venice to have a unique cuisine as the island had the access to freshest and the best ingredients possible. In order to enjoy a nice dinner, try to avoid the touristic path. You might enjoy local places or maybe rooftop restaurants with a view. For a local experience, you might try Paradiso Perduto in Cannaregio area. For a fancier place, try The Gritti Terrace located right next to canal overseeing the famous Campo della Salute.
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6. DRINK AT SKYLINE ROOFTOP BAR
When you are in Venice, one the things to do with your partner is enjoying the amazing view from the island. The best places to do this are the rooftop bars. Luckily, in Venice, there are many great rooftop bars. You can stop by at the Skyline Rooftop Bar which is located on Giudecca Island and on the last floor of the Hilton Molino Stucky Hotel. You can go for a pre-dinner drink at the bar to enjoy an amazing view or come by during lunch to have a light snack along with a cocktail. Take a good time to watch the panoramic view and sip the greatest cocktails or simple a nice prosecco of Veneto region.
7. GIVE A GELATO BREAK
Well, you are not in the famous hometown of gelato in Rome but don’t forget you are still in Italy. Venice also has great ice cream shops over the island selling amazingly delicious Italian style gelato. When you get tired of walking around and passing over a lot of bridges, give a break at the gelato shop. The amazing displays of different flavors, unique tastes, and chilled break cannot beat anything after a long walk in Venice. Enjoy a cup, cornetto or a sorbet with your partner with a tasty gelato in Venice, check out the best gelato places of Venice from here.
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8. HAVE AN APERITIVO
Aperitivo is a must activity when you visit Italy. It is the time where everybody goes out and have a glass of aperitif before the dinner and enjoy a few snacks. In Italy, each region has something special for the aperitivo as a drink. Since Venice is in the Veneto region, there are a lot of different options. You can go for Aperol or Campari spritz, a bubbly and crispy prosecco, a good ombra at bacaro or a Bellini at its original place. Spend a romantic evening break as a couple with few drinks and small bites in the speakeasy bars in Venice.
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9. VISIT GIUDECCA
Giudecca is a very small island right next to the main island of Venice and a part of Dorsoduro area. Rather than the main island, here is very calm and more residential so you can avoid touristic paths or crowd here. On the island, there are two really nice hotels, Hilton Molino Stucky and Cipriani. In both places, you can have a romantic meal at the restaurants or have a drink at the hotel bar. The island also has the biggest private gardens of Venice which you can also visit. For a more relaxing and intimate day, you can take a Vaporetto from the main island and visit Giudecca.
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10.WATCH THE SUNSET
One of the best parts of Venice is no matter what the season is there is always an amazing view. You can have a view of this mesmerizing sunset from many places in Venice. From Campanile of the San Marco, right directly from the seaside of San Marco Square, a rooftop bar, from Arsenale di Biennale or even from a gondola. If you don’t want to spend extra money at rooftop bars, the best decision would be to watch the sunset in front of Palazzo Ducale or from Rialto Bridge.
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11. DRINK BELLINI AT HARRY’S
Did you know that Bellini is invented right in the middle of Venice? The cocktail is actually a mixture of Prosecco which a sparkling wine made and mixed with peach nectar or purée. It was the invention of Giuseppe Cipriani from Harry’s Bar. The name was given to the cocktail due to the Giovanni Bellini’s prominent color usage of light pink -which is the color of the cocktail. Today, you can enjoy the best Bellini at Harry’s Bar. Try Bellini there to grasp a moment from the old days of Venice and to enjoy the moment you share at one of the nicest bars in Venice which you can also grab tasty bites!
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