Where to Stay in Venice for Every Budget

A Complete Guide to the Neighborhoods

Venice is meant to be stayed in. Sure, there are day trips, but the real enchantment of Venice happens after the day trippers leave, when the Disneyland aspect falls away. Venice reveals herself as a living place, with all the joys and struggles of any city, except on the water. That is the magic: the borderline of urban realities meeting an amphibious environment. The audacity. People seem to either love or loathe Venice. Before you make your decision, make sure you first actually spend the night and get to meet the real La Serenissima.

So where to stay in Venice (and what to remember before booking.) If you’ve got the pockets for it, the opulent hotels on the Grand Canal will beckon. Or you may look to the map and decide to stay near the most popular sites in the heavily touristed San Marco area. These are fine, but there are many canals view rooms in Venice for cheaper prices and with local feel. It’s hard finding “authentic” in Venice. Over 20 million visitors explore Venice every year, overwhelming the 55,000 permanent residents in the historic center island. And, like Central Park (similar in size and yearly visitors), most of these people circulate in one very busy area. If you push to the edges, or other islands, you can be a part of something completely different than cruise ship crowds.

There are six sestiere, or neighborhoods, in Venice. Each of the sestieri has a unique draw, and unique challenges. This is your complete guide to where each is in the city, the special attractions that helped shape their personalities, and the pros and cons of lodging in each.

(Note: As of this writing, Venice is instituting a new tourist tax for the day trippers. Those who stay overnight already pay a tourism tax on their hotel stay. (As is true throughout Italy and many places around the world.) Overnighters will be exempt from this 3 to 13 euros per person tax. An estimated 41 million euros is spent a year for city maintenance as a result of tourism. Only 30 million is collected in hotel taxes. While the Italian tourism minister is not happy with the plan, Venice says this is the only way to make the city liveable and not put the extra cost of tourism maintenance on the dwindling citizenry. They’ve got a completed system devised for full launch in 2020, and this is going to get interesting.)

Things to remember when choosing where to stay in Venice

Remember two things when visiting Venice: it is on the water and it is very old. These bring some practical considerations that must addressed. How far will you have to walk? Are you taking a water bus? Do you have accessibility needs? There are a lot of stairs in Venice. There are many helpful things to check and consider before you book to avoid unpleasant surprises once your arrive.

San Marco

Let’s first get San Marco out of the way. This sestiere has the popular gems of tourist Venice and is by far the busiest area. This is a must visit area. Sites: the Basilica di San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs (all those prisoners crossing from the court to the prison), the Rialto Bridge (the famous one you see over the Grand Canal) and St. Mark’s Square. Eventually everyone ends up in this area.

On summer days up to 44,000 cruise ship passengers flood into Venice. The majority stick solely to San Marco for their day-tripping. (As of this writing there is an active call to ban cruise ships completely after a ship crashed into a pier. Larger ships are not allowed into the lagoon and ferry passengers in. Mid-size cruise ships are currently still allowed to dock in or near Venice.) There are anti-tourism movements in Venice as locals wrestle with the economic necessity and the damage of unchecked tourism. As noted earlier, the throngs of people in San Marco highlight how tourism is damaging local Venice.

By all means, visit San Marco. See the glorious Basilica with it’s intricate Byzantine features (just no pictures!) Ponder the columns near the pier, gathering spots for celebrations and executions over the centuries of the Republic of Venice. The Doge’s Palace, particularly the Secret Itineraries Tour, is full of surprises. But if you want to save money, don’t stay here or eat here. If you want to avoid crowds, don’t stay here. If you want to see a slice of surviving local Venice, don’t dwell here.

Anticipate aloof and even resentful waiters in this area. (Although I know from experience that knowing and using basic Italian in greetings and ordering makes a world of difference. The effort is appreciated and you are rewarded.) Best advice is to lodge away from here and make strategic visits to the area. For the savvy, visit San Marco sites are best early in the morning or late in the afternoon as the cruise crowds disperse.

Castello

If Venice looks like a fish, Castello is the long tail. The Republic of Venice, through it’s long history of independence, was a fearsome naval force. They were masters of both West and East trade and the middle man between the two. (Marco Polo, the person not the pool game, was Venetian. It’s no coincidence that he, and other Venetians, were out and about in areas unheard of to many Europeans.) Castello was the manufacturer of Venetian power. Here is the Arsenale, once the largest shipyard in Venice, a bustling trade center, and a tremendous symbol of the sovereign Republic’s might.

Now Castello puts up a legitimate argument for being the “most local” and “most authentic” sestiere. Other than the remains of the Arsenale (now the home of the internationally renowned art exhibition, the Biennale), Castello is a long stretch of residences and churches. The grandest of these is the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. It is one of the largest in the city and burial place for many of the doges (leaders).

The further you walk from San Marco, the more you will get the feel of what Venice has been and remains for its residents. You’ll get lost. You’ll also find deals in lodging and traditional food (squid in the cooler out front? Check.) If you’re not big on walking, catch one of the vaporetti. These handy water buses that stop at several points along the outer edges of Castello. If you venture to the far end of Castello, the prize is the greenest open space of Venice in the gardens of Biennale.

Cannaregio

Sharing the same side of the grand canal, making the back of the fish, is Cannaregio. For those arriving by train, you are in the far edge of Cannaregio, ready for a bucket list ride down the Grand Canal to San Marco. Between you and Castello lies the famous palace Ca’d Oro (the golden one), more beautiful churches with famous artists, and the majority of Venetian residents. Cannaregio is also home of the Jewish Ghetto.

Venice’s Jewish Ghetto was the first use of ghetto in the world. Ghetto itself is a term originating in the Venetian language for the small foundry island in this city. It became the only place Jews could live. The Republic decided that Jewish merchants and bankers were necessary for Venice to thrive, but did not want to see them living openly. In 1516 the Ghetto was created. A curfew was imposed, gates were locked and guarded, and any Jewish person outside of the Ghetto after those gates were locked risked punishment and death. (And they were noticeable due to the yellow cone hats they had to wear) risked sharp punishment and death. Ominously, no windows in the ghetto were allowed to look out to the rest of Venice.

Despite this, Jewish life flourished and the ghetto became a wildly popular place for outsiders to visit and shop. Despite only 450 current residents (instead of 6000 from the past), it remains popular today with handfuls of organized tours competing to showcase the Ghetto and surrounding Cannaregio.

Cannaregio is another clever place to stay. As long as you are off the Grand Canal, prices will be reasonable. The multiple, long inner canals allow for plenty of affordable rooms with classic canal views. The Cannaregio has a long stretch of Grand Canal, a long outer boundary on the lagoon, and another sizeable canal with more vaparetto stops. Multiple stops make this an easy neighborhood to both wander AND leave from. Staying in Cannaregio is also a shorter walk from the train station. Less hauling of luggage on boats and over bridges!

Santa Croce

Heading across the canal from the train station is the smaller Santa Croce sestiere. This area has fewer popular attractions than any other. It is still interesting and inviting in its own right; there just aren’t as many people wandering this area looking for a famous site. What Santa Croce does have is good deals, a short walk from the train station or the car park, plenty of canals, and local life pouring out in the afternoon.

We stayed here, at the gorgeous and affordable Palazzo Odoni, and my favorite part was watching the families gather in the campos (city squares) and the nonnas leaning out of the windows and watching the world go by. Santa Croce is one of the neighborhoods that comes alive in the afternoon. It’s like it’s waiting for the day-trippers to clear out and for real life to begin. Particularly narrow paths, frequent dead ends into canals, conventional cafes, and strolls with the Venetian families were part of our nightly Santa Croce experience.

A few pros and cons for getting around Santa Croce: If you stay in Santa Croce, simply walk across the bridge from either the train station or car park and maneuver your way to your accommodations. This area, by Venetian standards, is quite accessible on arrival from those two places (easy walk). It’s a 30 min walk to San Marco (plus or minus a wrong turn or two.) Most of Santa Croce’s main waterway is the inner Grand Canal so there are not as many vaporetto stops for this sestiere.

San Polo

San Polo, like Santa Croce, is just a little guy, half the size of the other sestieri. This little area has one big draw: the Rialto Bridge. Originally made in the 12th century, the oldest bridge over the Canal connected the government center of San Marco to the markets of San Polo. The bridge is packed with vendors and leads to the fish and produce markets (for you early risers!) The area around the bridge is lined with restaurants and shops, a popular and busy area for visitors.

Just a little further is a little less popular but far more interesting bridge, the Ponte delle Tette, or Bridge of…Breasts. In the early 1400s the otherwise hedonistic council of Venice clutched their pearls at the rise of men seeking male prostitutes. The Venetian courtesans were world revered, and although sex outside of marriage was overtly a big no-no, the powers that be generally agreed that sex workers did the city a service. They kept the drunk, armed men occupied, paid taxes, and supported tourism.

But the number of men seeking men was simply getting out of hand. The council’s solution? Pay female courtesans to stand on this bridge with bared breasts. Early conversion therapy, the thought was no man could remain interested in men when faced with all those breasts. The results were dubious. But the crowds flocked to San Polo. Alas, the breasts are gone but the markets and crowds remain.

If you’re staying in San Polo there is a wide range of options. Lodging near the markets, the Rialto, or anywhere along the Grand Canal will be both wonderfully scenic as well as pricy. The further into the interior of this sestiere you get , the more affordable. Foodies, this area has some of Venice’s most famous restaurants as well as fresh ingredients if your place has a kitchen. Venice is not a nightlife town. If you’re looking for a good time after dark, even without the red-light district, this is your one of your best bets.

Dorsodouro

Last but not least, probably the best of all worlds. Dorsodouro is the mouth of the fish that is Venice, a long, winding sestiere that boasts a lot of waterline, sites, and off the beaten path corners. There are three well-trafficked attractions here: the Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. While the first two are artistic treasure troves, the third has a particularly special story.

The Basilica, better known as La Salute, has an iconic presence in canal photography and a deeper story of immense gratitude. In 1630 a plague wiped out a third of Venice’s population. Any infected being was quarantined and left to die on other islands. Widespread hopelessness gripped the city but the deeply religious refused to give in to fatalism.

The Venetian senate made a supplication in October; if the Virgin Mary delivered the city from the devastation, a church would be built in her honor. A month later, as the plague abated, they had their answer and the grateful city began working on this church. The plague ended with as the warmer months faded or through the Holy Mother intercession (or both.) Regardless, the November 21st Feast of the Madonna della Salute, a grand gratitude processional, continues to this day.

Away from La Salute, Dorsodouro is an area where you can “live local” but still be near the major sites. Campo Santa Margherita, one of the largest squares in Venice, draws the young crowd from the nearby university. This is the other area for Venetian nightlife. Everything below the campo is just people living their lives. Families walking to pick up their kids, buying groceries from boats, and walking their dogs after work. This was my favorite area; I could have wandered around here for a day. When we go back, I’ll be making the hard decision between the Palazzo Odoni and this area.

Honorable Mention: Guidecca and the outer islands

Guidecca is a long island that buffers the area where the Grand Canal and the lagoon meet. Technically its part of the Dorsodouro sestiere, but its size and positioning give it a unique status. Densely populated Guidecca boasts impressive churches (it’s Italy, of course). It’s also only a short ferry ride away from the main center of Venice. Yet most tourists don’t make their way over. You’res missing out on the sweeping view of Venice that can be had from across the narrow waterway. It also homes several larger resort-style hotels as well as more affordable and local converted lodgings. Whether you stay here or not, do yourself a favor, catch the vaporetto, and climb the tower.

For those that really want to get adventurous, the islands of Murano and Burano are colorful havens of old Venice. Burano is an off the beaten path darling (45 min ferry from Venice) and is known as one of the most colorful cities in the world. Murano is the home of the historic glass-blowers and is an easy 10 min ferry ride. If your hotel is hawking “free tours” out to the historic glass-blowers in Murano, just remember that there is normally a very hard press to buy something at the end. Some tourists even report the tour boat refusing their return without a purchase. Instead, catch one of the Murano bound vaporetto for a small fee and do your own unpressured tour of the island.

Moral of the story: Venice is best experienced if you can spend at least one night and you can see more than just the San Marco area. It’s not really a doing place, but more of a just being place. Slow down. Stay awhile. And if you venture away from the Grand Canal into the other areas of Venice, you’ll find great deals as well as Venetian life.

May the road rise to meet you, travelers, and may your luggage be light.

(Itching for Venice? Europe has a price tag but never fear! Need some help getting a good deal on airfare, earning and using points, finding upgrades, finding the right hotel or scoring good hotel deals in expensive places/events? Stick with us. We got this.)