{"id":61295,"date":"2018-02-21T14:44:53","date_gmt":"2018-02-21T14:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?p=61295"},"modified":"2026-09-16T19:37:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:37:43","slug":"venice-attractions-and-hidden-gems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/venice-attractions-and-hidden-gems\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazing Venice Attractions You Won\u2019t Find in Any Guidebook"},"content":{"rendered":"

With an age-old artistic legacy and enchanting watery beauty, it\u2019s easy to understand why Venice is one of Italy\u2019s most famous attractions. During the summertime, there can be up to 20 times more tourists than locals walking (or cruising) along the Venetian canals. However, even on its busiest days Venice never loses its ability to spellbind, especially when a more secluded part of the city is only ever a bridge or narrow alley away. To see this secret side of the iconic floating city all you need to do is pack away your guidebook and let this blog post be your compass instead. Are you ready to learn the hidden secrets of this Italian classic? Here are 12 Venice\u00a0attractions you won\u2019t find in any guidebook that are sure to float your gondola.<\/p>\n

Embrace your inner bookworm at Libreria Acqua Alta<\/h2>\n

Have you ever dreamt of a world where books fill old gondolas, canoes, bathtubs and barrels? Where old encyclopaedias line the walls and become steps in an amazing staircase? Maybe not, but doesn\u2019t it sound like a dream? This book-filled world is actually a real place that you can visit in Venice called Libreria Acqua Alta! The store sells a huge selection of books in all languages that cover every topic from art and cinema to sport and food, and of course the city of Venice itself. As you search through the \u2018shelves\u2019, you may even find one of the stray cats that live amongst the books. Pop in and say buongiorno<\/em>\u00a0to the store\u2019s affable owner, Luigi, any day between 9am and 8pm.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceLibreria Acqua Alta\u00a0\ud83d\udcf7: @little.terrariums<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Visit the candy coloured island of Burano<\/h2>\n

The island of Burano is the perfect place to visit in Venice for escaping the crowds, and an ideal test for colour-blindness.\u00a0 Whilst the island is known for its trademark lace and fish restaurants, its most notable feature is the colourful houses that line its canals. There are many legends about why the fishermen coloured their homes so brightly. One story says that families painted their homes in bright colours to designate where their family\u2019s quarters began and ended. Whatever the reason, the brightly coloured houses are an unmissable attraction in Venice – not to mention an Instagram dream come true.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceBurano \ud83d\udcf7: @clementia__\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Take a mask-making workshop at Ca\u2019Macana<\/h2>\n

Are you a fan of Stanley Kubrick\u2019s \u2018Eyes Wide Shut\u2019, or perhaps \u2018Fifty Shades Darker\u2019? Well, the masks used in these films were made by a family-owned store in Venice. Ca\u2019Macana\u2019s craftsmen are internationally renowned for their exceptionally imaginative designs that stay true to the authentic craftsmanship tradition.<\/p>\n

The store also offers one of the oldest mask-making workshops in the city, which is an unmissable thing to do while staying in Venice. Try it and you’ll leave with a unique Venetian mask and the best souvenir of all \u2013 an iconic and memorable experience.\u00a0 Book your mask-making workshop on Ca’Macana’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceCa\u2019Macana \ud83d\udcf7: @koolafaisland\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Get dizzy climbing the Scala Contarini del Bovolo<\/h2>\n

Imagine running up and down a spiral staircase, with amazing scenic views – and no tourist crowds. If this makes you excited, then you\u2019re not going to want to miss the Scala Contarini del Bovolo (Bovolo staircase) off your list of things to do in Venice. The staircase, which forms part of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, is hidden inside a small court, minutes from St. Mark\u2019s Square. If you\u2019re wondering what it looks like, just picture a 26m tall Leaning Tower of Pisa in a Venetian alley. Atop the staircase, there’s also a belvedere that provides breath-taking views over the rooftops of Venice.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceScala Contarini del Bovolo\u00a0\ud83d\udcf7:\u00a0@k_iinga<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Go for aperitivo at Al Timon<\/h2>\n

Similar to the Spanish concept of tapas, aperitivo<\/em> refers to the Italian tradition of going out for a pre-dinner drink to socialise and whet one\u2019s appetite. When in Venice there\u2019s no place more magical to experience aperitivo than at Al Timon. Whilst the occasional tourist stops by, most of the people that you\u2019ll meet at Al Timon will be locals of Cannaregio, as well as students and other young people from across Venice. A unique drawcard for the restaurant is that you can choose to enjoy your aperitivo aboard a wooden boat anchored directly outside. I recommend visiting at sunset time, ordering a spritz or glass of Prosecco, and taking in the sunset and vibrant vibes. Al Timon is open daily from 6pm through to 1am.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceAl Timon \ud83d\udcf7: @living_daylight\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Take a guided tour inside the Bridge of Sighs<\/h2>\n

The Bridge of Sighs is one of the most famous bridges in Venice, and perhaps even the world. Each day, tourists flock to take pictures of it and lovers kiss in gondolas as they pass under it, but few actually go inside the bridge. However, the whole significance of the bridge is the views it gives out over Venice. In case you didn\u2019t know, the Bridge of Sighs acquired its name as it provided the route that prisoners walked towards their execution in St. Mark\u2019s Square. Through the bridge\u2019s tiny lattice gaps, prisoners were offered final glimpses of Venice. This view is said to have prompted the prisoners to sigh at the city\u2019s beauty, hence the name. To see inside the Bridge of Sighs, book the Secret Itineraries Tour on the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceBridge of Sighs \ud83d\udcf7: @silitanja\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Visit one of the narrowest streets in the world<\/h2>\n

Whilst you may consider the entire city of Venice to be a labyrinth of narrow streets, Calle Varisco will make you reconsider your definition of narrow. With a width of only 53cm at chest level, you\u2019ll actually need to walk sideways to pass through the street! The street\u2019s mysteriousness is furthered by a legend that says that if a murderer walks the street they will be crushed by the walls. According to the legend, the walls would close in until they kill the murderer, thereby punishing their impure soul.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceCalle Varisco \ud83d\udcf7: @marianocervone\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Visit the Gondola mechanics at Squero di San Trovaso<\/h2>\n

When your car needs repairing, you take it to the mechanics. But what do you do when your gondola needs repairing? Turns out, you go to a gondola mechanic! All of Venice\u2019s gondolas are built and repaired at one of three boatyards in the city. The oldest and most famous of these boatyards is the Squero di San Trovaso. Whilst the boatyard is not open to the public, there is a bar on the side of the canal where you can get a spritz with a cicchetti<\/em> (small snack) and watch the craftsman at work.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceSquero di San Trovaso \ud83d\udcf7: @nataliegerty\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Get an adrenaline rush crossing the Ponte de Chiodo<\/h2>\n

Whilst this bridge is nothing architecturally outstanding, its uniqueness lies in the fact that it’s one of the last Venetian bridges without guardrails. Located in Venice\u2019s Cannaregio neighbourhood, the bridge shows visitors how the city’s bridges used to be up until the 19th century. So if you\u2019re looking for a boost to wake you up, skip the espresso and walk across the Ponte de Chiodo instead. Crossing without the safety of guardrails is sure to give you quite the adrenaline rush!<\/p>\n

\"VenicePonte de Chiodo \ud83d\udcf7: @comancarmen\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Avoid the queues for St Mark\u2019s Campanile and climb San Giorgio Maggiore\u2019s Campanile instead<\/h2>\n

Did you know that the famous Campanile (bell tower) in St. Marks\u2019 Square has a twin brother? That\u2019s right: just a 4-minute boat ride from St Mark\u2019s Square is the island of San Giorgio Maggiore whose campanile is a direct replica of the one in St. Mark\u2019s Square. Whilst visitors queue for over an hour to see the views atop St. Mark\u2019s Campanile, few journey to San Giorgio Maggiore\u2019s Campanile. Not only is there no queue at San Giorgio Maggiore\u2019s Campanile, but the views from atop the tower are considered by many to be even more impressive than from its better-known brother.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceSan Giorgio Maggiore\u2019s Campanile \ud83d\udcf7: @back_to_square_\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Visit San Zaccaria\u2019s flooded crypt<\/h2>\n

With its ornate facade decorated in a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styles, there\u2019s no denying that San Zaccaria is a church worth visiting for its architecture alone. However, what truly sets the church apart from the 200+ other churches in Venice is its permanently flooded crypt. The water acts as a mirror, enhancing the solemn beauty of the crypt by making the columns appear twice as long and tombs appear to be floating.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceSan Zaccaria\u2019s flooded crypt\u00a0\ud83d\udcf7:\u00a0@nat_leee\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Visit the world\u2019s first ever ghetto<\/h2>\n

Established in the early 16th century, Venice\u2019s ghetto was one of the first places in the world to forcibly segregate people based on their religious difference. During its peak throughout the 17th century, 5,000 Jews from across Europe lived within the one-and-a-quarter acre area. It’s here the term \u2018ghetto\u2019 originated, with the area having been previously used as a foundry (which is ‘getto’ in in the Venetian dialect). It’s one of the more sombre attractions in Venice, but well worth visiting to learn more about the history of the area and how it’s evolved over the years.<\/p>\n

\"VeniceVenezia Ghetto\u00a0\ud83d\udcf7:\u00a0@somewhere_over_the_rimbaud<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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\ud83c\udf1f\u00a0Check out these amazing hostels in Venice<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

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\u2753\u00a0Have you visited Venice? Which off-the-beaten-track place did you love? Comment below and let us know\u00a0\ud83d\udc47<\/b><\/p>\n

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\ud83c\udf77\u00a0Dreaming of Italy? Read these other inspiring blogs:<\/b><\/p>\n