Venice is not only a must for the art or architecture biennial - Venice is a place you have to experience at least once in you life. The lagoon city has its own charm in every season of the year. From Vienna, Salzburg, Stuttgart or Munich you can spend a relaxed night without stress and congestion on the Venice-bound Nightjet - and a few hours later stand in the middle of this very city.
Attractions
Before you start with the highlights, you can take a walk in the golden morning light through the Jewish quarter, where the train station St. Lucia is located. Alternatively, the city's largest park, the Parco Savignon, is the first place to really experience Italy. Afterwards, it’s off to the classic Venice highlights: pass over Rialto bridge, walk through the many small alleys to the world-famous Piazza San Marco and startle the pigeons.
You should perhaps refrain from having an overpriced coffee in the square, so that later in the evening you can invest the money you saved in a Bellini, a beverage which was supposedly created in Venice. There is no avoiding the long queue in front of the Doge's Palace, but a visit to this unique building is definitely worthwhile.
If you are tired of the crowds, you can walk to the eastern end of the city and the island of Sant'Elena. There are hardly any tourist to be seen and you get an impression of the life of the Venetians off the beaten track. The Lido di Venezia is another more relaxed place and getting there with the Vaporetto is already worth your while itself and offers a beautiful view over the lagoon.
The Palazzo Fortuny, where contemporary art meets old masterpieces, is a fine example of a typical Venetian palazzo from the inside. Contemporary art can also be found on the banks of the Canal Grande at Palazzo Grassi, modern art in the famous Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Now it's time to find your way back to the train station in Venice's labyrinth of narrow alleys...
The world-famous Piazza San Marco at sunrise
