Venice Travel Tips From a Local

Venice travel tips from a local are not about museums or ticket lines.
Venice is not a theme park. It’s a fragile city built on water, where everyday life still happens — quietly, continuously, often invisibly to visitors.

Those who live and work here learn certain things naturally.
Visitors, instead, often discover them only after a small accident, an awkward moment, or a fine.

This page collects real Venice travel tips based on local knowledge — the kind you won’t always find on signs or brochures, but that makes moving around Venice safer, easier, and more respectful for the people who live here.

🌊 A city without railings

One of the first things visitors notice is also one of the most dangerous:
many canals have no barriers.

For locals this is normal. For children, it can be risky.

Keeping kids close near canal edges isn’t about being overly cautious — it’s simple common sense in a city where water is always just a step away.

👶 Visiting Venice with Young Children in Summer — A Local Reality Check

Venice is magical, but in summer it can be extremely demanding for young children.
From June to August, families should be aware that:

Heat and humidity are intense, with very little natural shade

Streets reflect heat and walking distances add up quickly
Vaporetti and water buses are often crowded, with limited space for strollers
Long queues and open squares offer no protection from the sun

As locals, we often see very young children struggling — exhausted, overheated, and overwhelmed.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit Venice with kids.
It means choosing the right timing and expectations matters.

💡 Local advice for families

Prefer spring or early autumn if traveling with toddlers.
Visit early morning or late evening in summer.
Use a light stroller or baby carrier (heavy strollers are difficult).
Plan frequent breaks in shaded areas or churches.
Always carry water, hats, and sun protection.
Venice rewards slow travel — especially with children.

🟢 The green steps that look harmless

Along many canals you’ll see stone steps stained green by algae.
They look photogenic. They look accessible.

They are extremely slippery.

Every year, people fall into the water while trying to take photos or get closer to the canal. Locals know to stay away. Visitors often learn the hard way.

Sometimes, you’ll notice a rope tied nearby.
It’s not decoration.
It’s there because someone slipped before.

🎒 Pickpockets: where they really operate

Unfortunately, pickpockets are a constant presence in the most crowded areas of Venice:

busy bridges

vaporetto stops

packed streets near major attractions

One thing locals notice immediately is how many open backpacks they see on tourists.

Backpacks worn on the back, in dense crowds, are easy targets — and many visitors don’t even notice when they’ve been opened.

If possible:

avoid backpacks in crowded areas

use a small bag worn in front

keep zippers closed and visible

It’s not about fear — it’s about awareness in high-traffic zones.

♿ An accessible route along Riva degli Schiavoni

Venice is often seen as a city made only of steps and bridges — but along Riva degli Schiavoni there is an important exception.

From Ponte della Paglia (near St. Mark’s Square) to Ponte della Veneta Marina (towards Via Garibaldi), bridges are equipped with metal ramps placed alongside the steps.

These ramps are not part of the original bridges.
They are removable metal structures designed specifically to make crossings accessible.

They are used every day by:

people in wheelchairs

parents with strollers

delivery workers using carts

Thanks to these ramps, this stretch becomes one of the most practical and accessible routes in central Venice, avoiding the need to carry strollers or wheelchairs over steps.

Locals know and use this route regularly. Many visitors don’t realize it exists.

🧭 A small detail that changes everything

In a city where stairs are everywhere, knowing where accessibility solutions are available can make a huge difference.

Venice doesn’t change its shape easily — but it does adapt, quietly, where daily life requires it.

🐦 Piazza San Marco and the seagulls’ law

St. Mark’s Square is famous for its beauty — before for its pigeons and now for its seagulls.

They are not shy.

If you eat while walking in the square, you might see a seagull grab food directly from your hands — sometimes even from your mouth.
It happens daily.

This is one of those things locals don’t find funny anymore, but tourists rarely expect.

🚶 How walking works in Venice

Venice doesn’t have sidewalks like other cities, but it does have an unwritten rule:

walk on the right.

Following it keeps pedestrian traffic flowing smoothly. Ignoring it creates chaos — especially during busy hours.

In narrow calli, walking side by side may feel natural, but it usually results in collisions with people coming the other way. Locals instinctively walk single file where space is limited.

🌉 Bridges are not resting spots

Bridges in Venice are not scenic pauses — they are essential passageways.

Stopping or sitting on them blocks movement and creates congestion. This becomes especially problematic for residents and workers that use the same routes every day.

🏛️ Eating rules in St. Mark’s Square

Many visitors don’t realize that sitting on steps to eat in Piazza San Marco is forbidden.

During high season, dedicated staff actively enforce this rule. It’s not about punishment — it’s about protecting one of the most delicate and visited public spaces in the city.

🗑️ Trash, narrow streets, and respect

Venice’s streets are narrow. Very narrow.

That’s why trash bins can’t be placed everywhere — they would create odors and problems for residents and businesses.

Leaving trash on windowsills or in quiet streets means someone else will have to clean it.
Someone who lives there.

Bins are available in squares (campi) and wider areas — and that’s where waste should go.

🏠 Staying in Venice means following local waste rules

If you’re staying in a B&B or apartment, never leave trash bags outside.

Venice uses door-to-door waste collection to keep the city cleaner.
Trash left on the street attracts large rats (pantegane) from the canals and seagulls that tear bags open looking for food.

This is one of the least visible — but most important — aspects of daily life in Venice.

🐕 Dogs in Venice: welcome, but with rules

Venice is generally a dog-friendly city, and seeing dogs around is completely normal — even on boats.

However, there are a few things visitors should know.

Dogs must always be kept on a leash in public areas.
In addition, a muzzle must be carried, even if it’s not always worn.

On public transport — vaporetto, trains, and some boats — staff may require the muzzle to be used, depending on the situation. This is not unusual and shouldn’t be taken personally: it’s simply part of local regulations.

Locals are used to this and always carry one, just in case.

🚻 Yes, there are public toilets — but locals do something else

Venice does have public toilets.
They are located in specific areas and usually cost €1.50–€2.00.

They work fine — but most Venetians rarely use them.

Instead, we do something much simpler.

We step into a café, order an espresso at the counter (about €1.30–€1.40), and — as customers — we politely ask to use the restroom.

This works almost everywhere.

Sitting down at a table is different: prices increase, sometimes significantly.
Standing at the bar keeps costs low and follows local habits.

So the local “combo” is simple:
coffee + restroom, spending less and blending in.

🌙 Noise, evenings, and living close together

Venice is dense.
Homes, hotels, and streets are extremely close to one another — often separated by just a wall or a narrow canal.

Because of this, noise carries easily, especially in the evening and at night.

There isn’t always a clear hour written on signs, but locals know that after dinner time — especially late in the evening — it’s important to keep voices low and avoid shouting in the streets or under windows.

What may feel like harmless fun to visitors can quickly become disruptive for people who live there every day.

Venice is quiet by nature. Respecting that quiet is one of the simplest ways to show respect for the city and its residents.

🚤 Boarding public boats: keep moving

On vaporetto and other public boats, space is limited and boarding happens quickly.

A common mistake is stopping immediately after stepping on board — often to look around or take photos.

This blocks access for everyone behind and can prevent other passengers from boarding in time.

The local habit is simple:

step on board

move forward

make space

then stop

Photos can wait. Missing the boat because boarding was blocked cannot.

🧭 A city to be understood, not just visited

Venice rewards those who slow down, observe, and adapt.

Understanding how the city works doesn’t just help you avoid problems — it helps preserve a place that is still alive, still inhabited, and still shared between locals and visitors.

And that makes the experience better for everyone.

🔗 Continue Exploring Venice

These local tips are just the beginning. If you want to understand Venice more deeply — and move around it more easily — these guides may help.

Visit also:

🍂 How Venice’s Streets Work: Calle, Campi, Fondamente & Local Names

🌟 Hidden Venice: Fascinating Facts You Won’t Find in Guidebooks

🚍 Transportation in Venice — The Complete Hub (Simple & Essential)

🌊 Venetian Islands – Discover the Lagoon Beyond Venice

🍽️ Traditional Venetian Food Guide: What to Eat in Venice (Local Insights)