This local guide explains the best areas to stay in Venice, where to book hotels, and how to choose the perfect location based on your travel style.
Choosing where to stay in Venice is not just about finding a hotel — it’s about choosing the experience you want to live.
Venice is not a single destination but a collection of unique neighbourhoods and islands, each offering a different atmosphere, rhythm, and perspective of the city. Some areas are elegant and iconic, others authentic and local, others peaceful and exclusive.
This guide helps you choose the best area to stay in Venice based on your travel style — from the historic heart of San Marco to quiet residential districts, lagoon islands, and hidden luxury retreats.
Whether you want romance, authenticity, silence, art, or a premium experience, here you’ll find the best areas and local advice.
⭐ Find the Best Hotels in Venice
Looking for the best accommodation for your trip?
👉 Compare the best hotels in Venice — check prices and availabilityYou’ll find options from luxury palaces to authentic local stays.
Prices in Venice change quickly — check availability before booking.
✨ Looking for the best hotels in Venice?
Discover hand-picked accommodations in each district below.
🧭 How to Choose Where to Stay in Venice
Before choosing your hotel, consider what kind of Venice you want to experience:
- ⭐ Iconic Venice — monuments, elegance, historic palaces
- 🌿 Authentic Venice — local life and quiet streets
- 🎨 Art & atmosphere — culture and scenic views
- 🌊 Lagoon islands — exclusivity and relaxation
- 🐾 Special needs — pet-friendly or specific travel styles
There is no “best area” — only the best area for you.
👉 Compare the best hotels in Venice — check prices and availability🏛️ Best Areas to Stay in Venice
Each district offers a different experience of Venice — from iconic landmarks to quiet local neighborhoods and exclusive lagoon retreats.
🦁 San Marco — Venice’s Most Iconic Location
The historic heart of Venice, surrounded by world-famous landmarks, luxury hotels, and timeless elegance. Perfect for first-time visitors and premium stays.
👉 Compare hotels in San Marco — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in San Marco
🌿 Cannaregio — Authentic Venice
A quieter, more local atmosphere with traditional restaurants, artisan shops, and the historic Jewish Ghetto. Ideal for experiencing real Venetian life.
👉 Compare hotels in Cannaregio — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in Cannaregio
🍃 Castello — Venice Without Crowds
The largest and most residential district, where Venice feels calm and authentic. Perfect for travelers seeking silence and local atmosphere.
👉 Compare hotels in Castello — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in Castello
🎨 Dorsoduro — Art, Views and Lagoon Light
Elegant canals, art museums, and beautiful sunset views. Ideal for culture lovers and romantic stays.
👉 Compare hotels in Dorsoduro — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in Dorsoduro
🍷 San Polo — Central and Lively
Home to Rialto Market and historic streets full of energy, food, and tradition. Perfect for travelers who want Venice’s vibrant atmosphere.
👉 Compare hotels in San Polo — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in San Polo
🎒 Santa Croce — Convenient and Quiet
A peaceful district with easier access and fewer crowds. Ideal for relaxed stays and practical travel.
👉 Compare hotels in Santa Croce — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in Santa Croce
🌊 Stay on the Venetian Lagoon Islands
Venice is also a constellation of islands offering unique experiences beyond the historic center.
Staying on the lagoon islands offers a completely different Venice — slower, quieter, and more exclusive.
🔥 Murano — The Island of Glass
Famous for its glassmaking tradition, Murano offers peaceful canals and elegant hotels away from crowds.
👉 Compare hotels in Murano — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in Murano
🎨 Burano — Colorful Island Experience
Famous for its colorful houses and peaceful canals, Burano offers a unique and quiet stay in the Venetian lagoon, far from the crowds of the historic center.
Perfect for travelers seeking authenticity, photography spots, and a slower rhythm of life.
🌿 Sant’Erasmo — Venice’s Green Island
Sant’Erasmo is the rural heart of the Venetian lagoon, known for its vineyards, vegetable gardens, and peaceful natural landscapes.
A unique place to experience Venice away from crowds, surrounded by water, silence, and open space.
🌴 Lido di Venezia — Beach and Relaxation
A unique mix of Venice and seaside atmosphere with beaches, villas, and wide spaces.
👉 Compare hotels in Lido di Venezia — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in Lido di Venezia
🌿 Giudecca — Venice’s Quiet Island Retreat
A peaceful residential island just across the Giudecca Canal, offering stunning lagoon views, fewer crowds, and a relaxed local atmosphere while staying minutes from San Marco.
👉 Compare hotels in Giudecca — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in Giudecca
🌿 San Clemente — Private Island Luxury
An exclusive island retreat surrounded by nature and silence, ideal for a premium experience.
👉 Discover San Clemente Island
🌹Sacca Sessola — Isola delle Rose
A luxury wellness island with resort-style accommodation and panoramic lagoon views.
👉 Discover Sacca Sessola – Isola delle Rose
San Clemente and Sacca Sessola are private islands located in the southern lagoon. They aren’t just places to stay; they are self-contained worlds where the sounds of the city are replaced by water and silence. Both offer private shuttle boats that connect you to San Marco in about 10 – 15 minutes, allowing you to move between total isolation and the heart of Venice whenever you choose.
🐾 Special Travel Needs
🐕 Staying in Venice with a Dog
Venice is surprisingly pet-friendly. Discover the best areas and accommodations for travelers with pets.
👉 Compare pet-friendly hotels in Venice — check prices and availability👉 Read the guide: Where to Stay in Venice with a Dog
🚤 What to Know Before Choosing Where to Stay in Venice
Choosing where to stay in Venice is not only about the hotel — it’s about how the city works.
Venice is built on water, without roads or vehicles.
Distances that look short on a map may require bridges, boats, or long walks. Understanding how the city functions helps you choose the best area for your needs.
Before booking your accommodation, we recommend understanding:
how public transport works on water
travel times between districts and islands
luggage transport and walking distances
local rules that affect daily life in the lagoon
seasonal events like high water
👉 Read our essential guides before choosing your stay:
- How to get around Venice
- Vaporetto (water bus) guide
- Venice lagoon rules
- Acqua alta in Venice
- Real life in Venice — how the city actually works
💡 Local Advice Before Booking
Venice is a walking city built on water. The location of your accommodation affects your entire experience.
Consider:
- distance from vaporetto stops
- luggage transport
- tourist crowds vs local atmosphere
- views vs accessibility
Choosing the right area can completely change how you experience Venice.
❤️ Final Thought
Venice is not a city to visit quickly — it’s a place to live, even if only for a few days.
Choosing where to stay means choosing your personal Venice: the Venice of quiet canals, historic palaces, hidden streets, or private islands surrounded by water.
This guide helps you find the experience that best matches your journey.
🌍 Understand Venice Before Choosing Your Area
Venice is not a single destination but a collection of districts and islands, each with its own atmosphere, rhythm, and identity.
Understanding the structure of the city helps you choose the best place to stay based on your travel style — whether you prefer local neighbourhoods, historic areas, lagoon views, or quiet residential zones.
To better understand Venice before choosing where to stay, explore:
- The sestieri of Venice — the six historic districts
- Venetian islands and lagoon life
- Traditional Venetian food and local culture
Knowing how the city is structured will help you choose the experience that fits you best.