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Explore pinch-me palaces

From the glittering mosaics of Saint Mark’s Basilica to the Insta-perfect arch of the Rialto Bridge, every trip to Venice is show stopping.

Home to more than 150 canals, over 400 bridges and a whole bunch of beautiful palaces, a Venice holiday feels more like a cultural theme park than a real place.

From the gondola-packed Grand Canal to the atmospheric bars of Campo Santa Margherita via the balconies of the La Fenice opera house, Venice is an open-air museum with not one hair out of place. As holiday destinations go, it’s a stunner.

Beyond the guidebook

At certain times of year, visitors outnumber locals by two to one, turning Piazza San Marco into an excitable squish of people taking selfies. Dodge the tour groups and cheap souvenir stalls by ditching the guidebook and getting a glimpse of the real Venice.

Wander down abandoned cobbled backstreets, peek through half-open doorways and generally go in the opposite direction of the flock. In doing so, you’ll find hidden restaurants, cafés and museums that are free from camera-wielding tourists. You might get lost, but you won’t regret it.

When to go

Venice is enchanting all year round, but it’s even better when the crowds quieten.

If you can find a peaceful moment between tourist-swamped seasons (usually April to June and September to October), you’ll find a sleepy lagoon city moving at a dream-like pace and plenty of cheap break deals to Venice.

While not warm, November and January are two of the best months to travel, when the city is swirled in mist, the air is thick with enchantment and there are cheap Venice breaks up for grabs.

Mid-summer also sees thinner crowds, so if you can stomach the heat (and a few stinky backwaters), it’s a winner for a cheap break to Venice.

Events for your diary

For a totally different take on Venice, holiday during the Carnival of Venice and chuck yourself into the world’s biggest masked ball. Taking place during the two weeks prior to Ash Wednesday, it’s a legendary street party that covers every last centimetre of the lagoon.

Heaving with harlequins and tourists alike, it’s not for claustrophobics, but the atmosphere is simply electric. Grab a breather by elbowing your way off the main drags and duck down some of the city’s side streets. Then, when you’re ready, fling yourself into the fiesta once again.