ORIENTATION
Venice’s historical center is comprised of six main sestieri (neighborhoods). Often divided along vague boundaries, the neighborhoods each consist of several islands. San Marco is at the geographic center of the city, across the Grand Canal from San Polo and Santa Croce. Cannaregio lies to San Marco’s north and Castello to its northeast, while Dorsoduro marks the city’s southern edge. Outside of the city proper, a set of numerous islands including Giudecca, Lido, Murano, and Burano are not to be forgotten.
San Marco
While walking along the quiet canals of Venice’s residential neighborhoods, it’s easy to forget that on an average day the city is populated by just as many tourists as full-time residents. Cross over to San Marco, and that fact hits you with full force—dozens of museums, upscale hotels, designer stores, art galleries, and, of course, thousands upon thousands of tourists. The crisis of conscience most travelers undergo when planning their time in Venice is usually this: “How much time should I spend in San Marco?” Because let’s be honest—as crowded and expensive as San Marco is—the neighborhood is popular for good reason. The museums and sights here are as impressive as you’ll find anywhere in Europe, and the tourist industry has brought world-class shopping, hotels, and cuisine to the area, particularly to the region closest to Piazza San Marco. Travelers who want to spend just a couple days in Venice but want to see all of the city’s typical postcard attractions should look for a budget hotel on the fringes of the neighborhood. This won’t put you more than a 10min. walk from either the Rialto Bridge or P. San Marco. Be forewarned, however, that San Marco is conspicuously less residential than any other neighborhood in Venice—if you’re in a section that isn’t currently overrun by tourists, it’s likely to seem a bit abandoned or even post-apocalyptic.
Cannaregio
Cannaregio is one of Venice’s largest neighborhoods, and for travelers willing to step off the beaten path, it offers a great opportunity to see a less touristy side of Venice than is on display in places like San Marco. Most hotels are located on the eastern and western edges of the neighborhood (by the Rialto Bridge and train station, respectively) in areas with a fair amount of tourist traffic, but the beauty of Cannaregio is that you’re never more than 10min. away from both the liveliest, most crowded piazze and the quiet residential neighborhoods that are more representative of typical Venetian life.
San Polo
San Polo is the smallest of Venice’s six sestiere, but its location in the heart of the city makes it a prime tourist destination. The Rialto Bridge markets and Frari Church are among San Polo’s highlights. Many tourists also favor the neighborhood for shopping, both for souvenirs and upscale clothing, and dining, as San Polo’s concentration of high-quality restaurants sets the city standard. Surprisingly, despite the heavy tourist traffic, there are relatively few hotels. However, those that are available tend to be reasonably priced affairs with good access to the city’s points of interest. Despite the neighborhood’s small size, it’s surprisingly easy to get lost, especially if you think that the signs reading “San Marco” are actually leading you toward the square—in many cases, they’re not. Your best bet is use a map and stick to wider streets with more tourists. If you try to take shortcuts, you’ll probably end up walking in circles.
Santa Croce
Although a small neighborhood by Venetian standards, Santa Croce is incredibly diverse and easily accessible from western Cannaregio, San Polo, and Dorsoduro. Piazzale Roma, the main stop for most buses and taxis coming into Venice, is located in Santa Croce and defines the character of the neighborhood’s western side. Restaurants and hotels around this transportation hub tend to be of a generic international style, so visitors to Santa Croce who see only this section of the neighborhood will leave unimpressed. The small area near San Polo, however, offers some of the best restaurants and hotels in Venice at exceptionally reasonable prices. From the main street of Salizada San Pantalon, the sights of Cannaregio as well as the restaurants and nightlife of Dorsoduro are easily accessible. For travelers willing to trek a bit in order to reach Venice’s main sights, Santa Croce can serve as a budget-friendly base camp.
Dorsoduro
As neighborhoods go, Dorsoduro is a Let’s Go favorite. Unlike some of the other sestiere, Dorsoduro possesses the ideal combination of awesome local flavor, proximity to major sights, great nightlife, and exceptional restaurants. Granted, if you want to stay in Dorsoduro, you’ll probably pay 25% more than you would for a comparable room in Santa Croce or Cannaregio, but, as in most Italian cities, with a little luck and a little haggling you can still end up with a bargain. Moreover, the intersection of San Polo, Santa Croce, and Dorsoduro is the heart of Venice. From here, or just about anywhere else in Dorsoduro, you shouldn’t be more than a few minutes from some of Venice’s best museums. You also won’t have to struggle too much to make it back to your hotel after a night out. Dorsoduro has its fill of unique side streets but remains an easily navigable neighborhood (at least by Venetian standards), with more incredible restaurants, fabulous art galleries, and cool shops than any other district in Venice. Whether you stay in Dorsoduro or not, do not make the mistake of relegating the neighborhood to the bottom of your itinerary—there is no better way to experience Venice than by wandering through Dorsoduro, sans map, in a day spent getting lost in the neighborhood’s winding roads and alleyways.
Castello
With proximity to two of Venice’s prime tourist destinations, the Rialto Bridge and P. San Marco, Castello is in many ways a less expensive alternative to San Marco. If you know where to look, you can find great hotels and restaurants at much more competitive prices. While Castello tends to get a lot of spillover tourist traffic from San Marco, the farther north and east you go, the more apparent Castello’s charming, quaint local character becomes. Since Venice lacks traditional streets, neighborhoods can change from block to block. This is especially evident here, where crowded, loud, and overdeveloped thoroughfares suddenly give way to quiet and scenic side streets. If you have a few days in Venice, it’s certainly worth exploring this neighborhood, including its eastern portion; however, there are few notable sights, and it’s easy to get lost. Though residents proudly proclaim that eastern Castello represents the true, vanishing Venice, visitors will find the west more to their liking, with excellent restaurants and easy access to the rest of the city.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Though Venice has very few hostels, there are dozens upon dozens of great budget hotels throughout the city that are typically worth the extra cost. Save money by requesting a room with a shared bathroom. Your bedroom will be private (and typically with its own sink), but you will share a shower and toilet with the other people on your floor. Since most small hotels offering Wi-Fi, A/C, or wheelchair-accessibility only have a limited number of rooms with these features, particular requests for room selection should be made ahead by phone or email. Booking in advance can also help you find a lower rate. Nightly rates almost always include breakfast, which can range from some toast and coffee to an extravagant affair. Don’t be afraid to negotiate prices; offering to pay in cash sometimes helps travelers finagle a lower rate. If you want to sleep right by Venice’s major sights or in a room with views of the Grand Canal, it’ll cost you. Most travelers, however, will probably find the minor inconvenience of being a few minutes removed from the hot spots worth the few dozen euro they save nightly by staying at one of Venice’s numerous budget accommodations.
San Marco
Unlike most other Venetian neighborhoods, which are home to primarily 1- and 2-star hotels, San Marco is packed with establishments of the 4- and 5-star variety whose luxury is exceeded only by the amount you’ll have to drop to book one of their rooms. Still, there are bargains to be had, particularly if you’re willing to stay on the western side of the neighborhood, farther from the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco.
NOVECENTO
Calle del Dose 2683
HOTEL
041 52 12 145 www.novecento.biz
Incorporating South and East Asian design influences, trendy Novecento sets the standard for boutique hotels in Venice. With excellent lounge areas, top-notch rooms (each with its own unique design theme), and access to a nearby fitness club free of charge, Novecento offers amenities and a quality of service unmatched by the vast majority of budget hotels in Venice.
V: Santa Maria del Giglio. Walk north approximately 45sec.; hotel is on the right. Breakfast included. Singles €100-130; doubles €160-260; triples €180-300.
HOTEL CASANOVA
Frezzeria 1284
HOTEL
041 52 06 855 www.hotelcasanova.it
Approximately 1min. away from P. San Marco, Hotel Casanova is an incredible value for the area. Though you’ll have to contend with chaos on the narrow street below from dawn until dusk, you can’t get much closer to Venice’s main attractions. With Hotel Casanova’s exceptional accommodations, the largest and most comfortable you’ll find anywhere in Venice in this price range, you get convenience without sacrificing quality.
Exit the southwest corner of P. San Marco, opposite Basilica di San Marco, and take 1st right onto Frezzeria; the hotel is less than 1min. ahead on the right. Breakfast included. Singles €70-120; doubles €90-170; triples €120-200; quads €150-230.
HOTEL SERENISSIMA
Calle Goldoni 4486
HOTEL
041 52 00 011 www.hotelserenissima.it
Close to P. San Marco yet far enough away to evade most tourist traffic, the aptly named Hotel Serenissima sits on a quiet street with great shopping and fine dining nearby. The rooms are full of white decorations, meaning that any smidge of dirt could show up tenfold. Perhaps that’s why the management keeps every room strikingly clean. If you’ve been trudging around the canals all day, make sure to take your boots off so as not to dirty this place’s immaculate interior.
From P. San Marco, exit west opposite Basilica di San Marco, turn right, and continue straight for 2-3min. across 1 bridge; the hotel is on the left. Breakfast included. Singles €81-120; doubles €120-180; triples €150-235; quads €190-275.
Cannaregio
Cannaregio has some of the best budget hotels in Venice, particularly on the western islands near the train station. Luckily, the rest of the traveling world hasn’t caught on yet, and even if you’re arriving in Venice without a reservation during the busy season, Cannaregio has many top-notch accommodations that can be booked at reasonable rates. The neighborhood itself is mostly residential and has a more laidback vibe than other areas of Venice.
HOTEL SILVA ARIEL
Calle della Masena 1391/A
HOTEL
041 72 93 26 www.arielsilva.it
If you’re able to negotiate a good price with the manager, Hotel Silva Ariel is one of the best values you’ll find in all of Venice. A couple blocks removed from the more tourist-laden area around Campo San Geremia, this beautiful and spacious hotel sits relatively close to almost anything you would want to see in Cannaregio.
Left from the train station, then 5min. walk over Guglie Bridge and left onto Calle della Masena. Breakfast included. Singles €55-75; doubles €80-100.
For details on Venice map, click here
For details on Central Venice map, click here
HOTEL BERNARDI SEMENZATO
Calle dell’Oca 4366
HOTEL
041 52 27 257 www.hotelbernardi.com
Lots of hotels on the eastern side of Cannaregio are overpriced and poorly maintained, but Hotel Bernardi bucks the trend by offering great rooms at ridiculously low prices (well, for Venice at least). The singles without private bathrooms can get uncomfortably warm during the summer, but the free Wi-Fi more than makes up for this minor discomfort.
From Campo SS. Apostoli, head north on Salizada Pistor and take the 1st left. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi. Singles €30-35; doubles €54-78.
HOTEL ROSSI
Lista di Spagna 262
HOTEL
041 71 51 64 www.hotelrossi.ve.it
Just a few steps off Lista di Spagna, Hotel Rossi’s peaceful setting seems miles (kilometers?) away from Cannaregio’s more active center. Next to one of the neighborhood’s nicest gardens, this hotel has reasonably large rooms, air conditioning, and understated classic Italian decor—all of which make it popular with middle-aged tourists, but perhaps less so with students scared away by the high Wi-Fi fee (€14 per 24hr.).
Walk 3min. from the train station, then turn left down a side street immediately before Campo San Geremia. Breakfast included. Singles €45-72; doubles €80-95.
HOTEL STELLA ALPINA
Calle Priuli 99/D
HOTEL
041 52 45 274 www.hotel-stellaalpina.com
If you’ve been on the road for a while and the thought of another night spent in a sleeping sack is making you wish you’d stayed home and taken that summer job at Taco Bell, look no further than Hotel Stella Alpina, which offers budget-friendly luxury to the tired traveler. From the classic, almost formal, furnishings in the lobby to the modern decor in the dining room and bedrooms, this hotel’s ambience certainly tops that of your local fast food franchise. But you’ll have totally forgotten about your lost opportunity in the food service industry once you’ve laid yourself down in one of the hotel’s air-conditioned rooms on the most comfortable bed you might ever find. Just make sure to get the job next summer to pay for this splurge . . .
From train station, turn left at the 1st st. past Calle Carmelitani and walk for about 1.5min. Breakfast included. Discount for booking ahead online. Singles €70-90; doubles €75-105.
ALBERGO CASA BOCCASSINI
Calle Volto 5295
HOTEL
041 52 29 892 www.hotelboccassini.com
You could walk right past Albergo Casa Boccassini and never know it was there, nestled as it is in an unassuming residential area removed from Cannaregio’s major thoroughfares. However, you’d be missing one of this neighborhood’s little-known all-stars. Casa Boccassini’s comfortably-sized and thoughtfully-decorated rooms seem well priced (especially if you haggle down the rate), but the true standouts of this inconspicuous hotel are its gorgeous garden and the delightful indoor and outdoor seating you can enjoy while eating your complimentary breakfast.
Coming from Fondamenta Nuove along Calle del Fumo, turn right at the 1st st. past Calle Larga dei Boteri. Breakfast included High-season singles €70, low-season €50.
San Polo
Though San Polo is home to relatively few hotels and hostels, the ones that are here offer a central location at double-take rates.
ALBERGO GUERRATO
Calle drio la Scimia 240/a
PENSIONE
041 52 85 927 www.pensioneguerrato.it
Located in an 800-year-old palazzo just steps away from the Rialto Bridge, Albergo Guerrato offers competitive rates on some of the most desirable rooms in Venice. Characterized by simple but neat aesthetics that focus less on excessive decoration and more on comfort, they’re perfectly suited to hard-living travelers.
From the Rialto Bridge, continue west and turn onto the 3rd street on the right; the hotel is shortly ahead on the right. Breakfast included. Doubles €95-140; triples €120-155; quads €185; quints €195.
A VENICE MUSEUM
Calle del Traghetto 2812
HOSTEL
340 73 57 468
The owners of A Venice Museum, one of the very few true youth hostels in Venice, are so committed to running a fun, vibrant, engaging, and social establishment that they’ve banned everyone over 40 (not a joke—check the age requirements). The price is unbelievable, you can do laundry on-site (an indescribably huge perk given the lack of laundromats in Venice), and the hostel hosts dinner every night for only €3. If you’re the type who doesn’t mind waiting for the shower and loves to party with loud music until late at night, you’re sure to have a blast here.
V: San Tomà. Go straight, make the 1st
right, take the next right, and then take the next right. The hostel is not conspicuously advertised; look for a dark green door with several doorbells. Ring the one that says “Museum” for entrance to the hostel. Breakfast included. Linens €5 per night; towels €2. Dinner €3. Under 40 only. Dorms €28-35.
approximations
Enrico Fermi—physicist, quantum theorist, statistician. Italian.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 138