Venice Insider Tips

Italy, Venice | The Westin Europa & Regina features spacious rooms with heavenly beds, separate room with corner closet, safe, mini-refrigerator and large flat screen TVs that offer a greater variety of American channels than other resorts we visited. The marble bathroom was spacious with a separate shower and tub. Restaurant La Cusina's has a great terrace with beautiful views of the Grand Canal on warmer days. Connecting rooms and private transfers are also available. I would recommend requesting a Grand Canal view since we were in a room that was facing other buildings and rooftops of nearby homes. ~ Christina Liang, Destination Specialist

Italy, Venice | The Piazza San Marco clock tower in Venice displays the time of day, the dominant sign of the zodiac and current phase of the moon. Find Venetian glass and signature masks along Mercerie shopping street.

Italy, Venice | Home to the famous Bellini cocktail and visited by countless storied celebrities and dignitaries, raise a glass to your fellow travelers at Venice's legendary hot spot, Harry's Bar, located on Calle Vallaresso.

Italy, Venice | After this visit, I traveled to Venice via private transfer and public water taxi but had to walk to our hotel. I would make sure our clients take a private water taxi right to the dock of the hotel, rather than have to get out and walk farther to the hotel with their luggage. ~ Katie Thingstad, Destination Specialist

Italy, Venice | Not to be missed in Venice, Italy is the Redentore Feast. This annual festival typically takes place in June. The Redentore (Redeemer) Feast is a deeply felt celebration combining religion with entertainment. Enjoy a Saturday night fireworks display, attracting locals and visitors alike. A kaleidoscope of shades, lights and colors abound on the inimitable setting in St. Mari's Basin, lighting up the spires, domes and bell towers of the city.

Italy, Venice | San Clemente Palace Kempenski in Venice is a favorite family hotel in Venice. The hotel is located on its own island, offering an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the Venetian crowded streets, especially in the summer time. Rooms are quite spacious, especially when you consider European standards. There is a swimming pool and plenty of grass for children to run around and play. They have their own private water taxi, taking guests back and forth from Piazza San Marco (St. Marks Square) to the hotel. If clients have been shopping and may want to stay longer in the city before returning to the hotel, they can bring their bags down to the private water taxi and they will deposit them at the front desk where they will then be taken to the clients' room. It is about a 15-minute private water taxi ride between Piazza San Marco and the San Clemente Palace.

Italy, Venice | In Venice October through January is typically high water season and flooding is a possibility. The best times to travel to Venice would be late spring to early summer. ~ Steve Perry, Sales Training Specialist

Italy, Venice | The Venice Carnival is usually hosted from February to March with a variety of events including the Festa Veneziana on the water, Festa delle Marie - The Parade, Mestre Carnival Street Show, Best Mask Contests, Dinner and Ball and much more. Don't miss Canaletto and Venice at Doge's Palace with an exhibition dedicated to 18th-century Venice with lights and shadows unfolding through the rooms of Palazzo Ducale, in the story of an extraordinary century and its protagonist: Giovanni Antonio Canal, Canaletto.