– STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. –

The first tip I can give you is, if you’re a low budget traveller (like I was), don’t try to find a place to stay at in Venice city itself because it’s wildly expensive. You might get lucky and find a backpackers hostel, but I was travelling with my dog so we were redirected to find a place outside of the city itself. On the island, public transport is fairly rated I think, but to be honest, there’s really no need to use it. It’s quite easy to walk around the island, it’s not that big, and you’ll miss the hidden gems and the romantic ‘alley-canals’ when you’re on a boat. If you do decide to use public transport and you’ll be using it often, go for a daily pass, or multiple day pass when staying longer.

Pretty much the entire island is a tourist hotspot, but some areas are less crowded than the others. However, crowds or no crowds, you can’t go around seeing the Basilica dei Frari, the Rialto Bridge or the Rialto Market, which all lies in the heart of the city. Do head north, to the old Jewish ghettos or walk down towards the other side of the main island, where it’s definitely less crowded but still spectacular. Another noteworthy place is the Greek cemetery – an entire island full of gravestones. The walk along the Riva dei Sette Martiri is also very nice and generally less populated. I’ve been told that visiting the other islands should also be on the list, but I never got around to doing it. Then again, if you’re staying for a few days, the main island will give you plenty of things to do!

Dog-wise Venice is fairly easy. There aren’t many place to have your pup run around off-lead, but especially in the less crowded areas I had my collie walk around off his lead and nobody seemed to really care. The two parks at the end of Venice aren’t dog friendly! Most places to drink and/or eat are dog-friendly though, just be sure to stay away from the most obvious places, like restaurants around the Canal Grande where it’s usually more expensive. If you’re on a budget, definitely hit the Rialto market to buy your stuff as it’s so cheap.