One of the most pressing questions that bothers every tourist in Venice is: where is the best place to stay? In each neighbourhood, there are many hotels and inns of different price categories. Read our article if you want to figure it out! Or immediately see all the hotels in Venice at this link.
» READ MORE – What to Bring from Venice
Map of Venice’s Neighbourhoods
The main part of Venice (not counting the islands) is divided into 7 main districts or sestiere. We will tell you in detail about each of them and about the two most interesting islands where you can also stay: Giudecca and Lido.
The Districts of Venice’s Historic Centre
Staying in Venice itself is probably the best option. You won’t believe it, but a huge number of tourists miss the chance to enjoy the tranquillity of the ancient streets in the early morning and late evening. It’s a magical time when the city is free of day-trippers. You can stay in any neighbourhood – they are all perfectly safe, only the price level varies.
» READ MORE – 15 main sights of Venice
San Marco
San Marco is the historical centre of Venice. Here are the main attractions of the city: the square and the Cathedral of San Marco, Doge’s Palace, and not far away, the Rialto Bridge. Undoubtedly, this is the most convenient neighbourhood in terms of location and the most interesting for walking. During the day, the streets are bustling with tourists.
If you are not tight on funds, we advise you to pay attention to the San Marco Luxury hotel chain. If you want, you can find cheaper accommodation, such as Ca' Sant'Angelo Apartments.
- Pros: all sights are close by, many first-class 5* hotels
- Cons: the most expensive area, lots of tourists
Dorsoduro
The best neighbourhood of Venice for those who plan to devote a lot of time to Venetian museums. The most important ones are located here: the Galleries of the Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery, the Cini Gallery, and the famous church of Santa Maria della Salute. Piazzale Roma is also not far from here (15-20 minutes on foot). Dorsoduro is quite quiet, with fewer tourists than in San Marco. That said, the neighbourhood is famous for its stunning views of the lagoon from the Promenade of the Incurables.
The best option for accommodation here is to rent a room at Camplus Guest Santa Marta. Of the hotels, we recommend the Centurion Palace.
- Pros of Dorsoduro: quiet area, lots of museums, inexpensive restaurants, walking distance to the city centre
- Cons: popular with tourists, so be sure to book your hotel in advance
San Polo
Sestiere San Polo is good for its proximity to the central district of San Marco. Here, you can find a hotel close to both the train station and the Doge’s Palace, and walk around the historic centre for hours without going far from your hotel. For example, consider Locanda Poste Vecie or Sogno di Giulietta e Romeo.
- Pros: beautiful views of the Grand Canal, you can walk to the city centre
- Cons: quite expensive accommodation
Santa Croce
The Santa Croce neighbourhood is home to Piazzale Roma with a bus station and vaporetto stops. It is suitable for those who do not want to cross the city with heavy suitcases in search of their hotel. Santa Croce is not particularly rich in monuments of art and architecture. It will take 20-30 minutes to walk to the centre of Venice.
In this area, we recommend the Hotel Carlton or the more budget-friendly Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo.
- Pros: affordable hotels, you can admire the ships in the port of Venice
- Cons: the main attractions are quite far away. Use a bus pass
Cannaregio
This neighbourhood is where the Venetians themselves live. It is much cheaper and quieter than the central part of the city. There are some very good bars and restaurants with authentic cuisine. It will take longer to get to the main attractions, but from here, you can quickly reach the islands of Burano and Murano. Cannaregio is also home to Venice’s railway station, which is useful if you are travelling by train.
Check out the Ai Mori d'Oriente, Hotel Abbazia, and Ca' Pozzo Inn.
- Pros: you can feel like a local
- Cons: prepare to take a lot of vaporetto rides and walks
Castello
Castello has wide streets with piazzas, no small alleys, and beautiful canals with gondolas that tourists love so much. Some of the streets in the Castello neighbourhood are quite far from Piazza San Marco. If you are in Venice for the first time and are looking for a place to stay, we do not advise you to choose this neighbourhood — you are unlikely to feel the unique Venetian spirit that is legendary. The neighbourhood will suit you in two cases:
- You’re here for the Biennale, which is being held at the Arsenale, precisely in the Castello Sestiere. The Arsenale is an abandoned shipyard built in the 12th century.
- This is not your first time in Venice.
Hotels with beautiful views of the lagoon in the Castello neighbourhood are Hotel Bucintoro and Hotel Ca' Formenta. The most economical option is the flats with kitchens in Veneziacentopercento Rooms & Apartments.
- Pros: lots of squares and wide streets, there is even a miniature square, few tourists; the Venice Biennale is held here
- Cons: no canals, it’s not the Venice of postcards
Mestre – Mainland Venice
A city on the water is not the whole of Venice. It also has a land-based part: Mestre. Mestre has everything you need to live (shops, shopping centres, transport) and is connected to the island by road and rail. The bus to Venice takes an average of 20 minutes, and the train ride takes about 10 minutes. This is where we advise those for whom economy is important to stay. Away from the historic centre, hotels are noticeably cheaper.
We advise you to choose hotels and hostels as close to the Mestre railway station as possible to make it easier to get to the island. For example, you can find hotels on via Trento and via Piave, which are almost entirely built up with hotels. The best value-for-money hotels are Anda Venice Hostel, A&O Hotel, and Hotel Delfino.
If you want to stay in a cheaper but more beautiful neighbourhood, stay near Piazza Ferretto. This is the centre of Mestre with restaurants and shops. Here we recommend Hotel Al Vivit, B&B Bluevenice, and Legrenzi Rooms.
- Pros: cheapest accommodation in Venice, good infrastructure
- Cons: you will have to travel to the centre by train or bus
Islands Around Venice
Don’t forget that the islands surrounding central Venice also have hotels and inns where you can stay. These options are suitable for those who want to save money, live in seclusion, and use water transport every day.
Giudecca
A fairly large island, just 3-5 minutes by vaporetto from Venice. It is mostly inhabited by locals, with few tourists.
We recommend the Cipriani and Hilton Molino Stucky for those looking for top-class accommodation on Giudecca. A good budget option is to rent a room at Al Redentore Di Venezia.
- Pros: inexpensive accommodation
- Cons: you can only get to Venice by water
Lido di Venezia
The island is quite far from Venice (about an hour by vaporetto). It is large, even having car traffic. However, it is perfect for those travelling to Venice in the summer, as there are plenty of beaches. Most of them belong to hotels, but there is also a free public beach.
There are hotels of different categories on Lido di Venezia. The most luxurious is the Hotel Excelsior Venice. The more modest ones are Hotel Panorama Venice, Villa Casanova, and Hotel Sorriso Venice.
- Pros: you can go to the city beach every day and travel by car
- Cons: far from the centre, we advise making friends with a bus pass
Now you know that finding accommodation in Venice is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. There are options to suit every budget. So don’t be afraid to conquer Venice – it will be happy to welcome you!
» READ MORE – Gondolas in Venice: how to ride through the canals?
Enjoy your trip!
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