3 Non-Touristy Tips for a Weekend in Venice

Although many consider Venice to be a tourist trap, here are some hidden gems that you can enjoy on a weekend break. These will leave you sitting on your Venice airport transfer home, feeling happy and fulfilled at having experienced an alternative side to this well-known city.

Cruising the Grand Canal in a Vaporetto

Travelling by vaporetto is arguably the best way to experience the true atmosphere of Venice. You’ll stumble upon delightful churches, campi (squares) and the places where the Venetians eat at local prices rather than typical tourist fare.

Not only are the vaporetto (public water taxis) much cheaper and less touristy than the oh-so-touristy gondolas, but they’ll also give you the opportunity to see more of the city and stop to explore gems that you wouldn’t discover if you went on a typical tourist-oriented walking or boat tour.

Murano Island (Glass Museum and Workshops)

Consisting of seven islands that are connected by bridges, Murano is the place to visit for glassworks. Catch the vaporetto in St Mark’s Square, which will bring you directly to Murano.

With a rightly-earned reputation for some of the best glasswork in the world, begin your visit with a trip to the Museo del Vetro. This interesting museum showcases the techniques involved and how they have progressed over the centuries, as well as displaying different glass artefacts – some have origins that date back to Egyptian times.

Spend an afternoon strolling around the island and watching different glassblowers practise their art, and pick up a few delicate and beautiful souvenirs. The best factories tend to focus on their craft instead of trying to round up tourists, so bear this in mind before deciding which factory to tour.

La Fondazione Querini Stampalia

It would be easy to be sucked into the gravity of the city’s well-known museums and galleries, but discovering the lesser-known treasures that this city has to offer is so rewarding. An off-the-beaten-track experience will allow you to see a different side to Venice that takes you away from the crowds.

Located in the lovely palazzo of a noble family, La Fondazione Querini Stampalia has one of Venice’s best painting collections. It contains over 400 pieces by Tiepolo and Bellini, as well as beautifully decorated rooms with frescoes, stuccoes and furnishings from the 1600s.

How to Get There

There are plenty of cheap, quick flights from the UK to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), making the city the perfect destination for a weekend getaway. The airport is situated a mere seven and a half kilometres from the city centre, and Shuttle Direct’s Venice airport transfer will take only 15 minutes, saving you the hassle of hailing a cab or waiting on a public airport bus. With a very easy-to-use booking platform, comfortable private or shared vehicles and experienced drivers, look no further for your Venice airport transfer and book with Shuttle Direct now.

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Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for an affordable Venice airport transfer, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.