Venice Hotel and Restaurant Recommendations

Today I’m going to share some tips on where to stay and eat in Venice. This was my third visit to Venice and probably my favorite as we didn’t book any museums or restaurants. We just came, ate, drank and had a great time.

Landing in Venice
If you fly into Marco Polo Airport, you can take a cab to Venice. Since we landed late, we had a shuttle. You can purchase tickets from the kiosks outside. It’s about 30 euros for two one-way tickets (sorry, I forgot exactly). Since we arrived late and there were no cabs available, I would recommend taking the shuttle, which runs fairly frequently. If you land at a normal time, a cab ride to Venice will cost 40 euros.

Tip: If landing late, stay with a group and follow the crowds. Everyone goes to Venice, so if in doubt, have someone help you get tickets and shuttle information.

Hotel Gardiner. The bus and train stations are a two-minute walk from this hotel. The rooms are spacious, but you pay for the convenience of the location, especially if you have luggage and want to shop. I’ve never understood why people lug all their big bags around the center of Venice. The cost per night is £250-350 depending on the season. You can check your bags in before checking in and they also offer takeaway breakfast if you’re catching an early flight. They will also assist you if you want to book a cab from the bus terminal.

Where to eat.
We ate at a lot of restaurants and in general, you will find bad food in Venice. We didn’t make reservations anywhere and were lucky to have good seats at most places. I recommend the following restaurants.

“Ai Leoncini” – just off St. Mark’s Square, 30124. the very welcoming waiter Khan will charm you with his silvery-white, multilingual tongue. Order the rock oysters, grilled sea bass and a bottle of Soraighe’s Soave Classico.

Evening delights. The Al Gazzettinom, called di Mezzo, where we enjoyed delicious pasta and the owner’s father, who is in his 80s, sang for the guests, accompanied by an accordion. It creates a joyful atmosphere.

Restorante Sempioni. what a find. We got there just after it opened around noon and found two window seats overlooking the canal. Very romantic and the fish was great. The service was spot on as well, and even though everyone was fighting for a seat, they let us finish our meal without stress.

Ristorante Al Columbo: Great food to eat outside. Order the seafood platter to share and then the lasagna. The owner is a debonair gentleman who will always talk about his love of food and Venice.