Venice: Off The Beaten Path

One of the main drawbacks of visiting Venice is all the other people visiting Venice. Prime tourist areas can be very crowded, the biggest attractions have long lines in hot, humid weather, and locals tend to keep their distance. While the main sights and attractions of Venice are important and shouldn’t be missed, you may want to escape the crowds from time to time, and see less-traveled areas of the city.

Here are some of Venice’s frequently overlooked experiences worth checking out:

Visit a market. Venice has wonderful fish and produce markets, where locals and restaurants choose the freshest and most beautiful food for their kitchens. These markets are often overlooked by tourists who don’t cook for themselves, but they are an important part of daily Venetian life. At bustling Campo San Barnaba, the much-loved vegetable barge has been selling fresh produce for over 70 years, just under the Ponte dei Pugni (the Bridge of Fists—where Venetians once settled disputes the old-fashioned way).

Go to a library. Venice was once the printing capital of Europe, and, before 1501, more than 10% of all the written literature in Europe was produced here. The city has many interesting and important libraries, and most of them are open to the public. You can easily take a break from the hot crowds and browse the collection. One of the best and most interesting libraries is housed in the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, a former monastery on Isola di San Giorgio. Visitors can tour the Benedictine cloisters and the Borges Labyrinth, or simply go to the library, with collections on the history of Venice, literature, art history, theater, and opera.

Lesser-known museums. While Venice boasts many large, important museums, many smaller palazzos and historic buildings have also been converted into museums or exhibition spaces. Many of these are away from the tourist hotspots of the city, and offer interesting collections in fascinating, historic buildings. Visit the Natural History Museum in the spectacular and storied Fontego dei Turchi. Nearby, the Museum of Textiles and Costumes in the Palazzo Mocenigo features a large exhibition and collection on perfume. Lace, costumes, and glass are Venice’s most legendary crafts, so this museum offers rare insights into the work of masters.

Visit The Merchant of Venice. No, not that one; the other one! The Merchant of Venice is a perfume boutique, with several locations throughout Venice. But their flagship store, in the Campo San Fentin, is housed in an ancient gothic apothecary building. The beauty and history of the boutique are astounding, and they make perfume shopping a feast for the senses. The staff is exceptional, owned by a family that’s been in the business for more than a century, and the perfumes, bottled in Murano glass, make a gift or souvenir unlike any other.

At first glance, it may seem like Venice is all throngs of tourists with maps and selfie sticks, but the city is more rich, complex, and interesting than that. Make time to step away from the densely packed areas and find the quieter, more authentic life of Venice. Every sestiere has little churches facing little campos, with a couple of outdoor cafes, and kids playing football, women haggling with produce sellers, and locals drinking coffee with their newspapers. If you miss this side of Venice, you miss out on more than you might imagine!

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