I’ve been a repeat tourist to Venice since I was a toddler. As an adult, I flew back to Venice just after the global pandemic subsided and the restrictions slowly got lifted. My kind of coming back to Venice happened during wintertime, just a few days after the yearly carnival. The canals and streets still bore traces of the festivities, with colourful confetti scattered all over them.
During that trip, I maintained a routine of waking up around 11am in a cheap hotel room on the mainland, did some sightseeing and roaming around all afternoon, then returned to the hotel and went to bed quite late—like 2am. This schedule kind of forced me to spend a couple of hours walking around Venice at nighttime, as the sunset was always around 5 or 6pm there.
My nightly walks let me discover a Venice I didn’t know existed. The city has completely different charms and looks compared to the daytime—you won’t rub shoulders with crowds, even in San Marco (which usually experiences the highest tourist traffic in Venice), so you can keep walking peacefully without worrying about lots of people.
I made a habit of strolling through the city at night since then and absolutely loved it. A few months later, I was back again in Venice in the middle of the heatwaves.
Although the sunset pushed back to 9pm, I still found myself in the middle of Venice and ventured into the party-goers dancing in front of the grand cathedral—a joyfully lively Venice you won’t get to know when the sky is still bright.
All those night Venice stories prompted me to blog about exploring the Serenissima in the dark. You all should do it at least once, and I assure you that you won’t regret it!
San Francesco della Vigna Expect solemn columns and alleyways lit up in the darkness. Once you pass through those, you find yourself standing in the square that shares space with the cathedral of San Francesco della Vigna. It was the very place where I walked into the said dancing crowd.
You won’t always see a street dance party there, but don’t miss out on the lit-up columns and terraces.
Coordinates for Google Maps:
Restaurant Blocks Near Arsenale Vaporetto Spot It’s unfortunately no secret that food in San Marco or Rialto is “mediocre,” “a rip-off”—those locations are the most touristic districts of Venice, so yes, no wonder. If you ever venture into Castello though, try this concentration of restaurants that serve local and cost-effective dishes.
To get there, just hop onto one of those vaporetti and get off at Arsenale (just a few steps from San Marco). Keep walking deep into the narrow alleys and you’ll get there.
Keep in mind that some of them don’t take reservations, so it’s first-come-first-serve for those. If you ever wonder which place to go—check out this guide (link to my previous article) to differentiate trattoria from osteria, enoteca, etc.
Coordinates for Google Maps:
Sottoportego dei Corte Nova Tucked away in the hidden alleys and porticos of Castello, this portico never ceases to amaze art lovers who happen to be lured into this alley. Even at nighttime, it kind of acts as a micro-street museum (with a roof and adequate lighting, of course) showcasing religious art featuring saints and the Virgin Mary.
Riva degli Schiavoni It’s the long promenade that connects Piazza San Marco to Castello. I always soak myself in the stunning night lights and the ambience from open terrace restaurants and bars—even souvenir shops. It’s something I always remember in my heart.
Riva degli Schiavoni is a tourist spot that draws hordes of visitors during the day, but at night it becomes a safe linkway to walk around if you’re concerned about navigating a touristic city like Venice. It’s well-lit and there are always people still roaming around.
Fondamenta Ormesini Of all their massive bridges and canals, Venice has just two bridges without handrails—one of them is Ponte della Misericordia. Once you cross this bridge, you find yourself in a favourite night-out spot for both locals and non-locals. Here, people chill out over a glass of wine and quality food.
Canals Between Rio Orseolo and Rio del Coval At night, you will definitely love walking around this area. The lit-up houses and gondolas won’t let you leave this magical moment.
This area gets very busy during the day, but you’ll have it all to yourself at night! If you ever happen to book a night gondola ride with one of the friendly gondoliers, request to cruise this section of canal—right next to the house where Antonio Canova died in the 19th century.
Leave a Reply