21 Ways To Experience The Romantic Venice, Italy
A known phrase in Italy is “Mangia bene, ridi spesso, ama molto“– eat well, laugh often, love much.
So it is any surprise that the floating city of Venice is one of the most romantic places in the world?
Having been on a romantic trip to Venice, I can say that you certainly do get swept up in the atmosphere of the city. Even the most famous of poets and artists have been captivated by this city, creating some beautiful works of art.
Here are 21 ideas to help you create the perfect break to the romantic Venice, Italy.
4 Romantic Venice Spots For Sunsets
There is nothing like watching the sunset, arm-in-arm with the person you love.
Venice is certainly not short of places to witness a beautiful sunset, but we can definitely pick out the top 4!
Rialto Bridge
Visiting the “heart of Venice” allows for a chance to see a spectacular sunset. The colours reflect off the still water of the Grand Canal, setting the ultimate romantic scene.
Skyline Rooftop Bar
Head to Hilton Molino Stucky Hotel and sip on some signature cocktails at the Skyline Rooftop Bar.
This bar offers panoramic views of Venice; combine that with a beautiful sunset and you will have the best date night ever.
Fondamenta Delle Zattere
With views of the churches Redentore and San Giorgio, the Zattere is a great, unique place to stroll at sunset.
Situated in the Dorsoduro Quarter, otherwise knows as the Artist’s Quarter, this district faces entirely south, making it the perfect place to see a sunset in Venice.
Accademia Bridge
Connecting the San Marco district to the Dorsoduro district, Accademia Bridge has unique architecture, and a great view of the Grand Canal.
Take the 50 steps up to the height of the bridge, and witness the sunset glisten off the water whilst gondolas glide past.
8 Things For Couples To Do In Venice
Venice has so many activities and things to see, that it is difficult to ensure you make the most of your visit.
We have highlighted only 8 of these: all of which are fun, won’t cost a fortune, and, most important, can be enjoyed as a couple!
Gondola Ride With Serenade
If you thought that a gondola ride could not get more romantic, imagine having the sweet voice of a gondolier singing a Barcarolle to you and your love.
You will be treated to this traditional music whilst you glide through the picture-perfect canals of Venice. Try and book around sunset, and your partner will be swooning!
❣Treat Your Love To A Gondola Ride With Serenade Here❣
Get Lost In The Streets At Sunset
Sometimes the best things in life are free, and a tête-à-tête along the fairytale streets of Venice is just what you need.
You are never far from your hotel, so allow yourselves to unwind. Put your phones away, and just stroll arm-in-arm from street to street; talk, reminisce, fall in love all over again.
It will be a romantic memory you will never forget.
Venice Catamaran Tour At Sunset
With live music and a bar, a catamaran tour of Venice is the ideal date night.
You will make your way along the lagoons, with the romantic twinkling lights of Venice on either side of you.
This is a great way to relax, dance, and unwind! You will see all the sights of Venice on a 90 minute panoramic tour.
❣Tour Venice On A Catamaran Here❣
Have A Drink In A Bacaro
So you’re probably noticing that a big theme of activities in Venice include drinking alcohol. This isn’t like England where we are known for overindulging on our alcohol– instead, drinking in Italy is just part of every day life and is generally done in small quantities.
A Bacaro is a typical Venetian tavern, offering wine, spritz, and small snacks. They are very traditional, and you should definitely factor one of these into your date night stroll!
Chocolate Tasting Tour
Let a master Chocolatier take your taste-buds on a journey in one of Venice’s finest Chocolate shops! You will get to sample around 10 products (pralines, truffles, hot chocolate etc), whilst learning about their production and ingredients.
This is a really unique tour and would be a fabulous addition to your romantic trip.
Even better- chocolate is an aphrodisiac!
❣ Book Your Chocolate Tasting Here ❣
Gelato At Gelateria Nico
Gelateria Nico has been the go-to place for Gelato since 1937.
Starting as a family business, it has grown over the decades, and is now a must on anyone’s trip to Venice.
Gelateria Nico is located at Fondamenta Zattere Al Ponte Lungo, 922, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy
Gondola Ride with a Venetian Dinner
Combine your romantic Gondola Ride with a traditional Venetian Dinner, of which you will have a choice of two restaurants.
You will have a 30 minute Gondola ride, followed by a 2 course meal with a side dish.
If you are wanting to make the most of your romantic trip, but your budget is a bit tight, this is a cost-effective option.
❣ Secure A Gondola Ride With Dinner Today ❣
Stroll Around Giardini della Biennale
Created by Napoleon Bonaparte, Giardini della Beinnale is a unique, alternative park to take a romantic stroll around on your trip to Venice.
Containing many structures, it should not come as a surprise that this park is also the home to Venice Biennale Art Festival which runs every year between April and November.
Top 3 Romantic Restaurants In Venice
They say that the way to show someone you truly love and care for them, is to feed them! Plan ahead, and book into one of these romantic restaurants for a perfect start (or end) to your evening, and a unique experience too!
Ristorante Ai Barbacani
Possibly the most romantic restaurant in Venice, is also the most difficult to book into! Ristorante Ai Barbacani books months in advance, and for good reason.
The food is highly rated, the menu is sublime, and the only canal-side table is entirely worth the wait.
A €150 Euro deposit is taken at time of booking, which will be deducted off the price of your meal.
Club del Doge Terraza
Located in Hotel Gritti Palace, this restaurant is the epitome of fine dining.
From its classic Venetian decor, to the rooftop terrace overlooking the Grand Canal, this restaurant is a prime example of how to spoil someone on your romantic trip to Venice!
This restaurant books at least 1 week in advance, so you will need to make sure you book beforehand as you won’t be able to just walk in.
Terrazza Danieli
Offering rooftop dining overlooking Venice, Terrazza Danieli is the ideal place to enjoy Venetian cuisine on a beautiful summers evening. Time it right and dine at sunset, and the romance will really be flowing!
This restaurant seems to book a day or two in advance, but only specific afternoon times. To enjoy a romantic evening, it would be best to pre-book.
4 Of The Most Romantic Hotels In Venice
There is no better feeling than waking up next to someone you love, and finding yourself in a beautiful hotel room.
Enjoy a continental breakfast in bed (or even on the balcony of your hotel!) and watch Venice go by whilst you get ready for your romantic day of exploring.
❣Hotel San Gallo❣
Budget
Located only 50m from Piazza San Marco, Hotel San Gallo is highly rated on Booking.com. This lands this in the prime location for tourists. The best thing? It is budget friendly!
If you book in advance, prices for 1 night can be as low as €83.
❣Ai Mori d’Oriente❣
Mid-Range
Located right alongside a small canal, Ai Mori d’Oriente is the perfect, romantic place for couples to stay who have a slightly higher budget.
Prices for rooms start at around €104, and it has an overall rating of 8.9 on Booking.com!
❣Hotel Dei Dragomanni❣
Luxury
The 4* Hotel Dei Dragomanni is the exact place you need to stay on your romantic trip. The best part is that this is a luxury stay, at a not-so-luxury price!
With some rooms having a balcony overlooking the Grand Canal (starting at €119 a night), it hosts the perfect opportunity to whisk your lover away and experience the true romance of Venice.
❣Londra Palace Venezia❣
Super Luxury
Sitting on the Riva degli Schiavoni, the 5* Londra Palaca Venezia is the epitome of romantic luxury.
There are rooms with a city view (starting at €545), and – weather dependent-
a chance to eat breakfast and dinner on the banks of St Mark’s Basin.
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The 2 Best Proposal Spots In Venice
When visiting Venice, many people decide this is the perfect place to get engaged to their love. However, you may not want to go with the typical idea of proposing on a Gondola! Venice is full of hidden gems, so where should you propose?
We have picked our two best proposal spots in romantic Venice, Italy, that allow you to get engaged in this fairy-tale city, without following the crowd.
Campiello del Remer
This square is lesser-known, yet shows the traditional Venetian style. With a gothic staircase, it is the perfect place for a secluded proposal.
However, there is a catch- you must do this here on a Wednesday! On any other day of the week, the tavern is open and the locals will be there enjoying their lunch.
It is unique, and is not too far from Rialto Bridge. You can put a ring on it here, then head straight to the famous sights for your engagement pictures!
Burano Island
There would be no better way than to begin the rest of your life with someone than to get engaged inside a rainbow.
The houses of Burano are vibrant coloured, making the perfect backdrop for your proposal. Burano is a day trip in itself, so why not take a boat over to the island in the late morning, wander through the streets, then end with your engagement at sunset?
If I could orchestrate my own engagement, that would be what I would want!
Proposal Photography In Venice
You will want to make sure this moment is captured for you to keep forever, but you can’t really expect friends or family to join you on your romantic break just to take photos!
Get Your Guide offers a really great option- a photoshoot! This is a cost-effective way to be able to capture your engagement photos without having to foot the cost of flights out for someone!
Romantic Venice, Italy: FAQ’s
Can I Get Married In Venice?
Yes, you can!
There is no residency requirement in Italy to be able to marry there. People from all over the world have, and still can, have the best day of their lives in the city that captures everyone’s hearts (as long as you are over 18!).
Religious ceremonies can take place in many of the beautiful churches; Civil ceremonies are able to take place in some of the stunning Palaces in the city.
Is Venice LGBTQIA+ Friendly?
The LGBTIQA+ community is very much welcome in Venice; in fact, despite it being quite small, it is thriving!
Most of the gay bars are not obviously named so; this is simply because there isn’t really any need to make them obvious. There are also annual Pride events!
The city has only recently dropped its entirely conservative look on life; whilst the community is growing, some people who live there do still follow this outlook of life.
Due to this- as much as I wish we could say there is zero prejudice- public affection between same-sex couples may attract some unwanted attention.
This should not deter you from visiting; it is slowly becoming more welcoming, and the good definitely outweighs the bad.
Which Is More Romantic: Florence or Venice?
While Florence is a beautiful city, Venice is definitely to more romantic in our opinion!
Florence is more tourist focused, and revolves a lot around art and history. Venice does this, but I believe the whimsical atmosphere of Venice makes it all the more romantic.
In Venice, there is so much to just see that you probably won’t need to look for lots of things to do. In Florence, you may find yourself trying to kill time!
Can I Kiss In Public In Venice?
While kissing and cuddling in Venice is absolutely fine, just remember to keep it suitable for public eye!
I’m sure by now, Venetians expect to see lovers on every corner embracing.
Just make sure not to get in the way of their daily life!
As we explained above, same-sex couples can embrace but it may attract some attention from the more conservative people.
Is Venice A Good Honeymoon Destination?
Venice is the perfect honeymoon destination.
It is the ideal place for newly-weds to have long, romantic mornings in bed, dreamy lunches by the water, and many date nights during the duration of your stay.
In fact, I would struggle to suggest anywhere else in Italy to have your honeymoon as much a Venice!
What Is The Cheapest Time To Visit Venice?
End of November-February is definitely the cheapest time to visit Venice.
The temperature drops quite a bit, so the accommodation prices follow suit! You will find there are less tourists on the streets, but more rainy days.
Check out our post on Venice in November to find out what you can do whilst you are there in the winter months!
Conclusion: Romantic Trip To Venice, Italy
Well there we have it: 21 romantic ideas for your trip to Venice.
There is no better place to take your love than Venice, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Take your time around the streets: you can definitely see the entire city in a few days just by walking on foot! Each street is full of beauty, and it is worth the time to just stroll around.
At time of writing, there are currently no Coronavirus measures limiting tourists to enter Italy. This is in accordance with the information provided on gov.uk.
