16 Hidden Gems and Unique Activities to Discover in Venice

The Grand Canal is lined with a varying mixture of expensive, tourist-targeting places to eat. But if you want to glimpse some local life, then Cantina Do Mori is for you. This traditional Venetian haunt has such a local feel that it doesn’t even have tables. Food and drinks are served at the long wooden bar. Said to have been around since the 1400s, locals claim that years ago the charismatic Lothario Casanova used to frequent the bar with his friends. They offer light food or cicchetti, which ranges from tramezzini – crustless sandwiches stuffed with cured meats and cheeses – to lightly fried artichoke hearts. Wash these down with the local sweet, fizzy red wine, which is surprisingly refreshing on a hot day.

If you do find yourself in Venice on a crowded July day and need some respite, the nearby town of Chioggia will provide a tranquil getaway. The fishing town fancies itself as a scruffy, less touristy version of its well-loved neighbour. With arched bridges and narrow canals it does resemble Venice in places. However, it has far less art, and is perhaps an example of how Venice might have looked had it not discovered the riches of trade. With some tasty seafood restaurants, it can make a nice day trip if you’re searching for local life and a slower pace.

This stunning Dutch villa sits alone in the south of the lagoon. It’s difficult to reach, and you would need to have – or rent – your own boat to get there. Built in 1925 by a migrant from the Netherlands, the white facade has red dormer-style windows and gables, which top a colonnaded portico. It gives this part of the lagoon a fantastical, even fairytale, touch.

This secretsecond-hand bookshop is right on the waterfront – during the rainy season, it has had problems with floods. Run by eccentric Venetian Luigi Frizzo, this store is home to hundreds of books, both new and used, as well as a pet cat. The books are chaotically stacked in old gondolas, canoes, bathtubs and barrels. You could spend many happy hours sifting through the selection of Italian and international reads on offer, but take some time to step out into the garden and see leafy plants standing beside a solid staircase made from old colourful books.

Malefatte (or “misdeeds”) Venezia is a non-profit initiative run by Rio Terà dei Pensieri, a work-in-jail cooperative that sells products made by prisoners from the Santa Maria Maggiore Men’s Prison – this offers them training and professional rehabilitation. The handmade goods range from T-shirts to stitched leather notebooks and canvas bags, while the prices are low – especially when you compare them to other boutiques in Venice.

Tourists flock to Murano to see the glass shops, Burano for its colourful houses and Torcello for its nature reserve. But the charming Sant’Andrea is often overlooked. Home to a ruined 17th-century fort made to defend the city from its enemies, the rest of the island is overgrown and unkempt. The top of Sant’Andrea’s scruffy ruins makes for an excellent picnic spot with unrivalled views over the lagoon and city.

Another island frequently neglected by visitors, San Francesco is situated between Burano and Sant’Erasmo, and houses a tranquil monastery. With 4,000 cypress trees, the idyllic monastery gardens warrant a long stroll, and the medieval cloisters are also worth a visit. The otherworldly monk who shepherds visitors through the grounds tells the story of St Francis’s arrival on the island in 1220. According to legend, he planted his stick into the ground and it grew into a pine tree – then the birds flocked in to sing to him.

Due to its position at the eastern end of the city beyond the old dockyards, this church is often empty even in the height of the busy season. Started by Italian sculptor and architect Sansovino in 1534 at the behest of Doge Andrea Gritti, the facade was completed by Palladio in 1572. The Renaissance interior is large and airy, and houses some exquisite frescoes such as the Madonna and Child Enthroned by Antonio da Negroponte. Here, a regal, delicate-faced Mary poses in a rose bower flanked by orange trees; her eyes look down to the naked baby Jesus, who she balances precariously on her knee.

One of the world’s most prestigious theatres, La Fenice has seen the world premiere of operas by Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti and Giuseppe Verdi. Founded in 1792, the appropriately named theatre (La Fenice means ‘The Phoenix’ in Italian) has survived two fires. The most recent, in 1996, sent shockwaves around the world and initiated a €90 million (£80 million) reconstruction process that lasted seven years. Although some critics called for the design to be modernised, ultimately the restored theatre is an almost exact replica of the original.

Recommended by Sarah Gillespie.

Bacco is a restaurant hidden so far along the quiet Canal delle Capuzine that you are unlikely to just stumble on it. There are a few tables outside in the vine-covered garden, or in the winter you can find a cosy spot in the wood-panelled dining room. It’s one of the oldest osteria in town and offers excellent seafood, from spaghetti cooked with black squid ink to mussels and grilled sea bass. If you catch the owner in a good mood, he may pull you out of your chair and wheel you around the restaurant to rousing tango music.

Come out at night and discover the city’s ghosts of the past on this Ghosts and Legends Walking Tour. Gather at the Rialto Bridge and be guided through hidden Venice, over silent canals and past abandoned piazzas. The guide will tell you six gripping ghost stories and some little-known facts about the city. You’ll be taken through a labyrinth of quiet backstreet corridors and to sites that have witnessed bloody murders. Don’t worry, it all belongs to the past… right?

As any true Venetian (or Italian, for that matter) will tell you, there’s nothing like fresh pasta – and it’s easier to make than you think. Learn the secrets of this beloved Italian staple in this three-hour cookery class. Host Lorenzo has a lifetime of expertise and a clear passion for cooking, supplying fresh ingredients from the local Rialto Market – and it’s not just pasta either. Sip on a glass of prosecco as you learn how to create classic dishes such as squid ink ravioli, risotto and tiramisu. Once everything’s ready, sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour at an intimate dinner party accompanied by excellent music.

Recommended by Sarah Gillespie.

The lagoon around Venice is full of gorgeous islands, each with its own unique flavor. Murano and Burano are the most well-known, home to the crafts of glass-blowing and lace-making respectively. But why not check out Lido, the beach island, or Torcello, which has the oldest church in the Venetian lagoon? If you are here in early summer, you can go to the festival of the artichoke at Sant’Erasmo, an agricultural island. In the fall, the island hosts the festival of must, which is a deliciously sweet young wine. Best of all, these places are all accessible by public transport and you’ll certainly escape the tour groups.

Recommended by Ione Wang.

Grinning, scowling, gurning – carnival masks are a Venetian icon, peering from shop windows in every corner of the city. On this tour, you can see the work that goes into painting them and take away your very own creation, in this one-hour, artist-led workshop ideal for families. Choose your mask from over 50 different models, then paint it using hard-wearing acrylic tempera paint. Finish the mask with touches of gold and silver, then go wild with sequins, ribbons and feathers. The acrylic dries quickly, so you can take (or wear!) your mask straight away.

If you’re lucky enough to have a kitchen where you are staying, you might do yourself the favor of picking up some fresh seafood at the Rialto market on Saturday morning. That’s the perfect way to insert yourself into a slice of everyday life in Venice. There will be serious old ladies negotiating their choice of clams, friends meeting up for drinks after shopping and fishermen butchering squid with practiced perfection. Also check out the barge at the southern end of Campo Santa Margherita laden with fruits and vegetables – some of the produce comes from local farms in the Veneto.

Recommended by Ione Wang.

Whether you’re looking to get a piece of Murano glass jewelry, a paper-mache mask, or a watercolor of Venice to take home, be sure to support those who are creating original and unique pieces. Many places all over the city simply buy cheap products made in exploitative conditions and resell them. Part of this means being willing to pay higher prices, but it also means paying fairer prices, as you will be buying from those who aren’t looking just to rip off unsuspecting tourists but to practice their craft.

Recommended by Ione Wang.