Veneto, Italy

State guide with cities, regions, and key information.

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Introduction
Veneto, in north-eastern Italy, is one of the country's most varied and rewarding regions — fanning out from the lagoon city of Venice across a plain of art-rich historic cities to the eastern shore of Lake Garda and up into the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites. For travellers it offers an extraordinary concentration: the canals of Venice, the Roman arena of Verona, Giotto's frescoes in Padua and Palladio's villas around Vicenza, the Prosecco hills, Adriatic beaches and alpine valleys — all within a region you can cross in a couple of hours.

Discover Veneto

Venice is unlike anywhere on earth — a city of 118 islands threaded by canals and footbridges, where boats replace cars and every view is a painting. The heart is St Mark's Square, with the golden Byzantine mosaics of St Mark's Basilica, the Gothic Doge's Palace and the soaring Campanile; the Grand Canal, best seen from a vaporetto water-bus or a gondola, sweeps past Renaissance and Gothic palaces to the Rialto Bridge and its market. Beyond the icons, Venice rewards getting lost in the quiet sestieri — Dorsoduro's galleries (the Accademia and the Guggenheim), Cannaregio's Jewish Ghetto and local bacari wine bars, the boatyards of Castello. The lagoon adds more: the glass furnaces of Murano, the rainbow fishermen's houses of Burano, and the ancient cathedral of Torcello. Venice is crowded and fragile, so come early or late in the day, stay overnight to enjoy the magical empty evenings, and travel respectfully.

Travel Types

Venice & the Lagoon

The canals, St Mark's and the Grand Canal, and the islands of Murano and Burano.

Art Cities

Verona's Roman Arena and opera, Giotto's Padua and Palladio's Vicenza and villas.

Dolomites & Lake Garda

The pale Dolomite peaks around Cortina for hiking and skiing, and the eastern shore of Lake Garda.

Prosecco & Villas

The UNESCO Prosecco hills, the Palladian villas of the Brenta and the walled towns of the plain.

Adriatic Beaches

The long sandy resorts of Jesolo, Caorle and Bibione on the Veneto coast.

Frequently asked questions

A great deal. Venice is the star, but the region also holds Verona (Romeo and Juliet, the Roman Arena and summer opera), Padua (Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel and a historic university), Palladio's Vicenza and its villas, the Dolomite mountains around Cortina, the eastern shore of Lake Garda, the UNESCO Prosecco wine hills and long Adriatic beaches — all linked by fast trains and easy to combine into a varied trip.

Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are ideal for Venice and the art cities — pleasant weather and fewer crowds than the height of summer. Summer brings the Verona opera season, lake and beach life and Dolomite hiking, but Venice is hot and very busy. Winter is the season for Dolomite skiing and a quieter, atmospheric Venice. Venice's Carnival in February is spectacular but extremely crowded.

By train, mostly — a fast rail spine links Venice, Padua, Vicenza and Verona in minutes to under an hour, making a city-hopping trip effortless and car-free. Within Venice you travel by vaporetto water-bus and on foot. A car becomes useful for the Prosecco hills, the Palladian villas, Lake Garda and the Dolomites, where public transport is thinner. Venice's Marco Polo airport and Verona's airport serve the region.

Cities in Veneto

1 city with detailed travel information

Venice