Venice for a Solo Traveler?

I wouldn't hesitate to visit Venice as a solo traveler.

But first, have you traveled solo in the past? And like it? If so, you know both the benefits and the pitfalls. And some of those pitfalls, especially the potential for loneliness to set in, might be magnified in a city like Venice. As long as you are okay with seeing other travelers getting their romance on, go for it.

But be prepared to see throngs of other tourists. It's not going to be quiet, romantic, or idyllic.

And it is likely to be hot and humid, but I don't think you should expect rain.

I have been to Venice solo and I didn't even notice the romantic couples. Weird, I know, but I was just so in love with Venice I must have been having my own romantic moment. I always felt safe, even at night and everyone was very friendly. And yes, it can be hot in June.

I've visited Venice multiple times as a solo traveler and have enjoyed every visit. There are many historical sights to see and the city itself is really interesting to explore. I've never had a problem dining as a single, and I've found it easy to strike up conversations with other travelers at places like an outdoor café or a cicchetteria. I say, "Ignore the nay-sayers and go to Venice!"

Not sure about June weather as I haven't visited that month of the year.

Went solo and two people offered to take my picture for me. There are a lot of tourists.
Don't tell any friends you went solo they may take it personal since you did not invite them to come along.

I haven't been there in June, but what I would suggest is that you book a hotel with AC. If it's hot and you open a window, most have no screens so the mosquitoes may be a problem.

Venice is beautiful in the evenings and early mornings when the day trippers and Cruise ship people are not there. In case you think you might get lonely, I would suggest booking a tour where you go to different bars to taste wine and eat their snacks.(cicchetti) i can't remember the name (I think one of the guides was named Alessandro) but there are one or two that have been recommended many times on this forum. This would give you an evening to have fun and have some people to chat with. There are other activities that you could do. A gondola rowing class. A mask painting class.

Whatever you decide I hope you have a Great Trip! And let us know how it turned out for you, please!
Mimi

I make summer-long solo trips to Europe and don't usually begin to feel strange until I get into the fourth month. I am definitely on the introvert end of the scale, but I don't believe this will be an issue for you on a relatively short trip. Venice is a fascinating destination, and you won't be particularly focused on the comparatively few overtly romantic couples you may encounter.

I find that taking a walking tour (the ones not food-based are a lot cheaper) is a good way to interact with other people for a little while. A food/drink tour would probably be a lot more convivial, however.

Here's the link for the cicchetti tours Mimi is referring to in Venice. I've been on both his tours, each more than once and had a wonderful time every time. Met solos, met couples, made friends. I imagine you'd enjoy these fun tours. You should try emailing him. He is very responsive to questions: alessandro@schezzini.it

I went alone and didn't feel uncomfortable. It's a great city, and how romantic is a gondola ride, really, when you're sharing the canal with 100 other tourists? Forget that and maybe go kayaking instead (Venice Kayak). The museums certainly don't require a date to enjoy. Instead of sitting outside Caffe Florian to listen to the live music, go inside the bar, save money on the drink, and chat with the bartender. It'll still be fun. I stayed at Locanda Fiorita, which was a great location in San Marco but away from the crowds, and they have a single room with a bath across the hall that you only share with the staff (no waiting for someone to finish a shower). Not sure about a/c since I was there in October, but it's well-priced by Venice standards.

Been solo to Venice four times so far. What's the problem?

I've been to Venice countless times, always with my wife.

I've never been to a "romantic" restaurant - I prefer a good quality inexpensive one so I have more to spend on my holiday.

I've never ridden on a gondola, although have taken quite a few trips across the Grand Canal by Traghetto. I don't need to - it is more fun to see the groups looking like they are having a good time from one of my favourite bridges. From a room in one of my favourite hotels I can hear the singing (some better, some worse, some should have stayed home).

Venice is fabulous.

I don't get the "romantic so stay away". Somebody posted in a different RS Forum the other day that she doesn't want to go to Paris because it is "romantic". It seems such a shame.

Thank you all for the tips and links. The walking and food tours sound fun -- those are right up my alley.

@Nigel (and others) -- what are your favorite hotels?

Check https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/venice-hotels.htm for some hotel info.

You have to decide if you enjoy crowds (then stay between Piazzale Roma and San Marco) or not (then stay east or north of San Marco). My 2 cents.

Been to Venice with my husband, with a friend, with my kids, and solo. The solo trips were just as good as any of the others. Venice is (unfortunately) so touristy that no one even notices who you are with.

I've been to Venice several times, always solo. It's my favorite city, after Paris. I think it's romantic: the Grand Canal late at night or in the pre-dawn mists, St. Mark's Square for sunrise, the back canals (rios) and squares (campos), that are usually quiet even in midday when Venice is very crowded. On my last visit, I took this walking tour. You should book in advance, but there's no penalty for no-shows.

I doubt there's much likelihood for rain. Expect humidity. Drink cold tap water (quite good) and eat lots of gelato.

I don't know if Alessandro is still doing his tours. His website was cancelled several months ago. His phone number is on this thread.

I've taken more than a dozen solo trips to Europe, including trips to Venice.

Among the things I've learned along the way: (1) There's no need to feel self-conscious about traveling alone, even in a romantic setting such as Venice, because absolutely no one cares what you're doing; (2) Solo traveling is freeing because there's no compromise when it comes to plans for the day and you get to do what you want to do, when you want to do it, for as long as you want to do it.

I wouldn't wait to go to Venice because it's is only going to get more and more congested with one-day tourists pouring out of those humongous cruise ships.

I have stayed in several that I like very much, but they vary by location, price, and amenities.

What are you looking for?

Justin, in the movie 'Summertime' Katherine Hepburn played a person who went to Venice as a solo traveler
and it was quite a trip for her. Enjoy yourself. take that gondola ride eat wherever you like especially somewhere romantic.
Let it happen. Bon Voyage. June is a great time. Crowded but early and late Venice is yours.

I think it's a great idea. I did three weeks on my own in Italy a few years ago and loved it.

Here's a tip: Look into eatwith.com for the opportunity to meet other travelers and dine in the home of a local. We've done that in Rome and Barcelona and had a blast. It would be perfect for solo travelers. I imagine there are other similar website as well.

Buon viaggio!

@Michael -- great idea! I had recently heard of eatwith.com. That definitely sounds like fun.

@Nigel -- I like family-run, cozy little hotels. Nothing huge, touristy, and bland. Ideally within walking distance to major sights, but I love those tucked-away discoveries.

@all, regarding cruise ships, when do the masses usually descend and leave? I've been looking at airfare for fun, and it seems depending when/where I leave, I have the option of landing in Venice at 9am, around noon, or between 3-4pm. I assume it'd take 2.5-3 hrs to go through customs, catch a water taxi to island and walk to the hotel from there. Just don't want to be caught up in the crush.

Many thanks again!

Justin -- re your last question, I'd pick the afternoon arrival so you get into the city after most of the daytime crowds have gone back to their ships. Water taxis are expensive, you're better off taking one of the buses (ACTV or ATVO) from the airport to Piazzale Roma, then a vaporetto to the stop nearest your hotel. This website has info about tranportation and much more.

I spent several days on my own in Venice before joining a tour group this fall, and I felt no awkwardness. As others have said, nobody else cares, so why should you? I stayed at Pensione Guerrato, next to the Rialto Market and a couple of blocks from the bridge, and liked it fine. Being close to the bridge makes it easy to get most places in all directions. But RS tours stay there (as mine did) so it may be hard to get in and impossible to avoid RS travellers with their money belts and ziploc bags and zip-off pants and blue-and-gold phrasebooks and all that stuff. Nigel will have more and better ideas about hotels.

I've spent 2 week+ stretches in Venice solo and loved it, so I would agree with the others it's a good idea.

Hotel: I've stayed a couple times at Ca'Angeli and enjoyed both visits. Very comfortable, close enough (but not too close) to the major Rialto Bridge/Piazza San Marco nexus of tourists, small, and well-run. There are no bridges between the closest vaporetto stop and the hotel (more info on that below.) The breakfast is also a definite plus.

Activity: Besides those already mentioned, you might want to have a look at rowvenice.org. You'll get to try your hand at rowing, stand-up Venetian-style. I enjoyed this greatly.

As far as when to arrive, there would be less crowding going into Venice (like you would be doing) in the afternoon than in the morning. Also, the water-taxi is a fun splurge, but as noted above not at all necessary for getting between the airport and your hotel. The bus/vaporetto combo can work great, depending on the location of your hotel (some places are over many bridges from a vaporetto stop. No fun with luggage/tired from a long day of travel.)

In general, it is always doable to avoid the crowds, even during the height of the invasion of the day-trippers (roughly 10A-4P.) Peace and solitude are usually just a turn or two away from any of the main pedestrian arteries. Or, you can get well and truly away from the crowds in 15 minutes walking by heading to the edges of Venice, especially to the east, west, or north. Get yourself to Piazza San Marco at dawn some morning. It will be you, a few photographers, the sunrise, and that's about it. With a little fog mixed in, it's even more magical.

Well I don't know any way to avoid tourists at a hotel in Venice, if that what you meant by don't want touristy. It is a plain fact that most people in Venice are either visiting or in business to serve the visitor crowds.

But I actually like both of the hotels mentioned above, and would have suggested them.

Ca'Angeli has a good location, is at the top of a building, quite small, and a bit off the tourist path, with a vaporetto quite close, but if somebody is easily turned around may not be the best location until you understand getting around Venice. Nice staff - don't know if some or many of the staff are family - but all helpful and pleasant. The small lift helps. Nice views of the Grand Canal at breakfast.

Pensione Guerrato is good too. No lift. Plenty of stairs, nice small group of staff, pretty good brekkie, very central to the Rialto markets yet not too loud. Most rooms have no significant view, but I like the place.

I very much like the Best Western Hotel Ala. Maybe too "touristy" for you but so is everywhere. Convenient, excellent for vaporetto, a short walk into S Marco and the theatre La Fenice. Certainly not a family operation.

There are also several places run by religious orders with simple rooms and beds and extremely simple breakfasts which are a little removed from the tourist thoroughfares but I am reluctant to suggest them as they don't seem to fit your requirements.

One more lodging recommendation which might be more what you're looking for, it's called La Chicca. It's a small B&B instead of a hotel, and at least when I stayed there in 2013 it was run by a husband/wife team who during breakfast would be there to talk with you. They were good hosts, and good company. It's located in Dorsoduro, roughly between The Accademia and The Guggenheim, close to the American-Dinesen Hotel.
Here's a link to their website.

@Nigel,

Sorry I should have been more specific. By skipping the "touristy hotels" I meant the big names like Marriott's and Hilton's, etc., not so much tourists in general, as I know there are many. I prefer more cultural experiences, so smaller, family-run hotels or B&Bs are my preference over the impersonal (and expensive) big names that I can find anywhere.

We enjoyed Hotel Flora. It's a family run hotel. Well appointed, walking distance to San Marco, but tucked back off the main tourist route. It has a lovely courtyard to enjoy your amazing breakfast buffet. We would not hesitate to return. Excellent customer service.

This will be year 13? 14? 15? for me as a solo traveler in Italy. Yes, some restaurants (crowded ones!) don't want to sit a single person - but I will accept a 'less attractive' location the first time. I have found that if I return, the table location is better. I've gotten so that I'm recognized year after year. One restaurant owner in Venice tells tourists to ask me about the menu for recommendations! Guess I'm no longer a tourist? In Venice I stay at Hotel Ala (Giglio vaporetto stop). They have no problems with single visitors although the single room is small - I'd treat yourself to a double room. Just to be clear - I'm a senior citizen. I think that means: no, I'm not going to wait and travel or do what I want in a couple of years - I deserve this trip and I refuse to not enjoy myself!