Travel in city Venice

Last November, Venice authorities unveiled a pilot program for their long-mooted plan to charge day-trippers to visit the city. 

Padua, in northern Italy's Veneto region, is the site of one of the world’s greatest art treasures that should be on every art lover’s bucket list. The Scrovegni Chapel houses the extraordinary 14th-century fresco cycle by Giotto that covers all the walls and ceilings. Despite having such a masterpiece and being a lovely small city, filled with history, culture and culinary delights, Padua is far less touristy than other Italian other art cities like Florence, Rome or nearby Venice. It’s a real hidden gem. And, at just 25 miles from Venice and easy to reach from Marco Polo airport, Padua is an easy day trip or addition to a Venice itinerary.

Over the past 90 years three generations of the Cipriani family have developed their business into an international hospitality brand, with restaurants, landmarked event spaces, luxury residential, hotels and private membership clubs throughout the most prestigious cities in the world. Locations include Venice, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Monte Carlo, Ibiza, Mexico City, Dubai, Riyadh, Las Vegas and the upcoming Punta del Este, Milan, Jeddah, Istanbul and Doha.

Visitors to Venice who fail to pay the entry fee to the historic city centre will face fines starting at 10 times the €5 ticket price.

It’s a Biennale time in Venice, aka the Art Olympics, an every-two-year event where La Serenissima’s 118 islands are almost entirely dedicated to contemporary art from countries and artists around the world. What started out as small art fair in the Giardini, Venice’s public park, has turned into a six-month, all-island, non-stop blockbuster art fest of exhibitions in palaces, galleries, public spaces, and, of course, the Giardini and Arsenale. This year’s 60th Venice Biennale Stranieri Ovunque - Foreigners Everywhere brings it on strong with 331 artists, 88 national pavilions and 30 collateral events, not to mention other pop ups. That’s a lot of art to take in, and a lot of ground to cover. After years of visiting the Biennale as press and also including time working at the US Pavilion, I’ve finally figured out the best way to navigatee Venice Biennale.

Looking for the best places to travel in Europe? So is the rest of the world.

Once seen, never forgotten. Croatia’s fabulously beautiful coast and islands (1,246 to be precise) – with their rocky coves, iconic beaches, historic towns and gorgeous sunsets, all surrounded by some of the most breathtakingly blue waters imaginable – are places that stay in the mind, and they have a habit of luring you back.

Authorities in Venice have been accused of transforming the famous lagoon city into a “theme park” as a long-mooted entrance fee for day trippers comes into force.

Day tourists are now charged an entry toll whenever they set foot in Venice’s historic center during peak periods. The city began charging day tourists an entry fee of 5 euros (around $5.30) on Thursday.

The world’s most prestigious contemporary art exhibition, the Venice Art Biennale opened last week and runs until 24 November in two main locations, the Giardini and the Arsenale, as well as throughout Venice, in museums, foundations, galleries, churches and palazzos. These “collateral events” are free and are mostly open through the fall. From stunning painting shows to sculptural installations, here are ten must-see exhibitions dotted throughout the city nicknamed "La Serenissima."

Pulling into the Santa Lucia train station in Venice on Thursday morning, passengers were told via an overhead announcement that they might have to pay a 5-euro fee to enter the city’s historic center. Failure to pay could result in a fine from 50 to 300 euros, the announcement said.

Venice, a city of history and mystery, is once again at the forefront of the global art scene, hosting the 60th International Art Exhibition, titled "Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere." Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, this year’s Biennale extends beyond just an art exhibition; it is a profound narrative on cultural exchange, environmental sustainability, and the interwoven fabric of global identity. From April 20 to November 24, 2024, the Biennale transforms Venice into a canvas of multicultural dialogue, showcasing works that provoke, inspire, and unite. Here are the 10 pavilions and exhibitions that stand out in this year's compelling lineup.

After years of debate, Venice on Thursday will begin charging day visitors five euros to visit its fragile historic center on peak days, making it the first city in the world to adopt such a measure to counter overtourism.

It's the summer of the Paris Olympic Games and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour across European cities, but for locals, this summer is already heating up to be one of protests—across Lake Como, Barcelona, the Canary Isles, Venice and Amsterdam, residents are already fighting what they perceive as overtourism.

Lake Como is glitzy, glamorous and engulfed by tourism.

Based on post-pandemic tourism data compiled by Italy’s tourist board, planning vacations to the the beloved Mediterranean country has never been more popular. While cities like Rome and Venice will always remain bucket list destinations, what should you do if you’re a solo female traveler looking for an Italian city that’s less crowded, safe, and just as beguiling?

Lonely Planet associate editor Ann Douglas Lott recently traveled through Italy aboard a vintage train, regional trains and bus. Here, she shares some tips and insights for anyone planning a similar trip.

This week, The St. Regis Venice welcomed an enticing new arrival. But not the kind you might imagine. The chic hotel’s newest resident is not a Hollywood celebrity, but an ultra-exclusive Rare Cask Cognac from LOUIS XIII by Rémy Martin.

Activists in Venice have staged a protest against the new day-tripper entry fee which will come into force on 25 April.

This is part of Off Season Italy, a collection of guides highlighting the year-round appeal of Italy's most popular destinations, courtesy of our favorite local tastemakers. Read more here.

Day-trippers to Venice who fail to pay the €5 to enter the lagoon city’s historic centre will face fines starting at 10 times the entrance fee, officials said on Thursday.

Overtourism could have been 2023's word of the year in the travel industry.