I have indeed been there. Only for 3 days tho back in 2011. If you're there for fewer days and not staying in the city, there's an access fee you have to pay of like €5 or €10. Even if you are there for 3 days or more, you have to get an exemption. I was part of a tour so this was handled for us.

Thanks for this! The entrance fee is only for Friday-Sunday and we plan to go on a Thursday thankfully so well avoid this. We’re staying in the Friuli region and just visiting by car (will park at the entrance)

Other than that. Give the guys pushing the carts in the narrow streets right of way (you'll quickly hear them screaming ATTENZIONE! at you). The locals can get huffy about that. Watch your belongings as well. Pickpockets love places like San Marco plaza. And prepare for inflated tourist prices.

And thanks! Yeah after Paris and Barcelona I am very pickpocket-conscious 😆 so we’ll be good. I’m just worried it’ll be a non-authentic tourism fest where we want to just walk around and find cute, hidden gems rather than treat it like an amusement park.

Places like San Marco can legit just be a tourist royal rumble. Walking in some parts of the city will literally mean pushing shoulder to shoulder through crowds in the narrow streets if you don't go EARLY morning. Some sections (I think San Polo is one, been a while) are much quieter tho.

Lol, how joyful :P I’m glad Venice isn’t the focus of our trip considering it’s end of May/early June. I pretty much only travel in early spring and autumn through Europe. It’s not worth it otherwise! But I’m still excited to see it regardless :)

Yeah we were there in the heart of summer in July. IT WAS PACKED!

Oh cool, my reply seemed to help. I really want Italy to be my next European destination if possible.

This will be my first time going, though Venice will be the only touristy thing I do. Gonna be staying in villages 😅