Venice is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. The city’s ancient artistic legacy has long attracted tourists from all over the world, but there’s a lot more to Venice than just the fabled homes and gondolas.
Libreria Acqua Alta
Home to hundreds of new and used books, this second-hand bookshop is run by eccentric Venetian Luigi Frizzo. Instead of the regular neat arrangement on bookshelves, the books here are chaotically stacked in old gondolas, bathtubs, canoes and barrels. One can spend hours sifting through the priceless collection here. This bookstore is nestled on the waterfront and also attached to a beautiful garden where people can read in the sunshine.
Ghost Walking Tour
Got some bravado? Come out at night and meet Venice’s ghosts of the past. This guided tour starts at the Rialto Bridge and will take you through a labyrinth of quiet backstreet corridors, over eerily silent canals and past abandoned piazzas, as well as to real sites that have witnessed bloody murders. To make things even more interesting, the guide will tell you all of the gripping ghost stories and some facts about the city that not many people know about.
Torrefazione Cannaregio
Founded in 1930, what makes Torrefazione Cannaregio one-of-a-kind is that it’s the last coffee shop with an in-store roasting license in the heart of Venice. “Torrefazione” literally translates to “coffee bean roaster”. For almost 90 years, this place’s main focus is to produce the best coffee with Arabica beans. True coffee lovers should miss the opportunity to taste the real Italian espresso and cappuccino right here.
Mercatino Antiquariato
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Located in Campo San Maurizio, Mercatino Antiquariato or The Antique Market takes place in a spot close to the most crowded areas of the city and has been the most bountiful market in Venice since it first began in 1970. If you plan to visit this market, do plan your travel carefully as it only opens for five weekends every year. Many gems from all over the world are up for display and sale at this market, including antiques all the way from the 1600s like coffee cups, old postcards and clothings.
Ca’ Zappa
This stunning Dutch villa probably appears out of place here in Venice. Sitting alone in the south of the lagoon, Ca’ Zappa was built by a migrant from The Netherlands in 1925. The unique white facade with red dormer style windows and gables make this villa seem like it came straight out of a fantasy movie. The villa is privately owned, but visitors can get a tour to go around the place.
