Lonely Planet Best of Venice

Product Review

Elusive and enigmatic, Venice is a dreamlike place that beggars description. Countless artists have tried with pen and brush to render the shimmering lagoon with its slender bell towers. It’s an enticing vision, increasingly difficult to find amid the madding crowds in St Mark’s Square, but in Best of Venice we’ll show you how.

Word Of Art – from Byzantine and High Renaissance to modish modernism, Venice itself is a work of art. Select your own highlights with our top tips on the city’s artistic and architectural legacy.

Lagoon Legs – navigate the waterways and alleyways of Italy’s most mysterious city with our detailed tours and fold-out maps

Largissimo – live large in Italy’s most romantic city, dining on magical rooftop terraces and drinking prosecco in elegant bars – all hand-picked by our local expert

Sleep In Style – from boutique B&Bs to celeb-worthy palazzi, you’ll want to savour those serene waking moments in la Serenissima

Meet The Locals – from cookery courses to printing and mask-making, discover a local perspective alongside a motley crew of chefs, expats, artists and artisans

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review

(6 customer reviews)

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

Venice is magical, this is the perfect guide, January 18, 2009

A. Boston (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Best of Venice (Paperback)

No matter what, you can not have a bad time in Venice. It's one of the most special, magical places in the world, so if you're going, consider me envious! I had heard that it was like an Italian disneyland for tourists, that it's really all a show. Honestly, if you just let your preconceived notions go and walk without a map(I know, it's hard to let go!), you'll find unexpected hidden gems & I hope you will love Venice as much as I do. We had an amazing time there and this book was definitely a must.

We're a 20 something couple who loves to travel backpack style on a budget. We don't stay in hostels, but we definitely don't spend a lot on hotels since really, you're only sleeping there. Venere.com is an amazing site for booking hotels and getting great feedback from past customers before you book. It's like the amazon.com of hotels.

We've used these slim lonely planet books for cities all over Spain, Italy and Portugal. They are amazing. I first got them on a...Read more

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Good little book, September 25, 2009

ard1200 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Venice Encounter (Best Of) (Paperback)

I was very happy with this guidebook. It was small enough to tuck in my purse, but full of good tips and recommendations. After a couple of not-so-great experiences at restaurants we'd wandered into, we decided to rely on the book's suggestions, and then didn't go wrong. We really enjoyed several of the restaurants and a great happy hour spot. It helped us get off the beaten tourist path and find the more enjoyable and more affordable restaurants. And, most of all, I definitely appreciated all the tips on places with reasonably priced drinks.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

A concise guide for those who want more out of a visit to Venice, August 17, 2011

Celeste R. Poston - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Lonely Planet Venice Encounter (Paperback)

I read this guide on the airplane flight to Italy and learned a tremendous amount in a short period of time. I love the Lonely Planet series because I can count on information and highlights of places, restaurants, neighborhoods that are off the beaten path. The restaurant section provided important information on what to look for on a menu before stepping in to eat, for instance, an asterisk denotes that the seafood has been frozen and is therefore not fresh. There was also pertinent and appreciated information on what is local to Venice with regard to both food & drink, IE, Bellini's , Prosecco, fried seafood and so much more.

It is amazing how a little information goes a long way towards getting the most out of a short visit. Because of a highlighted section about Venetian glass, I was able to find an affordable yet amazing souvenir to bring home, that wasn't made in China.