Bus 53 or a taxi/shuttle to Piazzale Roma takes about 10 minutes, and from there it's vaporetto or on foot into the historic centre — no cars are allowed past Piazzale Roma. A single vaporetto ride costs a couple of euros; a bus ticket into town is valid for 75 minutes.
Discover Authentic Venezia: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Venezia, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the Rialto Market, the Scala Contarini del Bovolo and Santa Maria della Salute, alongside our Mercure hotel.
Top 5 Things to Do in Venezia
Piazzale Roma and the historic centre
Venice's car and bus terminal, and the gateway to everything you picture when you think of the city, is a 10-minute drive from the hotel or about 10 minutes by bus 53 from Mestre. From there, it's all on foot or by vaporetto — no cars allowed past this point.
Forte Marghera
A former Austrian fortress on the edge of the lagoon, redeveloped into a park that hosts concerts, Biennale exhibitions and outdoor dining through the summer months. It's one of the few green, open spaces in the area and a good counterpoint to Venice's tight calli.
Riviera del Brenta
A short drive from Marghera, this stretch of canal is lined with Venetian and Palladian villas, the most famous being Villa Foscari, known as La Malcontenta. Worth a half-day if you want a break from the crowds in the historic centre.
Rialto Bridge and the bacari of Venice
Once you're across on the vaporetto or bus, the bacari — small bars serving cicchetti, Venice's answer to tapas — cluster around the Rialto market. Small plates start around €3 each, best eaten standing up with a glass of house wine.
Marghera's Tuesday and Saturday market
A short walk from the hotel, this local market brings out stalls of fruit, flowers, clothes and regional specialities — a genuinely local scene rather than one set up for visitors, and a good place to see how Marghera actually lives day to day.
Explore Venezia's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Venice
We've mapped local spots in Venice, from St Mark's to a hidden spiral staircase.
Icons
St Mark's Square
Venice's great square, framed by St Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace and the Campanile. Arrive early, before the crowds, and take it all in.
San Marco · Square and monuments · Perfect for first-time visitors
Rialto Bridge
Built in 1591, the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal, with its massive arch and views over the city.
Rialto · Bridge · Great for views
Grand Canal
Glide by gondola, or ride vaporetto line 1 or 2 the whole length of the Grand Canal, past palaces such as Ca' d'Oro and Ca' Rezzonico. Grab a seat at the front.
Grand Canal · Boat ride · Made for sightseeing
Caffè Florian
Founded in 1720 on St Mark's Square, the world's oldest café still in its original form. A coffee with three centuries of history.
St Mark's · Café · Perfect for a historic coffee
St Mark's Basilica
A masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, covered in golden mosaics and home to a rich treasury.
St Mark's Square · Basilica · Ideal early in the morning
Doge's Palace
The Gothic residence of the Doges and seat of the Venetian Republic: splendid halls, and the Bridge of Sighs leading to the prisons.
St Mark's Square · Palace and museum · Perfect for history lovers
St Mark's Campanile
The 98.6-metre bell tower on St Mark's Square. Take the lift up for a panorama over the city and the lagoon.
St Mark's Square · Bell tower · Great for views
Local Venice
Rialto Market
Held since 1097 near the Rialto Bridge, in Campo della Pescaria: fresh fish, fruit and vegetables every morning from 9am to noon. Watch Venice shop.
Rialto · Market · Made for local life
Santa Maria della Salute
Baldassarre Longhena's Baroque basilica, built in the 17th century in thanks for the end of the plague. Its dome watches over the whole city.
Dorsoduro · Basilica · Perfect for architecture
Scala Contarini del Bovolo
Venice's most graceful spiral staircase – 'bovolo' in Venetian – climbing to a belvedere terrace over the rooftops.
San Marco · Historic staircase · Ideal for a hidden view
Corte Seconda del Milion
A quiet courtyard near Rialto, where Marco Polo's family home once stood.
Rialto · Hidden courtyard · Great for history
Libreria Acqua Alta
A bookshop where books sit in gondolas, canoes and bathtubs to stay dry when the water rises. Mind the cats.
Castello · Bookshop · Perfect for book lovers
Arsenale
The Serenissima's vast shipyard, once the largest pre-industrial production centre, now a Biennale venue.
Castello · Historic site · Made for history
Bacareto da Lele
A cheap, student-favourite bacaro for cicchetti and 'ombre' of wine since the 1960s. Stand at the counter like a local.
Santa Croce · Bacaro · Perfect for an aperitivo
Osteria Do Spade
A historic osteria near Rialto with a counter full of cicchetti. Point and choose.
Rialto · Osteria · Great for cicchetti
Cantina Do Mori
An authentic old bacaro near Rialto, all copper pots and wooden beams. Order an ombra and a cicchetto.
Rialto · Bacaro · Made for local atmosphere
Pasticceria Tonolo
A historic Dorsoduro pastry shop since 1886, famous for its frittelle.
Dorsoduro · Pastry shop · Ideal for sweets
Rosticceria Gislon
A Venetian favourite near Rialto for fried food, tramezzini and mozzarella in carrozza.
Rialto · Rosticceria · Perfect for a quick bite
FAQ
If you want lower prices, easier parking and a 10-minute hop into Venice rather than paying a premium to sleep inside the lagoon, yes. The hotel also puts you closer to Padua, Vicenza and Verona if you're combining a Venice trip with the wider Veneto region.
It runs Tuesdays and Saturdays, a short walk from the hotel, with stalls selling fresh produce, flowers, clothing and regional specialities — worth an early visit before the midday heat in summer.
Every morning from 9am to noon, next to the Rialto Bridge.
Take vaporetto line 1 or 2, which travel the full length of the Grand Canal.
The Scala Contarini del Bovolo, a spiral staircase leading to a panoramic terrace.
Where to Sleep in Venezia
See Mercure hotels in Venezia, all within reach of these picks.