Venice : book your hotel

Eternally represented in art, cinema and literature, Venice is one of those cities that are familiar even before you visit. But no film, book or painting will ever prepare visitors for the spectacle that awaits when they first behold St Mark’s Square or the bridges and palaces of the Grand Canal. Thanks to this city’s unique setting and long backstory, the singular beauty of Venice will always dazzle visitors.

Between the grand monuments and intriguing neighbourhoods, La Serenissima is a cultural and romantic destination of the highest order. Want to see beyond the postcard? Here at all.accor.com, you'll find all the information you need before booking the best hotels in Venice.

Majestic or intimate, grand or quirky, the monuments of Venice open their doors to visitors on every street corner and every bend of the canals. There's so much to see and do on the Venetian archipelago that you'll have to organise yourself carefully to visit all the major attractions. A few words of practical help: the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (MUVE) runs several museums and monuments across Venice, notably the Doge's Palace and the Glass Museum at Murano. Its website provides useful information for visitors and offers ticket sales on line, both for individual attractions and combined tickets. And of course, the welcoming teams in our Venice hotels can help you too!

The most famous landmark in Venice is immediately recognisable thanks to its impressive proportions and legendary sights. On arrival in St Mark's Square, take time to let its sheer beauty sink in; admire the richly ornate facade of the basilica and palace, take in every detail of the soaring red-brick bell tower and have a wander through the stately arcades that line the vast piazza. Two imposing columns are topped by statues: one represents St Theodore, patron saint of Venice until the ninth century; the other takes the form of a winged lion symbolising St Mark, the present patron saint of the city.

The home of the governors of Venice while the city was an independent republic, the Doge's Palace was for centuries the centre of political power. The mélange of styles represented in its architecture and richly ornamented interiors reflects the diversity of influences that shaped this ancient powerhouse across the years.

The covered Bridge of Sighs connected interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace with the former city jail. It is suspended above the waters of the Rio di Palazzo canal, and prisoners often had their last glimpse of Venice Lagoon from its windows. You can see the architectural details of this white-marble bridge clearly from the Ponte della Paglia nearby.

Adjacent to the Doge's Palace, St Mark's Basilica showcases a heady mix of Byzantine and Venetian architecture. The domes, the facades in a riot of colours and the interiors swathed in gilding and mosaics all evoke the Golden Age of Constantinople. Entry to the basilica is free, but you can buy jump-the-line tickets from the MUVE website so you don't have to queue for long. You'll also need to buy tickets for the basilica museum, which houses the famous bronze Horses of St Mark, and the Treasury.

Originally a lighthouse serving boats entering Venice Lagoon, St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) was reconstructed in 1912 and remains the highest landmark in Venice to this day. Climb up to the top for amazing views over the domes of St Mark's, city rooftops, the lagoon islands and the Veneto countryside.

A beguiling blend of Gothic and Renaissance styling, the Ca' d'Oro is another masterpiece of Venetian architecture – its intricately ornate facade makes it one of the most beautiful palaces in the city. Standing on the banks of the Grand Canal, over which it has an incomparable view, the palace now houses the Franchetti Gallery, featuring a collection of bronze sculptures, Flemish and Venetian paintings and a year-round schedule of temporary exhibitions.

The oldest bridge across the Grand Canal is also its most famous. Admire the arcading and reliefs on the magnificent stone Rialto Bridge from the banks of the canal as gondolas glide up and down below its arches, before searching out souvenirs of leather goods and wooden toys in the boutiques around the bridge.