We were honored to be featured in Condé Nast Traveler’s iconic feature “10 Things Locals Want You to Know About Venice.” As true Venetians, we couldn’t agree more — and a decade later, those truths ring louder than ever. Here’s our take, with fresh stories from the canals, workshops, and quiet corners of the city we call home.
📣 Press & Media Highlights
Tour Leader Venice has been proudly featured in Condé Nast Traveler, NBC News, and Rick Steves Europe — and is trusted by thousands of travelers on TripAdvisor for authentic, private experiences that go far beyond the postcard.
Venice isn’t just a city; it’s a living organism — part lagoon, part legend, all heart. Every bridge, every courtyard, every soft footstep on ancient stones tells a story. And after years of guiding travelers from around the world, we’ve learned one thing: the best way to love Venice is to understand it.
So here are the ten things Venetians wish you knew — shared with affection, humor, and a few local secrets you won’t find in guidebooks.
1️⃣ Venice Was Built on Water — But It’s Not Floating
Visitors always ask, “How is this city still standing?” The answer: with ingenuity, stubbornness, and millions of wooden poles. Venice was built in the water, not on it. Beneath every palazzo lies a forest of submerged timber — alder, oak, or larch — driven deep into the lagoon’s clay centuries ago.
Over time, these poles mineralized, becoming as hard as stone. That’s why, after 1,500 years, the city still stands strong. When you glide down the Grand Canal, you’re really floating above a hidden forest of human determination.
Explore the hidden lagoon with us on our Venice Tour of the Lagoon and see where Venice truly began — where nature, wood, and water meet in perfect balance.
2️⃣ Venetians Don’t “Commute” — They Navigate 🌊
In Venice, we measure distance not in miles but in bridges and canals. Locals get around by foot or by boat, zigzagging through alleys that feel like dreams. The city may look small on a map, but it’s a maze of emotion and rhythm — and no two walks are ever the same.
Forget Google Maps. Follow the signs, follow your instincts, and when in doubt, follow the laundry lines overhead — they often lead somewhere good. The joy of Venice is in getting lost, not in hurrying through it.
Want to experience this freedom firsthand? Try our Off-the-Beaten-Path Orientation Tour — a wander through the Venice locals still call home.
3️⃣ Venice Isn’t Just a Museum — People Still Live Here 🏠
It’s easy to think of Venice as a living postcard, but it’s a real city — with children going to school, grandmothers buying bread, and gondoliers grabbing espresso before work. Only about 49,000 residents still live in the historic center, but those who remain carry on centuries-old traditions of resilience and pride.
Support this living heritage by visiting local workshops — from glassblowing to mask-making — and meet the artisans who keep Venice alive through our Venetian Hands-On Workshops.
4️⃣ The Real Venice Begins When the Day-Trippers Leave 🌅
At dusk, the crowds fade, and Venice exhales. Streetlights shimmer on the canals, and voices soften to whispers. This is when the city feels yours alone — the way it was meant to be experienced.
Join our Venice Sunset Tour and watch the lagoon turn gold as the city drifts into its most poetic hour.
5️⃣ Gondolas Are History — Not Just Romance 🚤
To most travelers, a gondola is the symbol of Venice. But for Venetians, it’s a testament to craftsmanship. Each one takes over a year to make and consists of 280 hand-shaped pieces of eight different woods. Every curve, every inch of symmetry tells the story of balance — both literal and spiritual.
To see where this art still thrives, join our Private Gondola Ride — and understand why the gondola is the soul of Venice.
6️⃣ Venetian Food Is Simple — and Perfect 🍷
Forget spaghetti with meatballs. Real Venetian cuisine is humble, local, and deeply tied to the lagoon. Fishermen still bring in cuttlefish, crabs, and sardines to Rialto Market at dawn. You’ll find treasures like sarde in saor (sweet-and-sour sardines) and bigoli in salsa (anchovy pasta) that tell stories of trade and survival.
Hungry for more? Join our Cicchetti & Wine Tour — and eat like a true Venetian.
7️⃣ “Acqua Alta” Isn’t the End of the World 💦
High water makes headlines, but Venetians treat it like weather — part nuisance, part ritual. When tides rise, locals slip into rubber boots, roll up their pants, and carry on. Markets stay open, kids splash through puddles, and cafés lay wooden planks at their doors.
Read more about it in our Acqua Alta Guide to understand the science and spirit behind the tides.
8️⃣ Venice Has No Secrets — Only Layers 🗝️
Every stone hides a thousand stories: the steps where Casanova escaped, the cloister where Tintoretto painted by candlelight, the courtyard where glass beads were once traded for gold. Venice reveals itself slowly, like a conversation — you can’t rush it.
Let us show you the stories beneath the surface with our Hands-On Artisan Experiences — where every creation carries a piece of Venice’s soul.
9️⃣ Venice Still Inspires the World 🎨
From Titian and Canaletto to Peggy Guggenheim and Hemingway, Venice has always been a magnet for dreamers. Its light — soft, liquid, unpredictable — has no equal. Artists still flock here to capture it, writers still chase its reflections, and travelers still find themselves somewhere between reality and reverie.
Explore the modern art side of the city with our Peggy Guggenheim Experience or read our Art All Year Round Guide.
🔟 Venice Doesn’t Need Saving — It Needs Understanding ❤️
Every few years, someone declares that Venice is dying. We disagree. Venice is adapting. It’s true that locals are fewer and challenges are real, but the city’s strength lies in its people — artisans, families, and guides who wake before dawn to keep it alive.
When you travel with respect — when you slow down, listen, and engage — you become part of that story. Venice doesn’t need pity; it needs participation. And that’s exactly what we invite you to do.
✨ Final Thought
When Condé Nast Traveler asked Venetians what they wished visitors knew, the answers were simple: slow down, look closer, and fall in love respectfully. A decade later, we at Tour Leader Venice still live by those words every day.
Venice isn’t fragile — it’s fierce. It’s survived plagues, floods, and empires. And with your curiosity and care, it will keep shining for centuries more.
