Venice Nightlife | Best 5 Ideas

After a long, tiring day spent walking around Venice, a nice aperitif and an excellent dinner, you might be beginning to ask yourself, “what now?”
Let me straight with you: in Venice, you shouldn’t expect to find loud clubs, strobe lights, girls with miniskirts or anything else that’s meant by “nightlife” in a normal, metropolitan city with streets and cars.
But don’t worry, you can still enjoy nightlife here: you’ll just have to adapt to Venice’s rhythms. And you probably won’t have to rely on a single joint (unless you move to the mainland).Theese are our top 5 ideas to enjoy the Venice Nightlife like a local.

1. Drink and eat cicchetti in Erbaria – Rialto

• Where: Erbaria – Rialto
• When: Best outdoor from Spring to Autumn
The area of Erbaria, near Rialto and the fish market, is the perfect spot to drink something outdoors, meet people and stay out late.
Here, you can get a quick bite and blend in with the locals and tourists that gather here to enjoy the nightlife of the city (especially on summer weekends).
Out of the several “campi” where you could spend your evening, this is my favorite. It also some of the best and most famous “bacari” of the city. I recommend “Al Mercà” and “Il Bancogiro”.

2. Promenade at Zattere

• Where: Fondamenta delle Zattere
• When: Best outdoor from Spring to Autumn
The most romantic area of Venice for romantics and couples, but also friends who want to chill out and enjoy the nocturnal magic of Venice, I suggest a suggestive promenade at Zattere.
Forget “campi”, “campielli” and “bacari” for a while and walk from San Basilio to Punta della Dogana (or the other way around). It will take you about 30 minutes, during which time you can stop and sit on the stone benches facing the island of Giudecca, or have a drink and something to eat.
The atmosphere is really evocative and quiet and you get a breathtaking view, of Giudecca but also and especially of San Marco, seen from the other side of the Grand Canal. Walking back from Punta della Dogana and following the Grand Canal you will also reach the famous Salute Church (also mentioned in the next chapter), and after that the Accademia bridge.

3. Meet locals at Campo Santa Margherita

• Where: Campo Santa Margherita
• When: Best outdoor from Spring to Autumn
Campo Santa Margherita is one of the biggest “campi” in the city and it’s very popular amongst young locals
Its strategic location, less than 10 minutes from Piazzale Roma and close to Ca’Foscari University, and its high concentration of good bars and “bacari” where you can drink and eat on a budget make Campo Santa Margherita the perfect spot for having lots of fun. Especially during the warm season, many people gather here to drink a Spritz or a beer after a long day, have a quick bite and chat.
If you’re looking for a nice outdoor evening, with the chance of meeting other people (locals or not), this is the perfect place for you.

4. Casinò di Venezia

• Where: Cannaregio, 2040- Ca’ Vendramin Calergi
• When: All year
An interesting idea could be spending the evening at the Casino of Venice in Palazzo Vendramin Calergi, one of the most fascinating and aristocratic buildings of the city, trying to get rich (I really hope you will).
You’ll need an ID card and it will cost you a 10€ entry fee that you can afterwards use as chips.
There is also a high quality bar and a very expensive restaurant, for those of you who want to feel like James Bond, despite the cost.
Remember to dress properly (especially men).

5. A night at the theatre

“Oh, mamma mia, mamma mia! Mamma mia, let me go!”
What do you say about “A night a the Opera?”
In Venice, you can find three magnificent theatres, here sorted by importance:
• Teatro la Fenice: Campo San Fantin 1965
• Teatro Goldoni: S. Marco, 4650/ B
• Teatro Malibran: Cannaregio 5873, Calle Maggioni
You can check the list of shows on their official websites or on flyers placed all over the city.
Keep in mind that La Fenice is the most beautiful and famous, but also quite expensive.

Maybe after a couple of Spritz you can also start to understand Italian, and the plays won’t be so unintelligible :).