City Breaks in Venice

For love and romance, rent Venice apartments

There are many factors which make Venice a key destination for honeymoons and romantic getaways. The city’s position, perched precariously above the water of the lagoon, surrounded on all sides by the gentle, lapping sea is unrivalled around the world. The water, which dissects the city through major waterways such as the Grand Canal, as well as tiny little canals that branch off in every direction, must be navigated by boat, or crossed on pretty bridges. Rent one of our apartments in Venice and hop from site to site with your lover on the back of a gondola.

Perfect for a city break

Venice’s location and abundant attractions make it perfect for a short self-catering break. City breaks are rising in popularity as people discover the value of exploring European cities without using up precious holiday. Having a big holiday once or twice is just not enough to keep you going throughout the year, so why not take a short break every few months to refresh those batteries? With its location in north-eastern Italy, Venice is less than 2 and a half hours away from the UK by air, making our Venice apartments very easy to get to. Families on Italian villa holidays in the Veneto region travel to Venice for the day, so why not go for a weekend?

History and culture

The city of Venice is steeped in culture and tradition which stretches back to the early Middle Ages. While self-catering in Italy, the city is a great place to visit, but it’s even better to stay in one of our Venice apartments and explore the city properly on a city break. The Venetian Republic was one of the largest maritime powers in the Mediterranean for a whole millennium from the 7th to the 17th century. During this glorious period, Venice amassed great wealth and collected artefacts and influences from across Europe. This history can be detected in the city’s wonderful architecture, at world-famous sites such as St Mark’s Basilica and in the many squares and piazzas which dot the city.

Food on Italian villa holidays in Venice

Of course, being an Italian city, Venice has some delicious food to enjoy while self-catering. Italy is famous the world over for its delicious cuisine, which it has successfully exported to every corner of the globe. Nothing can beat eating out in an Italian piazza, enjoying the freshest ingredients, cooked by passionate culinary artists. The region of Veneto is famous for its bubbling white wines such as Prosecco and Soave – best enjoyed with some fresh seafood, plucked daily from the lagoon. Renting apartments in Venice, holidaymakers can enjoy eating in the hundreds of cafés and restaurants throughout the city, serving local specialities and national favourites.

Visit Saint Mark’s Basilica from Venice accommodation

The most iconic area of Venice, apart from its Grand Canal, has to be St Mark’s Square, headed at its eastern end by St Mark’s Basilica. The square is a huge open space, and must be visited from Venice apartments on a city break. Standing in the square, it is impossible not to be drawn to the basilica, which has a magnificent ornate façade, topped with Byzantine domes and the famous bronze horses. The basilica is named after Saint Mark, the patron saint on Venice, whose body was, allegedly, smuggled out of Egypt in a barrel full of pork and returned to the city in the Middle Ages. Now, the site is a major tourist centre with visitors coming from all over the world to see it.

Explore the Doge’s Palace

Next to Saint Mark’s Basilica sits the Doge’s Palace, the seat of the Venetian government for much of the city’s glorious history. Now a museum, within walking distance of NOVASOL’s Venice apartments, the palace looks out across the water from its central position. The building’s Gothic exterior is unmistakable; but inside is where many of the best treasures can be found. Paintings by Titian and Tintoretto feature on the ceilings of the interior chambers, as well as countless other masterpieces. Rent Italian villas in Venice and get up early to see the attractions before the day-visitors arrive.

Discover Venetian art with holiday lettings

As well as being a city famous for its maritime commerce, fabulous architecture and vibrant culture, Venice is also renowned for its art and artists which have left their mark in history. Names such as Tintoretto, Canaletto and Titian should be well known by art enthusiasts – all artists that did some of their best work in the city. For seeing and experiencing art, Venice is one of the best cities in Italy. Self-catering accommodation gives visitors the flexibility to visit as many galleries as they can, popping into cafés and ice cream shops in between.

Venice by boat

The most fashionable, and romantic, way to get around Venice is by boat. When renting holiday lettings, hop on a gondola and visit the sites of Venice in a personal water taxi. These boats are iconic of the Venetian way of life and can be rented per journey or for a whole day when staying in Venice. Apartments in the city are never far from the water so just make your way to the nearest jetty and flag one down.

Benefits of self-catering with NOVASOL

On a city break, self-catering accommodation is the perfect choice for flexibility and convenience. These short holidays are all about relaxing and seeing the things you want to see, in your own time. Our self-catered Venice accommodation, Dubrovnik apartments and city holiday lettings all over Europe offer couples and families the chance to relax and see the gems of Europe in their full glory.