Venice Bar Guide
30+ bars across Venice's drinking neighbourhoods, curated by editors who know the city.
Venice invented the Bellini and the spritz. The bacari (cicchetti taverns) have poured both for over a century. Harry's Bar in San Marco still serves the original Bellini — Giuseppe Cipriani created it there in 1948. Outside the tourist core, the bacari in Cannaregio and Castello hold the most authentic Venetian drinking culture.
Five neighbourhoods cluster the action. Cannaregio runs the bacari spine. San Polo holds the Rialto-area cicchetti bars. Dorsoduro is the student-and-creative quarter. Castello covers the local-feel bars away from tourists. San Marco runs the heritage hotel bars.
Spritzes run €3 to €6 standing, double sitting. Bellinis €15 to €22 at Harry's. Cicchetti €1.50 to €3 each. Tipping is not expected. Most bacari close at 9pm, cocktail bars run to midnight.
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Cocktail Bars in Venice
World-class cocktail rooms
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After Work in Venice
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Craft Beer in Venice
Microbreweries and taprooms
Hidden Gems in Venice
Unmarked doors
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Top Picks This Week
Schiavi
Heritage bacaro from 1944. Long counter, fifty cicchetti varieties, and ombre (small wine glasses) for €1.50. Cash only. The most authentic Venetian wine-and-cicchetti experience.
Cantine del Vino già Schiavi
Same family as Schiavi. Canal-side standing-only bar pouring ombre with a counter of cicchetti. The Venetian student ritual.
Harry's Bar
Heritage cocktail bar from 1931. The Bellini was invented here in 1948. Carved wooden interior, bow-tied bartenders, and tourist prices for the privilege.
Venice Jazz Club
Live-jazz cocktail club hidden down a side street. Two sets nightly. Reservations only. The Venice cocktail crowd's favourite night out.
Bacaro Risorto
Tiny bacaro near the Arsenale. Long counter, cicchetti, and ombre. Skews local. Cash only.
Algiubagio
Lagoon-side cocktail bar with sunset views over the Venetian lagoon. Best in summer at 7pm. Cocktails are competent, the view earns it.
Neighbourhood Guide
Cannaregio
The bacari spine north of San Marco. Local-feel cicchetti taverns, canal-side ombre rituals, and the most authentic Venetian drinking quarter.
San Polo
The Rialto-market district. Cicchetti bars around the Rialto bridge, working-Venetian crowds, and the most communal lunchtime spritz culture.
Dorsoduro
The student-and-creative quarter. The Schiavi institutions, jazz clubs, and a younger university-area crowd.
Castello
The local-feel district east of San Marco. Heritage bacari, neighbourhood pubs, and the quietest Venetian evening pace.
San Marco
The heritage hotel-bar spine. Harry's Bar, Caffè Florian, and the heritage palace cocktail rooms. Tourist-priced but historically rich.
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