St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)

St. Mark’s Square, from the 11th century, is one of the most beautiful squares in the world, framed by spectacular and picturesque buildings. The best place to take photos in the area is the entrances of the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica Di San Marco. However, the place starts getting crowded with people as well as with little souvenir stalls from 8 o’clock onwards, so keep in mind to arrive early to get the best view!

Remember to not be surprised if you find St. Mark’s Square getting flooded. Being the lowest part of the city, it was constructed just below a meter over the average level of tide. Owing to that, once the water level in Venice rises above 90 centimetres (35 inches) above the mean level, the entire square gets flooded until the water level goes back to normal.

Campanile Di San Marco

If you’re scouting out St. Mark’s Square for photoshoots, you are definitely not going to miss the Campanile Di San Marco. The tallest tower in Venice, an elevator lifts you to the top of what was once a guard tower for a breathtaking vista of the lagoon and the city, all for a sum of 10 Euros.

The tower is one of Venice’s rare photo spots – that you don’t have to get up early in the morning to visit, because there is no crowd to beat. The top is always visited by the same amount of tourists because only a specific number of people are allowed up there at the same time. However, you might need to factor in some waiting time in the line to the tower before getting up there. 

Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale)

The Doge’s Palace at St. Mark’s Square was where the Doge(s), the Venetian ruler(s) resided, and was the seat of the government of Venice. It’s a Gothic architectural masterpiece, offering some picturesque photo spots in the complex courtyard and the interior of the structure.

With an entrance ticket of €25 per person (€13 for students till the age of 26), it is important to give the Doge’s Palace at least an hour for a tour, because although the tariff is more expensive, it’s definitely worth a visit, as the Palazzo Ducale takes you back in time. 

Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri)

Constructed in the early 17th century, the Bridge of Sighs links the Doge’s Palace with the old prison. It got its name from the fact that the bridge is the last way that convicts used to walk through before, very often, being incarcerated while sighing and looking back at their former life of freedom.

The emblematic shape of the Bridge of Sighs is one of the favourite photo spots of many, especially when captured from the smaller bridge alongside it. The bridge rests side-to-side with a busy street frequented by tourists and locals alike, so it’s quite challenging to find a fortunate moment when other people don’t enter your photo. So, it’s a good idea to shoot here early in the morning just after the sun has risen, right after your shoot at Marcus Square.

Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto)

One of the most recognizable Venetian photo locations is the Rialto Bridge, which was built in the late 16th century and is of four bridges crossing the Canal Grande, the oldest bridge. It offers a multitude of photo spots: the top of the bridge overlooks the canal where gondolas float around gracefully.

If you want to capture the bridge itself, the best photo spots are the canal banks with the emblematic bridge behind them. The Rialto Bridge is also perfect to begin a walking tour through the city or a ride in a gondola.

Gondola Ride

It is cruel to leave the city of Venice without exploring such a romantic location from the perspective of a conventional gondola at least once- and capturing them in photos! The gondola tours are present at most of the famous tourist spots of the city and usually finish the ride exactly where you started it.

Make sure that you bargain on the prices because gondoliers often demand very high charges. Nonetheless, the price also changes with the season- on the high or low season you still have to shell out €60- €90 for a maximum of four persons to ride in a gondola.

The photogenic book steps

Chances are that you have laid your eyes upon photographs of people in Venice sitting on a staircase containing books. This photo spot was found by us by accident while strolling through the streets of Venice.

It’s situated in the resplendent library, Libreria Acqua Alta, incidentally quite popular with the cats who have made it their own. It also has a quaint backyard behind the shop, where you can take in the view of the famous book steps in reality. Do climb these wonderful stairs to enjoy a delightful view of the canal located behind the library.

Scalzi Bridge (Ponte Degli Scalzi)

Near the train station in Venice is a broad bridge, which connects the two banks of the Canal Grande. It is recommended to come here around sunset to enjoy the panoramic view from the bridge above the canal, decorated with the gondolas that pass by.

The bridge naturally offers a sweeping view of the church of Chiesa di Santa Maria di Nazareth that stands behind it. Scalzi is not quite as popular as the Rialto Bridge so it’ll give you plenty of opportunity for those lucky shots, without the presence of strangers in your pictures.

The Jetty at the Hotel San Moise

Enjoying an authentic pizza on the banks of the waters at the jetty, saying cheers (or ‘cin cin!’ with a glass of wine, if you’d like to stay true to the Italian experience) and watching the gondoliers pass by in their pretty rides is mandatory if you’re in Venice!

One of the dreamy jetties that offer beautiful sceneries perfect for photos is situated at the Hotel San Moise. Visit the jetty right after sunset to relax and feel the wind in your hair- it undoubtedly makes for a memorable experience! Venice is certainly one of the most picturesque cities that you can ever go to and often feels like a movie set. 

You will definitely come across innumerable photo spots apart from these just while walking through the quaint streets and bridges(around 400!). I recommend setting aside a full day to delve right into the magical experience of Venice and explore some hidden gems in the city.