I put off traveling to Venice for a long time. I heard about how horribly crowded and touristy it was: my least kind of place. The only reason that I took a detour to Venice was because of the famous bookstore located there that was calling my name for years. It’s only because of this that I found out how many writers found writing inspiration there and what an amazing literary travel destination Venice is.
In fact, I think that Venice is one of the best cities for literary travel in world. It’s full of historic sites that hosted world-famous writers passing through the city throughout the ages, lots of elegant writing spots and, of course, that Instagram famous bookstore.
As in all my Writer’s Travel Guides, you will find literary travel points of interest, places to find writing spots and where to stay while exploring the literary past of Venice. Perhaps you will be able to find writing inspiration to work on your own literary work, like many writers before you.
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First spot on the list is the reason why I came to Venice in the first place: Libreria Acqua Alta. I had seen pictures of this Insta-famous bookstore years ago, and ever since this was on the top of my literary bucket list.
And it did not disappoint.
This bookstore, like the rest of Venice, is prone to flooding. To combat this, the bookstore started storing its books in barrels, gondola boats and other floating containers. It gives this used bookstore lots of character, as do the numerous resident cats hopping around the stacks of books.
The crowning glory, however, is the staircase made of old books in the back. A true stairway to heaven for any book lover.
And if you don’t want to pay for a pricey gondola ride on Venice’s canals, you can snap a picture on the gondola docked at the canal in the back of the building.
One of the most famous writers of the 20th century, Ernest Hemingway, found inspiration in Venice. (Maybe you will too!) Therefore, a few of the places on this list will be the known writing spots of Hemingway when he was in Venice.
Harry’s Bar is perhaps the most well-known Hemingway writing spot in Venice, located near Piazza San Marco. (The waterfront area near this bar is great for enjoying sunsets and sunrises, by the way.)
It’s very expensive nowadays (and touristy), but if you’re a Hemingway fan, it will probably be worth the splurge to eat and drink where Hemingway did once upon a time.
Goldoni was a famous playwright and writer from the 1700’s, most known for his comedies. His Venetian house (or rather, palace) is now a museum where you can learn about his life and work. The building itself is gorgeous, and inside you can see an exhibition on puppet shows.
I’m not sure about non-Covid times, but this library is mostly closed to visitors. However, you can see one of the antique rooms in the Correr Museum. There weren’t any books housed there, but the room itself is stunning architecture.
Looking for a short ferry ride to an island with a literary connection? San Michele Cemetery is located on a small island completely dedicated to the cemetery, and it’s very easy and fast to get a ferry there.
The literary connection of this cemetery from the 1800s is that Ezra Pound is buried here. This American poet lived in Venice and died there, hence why his grave is in San Michele Cemetery.
And if you’re like me and love visiting old cemeteries around the world while traveling, you will love this little excursion.
This another spot known to be frequented by Ernest Hemingway, and it doesn’t seem to be changed much since the times he was in Venice. Beyond having a connection to Hemingway, this is easily one of the most beautiful cafes in the world, and one of the oldest (opened in 1720).
It’s definitely not the type of place where you can sit with a laptop for hours, as it’s very fancy (with prices to match the luxurious building). But no one batted an eye at me writing in my journal as I enjoyed the most expensive cappuccino I’ve ever ordered. I think that Caffè Florian is definitely the most unique and luxurious writing spot in Venice.
Located not far from Caffè Florian, the café in the Correr Museum is slightly less expensive and offers more beautiful views. It’s located upstairs and overlooks the Piazza San Marco and the basilica.
You don’t have to buy a ticket for the museum to access this café (although I recommend a visit). In addition to the beautiful views, the interior of the café is very pretty too. It’s a great place to spend some time with a book or journal.
This is probably the best café I found for working on a laptop. It’s quite casual yet still a very nice and modern interior and serving a wide variety of drinks and food. If you’re a coffee lover, you’ll have an abundance of fancy coffee drinks to choose from.
I’d recommend getting the seating upstairs by the window overlooking the canal. Alternatively, if it’s a nice day, they also have outdoor seating.
Budget: Generator Hostel
This is actually a chain of hostels (I stayed in the one in Washington, DC), and although it’s a bit pricey for a hostel, they’re all so luxurious. I really like this hostel chain, and the Venice one is unique in that it’s located on an island that you need to take a (very short) ferry to get there: perfect for a solo writing retreat in Venice.
Mid-range: Hotel La Fenice et Des Artistes
Located next to Venice’s famous opera house, this hotel is in a great location and filled with lots of art and cozy writing spots (check out the courtyard).
Luxury: Bauer Hotel
This 5-star hotel is located on the Grand Canal, not far from Harry’s Bar. With fantastic views, gorgeous rooms, a terrace and an amazing location, this is one of the best places to go stay in Venice on a luxurious solo writing retreat.
Venice isn’t very big, but it’s packed with interesting things to see in every corner of the labyrinth alleys. Still, if you want to venture out of the city for some more literary travel, there are some good ones nearby. Here they are.
Verona is located just about an hour train ride away from Venice. And, it’s been a source of literary tourism for centuries.
Any idea why?
It’s known as the setting for possibly the most famous tragedy/love story ever written: Romeo and Juliet.
While it’s unlikely Shakespeare ever set foot in Italy, or that Romeo and Juliet ever existed, it is said that there is a house in Verona where a family had a rivalry with another (and they had similar names to fictional ones).
You can visit what is known as Juliet’s house and step out onto the balcony (which is a more modern addition from the 1800s for literary tourists).
And you can also visit Juliet’s supposed tomb. While it’s fake, it’s a fake that famous writers visited: Charles Dickens and Lord Byron visited Verona and these literary travel sites.
This island is a bit farther from Venice than its nearby islands. It takes about 40 minutes by ferry to get here from Venice. Why visit? Because this is where Hemingway came to write.
The reason why Hemingway moved here was because he was too distracted by duck shooting parties and getting drunk in Venice to write. In Hemingway’s words: “I HAVE TO WORK.”
If you also find yourself too distracted by Venice to write, take leaf out of Hemingway’s book and head to the more peaceful Torcello.
I covered some of the writers who found inspiration in Venice, but there are so many. This book covers it all: Dickens, Byron, Kafka, Poe, Rousseau…the list goes on and on.
This fiction book is about an elderly writer who (like many real-life writers) was drawn to Venice. Searching for spiritual fulfillment, he instead finds himself obsessed with a Polish boy.
Another fiction book, this one is a true crime story revolving around a fire that destroyed the Fenice (no, that’s not a typo—I thought it was the first time I read about it!) opera house.
That wraps up the Writer’s Travel Guide to Venice, Italy. I hope it inspires you to visit the city that inspired so many writers throughout history.
Do you know of any other literary gems in this city, or perhaps some great writing spots in Venice? Leave them in the comments!
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I would want to write in the little Venice bookshop where there are felines milling around the store. Pure bliss!
What a lovely post ! I was So in awe of Venice
I can’t wait to go back !
Thx for sharing !
Valerie
I loved discovering all of these hidden Venice gems! Florian is actually my maiden name, so when a family member brought us coffee back from there in the past it really made my day! I absolutely need to see Venice for myself and will keep your wonderful insight in mind when I do :)
What a fascinating way to see Venice! I love the literary tie and great photos!
Great post! I love Venice, and it's great to see some of the more undiscovered and hidden parts of the city.
I loved Venice & I loved your take on this beautiful city! What a great selection of cafes, bookshops & museums. Next time I go I'll include a few of these in my itinerary! Saving this for later!
This literary Venice post really resonates! Before traveling to a new place, we almost always buy a ton of books set in those locales, and then go visit the bookshops and buy another ton of books written by local authors while visiting that place! And thank you for the reading list!