Visiting the Venice Biennale: 5 things to know

VISITING THE VENICE BIENNALE: 5 THINGS TO KNOW

To really understand creativity, architecture and contemporary art you must visit the Venice Biennale. During the Biennale the whole city of Venice is filled with excitement about new works on display, and several art lovers wander from a pavilion to a collateral event of the art exhibition born more than 120 years ago.

Here are 5 things to know to visit the Venice Biennale as a discerning spectator.

1- EXHIBITION VENUES OF THE VENICE BIENNALE

The main exhibition venues of the event are two: the Giardini and the Arsenale.
To know how to reach them, read the post containing the useful information about the Biennale.

2- COLLATERAL EVENTS OF THE VENICE BIENNALE

In addition to the two official venues, Venice houses dozens of collateral events taking place inside the palaces scattered around the city.
All the collateral events are free of charge and you can read the complete the list of the events in the post I dedicated to the last Venice Biennale.

3- HOW LONG THE VISIT TO THE BIENNALE LASTS

Visiting the Biennale in one day and being clear-headed enough to understand something, is impossible.

You need 2 days to see everything calmly; instead, you need 3 days to enjoy collateral events, too.
If you have only one day, you’d better dedicate yourself only to the Giardini venue, or to the Arsenale venue.

READ ALSO: Things to see in Venice.

4- HOW MUCH THE TICKETS COST

Full regular tickets cost € 25, but there are different types of tickets and different ticket prices, according to your needs.
To know which kind of ticket you can buy and where you can buy it, read the post dedicated to the tickets of the last Venice Biennale.

5- VISITING THE BIENNALE WITHOUT MAKING MISTAKES

For those who visit the Venice Biennale there are two easy mistakes to make, which could make you lose a lot of time.

• The first mistake is not taking the vaporetto (ferry boat) because it’s too expensive. But in Venice the distances are enormous, and you may run the risk of arriving already tired at the exhibition venue.
• The second mistake is not bringing something to eat with you, at least a snack. Inside the Biennale there are places to eat and drink, but you may wait for a long time some days.

Beginning your visit early is certainly the best choice, and then you can stop for a short pause, and have a toast and a coffee in the early afternoon, when the hungry crowd will have disappeared.

READ ALSO: Mark’s square: a day in the heart of Venice.

READ ALSO: Works by Titian: 2 days in Venice.