Beyond the queues and gondola jams, Venice hides quiet little courtyards called campielli, neighbourhood taverns, or bàcari, and workaday islands where daily life moves at an easier pace. If you’re after non‑touristy things to do in Venice, think lagoon‑side strolls, tasty cicchetti at the counter, and craft workshops far from the main drag.
A lean set of low-key, local-leaning picks that sidestep the bottlenecks:
- Sunrise stillness along Fondamenta Nove or Sant’Elena — calm lagoon light, a few fishermen, and space to think before the day-trippers arrive.
- Back-canal loops in Cannaregio and Castello — thread quiet pedestrian streets where you’ll hear Venetian, not megaphones.
