Travel Guide: The 82nd Venice International Film Festival

Each summer, Venice takes center stage not just as a city of canals but as the beating heart of global cinema. The Venice International Film Festival returns for its 82nd edition from August 27 to September 6, 2025, drawing filmmakers, actors, and film lovers to the golden shores of the Lido. With a blend of old-world charm and cinematic innovation, the festival pays tribute to the legacy of film and serves as a platform for emerging voices. From star-studded red carpets to quiet moments outside open-air cafés, the energy on Venice’s barrier island during festival season has to be experienced to be truly understood.

The lions in front Palazzo del Cinema are seen during the opening ceremony of the 61st Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2004 in Venice, Italy. Photo Credit: Franco Origlia, Getty Images.

Most of the action centers around the Palazzo del Cinema, a stunning Art Deco building situated just steps from the Adriatic Sea. Screenings and premieres spill into nearby venues like the Sala Darsena, while the Venice Immersive program returns to Lazzaretto Vecchio Island, hosting experimental works in virtual and augmented reality. This year, all eyes are also on Chile, selected as the 2025 Focus Country for the Venice Production Bridge—a nod to the country’s rising global impact in cinema. And in a fitting tribute to bold, boundary-pushing storytelling, legendary director Werner Herzog will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, honoring a body of work that has redefined what filmmaking can be.

Getting to the Venice Film Festival is like acting in a well-directed dream where your vaporetto glides across the lagoon and deposits you onto the sun-warmed boardwalk of the Lido, just in time for a screening beneath the soft gold haze of an Italian sunset. The good news is: you don’t need an industry badge to be part of it. Public tickets are released online through the La Biennale website in late summer, featuring screenings that range from major premieres to lesser-known indie gems, with most tickets priced affordably between €8 and €20. While red carpet galas can be harder to snag, plenty of seats open up for press screenings, sidebar events, and the immersive showcases on Lazzaretto Vecchio. The key is to stay vigilant for ticket releases and book early. The festival’s magic is said to be found in the unexpected: a last-minute ticket, a conversation in a queue, a sunset you didn’t plan for but won’t forget.

Sleeping on the Lagoon

After the credits roll, filing out among the crowds, you may crave seclusion. Without sacrificing splendor, the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa is a dreamlike escape set on its private island, Isola delle Rose. The property feels like a retreat within a retreat—accessible only by a 15-minute boat ride from St. Mark’s Square. The hotel’s lush, manicured gardens and olive groves surround a serene spa, an infinity-edge rooftop pool, and elegant dining spaces that look out across the lagoon. During festival season, it’s a peaceful haven just far enough removed from the red carpet buzz, yet close enough to dip back into the action when you please. It’s ideal for travelers who want the energy of Venice—and the stillness to appreciate it.

View of a canal in Venice. Photo Credit: cinoby, iStock / Getty Images Plus

Within eyesight of the docks at the JW Marriott, San Clemente Palace Kempinski, housed in a restored 12th-century monastery on a neighboring island, is another option for an escape from the crowds. The grandeur here is quiet and composed with vaulted ceilings, marble courtyards, and a private church on the grounds. The property embodies a more timeless concept of luxury, featuring a sweeping pool deck, fine dining under ancient stone archways, and rooms that evoke the history of the space. For festivalgoers who want to pair cinema with a touch of old-world reverie, San Clemente feels like a portal to a slower, more opulent Venice, especially after a day of screenings and star-spotting.

If you’d rather stay near the action and prioritize proximity and prestige, then there’s no address more iconic than the Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort. Situated steps from the Palazzo del Cinema itself, it has hosted film legends and gala soirées for decades. Staying here feels like stepping into a living piece of cinematic history with its arched colonnades, beachfront terrace, and sweeping views of the Adriatic, setting the stage for a glamorous stay. From coffee in the marble lobby to champagne after a screening, this grand Moorish-style hotel is intricately woven into the very fabric of the festival, putting you at the heart of the festival, both literally and atmospherically.

Sunset over Venice. Photo Credit: cineman69, iStock / Getty Images Plus

Whether you're unwinding after a premiere or fueling up before a morning screening, each of Venice’s premier hotels offers its take on fine dining.. At the JW Marriott, the rooftop restaurant Sagra serves up panoramic lagoon views alongside elevated Venetian cuisine. At the same time, the garden-level Goco Spa Café is perfect for a light, wellness-focused lunch. Over on San Clemente Island, the Kempinski invites guests to linger over multi-course dinners at Acquerello, where local ingredients meet Mediterranean elegance, or to enjoy a spritz beneath ancient trees at Insieme Restaurant’s terrace. And at the Hotel Excelsior, festival-goers mingle over seafood and aperitivi at Elimar Beach Bar & Restaurant, or savor timeless Italian fare at the richly adorned Adriatico Terrace.

Food Worthy of a Film

For an intentional dining experience, Venice offers no shortage of Michelin-starred options to savor Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, inspired by local flavors.

For something different and decidedly authentic, tucked away in the heart of Treviso, about 30 kilometers from Venice, Ristorante Med offers a serene escape into contemporary Italian cuisine. Situated in the pedestrian-friendly Quartiere Latino, the restaurant boasts views of the Sile River, providing a picturesque backdrop for an elegant dining experience. The menu features regional dishes crafted with locally sourced ingredients, blending traditional flavors with modern culinary techniques. Guests can enjoy their meals in a refined indoor setting or opt for the pleasant outdoor terrace during warmer months. An excellent wine list complements the menu, and live music events add to the inviting ambiance, making Med a delightful destination for those seeking a sophisticated yet relaxed dining experience.

Waiting on the island of Giudecca in the lagoon, Oro Restaurant at the Belmond Hotel Cipriani casts a siren's call onto the waters of Venice. Under the guidance of Chef Vania Ghedini, Oro has earned a Michelin star for its inventive approach to Italian cuisine. The restaurant's round-shaped dining room offers stunning views of the lagoon and the Lido, creating an atmosphere of refined elegance. Chef Ghedini's menu showcases a harmonious blend of flavors, with dishes that pay homage to her professional past and the rich culinary traditions of the region. The Laguna dish, in particular, is noted for its skillful mix of flavors and delicate textures. With its exquisite cuisine and breathtaking setting, Oro provides an unforgettable dining experience that captures the spirit of Venice.

Aerial view of Venice, Italy. Photo Credit: zodebala, iStock / Getty Images Plus

Taking time from the Silver Screens

In Venice, art isn't confined to museums—it’s etched into every façade, tucked into hidden chapels, and reflected in the ripples of the Grand Canal. Step into the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Dorsoduro for a stunning journey through 20th-century art, featuring works by Pollock, Kandinsky, and Dalí, all displayed in a palazzo that was once Guggenheim’s home. History lovers can trace the rise of the Venetian Republic at the Doge’s Palace, where golden chambers and the haunting Bridge of Sighs reveal stories of power and punishment. For something quieter, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco houses Tintoretto’s dramatic canvases in near-monastic silence. At the same time, a vaporetto ride to San Giorgio Maggiore delivers breathtaking views from the bell tower. Beyond the buzz of the festival, Venice offers a treasure trove of cultural experiences that reward slow wandering and curious detours.

“Ciao, bella”

Venice is a city that performs even after the festival lights dim. The city floats between reality and reverie, where quiet canals and storied palazzos hum with a rhythm all their own. The memories of wandering from screening to spritz, from gilded galleries to late-night vaporetto rides, from Herzog to hidden cicchetti bars won’t leave you soon. Whether you come for the cinema, the scenery, or the serendipity of losing yourself in its labyrinthine charm, one thing is sure: Venice will stay with you.

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