Venice Biennale

When: May - November in odd-numbered years for the Art Biennale, with Architecture on alternate years.

Where: Held across Venice in Italy, centered on the Giardini and the Arsenale with dozens of citywide venues.

Cost: Paid entry with single-day, multi-entry and combined tickets; special events and vernissages usually require extra fees or invitations.

Don’t miss: The central curated exhibition plus the national pavilions at the Giardini and Arsenale and the satellite shows scattered through the city.

La Biennale di Venice began in 1895 and has grown into a leading global platform for contemporary art and architecture, presenting national pavilions and a main curated exhibition that often launches international careers and debates.

Exhibitions occupy the historic Giardini park and the vast shipyard complex of the Arsenale, while dozens of collateral shows, country pavilions and independent projects appear in palazzi, churches and galleries across the lagoon. The mood mixes museum-style contemplation with the restless energy of a citywide festival: installations, film, talks and performances invite long, wandering days of discoveries.

The Art Biennale opens in May and runs through November; the event is scheduled every two years with the Art edition in odd-numbered years and the Architecture edition in even-numbered years. Peak visitor activity is in the first month after opening and during summer weekends, though the long run means quieter visits are possible later in the season.

There is usually a preview period at the start of the run for press and invited guests and then the public opening; major national pavilions and the central exhibition set the tempo for the first weeks.

The nearest international airport is Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE); from there take a water taxi or the airport bus to Piazzale Roma and a vaporetto into the historic centre. Trains arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia station on the island; from the station use vaporetto services to stops serving the Giardini and the Arsenale. Book accommodation and exhibition tickets well in advance, especially for May and summer weekends.

• Expect a lot of walking and boat transfers across Venice - comfortable shoes and a small daypack are essential.
• Buy Biennale tickets online in advance for timed entries and consider a multi-day pass to cover both the Giardini and the Arsenale.
• Check local tide forecasts if you visit in autumn; acqua alta can affect access and you may need waterproof footwear.
• Respect exhibition rules: many installations prohibit touching and some pavilions restrict photography - follow staff instructions.
• Carry a refillable water bottle; public fountains (nasoni) provide drinking water around the city.
• Book hotels and any guided tours early, and allow extra travel time on vaporetto lines during busy opening weekends.