Venice > Planning > Public Wi-Fi network

Venice Public Wi-Fi Network

Cittadinanza Digale

ABOVE: A screen capture from the Comune di Venezia's interactive Wi-Fi map shows which areas (such as the S-shaped Grand Canal)  have wireless signals.

By Durant Imboden

Many travelers find it hard to live without Wi-Fi these days. Being able to connect to the Internet with a notebook, netbook, or smart phone is obviously handy for travel planning, and--just as important--avoiding data-roaming charges with an iPhone, or using Skype with a laptop, can make it cheaper to keep in touch with home.

Where to find Wi-Fi in Venice:

In Venice, most hotels and vacation apartments offer free Wi-Fi, and--if you're lucky--you may run across a bar or café that will supply you with a guest name and password when you buy a drink.

Alternatively, you can use the Comune di Venezia's "Cittadinanza Digitale" public Wi-Fi network. Advance-purchase rates for visitors were €5 for 24 hours, €15 for 72 hours, and €20 for seven days when we last checked. To get these discount rates, you'll need to sign up in advance. Note, too, that you can use only one Wi-Fi device at a time with your connection.

For more information, click here and scroll down to "Wi-Fi Connection."

Please note:

• Venice's public Wi-Fi network doesn't cover the whole city. Service is available primarily in the major squares, or campi, on a few major pedestrian thoroughfares like the Zattere and Via Garibaldi, and along the Grand Canal.

About the author:

Durant Imboden has written about Venice, Italy since 1996. He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching Europe for Visitors (including Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl Imboden in 2001.

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