Wikimecum:Venice Nightlife
Going out in Venice
Contrary to popular belief, Venice has a bit of nightlife to offer to students. Although there are no major clubs in the city where you can book tables or pack in hundreds of people, it has several smaller lounges and bars which are more suited to the city's lifestyle.
Bars and hangouts
There are a lot of bars where you can go to relax with friends.
Rialto
The bar scene at Rialto attracts a lot of young Venetians and tourists alike. The area has two bars where you can buy alcohol for a relatively low prices (compared to other places in Venice). These bars do not provide an enclosed/indoor area where you can drink, but allow you to socialize with everyone who is hanging out in the Campo S. Giacometto. Shots and beer are usually 3 euros, and a mixed drink would set you back 5 euros. The bars are usually open till 3 AM.
Santa Margherita
Campo Santa Margherita offers the most vibrant bar scene in Venice. You can always find lots of tourists of all kinds (often times British or American) visiting the bars (Orange and Duchamp's) every night. There are several bars in the campo and the surrounding areas have good bars, such as Cafe Noir, as well. Saturday night is usually a special DJ night at the Orange Bar, and the inside of the bar becomes a dancefloor at around 11 pm. The drinks are slightly pricier than at the Rialto. Shots are usually 3-5 euros, while beer is usually 4. Special/mixed drinks can cost upwards of 7 euros. Both bars also serve as sports bars when a game is on. Soccer ("football"/"calcio") fans should definitely go see a match or two at one of these bars with other Venetians. These bars are usually open until 2 AM, which usually ends the fun.
DoGaDo
This is a true night club in the center of Venice. It is located close to the VPC (on the Strada Nova), and is, in fact, situated on top of the Billa. This is a unique lounge/dance club. DoGaDo opens at 7 PM and remains open until 3 AM. They stop serving alcohol at 2 AM. This club has a center room next to the bar where clubbers can sit and relax. They also have a fairly big dance floor where the DJ usually plays the customary radio club/Top 100 songs (no techno/hip hop - everything is mixed). The lounge also boasts a balcony where you can sit and relax if it is warm. The balcony serves as a good way to get away from the music and start up a conversation. Drinks are 7 euro for a beer and 12 euro for any mixed drink/hard alcohol. Remember that consuming one alcoholic beverage at these enormously inflated prices will cost the same as one productive grocery run, lunch for two days, etc.
Take note that Saturday nights are usually the best at DoGaDo, in terms of DJ, and that you have to spend a minimum of 12 euros to leave the club. This is a very touristy club and you can usually find only a few locals inside. On Sunday night, though, they have a special deal where one pays 10 euros for a drink and gets a full meal along with it.
Zona Bandita
Zona Bandita is another fun club that can be found within five minutes of Santa Margherita. There is usually a small cover charge and the place is small, but it is often alive with activity. A good variety of music is played inside, but it depends on the artist playing. One night could feature a rock artist that gets the crowd moshing or a DJ spinning electronic music. Despite the decent quality of the musical acts, most patrons congregate just inside the club or outside the entrance, which provides a nice social atmosphere at the very least. Alcohol isn't really served there but they have no qualms about bringing your own.
Other Places
Some other places to explore:
1. Sharks: Sports Bar
2. Piccolo Mondo: A smaller dance club near the Campo Santa Margherita