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It’s laborious to do a metropolis like Venice justice in simply sooner or later, however you probably have restricted time, this itinerary will present you tips on how to take advantage of it. Venice is likely one of the most enchanting cities in Italy (and all of Europe!) with its opulent palazzos, limitless canals and bridges, and slender pedestrian-only streets.
It’s laborious to imagine that this elegant metropolis rising up from 118 small islands in the course of the Venetian Lagoon even exists, and it’s probably the most fashionable vacationer locations on the planet — for good motive.
Although Venice has suffered from overtourism and main hordes of vacationers in recent times, please don’t let that cease you — it’s nonetheless potential to get off the crushed path and uncover a hidden facet of Venice for those who solely stroll 10 minutes away from the crowds.
With simply sooner or later in Venice, you’ll be able to see the principle vacationer points of interest and discover the extra relaxed and native facet of the Floating City. In reality, that’s precisely what I did on my first and second visits to Venice, each of which had been day journeys from Florence!
So sure — a day journey to Venice is unquestionably doable. I’m excited to point out you tips on how to spend the right day in Venice, Italy!
This put up was printed in August 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Dale Peterson.
When to Visit Venice
Keep in thoughts that when you go to Venice can enormously affect the expertise you will have there. Venice will get extremely popular and crowded in the course of the summer time, particularly within the months of June, July, and August. If you’re touring at the moment, you may additionally have to pay a small day customer payment (extra on that under).
I believe the most effective time to go to Italy is spring or fall, when the climate is milder and the crowds are decrease. Winter can also be a pleasant time to go to Venice, though it will probably get fairly chilly.
While winter is often a really quiet time to go to Venice and really feel like an area, it does get extraordinarily crowded in the course of the Carnival competition, which generally happens in February. Keep in thoughts that fall and winter carry a danger of acqua alta, when water ranges rise and town floods. Locals are prepared for this with their tall rain boots.
If it had been as much as me, I’d go to Venice between late fall and early spring. I believe Venice seems to be good when the climate is a bit gloomy, and the dearth of crowds is an added bonus.
How to Get to Venice
There are 4 most important methods to reach in Venice: by aircraft, prepare, by bus, and by automobile. If you’re coming by prepare, you’ll wish to be sure to go to Venezia Santa Lucia, which is definitely in Venice, and not Venezia Mestre, which is on the mainland.
Venice is residence to Marco Polo Airport. From right here you’ll be able to take the Number 5 bus to Piazzale Roma, or ebook a personal water taxi into town (a dear however dramatic method to make your entrance).
Many trains arriving in Venice from different Italian cities cease in Mestre first, so make sure you keep on the prepare a further quarter-hour (or swap trains, if mandatory), till you get to the final cease, Santa Lucia.
If you’re arriving by bus to Venice, you’ll probably end up in both Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, the one two areas in Venice accessible to automobiles. Piazzale Roma is extra central (it’s adjoining to the Santa Lucia station) whereas Tronchetto is just a little additional out of the best way.
If you’re driving to Venice, your choices for parking are additionally Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto. Piazzale Roma is the most costly at round 30 EUR ($33 USD) for a every day parking fee, whereas in Tronchetto you’ll be able to park for about 20 EUR ($22 USD) for the day.
Another choice is parking close to the Mestre station on the mainland, the place it’s loads cheaper, after which taking the prepare to Santa Lucia in Venice.
I like to recommend arriving in Venice as early as humanly potential so you may get a head begin on visiting your first cease, which is likely one of the hottest vacationer areas within the metropolis.
Getting Around in Venice
Regardless of the place you arrive in Venice, you’ll wish to take the vaporetto, or water bus. This is Venice’s distinctive type of public transportation, and it’s the best method to get across the metropolis. A 24-hour go will value you 20 EUR ($22 USD) and a single trip is 7.50 EUR ($8 USD.) If you are taking the vaporetto three or extra occasions, the 24-hour go can pay for itself.
To begin off your day in Venice, you’ll head straight to Piazza San Marco.
If you arrive at Santa Lucia or Piazzale Roma, hop on the Line 1 or Line 2 vaporetto and get off at Rialto, which is a few 15-minute trip. From there, it’s a five-minute stroll to Piazza San Marco, your first cease of the day.
If you arrive at Tronchetto, take the Line 2 vaporetto to Rialto, which is a few 25-minute trip, after which stroll over to Piazza San Marco.
This vaporetto trip is a superb introduction to Venice since you’ll be crusing down the Grand Canal, the biggest and longest canal in Venice. This backward-S-shaped canal has lengthy been an important thoroughfare in Venice, and the Grand Canal is lined with dazzling palazzos relationship again to the glory days of the Venetian Republic.
How To Spend 1 Day in Venice: Itinerary
Rialto Bridge
Before you stroll to Piazza San Marco, stroll throughout the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto). This is essentially the most well-known of the 4 bridges that cross the Grand Canal. It’s additionally the oldest bridge, having initially been constructed within the yr 1173. Thanks to its hanging structure, it’s probably the most fashionable vacationer points of interest in Venice.
The Rialto Bridge has stairs on both facet resulting in a central portico. There are two rows of retailers on the bridge, primarily promoting souvenirs and jewellery. You can get an awesome view of the Grand Canal from both facet of the Rialto Bridge.
There’s additionally a well-known market close to Rialto Bridge that occurs each morning of the week aside from Sunday and Monday. At the Rialto Market, you’ll discover distributors promoting recent produce, seafood, fruits, and greens. This historic market has been occurring because the eleventh century!
Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco, often known as St. Mark’s Square in English, is essentially the most well-known sq. in Venice. I strongly advocate you begin your day right here, admiring the beautiful structure of the sq., as a result of this may turn into probably the most crowded spots within the metropolis earlier than lengthy.
From Rialto Bridge, it’s only a five-minute stroll to the sq..
This sq. is the place you’ll discover Basilica San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica) and St. Mark’s Campanile, its hanging bell tower. You’ll additionally see the pink-hued Doge’s Palace, which was constructed within the 14th century and served because the residence of many doges, the sovereign leaders within the period of the Republic of Venice.
Caffè Florian, which opened in 1720 and is the oldest cafe in Venice, can be present in St. Mark’s Square. But except you wish to pay shut to twenty EUR ($22 USD) for a espresso, which is an ABOMINATION in a nation the place espresso is often only a euro, you’re higher off simply taking a peek contained in the cafe’s opulent inside.
Basilica San Marco
Visiting the Basilica San Marco, or St. Mark’s Basilica, is price it to see probably the most stunning church buildings in Italy. Elements of the church date again to the eleventh century, and the basilica is claimed to include the relics of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice.
The least expensive method to go to St. Mark’s Basilica is to purchase a ticket on the entrance. Tickets are 3 EUR ($3.25 USD) and might be bought with money or card. The basilica opens at 9:30 AM day by day (besides Sunday when it opens at 2 PM) so for those who arrive early within the morning, you shouldn’t have to attend in a line too lengthy.
If you’d choose to ebook your tickets upfront, you’ll be able to purchase skip-the-line tickets on-line for six EUR ($6.50 USD) and select your most well-liked time slot.
Another choice is reserving a guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica, which incorporates skip-the-line entry to the church.
Once inside, there are two further “upsells” you’ll be able to pay for: the Pala d’Oro, or excessive altar, which is a further 5 EUR ($5.50, USD) and the Museo di San Marco and Loggia dei Cavalli, which is a further 7 EUR ($7.50 USD.)
If you’re concerned with seeing spiritual artifacts, you may wish to take a look at the Pala d’Oro and the Museo di San Marco. The Loggia dei Cavalli, which is the balcony outdoors the church, provides a cool viewpoint of St. Mark’s Square, however you’ll be able to really get a greater view from St. Mark’s Campanile, the bell tower.
If you wish to go to the bell tower, you’ll be able to ebook skip-the-line tickets upfront for 12 EUR ($13 USD) to your most well-liked time slot. There’s an elevator that goes to the highest of the bell tower, and it provides among the greatest views in Venice. Personally, I’m a giant fan of this view of Venice, and for those who’re into views, it’s undoubtedly price it!
Doge’s Palace
Your subsequent cease in Piazza San Marco ought to be the Doge’s Palace. At this level, for those who’ve been to St. Mark’s Basilica and likewise visited the church museum or climbed the bell tower, it ought to nonetheless be mid-morning.
The Doge’s Palace, generally known as Palazzo Ducale in Italian, is likely one of the most iconic landmarks in Venice. It’s a must-visit to be taught extra about Venetian historical past and the period of the doges.
I like to recommend shopping for tickets for the Doge’s Palace on-line upfront to keep away from ready in an extended line. Tickets additionally promote out utterly on busy days. The value of an grownup ticket is 25 EUR ($27 USD) and diminished tickets for teens 25 and beneath and seniors 65 and older are $15 EUR ($16 USD.)
Your ticket consists of entry to the Doge’s Palace in addition to the Museo Correr, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, and the Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana. These different museums are additionally situated in St. Mark’s Square, and if you wish to spend extra time exploring museums later within the day, you’ll be able to come again and examine them out.
You can go to the Doge’s Palace by yourself in a few hours, or take a guided tour to be taught extra about Venice’s historical past and canopy the highlights of the palace.
Don’t miss crossing the Bridge of Sighs to go to the palace’s jail cells. This well-known lined bridge obtained its title due to its small home windows that allowed prisoners one final glimpse of the skin world (and a sigh) earlier than they had been locked away.
Bridge of Sighs
After you end up contained in the Doge’s Palace, don’t overlook to go across the nook of the palace to see the Bridge of Sighs from the skin. You can get a superb view of it from the Ponte della Paglia, one other bridge.
The Bridge of Sighs is the right spot to take a photograph, and it’s probably the most photographed areas in Venice. After strolling throughout the bridge from contained in the palace to the jail cells, you’ll acquire a brand new appreciation as you view the bridge from the skin.
Gondola Ride
It’s time for yet one more exercise earlier than taking a lunch break, and belief me, that is one thing you gained’t wish to miss: a gondola trip! There’s hardly something extra iconic than crusing down the canals of Venice in an ornately adorned gondola.
Private gondola rides don’t come low cost, although. They have a set fee of 90 EUR ($98 USD) for a 30-minute trip in the course of the day and 110 EUR ($119 USD) for a 30-minute trip at evening. That’s the entire value for a gondola trip for as much as 5 individuals.
There are a number of gondola stations round Venice, however yow will discover one close to Piazza San Marco, near the San Marco vaporetto station.
If you wish to pre-book your gondola trip upfront, that’s additionally an choice. This Venice tour features a guided strolling tour of town’s hottest spots and a shared gondola trip by the canals of Venice.
Looking for a less expensive choice? Honestly, you simply take a scenic vaporetto trip for a fraction of the price of a gondola trip. Line 1 and Line 2 are two of the most effective routes as a result of they take you down the beautiful Grand Canal. This morning, you took the vaporetto down the Grand Canal to Rialto, which solely lined about half of it.
Right now, you’ll be able to hop on the vaporetto on the San Marco cease and take it to Rialto once more, this time masking the opposite half of the Grand Canal that you just haven’t seen but.
An much more distinctive choice is taking a trip on the traghetto. This is a fundamental gondola that simply takes passengers throughout the Grand Canal (a journey that takes about two minutes) nevertheless it solely prices 2 EUR ($2 USD.)
The Santa Maria del Giglio gondola station is an efficient place to catch the traghetto. There’s no set schedule, however the boats cross the Grand Canal all morning and afternoon.
Lunch round San Polo or Dorsoduro
By the time you’ve completed up your gondola trip, you’re most likely able to cease someplace for lunch. Being a coastal metropolis, Venice is greatest recognized for its seafood — it’s not as well-known for pasta, and undoubtedly not pizza! (Honest recommendation? Eat pizza anyplace however Venice.)
You can discover a variety of nice trattorias within the neighborhoods of San Polo and Dorsoduro. These areas should not too far off the crushed path, and but they’re much less touristy than San Marco and extra affordably priced.
Osteria Fanal del Codega is a good canal-side restaurant serving recent native seafood at affordable costs.
Keep in thoughts that almost all eating places in Venice are solely open for lunch from round 12:00-2:30 PM, so your choices for a sit-down meal could be restricted outdoors these hours.
Libreria Acqua Alta
After lunch, head to Libreria Acqua Alta, probably the most distinctive bookstores on the planet. This must-visit bookstore is called for the climate phenomenon Acqua Alta (“High Water”) that causes non permanent flooding in Venice in the course of the fall and winter months.
Located within the Castello neighborhood of Venice, Acqua Alta is packed from ground to ceiling with books. There’s even a gondola within the middle of the bookstore crammed with books.
Outside, you’ll discover a waterlogged tower of books that has turn into a preferred picture op. The bookstore is situated proper on a canal, and typically the water ranges imply that it begins to flood just a little bit, so watch your step!
Option 1: Another Museum
It’s now most likely late afternoon in your day in Venice, and you’ve got a few choices for tips on how to spend your time. If you’re up for one more museum, now is a good time to go to one.
If you bought tickets to the Doge’s Palace, you even have entry to a number of museums situated in St. Mark’s Square: the Museo Correr, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, and the Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana.
The museums are open day by day from 10:00 AM till 6:00 PM, and so they keep open till 11:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.
All of those museums are related, and so they’re price a go to if you wish to make your method again to St. Mark’s Square. These museums are nice for historical past and artwork lovers, particularly if you wish to be taught extra about Venice’s previous.
You may additionally head to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, an unimaginable artwork museum situated on the Grand Canal. Located in an 18th-century palazzo, this museum homes the spectacular assortment of the eccentric American heiress Peggy Guggenheim, who lived in Venice for greater than thirty years. A should for an artwork lover.
Tickets are restricted, so you need to buy them on-line upfront. The value is 16 EUR ($17 USD) with reductions accessible for college students and seniors. The museum is open day by day besides Tuesday from 10:00 AM till 6:00 PM.
Option 2: Walking Tour
If you’re not up for one more museum, you can additionally spend the late afternoon on a strolling tour discovering one other facet of Venice. Although most vacationers stick to a couple particular areas, there are such a lot of totally different components of Venice to discover.
This off-the-beaten path strolling tour consists of lots of the sights most Venice guests miss, and is led by an professional information.
Another choice is that this free strolling tour that visits hidden gems within the lesser-known neighborhood of Cannaregio in Venice. (Be positive to tip your information on the free strolling tour! That’s the one method they generate profits!)
Get Lost and Wander
One of my favourite issues to do in Venice is to get misplaced wandering the slender streets and myriad canals of town. Spend a while in your day in Venice, even when it’s simply half an hour or so, exploring town with out consulting Google Maps first.
Even on a busy day in Venice, you’ll be able to escape the crowds with a number of random activates the maze-like streets of town. Since Venice is so troublesome to navigate, you’ll typically see indicators that say “Per San Marco” or “Per Rialto” with an arrow pointing down an alleyway, pointing you within the path of fashionable vacationer locations.
Rather than following these indicators, head down an alley in the other way as an alternative and see the place you find yourself — it’s a enjoyable method to uncover hidden gems you’d have by no means stumbled upon in any other case.
The Dorsoduro district, residence to Venice’s college, is a good space to wander round and discover. So is the neighborhood of Cannaregio. Which brings us to our subsequent merchandise…
Cannaregio Evening
Rather than reserving a dinner reservation, I believe you’ll get pleasure from heading to the Cannaregio neighborhood and strolling at sundown, grabbing eats alongside the best way. Cannaregio is a good space in northern Venice that has fewer vacationers and a extra native really feel.
It’s additionally the place you’ll discover a variety of reasonably priced eating places, cafes, and bars, somewhat than the overpriced ones within the extra touristy areas within the metropolis.
A well-liked pre-dinner night exercise for Venetians is having fun with cicchetti (chih-KET-tee) and wine with pals at a bacaro, or wine bar. Cicchetti are small plates just like Spanish tapas.
My favourite spot in Cannaregio is Vino Vero, which serves a group of cool wines and among the greatest cicchetti within the metropolis. 4-6 items is sufficient for a meal, and I at all times be sure to seize a chunk topped with mortadella and pistachio! Just take your plate outdoors and eat on the sting of the canal.
Most cicchetti are priced at beneath 5 EUR ($5.50 USD), so this can be a low cost method to expertise the native delicacies of Venice and absorb the ambiance as you stroll from bacaro to bacaro alongside the canals of Cannaregio.
Departing Venice
When it’s time to go away Venice, permit your self extra time than you assume you’ll want. If you end off your night in Cannaregio, it’s a 10-minute stroll to Santa Lucia station, a 15-minute stroll to the Piazzale Roma bus terminal, and a few 30-minute journey through strolling and vaporetto to the Tronchetto bus terminal.
However, don’t go away it to the final minute! You ought to arrive no less than quarter-hour early to your prepare or bus if that’s the way you’ll be leaving Venice. Also, give your self time in case you stroll within the unsuitable path for a couple of minutes.
And make sure you control the departure screens and an ear out for bulletins on the prepare station. I as soon as missed a prepare at Mestre station as a result of a platform was modified on the final minute, and it was solely introduced with no notifications on the screens.
Venice Day Visitor Fee
Beginning in 2024, town of Venice is charging a small payment for day guests. Known because the Venice Access Fee, it’s designed to assist alleviate the consequences of overtourism on Venice.
The payment is just relevant on particular dates (weekends in April, May, June, and July) and it solely applies to day journey guests, not in a single day guests staying in Venice. The payment is €5 ($5.50 USD) and you’ll pay it on-line.
You’ll obtain a QR code which you’ll be required to point out at entry factors like Santa Lucia station or Piazzale Roma with a view to entry the historic middle of Venice. If you don’t pay the payment, you danger dealing with as much as a €300 ($330 USD) fantastic, so it’s sensible to ebook it on-line forward of time.
Have a good time in Venice!
I hope that your sooner or later in Venice serves as a teaser for what this magical metropolis has to supply — and evokes you to return for a for much longer go to. Because whereas Venice is good for a day, that’s nothing in comparison with what a number of days can provide.
I hope this itinerary helps you get pleasure from your time in Venice to the fullest!
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Have you been to Venice? Share your suggestions!