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Venice   Travel Guide

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20 Best Things To Do in Venice

Losing yourself in Venezia's charm is easy, but there are an endless number of bucket list activities and century-old landmarks to see while you're there. Touring top attractions like St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace is a

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St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)

This elaborate church sits on the popular piazza by the same name. The church was built in honor of St. Mark the Evangelist, whose remains were stolen in Alexandria, Egypt, by a couple crafty Venetians, intent on bringing him to rest in Venice. (What made them crafty? They smuggled the remains to Italy in barrels of pork fat.) 

Crafted from many different styles of architecture, today the basilica's opulence shines from nearly every corner – from the four full-size bronze horses that guard the entrance to thousands of square feet of mosaics to the Pala d'Oro — an elaborate altar piece commissioned in Byzantium by the Venetians. If you look closely at the center gable on the exterior of the basilica, you can even see a statue of St. Mark along with Venice's emblem: a lion with wings. 

Grand Canal Grand Canal free

U.S. News Insider Tip: You don't need to make a reservation for a gondola ride. Instead, speak with a gondolier in person the day you want to ride. You may be able to negotiate a lower price or longer ride if you're traveling during off-peak months, or if you find a gondolier along one of the side streets. – Holly D. Johnson

Considered to be the main street of Venice, the roughly 2-mile Grand Canal is one of the city's most popular and highly photographed attractions. Recent travelers recommend hiring a gondolier for a romantic row along the canal. If you're hoping to do this option, plan to fork over between 80 and 120 euros (about $87 to $132) for the ride.

Gondola Rides Gondola Rides

Taking a gondola ride is a must-do when you're visiting a city that rises directly from a network of canals. A relaxing journey on one of these light, flat-bottomed boats will help you admire the historic charm of Venice from a range of new angles, and to explore neighborhoods and buildings you won't see on foot.

You can prebook a Venice gondola ride online if you prefer, which typically costs at least $80 for two adults. Some of the best gondola tours you can book online come from companies like Walks of Italy , Venice Tours and The Roman Guy .

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Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) free

Several centuries ago, if you wanted to cross the  Grand Canal , the Rialto Bridge was the only way. There are now four major bridges that cross the canal, but Rialto is by far the most famous.

The bridge's current incarnation is the handiwork of Antonio da Ponte, who beat out Michelangelo and Palladio for the job. Antonio da Ponte's name translates to "Anthony of the Bridge," and he built the Rialto Bridge entirely of Istrian stone after it collapsed multiple times from previous designs. Predicted to fail by critics, the bridge still stands and is considered an engineering marvel. 

Teatro La Fenice Teatro La Fenice

The  Teatro La Fenice is one of Italy's most popular opera houses, and one that has almost faced its demise from not one, but three big fires since opening in 1792. Locals and visitors alike joke at the name (which translates to Theater of the Phoenix), and how it has coincided with the theater's unfortunate history: like a phoenix rising from the ashes, La Fenice has lived on.

Although renovated in 1996, the historic opera house still has an Old World feel with decadent, intricately designed gold interiors outfitted with plush, red velvet chairs, making it the perfect setting to take in the auditory/visual pleasure of classic Italian opera. In addition to opera and musical performances, there are also a variety of dance – particularly ballet – performances scheduled throughout the year. For those with a tight itinerary, the theater offers day tours.

Torcello Torcello

Torcello is a northerly island in the Venetian lagoon that sits nearby Burano, another island and tourist hot spot. Torcello features a range of archaeological finds, including the so-called "Attila's Throne" and the Palazzo del Consiglio — the Gothic-style seat government of the island. The Museum of Torcello is also worth a visit according to past visitors, mainly due to its displays of early Christian artifacts and the other finds from the island.

Most tours to Torcello also include stops at the nearby islands of Burano and Murano, which are both known for their artisan crafts and glass blowing. These tours typically cost $25 to $40 per person and last six to seven hours. Each one includes boat transportation with several interesting stops that vary by tour operator.

Campanile di San Marco Campanile di San Marco

This particular bell tower was constructed in the early 20th century as a replica of the 16th-century original. The original structure provided the optimal setting for Galileo Galilei's presentation of the telescope; it also served as a stage for tight rope walkers who would humor the doge (the highest Venetian official at the time) with their feats during the Flight of the Angel celebration. Today's campanile is used for sightseers desiring a Venetian panorama – though one with few canal views, oddly, since most of the canals are obscured from its 324-foot height.

Most visitors say the attraction is well worth your time and makes for a great photo. To avoid crowds, travelers say it's best to go early in the morning or later in the evening. If you join one of the best Venice tours , you'll likely pass by the iconic landmark on your jaunt through the city.

St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) free

St. Mark's Square, or  Piazza San Marco , is considered by many to be the heart of Venice. As the largest square in Venice, St. Mark's Square is the only piazza in the city. Lining the square are multiple historical sites including  St. Mark's Basilica ,  St. Mark's Campanile  and  Doge's Palace , as well as a number of restaurants, making it the perfect spot for leisurely people-watching and wine sipping. The square even has a handful of dueling piano bars that let you sit down and relax in a decadent setting, although the cost of food and drink at any of them is exorbitant.

Along with intricate architecture and hearty plates of spaghetti carbonara, visitors will be met with throngs of tourists, pigeons and vendors selling souvenirs. If you hoped to pick up a gondola hat or a carnival mask during your trip, this is the place you will find them.

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Bridge of Sighs Bridge of Sighs free

Centuries ago, the Bridge of Sighs, which connects the  Doge's Palace  to dungeons, was used to transport prisoners from the courtroom to the prisons. Legend has it that the Bridge of Sighs, or  Ponte dei Sospiri , was named for the sighs prisoners like Giacomo Casanova would utter as they took one last look at the outside world through the bridge's windows as they made their way to prison for good. On a much lighter note, Venetian lore says if two lovers kiss on a gondola under the bridge, they'll be granted eternal bliss. 

Recent travelers offer mixed reviews on the Bridge of Sighs. Those who enjoyed it appreciated the details of the architecture and unique placement of the bridge, saying it was a nice photo-op, especially while the gondolas passed underneath it. Those who weren't as smitten noted its lack of accessibility as the main drawback, saying that merely looking at the bridge was underwhelming. Other disgruntled visitors pointed out that the number of tourists, combined with the small amount of viewing space, made the bridge barely visible. For a better viewing experience, consider tagging along on one of the best Venice tours .

Santa Maria della Salute Santa Maria della Salute free

The Santa Maria della Salute was built to celebrate the end of the plague in 1631 and is dedicated to Our Lady of Health. Nowadays, many will recognize this magnificent Roman Catholic Church as the backdrop for many photos of Venice. There's a good chance you'll see it whether you take the time to go inside or not – at least from a distance. In fact, you can easily see the Santa Maria della Salute over the Grand Canal from Piazza San Marco . The church itself stands out due to its white marble facade and the 125 statues that adorn it, but there's much to see and explore inside.

The basilica features famous paintings by Titian and Tintoretto, as well as a remarkable sculpture called The Queen of Heaven Expelling the Plague. A 13th-century version of the painting "Madonna and Child" is also found within the basilica.

Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale)

Views from the Venetian Lagoon give the Doge's Palace an ethereal look – almost like it's floating on top of water. But it's fitting, as the Doge's Palace (or  Palazzo Ducale ) has witnessed an intriguing history in its role as the residence of the doge (leader), the seat of government and the palace of justice. Everything from execution orders to the affairs of Venetian leaders was carried out here; and a web of secret passageways and hidden doors reveals a decidedly mysterious past.

Along with the attraction's historical significance, Doge's Palace is located in the busy St. Mark's Square , which means it sees a lot of foot traffic. It isn't uncommon to see a line wrapping around the building, so book your tickets in advance, and if you can't do that, arrive right when it opens to avoid crowds.

Academy Gallery (Gallerie dell'Accademia) Academy Gallery (Gallerie dell'Accademia)

Originally an academy, this building was later turned into the Galleria dell'Accademia museum by none other than Napoléon. Today, it's filled with an expansive collection of Venetian art from the 14th to the 18th century by artists such as Bellini, Tintoretto and Veronese. 

If you enjoy art – especially Renaissance art – then you'll probably enjoy this museum. If not, you might be disappointed. Travelers who enjoyed this museum were primarily self-proclaimed art enthusiasts, while those who didn't identify as such reported being a bit bored.

Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, sometimes referred to simply as Frari , is a gothic-style church that was finished in the 14th century. The exterior is minimal in comparison to  Saint Mark's Basilica  because the Franciscans who built it wanted the building to emulate their beliefs on living a life of poverty. The interior, however, is a different story. Inside, you'll see works by Titian, Bellini and Vivarini, among other famous artists, and all for a cheaper price than the city's art museums.

Recent visitors appreciated the minimal entrance fee and the fact that it sits away from the frenzy of the Piazza San Marco . Others admired its intricate interiors, as well as its bevy of artworks, calling the church a "must-see."

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Jewish Ghetto (Ghetto Ebraico di Venezia) Jewish Ghetto (Ghetto Ebraico di Venezia) free

In 1516, Jews in Venice were forced to move to a small northwestern section of the island. Considered to be the world's first ghetto, residents were only allowed to leave the neighborhood during the day and were then locked up at night and guarded. Today, this area is a part of the Cannaregio  sestiere (district) and is filled with restaurants and shops (some offering kosher products) and several synagogues, which are open for touring. Although it's free to wander around the neighborhood – and you might want to do just that – the synagogue tours do cost .

For a deeper understanding of the ghetto's history, recent travelers recommend booking a walking tour; some of the best Venice tours include stops here. Several water bus lines stop near the neighborhood, but you can also reach it on foot. 

Peggy Guggenheim Collection Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Expat American art collector Peggy Guggenheim dedicated her life to gathering this impressive body of 20th-century contemporary art. The collection, which is housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the  Grand Canal  (also Peggy's former home), contains works by artists such as Magritte, Picasso, Pollock, Chagall and Dalí. In the sculpture garden, you can pay your respects to Peggy herself (she was laid to rest on the property), as well as her beloved dogs, who are buried beside her.

Many travelers agree the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is well worth the visit. Some visitors were keen to point out that getting to know Peggy's life, on top of seeing the exceptional art, made the experience more unique than merely visiting a museum. Others who also enjoyed the museum said its modern collection is a nice break from the traditional Renaissance paintings often seen in Venetian museums. 

Correr Civic Museum (Museo Civico Correr) Correr Civic Museum (Museo Civico Correr)

The Correr Civic Museum, also known as the Museo Correr, is a large museum that displays art and artifacts from Venice's history as well as the former royals' quarters. If you're also planning to visit Doge's Palace  (the former government seat and leader's residence), the standard ticket includes entry to this attraction.

Those who visited the museum said they were pleasantly surprised at how much they enjoyed the stop, considering it wasn't on their must-see list (though they recommend you add it to yours). Others enjoyed the museum's peace and quiet and said it's a great escape from the crowds in Piazza San Marco . Reviewers were also pleased with the on-site cafe.

Ponte dell'Accademia Ponte dell'Accademia free

Ponte dell'Accademia is one of the four bridges that crosses the Grand Canal in Venice. While not as famous as the Rialto Bridge , its wooden structure makes it truly unique from other Grand Canal bridges in Venice that are made of metal or stone. It crosses the southern end of the canal where it connects the Dorsoduro and San Marco neighborhoods. Consider stopping by the Gallerie dell’Accademia or the Peggy Guggenheim Collection before or after viewing the bridge, as both are nearby.

Visitors say this bridge not nearly as crowded as the Rialto , and that the views of the canal and surrounding neighborhoods are spectacular. They also note that a vaporetto stop is nearby, so it's easy to visit the bridge by boat if you don't want to walk. Not only will you want to cross the bridge to get views of the water, but also you’ll want to take photos of the bridge from the surrounding buildings and walkways, according to past visitors.

Libreria Acqua Alta Libreria Acqua Alta free

U.S. News Insider Tip: Many books at Libreria Acqua Alta are for decor only. Not everything you see is for sale. – Holly D. Johnson

The Libreria Acqua Alta is often called the "most beautiful bookstore in the world," and it's easy to see why. From its ancient stone walls to its cobblestone floors and embellished (and sometimes flamboyant) decor, there's a lot to see here other than books.

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Ca' d'Oro Ca' d'Oro

Ca' d'Oro is a patrician palace that was originally built in the 15th century in the Renaissance style coupled with Gothic and Islamic elements. Built by Giovanni and Bartolomeo Bon (famous father and son architects and sculptors of the time) at the request of the procurator of St. Mark, the building is located along the Grand Canal . Several stories high, the palace facade is adorned with marble terraces and intricate architectural design. The building features ornate cornices and cresting that was made to please local Venetian patrons at the time.

The building is worth a look due to its elaborate exterior, but art lovers should note the Ca' D’Oro Franchetti Gallery is housed inside. Past visitors said that a trip inside was just as meaningful as an outside view, mostly due to the exceptional collection of art and heirlooms. Art you can view in this palace-turned-gallery includes sculptures, antique furniture, 16th-century Flemish tapestries, paintings and more.

Rialto Market Rialto Market free

Located near the famous Rialto Bridge , the Rialto Market is a centuries-old market that features everything you would expect including fruit, fish and vegetables. Of course, many travelers head here to pick up souvenirs as well, some of which wind up being edible. Visitors to the market have said it's a vibrant and busy place that's ideal for buying local herbs and sauces, or trying out meats, cheeses, spices and freshly caught seafood.

What should you do while visiting the market? You can walk throughout and try interesting foods and sauces, and there are places to sit down and eat or relax. Hours can vary, but the produce market is typically open 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday and the fish market is open the same hours Tuesday through Saturday. To avoid crowds, try visiting first thing in the morning.

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Experience the best of Venice with this guide to the top things to do © Cavan / Getty Images

Visitors flock to  Venice year-round, and who can blame them?

Some 118 islands float on this fairy-tale lagoon, linked by 400 bridges. Each is crammed with dazzling palazzos and heart-stopping art – Venice really is a place like no other. 

All the famous stereotypes are true, to an extent. It’s spectacular and it’s just like the photos but, thanks to mass tourism, Venice’s world-famous sights are overcrowded and in precarious health (even during the quieter months ). 

It is worth remembering that even in the busiest areas, step just one or two blocks away from the fray and you’ll find empty streets and local voices in the neighborhoods beyond. Spend more time here – five days is a decent starter – and you’ll discover that the true beauty of Venice isn’t the wow factor of its blockbuster sights, as magnificent as they are, but within the quieter spaces, where life goes on as it has done for centuries. Once you glimpse that life, you’ll want to protect it.

To help counter the overtourism that is exploiting the city, stay overnight in a hotel or B&B (not vacation rentals, which hollow out housing stock), eat in family-owned restaurants, and buy souvenirs from Venice’s artisans who ply centuries-old trades. Then, not only are you helping the city stay alive, but you’re also ensuring a better trip – Venice done well is unforgettable.

Here are the best experiences in Venice.

1. Take in the Piazza San Marco

For many people, this waterfront square is Venice: the rolling domes of the basilica, the centuries-old cafes beneath the stately porticoes, the vast Campanile  (belltower) throwing its shadow around the square, high tide occasionally sloshing around your feet. There’s so much to see around  Piazza San Marco (or St Mark’s Square) that you could easily spend a day here.

Start in the  Basilica di San Marco , the Byzantine basilica that glitters with golden mosaics inside. Then move on to the Campanile, where elevators whisk you up 98.6m (323ft) for enticing views of Venice and the lagoon. Spare a few hours for the  Museo Correr , at the opposite end of the square from the basilica, which tells the story of the city through its objects. Need a break at any point? Stop for a coffee or a spritz at Quadri , our favorite of the 18th-century cafes in the square.

Local tip: Keen to understand these icons better? Time for some reading. Family-run  Libreria La Toletta in Dorsoduro is Venice’s best bookshop, with literally hundreds of volumes about the city. For kids , try  Ponte dei Sogni in Castello, whose beautiful picture books tell the history of the city.

2. Enter the seat of power at the Palazzo Ducale

If you only visit one museum in Venice, you need to make it this: the vast  Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), the Republic of Venice’s seat of power for around 900 years. With its pink and white facade squaring off against the lagoon, it has everything: mindblowing art and architecture, plus a whole load of atmosphere.

There’s so much to see here – every single room is plastered with works by some of the greatest artists of all time – that you shouldn’t expect to take it all in. But it’s worth saving more time for the rooms and their art than speeding across the famous Bridge of Sighs and through the grim prisons – although the latter is great for kids.

Planning tip:  Lines can get long here, especially before 11am. Skip the wait and book a fast-track ticket in advance through sites such as Ticketsvenice.com . 

Transform your visit to Palazzo Ducale by  booking with GetYourGuide.

3. Sail down the Grand Canal

Venice may be ideal for wandering, but its majestic palazzos were built to be admired from the water. Take the number 1 Vaporetto (waterbus) that plies the Grand Canal and experience one of the world’s greatest public transport routes .

You’ll find beauty every way you turn but heading south don’t miss: the Fondaco dei Turchi (once the headquarters for Arab and Muslim merchants, now the city’s  natural history museum );  Ca’ d’Oro , with its spectacular carved and marble-clad facade; Ca’ Foscari, the city’s beautiful university; and the bombastic octagonal  Salute church, right before the Grand Canal meets the lagoon.

Local tip: Get off at Salute, and walk down to Punta della Dogana for the best lagoon views, and then up along the Zattere waterfront. From here you can pick up a number 2 Vaporetto, which takes you to St Mark’s Square from the other side.

4. Venture over the Rialto

Everyone who visits Venice wants to see the  Rialto Bridge , the flouncy white crossing over the Grand Canal made of gleaming Istrian stone. Yet what the bridge leads to is arguably just as interesting. There’s been a  market on the western side of the bridge for over 1000 years – while it’s not the trading hub of centuries past, there’s still a lively fish market and a fruit and veg area too.

If you’re looking at the stalls, do remember to buy something, and don’t get in the way of other shoppers – this is still a real market, even if many tourists treat it as an Instagram backdrop. Stop for a drink beside the Grand Canal on Campo Erbaria –  Bancogiro is always a good bet for cicchetti (small snacks) – then lose yourselves in the surrounding alleyways, still full of food stores.

Planning tip: For a behind-the-scenes look at this most touristy of areas, take a tour with  Go Guide , a local group of guides who focus on Rialto.

Explore the Rialto effortlessly with  GetYourGuide . Book your tour today.

5. Be immersed in world-class art at the Accademia

In Dorsoduro, sitting quietly at the end of the famous wooden Accademia Bridge, is one of Italy’s finest art museums, the  Gallerie dell’Accademia . The meandering itinerary takes you through buildings packed with works that once hung from the city’s church walls, telling the story of Venetian art in the process. It starts with Paolo Veneziano, carries through to Carpaccio, Mantegna and Bellini, and then explodes into the finest works of Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese.

Detour: Near the Accademia are two of Venice’s best artisans. At  Cornici Trevisanello , the Trevisanello family has been making picture frames for the likes of Picasso for decades; they also make jewel-like smaller frames that make perfect souvenirs. Near Ca’ Foscari is bookbinder  Paolo Olbi , who creates beautiful stationery with hand-printed Venetian and Byzantine motifs. Further up towards Rialto, in Campiello dei Meloni, is  Il Pavone , where Paolo Pelosin makes everything from stationery to earrings with exquisite marbled paper.

6. Eat cicchetti in a bacaro

Three essential words for your Venetian stay: ombra , cicchetti and bacaro . Ombra (shadow) is the local name given to a small glass of wine served in a bacaro – a traditional wine bar or tavern. It may only be a small glass but don’t forget to follow it with cicchetti – finger food-style bar snacks, rather like Spanish tapas. You’ll find bacari all over town – when you spot one that looks good, make sure you stop.

Local tip: These days most cicchetti are slices of baguette bread topped with anything from cheese to fish but don’t miss old-style ones like a hard-boiled egg with anchovies, or sarde in saor – sardines in a sweet-sour marinade with pine nuts and raisins.

7. Seek out local traditions in Burano

Most visitors flock to  Burano to photograph its gorgeous candy-colored cottages. Fair enough – but to do only that is to miss out on one of the most special places in the lagoon. A fishing community since medieval times, Burano’s relative isolation in the north lagoon – a 45-minute vaporetto ride (or four-hour paddle) from Venice – has kept its culture intact. Or rather, it did until mass tourism hit.

Today, the Buranelli are assailed by crowds who come, photograph and hop on the boat back to town without spending a cent – but you can help them by practicing more sustainable tourism. Visit the  Museo del Merletto , which teaches you about the island’s lace-making tradition, and take a tour of the tranquil north lagoon with fisherman  Andrea Rossi , who’ll sweep you past mudflats and islands in perfect peace, with birds overhead your only company. It’s definitely one of the top experiences in Venice to change everything you think about the city.

Local tip: Stop for lunch at the family-run  Trattoria al Gatto Nero . Try the risotto di gò (goby fish risotto).

Explore Burano effortlessly with GetYourGuide.  Book your tour today .

8. Acknowledge the painful history behind the Jewish ghetto

The sinister word ghetto comes from the Venetian geto , or foundry – a clue to the past of this area, which was abandoned and undesirable when the Jewish community was forcibly settled here in 1516. Originally one tiny island, the area was expanded twice by the 17th century, with residents gated in every night, and living in eight-story "skyscrapers".

Despite the appalling conditions, the Jewish community flourished here, building no fewer than five synagogues that were as lavish as Venice’s churches. Guided tours of the area get you access to some of them, including the atmospheric  Scola Levantina , with scarlet-swaddled walls and a dark carved ceiling, redesigned by Venice’s 17th-century starchitect, Baldassare Longhena.

Planning tip: Book ahead for tours of the ghetto. The  Museo Ebraico (Jewish Museum) is closed for renovation until further notice.

9. Gaze upon the artworks in Scuola Grande di San Rocco

Forget Titian and Tiepolo – for many, Tintoretto is Venice’s greatest artist of all time. His finest paintings fill two floors of the vast Scuola Grande di San Rocco , one of Venice’s many scuole (lay confraternities that did charity work in the community), including the ceiling. They were decorated by Tintoretto to celebrate the end of the 1576 plague, which wiped out a third of the city.

There are more than 60 paintings of swirling Biblical scenes (Tintoretto revolutionized the depiction of movement and amped up the use of rich color), including on the roof of the main hall. This is Venice’s answer to the Sistine Chapel.

Planning tip: Many visitors see the Scuola and forget about the nearby church of San Rocco, which has yet more Tintoretto artworks inside.

10. View the Grand Canal from Ca’ d’Oro

Nobody loved Venice like Baron Giorgio Franchetti. In 1894, he bought the 15th-century Ca’ d’Oro, a Gothic palazzo on the Grand Canal so lavish that it was named the "Golden House". 

It had fallen into disrepair by the time he bought it and Franchetti dedicated his life to bringing the house back to its former glory, by rebuilding, repairing and filling it with sublime art. His ashes are now buried in the courtyard. It’s undergoing a major restoration, but the gallery will remain open throughout, with some parts closed, stage by stage. The views of the Grand Canal and Rialto market are spectacular from its balconies.

Planning tip: The best way to arrive at Ca’ d’Oro is by traghetto – a large gondola-style boat that acts as a shuttle across the Grand Canal. The Santa Sofia stop is right by Ca’ d’Oro, and connects with the Rialto market.

11. Get to know glass on Murano

Floating in the lagoon a 10-minute vaporetto ride north of Cannaregio, elegant  Murano is a mini Venice with opulent waterfront palazzos, knockout churches, and even its own Grand Canal. It is best known for its glass blowers, as it has been for centuries. Start at the  Museo del Vetro , the island’s glass museum, where you’ll learn that the art of glass-making was perfected in the Middle East, before Venice’s medieval trade links with Syria allowed it to copy the techniques and take it to new heights.

A small, easily digestible museum with a jewel-like collection, it’ll give you the background you need to appreciate the often tacky-looking glass ornaments in the shops. Ready to buy? We like  Lucevetro , where Cecilia Cenedese designs products and gets island maestri to craft them for her, while  Wave Murano Glass offers furnace tours and even lessons.

Detour: You may be here for glass but don’t miss Murano’s churches. The  Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato has a knockout 12th-century marble mosaic "carpet", while the  church of San Pietro Martire has works by Bellini, Tintoretto and Veronese.

12. Take in the modern Querini Stampalia museum

The  Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a fascinating space in a 16th-century palazzo, combining a museum, gallery, library archive and a modernist wing and garden designed by Venice’s 20th-century architect, Carlo Scarpa. The main gallery has works by the likes of Palma il Vecchio, Canaletto and Bellini, whose Presentation at the Temple is one of the city’s finest artworks.

It’s also a brilliant example of a modern museum: the information panels, redone in 2022, contextualize the art and teach you about Venetian life, from the poor conditions for house staff to arranged marriages and the banning of homosexuality.

Detour: In the square outside is the church of  Santa Maria Formosa , one of the few true Renaissance buildings in Venice.

13. Explore the city's finest churches

It’s no secret that some of Venice’s best art lies in its churches. But in a city which, as legend says, has a church for every day of the year, how do you know where to start? Buying a  Chorus pass is the way forward. Eighteen of Venice’s loveliest churches belong to this group – each is €3.50 to enter, but a pass for all of them, valid for one year, is just €14.

They’re dotted all around the city, so as you do your obligatory Venice wander, you can pop in for an art fix. All are worth seeing, but the standouts are  Santa Maria dei Miracoli (a marble-clad Renaissance jewel), and  San Sebastiano , frescoed and painted almost entirely by Veronese.

Planning tip: Some of the churches have limited opening hours. When you get your pass, ask for the map of the churches – it also lists opening hours.

14. See Venice’s birthplace on Torcello

This island just across the water from Burano is where Venice began. The first island of the lagoon to be settled, and then a bustling early medieval boomtown, today  Torcello is a haunting place of around a dozen inhabitants, and one big draw: the  Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta , the vast church that dominated the north lagoon for centuries. Still visible from the airport, its interior sparkles with Byzantine-style mosaics from the 11th century. It’s pure magic.

Planning tip: Visit  Torcello before Burano – if you do it the other way round, you’ll be trying to board a packed vaporetto back to Venice.

15. Pay your respects to Tintoretto

Peaceful Cannaregio is worth a stroll for its tranquil canals lined with grand palazzos, and for the church of  Madonna dell’Orto . This big barn of a place was Tintoretto’s neighborhood church – today he’s buried here, along with his artist children Domenico and Marietta, and its walls are covered with his paintings, as well as works by Titian, Palma il Giovane and Cima da Conegliano.

Detour: A short walk away is the church of  Sant’Alvise , part of the Chorus association, and famous for its spectacular trompe l’oeil ceiling.

This article was first published October 2021 and updated February 2024

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24 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Venice

Written by Barbara Radcliffe Rogers Updated Dec 22, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

In a city as filled with tourist attractions as Venice, it's hard to know where to begin. Perhaps the best way is to simply get lost for a few hours wandering through its enchanting little streets and passageways, strolling beside its canals, and finding its secret corners.

At every turn, you'll see something worth remembering with a photo. No matter where this exploration takes you, it's easy to find your way back to Piazza San Marco and the Grand Canal. Most of the best sights you'll want to visit lie around these two landmarks.

Venice is divided into six sestieri, neighborhoods that have distinctly different characters. San Marco is the central one, surrounded on three sides by a great loop in the Grand Canal. Across Rialto Bridge is the artisans' neighborhood of San Polo, and across the Grand Canal to the south is stylish Dorsoduro, with its prestigious art museums and lively squares.

At the outer edges are Santa Croce, Castello, and Cannaregio, home of the original Ghetto. Beyond the six sestieri – neighborhoods – of the city itself, you'll want to hop aboard a vaporetto to its islands: Lido, Murano, Burano, and Torcello. A fourth island, San Giorgio Maggiore, is worth visiting for the beautiful views of San Marco and Venice from the tower of its church.

To plan your stay so you won't miss any of the best places to visit, use this list of the top attractions and things to do in Venice.

1. St. Mark's Basilica

2. piazza san marco (st. mark's square), 3. palazzo ducale (doge's palace) and bridge of sighs, 4. canale grande (grand canal), 5. ponte di rialto (rialto bridge) and san polo, 6. torre dell'orologio (clock tower), 7. campanile, 8. santa maria della salute, 9. scuola grande di san rocco, 10. teatro la fenice, 11. ca' d'oro, 12. murano and burano, 13. peggy guggenheim collection, 14. explore the ghetto and museo ebraico di venezia, 15. santa maria gloriosa dei frari, 16. gallerie dell'accademia (fine arts museum), 17. santa maria dei miracoli, 18. palazzo rezzonico, 19. torcello island, 21. hear classical music in a church, 22. contarini del bovolo palace, 23. ca' pesaro and galleria d'arte moderna, 24. the arsenal and the museum of naval history, where to stay in venice for sightseeing, tips and tours: how to make the most of your visit to venice, venice, italy - climate chart, more things to see and do.

Certainly Venice's best-known church, and one of the most easily recognized in the world, St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) was originally the Doge's private chapel, decorated with Byzantine art treasures that are part of the booty brought back by Venetian ships after the fall of Constantinople.

The gold-backed mosaic pictures above the doorways on the façade only hint at the mosaic artistry inside, where 4,240 square meters of gold mosaics cover the domes and walls. These set a distinctly Byzantine tone to its soaring interior, but you'll find treasures from other periods, including later mosaics designed by Titian and Tintoretto - names you'll encounter all over the city.

The magnificent golden altarpiece, the Pala d'Oro , one of the finest in Europe, was begun by early 12th-century artists, and centuries later, adorned with nearly 2,000 gems and precious stones. If you can tear your eyes from this, the mosaic domes, and the multitude of richly decorated altars, glance down at the floor, a masterpiece of marble inlay. And take time to see the gold reliquaries and icons in the Treasury.

• Read More: Exploring St. Mark's Basilica in Venice: A Visitor's Guide

The vast expanse of Venice's largest square is brought together and made to seem almost intimate by the elegant uniformity of its architecture on three sides. But more than its architectural grace, St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is loved as Venice's living room, the place everybody gathers, strolls, drinks coffee, stops to chat, meets friends and tour guides, or just passes through on the way to work or play.

Three sides are framed in arcades, beneath which are fashionable shops and even more fashionable cafés. The open end is bookmarked by the erratic, exotic curves, swirls, mosaics, and lacy stone filigree of St. Mark's Basilica .

Above it towers the brick shaft of the campanile. For overviews of this busy piazza, you can go to its top or to the top of the Torre dell'Orologio , where a pair of "Moors" strikes the hour.

Author's Tip: Don't be tempted to sit on the steps around the piazza to eat a take-away sandwich. Or throw the crumbs to the pigeons. Both are illegal.

• Read More: St. Mark's Square, Venice: 12 Top Attractions, Tours & Nearby Hotels

Visitors arriving in Venice once stepped ashore under the façade of this extraordinary palace. They couldn't have failed to be impressed, both by its size and the finesse of its architecture.

If they were received inside by the Doges, the impression would only strengthen as they entered through the Porta della Carta, a perfect example of Venetian Gothic at its height, and ascended the monumental Scala dei Giganti and the gold-vaulted Scala d'Oro to be received in what many consider to be the palace's most beautiful chamber, Sala del Collegio.

Even jaded 21st-century travelers gasp in awe at the palace's grandeur and lavish decoration. You'll see works by all the Venetian greats, including Tintoretto, whose Paradise is the largest oil painting in the world.

Not open on public tours but included on private tours is a walk across the Bridge of Sighs to the dark cells of the Prigioni - the prisons from which Casanova made his famous escape. The best view - and the postcard classic - of the Bridge of Sighs is from the Ponte della Paglia , on the Riva degli Schiavoni behind the Doge's Palace.

Lines for admission to the Doge's Palace are often long, but you can avoid these, and see sections of the palace not open to general visitors, with a Skip the Line: Doge's Palace Ticket and Tour . A local guide will take you past the lines and explain the history and art in each of the dazzling rooms before leading you across the Bridge of Sighs and into the notorious prison.

• Read More: Exploring the Doge's Palace in Venice: A Visitor's Guide

Sweeping through the heart of Venice in a giant reverse S curve, the Grand Canal is the principal boulevard through the city, connecting Piazza San Marco , Rialto Bridge, and the arrival points of the rail station and bridge from the mainland.

Only four bridges cross its 3.8-kilometer length, but stripped-down gondolas called traghetti shuttle back and forth at several points between bridges. The Grand Canal was the address of choice for anyone who claimed any influence in Venice. Palaces of all the leading families open onto the canal, their showy Venetian Gothic and Early Renaissance facades facing the water, by which visitors arrived.

These grand palaces – or at least their facades – are well preserved today, and a trip along the canal by vaporetto, Venice's floating public transport system, is the best way to see them. Or you can see the palaces at a more leisurely speed on a Venice Grand Canal Small Group 1-Hour Boat Tour , which also includes some of the smaller canals. And, of course, a ride along the Grand Canal in a gondola is one of the most romantic things to do in Venice at night.

• Read More: Exploring the Grand Canal in Venice: Top Attractions

Once the only bridge across the Grand Canal , Rialto Bridge marks the spot of the island's first settlement, called Rivus Altus (high bank). Built in 1588, some 150 years after the collapse of a previous wooden bridge, this stone arch supports two busy streets and a double set of shops.

Along with serving as a busy crossing point midway along the canal, it is a favorite vantage point for tourists taking - or posing for - photos, and for watching the assortment of boats always passing under it.

The church of San Bartolomeo , close to the San Marco end of the bridge, was the church of the German merchants who lived and worked in the Fondaco dei Tedeschi (German Commodity Exchange) bordering the canal here. It has an excellent altarpiece, The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew , by Palma the Younger. The former exchange is now a popular place to go shopping.

On the other side of Rialto Bridge is the busy food market, where Venetians and chefs shop for fresh produce and seafood. In the narrow streets of San Polo, beyond the market, are artisans' shops and mask-making studios, one of the best places for shopping in Venice . You'll also find places to eat that are not so filled with tourists as those nearer San Marco.

Author's tip: If you're visiting Venice with children , look for the carnival mask and costume studios in San Polo. Masks are inexpensive souvenirs of their trip to Venice.

To one side of the basilica, facing onto Piazza San Marco, is one of Venice's most familiar icons, a clock tower surmounted by a pair of bronze Moors that strike the large bell each hour. The face of the clock shows phases of the moon and the zodiac in gilt on a blue background, and above the clock is a small balcony and a statue of the Virgin.

Above that, the winged Lion of St. Mark and a mosaic of gold stars against a blue background were added in 1755 by Giorgio Massari. The tower itself is from the 15 th century and typical of Venetian Renaissance architecture. Through an arched gateway at its base runs one of Venice's busiest streets, the narrow Calle Mercerei.

If you're in Venice during Ascension Week or at Epiphany, as the Moors strike each hour, you can see the Three Kings led past the Madonna by an angel. You can climb the tower for a closer look at the clockwork.

Standing like a giant exclamation point above the expanse of Piazza San Marco, the Campanile is not the first to stand here. The original one, erected as a lighthouse in 1153, collapsed dramatically into the piazza in 1902, and was rebuilt on a firmer footing. Also rebuilt was the Loggetta at its base, a small marble loggia completed in 1540, where members of the Great Council assembled before meeting in the sessions.

In the loggia at the base, you can see Sansovino's four bronze masterpieces between the columns, all of which were rescued from the rubble after the collapse. The Campanile has a grimmer side to its history: in the Middle Ages, prisoners, including renegade priests, were hoisted halfway up the outside in cages, where they hung suspended for weeks.

Today, the Campanile is a popular attraction for the views from the platform on top, which extends across the city and lagoon to the Adriatic (try to go early or late in the day, as lines for the lift can be very long).

One of the most photographed churches in Venice, Santa Maria della Salute has a postcard setting, rising at the tip of a peninsula across from the Doge's Palace.

The monumental Baroque church was built as thanks for the end of the plague of 1630. But the fragile land wouldn't support its tremendous weight, so its architect, Baldassare Longhena, had more than a million timbers driven into the floor of the lagoon before he could erect the church.

The vaporetto landing is right in front of the church, and the highlight of its interior – apart from the magnificent dome – is the Sacristy, where you'll find paintings that include Tintoretto's Marriage at Cana .

This impressive white marble Scuola Grande di San Rocco was built between 1515 and 1560 to house a charitable society dedicated to San Rocco. Soon after its completion, the great 16th-century Venetian artist Tintoretto won the competition to paint a central panel for the ceiling of the Sala dell'Albergo by entering the building and putting his painting in its intended place before the judging, much to the irritation of his rival artists.

He later decorated its walls and ceilings with a complete cycle of paintings, which are considered to be the artist's masterpiece. The earliest works, in the Sala dell'Albergo, date to 1564 and 1576 and include The Glorification of St. Roch, Christ before Pilate, the Ecce Homo, and the most powerful of all, The Crucifixion . Those in the upper hall depict New Testament scenes, painted between 1575 and 1581.

The lighting is not good, and the paintings themselves are dark, but you can still appreciate Tintoretto's innovations in the use of light and color. You can see the ceilings more easily with one of the mirrors that are provided. More works by Tintoretto are in the chancel of the adjacent church of San Rocco.

Address: Campo San Rocco, San Polo, Venice

The name La Fenice (The Phoenix), chosen at the constriction in 1792, proved prophetic, as like the mythical phoenix, it has risen from the ashes. The theater has been destroyed by fire three times, the last one, in 1996, leaving only the outer walls standing. Each time, it has been rebuilt, and continues to be one of the world's great opera houses.

Throughout its history, but particularly in the 19th century, La Fenice saw the premiers of many of the most famous Italian operas, including those of Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi, and today schedules performances of opera, ballet, and musical concerts.

Even after its reopening in 2003 with somewhat expanded seating, La Fenice is still a comparatively small opera house, so tickets are very hard to get, especially for major performances. You can take a tour of the spectacular Rococo interior, however, using an audio guide; these self-guided tours last about 45 minutes and include the public areas of the theater.

The delicate marble filigree by Bartolomeo Bon seems too lace-like to be carved of stone, and you can only imagine the impression this façade must have made covered in its original paint and gold. Along with the Porta della Carta in the Palazzo Ducale , also created by Bartolomeo Bon, The Ca' d'Oro is considered the most perfect example of Venetian Gothic.

You can admire the interior, too, as this palazzo is now an art museum, restored to provide both a setting for the art works and a look at the way wealthy Venetians lived in the 15th and 16th centuries. The connoisseur responsible for saving the palace, Baron Giorgio Franchetti, gave his art collection to the state in 1922, with works by Titian, Mantegna, Van Dyck, Tullio Lombardo, and Bernini.

A trip to Venice wouldn't be complete without hopping aboard a vaporetto for the ride across the lagoon to Murano, home of Venice's fabled glass workers. They were sent here in the 13th century in hope of decreasing the risk of fire from one of the glass furnaces sweeping through Venice's tightly compacted center.

Or so they claimed. Just as likely, it was to keep the secrets of glassblowing a Venetian monopoly. This was no small matter to the Venetians, whose Council of Ten decreed in 1454: "If a glassblower takes his skill to another country to the detriment of the Republic he shall be ordered to return; should be refuse, his nearest relatives shall be thrown into prison so that his sense of family duty may induce him to return; should he persist in his disobedience secret measures shall be taken to eliminate him wherever he may be." It was a lot easier to keep track of them if they were confined to an island.

The canal sides today are lined by glass showrooms and studios, showing everything from cheap imported trinkets to exquisite works of art. Inside the 17th-century Palazzo Giustinian is the Glass Museum , with one of the largest and most important collections of Venetian glass from the time of the Romans to the 20th century.

But it's not all glass: The church of Santi Maria e Donato combines Veneto-Byzantine and Early Romanesque features, a result of its various stages of building between the seventh and 12th centuries. Notice especially the columns of Greek marble with Veneto-Byzantine capitals, the 12th-century mosaic floor with animal figures, and the St. Donato above the first altar on the left. Dated 1310, it is the earliest example of Venetian painting.

The 14th-century San Pietro Martire contains several splendid Venetian paintings: Bellini's Madonna in Majesty with St. Mark and the Doge Agostino Barbarigo and his Assumption of the Virgin , along with St. Jerome in the Wilderness and St. Agatha in Prison by Paolo Veronese.

It's a quick hop to the next island, Burano, a fishing village of brilliantly painted houses, known historically for its lace making. The Scuola dei Merletti (lace school) and its small museum will help you distinguish the real thing from the cheap imports you'll find in most shops.

The slender campanile of the 16 th -century church of San Martino leans at an alarming angle, made all the more dramatic by its height.

The personal art collections of heiress Peggy Guggenheim are housed in her former home alongside the Grand Canal, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni. Although most of Italy's great art museums are filled with masters of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the Peggy Guggenheim concentrates on American and European art from the first half of the 20th century.

The low building, with its spare, white interior, is a fitting venue for these bold and often dramatic works, which represent Cubist, Futurist, Abstract Expressionist, Surrealist, and avant-garde schools of painting and sculpture.

The permanent collection includes works by Picasso, Dali, Braque , Léger , Mondrian , Kandinsky , Klee, Ernst , Magritte , and Pollock , and frequent exhibitions bring in works from other major artists. In the museum's sculpture gardens are works by Calder , Holzer , Caro , Judd , and Hepworth .

Address: 704 Dorsoduro, Venice

The Venetians called the foundry here geto , and in 1516 it was decreed that all Jews in the city would live on this islet, the origin of the word "ghetto." Residents could only leave in the daytime, and the gates were locked and guarded at night.

This part of the Cannaregio sestiere still has distinct Jewish presence, with synagogues and the Museo Ebraico di Venezia (Jewish Museum) with artifacts of Jewish life here from the 17 th and later centuries. Facing the Ghetto Nuovo Square, a touching memorial of bronze panels, created in 1980 by artist Arbit Blatas, remembers the victims of the deportation during the Nazi occupation of the city in 1943.

Address: Museo Ebraico di Venezia, Campo del Ghetto Nuovo, Cannaregio

This Gothic church was begun by the Franciscans about 1340 and finished with the completion of the facade, interior, and two chapels in the middle of the 15th century. Its impressive 14th-century campanile is the second highest in the city.

Although the interior is in keeping with the simple unadorned style of Franciscan churches, it contains a wealth of artistic treasures. In the right transept is an important wood statue of St. John the Baptist by Florentine sculptor Donatello, done in 1451 (first chapel to the right of the sanctuary).

In the sacristy is a triptych Madonna and Child Enthroned with Four Saints by Giovanni Bellini. In the left transept, the statue of St. John the Baptist on the stoup of the Cappella Cornaro was created by the sculptor and master-builder Jacopo Sansovino

The Monks' Choir is an outstanding example of the wood-carving of Marco Cozzi, with reliefs of saints and Venetian scenes. And the sanctuary contains the tomb of two Doges by Antonio Rizzo, and over the high altar is Titian's Assunta , painted between 1516 and 1518. The Mausoleum of Titian in the south aisle was a gift from Ferdinand I of Austria, when he was King of Lombardy Veneto.

You can't help noticing the pyramidal mausoleum made by the students of the sculptor Antonio Canova in the north aisle, and opposite, the large monument to Titian, also by students of Canova. Beside the Cappella Emiliani, which has a fine mid-15th-century polyptych with marble figures, is Madonna di Ca' Pesaro , completed in 1526 and one of Titian's most important works.

Address: Campo dei Frari, I-30100 Venice

Called " The Accademia " for short, this museum on the Grand Canal has the most important and comprehensive collection of 15th-18th-century Venetian painting in existence. Much of the collection was assembled from monasteries and churches that were closed and from the clearing of palaces of noble families, now displayed in the former Monastery of Santa Maria della Carità.

Some of the galleries, such as the first one, which contains Venetian Gothic Painting, have richly carved and gilded 15th-century ceilings. Works are arranged chronologically, so you can not only trace the evolution of styles, but can compare the works of contemporaries.

Highlights of the 15th- and 16th-century paintings are St. George by Andrea Mantegna, St Jerome and a Donor by Piero della Francesca, Madonna and Saints by Giovanni Bellini, Portrait of Christ by Vittore Carpaccio, and Madonna under the Orange Tree by Cima da Conegliano.

St. John the Baptist and a magnificent Pietà by Titian, Tintoretto's Cain and Abel and The Miracle of St. Mark, Paolo Veronese's Marriage of St. Catherine and Supper in the House of Levi , St. Ursula by Vittore Carpaccio, and several works by Giambattista Tiepolo are also worth special notice.

After the vast grandeur of St. Mark's and the soaring expanse of Frari, little Santa Maria dei Miracoli is like a fresh breeze, a masterpiece of Early Renaissance architecture by Pietro Lombardo. This jewel box of pastel inlaid marble was built from 1481 to 1489 to enshrine a miraculous picture of the Virgin.

Unlike Venice's other churches, whose facades are embellished with architectural flourishes and statues, Lombardo used painstakingly matched colored marble to create delicate patterns of rosettes, circles, octagons, and crosses on the facade. The method continues inside, which heightens the effect of the golden domed ceiling rising above gray and coral marble walls.

The nave is separated from the chancel by an exquisite Early Renaissance balustrade decorated with figures. It's no wonder that this is Venetians' favorite place to be married, as its interior is one of the most beautiful in the city.

Address: Campo dei Miracoli, Venice

Just as Ca' d'Oro lets you glimpse into the life of the late Middle Ages, Palazzo Rezzonico gives a vivid picture of life here in the Baroque and Rococo periods, in the 18th century. Designed and begun by Venice's master of Baroque architecture, Baldassare Longhena, the palace was completed nearly 100 years later in 1750 by Giorgio Massari.

The furnishings and collections complete the picture painted by the building, including its interior decoration of silk wall coverings, elegant finish details, and Flemish tapestries. The costume collection highlights the importance of silk production in Venice from the late Middle Ages through the 18th century, when it was a major competitor with Lyon, France.

Rigid technical regulations were enforced, resulting in some of the most beautiful silk fabrics ever made. So important was silk that even in times of war with the Turks, battle lines parted for the silk-laden ships to pass through.

The museum details the importance of luxury goods, particularly clothing and fashion, for the Venetian economy in the 18th century, when brocades embellished with gold and silver thread produced here were treasured throughout Europe and the New World.

Venice began on this outer island of Torcello, founded here as early as the seventh century, and by the 12th century, it was a flourishing commercial town. Of its palaces, churches, shipyards, and docks, only two churches and a handful of houses remain, dotted over the large island.

You can get some idea of the importance of Torcello from its cathedral, dedicated in 639 to Santa Maria Assunta . It is considered the best remaining example of Venetian-Byzantine architecture. It was reconstructed in 834 and 1008, and the portico and two lateral apses were added in the ninth century; much of the building dates from the 11th century. The mosaics lining the interior are outstanding.

The oldest of these are in the chapel to the right of the high altar, where 11th-century angels carrying a medallion with the Lamb of God show a strong Byzantine influence. The Fathers of the Church ; Gregory, Martin, Ambrose, and Augustine; were added later, along with Christ in Majesty between two Archangels .

The 12th-century mosaics in the main apse and the Virgin and Child above a frieze of the Twelve Apostles surrounded by flowers are all on a gold background. The west wall is covered in tiers of a Byzantine mosaic of the Last Judgment from the late 12th or early 13th century.

Along with the exquisitely detailed marble carvings on the rood screen, notice the 11th-century mosaic floor and the pulpit, which was assembled in the 13th century from earlier fragments.

Adjoining the cathedral is the little 11th-century church of Santa Fosca , on a pure Byzantine central plan with a portico. Your admission ticket includes the interesting little historical museum with artifacts from antiquity to the 16th century.

The long (12-kilometer) strip of sand that separates the Venetian lagoon from the Adriatic Sea was Europe's first real beach resort, and in its heyday, at the turn of the 20th century, was Europe's most fashionable watering hole for royalty and the day's celebs. Today, the grand hotels where they reposed still welcome guests and still own the beautiful fine-sand beaches, although for a price you can share them with hotel guests.

Public beaches are at the north end of the island, near the church of San Nicolo, where relics of St. Nicholas are revered. After considerable controversy between Venice and Bari, which also claims the saint's relics, it has been established by an anatomical expert that both have an equal claim; about half the skeleton, including the skull, is in Bari and the other half in Lido. The cloisters are lovely, and in the church are paintings by both Palma the Elder and Younger.

You can tour Lido on foot or a bicycle rented near the landing stage where the 10-minute Motonave or longer vaporetto ride from St. Mark's deposits you. The island is filled with Art Nouveau villas and hotels; to see the villas, wander along some of the side streets. In August and September, the Lido is the venue for the International Film Festival, held in the Palazzo del Cinema.

Two churches in Venice are venues for concerts of classical music , both featuring the works of Venetian composer and virtuoso violinist, Antonio Vivaldi. One of these churches, Santa Maria della Pietà , was Vivaldi's own, where he taught and composed the music for major church feasts. Near Saint Mark's Square, it is a beautiful mid-18 th -century church.

The other church where you can hear concerts is San Vidal church, in Campo Santo Stefano, not far from the Academia bridge. Along with the concerts, the church is notable for its magnificent main altarpiece, San Vidal on Horseback with Eight Saints, painted in 1514 by Vittore Carpaccio. Concerts in both these venues feature "The Four Seasons" and other works by Vivaldi. 123

During the 15 th -century renovations of an earlier Gothic building near Campo Manin, a unique spiraling staircase was added to the outside, creating one of the city's most unusual places to visit. The staircase spirals upward, encased by a balustrade and a series of graceful arches that give it an almost delicate air. The building became known as the Contarini del Bovolo Palace , referring to the Venetian word for snail.

Alongside the round tower, a series of 5 layered loggias decreasing in height with each level provides access to the building's five stories. You can see the exterior from the courtyard, or climb the tower for views from the roofed terrace at the top.

Address: San Marco, Campo Manin

The impressive façade of Ca' Pesaro overlooking the Grand Canal, was inspired by the Sansovino Library that stands across from the Doge's Palace, built a century earlier. The lavish Venetian Late Baroque interior contrasts sharply with the art displayed there, for the palazzo now houses the Galleria d'Arte Moderna.

One of Italy's finest collections of modern art, it contains works by important 19th- and 20th-century painters and sculptors including Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, and Auguste Rodin. Highlights include decorative arts of the 20 th century such as works in glass made by Carlo Scarpa in the 1930s and 1940s and rare furniture pieces by the cabinetmaker Carlo Bugatti.

The Museo d'Arte Orientale occupies the third floor of the palace, with collections of fine and applied arts from Asia. Highlights are the Chinese vases and Japanese enamels, porcelains, and armor of the Edo period.

Ca'Pesaro is reached by Vaparetto from the San Stae stop, at the church of Sant'Eustachio, more commonly known as San Stae. Step inside the church to see paintings by early 18th-century artists, including Tiepolo and Pellegrini.

Address: Santa Croce, Venice

The Arsenal, the shipyard of the Venetian Republic, was the largest and busiest in the world until the end of the 17th century. From its founding in 1104, it was continuously expanded, until in its heyday, it employed as many as 16,000 workers.

Closely guarded to preserve the secret production methods that enabled it to build a fully sea-ready ship in a single day, the Arsenal was accessible by one land and one sea approach only. So tight was its security that the Republic managed to keep its art of shipbuilding secret until about 1550.

At its imposing land entrance is a Renaissance-style triumphal arch guarded by lions brought from Greece as booty after the reconquest of the Peloponnese in the 17th century. Of the two lions on the left, the larger one stood guard over the port of Piraeus, while its fellow stood on the road from Athens to Eleusis.

Adjacent to the shipyard is the Museum of Naval History , displaying impressive booty brought back from the numerous maritime wars of the Republic, along with fascinating collections that include votive paintings made on wood panels in thanks for rescues at sea. These charming pictures are interesting for their depiction of sea life, not so much for their artistic finesse.

Models and artifacts relate to shipbuilding, the types of vessels afloat in the period that Venice was a sea power, and the Republic's strongholds throughout the Adriatic. A large model of the legendary ship of state Bucintoro , the Doge's sumptuous official galley, is especially interesting.

Address: Riva degli Schiavoni, Castello, Venice

While it's nice to stay close to St. Mark's Square, or between there and the Rialto, it's not essential for sightseeing. Attractions are all fairly close, and you'll have to walk between them anyway. Just as important is how close the hotel is to a Vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal. In addition to hotels near San Marco and San Zaccaria stops, consider those near Salute and Academia stops in Dorsoduro. Here are some highly rated and convenient hotels in Venice:

Luxury Hotels :

• Only a few steps from the Salute stop and one stop from St. Mark's, Ca' Maria Adele is a lush island of serenity near the Guggenheim Collection, with antiques-furnished rooms and superb guest services.
• The Gritti Palace, A Luxury Collection Hotel was once the home of a Venetian Doge, and its large, sumptuously appointed rooms (some with balconies) overlook the Grand Canal or a quiet piazza close to St. Mark's.
• Set on a small canal less than two minutes' walk from Piazza San Marco, Bauer Palazzo could hardly have a more convenient location for tourists. Opulent appointments include marble floors and Murano glass chandeliers; guest rooms and the rooftop terrace overlook views of the Grand Canal and other landmarks.

Mid-Range Hotels:

• Elegant and luxurious Hotel Ai Cavalieri di Venezia is also a walk from the Rialto stop, but well located near attractions.
• Londra Palace could hardly be better located, a three-minute walk from St. Mark's at the San Zaccaria stop, with balconies overlooking the lagoon; breakfast is included.
• The large rooms at NH Collection Venezia Palazzo Barocci overlook the Grand Canal, at the San Angelo vaporetto stop.

Budget Hotels:

• In a quiet neighborhood of Santa Croce, a short walk from a Vaporetto stop, about 20 minutes from Rialto and close to a good choice of restaurants, Hotel Tiziano has comfortable rooms and includes breakfast.
• Rio Venezia Hotel is just behind St. Mark's, a block off the Grand Canal.
• Also just steps from St. Mark's, Hotel Orion is on the shortest route to Rialto.

Exploring the Islands:

• A highlight for most travelers is a visit to the islands of Murano and Burano. The easiest way to explore these islands is on a five-hour guided Murano Glass and Burano Lace Tour from Venice , which includes motorboat transport to the islands, with visits to a glassblowing factory on Murano and lace makers on Burano.

Sightseeing and Gondola Rides :

• Venice is a little bit of a maze, and if you have limited time, taking a guided tour is a good idea. The Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride includes the best of both worlds, with an opportunity to learn the history of the sites as you wander the city and then relax and enjoy the scenery on a gondola ride.
• Alternatively, to just soak up some of the ambience, skip the walking piece and see the sites from the water on a 35-minute shared gondola ride while being serenaded on the Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade .
• A third option, the Venice Super Saver: Skip-the Line Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica Tours, Venice Walking Tour and Grand Canal Cruise offers priority admission to the two must-see sights with the longest lines, a guided walking tour that takes you to some of Venice's secret sights, and a water-taxi cruise along the Grand Canal.

Good to Know

• Beginning in 2025, day visitors will be charged an access tax of between €6 and €10, depending on the season and expected tourist numbers. Visitors staying overnight in Venice already pay a lodging tax of €1 to €5 per person per night for the first 5 nights.
• If you plan to use the Vaporetto, either on the Grand Canal or to visit the islands of Murano, Burano, Lido and Torcello, ACTV transit passes are a good value. Single fares are €9.50, and a full-day pass is €25, less than the cost of three single rides. Multiple day passes save even more: 2 days for €25, 3 days for €45 and €65 for an entire week.
• While Venetians are quite tolerant of the masses of tourists that pour in every day, the city has some rules for visitor behavior. While these are not uniformly enforced, recent violations have resulted in steep fines. Some that you should be aware of include prohibitions on picnicking in a public place, buying from street vendors, lying down on a public bench, putting padlocks on bridges, and leaning against store fronts.

Where to Go near Venice : After you've visited the city's top tourist attractions, you may want to explore some of the beautiful nearby towns. Only 20 kilometers away is pretty Treviso , enclosed by walls and with its own waterside villas. Padua , with its famous shrine of St. Anthony, is easy to reach by train or by a cruise along the historic Brenta Canal. Stop along the way at Villa Pisani, one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy .

Places to Visit from Venice: North of Treviso are the soaring Dolomites, with some of the top ski resorts in Italy but with plenty of things to do in all seasons. Along the Adriatic to the east is Trieste , where Italian blends with Hapsburg architecture reminiscent of Vienna. Following the Adriatic coast south, you'll reach Ravenna , with its magnificent Byzantine mosaics.

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40+ Must-see Places & Best things to do in Venice Italy (Tips by a local)

What’s in this article

Are you planning a trip to Venice, Italy, and wondering what the absolute best places to see and things to do in Venice are? 

In this guide, I cover all the must-see sights, landmarks, and top tourist attractions in Venice that are well worth your time. 

Venice is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s also known as “La Serenissima” by many, and was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon. 

The city’s symbol is the winged lion, also known as the Lion of St. Mark. 

It may be a touristy place, but it has a special allure that draws visitors from all over the world. It’s worth visiting!

It’s a city of contradictions:

• both ancient and contemporary;
• frantic yet serene;
• charming but at times just plain old worn out;
• romantic in spots but often overcrowded with tourists;
• beautiful but decaying.

It’s the city of masks, glass, lace, paper, and carnival. 

It’s the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region and is built on more than 100 small islets in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea that are connected by over 400 bridges.

It has no roads, just canals lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces.

The historic centre is divided into six sestieri (districts) that are linked by a vast network of bridges that span the canals.

Each “sestiere” is distinct:

Cannaregio is an authentic Venetian district filled with local people. It’s just a short walk from Venice’s Santa Lucia train station.

It’s also home to many Venetian Jews who have lived there for centuries.

Visit the “Ghetto”—the first Jewish ghetto in Europe (established in 1516). 

Castello sits on the largest island on the eastern side of the city and has several areas of interest for visitors to Venice.

It’s home to the Venice Biennale headquarters, with its exhibition halls and gardens, and the Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice’s magnificent shoreline that extends over St. Mark’s basin and overlooks the Grand Canal.

Dorsoduro is the most cultural and artistic district of the city. It houses the Accademia Gallery and is home to one of the four bridges that span the Grand Canal, the Ponte dell’Accademia.

Here you will also find Peggy Guggenheim’s modern art collection, housed in her former Palazzo Venier.

San Marco attracts all types of tourists with its famous Basilica di San Marco.

It’s also the city’s lowest point, so it’s frequently subject to the city’s notorious tides.

San Polo is the city’s smallest district.

Santa Croce is Venice’s only district where you can see cars and buses.

Furthermore, the lagoon of Venice is made up of 62 islands, the most well-known and visited of which are Torcello, Murano, and Burano.

However, there are numerous other islands to the north and south of the lagoon, including Sant’Erasmo, Chioggia, and even La Certosa, as well as numerous smaller islands.

And taking a vaporetto between islands while surrounded by the scent of the sea is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

But let’s get straight to the point and find out what the best things to do in Venice are!

Starting in April 2024, they’re implementing an access fee on certain crowded days. If you’re visiting Venice for the day, you’ll need to pay a 5 euro access fee. This fee applies to day-trippers. However, there is an exemption available for those staying overnight in Venice as well as children under 14. If this applies to you, you can apply for an exemption on the official Venice tourism website . The dates they’ve announced so far are: April 25-30; May 1-5 and 11-12, 18-19, 25-26; June 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30; and July 6-7, 13-14. On those days you’ll need the QR code from the access fee or exemption proof with you, or you could face a fine up to €300 if stopped without it.  It does seem like a bit of a hassle, but Venice has been struggling with the effects of overtourism for a while. This is their attempt to better manage visitor numbers and prioritize residents’ quality of life. The good news is you can easily avoid it by planning your trip for dates outside those announced so far. They may add more dates later in the year too, so it’s worth keeping an eye on requirements if you have Venice on your travel list.

Best places to see and things to do in Venice Italy

Venice is a city that is best seen by foot.

You’ll want to take your time and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of this beautiful city. 

If you only have one day and want to make the most of your visit, a private tour of the city’s main highlights is the best option.

Here’s my list of must-sees in Venice, organised by sestieri:

The Sestiere San Marco 

If you only have a day or so in Venice, it’s very likely that your visit will begin in the Sestiere San Marco. This is where the must-see attractions in Venice can be found:

Explore Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square)

Piazza San Marco is Venice’s largest and most renowned square, which is located right next to the lagoon.

It’s also the only plaza in Venice with that name; all other squares are named “ Campi .”

There is a huge white building covering three of the four sides of St. Mark’s Square. It’s called the Procuratie . It was once the building where the procurators, the people in charge of administering the entire Republic, were located. 

Nowadays, it houses the centre of sustainability for the city, the Archeological Museum of Venice , and the Correr Museum .

There are various old cafés on the square, under the characteristic Procuratie’s colonnades, where you can get a coffee; the most famous is the classic Caffè Florian .

It’s not only the oldest café in Venice, it’s also the oldest in the world. It was first opened in 1720.

However, be warned that costs in this area are quite expensive.

St. Mark’s Square , which is always crowded and bustling with traders and tourists, is home to several of the city’s most famous monuments.

Many of the attractions that I’ll shortly describe are located right here or nearby.

Take the elevator up the Campanile di San Marco (St. Mark’s Bell Tower)

Along with the basilica and the square, St. Mark’s Bell Tower is one of Venice’s most recognisable landmarks.

Venetians affectionately refer to it as “ El parón de casa ” (The Master of the House), because it’s the tallest bell tower in the city. Actually, it’s also one of Italy’s tallest bell towers.

The bell tower you see today is not the original one, as it collapsed at the beginning of 1900 because of structural problems. 

The new tower, the one you see today, was rebuilt in the same location and in the same design as the old one, and the beautiful entrance, which is located right in front of the Doge’s Palace , was designed by the famous Italian architect Jacopo Sansovino .

The view of Venice from St. Mark’s Bell Tower is spectacular, and from there you can see Venice, the lagoon, St. Mark’s Basilica, and various islands.

It was once used to check if someone was illegally entering the city. 

Even if you’re in Venice for just one day, I highly recommend climbing to the top of St. Mark’s Bell Tower. It’s easily accessible, there is also an elevator, and the ticket price is well worth the view.

Visit St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)

St. Mark’s Basilica is a great symbol of Venice and shouldn’t be missed. 

It was built in 829 and houses the relics of Saint Mark, the city’s patron saint .

Its façade is a work of art. It includes five arched doors and a large terrace with the famed four horses from Constantinople. 

The interior is just as magnificent as the exterior. The ceiling is totally covered in stunning gold mosaics, and the marble floor features an eye-catching geometric pattern. 

If you visit the Basilica between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. , the golden mosaics in the church are illuminated. 

To get the perfect combination, go to the magnificent St. Mark’s Museum , which also allows you to climb up to the terrace of the Basilica.

A stunning panorama of St. Mark’s Square can be seen from there.

However, plan your time carefully, as a visit to the museum will take at least an hour.

The church doors open at 9.30 a.m., but most visitors arrive much earlier.

That’s because the lines to enter St. Mark’s Basilica can be somewhat long. 

I recommend coming before 9 a.m. If you arrive early, you will have more time to tour the rest of the city.

If you don’t want to queue, you can book your ticket online. It costs €3.

Alternatively, you might take a guided tour to avoid the queue. 

See the inner workings of The Clock Tower (Torre Dell’Orologio)

The clock tower (Torre Dell’Orologio), also known as the Moors’ Tower ( Torre dei Mori ), is another historical monument to the left of St. Mark’s Basilica, which has been working for over 500 years.

This tall, slender building is one of the most important Renaissance palaces in Venice, among others.

On the façade of the tower, in the lowest box, is the marble astronomical clock. The dial of the clock displays the time, day, moon phases, and zodiac signs. This structure is truly a masterpiece of technology and engineering.

If you look above the traditional dial, you’ll see the first digital clock in the world.

The Winged Lion , which is the city’s symbol, is depicted in the highest panel against a blue background with golden stars.

On top of the tower is the Moors’ bell from 1497 and two bronze statues of Moors striking the hours. They’re not doing it at the exact hour, though.

They are twin statues, but one lacks a beard. The one with the beard is known as the “old” and represents the past, so he’s striking the hours a few minutes before the actual time. 

The other is known as the “young,” representing the future, so he’s striking the hours a few minutes later than the actual time. This is a reflection of both the past and the future! 

Many tourists are unaware that they may book a special guided tour to see the inner workings of this fantastic time machine.

You’ll also have exclusive access to the terrace and rooftop, where you may meet the two Moors up close. From here, you’ll have a totally unique view of Venice.

The Venice Museum pass includes admission to the Clock Tower for an additional fee. You must book your visit in advance, either online for a fee or in person at the Correr Museum, which is located at the opposite end of St. Mark’s Square. 

Tour the Doge’s Palace (or Palazzo Ducale)

The Doge’s Palace is another symbol of Venice. This Gothic palace was once home to Venice’s rulers and was historically known as the “ Palazzo Dogale ” since it was the seat of the doge. 

The palace was a fortified castle in the ninth century.

It was, however, repeatedly destroyed by fire, rebuilt multiple times, and ultimately used as a prison. 

Today, it contains the Doge’s Palace Civic Museum , which contains an amazing artistic beauty comprised of Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural elements. 

The inside is both magnificent and interesting, with several works of art by Titian, Tintoretto , and Bellini.

There is no better way to see the Doge’s Palace than through the eyes of a local who can describe the building’s rich history.

The tour also includes access to the well-known Bridge of Sighs.

You can also skip the line with this reserved entry admission ticket !

If you’re interested in Venice’s history, this is a fantastic option !

The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri)

The Bridge of Sighs is one of Venice’s most iconic symbols and is just a few steps from St. Mark’s Square. 

It was built in 1600 to connect the New Prison (Italian: Prigioni Nuove) to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace. It crosses the Rio di Palazzo.

The most prominent viewing point is from the Ponte della Paglia , which connects St. Mark’s Square to Riva degli Schiavoni. 

Thousands of people take pictures here every day with the Bridge of Sighs in the background since it’s regarded as one of the most romantic sites in Venice.

As a result, it’s also known as the Bridge of Love or the Bridge of Lovers; many gondolas pass this bridge, providing a spectacular perspective of the lagoon. 

Many tourists don’t know, however, that it’s actually called the Bridge of Sighs because it was built to connect the prisons with the Doge’s Palace. 

All prisoners had to pass through this narrow tunnel in order to receive their final sentence, which may have condemned them to a harsh fate.

They could gaze out the grates, sighing because it was possibly the last time they would see the sea and the magnificent vista of the lagoon.

The old jails were known as “piombi” because they were in direct contact with the lead-roofed ceiling. This made the prisons extremely hot in the summer and extremely cold in the winter.

If you’re wondering if you can go inside the bridge, the answer is yes, if you’ve booked a Doge’s Palace Tour . You may get the same amazing view from the grate that prisoners awaiting sentencing used to have.

Enjoy the view from Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo staircase

The Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is another must-see attraction in Venice’s San Marco district and a cool hidden gem in Venice.

If you’ve climbed St. Mark’s bell tower, you’ve probably seen it from every angle. In fact, the building is clearly visible from the top of St. Mark’s bell tower.

What makes this palace so interesting is the same-named spiral staircase, Scala Contarini del Bovolo. This late Gothic structure was built for the Contarini family between the 14th and 15th centuries and is close to Campo Manin and the Rio di San Luca.

The renowned spiral staircase, which earned the family the nickname “del Bovolo,” was first added to the palace at the end of the 15th century. This is characterised by a series of loggias and arches in the Renaissance style.

The staircase was carved inside a tower structure and provides entrance to a loggia that mimics its architecture on each of its five storeys. It’s known as the “Bovolo,” which is a Venetian term for snails, as it resembles a snail shell.

Finally, on the top floor is a domed belvedere with a stunning view of the city.

Book your visit here !

Visit Teatro La Fenice

The largest and most famous opera house in Venice is La Fenice, which is also located in the sestiere San Marco.

It was opened in 1792 and is considered one of the most famous opera houses in the world, hosting the most important and popular opera and theatre seasons.

The premieres of the most famous Italian composers, such as Verdi, Bellini, and Rossini, took place here.

It’s always enchanting, whether you go only to see it or to attend a live performance.

Despite the fact that it has been restored multiple times after the fires, the outcome is genuinely extraordinary: the stage space and ceiling are stunning.

The facade is especially remarkable, with white marble and columns reminiscent of typical Italian villa architecture.

If you visit the theatre, you’ll get a useful audio guide at the entrance that describes the history of the theatre and the artists who made it famous, with Maria Callas in the lead.

The best time to visit would be during orchestra practise.

Daily tours of La Fenice Theater are available between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., though schedules may be changed for artistic or technical reasons.

If you decide to attend a performance, make sure you are dressed appropriately; more information may be found here !

Walk through The Royal Gardens

The Royal Gardens were commissioned by Napoleon, who had the old granary of Venice demolished to build them; they were then renovated by the Austrians who arrived following Napoleon’s defeat. 

They built a greenhouse beside the Zecca bridge and a neoclassical-style Kaffeehaus on the opposite side.

The royal gardens were recently restored and were reopened to inhabitants and tourists in 2019.

They aren’t particularly large or spectacular, and there aren’t many exotic species to admire, but they are located on the Grand Canal, close to St. Mark’s Square.

There is also a lovely café near the royal gardens where you may stop for a snack.

These gardens are also a great spot to rest for a few minutes in the shade, especially if you’re visiting Venice on a hot day. 

Go to Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore

When you arrive in San Marco, don’t miss the magical atmosphere of the only Venetian square; then, after walking between the Caffè Florian and the wonderful golden mosaics of the Basilica, go to the island of San Giorgio. 

The island has a small dock for small motor and sailing boats, many exhibition spaces for temporary exhibitions, a wonderful Basilica built by architects Palladio and Longhena and with frescoes by Tintoretto, a monastery, and the Giorgio Cini Foundation’s beautiful Borges maze.

However, the island of San Giorgio is also an excellent location for viewing the labyrinth and the fish-shaped city from above. Venice has the silhouette of a fish, and like a fish without water, it cannot live; it is a subtle detail, but one that is easy to imagine from a panoramic perspective. 

“Venice is a fish” is also the title of a beautiful book dedicated to this fantastic city on the water by Tiziano Scarpa. 

San Giorgio is easily accessible by vaporetto number 2, which departs from the San Zaccaria landing stage (terminal), directly in front of the “Hotel Danieli.” 

You can purchase the card to travel by vaporetto to all of the islands in the Venice lagoon here .

The Sestiere Castello

The sestiere Castello is located in the easternmost area of Venice, near the sestiere San Marco.

It’s one of the city’s largest sestieri, and there are fewer tourists here. 

It’s one of those Venice districts that can be explored simply by getting lost in its “calli,” which are actually enormous in size when compared to those in the nearby San Marco district.

If you are in town for the Venice Biennale , you will undoubtedly visit this sestiere because the majority of the events are held here, in the Arsenale and the surrounding gardens.

If the Biennale is not taking place, some areas will be closed to visitors, but it’s still worth spending a few hours exploring its sights.

Here’s what to see in the Castello district:

Stroll at Riva degli Schiavoni

Riva degli Schiavoni is the name of the long pedestrian road that runs along the lagoon from San Marco to the Giardini della Biennale in the sestiere Castello, which houses the city’s most luxurious hotels.

The term has historical origins, dating back to the time when merchants from Dalmatia, which was known as Schiavonia during the Venetian Republic, landed with their ships and set up shop on this stretch of the Lagoon. 

The Venice shoreline was an essential part of the city’s commercial port because of its proximity to the city’s political and economic power centres. 

Today, it’s a bustling transit point due to the presence of several historical and artistically significant buildings, beginning with the Palazzo delle Prigioni, which was erected as an extension of the Doge’s jails. Casanova was imprisoned here, and his escape from this structure is described in the book “My Escape from Venice Prison.”

Continuing along Riva degli Schiavoni, you’ll then come across Palazzo Dandolo, now Hotel Danieli, a stunning 15th-century structure; Chiesa della Pietà, also known as Vivaldi’s church, since he taught singing in the adjoining convent and conservatory; as well as various bars and kiosks.

The view of San Giorgio Maggiore and the lagoon is also spectacular from here.

Visit the Arsenale di Venezia

The Venetian Arsenale, which covers a large area in the lagoon city’s north-eastern outskirts, is an old complex of shipyards and workshops that produced enough ships for the “Serenissima” to meet the demands of a naval power that was, for a long time, one of the most powerful in the world.

The word “Arsenale” comes from the Arabic word “darsina’a,” which means “house of industry, dockyard.” It was the largest in the world for centuries, with over 16,000 employees at its peak.

It’s reachable via a pleasant walk through the Castello district’s alleyways, where the calli are broader and it’s common to come across a field with laundry hanging out to dry in the sun.

This is mainly a residential area, and there are fewer tourists.

Venice Arsenal is currently owned by the Italian Navy and, for the most part, the municipality of Venice, which uses it to host the world-famous Venice Biennale, the renowned contemporary art exhibition.

Unfortunately, much of the Arsenale is not open to the public outside of these or other occasions, but it’s still worth a stroll to this point to explore the Castello sestiere.

Explore Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo

Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo is one of Venice’s largest campo (square), located in the sestiere of Castello, near to San Marco and Cannaregio districts.

The campo is well-known for Verrocchio’s monument to Bartolomeo Colleoni and the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, as well as the Scuola Grande di San Marco, a stunning Renaissance palace that serves as the entrance to the Ospedale Civile SS. John and Paul of Venice.

Check out the Libreria Acqua Alta (bookstore)

Every reader’s dream is to get immersed in books, in a world of words and vivid fantasies. The Libreria Acqua Alta is the ideal place to let your mind wander and seek out the city of Venice’s most hidden and ancient stories. 

It’s located on Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa and is one of the world’s most unique bookshops.

A massive collection of new and secondhand books is housed inside boats, gondolas, canoes, and tubs. Books are also used as real furniture in this place. Old encyclopaedias have been transformed into beautiful stairways, or they have been used to cover the walls of the outdoor courtyards, transforming them into colourful surfaces. The decor is completed with balls, oars, and dummies.

It’s truly a special site and a must-see, but I recommend visiting during off-peak hours because, thanks to Instagram, it has become a hotspot, and it’s frequently so crowded that you can’t even get inside.

Find the most intriguing house in Venice

Near the Libreria there’s a very unusual house, Palazzo as it’s the only house in Venice to be surrounded on three sides by water from as many as three canals.

At the location where this odd house is located, the Rio Santa Marina splits into two canals: the Rio di S. Giovanni Laterano and the Rio Tetta. This feature makes this house one of the most intriguing and photographed in Venice, despite the fact that it’s not a well-known palace.

This house is one of the most famous in the city, but it’s well hidden from tourists and off the beaten path.

Sestiere Dorsoduro (District)

Dorsoduro is the city’s southernmost district, linked to the San Marco district by the famous Accademia bridge. It’s bounded by the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal.

Here you’ll find the majority of the city’s universities, as well as several of the most well-known Venetian museums. 

It’s full of gorgeous calli and campi that are well worth a stroll through, and there are also far fewer tourists than in the neighbouring sestiere of San Marco, allowing you to wander around more freely.

And these are the things not to be missed in the Dorsoduro sestiere:

Walk through Ponte Dell’Accademia (Accademia bridge)

The Accademia Bridge is a lovely wooden bridge and is one of the four that span the Gran Canal. 

The first version was built in 1854, and the one we see today dates from 1933, when it was replaced because the old version had become old and not as solid. 

The beautiful church of Santa Maria della Salute can be seen from Ponte dell’Accademia, and it’s not far from St. Mark’s Square.

Visit the Gallerie dell’Accademia (Accademia Galleries)

The Accademia Galleries are a must-see for anyone interested in the works of important artists from the 14th to the Renaissance periods, such as Tintoretto, Titian, Tiepolo, and Longhi. 

In 1807, Napoleon III decided to collect the enormous number of artistic treasures accumulated during the suppression of hundreds of churches and religious institutions and make them available to the students of the Accademia di Belle Arti, which had recently been assigned the Santa Maria della Carità building complex. 

Ten years later, the Gallerie dell’Accademia was opened, and from 1817 to today, visitors can admire the greatest works of the Serenissima’s Grand Masters in its 24 rooms.

Among others, one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most important works, “The Vitruvian Man,” is carefully guarded and rarely exhibited by the Galleries’ curators to avoid deterioration.

If you’re really into art, you shouldn’t miss it on your visit to Venice.

Admire Peggy Guggenheim’s Collection

The Guggenheim museum is a true temple of early twentieth-century European and American art, built over years of research by the eccentric Peggy Guggenheim, a brilliant heiress, art dealer, and patron. 

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice is housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni and features works by Picasso, Dali, Modigliani, Carrà, and many others. 

Once inside, you can explore the garden, which contains numerous sculptures by artists such as Henry Moore and Alberto Giacometti, before proceeding to the rooms of the Palazzo, which was once the residence of the exceptional collector herself.

Explore Church of St. Mary of health (Santa Maria Della Salute)

The church of Santa Maria della Salute is located at the eastern end of the Dorsoduro sestiere, and its high dome is clearly visible from both St. Mark’s Square and the island of Giudecca, perfectly complementing Venice’s skyline.

The church is an excellent representation of Venetian Baroque architecture, developed following Palladio’s models.

It was built by Senate mandate to fulfil a commitment made after an awful plague epidemic that killed over 47,000 people in the first half of the 17th century.

It was completed in 1687 and has the shape of a crown, as designed by Baldassare Longhena.

This is the most important church in the Dorsoduro sestiere, with an octagonal design and a massive white dome capped by volute buttresses.

The inside is much grander, with a massive central hall surrounded by columns.

Take in the view from Punta della Dogana

Another must-see when exploring the Dorsoduro sestiere is the stroll to Punta della Dogana, also known as Punta della Salute or Punta (Dogana) da Már.

It’s a triangular point that extends the Dorsoduro district and splits the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal, not far from St. Mark’s Square.

Three notable architectural complexes are located in this area: the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute; the patriarchal seminary; and the Dogana da Mar complex, which gives the area its name.

Following Tadao Ando’s restoration, Punta della Dogana now houses the Francois Pinault Collection.

From Punta della Dogana viewpoint, you can see St. Mark’s Square on one side and the island with the majestic church of Saint Giorgio Maggiore on the other, which is divided by a small canal from the Giudecca Island. The Giudecca island is very residential. There are just a couple of churches, Zitelle Church and Redentore Church.

See how Gondolas are made at “Lo Squero di San Trovaso”

While strolling around the Dorsoduro sestiere’s calli, you may come across the Squero di San Trovaso. This building is made up of low structures and a tiny open space that directly overlooks the canals.

The Venetian word “squero” is derived from the word “squara,” which means “a group of people working together to create boats.” A squero is a boatyard, and this one is unique. It’s the birthplace of the distinctive, sleek black vessels known as Venetian gondolas.

The Squero San Trovaso is one of the city’s oldest squeros, dating back to 1600. During this time, Venetian shipwrights began to repair and manufacture gondolas.

The Squero di San Trovaso is particularly notable for its distinctive architecture, which resembles mountain cottages. And there is a twofold explanation for this: on one hand, both the carpenters and the building wood were from Cadore; on the other hand, the slope of the forecourt and the canopy that partially covered it were handy in case of rain, as well as for storing work materials.

It takes eight different types of wood and months of work to make a gondola.

They are still totally handcrafted by the few remaining “squeraroli” (master craftsmen), without the use of written designs, and they customise each boat to the buyer’s specifications. Each one is unique.

If you’re interested, you can book guided tours of the squero in order to view all of the production techniques. The visit lasts roughly 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you may watch the squeraroli at work while sipping a spritz at the legendary Osteria Al Squero on the other bank.

Enjoy the sunset from Fondamenta Zattere (Zattere waterfront)

Fondamenta Zattere is a lovely promenade that runs alongside the Giudecca Canal, almost like a seafront. 

Even Venetians prefer it to the overly touristy Riva degli Schiavoni for a wonderful walk in the sun. 

The view of the islands and the Giudecca Canal from here is stunning. 

It’s a very quiet promenade lined with important churches like the Gesuati, as well as the Madonna della Salute, period palazzi, and a few vintage shops. 

One of the most beautiful sunsets can be seen from here. When you arrive at Fondamenta Zattere al Ponte Lungo, treat yourself to a “gianduiotto” from Gelateria Nico and watch the sunset over the lagoon.

Sestiere Cannaregio

The Cannaregio sestiere is another of Venice’s biggest districts, located in the northern part of the city.

This is where Venetians who have chosen to reside in the historic centre live. There are several bustling bacari, especially after work hours, making it a perfect location for a bacaro tour.

Although it’s relatively unknown to most tourists, there is a lot to see here as well. 

Let’s find it out:

Do a walking tour around Cannaregio District

Cannaregio is one of the six sestieri (districts) of Venice, located north of the Grand Canal, and it’s one of my favourite places to visit in Venice because it’s very authentic and not as crowded as other areas of the city.

The sestiere of Cannaregio is Venice’s largest and most populous sestiere. It’s crossed by the Cannaregio Canal, the only one in the ancient city that, like the Grand Canal, is traversed by vaporettos. It connects the lagoon to the Grand Canal.

The sestiere’s name is thought to stem from the existence of enormous reed beds (land cultivated with common reeds) before the area was reclaimed and afterwards populated.

The Cannaregio district is a great place to get a feel for everyday Venice; it’s home to a number of small cafes, restaurants, and shops where you can stop for coffee, a cicchetto, or lunch.

It takes around ten minutes to walk from Venice’s Santa Lucia Station to the Cannaregio quarter. You must exit the station and turn left onto Fondamenta degli Scalzi, then walk along Rio Terà Lista di Spagna. You will then be in the heart of the Cannaregio sestiere.

Visit the Jewish Ghetto of Venice.

The Cannaregio district is also home to the Jewish Ghetto of Venice, one of the oldest still existing in Europe.

The Venetian ghetto was established in 1516 and is considered to be the first segregated community.

It was a small island separated by a canal, with only two bridges that were locked at night.

This was done to protect Jewish citizens against abuse and assaults by local Christians.

The Ghetto is home to Venice’s small and lively Jewish community.

There you will discover a world that has been preserved for centuries, including the sights, smells, and traditions of this historic quarter.

It’s divided into three areas: Ghetto Vecchio, Ghetto Nuovo, and Ghetto Nuovissimo.

The New Ghetto is the oldest area that was first inhabited by Jews, and to accommodate the entire population, the houses were developed vertically, reaching up to eight floors high.

Around the main square, you can see the presence of five synagogues, the places of worship of the Jews.They are located mainly on the top of the buildings and are characterized by the presence of five windows aligned, in symbol of the books of the Torah. 

The synagogues and schools are still in use today.

This location alone has a lot to see and learn. If you want to get the full experience, I highly recommend joining this Ghetto walking tour led by a local .

If you prefer, you can visit the Jewish Museum to learn about the history of the Jewish community in Venice and immerse yourself in its inspiring atmosphere.

The Jewish Museum and a visit to the synagogues

Every day from June 1 to September 30: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

From October 1 to May 31, the hours are 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily.

Saturday closed

Visits to the synagogues take place every 30 minutes, starting at 10:30 am.

Stroll along Fondamenta Degli Ormesini

Leaving Campo del Ghetto Novo, you cross the iron bridge to reach Fondamenta degli Ormesini. 

A fondamenta is a section of road in Venice that runs beside a canal or a rio. 

Fondamenta degli Ormesini is Venice’s longest, and is the natural continuation of Fondamenta della Misericordia, a street that runs alongside Rio de la Misericordia. 

This is where Venetians mingle with tourists (though there aren’t many of them), and students.

It’s peaceful in the mornings and early afternoons, making it an ideal spot for a stroll. 

There are numerous tiny pubs here where you can stop for a coffee, a spritz, or an “ombra,” as a glass of wine is known in Venice.

Cross Ponte Chiodo

Ponte Chiodo is an ancient bridge in the Sestiere di Cannaregio, within a few metres of the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, one of the renowned architect Jacopo Sansovino’s works. 

It’s Venice’s only bridge without a parapet, or railing.

Originally, all bridges in Venice were constructed without side defences known as parapets, or bande. 

However, beginning in the nineteenth century, they were all equipped with parapets for safety reasons. 

Nowadays, there are only two bridges without safety barriers: Ponte Chiodo in Venice and Ponte del Diavolo on the island of Torcello. 

It’s definitely one of those hidden gems worth checking out as part of a secret Venice tour.

Stroll along Strada Nova and visit Campo Santa Sofia

From Ponte Chiodo, continue on Fondamenta San Felice, and after crossing the San Felice bridge, you’ll find yourself on Strada Nova. While you’re in the area, if you’re feeling hungry, you should try the meatballs at La Vedova; they’re the best in Venice. 

After regenerating, proceed to Campo Santa Sofia, which overlooks the Grand Canal. 

The campo’s name comes from the church of S. Sofia, which was rebuilt in the late 17th century to a design by Antonio Gaspari, whose bell tower and façade stand just behind a 19th-century building lining the Strada Nuova.

From here you can cross the Grand Canal on a gondola ferry, which connects Campo Santa Sofia directly with the Pescheria, known as the Rialto market. 

Find the narrowest “calle” in Venice.

Calle Varisco is Venice’s smallest street, measuring only 53 cm wide. It’s located in the Cannaregio sestiere and has a view of the Rio dei SS. Apostoli.

Actually, only the last segment of the calle is that narrow, leading to the canal “introduced” by a Doric column.

Calle Varisco is located around midway between the Rialto Bridge and Fondamenta Nove. 

Visit the Churches of Santa Maria Dei Miracoli & Santa Maria Assunta

If you enjoy religious architecture, in the Cannaregio sestiere you’ll find the Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli overlooking the Campo dei Miracoli, a quiet and little-known place. 

The church is a work of art, a little marble treasure chest. It’s considered Pietro Lombardo’s masterpiece and the first example of Renaissance architecture in Venice.

Instead, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta can be found at Campo dei Gesuiti, not far from Fondamenta Nove.

It was built in the 12th century and renovated in the 18th century, and it boasts a majestic Baroque facade filled with statues. The interior design has white and green marble inlays on the walls, which are accented by gilded stucco.

The pulpit is distinctive, with stone drapery that gives the appearance of fabric. The altar, with its twisted columns encircling the sculptural complex with the cross, is also worth seeing.

Aside from that, there are masterpieces by Tintoretto (the Assumption of the Virgin) and Titian (Martyrdom of St. Lawrence).

The Church of the Scalzi, also known as the Church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, is located near the station and was built at the initiative of the Carmelitani Scalzi. It is an example of Baroque art. This church has a view of the Grand Canal.

The Church of the Madonna dell’Orto is another noteworthy church in the Cannaregio sestiere. A true example of Venetian Gothic architecture, with paintings by Tintoretto on the inside.

Take a Bacaro tour

A trip to Venice isn’t complete without a stop at a bacaro, and Cannaregio is the sestiere with the best bacari.

These places, which are often open throughout the day and late into the evening, provide a fast bite to eat: “un cicchetto e un’ombra.”

A cicchetto is a little taste of hot or cold fish, and cold cuts served on a piece of bread. Tramezzini, bread with baccalà mantecato, sarde in saor, meatballs, and many other Venetian specialties are examples. The composition of cicchetti changes based on the season.

“Un’ombra”, on the other hand, is simply a glass of wine. It’s thought to have originated from the historical custom of merchants positioning their stalls under the shade of St Mark’s bell tower to keep the wine cool; still today, people in the floating city say “andar per ombre” (to go for shadows) to imply the mid-morning snack routine.

There are several bacari (small pubs) in Venice that serve cicchetti, and they are especially popular among Venetians, which is why you will find them in less touristy areas of the city.

Get lost in a maze of ”calli” and stumble upon Venice’s mysterious Campo dei Mori

Campo dei Mori is a square named after three statues set in the wall of the Palazzo Mastelli del Cammello (the well-known palace with a camel on its façade).

The Mastelli family, who migrated to Venice in the Middle Ages from the Morea (thus the name “Mori”), built this mansion and the other buildings in Campo dei Mori.

The family consisted of three brothers: Rioba, Sandi, and Alfani, who traded in silks and spices but also managed a bank.

A swindled lady, according to legend, prayed to Santa Maria Maddalena to curse the three brothers who were turned into sculptures, which were then put in a niche in

Campo dei Mori as a warning to all Venetians.

The most famous of the three statues is that of Sior Antonio Rioba; in the nineteenth century, the statue lost its nose and was repaired with an improvised piece of iron.

This gave rise to the belief that rubbing it brought good luck.

At Fondamenta dei Mori, at the foot of the bridge, is the 15th century Gothic house that was the home of the famous Venetian painter Tintoretto , where he died in 1594.

Near this campo is also the church of Madonna dell’Orto , which is one of the most beautiful examples of gothic architecture in Venice. Inside you’ll find 10 large paintings by Tintoretto, who is also buried here.

Sestieri San Polo and Santa Croce

The districts of Santa Croce (further west) and San Polo (further east and up to St. Mark’s) are located on the other side of the Grand Canal, in front of the Cannaregio district.

Some of Venice’s most famous sites can be found here among old palazzi and scenic alleyways, beginning with the Rialto bridge, which connects Cannaregio to San Polo. 

Visit the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge ( Ponte di Rialto )

There are four large bridges that span the Grand Canal in Venice. Rialto Bridge is the oldest, and it’s also one of the city’s most famous landmarks. 

It’s well known for both its architecture and its history.

Until the mid-1800s, it was the only bridge that allowed people to cross the Grand Canal. 

For many years, it was the economic centre of Venice.

It was designed by architect Antonio da Ponte and built between 1588 and 1591 to replace the previous wooden construction, which had collapsed twice and burned on multiple occasions. 

The bridge’s structure has two inclined ramps connected by a portico in the centre, and houses 24 tiny shops for tourists on both sides. 

The Rialto Bridge offers one of the most spectacular views of the entire city.

Check out the Rialto Market

Rialto’s Market is one of the best places to experience authentic Venetian folklore. 

It’s one of the oldest in Venice and is open every day except Sunday. 

The culinary tradition of the floating city is naturally based on fish, which is always purchased fresh at the fish market. 

That’s why the market is usually busy, with crowds of Venetians buying ingredients for Venetian cuisine and tourists intrigued by the picturesque market and its plethora of goods: fruit, vegetables, and fish.

The market area is now so busy and touristy that it has lost some of its primary business character and has turned into a meeting place as well. 

Indeed, the neighborhood is teeming with a growing number of tourist-related activities and cafes for aperitifs and evening gatherings, where one can linger to enjoy a traditional Venetian ciccheto, or some fresh fruit.

A tidbit about the Rialto fish market: One of the scenes in the movie “The Tourist,” starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, was shot right here. 

Rooftop view over the Grand Canal from Fondaco dei Tedeschi

Head to Fondaco dei Tedeschi’s rooftop terrace for a unique view of Venice’s main boulevard. This old building in Venice is just steps away from the Rialto Bridge. 

It has stood since the 13th century and was rebuilt after a fire between 1505 and 1508. 

It was home to German merchants who used it as a warehouse and lodging. 

Fondaco is derived from the Arabic term funduq, which means “warehouse,” and the Italian word “Tedeschi” that means “Germans.” 

It now houses a high-end department store selling luxurious goods. 

The terrace is free to visit, but reservations are required. It is open every day from 10:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Book here !

Admire the Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

The Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, often known as the Basilica dei Frari, is Venice’s largest church. It’s located in the heart of the San Polo district, on the Campo dei Frari, and its façade is framed by a tiny canal.

The plain and unimpressive exterior stands in stark contrast to the beautiful interior.

The church took over a century to build and was finished in the mid-15th century. Its bell tower, which dates back to the 14th century, is the second highest in Venice.

What will catch your attention as soon as you enter the Basilica is a Titian painting titled “Assumption of the Virgin.” It’s on the main altar, surrounded by stained-glass windows.

Other points of interest include Antonio Canova’s mausoleum (Canova was an 18th century Italian sculptor). The artist’s students created the funeral monument. You will be surprised by its monumental size, sculptures, and pyramid shape.

And the choir chapel houses magnificent paintings by Vivarini and Bellini.

Walk through Ponte degli Scalzi

The Ponte degli Scalzi, one of the bridges that span the Grand Canal, connects the sestiere of Santa Croce to that of Cannaregio.

The Ponte degli Scalzi is located near two churches on opposing banks of the canal: the church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, also known as the Scalzi church after the monks who built it, and the church of San Simeon Piccolo.

It’s also known as the Station Bridge because of its proximity to the railway station.

Experience the Grand Canal (Canal Grande) on a Vaporetto tour

As you know, Venice is also known as the “floating city” because there are no streets, only canals.

The Grand Canal is Venice’s largest and most famous canal; it could be considered the city’s thoroughfare. 

It is actually 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) long and runs through Venice’s entire historic center, dividing it in half and forming an “s” shape.

Some of the most beautiful Venetian architecture can be found here.

You may be surprised to learn that the Grand Canal is only crossed by four bridges and has only a few promenades along it.

The area around the Rialto Bridge is the most beautiful part of the canal that you can explore on foot.

Here you’ll find large waterfront promenades lined with restaurants and cafés. It’s a nice place to have a drink and watch the canal go by.

However, the best way to explore the Grand Canal’s surroundings is from the water, which you can do by taking a vaporetto , or gondola. 

A Vaporetto (water taxi) is essentially a floating public bus that makes frequent stops across the city and is the most affordable and convenient way to get around Venice.

A Vaporetto tour of the Grand Canal is a must-do since it allows you to admire Venetian art from a different angle.

The section of the canal south-west of the Rialto Bridge is the most beautiful and should not be missed. So, if you take a boat between St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge, you will see the best of Venice! 

You can also take these water taxis to reach other islands near Venice, such as Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

If you’re on a tight budget and visiting Venice, this is the best way to get around!

Take a gondola ride

If you want to get the classic “Venice” experience, a gondola ride is a must. 

Riding a gondola is probably the most famous thing to do in Venice and it’s definitely something you should try at least once, even if it’s not cheap. 

I highly recommend going for a ride at sunset when the city is less crowded and all the buildings and churches are lit up.

There are plenty of places where you can take one—the Grand Canal is lined with them, and there are many options on the smaller canals as well.

Hop on a Gondola Traghetto (Gondola Ferry)  

Have you ever wondered how Venetians get from one side of the Grand Canal to the other when none of the four bridges are nearby? They simply take the gondola ferry.

At various points along the Grand Canal (away from the bridges), you can travel from one bank to the other in a gondola piloted by two gondoliers who shift between the banks. Locals pay less than one euro, while tourists pay two euros. The Gondola has a capacity of 14 passengers. 

This is the experience for you if you want to feel the thrill of riding a gondola without spending a lot of money.

One is the Santa Sofia ferry, which departs from Strada Nuova and crosses the Grand Canal to take you to the Pescheria.

Simply follow the ‘Traghetto’ signs to the nearest landing, which will be a little wooden pier along the Grand Canal’s edge. If the service is active, the boats normally shuttle continuously, so you won’t have to wait long.

If you have a Venezia Unica card , the ticket costs €0.70; if you don’t have the card, the ticket costs €2.00.

Go on a Venetian Mask making class

Venice is known to be one of the most romantic cities in the world, but its beauty isn’t just skin deep.

The city’s famous mask-making tradition dates back to at least the 14th century, when Carnival first came to Venice. The masks were worn as part of elaborate disguises, allowing people to take on a new identity during this time of year.

Venetian masks have been made since ancient times, but they were particularly popular during the Carnival season. They were worn by nobles as well as commoners during celebrations.

The tradition continues today; during Carnival all over Italy, people wear colourful masks, mostly based on historical characters or famous people.

Venice’s mask-making tradition has been passed down through generations of artisans who still create beautiful masks today.

To really appreciate this art form and the patience and mastery required to make the perfect mask, join this mask-making workshop with a local master artisan to learn about the history of this ancient tradition.

Visit Murano glass factory and join a Murano Glass workshop with a Local Artisan

While you’re in Venice, take a tour of the Murano glass factory. You’ll see how this famous Italian art form is made, and you can even buy some souvenirs.

These works of art come in many shapes and sizes, and each one is one-of-a-kind since each one is hand-blown by trained craftsmen utilising centuries-old techniques passed down through generations.

They make everything from Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers to contemporary art glass and glass jewellery.

Watching a craftsman at work may look simple, but if you really want to learn the secrets of Murano glassmaking techniques, getting hands-on experience is the best way to truly appreciate what’s involved.

If you wish you can take a private glassmaking lesson where you’ll get hands-on experience with one of Venice’s most renowned craftsmen.

This workshop with a local artisan includes all materials, including your own marvellous glass artwork to take home, as well as a 10% discount on the artist’s glassworks.

Take a boat ride to Burano Island in Venice

Take a boat ride to the cheerful island of Burano, an ancient fishing village founded in 639 AD.

Visit the church of San Martino, which has been recently restored. The church has beautiful frescoes and paintings on display, including works by Giambattista Tiepolo and Francesco Guardi. 

Visit the  Burano Lace Museum,  a beautiful gothic building that was once the Lace School, where young Burano girls learned to make lace.

Burano is still regarded as the most expensive lace in the world.

One Day Itinerary

Venice is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, with something for everyone.

Although I believe that visiting Venice requires more than one day, I also understand that many people, for various reasons, are unable to stay longer than one day. 

So, to help you better plan your time in Venice here is a one day itinerary suggestion:

Begin your day with a Vaporetto tour along the Grand Canal. Hop on vaporetto line 1 from either Piazzale Roma or the train station.

If you get to the front of the line at Piazzale Roma, or the at the station, you might be able to choose an outdoor seat if you move quickly, this way you’ll have a better view.

However, the service runs every ten minutes, so you could always be the first to board the next vaporetto.

After about 45 minutes, get off at San Zaccaria. This is the stop after St. Mark’s, so this way you’ll have the opportunity to admired St Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) and the Doge Palace from the water.

Visit St Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile, the Doge Palace, the Bridge of sighs. To get the most out of it you may want to book a tour with a local guide. Treat yourself at one of the cafes in the square.

After exploring St Mark’s, visit the Rialto district, wander around the market, take in the view from one of the many cafes in the area, book a visit at T Fondaco dei Tedeschi for a top view and possibly book a private tour with a local guide to get a feel for the city.

If you can stay for three days, you can get a real sense of Venice by visiting its galleries and churches, which are filled with important works of art, as well as venturing off the beaten path. A week is sufficient time to explore not only the city, but also the lagoon and surrounding area, as well as to visit lands and travel to a nearby mainland town, such as Verona , Bologna , or Padua.

Check out Venice best tours

How to get to there?

There are several ways of getting to Venice:

The main international hub for Venice is Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). The airport is connected to the city by water taxi, by the Alilaguna motor boat, or by using the “Venezia Air Terminal” bus.

The island of Venice can also be reached via Treviso Airport (TSF) by taking the ATVO Bus Express line, which takes around 60 minutes to reach one of Venice’s main tourist hubs, Piazzale Roma, from where particular Actv public transportation navigation lines can be used to reach the old city center.

A transfer service also runs from and to the airport.

Ponte della Libertà is the only bridge connecting Venice to the mainland, finishing in Piazzale Roma, the only place in the city where cars can enter.

There are various car parks at Piazzale Roma, both internal and external, but pay attention to the charges, which are not all the same and vary from one car park to the other. 

Check all the options and then select the one that’s most suitable for you.

You can also park in Tronchetto, which can be reached by turning right at the end of Ponte della Libertà, just before arriving at Piazzale Roma. There is both indoor and outdoor parking available here as well.

You can easily get to the city center from either of these sites via water bus, water taxi, or by foot.

If you arrive in Venice by train, you’ll arrive at the Santa Lucia train station, an impressive building located in the Santa Croce district, right at the beginning of the Canal Grande.

You can easily walk from the station to the city center by following Strada Nuova or by boarding the vaporetto from one of the piers in front of the station.

As you can see from the list above,there are many ways to explore Venice, Italy.

Whether it be its colorful buildings or unique history that make it so special, there are endless opportunities for you to enjoy yourself while visiting one of Europe’s most popular destinations.

If you’ve never been before, I highly recommend taking this Venice free tour of the historic centre!

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of all Venice attractions.

You could also take a cooking class, go on a dinner cruise on the lagoon , or even go kayaking on the canals.

However, if you visit the majority of the attractions on this list, you’ll have seen the best that Venice has to offer! 

I hope you found this guide to the best things to do in Venice Italy useful and that it helps you plan a nice itinerary for a truly memorable visit to one of the world’s most unique cities.  If you’re planning a trip to Italy you may also want to read this post .

Ciao and safe travel!

I'm a freelance travel writer and SEO copywriter, and I absolutely love what I do. Writing has always been a passion of mine, and traveling is the ultimate source of inspiration for me. In fact, I became particularly drawn to planning travel experiences in Italy back in 2015, and I've been hooked ever since!

I'm what you might call a "slow traveler" - someone who likes to take their time exploring new places and soaking up different cultures. And when I started writing about my travels a few years ago, I was blown away by the incredible opportunity it gave me to share my experiences with others and learn from them in turn. It's truly an amazing thing!

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Home » Travel Guides » Italy » 15 Best Things to Do in Venice (Italy)

15 Best Things to Do in Venice (Italy)

Venice is a city of immense beauty and historical significance, but it is also unique and not like any other city in Italy. As the capital of the Veneto Region of Northern Italy, Venice actually lies on 117 small islands that are connected by a series of bridges and separated by a network of canals. With a population of around 250,000, Venice is not one of the largest cities in Veneto, but it is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.

During the Middle Ages and the Italian Renaissance, Venice was an extremely powerful stronghold and served as a major financial and military centre. Furthermore, it was a place that saw great cultural and artistic development and was renowned worldwide.

Today, Venice remains an important economic centre and is one of the most popular cities for tourism in the world – Sights like St. Marks’s Basilica and the Grand Canal draw millions of visitors to this small group of islands on an annual basis.

Lets explore the best things to do in Venice :

1. St. Mark’s Basilica

Easily the most renowned and famous building in Venice, St. Mark’s Basilica is a sublime piece of architecture that has stood the test of time since its creation in 1092 and remains one of the most important religious buildings in Northern Italy.

Every aspect of this church is fantastic – From the ornate detail, sculptures and artwork of the front facade, to the beautifully painted frescos and Byzantine works of art on the inside of the domed ceiling.

Located in the Piazza San Marco, this basilica is easily accessible from the grand canal and is one of the best-known surviving examples of Italian Byzantine architecture.

Top rated tour : Venice Doge’s Palace & St Mark’s Basilica Skip-the-Line Tour

2. St. Mark’s Square

Whilst St. Mark’s Basilica is the most famous building in Venice, St Mark’s Square is the most famous piazza.

Located on the grand canal, opposite the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, this square holds huge importance in Venice and is a truly spectacular place to visit.

Surrounding the Piazza is a series of ornate buildings with arched walkways that frame it perfectly.

Furthermore, several important buildings are located on the square including St Mark’s Campanile, St Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and Torre dell’Orologio.

This square really is the perfect place to start your tour of Venice and tick off some of its most impressive sights.

Available tour : St Mark’s Square Walking Tour & Gondola Ride

3. Canal Grande

Venice has literally hundreds of canals that connect the various islands that make up the city – the largest of which is the Canal Grande.

This monumental canal is more like a river and it passes from one side of Venice to the other and snakes through the centre in a large S bend shape.

Over 170 buildings dating from as early as the 13th century line the banks of the canal and it has served as an important waterway in the city for hundreds of years.

Only four bridges span the grand canal as generally people and tourists travel along the canal, not over it.

Consider walking along sections of the canal, admiring the buildings that line it, and watching the busy water traffic of Venice.

Book online : Private Gondola Ride along Canal Grande

4. Ponte di Rialto

As one of the bridges that spans the impressive Grand Canal, the Ponte di Rialto is undoubtedly the most famous and iconic.

Connecting the San Marco and San Polo districts of Venice, the bridge is an important pedestrian thoroughfare, but also a hugely popular tourist attraction.

Originally a wooden bridge, this culmination stood for hundreds of years until it collapsed in 1524. After this incident, an ornate stone bridge was built that still stands today.

The detail and design of the bridge is simply beautiful and its symmetry perfectly frames the grand canal.

Furthermore, the is also a series of shops on the bridge that sell a range of wares from souvenirs to jewellery.

Suggested tour : Gondola Ride to Rialto Bridge

5. Gallerie dell’Accademia

Located opposite the Ponte dell’Accademia on the Grande Canal, this museum hosts a fine collection of pre-19th century art and features works by artists such as Bellini, Canaletto and Titian.

The building that the gallery is housed was formerly a convent an was converted to the museum in the mid to late 1700’s.

For those who love Renaissance art and iconic masterpieces, this gallery delivers.

Possibly its best known piece is the Vitruvian Man by Da Vinci which shows the ideal proportions of man.

Other notable works include the Resurrection by Tintoretto, Virgin and the Child by Titian, and the Battle of Lepanto by Veronese.

Book online : Private Accademia Gallery and Dorsoduro Tour

6. Venice Lido

If you are looking for a spot of relaxation and to get away from the bulk of the tourists, the Lido is the place to go.

This separate island creates a barrier between Venice and the Adriatic Sea and features a long stretch of beautiful beach to enjoy.

Home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants, the Lido also has a host of residential areas, shops, restaurants and hotels.

With a much calmer, laid back and relaxed feeling to central Venice, Lido is a true escape and provides a stark contrast to the busy streets and waterways surrounding the grand canal.

Guided tour : Venice Lido 2-Hour Liberty Villas Tour

7. Doges Palace

One of the most renowned buildings in Venice aside from the Basilica and Campanile, Doges Palace also sits in St. Mark’s Square but looks out onto the grand canal.

This ornate palace is simply stunning and its front facade features a beautiful arched design made of white stone with a series of diamond patterns on the walls.

Inside, the palace is just as impressive and there is a series of immensely decorated rooms that all have original details, furniture and artwork.

Tours of the palace are available and it is advised to spend some time viewing both the exterior and interior in detail to truly capture a piece of the history of Venice.

8. Bridge of Sighs

Although only a small bridge in the relative scheme of Venice, the Bridge of Sighs is one of the most viewed structures in the city and is an important historic landmark.

Passing over the Rio di Palazzo, the bridge connects the Prigioni Nuove to Doge’s Palace.

Legend has it, that as criminals were taken from the Palace over the bridge, they would cast once last glimpse at Venice and sigh; considering their forthcoming punishment and imprisonment.

Whilst visiting St. Mark’s Square, it is an absolute must to glimpse this iconic bridge too.

Suggested tour : Doge’s Palace with Bridge of Sighs

9. Ride a Vaporetto through the Grand Canal

The Vaporetto is the main form of transport in Venice – Yes you can catch a train into the main station, and yes you can walk on foot through the streets, but to truly experience Venice, you must experience if from the water! The Vaporetto system is highly efficient and is one of the quickest ways of travelling to the various islands of Venice.

You can buy extended passes that allow for multiple uses so you don’t have to worry about buying a ticket each time you use one.

During your time in Venice, try to travel on the Vaporetto’s as much as possible and enjoy the water traffic and the sights and sounds that you will encounter.

10. San Marco Campanile

As the tallest structure in Venice, the campanile is a towering building that stands at a colossal 98.6m high.

The building that stands now, is actually a reconstruction as the original collapsed in 1902. Originally created in the 9th century, the campanile was used as a watch tower.

Throughout the years, the tower has been damaged by fire, earthquakes and even lightening.

Made of a simple red-brick design, the main shaft is quite simple, but the bell housing and pinnacle feature a myriad of arches and stonework, and the top features a golden statue of the Angel Gabriel.

Admire the tower from the Piazza di San Marco, but also take the elevator up to the top for possibly the best panoramic views of Venice.

11. San Giorgio Maggiore

This is one of the smaller separate islands that is not connected to the main canals of Venice.

San Giorgio Maggiore sits a short distance from the Venice Basin and the Grande Canal and can be reached by Vaporetto or private water taxi.

Located on the island is the fantastic San Giorgio Monastery, the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore and the large campanile that mirrors the one standing in St. Mark’s Square.

Walk through the small harbour and see the various boats moored, visit the fantastic church and monastery, and climb the campanile for amazing views back across to the main city of Venice.

Book a tour : San Giorgio Maggiore Island Visit with Video Guide

Murano is another of the islands within the Venice district – This area of land is actually made up of several small islands connected together by a series of canals and bridges (much like Venice). Murano has a wonderful charm and is often not as busy as the main areas of Venice.

This wonderful island town has numerous sights including the Basilica dei Santa Maria, the Campo Santo Stefano and the Palazzo Da Mula.

Furthermore, Murano is famous for its glass blowing and you can see live demonstrations at the various factories that are established here.

Book here: Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands

13. Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta

Located in the Cannaregio region of Venice, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta is a fine structure that is also known as I Gesuiti.

The front facade of the Church features several stone columns, ornate sculptured statues of religious figures, and a host of intricate detail – A huge bronze door serves as the main entrance.

Constructed in 1729, this is one of the newer churches in Venice but it is still important and the interior contains a number of impressive artworks such as the Martyrdom of St. Lawrence by Titian.

Furthermore, artwork, frescos and gold detail cover the ceiling of the church and some beautiful motif artwork lines the walls and columns.

14. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

Possibly the second most renowned church in Venice, the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute sits on the opposite side of the grand canal to St.

Marks and stands out against the surrounding architecture.

With a Baroque design, this church was completed in 1687 and is designated as a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church.

Taking centre stage on the Grand Canal, the exterior is decorated with four statues of the apostles and the main dome towers above the skyline.

The interior gives the impression of great space and the hexagonal design allows light to pour in.

Although not decorated to the same degree as other churches in Italy, this basilica has a great deal of symmetry and is truly pleasing on the eye.

15. Torcello Island

If you are looking for a peaceful escape, Torcello island offers just that and is much less crowded than the main areas of Venice.

Located to the far east of the main part of Venice, Torcello is nestled behind Burano and is approximately 45 minutes from Venice via a regular ferry.

Walk through the main street of Torcello and admire the beautiful canal until you reach the Church of Santa Maria Assunta which has a fantastic design.

Furthermore, there is a dedicated museum that displays the history of this chain of islands, and a variety of shops and restaurants.

15 Best Things to Do in Venice (Italy):

• St. Mark's Basilica
• St. Mark's Square
• Canal Grande
• Ponte di Rialto
• Gallerie dell'Accademia
• Venice Lido
• Doges Palace
• Bridge of Sighs
• Ride a Vaporetto through the Grand Canal
• San Marco Campanile
• San Giorgio Maggiore
• Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta
• Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
• Torcello Island

Home » Blog » Italy Travel Guides » 21 Most Popular Places to Visit in Venice, Italy

21 Most Popular Places to Visit in Venice, Italy

Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Jo Fitzsimons

As Alexander Herzen once said, “ To build a city where it is impossible to build a city is madness in itself, but to build there one of the most elegant and grandest of cities is the madness of genius .” And Venice is just that. One of the most elegant and grandest of cities, that defies all architectural probabilities. Spread across 118 islands that are carved up by a web of canals and linked by 400 bridges, Venice is an absolute wonder even without the many magnificent sights.

NEW: Venice visitor fees apply from April 2024

So, where do you start when you’re visiting Venice (apart from at the airport !)? In this guide, I’ll share the most popular places to visit in Venice, Italy. Whether it’s your first time in the city or you’re a returning visitor, these are the Venice attractions I recommend exploring first.

At the end, I’ve included a map of all the places listed in this guide.

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Table of Contents

1. St Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)

St Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)  is a tourist draw for a reason. Not only is it the main public square in Venice, it’s the location of some of the best attractions in Venice, including St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge Palace, St Mark’s Campanile, St Mark’s Clocktower and the Bridge of Sighs. As if that wasn’t enough, the square features lengths of colonnades (covered walkways) leading to cafes, gelaterias , restaurants and shops. Is it any wonder Winston Churchill named Piazza San Marco ‘the drawing room of Europe’?  If you’re newly arrived in Venice, St Mark’s Square is the best place to start exploring the city.

Did you know: In Venice, St Mark’s Square is simply known as la piazza, meaning ‘the square’.

Related: 10 Things NOT To Do In Venice (And 10 To Do Instead)

2. St Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)

Sitting on the east side of St Mark’s Square is the impressive sight of St Mark’s Basilica. It’s the main cathedral in Venice and if you only have time to visit one, make it Basilica di San Marco. The Basilica was completed in 1092 and was built in the gothic style. It’s one of Venice’s many dramatic buildings, complete with grand domes and a generous layering of gold leaf inside.

Tips for visiting St Mark’s Basilica: The line for the basilica gets very long so you should book tickets in advance. I took a guided tour of the Basilica which included fast-track entry, rare access to the Basilica terrace, the Doge Palace and inside the Bridge of Sighs. It was definitely my best experiences in Venice.

Did you know: the copper-coloured horses sitting high up on St Mark’s Basilica are just copies. The original horses are kept inside the terrace. That’s no big surprise, since they’re thought to be around 2,000 years old. And if you like historic, old Italy, add Padua to your travel wish list. It’s the oldest city in northern Italy. You can compare Italian regions here .

3. St Mark’s Campanile (Campanile di San Marco)

Also located in St Mark’s Square is St Mark’s Campanile (bell tower). Reaching 98.6 metres (323 ft) high, the Campanile isn’t just one of the most famous places in Venice, it is the also highest point in the city. It’s possible to go inside the Campanile and take an elevator to the top. From there, you’re rewarded with expansive views out over St Mark’s Square.

Tip: The best views in Venice are actually from San Giorgio Maggiore (in my opinion). Ascend the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore and you’ll get to look back across the lagoon at St Mark’s Square, including the Campanile. Details below.

Did you know: the bell tower was previously a lighthouse for the Venice lagoon.

4. Doge Palace (Palazzo Ducale)

If ever there was a building that looked like a lace-covered wedding cake, it’s got to be the Doge Palace in Venice.

Built in 1340 , this grand palace on the edge of St Mark’s Square was once home to the Doge of Venice. (A Doge was the head of state, elected lord and chief magistrate in certain cities in Italy, especially Venice). While the grand palace is impressive outside, it gets even better if you head inside. There, you’ll find a museum showing the lavish lifestyle of the Doge.

Tips for visiting the Doge Palace : I recommend the combination tour and ticket I booked: St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace Fast Track Tour . It includes fast track to the Basilica, the Doge Palace and the Bridge of Sighs.

5. Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri)

Of all the things to do in Venice, the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) has to be my favourite. Yet, most people ‘get it wrong’ when it comes to visiting. They simply stand on the bridge opposite and take a picture of it, which entirely misses the point. Let me explain.

At first glance, the Bridge of Sighs is a white bridge in Venice that links parts of the Doge Palace. However, it’s the views from within the Bridge of Sights that gave the bridge its name.

Prisoners inside the Doge Palace were transported to their place of execution via the Bridge of Sighs. Offering views of the Venice lagoon, it is believed that the prisoners would sigh as they crossed the bridge, seeing the beauty of Venice one last time. So, if you’re standing outside looking at the Bridge of Sighs with your back to the lagoon, you’re facing the wrong way.

Tips for visiting the Bridge of Sighs: To see it properly, take a tour inside the Doge Palace, which includes walking through the Bridge of Sighs. This is the tour I took which gives fantastic views across the lagoon: St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace Fast Track Tour . 

6. Columns of San Marco and San Todaro

Located in St Mark’s Square, facing the water, between the Doge Palace and Marciana Library stand the columns of San Marco and San Todaro. Most people don’t know the significance of the columns which is a pity because they’re a fascinating part of Venice history. Look up, and at the top of the columns are Venice’s patron saints – the winged lion, San Marco on the left, and a statue of St Theadore, San Todaro on the right.

The columns were erected around 1127 and during the 1800s the space between the columns was used for the execution of the prisoners (after they’d walked through the Bridge of Sighs). Even today, Venetians who are superstitious won’t pass in between the columns (even if they’ve had a few glasses of Aperol Spritz for courage).

7. St Mark’s Clocktower (Torre dell’Orologio)

Opposite the columns in St Mark’s Square is an ornate clock tower. Built during the Renaissance period, St Mark’s Clocktower (Torre dell’Orologio) was built as a show of the wealth of Venice. The tower has a magnificent archway that leads towards the Rialto area of Venice. Look up and you’ll see a statue of the winged Lion of Saint Mark. Every hour, “the Moors” (small statues at the top), ring the bell.

Did you know? When prisoners were executed between the columns of San Marco and San Todaro, they were forced to face the clock tower. This led to an old Venetian saying, “Te fasso véder mi, che ora che xe”, meaning ‘I’ll show you what time it is’. It’s typically said to enemies as a threat. Not one to add to your Italian Phrasebook!

8. Grand Canal (Canal Grande)

Is there any sight more stunning in Venice that the turquoise green glimmer of the Grand Canal? Running through the city, the main canal is a draw for tourists and locals alike. Whether it’s children using boats to travel to school, workers transporting their wares or tourists enjoying a coffee and pastry at a cafe on the canal banks, the river is an endless hive of activity. The best way to enjoy the Grand Canal is taking a boat trip. You can either indulge in a Gondola Ride , take a river boat cruise (I took this one) or just hop on the public water buses (vaporetto) . Any of these modes will help you see the grand Canal just fine.

Insider tip : Gondola rides are iconic but if you want to explore the Grand Canal for longer (trust me, you do), I highly recommend taking this 2-hour boat tour . As well as passing some of the best sights – the Rialto Bridge, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, the house of Prada and the Aman Grand Canal hotel (George Clooney had his wedding there), you can also visit the tower of San Giorgio Maggiori for views back over Venice. Gondola rides won’t give you half of this experience.

9. Salute (Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute)

It’s staggering to me that such a grand church can be considered a ‘minor’ basilica, but that is what Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute technically is. However, to you and I, it is a grand and highly ornate Roman Catholic church that sits at the mouth of St Mark’s Square. Without a shadow of a doubt, its grandeur is best seen from the water. The same boat tour I mentioned above will take you past it. The church, which is simply known as Salute, was built in the Baroque style during the early 1600s. It was erected in honour of Virgin Mary after a wave of plague had killed around a third of the city. (Virgin Mary was thought to be a protector of Venice.)

Did you know Italy’s Prosecco wine region is only 1hr from Venice? Find out more about the Prosecco Region and check out our Prosecco Wine Tours here .

10. San Giorgio Maggiore Tower

The panorama from the top of the church of San Giorgio Maggiore is, in my opinion, one of the best views in the whole of Venice. Sitting on the tiny San Giorgio Maggiore island, you can take an elevator to the top of the bell tower and look out towards Venice island. As well as the sweep of the lagoon, you can see St Mark’s Square and the Campanile. To get there, either take the vaporetto (line 2 from St Mark’s Square) or the boat tour I mentioned above.

11. Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto)

Of all the free things to do in Venice, standing on the Rialto Bridge (Pont di Rialto) watching the gondolas on the Grand Canal, has to be one of the most iconic. Did you know there are only four bridges that actually span the Grand Canal? And, of them, the Rialto bridge is the oldest. Sure, you might need to budge your way in among the crowds if you visit during the peak season, but standing on one of the most famous places in Venice is worth it.

Related: Know what’s happening in Venice with our Prosecco Calendar – Italy’s National Holidays & Prosecco Events

12. Rialto Market (Mercado di Rialto)

But don’t be too quick to pass over the Rialto Bridge because underneath it is a wonderful food market. Situated on the St Mark’s side of the bridge, there are actually two markets. The Rialto Market (Mercado di Rialto) and a fish market. The Rialto market has been running for close to 1,000 years so even if you don’t need to do any shopping for fruit, vegetables or cheese , it’s worth a stroll around this part of Venice’s long past.

13. Explore the Peggy Guggenheim Collection

If you only have time for one museum in Venice, make it the Peggy Guggenheim Collection . As you might expect, it’s a modern art museum. But, because this is Venice, it’s located in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, a palace that dates to the 18th century. This palace used to be Peggy Guggenheim’s home in Venice and is located on the Grand Canal.

Inside, you’ll find works of art from the 1950s to the modern day as well as a beautiful sculpture garden. Step onto the terrace for views across the Grand Canal. Take note: the museum is closed on Tuesdays.

14. Academy Gallery (Gallerie dell’Accademia)

If you’re more of an Old Masters art lover (like I am), then your best museum in Venice will be the Academy Gallery (Gallerie dell’Accademia) . Known as Venice’s fine art museum, the Academy Gallery focuses on artwords from the 19th century and earlier. The collection leans towards works from both Italian and Venetian artists. As with most ticketed places in Venice, it pays to book ahead. This museum is open daily but only half-day (in the morning) on Mondays.

Got more time for art? Check out Scuola Grande di San Rocco – a grand 15th building filled with remarkable paintings by the famous Italian painter Tintoretto.

15. Lido Island

Given there are so many islands in Venice, it makes sense that there is a beautiful stretch of sandy beach somewhere. And, whether the crowds are wearing your nerves or the kids are ready for some time on the sand, heading to Lido island offers a great alternative to walking the city streets. Lido di Venezia is a hotspot and does get busy (like all of Venice). However, it has a resort feel with excellent restaurants, bars and cafes. You can reach Lido on the public vaporetto.

Tip: if you plan to get around by public vaporetto, it’s cheaper to book a Vaporetto pass .

16. Murano, Burano, and Torcello Islands

It almost seems a shame to lump these three Venice islands together, because Murano, Burano and Torcello are three very distinct islands that deserve a day each to themselves. However, most tourists visit them in one day, making a great ‘day trip’ off the main St Mark’s island.

Related: The Best Day Trips from Venice – Discover Northern Italy

Murano is an island made famous by the Venetian glass that is produced there (great for gifts). Nearby Burano is picture-perfect with it’s brightly coloured houses. And tourists are drawn to Torcello to visit the Byzantine church, Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, and the Ponte del Diavolo, a bridge that has no parapets (sides). Torcello also offers great views over neighbouring Burano.  

If you want to explore the islands, you can either take a tour , use a private water taxi (they are readily available in Venice) or explore by the public vaporetto. Just make sure you book a Vaporetto pass . Really want to escape for the day? Visit Treviso , where the Tiramisu was invented.

Related: 25 Prosecco Gifts (You’ll Want To Keep For Yourself) | Guide to Flying With Alcohol | Treat Your Loved One to a Prosecco Gift Voucher

17. Venice Opera House (Teatro La Fenice)

Whether you’re an opera buff or not, La Fenice is worth a visit. Not only is it one of the most ornate places to visit in Venice, it’s one of the world’s most famous opera houses. La Fenice opened in 1792 and its name, meaning ‘the Phoenix’, aimed to signify rising from the ashes after several of the city’s former opera houses had closed due to fire. However, La Fenice was not immune and in 1996 an arson attack devastated the theatre. But, great restoration work was undertaken and the interior is as grand and opulent as ever. Even if you can’t (or don’t want to) get tickets to an opera performance, you can take a tour of Teatro La Fenice . Advance booking is highly recommended.

18. Canareggio

One of my favourite areas in Venice is Canareggio. The former Jewish Ghetto is packed with history but boasts a modern shopping street. Many locals choose Canareggio to live since it sees fewer tourists. Prices are lower, the restaurants more local and there are plenty of non-tourist wine bars to explore. It’s a great spot if you’re looking for somewhere quieter to stay in the city. It’s also well located for Santa Lucia train station if you’re planning on taking a wine-tasting tour of the Prosecco region with us. The closest vaporetto stop is Ca’ d’Oro.

If you’re keen to learn more about the history of Canareggio, you can book a Jewish Ghetto 2 Hour Tour .

19. Nail Bridge (Ponte Chiodo)

While you’re in Canareggio, take time to track down Ponte Chiodo. This bridge is pretty unique within the city as it doesn’t have sides (parapets). You will have spotted (and probably been reassured by) the parapets on Venice’s many bridges. However, there are two bridges in Venice that don’t have them. Ponte Chiodo and Ponte del Diavolo, on Torcello island. You can find Ponte Chiodo on the map below.

Did you know? Chiodo means nail, which was the name of the family which once privately owned this famous bridge.

20. Giudecca Island

On the topic of my favourite areas, I recommend adding Giudecca island to your list of places to visit in Venice. As well as giving great views over the main island, restaurant quality tends to be higher and its a great place to take a quiet stroll at night. I often stay on Giudecca to escape the crowds. The Hilton Molino Stucky hotel is a spectacular spot facing St Marks. An old, converted flour mill (that used to mill the flour for pasta), the Molino Stucky has modern rooms and suites that can offer fantastic views of Venice. Head to the rooftop bar for a Prosecco cocktail with sweeping panoramas, or take a dip in the swimming pool.

Related: Our Italy Accommodation Recommendations

21. Academy Bridge (Ponte del Accademia)

Remember that there are only four bridges that stretch across the Grand Canal? Well, Ponte del Accademia is another of them. And it should be on your itinerary because it is beautiful. Having 50 steps up one side and 50 steps down the other, you get the sense that you’re truly crossing the Grand Canal. While you’re unlikely to have it to yourself, it doesn’t have nearly as many tourists as the Grand Canal, and the views are every bit as good. You can find the bridge near the Accademia vaporetto stop.

Map of the best places to visit in Venice

You can find all the places listed in this guide in our handy map which includes a feast of things to do in Venice and the nearby Prosecco Region and Prosecco vending machine .

Where to stay in Venice

Looking for a quick guide to where to stay in Venice? These are my top picks. If you want more suggestions, check out my more detailed guide: Where to Stay in Venice, Italy

• Best 5-Star Hotel: The Gritti Palace  – Luxury stay with Grand Canal views. 
• Best Boutique Hotel: Canal Grande – Grand Canal location in an 18th century palace.
• Popular Hotel:  Hotel Antiche Figure – voted the best hotel in Venice among travellers.
• Best chain hotel: Hilton Molino Stucky – converted flour will with roof terrace and pool.
• Best Hostel: Generator Hostel  – Dorms and privates for a budget stay in Venice.

That’s my guide to the best places to visit in Venice. Got any questions or suggestions, leave a comment below.

Related Articles :

• Where to Stay in Venice, Italy
• How To Get To Venice From The Airport
• 15 Best Things To Do in Treviso Italy
• 15 Best Things To Do In Padua Italy
• 8 Best Regions of Italy For Your Next Vacation
• The Best Italian Christmas Markets to Visit
• 10 Things NOT to Do in Venice (and 10 To Do in Instead)

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The 23 best things to do in Venice

Aperol Spritz, gondola rides and some of the best contemporary art around? Welcome to the city of love

Ignore Venice ’s somewhat  stuffy reputation - this is a place to live the good life. Think art, architecture and (of course) the Aperol Spritz, and you’ve got Venice. It’s busy, obviously, but most people are there to see St Mark’s and the Rialto Bridge. To avoid the crowds, you just need to know the right spots. A whopping 118 islands linked by over 400 bridges make up the centre of Venice, so there is a whole  lot to explore - and that’s where we come in. 

Maybe you just want to get lost in the narrow calli , sit canalside with cicchetti (Venice’s famous finger food) hearing the slap-slap of the water, or wander the Biennale gardens. Maybe you’re coming for the art – Renaissance maestros and modern marvels are all covered here. Maybe you’re here to party like it’s 1699 at Carnevale, or maybe you just want to get away from it all, and hit the outer islands of the lagoon. Whatever you’re into, here are the best things to do in Venice, by a local. 

RECOMMENDED: 🍴 The best Venice restaurants 🏘️ Where to stay in Venice 🍷 The best bars in Venice 🏨 The best hotels in Venice

Julia Buckley is a travel writer based in Venice . At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines . 

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Best things to do in Venice

1.  Piazza San Marco

Napoleon called this ‘the drawing room of Europe’, and even with today’s crowds and thickets of selfie sticks, St Mark’s Square is as refined as ever. Ride the elevator to the top of the campanile (bell tower) for drone-style views, watch high tides bubble up through the drains (note: that’s why you shouldn’t be splashing through the water barefoot), and visit the famous Correr Museum, located above the famous porticos. Most importantly, have a drink at one of the famous cafes, some of which have been going strong for hundreds of years. Florian has been serving eager Venice tourists since 1720, but our tip is for Quadri, on the opposite side of the square – it’s owned by the local Alajmo brothers, who have a Michelin-starred restaurant upstairs and gourmet bar snacks downstairs. 

2.  Doge’s Palace

Few buildings on the planet are as gloriously camp as the pink-tinged, candy-striped Doge’s Palace, dandling on the water’s edge. It’s certainly seen some action – the political heart of the Venetian Republic, which lasted for over 1000 years until 1797, this is where doges were ‘crowned’ (and the naughty ones executed), while prisoners were tried and marched to their deaths over the Bridge of Sighs. Some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance came to slather its walls in paintings, and even Casanova was imprisoned here, although he swiftly escaped over the rooftops to slay another day. Leave enough time to see it properly – highlights include the one of the largest canvas paintings in the world (‘ Paradise’  by Tintoretto in the Sala del Maggior Consiglio), the seriously creepy prisons, and the Bridge of Sighs, where you can recreate your own death walk. The regular exhibitions, including contemporary art installations, are always worth a look. 

3.  Basilica di San Marco

All that glitters probably is gold, if the Venetians are anything to go by. They looted left right and centre, down the Adriatic and across to Constantinople to make this, their main church, as spectacular as possible. From the intricate Byzantine-style mosaics on the floor (don’t miss the rhinoceros) to the glowing golden roof and wall mosaics, whose saints and martyrs sparkle, it’s deliciously outré. For a small extra fee you can visit the museum upstairs, and walk outside for views of the Piazza. 

4.  Grand Canal

This is one of the world’s greatest waterways for good reason – splitting Venice neatly into two, lined with palazzos each fancier than the next, and crossed by just four bridges, including the Rialto (below). Luckily in this most expensive of cities, public transport plies exactly the same route around its legendary bends as you’d take in a taxi or a gondola – you just have to make sure you bag a decent seat. Hop on the number 1 boat at Piazzale Roma, and it’ll take you on a 45-minute leisurely cruise, past churches (including the iconic domed Salute church) mindblowingly beautiful palazzos like the gothic wedding cake that is Ca’ d’Oro, fancy hotels like the Aman (where you might get a glimpse of Clooney and his ilk), and gliding under the Rialto. Because it’s a busy waterway, seeing the Grand Canal by gondola can be pretty stressful – you’re better off hopping into one at a quieter stop. What you should do here, though, is take a ride in a traghetto – essentially a public gondola, they cross the Grand Canal at five points. You get all the views, with less of the waves caused by all the boats – and all for €2 a pop.

5.  Ponte di Rialto

• Attractions
• Historic buildings and sites

Only in Venice can a bridge be a tourist attraction, a work of art… and a shopping mall. The marble-clad affair, linking the San Marco and San Polo districts via the Grand Canal since 1591, is second only to Piazza San Marco when it comes to visitor numbers. Fight for a space to get a prime view of the Grand Canal, check out the shops that line it (but be aware they’re mostly tourist traps), and most importantly cross it (if you’re coming from the San Marco side) to reach the market that’s been going strong for over 1,000 years. Today, the market itself may be of slightly less interest to visitors, since it’s mainly fruit, veg and fish, but the bars that have fuelled market workers for centuries are some of the best in the city for both atmosphere and cicchetti (see below).

6.  Try the cicchetti

People often slate Venice as expensive – with bad food. These people haven’t eaten cicchetti , the legendary Venetian bar snacks, which started as bitesize fodder for gondoliers and workers on the run. Today, they usually come in the form of slices of baguette bread topped with anything from seafood to meat and cheese – you’ll find some of the best in town at Schiavi in Dorsoduro, where gourmet toppings include egg dusted with tiny flowers and tuna tartare with a sprinkling of cacao. The more traditional cicchetti , though, don’t involve bread – they’re anything from a boiled egg with anchovies, to sarde in saor , sweet-sour-style sardines marinated with onion, raisins and pine nuts. Pair it with an ombra – the Venetian term for a small glass of house wine. The bars around the Rialto market are a good place to start a cicchetti crawl. 

7.  Gallerie dell’Accademia

When Napoleon conquered Venice, he swiped plenty of its best Renaissance artworks and took them back to France. Lots have been recovered, however, and are now part of this vast gallery, one of the best in Italy, sporting one of the finest collections of Renaissance art on the planet. The high-ceilinged rooms are stuffed with altarpieces by Venetian greats like Titian, Tintoretto, Bellini and Carpaccio, as well as those who hit the big time here, from Mantegna to Veronese. Look out for contemporary exhibitions, too, especially in Biennale years – a recent Anish Kapoor show was mesmerising. 

8.  Burano

• Walks and tours

Burano might be a 40-minute Vaporetto from the main island, but it’s worth the day trip. This island is filled with homes painted in every colour of the rainbow. Stroll past the 13th-century church of Santa Caterina to check out local restaurants, like the Trattoria Al Gatto Nero, which serves fresh seafood and homemade pasta (look for the bright blue building).

9.  Scuola Grande di San Rocco

Throughout the rest of Italy a scuola is a school, but in Venice it’s something altogether less pedestrian – essentially a group of locals who come together to do charitable deeds, and, more excitingly for today’s tourists, called in the best artists of the time to do the decoration. This is the best, covered almost entirely in paintings by Tintoretto – including the kaleidoscopic ceiling in the main room upstairs. It’s a mindblowing place – pick up one of the mirrors on hand so you don’t crick your neck, and follow the cycle. Don’t miss the wall seats sporting esoteric carved figures, either – including what looks like a cowboy. 

10.  Carnevale

Today, it’s almost exclusively tourists that take part in Carnevale – Venice’s carnival – but that doesn’t make it any less spectacular. Visit during February (usually, depending on the dates – but it ends on Shrove Tuesday) and you’ll find the streets full of your fellow visitors dressed up (you can tell the foreigners because they’ll be dressed in antique-style garb while Italians will be in general fancy dress). So grab a mask – splash out on one from a local artisan rather than buying a cheap plastic one from a stall, you won’t regret it – and join the crowds. You’ll find the official events listed on the Venice Carnival website each year – the most spectacular one is the Volo dell’Angelo, which marks the start of the Carnival, with a young woman ‘flying’ on a zipline from the campanile to the Doge’s Palace. 

11.  Peggy Guggenheim Collection

When the late, great Peggy Guggenheim moved to Venice in 1949, the city was busy looking back at its past glories. Guggenheim changed that pretty much singlehandedly (the Biennale aside), with her focus on contemporary art, filling her almost modernist-looking single-storey palazzo on the Grand Canal (it’s not a bungalow – it’s just an unfinished classical one) with works by her favourite artists. Today, her home is a museum bursting with her huge collection, with works by the likes of Picasso, Dalií, Pollock and more. Don’t forget to pay respects on your way out to her garden grave, alongside those of her best friends: her dogs.

12.  Murano

Come for the glass and stay for the island. Murano is a mini Venice, complete with its own palace-lined ‘Grand Canal’ snaking down its middle – and it’s only a five-minute vaporetto ride into the north lagoon (depending on where you alight). It is, of course, best known for its glass – the streets are lined with glass shops (make sure you’re buying something made locally, not a foreign-import trinket), blazing furnaces fire the factories where maestri blow and hand-turn glass, and there’s a superb – and compact – museum (below). But it’s a gorgeous island in its own right. Don’t miss the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato with its 12th-century mosaic ‘carpet’ of geometric patterns and fantastical animals, or the art-stuffed San Pietro Martire church. If you’re buying, Lucevetro has glasses, accessories and glass artwork designed and made on the island at accessible prices, while big spenders should head to Venini , whose collaborations with 20 th -century designers have made it world famous. 

13.  Torcello

• Religious buildings and sites

Just across the water from Burano is this semi-deserted island, whose current population just about hits double figures. Back in the day, though, this was where Venice began – before the Venetians settled around the Rialto, Torcello was a thriving port. Today it’s best known as being to a famous restaurant ( Locanda Cipriani  – great food, if sometimes snooty service), and the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta , built in the seventh century, and topped and tailed with glittering 11 th -century mosaics, including the dramatic Last Judgement on the back wall, which has some particularly gruesome depictions of those unlucky souls in hell. 

14.  Venice Biennale

Every other year from May to November, the art crowd flocks into town for the Venice Biennale, which sees countries from all over the world set up shop (or ‘pavilions’) to showcase the best of their modern artists. There are two official areas – the made-to-measure pavilions in the Giardini (a park to the east of the centre) and the Arsenale, the ancient shipyard, whose centuries-old factory premises make beguiling gallery space. You can get a ticket for one space or for both, and it’s worth adding a guided tour, led by experts, which give much-needed context to the exhibits and the Biennale theme as a whole (it’s contemporary art after all). What’s often more exciting are the ‘fringe’ events, which take place in multiple locations around the city: private palazzos, churches, abandoned buildings and even supermarkets. It’s a window onto another world. 

15.  Jewish Quarter

In 1516, Venice’s Jewish community was forcibly settled onto an island in Cannaregio, and the word “ghetto” was born. Over the following centuries it expanded, though citizens were still confined to the area at nightly curfew, and had to build ‘skyscrapers’ – as much as eight storeys high – to fit into the tiny area. While they lived in cramped conditions, though, they worshipped in synagogues every bit as fancy as Venice’s churches, and got the starchitects of the time to design them. Each community of origin had its own place of worship – today, guided tours take you to two of the five of them (which ones you get depends on the day). Outside in the area’s main square is a Holocaust memorial, remembering the 246 Jews who were arrested here and sent to the concentration camps during World War II.

16.  Fondamenta della Misericordia

Venice has never been a party city, but this is its wondrously watery take on a bar strip: dozens of wine bars, restaurants and boozy joints lining a wide canal in residential district Cannaregio, backing onto the Jewish quarter. Try Vino Vero for fancy (think biodynamic) wines, Al Timon whose seating includes a boat moored on the canal, and Ae Bricoe for delicious cicchetti . There’s also a great artist wedged between bars, Nelson Kishi at his shop Codex Venezia , for a truly unique souvenir of Venice. 

17.  Museo del Vetro

A museum about glass sounds yawnsome, but this is anything but: it runs you through the history of glass-making, from its Middle Eastern origins, to the Romans, and the medieval Venetian traders who brought back works from Syria to be copied back home – promptly moving the global glass business to Murano. There are plenty of examples, from pre-Roman vases to elaborate Renaissance tableware, as well as more design-led glass art from the 20 th century. If you turned your nose up at the glass chandeliers in your hotel, you’ll be converted here. 

18.  Take in the views

Few cities look as good from on high as this one, and you’ve a few places to choose from if you want a bird’s eye view.  The most obvious one is the campanile in Piazza San Marco – but while that nets you stellar views of the Piazza and the Doge’s Palace, it has the same problem as the observatory of the Empire State Building – you’re in the view. The campanile on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, just across the water, is a good alternative for classic Venice views, while for the Grand Canal, you’ll want to head to the rooftop of the Fondaco di Tedeschi department store, right above the Rialto Bridge.

19.  Lido

When you’ve had enough culture, escape to the Lido – the seven-mile sandbar separating the lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. It’s home to world-class beaches with Miami-style sugary sand – think Dirk Bogarde sprawling on the beach in ‘Death in Venice’ – although you’ll need to rent a sunlounger at one of the many beach clubs, since almost all of it is privatised. The island has celebrities oozing out of its pores come September, when the Venice Film Festival comes to town (the best star-spotting is at the wildly OTT Excelsior Hotel), but it’s lovely year-round, even on bracing winter walks. Take a bus (yes, this island has cars) to the eastern end to find its wilder side, with dramatic breakwaters and dunes that feel a world away from the city.

20.  Venezia Autentica

Feel like you’ve got shopping fatigue from passing by all those trashy souvenir shops? Take another breath – and let Venezia Autentica guide you towards the kind of places you actually want to shop at. Venice has been known for its world-class artisans for centuries, and this online platform run by two locals has a detailed database of the best of them. Whether it’s a hand-bound notebook, a blown-glass necklace or an actual Venetian mask (not the foreign-made plastic ones you’ll see all over) there are exquisite items out there – and it’s the most sustainable way to shop in this most fragile of cities, too. 

Our first look at Venice's photography museum

@timeouttravel Come with us to Venice’s new photograohy museum, just a hop, skip and a vaporetto ride away from St Mark’s Square. 📸 #venice #veniceitaly #italy #italytravel #traveltiktok #timeouttravel ♬ original sound - Ghibli Shorts

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March 14, 2022 By Lyndsay

The Ultimate Venice Bucket List: 55+ Things to do in Venice, Italy

• 1.1 Walk around Piazza San Marco
• 1.2 See the inside of Basilica di San Marco
• 1.3 Explore Palazzo Ducale
• 1.4 See the Bridge of Sighs
• 1.5 Climb the Campanile di San Marco
• 1.6 Check the time on the Torre dell’Orologio
• 1.7 Walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni
• 1.8 Enjoy Giardini Reali 
• 1.9 Step inside the ​​Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana
• 1.10 Learn more about Venice’s unique history at Museo Correr
• 1.11 Grab a Bellini at its birthplace–Harry’s Bar 
• 1.12 Cross the Ponte di Rialto
• 1.13 Get lost on the city’s winding streets
• 1.14 Go on a guided walking tour 
• 1.15 Instead of walking, catch a Vaporetto
• 1.16 Go for a ride in a Gondola
• 1.17 Learn how to row your own Venetian gondola
• 1.18 Or, take a traghetto
• 1.19 Try a dinner cruise on the Lagoon
• 1.20 Watch an opera at Teatro La Fenice
• 1.21 Attend the historic Carnevale festival
• 1.22 Buy or build a Venetian Carnevale Mask 
• 1.23 Take a picture of the spiral staircase at Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
• 1.24 Try a taste of authentic Venetian cuisine
• 1.25 Enjoy a glass of prosecco
• 1.26 Sip on a spritz
• 1.27 Taste traditional Venetian aperitivo on your own Bacaro tour
• 1.28 Cool down with Gelato
• 1.29 Shop for fresh seafood at the Mercato di Rialto
• 1.30 Visit the Dorsoduro neighborhood
• 1.31 See the world’s largest canvas painting at Chiesa di San Pantalon
• 1.32 Find the Banksy art
• 1.33 Walk to one end of the city at Punta della Dogana
• 1.34 Look up to see the dome at Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute
• 1.35 Marvel at masterpieces in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
• 1.36 Visit the Gallerie dell’Accademia
• 1.37 Take in the view from Ponte dell’Accademia
• 1.38 Visit the Floating Fruit Market
• 1.39 Check out the Canareggio and Castello neighborhoods on the north side of the city
• 1.40 Visit Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta detta I Gesuiti
• 1.41 Learn at the Venetian Arsenal
• 1.42 Attend the Venice Biennale
• 1.43 Explore the city’s Jewish Quarter
• 1.44 Discover a classic at the Libreria Acqua Alta
• 1.45 Walk along the Calle Giazzo
• 1.46 See the tombs of twenty-five Doges at the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo
• 1.47 Take a day trip to a nearby city
• 1.48 Enjoy the view from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop
• 1.49 Swim on Lido Island
• 1.50 Head inside the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore
• 1.51 Visit the three other Venetian islands–Murano, Burano, and Torcello
• 1.52 See the alter and flooded crypt in Chiesa di San Zaccaria
• 1.53 Check out what art exhibition is on display at Palazzo Grassi
• 1.54 Get a glimpse at historic fashion inside the Study Centre of the History of Textiles, Costumes and Perfume at Palazzo Mocenigo
• 1.55 See the city lights sparkle on the canals at night

This post may contain affiliate links! I will receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase something recommended here.

There’s nothing quite like visiting Venice, Italy–walking down the Grand Canal with its gondolas gliding past. Getting lost while wandering the city’s narrow, twisted streets.

The unique city is full of history, culture, art, architecture, food, wine, and romance. It’s truly a city unlike any other.

If you’ve never been, then you owe it to yourself to experience the beauty of this incredible place.

I’ve been living in the Veneto region of Italy for months now, visiting the magnificent former Republic more times than I can count.

This is my personal Venice bucket list–the best places to visit and things to do in Venice, Italy.

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The Ultimate Bucket List for Venice, Italy

If you need to distill all of this information down into a plan, I did that for you too! You can check out my complete 2 days in Venice itinerary for more.

Walk around Piazza San Marco

The beautiful, massive Piazza San Marco is one of the most famous piazzas in Italy. It takes its name from Saint Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of the Basilica and whose symbol–the winged lion–was used to represent the Republic of Venice. 

Located at the center of the historic district of Venice, the Piazza is surrounded by some of the finest buildings in the city. The Procuratie surrounds the Piazza on three sides. Its iconic arcade wrapped around into the Torre dell’Orologio on one side and the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana on the other. 

On the fourth side, this is where you’ll find the Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale (the Doge’s Palace).

The space in front of Palazzo Ducale connecting to the main piazza is called Piazzetta di San Marco. You can see two columns on this side of the square–Colonna di San Marco. At the top on the left, you can see the winged lion symbol for San Marco, but the other column on the right is a statue of Theodore of Heraclea. This saint with the part-crocodile-part-dragon beneath his feet was the original patron saint and symbol of Venice, before San Marco.

See the inside of Basilica di San Marco

The Basilica di San Marco is located next door to the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace). Construction finished on the church in 1094 and served as the Ducal chapel from 836–200 years before this iteration of the building–through 1797. Before constructing this masterpiece, there were two other churches on this site. 

The interior contains some of the most important works of art in all of Europe, including works by Renaissance masters Tintoretto, Titian, and Veronese, and relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist, the church’s patron saint. 

During busy seasons, the line to enter the Basilica can be very long, so make sure to get there early in the day if you can.

Fun Fact:  Many of the church’s embellishments were taken from other churches and palaces the Venetians pillaged. In particular, take a look at the four alabaster columns behind the main altar in this church. They are thought to have been taken from the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, a former cathedral in Pula, Croatia, the Venetians ransacked in 1243.

Explore Palazzo Ducale

Adjacent to Basilica di San Marco, Palazzo Ducale was built in the 14th century. This palace was used as a residence for the Doge of Venice until Napoleon overtook the Venetian Republic in 1797. Until Venice unified with Italy in 1866, the palace was used for administrative offices, exhibits, and cultural organizations. 

Doge (n.) The highest official of the Republic of Venice for more than 1,000 years (from the 8th to the 18th century) and symbol of the sovereignty of the Venetian state. In Venice the office of Doge (from Latin dux, “leader”) originated when the city was nominally subject to the Byzantine Empire and became permanent in the mid-8th century. From the 8th to the 12th century the Doge’s power was extensive, but all attempts to make the office hereditary failed. From the 12th century the aristocracy placed strict limits on the Doge. Newly developed constitutional bodies took over many of the functions of government, and the Doge on taking office had to swear an oath that restricted his freedom of action. During the same period, the main characteristics of the office were fixed: the Doge was chosen from among the ruling families of Venice and held office for life. By the 15th century the office had assumed the character of prince subject to law. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2011, December 12th). doge. Encyclopedia Britannica .

Now, the Doge’s Palace is a museum open to the public. It’s absolutely incredible inside. You’ll find stunning artworks, frescoes, and original furnishings, as well as grand chambers and halls where various government activities were formerly performed.

Standout sites include the Sala del Maggior Consiglio or Great Council Hall, where the doges met to discuss state affairs, featuring Paradiso (1588 – 1592) by Jacopo Tintoretto, the largest canvas painting in the world. And walking through the iconic Bridge of Sighs to reach the old prisons, just like the prisoners once did.

See the Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs connects the prison cells across the Canal from the Doge’s Palace. Legend has it that criminals condemned to death would walk along the bridge between their cell and execution site, sighing deeply at each step. 

The bridge was designed in the Baroque style by architect Antonio Contino and was built around 1600. You can see it from the inside as the prisoners did when you visit Doge’s Palace or from the outside along the Riva degli Schiavoni.

Climb the Campanile di San Marco

Every great church must have a beautiful bell tower–and the Campanile di San Marco is no exception. Construction began on the tower in the early 10th century. It took about 500 years with various periods of building to complete. Despite all that work, the building collapsed in 1902 but was accurately rebuilt by 1912.

As the tallest building in Venice, the Campanile offers incredible views of the city! You can purchase a ticket to enter and take the elevator to the top.

Fun Fact:  The bells in the Campanile di San Marco rang 11 times per day at different intervals to signify the start or end of different parts of Venetian life–dawn, prayer, midday, the beginning and end of the workday, and more. It was also often hit by lightning, and the first lightning rod in Venice was installed at the top in 1776.

Check the time on the Torre dell’Orologio

The bell tower needs a corresponding clock! Just steps from the Basilica di San Marco, the Torre dell’Orologio is an iconic landmark in the heart of Venice. Built towards the end of the 15th century, it houses a clock that strikes every hour, marking the beginning and end of each part of Venetian life. 

The two figures–one an old man and one a young man to represent the passing of time–strike the bell on top of the clocktower at the top of every hour. The winged lion holding an open book and the Zodiac marked into the clock face itself are other notable features.

Insider Tip:  Each year, only on the Epiphany (January 6th,) the three Magi and an Angel appear from within the clock and pass in front of the Virgin Mary to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This event is one of the most incredible things to see in Venice in winter !

The Torre dell’Orologio is now part of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (Venice Civic Museums Foundation). You should definitely head inside if you have the chance. You can purchase tickets individually or as part of the Venice Museum Pass.

Walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni

It seems the Croatians took the word for their beautiful seafront boulevards from the Venetians! Only steps from Piazza San Marco, you’ll find Riva degli Schiavoni running along the edge of the Grand Canal. This seaside promenade offers amazing views of the Dorsoduro, Giudecca, and San Giorgio Maggiore neighborhoods across the Canal. 

Start at Giardini Reali, then follow the walkway to see the Bridge of Sighs from the outside while standing on Ponte della Paglia.

Walk along the water, enjoying the view as you pass the statue of Vittorio Emanuele II, and stop for a drink at one of the bars along the way. 

Interested in visiting Croatia? I’ve spent several months in the beautiful Balkans country! You can check out all of my guides to several of the country’s major cities here. 

Enjoy Giardini Reali 

Alongside the Riva degli Schiavoni just steps from Piazza San Marco, you can find an oasis at Giardini Reali. The Royal Gardens of Venice were established once Napoleon took over the Venetian Republic. He asked for revitalizing the building and land that today houses the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana. 

After the fall of Napoleon and the Austrians took over, they added a greenhouse an upscale coffee house. They also opened the gardens to the public along Riva. 

When the gardens are open, it’s a beautiful escape from crowds in the rest of the city. You can also stop for a coffee at the illy Caffè tucked inside. 

Step inside the ​​Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana

The national library of the Venetian Republic dates back to 1362 when a poet donated his books so the city could establish a collection. But it wasn’t until 1537 that the need for a library building was realized, and the Marciana Library opened as the Library of San Marco by 1560.

The library offers a free guided tour in Italian on the second Sunday of every month, as long as you register in advance. You can check their hours of operation and register for the tour on their website . 

Learn more about Venice’s unique history at Museo Correr

Also housed inside Piazza San Marco, Museo Correr explores Venice’s history through artwork and sculpture. In 1830, Venetian Teodoro Correr donated his art and literature collection on the history of Venice to the city with the request that it be made available for public viewing. The collection continued to grow throughout the rest of the 1800s and finally moved into its current location in 1922.

It’s an incredible glimpse into the Republic’s history through relics from Venetian noble families. As well as the remains of Napoleon’s neoclassic style and the Austrian royal Habsburg family–both of whom used the space as their royal palace after the country’s fall.

Tickets to Museo Correr are available online and included in the Venice Museum Pass .

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Grab a Bellini at its birthplace–Harry’s Bar 

Have you ever sipped on a Bellini in the restaurant where it was created?

At the end of the Riva degli Schiavoni, you’ll come across the posh Harry’s Bar.

The classic brunch cocktail made with Prosecco and peach purée was created here at Harry’s Bar by owner Giuseppe Cipriani between the 1930s and 40s.

The color inspired the name of the drink. Cipriani noticed the drink’s signature pink color was similar to that in a painting by Venetian Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini–thus, the Bellini was born.

Harry’s Bar is a great place to grab one of their famous drinks and relax outside on their terrace along the water during the summer season.

Cross the Ponte di Rialto

One of the most famous bridges globally, the Rialto Bridge crosses the Grand Canal, connecting two parts of the city. The famous bridge has witnessed some of the most important events in Venetian history.

Although you can also use the Ponte dell’Accademia and two others to cross the Canal, the Ponte di Rialto is the most central and the most famous. The first version of the bridge was constructed between 1181 as a pontoon bridge. As the market grew on the eastern banks of the river, the need for a sturdier bridge also grew. It was replaced with a wooden structure about 50 years later. 

Fun Fact:  The wooden Rialto Bridge collapsed twice over the centuries due to too much weight–once in 1444 and 1524.

It wasn’t until the early 1400s that the bridge’s iconic shops were first established. Still, today’s famous stone bridge wasn’t completed until 1591. Today, the Rialto remains one of the most iconic landmarks in Venice. Cross over the Grand Canal from one side of the city to the other, and take in the beautiful views from both sides.

Get lost on the city’s winding streets

During the height of the Venetian Republic, the main streets people used to travel were canals. The streets we walk along when we’re wandering around Venice today used to be for staff of wealthy families, everyday folks, and animals to move around. So they weren’t built with an order in mind. That means it’s easy to get lost while wandering around the city today. 

But that’s A-OK! As you explore the city, you’ll come across great artisan shops, bakeries, and smaller monuments and museums you might not have found without getting a little lost. Actually, I stand by the idea so much that you’re reading this on a website called The Purposely Lost  *wink.*

Fun Fact:  One of the world’s most narrow streets is found here in Venice. Calle Varisco is only 53cm wide, making it one of the most narrow streets in the world. You can find more interesting facts about Venice here!

Go on a guided walking tour 

One of the best things to know before visiting Venice is that you need to take a guided walking tour. It’s a fantastic way to learn more about the city.

I took an excellent free walking tour of the two northern neighborhoods, the Cannareggio and Castello districts, with GuruWalk . It gave me a great perspective on what local life is like in Venice today and the history of these underrated neighborhoods.

However, if you want a walking tour of the more famous areas, like Piazza di San Marco, the Rialto Bridge, and take a look at these guided walking tours:

Instead of walking, catch a Vaporetto

Walking through Venice’s winding streets is an incredible experience, but there’s usually a more direct route–on the water.

A water taxi ride along the Grand Canal of Venice is an unforgettable experience. You’ll pass under the Rialto Bridge, along waterways lined with colorful houses and gondolas, and experience the city as it was meant to be.

Like any other mass transit system, the city’s public Vaporetto system is straightforward to use once you learn the basics. 19 different lines move between various points throughout the city and the nearby islands of Burano, Murano, and Torcello.

You can read more about its history, plan your routes, and purchase tickets on the Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano (Actv) website .

Insider Tip:  My favorite transit app for the New York City subway system also works in Venice! Citymapper is excellent–you put in your current location and where you want to go. It lists out all the different options available to you. In Venice, that includes the Vaporetto!

Go for a ride in a Gondola

One of the most extraordinary things about Venice are the canals–and riding on a gondola through the canals is an absolute treat.

You can rent a boat for as little as $10 per hour. If you want to take a private tour, you’ll pay anywhere from $50-$100 per person, depending on how many people are in your group.

You can choose between booking a traditional wooden gondola tour in advance or heading out with a gondolier promoting his work on the street. You’ll get a great view of the city, visiting hidden spots where you might not otherwise go either way.

However, I recommend booking this Grand Canal by Gondola with Commentary  bucket list in Venice experience in advance–that way, you’ll have a definite meeting point. And, you can pay for the fixed price of the service ahead of time with your favorite digital payment method.

Fun Fact : You can’t swim in the canals in Venice . The water is polluted, and you’ll recieve a fine if you’re caught.

Learn how to row your own Venetian gondola

Rowing is a real part of the local and historic culture of the city, which makes it a great addition to your Venice bucket list! Your trained gondolier will teach you the basics of how to control a gondola in the traditional Voga alla Veneta way before you all head out into the canal where you’re rowing your own. 

You can check availability and book your lesson here .

Or, take a traghetto

Take a traghetto if you want to experience a gondola ride the local way. Since there are only two significant bridges (and four overall) that cross the Grand Canal, locals often find themselves needing to get across from one side to the other without all the fuss of the Vaporetto or the time for walking. 

Instead, they take a traghetto for the convenience of moving a short distance. Now, it won’t come with all of the commentaries of a touristic gondola ride or wind through narrow canals between islands. Still, it will give you an authentic gondola ride on a budget!

Whether you opt for the full gondola ride experience or enjoy the short distance of a traghetto–either way, you’re guaranteed to enjoy the iconic experience.

Try a dinner cruise on the Lagoon

One of the most popular ways to explore Venice is aboard a water taxi. But if you want really want an intimate experience on the sea, consider taking a cruise on the lagoon.

On this Venetian Lagoon Tour and Galleon Dinner cruise, experience the city in the evening as you enjoy a romantic dinner by candlelight. 

You’ll get to see some of Venice’s smaller islands backed by a beautiful sunset as you sail through the lagoon. Then make your way along the Grand Canal and watch the street lamps shimmer on the water as evening turns to night.

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Watch an opera at Teatro La Fenice

Teatro La Fenice opened in the 18th century, just five years before the end of the Republic. Throughout its history, operas from some of the most influential composers like Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi premiered here. It’s now considered one of the most important landmarks in the history of opera. Today’s theater is actually a reconstruction of the original–it was destroyed by arson in 1996.

Fun Fact:  The inside of the Croatian National Theater in Šibenik’s theater was inspired by Teatro La Fenice! You can see a picture of the interior in my guide on the best things to do in Šibenik, Croatia .

If you’ve been around here at The Purposely Lost for a while, you might know that before moving to Italy, I was an auditioning actor and licensed New York City tour guide. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre encompassing history, performance, and production, visiting this theater was one of my absolute Venice bucket list experiences. It was everything I could’ve imagined and more! 

If you want to attend a performance here yourself, you can check their calendar and book tickets online . Otherwise, you can book an audio tour of La Fenice  when there isn’t a production in process. 

Attend the historic Carnevale festival

Carnevale is an Italian tradition dating back hundreds of years when people dress up in costumes and parade through the streets during February. They celebrate with regattas, masquerade balls, and much more. Today, Carnevale festivities last for three weeks preceding the season of Lent in the Roman Catholic religion and end on Fat Tuesday.

One of the celebration’s highlights is the Carnevale ball held every year in Piazza San Marco. The entire Piazza is transformed into a massive celebration space where you can see the best of people’s costumes during the event. 

I finally had the opportunity to attend Carnevale, and it was a Venice bucket list experience for sure! 

Fun Fact : The word “Carnevale” comes from the Latin  carnem and   levare , which literally translates to “to remove meat.”

Buy or build a Venetian Carnevale Mask 

The tradition of mask-wearing and mask-making is weaved into the history of Venice’s Carnevale celebrations. The origins of these traditions date back centuries; starting in the Middle Ages, masks were worn to hide the wearer’s identity so they could partake in the Carnivale reverie undetected.

You can find masks at the market near the Rialto Bridge or just about any tourist shop in the city at any time of the year, not just during the season of Carnevale. If you want something more authentic, you can buy a mask at one of the city’s specialty shops, where artists still follow the time-honored mask-making techniques.

For the ultimate souvenir, attend a mask-making class with a Venetian artisan . You’ll learn about the tradition of Venetian paper-mâché masks and how the art form was almost lost while painting your own to bring home. 

Take a picture of the spiral staircase at Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo

Tucked away along down one of Venice’s narrow alleyways, you’ll come across one of the most non-touristy places to visit in Italy –Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo. This mansion underwent significant renovations in the 15th century for the Contarini family. 

There are 80 steps on this “snail” staircase ( bovolo  in Italian translates to snail) connecting six loggia floors. Alternating bricks and white stone from the Istria region of Croatia create the decoration.

You can purchase a ticket to visit the inside of the palazzo, and of course, climb the stairway to the Belvedere at the top.

Fun Fact:  Orson Welles featured Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo in his film version of Shakespeare’s Othello .

Try a taste of authentic Venetian cuisine

Food is an important part of my life, and of Italian life in general. I enjoy savoring local dishes as much as possible, and Venice is no exception.

Venetian cuisine is famous throughout Italy for its fresh seafood and fine wines.

The lagoon is the main source of fish in this region, which means you’ll find many of the local dishes revolve around la frutta di mare (the fruit of the sea): 

• Baccalà – dried salt cod 
• Risotto al nero di seppia – risotto with cuttlefish ink 
• ​​ Scampi in busara – cooked shrimp in a tomato sauce
• Sarde in saor – fried sardines with onions, pine nuts, and raisins
• Fritole alla veneziane – a sweet fritter made in the Veneto region only during Carnevale season

If you’re interested in learning more about Venetian cuisine, why not take a cooking class while you’re visiting?

Enjoy a glass of prosecco

Prosecco is the perfect beverage to pair with Venice’s signature seafood dishes or as a sweet treat. The bubbly white wine is like Italy’s version of France’s champagne.

Named after the Italian city Prosecco, authentic bottles of the wine can only be produced with the Prosecco grape in a zone which spans the Friuli Venezia Giulia and the Veneto regions of the country.

And just in the last few years, the laws regarding Rosé Prosecco have changed, and it’s now legal to produce! You can find the traditional white Prosecco on pretty much every drinks menu throughout the city. 

If you really want to experience Prosecco at its best, you should consider taking one of these Prosecco vineyard tours from Venice .

You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the process behind the wine’s signature Charmat method while sampling the light bubbly white wine.

And since there isn’t a set drinking age in Italy , a Prosecco tour is an amazing addition your bucket list for Venice.

Sip on a spritz

A spritz is a bright orange alcoholic drink, traditionally served in the Veneto Region of Italy. 

It’s usually made Prosecco, soda water–and either Aperol (sweet) or Campari (bitter). You can also order a spritz misto which is half of each. Topped with ice and a slice or two of orange, this delicious drink is the cocktail of choice in the Veneto.

It’s even become so popular that it has made its way into restaurants and bars around the world, so next time you’re at the bar, ask for an Aperol spritz!

Taste traditional Venetian aperitivo on your own Bacaro tour

The word bacaro in Venetian dialect means “a good bar” or “wine,” and that’s precisely what you’ll find at any of the city’s bacaro restaurants.

At a bacaro , you’ll eat the Venetian happy hour delicacy called cicchetti , which are small rounds of Italian bread each topped with different things– baccalà , salami , gorgonzola with walnuts, parmigiana cheese with jam, and so many other foods. And of course, you’ll drink a spritz!

Now that you’ve got the basics down, you’re going to do as the Venetians do and add un giro d’ombra (a bacaro tour) to your Venice bucket list! Go from one bacaro to another, having a spritz and a few pieces at cicchetti at every stop.

You can do this on your own or take a guided bacaro tour:

Cool down with Gelato

Gelato has become an Italian institution over the last few decades. And you can find a gelateri a all over Venice. If you’re looking for a sweet treat after exploring the city, stop into one of my favorite spots for delicious ice cream:

• Gelateria S. Leonardo
• Bacaro del Gelato
• Gelato Fantasy
• Gelatoteca Suso
• Gelateria Nico

Shop for fresh seafood at the Mercato di Rialto

You won’t be able to miss this smell !

The Mercato di Rialto is Venice’s fresh fish and produce market found near the Rialto Bridge in Campo de la Pescaria.

It sells a variety of seafood including fresh fish caught daily by local fishermen, but make sure to get there early since the market closes in the afternoon .

The market is open every morning Tuesday through Saturday.

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Visit the Dorsoduro neighborhood

The Dorsoduro sits between the Grand and Giudecca Canals. It has the most land of all Venetian neighborhoods. It’s home to several of the city’s world-renown institutions like the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Cà Rezzonico, and Gallerie dell’Accademia.

It’s also home to the beautiful Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Scuola Grande dei Carmini, excellent restaurants, and Università Ca’ Foscari.

See the world’s largest canvas painting at Chiesa di San Pantalon

This unassuming church in the Dorsoduro district has an incredible masterpiece inside. The church dedicated to Saint Pantaleon was built in the 17th century. It’s home to Il Martirio di San Pantalon (The Martyrdom and Apotheosis of St Pantalon,) the largest canvas painting in the world. It spans more than 40 canvases over the 25-by-50-meter space. 

The Baroque artist, Gian Antonio Fumiani, worked on the vast ceiling illustration for over 20 years but passed away when he fell off the scaffolding keeping him up close to the roof while working.

The first time I saw the masterwork, I had unknowingly wandered into the church. I was awestruck by the painting above my head. It’s an incredible landmark that you need to see at least once.

Find the Banksy art

Right by Chiesa di San Pantalon, one of the world’s most famous anonymous street artists left a gift in Venice. Banksy left his piece Opera di Banksy Piccolo migrante col razzo (The Migrant Child by Banksy) on the side of a building in the Dorsoduro neighborhood. It’s best viewed from the bridge Calle de la Chiesa in the Dorsoduro district.

Walk to one end of the city at Punta della Dogana

Found at the end of the Dorsoduro neighborhood, Punta della Dogana marks the spot between the Grand and Giudecca Canals. It’s at one of the furthest points you can walk to in Venice, but it makes for excellent views once you get there. It’s one of my favorite underrated Venice sunset spots due to how the sun reflects on the water over the narrow strip of land.

Here you’ll find the Patriarchal Seminary of Venice, the Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute, and a contemporary art museum in the 17th century Dogana da Mar customs house.   

Look up to see the dome at Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute

Almost at the end of Punta della Dogana, you’ll find Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute. Built starting in 1631, this church stands over the Grand Canal as a dedication to Our Lady of Health to save Venice from the plague. 

The ceiling is covered with paintings by famed Venetian Renaissance artist Titian, depicting stories from the Old Testament, such as Abraham and Isaac, Cain and Abel, and David and Goliath. The Basilica is free to enter.

Marvel at masterpieces in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is found in an 18th-century palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro neighborhood. Walk through the mansion Guggenheim lived here for over thirty years and admire the collection she amassed and publically displayed seasonally before she passed in 1979.

The museum has an impressive collection of modern art and sculpture, most of which Penny Guggenheim purchased throughout Europe and the United States during World War II. Cubism, Surrealism, and abstract expressionism are styles on prominent display from artists like Gino Severini, Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, and Jackson Pollock.

The museum is open year-round (except for Tuesdays) and is included as an add-on for the Venice Unica Pass.

Visit the Gallerie dell’Accademia

The Gallerie dell’Accademia houses an impressive collection of Venetian art and paintings from the pre-19th century. Housed in the former Scuola della Carità building, the gallery shows its masterpieces in chronological order from when they were created.

As you wander the halls, you’ll be in the presence of works by artists such as Giovanni Bellini, Leonardo da Vinci, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Tintoretto, Titian, and Giorgio Vasari, among others. 

Take in the view from Ponte dell’Accademia

The Ponte dell’Accademia is one of the most photographed bridges in Venice. It connects the Dorsoduro district to the San Marco neighborhood. Any time of day on the bridge is pretty beautiful, but it’s absolutely magical around sunset. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute glows gold in the evening light, and with a sunset backdrop–it’s gorgeous.

Visit the Floating Fruit Market

If everything else in Venice floats, why not its fruit market? That’s right, you can find gondolas filled with fresh produce near the Ponte dei Pugni bridge in the Campo San Barnaba of the Dorsoduro district.

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Check out the Canareggio and Castello neighborhoods on the north side of the city

There are so many amazing things to do in Venice, you’ll soon realize why everyone loves visiting this beautiful city. When you’re tired of walking around the crowded tourist attractions, take a stroll down some quiet streets of the Canareggio and Castello neighborhoods.

There are only about 50,000 residents of Venice today, and a good portion of them live within the Canareggio and Castello districts. If you want to see what local living in Venice is like today, this is where you need to go. You’ll also find some excellent restaurants and lesser-known historical landmarks here. 

The Fondamente de la Misericordia is the heart of local life in this area; you’ll find many excellent restaurants where people are eating right next to the Canal.

Then, walk along the northern edge of the city to see Cimitero di San Michele (San Michele Cemetery) island just a little ways off-shore and the snow-capped peaks of the Dolomites on a really clear day far off in the distance.

Visit Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta detta I Gesuiti

This church in the Canareggio district has an interesting history. In 1606, the Venetian Jesuit community was kicked out of the city for sixty years due to a disagreement between the Pope and the city. They decided to build a magnificent church to entice new patrons when they returned. 

Inside the church completed in 1732, you’ll find masterpieces made of marble, from the statues to the high altar. Even the curtains of the pulpit are carved from marble. It costs a symbolic €1 to enter the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta detta I Gesuiti.

Learn at the Venetian Arsenal

The Venetian Arsenal was the Republic of Venice’s complex of shipyards and armories. It was built starting in 1104 and takes up about 15 percent of the total land space across the city.

No surprise for a nation built on a lagoon; the country controlled an enormous navy and merchant fleet. The kind of assembly-line mass production meant the Arsenal could produce a large number of boats very quickly, which had a significant, positive impact on Venice’s strong naval power.

Today, the Arsenal houses an impressive collection of weapons and armor at the Venice Naval History Museum and hosts events and exhibitions for the Venice Biennale. It’s also home to the operations center for the MOSE Project–a tidal barrier to try and combat the flooding and slow sinking of the city due to rising tides and climate change.

Attend the Venice Biennale

The Venice Biennale is an international arts festival held every other year starting in June and running through November. The exhibition features artists from all over the world. It is considered one of the largest and most prestigious events of its kind.

You can find out more about this year’s exhibitions and purchase tickets on their website .

Fun Fact:  The Biennial was established in 1893 to showcase Italian art and celebrate the 25th anniversary of King Umberto I and Margherita of Savoy’s reign. The first officially opened on April 30th, 1895.

Explore the city’s Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Ghetto is an area within the old town of Venice where Jews were forced to live during the Middle Ages. Today, the site has become an open-air museum, housing many of the original synagogues, schools, and houses built by the Jewish community. 

To learn more about the area’s history, make sure to visit the Museo Ebraico di Venezia  (Jewish Museum of Venice.)

Quick History : The word “ghetto” comes from the “Italian dialect form ghèto, meaning “foundry.” A foundry for cannons was once located on an island that forms part of Venice, where in 1516 the Venetians restricted Jewish residence. The word ghèto became the name for the area and was borrowed into standard Italian as ghetto, with the meaning of “section of a city where Jews are forced to live.” From there it passed into most other European languages.” “ghetto,” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary . Accessed 3/13/2022.

Discover a classic at the Libreria Acqua Alta

One of my favorite things to do in Venice is to wander around the Libreria Acqua Alta. The Castello neighborhood bookstore has books and magazines piled up to the ceilings on shelves, in a bathtub, and in one of the most Venetian things I’ve ever seen–books piled high in a gondola. 

Since it’s right along a canal, you can climb up a stairway of books to see the view, and they even have a gondola attached to their water-facing door so you can read sitting outside on the water.

It’s become so popular that it’s become an Instagram hotspot! If you’re lucky, you might even capture a picture of one of their cute cats roaming the shelves.

Walk along the Calle Giazzo

The Calle Giazzo is a metal walkway running between two vaporetto stops in the Castello district near the Venetian Arsenale. It’s a peaceful, peculiar place because you can see the lagoon underneath you while walking on a metal walkway between the Bacini – Arsenale Nord and Celestia water taxi terminals.

See the tombs of twenty-five Doges at the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo

The Basilica of Saints John & Paul is one of the largest churches in Venice, located in the Castello neighborhood. From the 15th century until the end of the Republic of Venice, this is where the funerals for Doges took place and were buried. 

As you walk around the inside of the church, you can see the tombs of the Doges, as well as many other famous Venetians.

Fun Fact : This church isn’t named for John the Baptist or Paul the Apostle. Instead, it’s named for two lesser-known martyrs from early Christianity.

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Take a day trip to a nearby city

You should consider taking a day trip to a nearby town while visiting Venice. The north of Italy offers many beautiful towns and cities with a genuine Italian feel.

My top guided day trip recommendations include:

• Experience Italy’s dramatic mountain range of a Cortina & Dolomites Full-Day Tour
• Travel in style on a Padua Brenta Riviera Boat Cruise
• Take a day to visit fair Verona & Amarone
• Dedicate a whole day to a Prosecco Wine Tour and Tasting

If you’re willing to spend a night away from Venice, you can also take a ferry right from the city across the Adriatic Sea to Pula, Croatia.

I’ve lived with a local Croatian family for a few summers and loved my time in Pula.

You can check out my guides on how to take a day trip to Venice from Pula , things to do in Pula , the best beaches in Pula , and my 3-day itinerary to Pula if you want to learn more about this Croatian-Italian city.

Enjoy the view from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop

 A few blocks from the Rialto Bridge, you’ll find the 14th-century Fondaco dei Tedeschi. This luxury indoor shopping mall was once the city’s main post office. Before that, German merchants living in the Venetian Republic were confined there.

The interior has been carefully designed to preserve the historical integrity of the structure while offering floors of shopping space. Shopping inside is one of the best things to do in Venice in the rain !

And now you can enjoy the panoramic views of the city from its rooftop as one of the best free things to do in Venice. It’s free to reserve a ticket to visit the T Fondaco Rooftop Terrace; just make sure to book your ticket in advance .

Swim on Lido Island

Who needs the Amalfi Coast when you have a  spiaggia  (beach) in Venezia?

The Lido is an island just off the coast of Venice where you can enjoy the sun, sand, and water without having to leave the city. You’ll find many seaside shops, restaurants, and hotels–and most of the coastline beach is free to the public.

There are plenty of beaches on the island, with Spiaggia Lungomare d’Annunzio, Venezia Spiaggia Blue Moon, and Murazzi Spiaggia libera as the most popular ones. If you’re lucky enough to visit during high season , expect crowds of people enjoying their time together.

I have a whole list of my favorite beaches in Venice if you’re interested in learning more.

Head inside the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore

Also the name of the island it’s on, Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore is dedicated to Saint George and was home to the San Giorgio Monastery from 982 until 1812. When you visit the island, make sure you climb the bell tower. The Campanile di San Giorgio offers one of the best views of Venice; you can see the whole city laid out in front of you.

You’ll also find the Fondazione Giorgio Cini cultural center and library archive, the Labirinto Borges labyrinth, the open-air theater Teatro Verde, and the Vatican Chapels. You can reach the island by the city’s Vaporetto.

Fun Fact : The famous Impressionist painter Claude Monet captured the beauty of Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore within a series of paintings titled  Saint-Georges majeur au crépuscule .

Visit the three other Venetian islands–Murano, Burano, and Torcello

Two of these three small islands off of the coast of Venice are almost as famous as the central city itself. 

Murano is one of the most famous glassmaking centers in the world. The first glassmakers were brought to this small island in the Venetian Lagoon during the Middle Ages and prevented from leaving to keep their secrets on making glass. Today, Murano is still considered a center for high-quality glass production, and it’s where you’ll find the Museo del Vetro (Glass Museum).

Burano is home to the world-famous needle-lace. The island was revered for the quality of its lace during the 18th century, and the practice was even saved from extinction in 1872 by an elderly resident of the island who remembered how the lace was created. Unfortunately, the school is no longer in operation. Still, you can visit the Museo del Merletto to learn all about the art form’s history on this island. Burano is also famous for its colorful painted houses.

Torcello is the smallest of the three islands. Built in 639, it’s home to the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta. It also has some of the oldest mosaics in the region, the Casa Museo Andrich art museum, and the Museo di Torcello.

You can either purchase a day pass for the vaporetto and go from island to island yourself in your own time, or book this guided tour to Burano, Murano, and Torcello . They’ll coordinate all your transportation, give you free time on each island, and your tour includes entry to a glass workshop and a stop to visit a lace shop. This is a great day trip to take if you’re visiting Venice, Italy in the summer !

See the alter and flooded crypt in Chiesa di San Zaccaria

Just around the corner from St. Peter’s Basilica, the first version of Chiesa di San Zaccaria was built in the 9th century for the remains of Saint Zechariah, the father of prophet John the Baptist, that still lay in the church.

The version that stands today was constructed next to the foundation of the original, starting in the 13th century in the late-Gothic and Renaissance styles. The San Zaccaria Altarpiece is one of the most famous works by Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini, found in one of the church’s niches. 

Chiesa di San Zaccaria was also where several of the doges were laid to rest, in the crypt below the church. Although that space is now flooded with canal water, you can still head underground and see the site. It’s actually even more beautiful with the standing water since it acts as a kind of mirror that reflects the columns and ceiling vaults, making it look even more majestic.

Check out what art exhibition is on display at Palazzo Grassi

Of all Venice’s palaces, Palazzi Grassi was the last one to be built on the Grand Canal before the fall of the Venetian Republic. French art collector François Pinault is the current owner of the building (and of Punta della Dogana). The space now showcases modern art in permanent and temporary collections. You can see what’s going on there now on their website . 

Get a glimpse at historic fashion inside the Study Centre of the History of Textiles, Costumes and Perfume at Palazzo Mocenigo

Carefully rebuilt in the 17th century, Palazzo Mocenigo was originally owned by the powerful Venetian Mocenigo family. The last descent of the family bequeathed the building to the city to become a museum after his death in 1945.

The Study Centre of the History of Textiles, Costumes and Perfume officially opened 20 years later to showcase rare textiles, ancient clothing, and costumes. It’s also home to a library dedicated to clothing history.

From fine waistcoats for aristocratic Venetians to elaborate lace patterns and embroideries, you’ll see how wealthy residents lived through the historic fabrics and furnishings here in the museum.

See the city lights sparkle on the canals at night

There are many things to do in Venice at night , too. You can see the moonlight reflected on the water, feel the breeze blowing across the canals, and walk through the now almost-empty Piazza San Marco. 

When you’re walking along the Grand Canal, you’ll notice how beautiful the buildings are lit up by the moonlight. And if you go to the Rialto Bridge, you’ll be amazed by the beauty of the bridge and the lights reflecting off the water.

1. Walk around Piazza San Marco 2. See the inside of Basilica di San Marco 3. Explore Palazzo Ducale 4. See the Bridge of Sighs 5. Climb the Campanile di San Marco 6. Check the time on the Torre dell’Orologio 7. Walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni 8. Enjoy Giardini Reali  9. Step inside the ​​Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana 10. Learn more about Venice’s unique history at Museo Correr 11. Grab a Bellini at its birthplace–Harry’s Bar  12. Cross the Rialto Bridge 13. Get lost on the city’s narrow streets 14. Go on a guided walking tour 15. Instead of walking, catch a Vaporetto 16. Go for a ride in a Gondola 17. Learn how to row your own Venetian gondola 18. Take a traghetto 19. Try a dinner cruise on the Lagoon 20. Watch an opera at Teatro La Fenice 21. Attend the historic Carnevale festival 22. Buy or build a Venetian Carnevale Mask 23. Take a picture of the spiral staircase at Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo 24. Try a taste of authentic Venetian cusinie 25. Enjoy a glass of prosecco  26. Sip on a spritz 27. Taste traditional Venetian aperitivo on your own Bacaro tour 28. Cool down with Gelato 29. Shop for fresh seafood at the Mercato di Rialto 30. Visit the Dorsoduro neighborhood 31. See the world’s largest canvas painting at Chiesa di San Pantalon 32. Find the Banksy art 33. Walk to the End of the Island at Punta della Dogana 34. Look up to see the dome at Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute 35. Marvel at masterpieces in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection 36. Visit the Gallerie dell’Accademia 37. Take in the view from Ponte dell’Accademia 38. Visit the Floating Fruit Market 39. Check out the Canareggio and Castello neighborhoods on the north side of the city 40. Visit Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta detta I Gesuiti 41. Learn at the Venetian Arsenal 42. Attend the Venice Biennale 43. Explore the city’s Jewish Quarter 44. Discover a classic at the Libreria Acqua Alta 45. Walk along the Calle Giazzo 46. See the tombs of twenty-five Doges at the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo 47. Take a day trip to a nearby city 48. Enjoy the view from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop 49. Swim on Lido Island 50. Head inside the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore 51. Visit the three other Venetian islands–Murano, Burano, and Torcello 52. See the alter and flooded crypt in Chiesa di San Zaccaria 53. Check out what art exhibition is on display at Palazzo Grassi 54. Get a glimpse at historic fashion inside the Study Centre of the History of Textiles, Costumes and Perfume at Palazzo Mocenigo 55. See the city lights sparkle on the canals at night

Venice is beautiful, historic and full of amazing sights and experiences. The city is absolutely incredible and I hope you get an opportunity to check off as many of these Venice bucket list activities the next time you visit!

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• 3 days in Venice: the perfect itinerary
• Places and Tours

Discover with us an itinerary of things to do in Venice in 3 days : how to get there and what to visit. A ready-to use guide to the city of dreams.

Here on Visit Italy we have already written about Venice , its lagoon , its museums , we have given you advice on where to sleep or on the 10 must-see things to do in this wonderful city. In this article we propose you an itinerary tested by our editors and ready-to use for everything there is to do in Venice in 3 days . Ready to go?

What to do in 3 days in Venice

Our guide on what to do in 3 days in Venice can only take into account the peculiarities of this extraordinary city. Canals, bridges, sestieri: Venice is a city that should certainly be toured on foot. However, it may also be necessary to know how to get around by public transportation, which here in Venice is really special .

If you want to visit Venice in an authentic way and are looking for a tour that allows you to fully enjoy all the experiences the city has to offer, we highly recommend our Venice Pass : a 1-day digital pass that will make you experience Venice like a local.

How to arrive in Venice?

In Venice you cannot use any private vehicle. If you are arriving in the city by train , you can take it easy and enjoy the whole trip to Venice Santa Lucia station . If, on the other hand, you are thinking of arriving in the city by car , we recommend that you leave it in one of the car park areas just outside the entrance to the city, in Mestre or in Piazzale Roma . From there you can take one of the many vaporettos , buses, or ferries that transport visitors and depart for the centre of Venice every 30 minutes .

Being able to visit Venice in just 3 days is not easy. In this guide we have selected - and it wasn't simple - just a few of the attractions of the marvellous Venetian city, in order to give you a comfortable itinerary that allows you to enjoy the beauty of Venice as much as possible .

- St Mark's Square , with its basilica, bell tower, terraces and Doge's Palace

- Caffè Florian (and Correr Museum)

- Bridge of Sighs

- Real Gardens or Acqua Alta Bookshop

- Walk through the calli to the Rialto Bridge

- Aperitif at the bacari, just like a local !

We start with the St Mark's Square complex, which is divided into: Basilica, Campanile, Terrazze and Palazzo Ducale . The tour of these four Venetian architectural beauties takes about three hours , and the convenience is that they are all located in the same square. At this link you will find the definitive guide to the Gothic jewel of the Lagoon , you can't miss it! After your visit, we recommend having a coffee and a pastry at Caffè Florian , a historic 18th-century café located right next to Correr Museum , a museum of Venetian art and antiquities. If you are an enthusiast, or if you are simply curious about the visit, we suggest you drop in! Just behind the square, you will find the Bridge of Sighs . This Baroque-style bridge connects the Doge's Palace to the Prigioni Nuove: it was the passage used by inmates in the prisons to get to the inquisitors' offices. Legend has it that at the time of the Serenissima Republic of Venice - 17th century - prisoners crossed the bridge sighing for the last time before their sentence.

After lunch you can choose : a stroll through the Giardini Reali , dating back to Napoleon's time and restored in 2020. Not far from the S. Marco waterbus stop, they are one of the city's green areas overlooking the water. Or a visit to the Acqua Alta Bookshop , photographed by tourists from all over the world, is truly a Venice gem. Inside, you can find old, new, used and unobtainable elsewhere, or antique volumes. This is one of our favourite places in Venice, not least because its owner is always ready to provide useful tips on the city and the dishes of the day from nearby restaurants.

Now a walk through the calli to the Rialto Bridge , only 10 minutes from both the places we have just recommended you see. This is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal, inaugurated in 1591 but some documents claim it already existed - in the form of a floating bridge - from the second half of the 12th century. This was the site of the ancient mint of Venice.

After crossing the bridge, all that remains is to head for one of the many bacari you will find on your way. The Bacaro (or Bacareto) is a type of Venetian tavern where wines are served by the glass and 'cicheti' , snacks in small portions that can be consumed as aperitifs, snacks, or after dinner. The Venetians have the custom of organising 'Bacaro tours' in which they go around Venice and its osterias in one day drinking, eating and laughing with friends . If by your second day you are already tired of visiting and want to experience Venice like a local, this is a good idea!

- Peggy Guggenheim Collection

- Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute

- Academy Galleries

- La Fenice Grand Theatre

Venice is famous for its Biennale . Founded in 1895, it is a cultural foundation that promotes artistic trends by organising international events for art, architecture, music, cinema, theatre and dance. In addition to the Biennale del Cinema, for which every summer the Lido fills up with actors and directors and insiders who make the city more chic than it already is, every two years, Venice hosts the Art and Architecture Biennial in the Giardini (sestiere di Castello). From April to November , it is possible to visit the pavilions that host artists from all over the world and for whom the curious flock from all over the world. We believe that a trip to the Venice Biennale is a must.

If not, what you could do on your second day in town is visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni , one of Italy's leading museums of European and American art. Inside you will also find a great cafeteria for your breakfast . From here, you can easily move to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute , consecrated in 1687 and one of the greatest expressions of Palladio 's designs. The Virgin Mary is one of the city's patron saints and this church represents the Venetians' gratitude for having freed them from the plague. The Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia , is the state university founded on the site of the Ospedale degli Incurabili. Many masters of art and architecture have taught and first attended here. Walk to the Gallerie dell'Accademia , named after the university and where works of art were acquired for restoration from the beginning. Cross the Ponte dell'Accademia bridge and head for Teatro La Fenice , Venice's opera house and one of the most prestigious in the world . It was twice destroyed and then rebuilt, and it is here that the famous New Year's Concert is held every year, tickets for which are sold out months in advance. Home to many premieres of important names, including Verdi, Bellini, Stravinsky, Rossini, Kagel and many others.

Venice day 3

- Jewish Ghetto

- Cannaregio

- Murano Islands

During your third day, we suggest you to slow down. Now that you are familiar with all the colours of the city , it is time to get lost in its streets and let yourself be carried away by the vibrant Venetian atmosphere . The Jewish Ghetto will be your first stop, one of the most important in Europe and the centre of Venice's Jewish community since 1516, where you will find numerous synagogues. Take a walk in the Cannaregio sestiere , crossed by the Guglie and Tre Archi bridges: the only three-arched bridge left in Venice. Just from Guglie you should take the vaporetto that will take you to the Murano Islands in the Venice Lagoon. Its islands are connected by bridges, so it will be easy for you to juggle from one to the other in search of the piece of glass that suits you best.

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14 Best Places to Visit in Venice Italy (A First Timer’s Guide)

By: Author Charles

Posted on May 15, 2023

Venice, Italy. One of the most well-known cities in the world and one that is full of things to do and sites to see.

While you may come across articles talking about how the city is overrun by tourists and can be left off an Italy itinerary, I would have to disagree. If you are heading to Italy and have the chance to visit this one of kind place, I say go for it!

This guide will go over the best places to visit in Venice Italy, talk about how to avoid the crowds, and provide you with some helpful info to make your trip as memorable as possible.

*  Affiliate Disclosure : This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase through the links provided, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting the work I put into TripTins!

1) 14 Best Places to Visit in Venice

I will first go over some of the best places to visit in Venice followed by all logistical info later on in the guide. The following attractions can be seen over a couple of days but feel free to pick and choose based on preference and amount of time you have in the city.

Helpful Tip: be sure to purchase tickets in advance for the top attractions in the city. This will save you valuable time during a visit as you won’t need to spend your day just waiting in lines. Also, always check the latest opening hours prior to heading out!

Piazza San Marco

Without a doubt, the most popular square in Venice is Piazza San Marco. All around the square you will find some of the best architecture and most well known buildings that Venice has to offer.

The square has quite a history as it was first built all the way back in the 9 th century (although it was smaller back then). Beyond its beautiful architecture and tiled floor, be on the lookout for the hundreds of pigeons who call St Marks home. And don’t be surprised if you come across a flooded square either. Piazza San Marco is the lowest point of Venice and it does flood after heavy rainfall.

Some of the main highlights that can be found around the square include St Marks Basilica, the San Marco Campanile, Doge’s Palace, and the National Archaeological Museum of Venice.

St Mark’s Basilica

• Opening Hours : 9:30AM – 5:15PM (Sundays & Holidays opens at 2:00PM)
• Sunday Mornings : museum can still be visited
• Entrance Fee : 3 Euro (+5 Euro for Pala d’Oro & +7 Euro for museum)
• Skip the Line Ticket : St Mark’s Basilica Fast Track Entry & Audio Guide

Once you have had enough time outside in the piazza, it is time to head indoors to the St Mark’s Basilica. Here you will find a magnificent building with huge arched ceilings and detailed artwork all throughout.

During a visit to the St Marks Basilica, you can opt to just head into the basilica, or also add on a visit to the Pala d’Oro (golden alter) and Loggia dei Cavalli museum (both for an extra fee).

You can spend your time in the Basilica taking in the ornate architecture, mosaics and artwork, in addition to visiting the Treasury and the Crypt.

Tip : there is also the opportunity to head out onto the St Marks Basilica terrace overlooking the piazza. In order to do so, you must purchase a museum ticket as that is where it connects from.

St Mark’s Bell Tower

• Opening Hours : 9:30AM – 9:15PM
• Entrance Fee : 12 Euro
• Skip the Line Ticket: St Marks Bell Tower Ticket

If you are looking to head up the tallest structure in Venice, then the San Marco Campanile is for you. This is the bell tower of the St Marks Basilica, and can be found just next door.

From the top of the 320 foot / 99 meter tall tower, you will be able to enjoy some of the best views of Venice from above. And don’t worry, you will not need to climb it yourself. Instead a quick lift will take you right on up.

Be sure to book your tickets online ahead of time to guarantee a spot and lessen any potential waiting times.

Important Note:

During the high season, the lines for both the Basilica and Bell Tower can get very long. To avoid this you can purchase skip the line tickets beforehand on the websites linked above. If you do book ahead of time you will be able to skip the lines when you arrive and walk right in.

Doge’s Palace

• Opening Hours : 9:00AM – 7:00PM
• Entrance Fee : 30 Euro
• Skip the Line Tickets : Doge’s Palace Reserved Ticket
• Guided Tour : Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica with Terrace Access Tour

Right nearby the square you will find Doge’s Palace , a museum filled with numerous chambers, dungeons, and passageways. You can purchase a ticket to the museum and wander around on your own or you can also take part of a guided tour.

One such tour is called “ Secret Itineraries ”, which takes you through hidden passageways and to rooms not available for the public to see.

Bridge of Sighs

One of the more unique bridges that can be visited during a trip to Venice is the Bridge of Sighs.

The bridge connects Doge’s Palace with Prigioni Nuove (New Prisons), and has quite the history. It was built in 1614 as a way for prisoners to be safely transported from the court at Doge’s Palace directly into the prison.

It has been named the Bridge of Sighs due to the sighs that the prisoners would let out, as they came to the realization they would be headed to prison and may not see Venice again.

If you would like to actually head onto the bridge, that can only be done as part of a Doge’s Palace guided tour. However, if you just want to view from the bridge from afar, you can head to the nearby Paglia Bridge to get the experience.

San Giorgio Maggiore

• Church Hours : 9:00AM – 7:00PM (closes at 6:00PM in winter)
• Entrance Fee : Free (6 Euro for bell tower)
• Tour : Boat Tour with Grand Canal and San Giorgio Maggiore

Located just south from the main Venice island, you will find San Giorgio Maggiore. The island is quite small but does have a historic church and bell tower to visit.

Visiting the island is quite simple as you can catch a vaporetto (waterbus) right over. During a ride towards the island, you will be able to enjoy some views all around, both of mainland Venice and of the island.

The main highlight of the island is the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, where you will find a beautiful piece of architecture highlighted by some paintings of the artist, Tintoretto.

Be sure to also head up the bell tower, where you can get great views of the island, the water, and of the main Venice area.

While the church and bell tower are the main highlights, feel free to walk around the small island too. The gardens, waterfront area, and overall landscape is a peaceful place to explore outside of the hustle & bustle of Venice.

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

• Opening Hours : 9:30AM – 12:00PM and 3:00PM – 5:30PM
• Entrance Fee : Free

Perhaps the most well known basilicas in the city is the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, one of the places to visit in Venice .

The basilica began construction in 1631 as tribute to the end of a plague that killed many Venetians. It took over 50 years to build, and was finally completed in 1687.

You can find the octagonal Salute at the southern entrance of the Grand Canal, just opposite from the San Marco Square area.

During a visit to Venice, you can opt to view the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute from a distance, or you can make your way across the water and head inside to see it for yourself.

T Fondaco Rooftop Terrace

• Opening Hours : 10:15AM – 6:00PM
• Reserved Tickets : T Fondaco Tickets

As you may imagine, Venice is one of the most picturesque cities to view from above. Taking in views of the canals, churches, and rooftops is going to be a panorama like no other.

One of the best ways to get that elevated view is from a place called the T Fondaco Rooftop Terrace.

Now, this isn’t your ordinary rooftop. Instead, it is actually the rooftop of a shopping mall. Since the viewpoint has been popularized over time, you must make a reservation in advance.

These reservations are free of charge and open up 21 days in advance online. It is important to note that visits are subject to a 15 minute duration, but that should still give you enough time to fully enjoy the view.

Gallerie dell’Accademia

• Opening Hours : 8:15AM – 6:50PM (closed Mondays)
• Official Website (for tickets)

The Accademia Gallery Museum is one of the top choices for museum lovers out there. The art collection comprises of pieces that were created between the 14 th and 18 th centuries.

You will find over 800 individual pieces of art throughout the museum from artists such as Tintoretto, Titian, Bellini, Veneziano, Veronese, among others.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection

• Opening Hours : 10:00AM – 6:00PM (closed Tuesdays)
• Entrance Fee : 16 Euro
• Skip the Line Tickets : Peggy Guggenheim Tickets
• Guided Tour : Peggy Guggenheim Collection Tour with Private Guide
• Official Website

If you are interested in the art world, you can check out the Peggy Guggenheim Collection , which is filled with hundreds of art pieces from some well known artists. It is also right nearby many of the attractions mentioned above so it would be easy to add it onto your day.

The Grand Canal

Odds are at one point or another you will come across the Canal Grande of Venice .

This main canal of the city winds it way through from the train station all the way to the area of Piazza San Marco. Walking along the canal or taking a water bus down it will be an experience of its own.

Note : While you cannot walk along the entirety of the canal, you will have the chance to cross over some bridges and stroll a portion of it.

Ponte di Rialto

The most famous of bridges that hangs over the grand canal is the Ponte di Rialto . As you are walking along the canal be sure to head to this bridge for a great vantage point of the city.

Gondola Ride

A trip to Venice is not complete without the classic gondola ride around the canals right?

If you are interested in taking part, you should have no trouble finding a gondola to take you on a ~40 minute ride all around the city. It won’t come cheap – somewhere in the 80-100 Euro range for the boat, but it will be an experience you won’t forget.

Murano, Burano, Torcello

The last thing I want to mention is a potential day trip outside of the main city of Venice . Throughout the Venetian lagoon you will find several other smaller islands to visit and enjoy.

Three of the main ones are Murano, Burano and Torcello . Murano is known for its exquisite glass making, Burano for its colorful buildings, and Torcello as the original center of Venice.

You can decide to visit them by doing a self guided tour using the waterbus system or join a group (or private) tour. Whatever you decide it is sure to be quite the experience.

If you want to learn more take a look at the Murano, Burano, Torcello overview I have up on the site

Bonus! – Get Lost

While all the above attractions are great places to visit and enjoy, wandering the streets of Venice is a site within its own right . The entire city is just a huge maze of narrow streets, plazas, bridges, and canals.

Simply just head out on your own and get lost for a bit exploring all that Venice has to offer.

→ Why not add Lake Como to your Italy trip while you are at it! You can find the nearest airport to Lake Como to better plan your trip.

2) Map of Attractions

Below you can find a map of the best places to visit in Venice (not including the day trip islands).

Nothing is further than a 15-20 minute walk from one to another but you could also use public transport down the Canal Grande if you would like.

3) How to Get to Venice

There are a few ways to get into Venice depending on where you are coming from – fly, train or bus .

If coming from farther out, a flight into the Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is your most likely option. From the airport though you will need to make it to the city center. There are a few ways to get you there.

The easiest and most convenient option is to get a water taxi to take you to your hotel. You can book a shared water taxi over to save a good amount of money.

If you want to get to Venice by land instead of water you can also opt for the bus from the airport to the city center . The ATVO bus goes from the airport to Piazzale Roma, where you can then walk, water taxi or vaporetto to your hotel.

If you are coming into Venice from another city in Italy or a close by country, odds are you will be taking the train. Note though that there are two train stations when looking at schedules.

One is in the Venice center called Venezia Santa Lucia Station and the other is on the Italian mainland – Venezia Mestre Station . Odds are you will want to train into Santa Lucia since it is right in the city itself.

Similar to the train section you can also bus into Venice if coming from nearby. There will also be two different bus stop options – one in the city center called Piazzale Roma and the second on the mainland – Venice Mestre (like the train station).

4) How to Get Around Venice

Once you are in Venice, you will want to figure out how to get around the city. This will also depend on where you are staying and what you want to do in the city.

If you are staying close by to the attractions mentioned above then you will not need to worry too much about transportation within the city.

Walking the streets will work out just fine and you will not necessarily need to take public transport .

However, if you want to venture a bit farther out then the waterbus system is your next best bet .

The ACTV water bus company will be your go to when exploring Venice by boat (Vaporetto). There are set timetables and you can hop on and off the boat at your convenience.

Tickets start at 9.50 Euro, so it is not necessarily that cheap to get around. If you feel like you will be taking the boats a bit more frequently you can opt for a 1, 2, 3, or 7 day pass to save some money.

Be sure to check out the ACTV website for the latest schedules and maps.

5) When to Go to Venice

One of the biggest questions to ask yourself when planning a trip, is when to go to Venice. There are a few main considerations at play here, mostly to do with the tourist crowds and the weather.

Without a doubt, Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. But it is also not that big of a city as its walkways, bridges, plazas, & canals can be overrun with many people.

For some, being around crowds like this just may not be the type of experience that is enjoyable.

While the crowds can be there throughout the year, you will find that the warmer months between May to September bring the most tourists. This is mostly due to summer holidays and the ability to take advantage of other parts of Italy (such as the Amalfi Coast and Capri ).

If you have some flexibility with your trip timing, a visit in the early Spring or late Fall may be a better option altogether when it comes to fewer crowds. And if you want to have the lowest number of tourists around, that usually happens during the colder winter months.

The Weather

When it comes to the weather in Venice, you can expect a Mediterranean climate. The peak summer months can be very hot and uncomfortable for some. Couple that with the peak number of tourists, and it is not the best combo.

Before and after the summer though, the temperatures will be milder & more enjoyable altogether. You can still expect some warm temperatures that are perfect for a comfortable experience altogether.

In the winter, the temperatures will drop further. While it usually doesn’t get below freezing cold, it is still a pretty chilly time of year to visit.

Other Considerations

Beyond the crowds & the weather, there are some other considerations you may want to think about.

Venice hosts a few major festivals throughout the year, when locals & tourists descend on the city. Accommodation will be at a premium and more expensive altogether. However, experiencing a festival may be exactly what you want out of a trip.

Lastly, you should also think about holidays in general such as Easter Week or Christmas time . During these times of the year, many people enjoy traveling which can increase prices and the crowds.

So, with all of that said, I would recommend either a mid-Spring or mid Fall trip. During these times of the year, the crowds would have subsided from their summer peaks & the weather will still be comfortable.

6) Venice Tours

While seeing Venice on your own is one way to go about a visit, taking a guided tour is another option. These tours will give you the chance to see many of the top attractions while having a local guide by your side.

This is a great option for those that really want to learn as they go and have the opportunity to ask questions along the way.

Tours come in all shapes & sizes. You can opt for full day tours visiting several different attractions, or you can opt to just take a tour of a particular place. These usually can be done as both group and private options depending on your overall preference and budget.

Below are some longer half day & full day tour options that come with some very high rated reviews. I have also included in the article tour options for a few particular spots, where having a guide may be more helpful.

• Venice Doge’s Palace & St Mark’s Basilica Skip-the-Line Tour
• Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary
• Hidden Venice: Unusual Walking Tour
• Venice: Street Food Tour with a Local Guide and Tastings

7) How Many Days in Venice

As you are going about planning an Italy itinerary it is always hard to figure out exactly how many days to spend in each place.

When it comes to Venice though, I would recommend at least 2-3 days to fully appreciate all that it has to offer.

Venice is a place full of bridges, canals, plazas, alleys, and more to explore. In addition to the city itself, there are several attractions to visit in Venice as we talked through in this overview.

You want to give yourself enough time to explore it all at a leisurely pace and to fully enjoy your time there. If you to only have a day, you will find yourself rushing through the top spots and not appreciating the city for what it is.

With 2-3 days in Venice, you will have enough time to visit the top sites, wander the streets, take a day trip out into the Venetian Lagoon, and spend time eating some meals along the way.

You can visit Italy as part of this 10 Day Italy Itinerary or 2 Week Italy Itinerary .

8) Where to Stay in Venice

Venice can get tricky due to the various canals, narrow streets and small bridges all around the city.

I have highlighted below a few hotel options that are close by Piazza San Marco (and many of the other attractions listed). This way, once you are all settled into your hotel, you will not have to be concerned about venturing too far out to start your day.

• Hotel Bisanzio
• Residence Corte Grimani
• Hotel Serenissima
• Hotel Mercurio Venezia
• Duodo Palace Hotel

That about wraps up a guide to the best places to visit in Venice! If you want to learn more about Italy, check out the other Italy itineraries and guides I have up on the site. Also, feel free to ask any questions below!

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3 Days in Venice: Detailed Itinerary, Map & Insider Tips

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: March 21, 2024

Planning to spend 3 days in Venice and wondering what to see and do in the city and how to best plan your time? In this guide, we share a detailed Venice 3-day itinerary coupled with lots of practical information and local’s tips to help you make the most of your visit.

Built on more than a hundred small islands, Venice is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful places to see in Italy . Nobody will argue that the historical city center and the islands dotting the beautiful Venetian Lagoon are absolutely unique. There’s just no other place like this in the world!

The canals of Venice and its ‘calli’, the narrow streets, divide the urban landscape that looks like an intricate labyrinth. With its old palaces, world-famous museums, and its iconic landmarks, Venice is a city to visit slowly, giving you time to enjoy all its beauty.

Most tourists only come to Venice for a day , so lucky you to be able to spend three days in the floating city! With 3 days in Venice, you should be able to cover all the ‘musts’, but also get a bit off the beaten path, enjoy getting lost in its maze of narrow streets and canals, and get to know a more local side of this fascinating place.

Good to know: While we have visited Venice several times and have shared multiple Venice travel guides on the blog before, for this 3-day Venice itinerary we asked for recommendations from a local . Originally from the Veneto region and with a Master’s Degree in tourism studies, Maddy from the  Venice Travel Tips blog  is passionate about sharing her knowledge of the city and the area.

This itinerary was created with her help and includes lots of local tips, restaurant suggestions, and other information that should help you plan a truly memorable trip. It should give you a good idea of how to spend up to 3 days in Venice without missing out on its best bits including a few off-the-beaten-path gems. Take a look!

How this guide is structured:

Below, you can find our recommended Venice itinerary for three days. Per day, we share detailed info about all the places that you can visit, coupled with practical info and tips. Further below, you’ll find a short overview of the 3-day Venice itinerary and a MAP indicating each place mentioned in our guide.

Please note that all the hours in the itinerary are only indicated for your reference . This will give you a better idea of how much time you need for each place/ attraction.

When suggesting the order in which to visit everything, we take into account the location and the opening hours of the attractions, or the starting hours of the tours . That way, you can better plan your time, see what’s possible, and then decide where to go or maybe skip one place and spend more time somewhere else.

Finally, at the bottom of this article, you’ll also find some general practical tips for visiting Venice. Take a look!

Here’s how you could spend three days in Venice:

Day 1: Venice Highlights

On your first day, you’ll probably want to visit some of the main sights and top attractions in Venice . Our itinerary below is packed with the ‘musts’. In addition, we show you how to best plan your day so that you can get a taste of authentic Venice too.

DAY 1 planning info/ tickets to book :

• St. Mark’s Campanile (Bell Tower) – timed-entry tickets .
• St. Mark’s Basilica – timed-entry all-in tickets .
• Doge’s Palace – timed-entry tickets .
• Gondola ride – see here (booking optional).
• TIP: This digital Venice Pass includes all of the above and makes it easy to book/plan everything in one go. For a unique experience, check out this exclusive after-hours tour of Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica .
• La Fenice Theater – tickets .
• Street food tour (optional) – book here .

This is what your first day in Venice would look like:

Rialto Bridge + Market + Grand Canal

8-8.30 am .

After your breakfast at the hotel, visit the Rialto Bridge and market area . The Rialto bridge is one of the oldest bridges in the city and one of the few ones crossing the Grand Canal . It’s also one of the most popular places that everyone comes to see in Venice. So visiting here in the morning will help you to appreciate it better. During the day, you can often hardly see the bridge through people…

Back in the Serenissima Republic days of Venice, this part of the city was a prolific space for trading spices and products coming from the Middle and the Far East. It’s also here that you will also find Mercato di Rialto , a bustling market area.

The fish and fruit/vegetables markets are usually open from around 7.30 am daily except on Sundays. It’s a nice place to soak up a local atmosphere and take some colorful pictures.

Be sure to also walk around the waterfront promenade on both sides of the Grand Canal. It offers countless amazing photo opportunities!

Gondola Ride

If you want to go for a gondola ride in Venice, the area around Rialto Bridge is an excellent place to do that. The Venetian gondola is one of the iconic symbols that Venice is famous for and the oldest means of transport in the city.

Nowadays, gondolas are mostly used by tourists, but it remains an authentic Venetian experience that we highly recommend. It’s also one of the best ways to appreciate how special and unique Venice is from a different point of view.

Good to know: You don’t absolutely have to book a gondola ride in advance, but if you want to do it at a specific time and place without wasting time, then it might be a good idea. In that case, take a look at the best options available here.

TIP: Early morning is a very good time for a gondola ride. There aren’t that many tourists around so the canals aren’t filled with gondolas, and it’s not too hot. Furthermore, gondoliers aren’t tired yet and are usually in a very good mood. For more info and tips, please see our guide via the link below.

READ ALSO: Tips for a Gondola Ride in Venice

Good to know: If you don’t mind visiting the bridge and the market when it’s busier, you can also start your day in St. Mark’s Square (see below) and visit the Rialto Bridge area after that. Gondola rides are available all over the city center throughout the day. This would save you quite a bit of walking; on the other hand, a lot depends on where your accommodation is located and where you want to start your day.

St. Mark’s Square + San Marco Campanile + St. Mark’s Basilica

9-10.30 am .

In about 15 minutes walk from Rialto Bridge you can reach Piazza San Marco. This is the only real square of Venice, as the other small piazzas of the city are called ‘ campi ’. Its story goes back to the early years of Venice, in the 12th century.

St. Mark’s Square is considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world! It’s surrounded by the buildings of Procuratie Vecchie and Nove, where the St. Mark’s procurator was living and working. You can’t really miss the 15th-century  Clock Tower on the left side and the bell tower, St. Mark’s Campanile , on the right.

No matter how many days you have in Venice , these popular attractions are a must for any itinerary. And it’s best to visit them early to any disappointment.

We highly recommend going to the top of St. Mark’s Campanile . With 98 meters, this is the tallest building in Venice, and its original purpose was as a lighthouse for the sailors. Nowadays, it’s one of the best places to enjoy some of the best 360° aerial views of the city and the lagoon.

Practical information: St. Mark’s Campanile is normally open daily from 9.30 am. If you want to go up, be sure to  book timed entry tickets online in advance (if this option is available in the season when you visit) and be here before it opens. And don’t worry about having to climb – there’s an elevator that brings you to the top.

Next on this itinerary is St. Mark’s Basilica located on the same square. There are 137 churches in Venice (!), and this impressive basilica is the religious heart of the city. The golden mosaics you can see inside are stunning, just like Pala d’Oro, the impressive golden altarpiece (extra fee). In addition, you can also visit St. Mark’s Treasure and Terrace (extra fee).

Good to know:  St. Mark’s Basilica is open from 9.30 am, except Sundays and some religious holidays when it’s only open in the afternoon (see their website for more info). A visit to the church itself requires a ticket and the queues can be very long, especially if there are many cruise ships in town. So if you want to visit inside and make the most of your day, be sure to book timed-entry tickets in advance.

TIP: We recommend this all-in ticket that also includes Pala d’Oro and Terraces. These are the most impressive parts of the Basilica, not included with the standard ticket.

You can also just visit  St. Mark’s Treasure and the Terraces (there’s usually a much shorter queue here). From the museum, you can see a bit of the interior of the church as well (of course, it’s not the same as actually visiting inside). But you also get access to the balcony overlooking St. Mark’s Square, which is well worth it.

But quite honestly, with three days in Venice, you have plenty of time, so get the full ticket and see everything. It’s stunning!

TIP:   This highly-rated guided tour visits the terraces of St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace (more info below). If you want to see these places in the most efficient way, it might be worth considering. There is usually a tour at 10 am, so it could fit this itinerary quite well.

Alternatively, for a truly unique experience, check out this exclusive after-hours tour of Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica . In that case, you’ll have to rearrange this itinerary a bit since this tour runs in the evening.

Doge’s Palace + Bridge of Sighs

10.30 am-noon .

Just behind St. Mark’s Basilica is the Doge’s Palace , another of the must-sees in Venice.

This is the former residence of Venice’s doge, the chief magistrate of the Serenissima Republic. The building is one of the most outstanding examples of Gothic architecture. Even if you wouldn’t have the time to visit inside, it’s absolutely impressive just to see it.

But with three days in Venice, you really shouldn’t miss visiting Doge’s Palace inside!

The building is divided into 3 wings where you can walk around the doge’s apartments, see the stunning chambers, and also visit the prisons that couldn’t have more contrast with what you see in the palace. The absolute highlight here is the Chamber of the Great Council with artworks from eminent Venetian artists like Titian, Carpaccio, and Bellini.

In order to get to the prisons, you’ll have to cross the famous Bridge of Sighs . This covered bridge has been called like that to remind the ‘sighs’ of the prisoners taking the last glimpse of the Venetian lagoon before finding out what their sentence was. It’s a truly unique experience and something you can only do in combination with a visit to Doge’s Palace (which makes it even more worthwhile).

After your visit to the palace and the prisons, take some time to admire the beautiful architecture of this bridge from the outside as well!

Practical info: Doge’s Palace is open daily from 9 am. You should count at least 1.5 hours for a visit. Unless you visit here on one of the tours that come here , be sure to book your timed-entry tickets in advance . Otherwise, you’ll waste hours queuing.

LEARN MORE: Doge’s Palace: how to visit & what to expect

Fondaco dei Tedeschi Rooftop

12.15-1 pm .

Before heading back to Rialto Bridge where you can find a lot of interesting spots for lunch, consider visiting the T Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop just nearby. This terrace offers some lovely views of the Grand Canal and the skyline of Venice. It has quickly become a very popular tourist attraction in the city.

The word ‘ fondaco ‘ in the Venetian dialect can be translated to a warehouse or trading headquarters. Fondaco dei Tedeschi dates to the early 13th century and belonged to German merchants.

Today, the historical building has been restored and hosts a luxurious multi-level shopping center. Even if you don’t visit the terrace, it’s well worth taking a look inside – the interior is stunning and quite unique.

Good to know: The rooftop is open from 10.45 am until 7.15 pm (closing at 7:30 pm). It can be accessed for free but you’ll need to book your visit through their website beforehand.

Lunch: Al Mercá

For your first lunch in Venice, there is no better place than Al Mercá , a locals’ favorite spot for lunch or aperitivo . It’s perfect for lunch on the go as this traditional ‘bacaro’ (local bar) has no seating.

It serves ‘cicchetti’, small bread bites with delicious toppings made of fresh and locally sourced ingredients, and a small panini. Locals love accompanying these snacks with a glass of wine or Aperol Spritz.

Lunch opening times : Daily except for Sundays, between 10 am and 2.30 pm.

Of course, you will be able to find plenty of other great places for lunch. Just try to avoid the super touristy restaurants right on the Grand Canal.

Libreria Acqua Alta

2-2.45 pm .

Just a 10 minutes walk further, you can’t miss a little gem of Venice, Libreria Acqua Alta . This is a truly unique bookshop, self-proclaimed as one of the most beautiful in the world. In the past, this was a really hidden gem of Venice – not so much anymore. Sometimes, there’s a very long queue to get in, and while it’s nice to see, I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether it’s worth your time…

This bookstore has a big collection of new and second-hand books. Many of their books are stored inside Venetian gondolas, kayaks, and whatever else can float. This is in order to protect the books from getting wet during the famous floods (thus the name ‘ aqua alta ‘ which literally means the high water).

The store looks really chaotic, but it’s also why it’s so fascinating for visitors. The many cats laying around make it even more fun to visit. This is a good place to look for a nice souvenir, some unique postcards, or Venice prints.

TIP: Don’t miss the book ‘staircase’ outside, at the back of the store.

Opening times: Libreria Acqua Alta is open daily from 9 am to 7.30 pm. We indicated its location on our map at the end of this article.

La Fenice Theater

La Fenice Theater is located in St. Mark’s neighborhood and is not far from the top attractions you visited earlier today. So it’s a bit of backtracking, but it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes to get there from the Libreria Acqua Alta.

This prestigious opera house built was built in the neoclassical style and opened to the public in 1792. Over the centuries, the building has been burnt down and restored numerous times.

La Fenice Theater is considered one of the most prominent in the world and can host up to 1500 people. It’s here that the premieres of many famous operas were held, including those of composers such as Giuseppe Verdi, Stravinsky, Vincenzo Bellini, and Gioachino Rossini.

TIP: You can visit this iconic opera house just to admire its stunning interior. For that, it’s best to book your skip-the-line tickets in advance . The visit itself is self-guided, but you will receive an audio guide. A guided tour is also available, but at the moment, it only runs at 1 pm. So if you are interested in this, you would have to adjust your itinerary and come here right after visiting Doge’s Palace (and have lunch somewhere nearby).

And finally, you can also attend an opera, a ballet performance, or a concert, etc. In that case, be sure to check their calendar and try to book your tickets in advance (but keep in mind that these are non-refundable). You can also buy tickets at their ticket office as well as at the Venezia Unica box offices around the city. However, keep in mind that last-minute tickets for the most popular events might not be available.

Opening times for theater visits : Normally, you can visit the theater daily from 9 am to 6 pm (last entry 1 hour before the closing time). However, this is subject to change and depends on their event calendar. You can check the most up-to-date schedule for the current month here . But even then, it can happen that things change last minute.

Evening option 1: food tour

Next, this itinerary takes you to Ponte dell’Accademia and the Dorsoduro area (which you can also visit on day 3 of this itinerary) – see below. But if you want to take it easier, not have to walk as much, and stay closer to the center, you could opt for this highly-rated street food tour instead.

This tour starts at 5 pm in Campo San Bartolomio (close to Rialto Bridge, just about 10 minutes walk from the theater), and takes about 2.5 hours. It could be a nice and more relaxing way to end your first day in Venice. We did food tours with this company in Rome and in Naples and they were always excellent. It’s a great way to discover some regional Italian food with a local guide.

If you opt for this, don’t worry about missing something. You can easily visit the places mentioned further below on day 3 of this itinerary (instead of one of the museums we recommend for that day). Also, since this specific tour starts close to Rialto Bridge, you could visit La Fenice theater after the St Mark’s area and then visit the Fondaco rooftop terrace and the bookstore after that and before the food tour. This would save you some walking. You could also watch the sunset from the Rialto Bridge area.

Evening option 2: Ponte dell’Accademia & Dorsoduro neighborhood

4-4.30 pm .

About 10 minutes walk from La Fenice Theater, you’ll find another iconic bridge in Venice – Ponte dell’Accademia . This is the second most important bridge in Venice and one of just four bridges that cross the Grand Canal. 

The Accademia Bridge is not as busy as the famous Rialto Bridge, and the views of the canal from here are stunning. It’s a great place to take some postcard-style pictures of the typical Venetian cityscape with the colorful palazzos next to the Grand Canal, and boats and gondolas all around.

Another reason to come here is that this bridge connects the old historic center to the Dorsoduro neighborhood . This is one of those more local areas where you can still find some tourist-free spots and enjoy a more authentic atmosphere.

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

4.30-5 pm .

One of the most noteworthy attractions of the Dorsoduro neighborhood is the baroque-style Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute . This is the second most important church in Venice, after St. Mark’s Basilica. It was built to celebrate the end of the plague epidemic in 1631.

Interesting to know: To commemorate the day that the Virgin Mary protected the city from the plague, on the 21st of November, the ‘Festa della Salute’ is celebrated here.

Inside, you can admire the painting ‘The Descent of the Holy Spirit’ by Titian and in the sacristy ‘The Wedding at Cana’ by Tintoretto. The floor of the church is also very impressive, just as the cupola.

Practical information: The church itself can be visited for free, but some parts require a ticket. Just as most other churches in Italy, the Basilica usually closes for a few hours at noon. In the afternoon, it’s open from 3 to 5.30 pm. So if you follow this itinerary and can get here around 5 pm, you should be able to visit inside. Otherwise, come here in the morning of day 3 of this itinerary.

Fondamenta delle Zattere

5-6 pm (or later, depending on the sunset times) .

Fondamenta delle Zattere is a series of waterfront promenades on the southern shore of the Dorsoduro neighborhood . The name comes from rafts (in Italian “zattere”) which were used to transport tree trunks from the mountains to this part of Venice in the past.

There’s no better way to unwind whilst waiting for the night to fall over the city, than taking a seat on of the marble benches in the Fondamenta delle Zattere to admire the sunset on the lagoon.

Fondamenta delle Zattere might not be as popular as watching a sunset from the Rialto Bridge, but it’s a more exclusive experience since there are not many tourists around. From here, you can enjoy a spectacular view of Giudecca island and take a relaxing walk just before the aperitif time.

Good to know: Keep in mind that the actual sunset time will be very different in the summer (+-8-9 pm) than in the winter (+-4.30-6 pm). So you could come here earlier or later, depending on when the sun sets during your visit (you can easily check this on Google ). But even if you don’t stay here for sunset, it’s well worth visiting this part of Venice.

Aperitivo & Dinner

By now, you’ll probably be exhausted from all the sightseeing in Venice. Time for an aperitivo .

Just next to Zattere, you can find the Osteria al Squero (this and other restaurants mentioned here are indicated on our map which you can at the end of the article). This is a great place to enjoy a fantastic Venetian aperitivo . The small bar has a wide selection of ‘cicchetti’ made with local seafood, cured meats and cheeses. There are options for vegans and vegetarians too!

In the past, this was just a locals’ meet-up place, but it’s becoming quite popular among tourists. You can get your cicchetti and sit outside, from where you can observe one of the only ‘squeri’, gondolas’ shipyards left in the city.

Good to know : Osteria al Squero is open on weekdays from 10 am to 8.30 pm (Saturdays and Sundays closed). Alternatively, you’ll find other nice bars in the area.

To conclude your first day in Venice, the perfect location for your dinner is the over-water terrace of the Lineadombra restaurant . This is a high-end modern restaurant where you can expect to have a lovely meal serving typical Venetian cuisine, with local products from the sea and the land. The restaurant is open daily except on Wednesdays. For dinner, it opens at 7 pm, but if you want to be sure to find a table, it’s best to reserve in advance.

If you are looking for something a bit less expensive and low-key, check out Trattoria ai Cugnai dal 1911 . This traditional trattoria is an excellent non-touristy choice for dinner in Venice. Also here, it’s best to reserve in advance.

Day 2: Venetian Lagoon Islands & Venetian Arsenal

On your second day in Venice, you could spend half a day exploring some of the most famous islands of the Venetian lagoon. In the afternoon, take it easy strolling around the gardens and laid-back neighborhoods of the city. This will give you a bit of a break from all the sightseeing on days 1 and 3 of your trip.

DAY 2 planning info/ tickets to book :

• Murano, Burano, and Torcello islands – we recommend this tour .
• Dinner on a traditional boat (optional) – more info and reservations here .

Here is what your second day in Venice could look like:

Murano / Burano / Torcello Half Day Trip

9.30 am – 2-3 pm.

With three days in Venice, you’ll have plenty of time to see all the main landmarks in the city center. So we highly recommend that you also leave the city for a few hours and explore the beautiful islands just nearby.

Some of the most popular islands of the Venetian Lagoon are Murano, Burano, and Torcello . And you’ll find lots of local companies offering all kinds of tours to these islands .

One of the best options is this highly-rated half-day tour which allows you to quickly visit all three islands in a short time. You can choose to hop on the boat at Santa Lucia railway station or next to St. Mark’s Square and they have multiple departures during the day. We recommend starting early to avoid the biggest crowds. Alternatively, you could also turn this itinerary around and start in the afternoon.

This tour offers expert commentary and stops at all three islands giving you some free time on each of them. First, you’ll stop in Murano, the island which is famous for its handmade glass production. Here, you’ll visit a glass factory where you can see glassblowing masters creating some glass art pieces. Next – Burano. This island is famous for its rainbow-colored fishermen’s houses and lacemaking. The last stop is Torcello, the smallest island. This is where people first settled before moving to where Venice is now.

If you take a tour at 9.30 am, you can expect to be back in Venice around 2 pm. Hop off in St. Mark’s area. Alternatively – if you want to spend more time on the islands – you can also opt for a longer tour. More info – below.

Good to know: If you want to spend more time on the beautiful islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello, you can also opt for a longer tour instead (recommended). You can still visit Venetian Arsenal (see below) when you get back or before you leave – it really doesn’t require much time.

This popular tour visits all three islands but takes 6-7.5 hours, giving you more time to explore. The cost of these tours is practically the same since you pay for the boat and it has to cover the exact same distances. However, this tour usually has just one or two departures (and starts later). In that case, you should adjust the itinerary for this day a bit and also plan to have lunch at one of the islands.

Yet another option, is to simply book a hop-on hop-off ticket for the Venetian Lagoon and visit the islands at your own pace.

If you take the shorter tour, you’ll be back in Venice at around 2 pm. Hopefully, you can get some small snacks or gelatos earlier, or you’ll be starving…

For late lunch, we recommend Osteria da Carla , one of the oldest historical ‘osterie’ of Venice. It’s a lovely small restaurant where modern-style dishes are made with seasonal products that come from the Venetian lagoon. The osteria is only a few minutes walk from St. Mark’s area and it’s open the whole day (daily except on Sundays).

Alternatively, in the same area, try Il Calice pizza restaurant. It’s open daily except on Mondays and is also open during the entire afternoon.

Riva degli Schiavoni Walk to the Castello Neighborhood

After your late lunch, enjoy a walk on Riva degli Schiavoni. This is a very busy waterfront area past St. Mark’s Square and Doge’s Palace. But the further you walk, the quieter it gets.

From here, you can admire the Venetian lagoon and see the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. If you keep walking you’ll get to the Castello neighborhood , the furthest district of the city. This is also the most laid-back area of Venice and is usually not too crowded.

It’s a perfect place for a relaxed afternoon for those looking to get a bit off the beaten path in Venice.

Venetian Arsenal & Biennale Gardens (optional)

In the Castello district, you can visit the Venetian Arsenal ( Arsenale di Venezia ). The Arsenal is the former shipyard and construction site of the Serenissima fleets. It also represented the political, economical, and military power of Venice.

Its construction started in 1104 and it was the largest industrial complex in Europe before the Industrial Revolution. Today the Arsenale is an exhibition space for the Biennale of Venice, an international cultural exhibition. If you have time, you can also visit the nearby Naval Historical Museum .

In this same area, you’ll also find the Biennale Gardens ( Giardini della Biennale ). This is the biggest green space in the historic city center of Venice. Established at the behest of Napoleon, at the start of the 19th century, they are also called the Napoleonic Garden.

The gardens are free to visit, but the pavillions can only be visited during the Biennale art festival (usually +- from April to November) and require a ticket (more info here ). You can also cross the bridge and walk to the nearby park Parco delle Rimembranze as well.

After strolling around the gardens, make your way back towards the city center. You could opt for dinner at one of the local restaurants in this area or treat yourself to something special – see below.

For dinner, you have many options. Here are some recommendations.

Just a short walk from the gardens, you’ll find a waterfront restaurant Antica Osteria da Gino . A bit more towards the center – a really nice traditional restaurant Nevodi . Yet another great choice is Osteria A La Scuela , a bit past the Arsenal.

Osteria A La Scuela is one of our personal favorites. Their selection of cicchetti ranges from grilled cuttlefish to black ones, including the fried cod with courgette flowers and the classic ones served with small pieces of bread. They also serve hot dishes like lasagna, Buranella pappardelle with scallop sauce, Venetian liver, pasta and falzioi (pasta with beans), Sarde in saor and bigoli . All the best of the Venetian and Veneto region cuisine!

TIP: If you are ok with one daily meal at a traditional restaurant for lunch and rather do something different for dinner, check out this Venetian Lagoon tour and dinner on a traditional Galleon boat . Granted, this is a more touristy option, but it can be a really nice experience as it gives you a chance to see more of the beautiful surroundings from yet another vantage point. They have fish and meat menus to choose from and it’s a unique gourmet experience.

However, depending on the season, these tours don’t run every day (and the best places sell out quickly in the high season). So check if it’s available and – if interested – book in advance.

Day 3 in Venice

On your third day in Venice, you can spend some time visiting a few of the best museums and exploring less-touristic neighborhoods. Below, we share a suggested itinerary with some of the best options.

To help you plan an even more memorable trip, we also include some additional recommendations such as Venetian mask- or glass-making workshops. That way, you can create your own perfect itinerary following the recommendations that interest you the most.

Good to know: If you opted for a food tour on day 1, start the 3rd day in Venice by crossing the Accademia Bridge followed by a visit to Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. The church is normally open from 9 am, except on Monday and Tuesday mornings. Afterwards, visit Zattere and continue with some of the places mentioned further below in our itinerary.

DAY 3 planning info/ tickets to book :

• Peggy Guggenheim Collection – tickets .
• Venetian Carnival Mask workshop (optional) – more info and bookings .
• Glass-making workshop (optional) – more info and bookings .
• Jewish Ghetto – walking tours .
• Food tour (optional) – see here .

Here are some of the best places you could visit on day 3 in Venice:

Gallerie dell’Accademia and/or Peggy Guggenheim Foundation

8.30-11 am .

There are a few museums in the Dorsoduro that you may want to consider visiting on your third day in Venice. The best ones are Gallerie dell’Accademia and Peggy Guggenheim Foundation .

The Accademia Galleries hold one of the biggest and most impressive collections of Venetian art, from the 14th to the 18th centuries. You can see masterpieces by Titian, Veronese, Canaletto, Giorgione, Tintoretto and Bellini. Here you can also admire the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci! If you visit just one art museum in Venice, make it this one.

Practical information: The museum is open daily from 8.15 am. Count at least 1.5 hours for a visit. Keep in mind that this is one of the most-visited museums in Venice. While it’s nowhere nearly as busy as e.g. Doge’s Palace , it can get quite busy at times. If you want to visit without wasting much time, it’s best to book your tickets online. See their website for more info.

Just nearby, located in a beautiful waterfront Palazzo Venier dei Leoni , you’ll find another amazing museum, the Peggy Guggenheim Foundation . This is a modern art museum and a real art institution in Venice. It features European and American art of the 20th century.

The museum is Peggy Guggenheim’s personal collection of artworks. Today, the collection includes works of futurists and modernist artists with masterpieces of Surrealism, Cubism, and Expressionism. You can also expect to see some works by Dalì, Mirò, Picasso, Kandinsky, and Magritte, just to name a few.

Practical information: This museum is open daily except on Tuesdays, from 10 am. Also here, you’ll probably need at least 1 hour for a visit. The lines here can get quite long, so if you want to visit, it’s best to get your tickets in advance.

Campo Santa Margherita + Ca’ Macana

11 am-noon .

There’s no better way to visit Venice than getting lost in its narrow streets and small piazzas. One of the nicest town squares is Campo Santa Margherita .

This public square is certainly the best one in the Dorsoduro district where you can experience the more authentic Venetian lifestyle. During the day, you can find a fish market here. In the afternoons, local kids are playing football after school. This is also a popular meeting point for university students due to its wide selection of small bars and restaurants to have an aperitivo or an informal dinner.

This part of Venice is also great for some souvenir shopping from locally run businesses. 

Only a few minutes walk from here, you can find Ca’ Macana . This is one of the best Carnival mask workshops in Venice. Here, you can find both traditional and old masks and more contemporary creations.

TIP: Are you looking for something unique to do in Venice? Do you fancy learning how to create a real Venetian mask? Then you can book a Venetian carnival mask-making workshop and learn the art of mask-making from the experts! This workshop is in this neighborhood, runs a few times a day, and only takes about 1 hour. So it could be a nice addition to your day.

For lunch, you could try Osteria alla Bifora on Campo Santa Margherita. This is a traditional restaurant with a quirky interior and wonderful cicchetti (Venetian finger foods). It’s open daily from noon to late at night.

Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari + Campo San Polo 

Less than 10 minutes walk from here, in located in the San Polo neighborhood, you’ll find Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari . This is one of the biggest churches in Venice and one of the most significant Franciscan places in Italy. The interior is stunning and you can see many paintings and sculptures of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Anthony of Padua. 

The three masterpieces not to be missed are the Altarpiece of the Assumption, the Virgin Mary from Ca’ Pesaro by Titian, and the tryptic of Giovanni Bellini, in the sacristy of the church.

After leaving the church, you can visit the nearby Campo San Polo. This is the largest ‘campo’ of Venice and in the past, was a marketplace as well as a playing arena. It’s a nice place to relax, sit down on a bench, and do some people-watching for a few minutes.

Calle Varisco and/or glass-making workshop (optional)

“Calli” are Venetian pedestrian streets, and it’s said that there are more than 3,000 calli in Venice. So by now, you will have probably seen hundreds of them. Some are quite large, others pretty narrow, but you still haven’t seen the narrowest of all!

So if you want to see the narrowest street in Venice , head to Calle Varisco . In some places, this street is only 53 cm (1.7 ft) wide, which means that you’ll have to walk sideways to pass through it.

Good to know: Calle Varisco is a bit out of the way from all the rest, about 20 minutes walk from Campo San Polo. You’ll have to cross the Rialto Bridge in order to get here. This is a more off-the-beaten-path place in Venice, but might be worth visiting if you have some free time and want to see something a bit different. Of course, you’ll also pass many other nice local streets on your way there.

TIP: If you are already planning on going out of your way to this area, just near Calle Varsico, you can attend a really nice workshop with a local glass master and create your own glass artwork.

In that case, see if this workshop is available for the day of your visit and choose the time slot that fits your itinerary best. If you do this, count at least 1.5 hours for this area.

Alternatively, this is something that you could also do in Murano on day 2 of this itinerary. See several glass workshop options here .

Jewish Ghetto + Cannaregio neighborhood

About 20 minutes walk from Calletta Varisco, you can reach the Jewish Ghetto located in the Cannaregio neighborhood .

This was the area of the city where Jews were segregated around the 16th century at the behest of the Doge Leonardo Loredan. It’s also thought to be the oldest ghetto in the world. Nowadays, there’s a community of about 450 Jews living here.

The main square is the place where local people like to gather for a chat. The surrounding streets are dotted with small art galleries and bakeries owned by Jew families. 

Try some delicious pastries from the bakery of Giovanni Volpe . This is also the perfect place to find good restaurants to indulge in some kosher food.

Around the ghetto, you can explore more of the district of Cannaregio. Some of the main highlights are the Ponte delle Guglie, Ponte dei Tre Archi, Casa del Tintoretto, and the churches of San Marcuola and Madonna dell’Orto.

TIP: There are many interesting walking tours that visit the Cannaregio neighborhood and the Old Ghetto . If you would like to explore this area deeper, it might be a good idea to go with a local guide.

Optional addition: If interested, you can also take some time to visit the Jewish Museum . It’s a beautiful museum to explore with a collection of books and manuscripts as well as religious Jewish objects used during the traditional ceremonies. Furthermore, your ticket also includes a visit to Levantine and Spanish synagogues (two of the oldest Venetian synagogues – absolutely impressive!), accompanied by an expert guide.

Check their website for more information and synagogue tours. In that case, you’ll likely need at least another hour in this area.

Aperitivo and dinner at sunset

Depending on the time of the year (and when the sun sets), you might be able to enjoy another beautiful sunset in this part of Venice. Head to either Fondamenta dei Ormesini / Fondamenta de Misericordia or Fondamenta Cannaregio – nice streets next to a canal with many bars and cafes.

Osteria Al Timon on Fondamenta dei Ormesini is a great place for either aperitivo or dinner. From 5 pm, you can sit down for a drink or get some traditional ‘cicchetti’ made with local ingredients directly from the counter, in a very informal but lively atmosphere. They also serve excellent seafood, traditional steaks, etc.

Trattoria dalla Marisa on Fondamenta Cannaregio is another great place for dinner in this area. This is a very low-key trattoria where you can sample some traditional Venetian dishes cooked by the skillful hands of Italian nonna (grandmas). The small restaurant is known by locals (students and workers) but you won’t find that many tourists here (yet). The menu can change every day based on the fresh and seasonal products arriving. It’s open for dinner from 7.30 pm, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays to Saturdays.

TIP: A nice way to end your last day in Venice is by joining a food tour with a local . In the Cannaregio district, you can opt for this highly-rated private evening food tour . Alternatively, get back to the city center where you’ll find many other restaurants and also interesting food (and wine) tours .

Venice 3-day itinerary overview

Here’s a short overview of the itinerary described above. Further below, you can find a map indicating all these places.

8-9.30 am: Rialto Bridge + market + gondola ride . 9.30-10.30 am: St. Mark’s Square + San Marco Campanile ( tickets ) + St. Mark’s Basilica ( tickets ). 10.30 am-12: Doge’s Palace ( tickets ) + Bridge of Sighs. 12-1 pm: Fondaco dei Tedeschi rooftop. Lunch: Al Mercá. 2-2.45 pm: Libreria Acqua Alta. 3-4 pm: La Fenice Theater . Alternative suggestion instead of the below: 5-7.30 pm street food tour . 4-4.30 pm: Ponte dell’Accademia. 4.30-5 pm: Santa Maria della Salute Basilica. 5-6 pm: Zattere for sunset on Giudecca island. Aperitivo and dinner at Osteria al Squero, Lineadombra, or Trattoria ai Cugnai dal 1911.

9.30 am: Murano / Burano / Torcello half day tour (or longer tour and adjust the itinerary below based on that). 2 pm: Lunch at Osteria da Carla or Il Calice. 3.30-4 pm: Riva degli Schiavoni walk. 4-6 pm: Arsenale and Biennale Gardens + free time. Dinner: Osteria A La Scuela, Nevodi, Antica Osteria da Gino, or Venetian Lagoon boat tour with dinner .

8.30-11 am: Galleria dell’Accademia and/or Peggy Guggenheim Foundation. 11 am – noon: Campo Santa Margherita + Ca’ Macana. Possibly a Venetian mask-making workshop . Lunch at Osteria alla Bifora. 1-2 pm Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari + Campo San Polo. 2.30-3 pm Calle Varisco. Possibly a glass-making workshop . 3.30-6 pm Jewish Ghetto + Cannaregio neighborhood. Aperitivo and dinner al Timon and/or Trattoria dalla Marisa, or a food tour .

To help you plan your Venice itinerary, we created a map indicating all the places, sights, and attractions mentioned in our guide. We also indicated all the restaurants described above.

Each day has another color – that way, you can easier see which places belong together.

Of course, you can adjust this itinerary to your interests and the time that you have. But it gives you a good idea of the best places to see, things to do, and how it can all fit together in just 3 days. Further below, you can also find some practical tips for your visit to Venice.

How to use this map:  Use your computer mouse (or fingers) to zoom in or out. Click on the icons to get more information about each place. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the index. Click the star next to the map’s title to add it to your Google Maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open Google Maps, click the menu and go to ‘Your Places’/’Maps’. If you want to print the map or see it in a bigger window, click on ‘View larger map’ in the top right corner.

Some practical tips

Here are some useful tips for your visit to Venice:

• The best months to visit Venice are from March to early June and from September to mid-October. This way you’ll avoid the overcrowded summer months and the heat. If you can, try to avoid the peak cruise-ship season. In winter, you have more risk of ‘acqua alta’ aka the high tides, rain, and colder temperatures. But if you want to experience Venice without the crowds, it can be a nice time to visit too.
• Visiting during large-scale events such as the Carnival, the Biennale of Venice, or the Redentore festival is a fantastic way to experience Venice as well. Just bear in mind that accommodation prices will be higher and the streets in the center will be even more packed.
• If you want to visit any of the top attractions inside (Doge’s Palace, San Marco Basilica, theater, museums, etc.), be sure to book in advance !!! Also for accommodation, it’s best to book well in advance or you risk having to pay 500-700 euros per night for an average hotel.
• Avoid restaurants located on the main streets or the ones facing the main canals. Most of them are tourist-oriented but lack authenticity. The food is often not of the best quality and is overpriced too. If you want to dine at a specific restaurant, it’s best to reserve a table a day or two in advance as well.
• Prepare to walk a lot and wear comfortable shoes . Pack a refillable water bottle and – in summer – sun protection .
• While it’s sometimes fun to just wander around and get lost in that labyrinth of narrow streets and canals, if you want to get from one place to the other without wasting precious time, use a navigation app on your phone. We always use Google Maps in Venice and it works really well.
• The closest airports to Venice are Venice Marco Polo and Venice Treviso. If you arrive at the Venice Marco Polo airport you can get to Venice city center by water bus, shuttle bus or private transfer by car or boat. From Venice Treviso, you can take a shuttle bus. You can find some of the best airport transfer options here . Here you can find information and tips for visiting Venice by car .
• The best neighborhoods to stay in Venice are San Marco and San Polo in the heart of the city or Dorsoduro, just a bit away from the biggest crowds. In these areas, you’ll find the best hotels, guest houses, apartments, and B&Bs, all close to the top attractions.

TIP: Using the map below, you can search for the best accommodation options for your stay in Venice. Simply insert your travel dates and group size, and you’ll see some of the best deals right on the map. Check it out!

So, this is our detailed guide and suggested Venice itinerary for 3 days, coupled with local’s tips and recommendations.

Of course, you can adjust it to your needs and preferences. But we hope that this guide gives you a good idea of the main places to see, as well as some ideas and inspiration for getting a bit off the beaten path.

Often, these additional experiences and local discoveries make for some of the most memorable moments and best memories from your trip. Have a great time in Venice!

More information and inspiration for visiting Venice:

• Best things to do in Venice
• Doge’s Palace, Venice
• Gondola Ride in Venice (what to expect & tips)
• Venice 1-day itinerary
• Visiting Venice with a baby or a toddler
• Driving and parking in Venice

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ: How to Plan a Trip to Europe (Tips & Tricks)

If you found this post useful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

More guides and inspiration for visiting some of the most popular Italian cities:

• Tips for Visiting Rome
• Best Things to Do in Rome
• Hidden Gems of Rome
• Best Views & Viewpoints in Rome
• Ancient Rome Sites & Landmarks
• Rome Underground: Best Places to See
• Where to Stay in Rome
• 1 Day in Rome  
• 2 Days in Rome  
• 4 Days Rome Itinerary
• Best Things to Do in Florence  
• 1 Day in Florence  
• Florence Rooftops with Best Views
• Best Things to Do in Siena
• Best Things to Do in Montepulciano
• Tuscany Itinerary
• Best Towns to See in Tuscany
• Best Things to Do in Verona
• Best Things to Do in Milan
• Milan in One Day
• Best Things to Do in Lake Como
• Best Towns to See in Lake Como
• Best Villas of Lake Como
• Where to Stay in Lake Como
• Lake Como Travel Tips
• Best Things to Do in Bologna
• Florence to Bologna Travel Info & Itinerary
• Best Things to Do in Naples
• 1 Day in Naples  
• Best Day Trips from Naples
• Where to Stay in Naples
• How to get from Naples to Amalfi Coast
• Amalfi Coast Itinerary
• Naples + Amalfi Coast Itinerary
• Where to Stay on Amalfi Coast
• Tips for Visiting Amalfi Coast
• Best Things to Do in Ravenna
• For many more destinations, see our Italy travel guide .

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Thursday 7th of September 2023

I am blown away by your website. Came across it by accident - so glad I stopped for a look! Planning a 4-week "turning 60" trip with my best friend, neither of us is a seasoned traveller and feeling trepidation. Not any more! All your practical advice and tips on top of clear itineraries are such a pleasure, I'm taking notes like crazy...I know you are going to be with us every step of the way. Thanks for all your hard work.

Monday 11th of September 2023

Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Susan. Enjoy Italy!

Wednesday 26th of July 2023

My wife and I will be in Venice for 3 days prior to a Mediterranean cruise next Spring. We plan on using your blog as our guide. Our cruise ends in Barcelona, wondering if you've covered that city in any of your other work. I couldn't find anything on-line, thought I'd drop this note. Thank you for such a great itinerary for Venice, we're super excited to go. Safe travels, Mike

Tuesday 1st of August 2023

Hi Mike, you can search our website using the magnifying glass icon at the top for any city and you'll find articles if we have covered it. We have quite a few of articles about Barcelona - please see here. Have a great trip!

jay sughroue

Wednesday 29th of March 2023

Do you have pdf file that can be downloaded with all the information?

Thursday 30th of March 2023

Hi Jay, you can do Ctrl+p and then choose to save to a pdf rather than send it to your printer.

Allen Muench

Thursday 9th of March 2023

Awesome pictures and descriptions! BTW, would you happen know the name of the restaurant in the picture at the top of your artical (Under the Jan 27th date?) I just oil painted the identical picture that my wife took back in 2005.If I go back to Venice I would like to visit the restaurant. Or even the address if you have it. Regards, Allen

Friday 10th of March 2023

Hi Allen, if you mean the featured image with the gondola, no, I really have no idea what's behind it. So I'm afraid I can't help you.

jonathan taylor

Tuesday 8th of November 2022

many thanks for your blog, we used it for our trip to Venice and found it invaluable, we didn't manage to fit everything in but hey there is always another time! we just picked bits out of it and made up our own itinerary we had a great time, so keep up the good work

Thursday 10th of November 2022

Glad to hear that and thanks for the kind feedback, Jonathan. Indeed, it's always difficult to see 'everything' and that shouldn't be the point either. The most important is that you have a great experience and enjoy the place at your own pace. I often tell our readers that less is more and some of the best memories from our travels come from those relaxed moments in between rather than from rushing from one 'must-see' attraction to the other. Happy travels!

Turn your dream vacation into reality

3 Days in Venice (Perfect Itinerary + Map)

• December 26, 2023

A complete itinerary for 3 days in Venice (+ map, how to skip the lines at Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’ Basilica, and how to get to Murano and Burano islands).

Venice (Venezia) is among the most picturesque cities in Europe. It’s one of the places you must include to your itinerary when visiting Italy.

Venice is the capital of the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. Built on more than 100 islands, linked by small pretty bridges, the city is surrounded by water. There are no cars, no bicycles. The only transport is water busses and of course your own feet.

With its tiny picturesque alleyways, meandering canals and charming piazzas, Venice looks like a place taken from your dreams. It’s almost inevitable not to fall in love. I visited the city, having very low expectations because of its touristic fame. And I’m not gonna lie, but Venice took my heart away.

3 Days in Venice itinerary

Looking for 3 perfect days in Venice? Well, this walking itinerary is all you need to plan your time and spend a lovely extended weekend.

Being so popular, you can imagine that Venice is super touristy (even off-season). But have no worries! I created this 3-day Venice walking itinerary in such a way to minimize the waiting time in lines.

Find a map of this 3-day itinerary for Venice (with all attractions and restaurants’ websites) at the end of the blog post.

Already have a hotel booked? Then check your hotel’s location and make sure it’s in a good area (see my guide to the best area to stay in Venice ).

3 days in Venice, Italy (the perfect itinerary)

• Day 1: Rialto Bridge, Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs, Acqua Alta bookshop, Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo
• Day 2:  Basilica of Saint Mark, St. Mark’s Campanile and Clocktower, Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Accademia Bridge, Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
• Day 3:  Day trips from Venice – Murano and Burano

3 Days in Venice – Day 1

Have breakfast at farini.

08:00 AM – 08:30 AM Start the first day with delicious croissants and coffee at Farini . Try the croissants with pistachio filling and the ones with ham.

Enjoy the view from Rialto Bridge

08:30 AM – 08:50 AM Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) is one of the most popular spots in Venice. It gets super busy with tourists during the day, so try to get there as early as you can.

It is the oldest bridge that crosses the Grand Canal and connects San Marco and San Polo districts. Stop at the middle of the Rialto bridge to enjoy the marvellous view of the Grand Canal. It’s like being in a painting by Canaletto.

You’ll find numerous shops on the bridge where you can browse for souvenirs like Murano glass products or jewellery. They will be closed so early in the morning, but don’t worry, you’ll get here back later in the day.

Plus, you’ll probably cross the bridge at least several times during your stay in Venice even if you don’t want to. It’s one of the main bridges over the Grand Canal.

Discover the Doge’s Palace

09:00 AM – 11:30 AM Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) was the seat of the Venitian Government for centuries. It also served as a residence of the Doge, the person with the highest political position in the Venetian Republic. The last doge was Ludovico Manin, who abdicated in 1797 when Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Venice.

The ticket to the Doge’s Palace is also valid for Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana. Once you enter the palace you can take an audio guide for €5.

As you walk through this impressive palace, you’ll find yourself surrounded by Renaissance masterpieces and beautiful golden ceilings. You can tour most of the building on your own.

Some parts of the palace are accessible only with a guide (you have to book in advance the so-called Secret Itineraries Tour ).

See the famous Bridge of Sighs

11:40 AM – 12:00 PM Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) is a 17th century covered bridge. It connects the courtrooms in the Doge’s Palace with the adjacent prison. The bridge got its name from the prisoners who sighed at the last glimpse of daylight they saw before being moved to the prison.

Bridge of Sighs is, in fact, a part of Doge’s Palace. You’ll walk across it during the tour of the palace. However, it’s not possible to marvel at the beautiful bridge from inside the building. The Bridge of Sighs is best seen from Ponte della Paglia.

Taste the delicious pasta at Baci & Pasta

12:00 PM – 02:00 PM Start the lunch with some tasty tiramisu at I Tre Mercanti . They offer different variations of the famous Italian dessert, as well as the classic one. Don’t miss the pistachio tiramisu, it’s heavenly!

For the main meal, go to Baci & Pasta . They serve delicious homemade pasta and ravioli, that you can combine with different sauces. A great spot for a quick bite!

Visit the unique Acqua Alta bookshop

02:00 PM – 02:30 PM Acqua Alta bookshop (Libreria Acqua Alta) is one of the most unique book stores in Europe. It’s a must for every book and cat lover.

Tens of books and magazines are stacked in a gondola in the middle of the store. This is not only for attraction, but also to keep the books safe during the regular flooding. And it’s almost impossible to miss the cute cats lying lazily around.

At the back of the store, you’ll find a small charming staircase made of old books.

See the doges’ tombs at Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo

02:30 PM – 03:00 PM Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo is the largest church in Venice. From the 15th century onward the funeral services of the Venitian doges are held here. The church houses the tombs of 27 doges. The vaults that stand out the most are the ones of Alvise Mocenigo and Pietro Mocenigo.

As most of the churches in Venice, there is an entrance fee (€4 per person).

On the charming square, where the basilica is located, you’ll also find the impressive Scuola Grande di San Marco. Once being among the greatest schools in Venice, today the building houses a small medical museum.

You can skip the museum unless you don’t have a deep interest in medicine. Yet, don’t miss to take a look at its beautiful white marble facade.

Take a gondola ride along the Grand Canal

03:20 PM – 04:30 PM Taking a gondola ride along the Grand Canal is a must-do while in Venice. Nothing can be compared with cruising on the canals and enjoying gorgeous Venice from a different perspective.

You can find gondola piers almost everywhere. However, I’d recommend taking your gondola around the Rialto Bridge (it’s the most popular spot). The gondola ride is usually about 30min and you can share the boat with up to 6 people.

Check the route with your gondolier in advance, because not all gondolas cruise along the Grand Canal. And you don’t want to miss the beautiful Venetian palaces along the canal.

Another option is taking a boat tour with a local guide . You’ll explore the winding canals of the city in a private motorboat passing along St. Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge and many more. The tour ends at the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where you can climb the Bell Tower for stunning views.

Another alternative is to take the water bus (called Vaporetto). It’s a much cheaper alternative to the gondola (not so romantic though). Yet, you’ll be able to see the fabulous Venetian palaces along the canal. Take water bus line 1 or 2, both run frequently between St. Mark’s Square and the train station.

Have dinner at Cantina Arnaldi

For dinner, I’d recommend you heading to San Polo district. It’s less touristy than San Marco, but still close to the main sites. In the area, you’ll find many nice restaurants and aperitivo bars.

Cantina Arnaldi is a great place for a meat and cheese platter accompanied by quality wine. They also offer delicious pasta and lasagna (if you are hungrier).

A day in Venice is not complete without some gelato. For the best gelato in the city, head to Gelato di Natura . It’s a fine artisan Italian gelato prepared with quality ingredients.

More ideas for your 3 days in Venice – Day 1

Create your own carnival mask.

Join this Carnival mask-making workshop and create your own mask under the guidance of an experienced craftsman. You’ll also learn about ancient techniques of creating masks from papier-mâché.

Church of Santa Maria Assunta – I Gesuiti

This little Baroque church from the 17th century is a hidden gem. With its interior covered in green, gold and white marble, the church is utterly breathtaking. The entry fee is only €1 per person.

Enjoy the view from T Fondaco Rooftop Terrace

T Fondaco Rooftop Terrace (T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi) offers an amazing view of the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge. And it’s completely free to visit the terrace.

The only disadvantage is that you have to book in advance a certain time slot for your visit. Only 70 people are allowed at one time and visits are limited to 15min.

3 Days in Venice – Day 2

Have a coffee at marchini time.

08:30 AM – 09:00 AM Start your day in the Italian way – with a cup of coffee and a delicious pastry at Marchini Time .

Marvel at the Basilica of Saint Mark

09:15 AM – 10:30 AM Basilica of Saint Mark (Basilica di San Marco) is one of the city’s most popular attractions. And there is a reason why!

This 9th-century basilica is one of the most stunning churches in all of Italy. Covered with impressive mosaics, white marble, gold and precious stones, it will leave you speechless. Once a private chapel of the Doge, the basilica is the city’s cathedral since 1807.

Among its treasures are Horses of Saint Mark and Pala d’Oro (a golden altar encrusted with 2000 precious stones). And while it’s free to visit the church, you have to pay to see the mentioned treasures.

The lines are always long, so go early (before the opening times here) or reserve a time slot for your visit to skip the lines. Note that in this case, you have to pay €6 for the reservation (the entry to the basilica is free). You can’t bring a backpack or luggage and of course, your knees and shoulders must be covered.

To see the interior of the basilica illuminated, visit it from 11:30 AM to 12:45 PM on weekdays or during liturgical celebrations on Sundays.

Climb St. Mark’s Campanile

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM St. Mark’s Campanile (Campanile di San Marco) is the bell tower of the Basilica of Saint Mark. Built somewhere in the 12th century, it functioned both as a lighthouse and a bell tower at the same time. Today’s building dates from 1912 after the collapse of the old one in 1902.

It’s possible to climb the tower for spectacular views of Venice (there is a lift to take you up to the top). 

Admire St. Mark’s Clocktower

11:30 AM – 11:50 AM Located on St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Clocktower (Torre dell’Orologio) is another site that you don’t want to miss. Built in 1496, the clock shows the time, the phase of the moon, and the dominant sign of the Zodiac.

Taste the panini at La Bottiglia

12:00 PM – 02:00 PM For lunch stop at La Bottiglia . You can choose between delicious panini or ham and cheese platter. Whatever you choose, don’t miss to combine it with some Italian wine.

Marvel at Scuola Grande di San Rocco

02:00 PM – 03:00 PM Scuola Grande di San Rocco is one of Venice’s hidden gems. This 15th-century historic building houses over 60 paintings of Tintoretto. It’s a must for every art lover.

The entrance fee is €10, but do pay a little more for the audio guide to fully appreciate the artworks.

Enjoy the view from Accademia Bridge

03:20 PM – 03:40 PM Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell’Accademia) is one of the four bridges over the Grand Canal. And it’s also one of the few wooden bridges in the city. From here you can enjoy an excellent view of the Grand Canal and Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute.

The biggest plus is that Accademia Bridge is less crowded than Rialto Bridge. So, if you look for a good photo opportunity, this is the place.

Visit the plague Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute

03:50 PM – 04:20 PM Located on the mouth of the Grand Canal, this is one of the city’s most beautiful churches. Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute is built as a votive offering after a bad outbreak of the plague in 1630.

There is no entrance fee, so take your time and visit the beautiful basilica. Most of the art and objects inside are devoted to the Black Death.

Also, don’t miss the views from this island towards St. Mark’s Square and Doge’s Palace. Especially if you’re in the area at sunset.

Taste the cicchetti at Cantine del Vino già Schiavi

Finish the day in typical Venetian style – with cicchetti and wine. Cicchetti is the local finger food (a must-eat while in Venice). Try the ones at Cantine del Vino già Schiavi – a small local wine bar (called bacari).

To discover the best bacari wine bars, take this Cicchetti and wine guided tour . You’ll experience the city through its most famous food and wine (and dine like a local).

More ideas for your 3 days in Venice – Day 2

Visit the venetian palace of ca’ rezzonico.

Ca’ Rezzonico is a fabulous palace, one of the few that still can be visited today. This 18-the century palace once belonged to one of the city’s old noble families. Today, it’s a public museum that houses the Museum of eighteenth-century Venice.

If you want to experience the Doge’s Palace on a smaller scale, Ca’ Rezzonico is the place.

Modern art at Peggy Guggenheim Collection

If you’re interested in modern art, don’t miss the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The museum is housed in the former home of the American heiress Peggy Guggenheim. On display is her personal collection that includes masterpieces from Cubism and Surrealism to Abstract Expressionism.

You can book your skip the line ticket here .

Enjoy a concert at Teatro La Fenice

Teatro La Fenice is one of the most beautiful opera houses in all of Europe. La Fenice in Italian means phoenix. The theatre is named in this way because as the mystical creature it has also risen from its ashes twice.

To see La Fenice you can either attend a concert or visit it with a guide (or audio guide). To explore the beautiful opera house at your own pace with an audioguide, book your skip-the-line ticket here . To learn more about its fascinating history, take this guided tour of La Fenice .

Climb the tower of San Giorgio Maggiore Church

Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is located on the waterfront of Piazza San Marco. This is the place where you can enjoy the most beautiful views of the famous square. All you need to do is to climb the church’s bell tower.

There is a small fee (about €5) to get to the top of the tower. In order to get to the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, you have to take a water bus to the S. Giorgio terminal.

3 Days in Venice – Day 3

The third day in Venice is all about island hopping. The two most popular islands are Murano and Burano, known for their crafts.

To get there you have to take a water bus. I’d recommend you buying an Actv day ticket that is valid for all water buses in Venezia, Lido, Murano and Burano. You’ll save a lot (the price is almost equal to 2 regular tickets and you’ll need at least 3 for the day).

Taste the pastries at Panificio Crosera

08:00 AM – 08:30 AM Before heading to your island adventure, stop for a quick bite at Panificio Crosera . It’s a great local bakery offering delicious pastries.

See the glass factories at Murano

09:00 AM – 12:00 PM The small island of Murano is about 10min away from Venice by water bus. Murano is best known for its traditional glass blowing. There are tens of glass factories and shops on the island.

Murano is the place to buy glass souvenirs if this is your thing. Plus, most of the shops offer international shipping, so you won’t worry about transportation.

It’s possible to attend a glass-blowing demonstration and see the craftsmen in action. You can book tickets to the glass factory here .

Beside the glass factories, dedicate some time to explore the island, too. Among its highlights are Torre dell’Orologio and Church of Santa Maria e San Donato.

Church of Santa Maria e San Donato is one of the oldest in the Venetian lagoon (dating from the 7th century). One of its treasures is a 12th-century Byzantine mosaic pavement.

Next to Torre dell’Orologio you can find a large glass sculpture. Sadly, it’s not possible to access the top of the clock tower.

How to get to Murano The quickest way to get to Murano is by taking a water bus (Vaporetto) from the ACTV docks at Fondamente Nove. It’s about a 10min journey.

Have lunch at Versus Meridianem

12:00 PM – 02:00 PM Before departing for the next island, stop for lunch at Versus Meridianem . This lovely restaurant, located right on the waterside, features great views of the lagoon.

Explore the colourful houses at Burano

02:40 PM – 04:30 PM Burano is one of the most colourful towns in Europe. Take a stroll along the colourful fishermen’s houses and enjoy the beauty of the island.

Burano is also famous for its lace-making. There is a Lace Museum, which you can visit if you’re interested in lace craftsmanship. Or just explore the numerous lace shops on the island. It’s a great place to buy some authentic souvenirs (not only lace), produced by local craftsmen.

How to get to Burano Vaporetto line 12 will take you from Murano to Burano (a 40min journey). It’s a little long journey from Murano (or Venice), but it’s totally worth the trip.

Taste the cicchetti at Birreria Zanon

Finish the last of your 3 full days in Venice with a dinner at Birreria Zanon . It’s a small local bar, located away from the crowds in Cannaregio district. Birreria Zanon serves the best cicchetti in the city.

More ideas for your 3 days in Venice – Day 3

Visit the beach resort of venice.

You may be surprised, but there is a beach in Venice. You just need to take the water bus to Lido Island (about 20min journey from Piazza San Marco).

If sunbathing is your thing, don’t miss the beach resort at Lido. You can also rent a bicycle and explore the island. Unlike Venice, where there are no cars or bicycles, Lido is friendlier to public transport.

Doge’s Palace – it’s the most popular attraction, so book tickets for the palace even if you’re visiting off-season. The ticket includes the Doge’s Palace, Correr Museum, National Archeological Museum and Biblioteca Marciana.

Saint Mark’s Basilica – the entry to the basilica is free. Nevertheless, I recommend you to book a time slot entrance that will allow you to skip the lines (which are hours longs). This costs €6, but it will save you a lot of time. You can book your reserved access to St. Mark’s Basilica here .

St. Mark’s Bell Tower – another popular attraction with long queues at St Mark’s Square. To see Venice from above, reserve your entrance to the Bell Tower in advance.

Getting around in Venice

To help you navigate, I created a map of this itinerary .

Getting around in Venice can be tricky. It’s not a big city, but it lies on 118 small islands connected to each other with bridges. This causes the main difficulty when getting around. You have to always look for a bridge to get from one place to another.

Another problem is the tiny streets, the whole city is like a big maze. It’s hard to find a particular restaurant or site. And don’t worry if you get lost, it’s inevitable. If you have the opportunity to use GPS walking navigation on your phone, don’t hesitate. This helped me a lot.

There are no cars and no bicycles in Venice. Luckily, there is a public transport that consists of water buses (called Vaporetto). Depending on where your hotel is, you’ll probably need to use the Vaporetto to get to your accommodation.

If you plan to use the water buses more than twice a day, buy an Actv day ticket . It is valid for all water buses in Venezia, Lido, Murano and Burano.

Note that your ticket must be validated each time before boarding the water bus. See the water buses timetables here .

Also, the Vaporetto is the only way to get to Burano and Murano islands. Yet, you’ll be able to get to most of the attractions on foot. Thus, prepare yourself for a lot of walking.

How to get to Venice

The central train station is Venezia Santa Lucia. Located at the northern edge of the city, it’s about a 30min walk to Piazza San Marco.

If you’re planning to travel by train through Italy, book tickets in advance (they are cheaper if you buy earlier). Check timetables and book train tickets online at Trenitalia official website .

If your hotel is somewhere near Piazza San Marco, I’d recommend taking the water bus. It will be very difficult to navigate through the tiny streets with luggage. Moreover, during the high season, it’s even impossible to walk through the people.

No cars are allowed in Venice. If you’re arriving by car, you can leave it at the parking lots at Piazzale Roma ( see more info here ). This is the closest point you can get to with a car.

There are two airports – Marco Polo Airport and Treviso Airport .

From Marco Polo Airport You have 3 options:

• The easiest option is to get a water taxi, that will take you directly to your hotel. You can book your water taxi here and arrive without hassle to the city. I’d recommend this option, especially if you have big luggage.
• You can also take the Alilaguna water bus to Venice. Alilaguna stops at San Marco, Rialto, Fondamenta Nuove, and Guglie. It’s less convenient than the first option as then you have to walk to your hotel.
• The 3rd option is to take the ATVO express bus or bus ACTV line 5 to Piazzale Roma. From there you have to walk (if your hotel is in the area) or take a water bus to the closest location to your hotel.

From Treviso Airport You have to take the ATVO express bus to Piazzale Roma and from there – the water bus.

Day trips from Venice

Take a prosecco wine-tasting tour.

Prosecco is one of the most famous Italian wines. So, why don’t you spend a day exploring the wine-growing area of the Veneto region.

This Prosecco wine tasting tour includes a visit to a traditional winery, where you’ll learn all the secrets of prosecco production. Plus, there is a guided wine tasting at the end.

Verona is a gorgeous medieval city. It’s famous for its connection to Shakespeare’s tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. For more details take a look at my complete Verona day trip itinerary .

Located about 1 hour away from Venice by train, Verona is the perfect day trip. If you take an early train, one day in Verona will be enough to see the highlights. Don’t miss to buy the Verona Card (it will save you money and time)!

How to get to Verona Take a train from Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia to Verona Porta Nuova (1h15min journey). From there it’s about 1.5km to the historic city centre.

Florence is one of the must-see cities in Italy. It’s known as the birthplace of the Renaissance. I’d strongly recommend spending at least 2-3 full days in Florence. There is a lot to see (take a look at my detailed itinerary for Florence )!

If you visit Florence on a day trip, the most you’ll be able to do is a walking tour of the historic centre.

How to get to Florence Take a train from Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia to Firenze S. M. Novella (2h15min journey). From there is about a 10min walk to the historic city centre.

How many days in Venice

Are 3 days in venice too much.

3 full days in Venice is the perfect amount of time to explore the city. You’ll need 2 days to see the major attractions including Doge’s Palace, Saint Mark’s Basilica and Bridge of Sighs. Also, you’ll have to dedicate one full day to Murano and Burano – the most interesting islands in the Venetian lagoon.

There are 3 major attractions with huge waiting lines (unless you take a guided tour) – St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Campanile. The main problem is that the basilica, which can be visited quicker than the palace, opens an hour later than the palace. So if you decided to visit the palace first, after your tour, the lines for the basilica will be hours long. And vice versa.

The best way to avoid this is to visit these 3 attractions early in the morning on two different days. In the afternoons, you can tour the less popular sights (museums and churches). The third day of this Venice itinerary is all about island hopping. I’ll show you what are the best islands near the city and how to get there.

What if I don’t have 3 full days in Venice?

If you have 2 days and a half, use the half-day to explore the city on foot and take a gondola ride. Also, I’d recommend you to visit St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace in one day. However, in this case, it’s better to take a guided tour for one of the sights (not to lose hours in waiting).

The second full day, spend in island hopping and tour Murano and Burano. It’s a unique experience, so don’t miss it even if you don’t have 3 full days in Venice.

2 or 3 days in Venice?

Although it’s possible to visit Venice in 2 days, I’d recommend 3 days (or at least 2 days and a half).

If you have only 2 days you have to prioritize which attractions are most important for you. Do you want to visit the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica or just a walking tour is enough? If you’re not into museums you can explore Venice in one day.

Another option is to skip Murano and Burano and dedicate all your time to Venice. In this case, you’ll have enough time to visit the most popular attractions.

Best time to visit Venice

Venice is one of the most visited cities in Europe. Having this in mind, you can imagine that the crowds are huge any time of the year. Yet, the least ideal time to visit is the months of August and February. And the problem is not only the high prices of accommodation during these 2 months.

During August not only the crowds are the biggest, but also the weather is hot with high humidity and lots of bugs.

The famous Venice Carnival (Carnevale) takes place every year at the end of February and the beginning of March. If you’re not visiting the city because of this event, avoid February and March.

The winter (November, December and January) is the low season. However, the chances of flooding are higher. Also, it’s cold and wet and you’ll probably spend a lot of time outside. Taking a gondola ride won’t be pleasant, too.

What is the best time of year to visit Venice, Italy? The best time to visit Venice is spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October). During these periods the temperatures are pleasant and tourists are fewer.

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About the author

Thank you so much for this wealth of information! I really appreciate your hard work to put together these guides, its been so helpful as I plan my vacation to Italy 🙂 Wishing you health and safe travels!

Thanks, Sarah 🙂 Happy and safe travels!

Thank you so much Milena. Hope I’ll be tested negative 24h before the flight so I’ll follow your steps in Venice!.

I hope, too, Virine! Have a great time in Venice! 🙂

Omg I’ve been reading itineraries for Venice for days and honestly this is the most amazing one! I just love the restaurants recommendations and how everything is structured! Thank you so much!

Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂

Thank you….this will definitely help with trip planning.

Thank you for your comment, Elaine. 🙂

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Venice in a Day: The Best Sights and Experiences

I n Venice, make the most of your day by wandering through narrow alleys and charming bridges. Absorb the unique atmosphere of this water-bound city as you meander along the canals. Savor the delightful aromas wafting from local cafes and trattorias. Admire the exquisite architecture and vibrant colors of the buildings. Lose yourself in the maze of streets and discover hidden gems. Take a leisurely gondola ride and soak in the romance of the city. Enjoy the picturesque views of boats gliding through the Grand Canal. Embrace the essence of Venice in a day filled with enchantment and wonder.

Places to Visit in Venice in a Day

Doge’s palace.

The Doge’s Palace, an exquisite masterpiece in Venice, Italy, is a symbol of power and grandeur. Built-in the Venetian Gothic style, this architectural gem served as the residence of the Doge, the supreme ruler of the Venetian Republic. Its captivating façade, adorned with intricate sculptures and majestic arches, reflects the city’s rich history.

Inside, visitors can marvel at opulent halls, majestic staircases, and stunning artworks by renowned masters like Titian and Tintoretto. To make the most of your experience, it is advisable to book Doge’s Palace tickets in advance. Explore the palace’s history, immerse yourself in its beauty, and uncover the secrets of Venetian political and cultural life. A visit to the Doge’s Palace is an absolute must for anyone seeking a glimpse into the splendor of Venice’s past.

St. Mark’s Basilica

St. Mark’s Basilica, a magnificent architectural marvel in Venice, Italy, captivates visitors with it s Byzantine splendor. Adorned with shimmering mosaics and soaring domes, it symbolizes Venetian influence and faith. Built-in the 9th century to house the relics of St. Mark, it underwent enhancements, blending Byzantine and Gothic styles. It is one of the best places to visit near Doge’s Palace as it is just 80m away. After visiting Doge’s Palace, visitors can explore the enchanting Piazza San Marco, known for its lively atmosphere and cafes. A stroll along the iconic Rialto Bridge and a gondola ride through the picturesque canals offer unforgettable experiences near these historical treasures. St. Mark’s Basilica truly represents the timeless allure of Venice.

St. Mark’s Square

St. Mark’s Square, located in the heart of Venice, Italy, is a captivating hub of cultural and historical significance. This iconic square is surrounded by architectural marvels, including the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica, a Byzantine masterpiece adorned with intricate mosaics. The soaring Campanile offers panoramic views of the city, while the Doge’s Palace stands as a symbol of Venetian power and grandeur. St. Mark’s Square bustles with life, as visitors sip coffee at outdoor cafes, feed pigeons, and enjoy live music. It serves as a vibrant meeting point, where locals and tourists alike soak in the timeless beauty of Venice.

Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge, located in Venice, Italy, is an iconic symbol of the city’s rich history and architectural beauty. Spanning the Grand Canal, it is a magnificent example of Renaissance design. Built in the late 16th century, the bridge showcases a single central arch flanked by two smaller ones, adorned with elegant statues and balustrades. Its distinctive structure connects the bustling markets of Rialto to the rest of the city, making it a vibrant hub of activity and a popular tourist destination. With its timeless charm and breathtaking views, the Rialto Bridge continues to captivate visitors from around the world.

Grand Canal

The Grand Canal, situated in Venice, Italy, is a waterway of enchanting beauty and historical significance. Meandering through the heart of the city, it is a major thoroughfare lined with magnificent palaces, vibrant buildings, and charming bridges. With a length of about 3.8 kilometers, it gracefully curves in the shape of an “S,” connecting the lagoon to the St. Mark’s Basin. The canal serves as a vital artery for transportation in Venice, where gondolas, water buses, and private boats glide along its shimmering waters. Adorned with centuries-old architecture and bustling waterfront activities, the Grand Canal offers a captivating glimpse into Venice’s unique allure and rich cultural heritage.

Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs, located in Venice, Italy, is a renowned architectural gem steeped in romanticism and intrigue. Spanning the Rio di Palazzo, this iconic white limestone bridge connects the Doge’s Palace to the historic prisons. Built in the early 17th century, its name evokes the melancholic sighs of prisoners as they caught their last glimpse of freedom before entering their cells. Adorned with delicate stone tracery and small windows, the bridge exudes an air of mystery and captures the imagination of visitors. Today, the Bridge of Sighs stands as a symbol of Venice’s captivating history, romantic legends, and architectural splendor.

Murano Island

Murano Island, situated in the Venetian Lagoon, is a captivating destination renowned for its centuries-old tradition of glassmaking. Just a short boat ride from Venice, this picturesque island offers a glimpse into the world of exquisite glass craftsmanship. Murano’s history as a glassmaking center dates back to the 13th century, and it has since become synonymous with artistic glass creations of unparalleled beauty. Visitors can explore the island’s numerous glass factories, watch skilled artisans at work, and even purchase unique glassware as souvenirs. Beyond its glass treasures, Murano also boasts charming canals, colorful houses, and delightful waterfront eateries, making it a must-visit location for art enthusiasts and curious travelers alike.

A day trip to Venice is an unforgettable experience, filled with enchantment and discovery. From the moment you set foot in this floating city, you are transported to a world of timeless beauty and rich history. Wander through the narrow winding streets, cross the elegant bridges over shimmering canals, and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the piazzas. Explore the iconic landmarks like St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge, marvel at the art in the magnificent palaces and churches, and indulge in the delectable Venetian cuisine. As the day comes to a close, savor the breathtaking sunset over the lagoon, leaving you with cherished memories of an enchanting day in Venice.

Resources to plan your trip:

More Italian Travel Adventures to Discover:

Exploring Famous Turin City, Italy

Exploring Prosecco Road, Italy's Sparkling Wine Country

Exploring Asiago Italy: Birthplace of World-Famous Cheese

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