More about: 15 Best Things To Do in Venice
Venice is the capital of the Veneto region, in the northeast of the country, and one of its most beautiful and visited cities, with 50,000 inhabitants and a whopping 25 million tourists a year.
If you want to enjoy the city without falling into the typical tourist traps or getting lost in the overcrowding, I leave you with this list of must-sees for a unique trip that will serve you whether you visit Venice in one day or spend a week in the City of Canals.
1. Enter the magnificent St. Mark's Basilica
The impressive St. Mark's Basilica is another must-see if you visit Venice in one day. Also located in St. Mark's Square, this Byzantine temple, the only one of its kind in Italy, was erected in 828 to keep the relics of this saint.
If it is impressive on the outside, wait until you see it on the inside and, above all, to see the views of the square from its belvedere. I recommend you take a guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica, but if you are short on time, booking tickets to St. Mark's Basilica will suffice. Undoubtedly one of the best entrances to Venice, want to know some options?
- Tickets for St. Mark's Basilica, from $37.
- Tour of St. Mark's Square with guided visit to the Basilica, from $80.
- Guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica, from $52.
- Guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica after closing, from $111.
- Guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, from $108.
And if you are looking for a place to eat after your visit, here are some restaurants near St. Mark's Basilica to enjoy Italian food as it deserves.
2. Visit the majestic Doge's Palace
Located in the great St. Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace is one of the most important monuments of Venice, symbol of its greatest era of power and splendor and residence of the powerful Doges for almost a century.
More than 120 dukes decided the fate of the city inside the Doge's Palace, in its majestic rooms and chambers decorated with works of art and paintings by Renaissance artists such as Titian, Veronese and Tintoretto, which you can admire today.
There are many ways to visit the Doge's Palace, but I recommend buying tickets for the Doge's Palace in advance to avoid the long lines at the entrance. I leave you a post about the prices of the Doge's Palace in Venice that will solve any doubt and then I indicate several options:
- Tickets for the Doge's Palace of Venice, from $34.
- Tickets for the Doge's Palace of Venice with paper guide, from $51.
- Tickets for the Doge's Palace of Venice with audio guide, from $49.
- Guided tour of the Doge's Palace, from $83.
- Guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace, from 108.
- Guided tour of the Doge's Palace and its prisons in Venice, from $78.
- No-queue guided tour of the Doge's Palace in Venice, from $73.
3. Have a good coffee in St. Mark's Square
In addition to entering the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica, the imposing 9th century St. Mark's Square is home to some of the other most important buildings and museums to see in Venice, such as the Clock Tower, the Campanile, the Correr Museum or the monumental rooms of the Sansoviniana Bookshop.
Many of these you will see when you book a tour of St. Mark's Square, which will help you learn all about its history.
Nicknamed 'The Most Beautiful Hall in Europe' by Napoleon himself when he stormed the city and was enraptured by its beauty, St. Mark's Square is a must-see for its lively day and night life and even to enter one of its historic cafes, such as Café Florian or Café Quadri.
The Acqua alta in St. Mark's Square
If you travel to Venice in winter you may be surprised by the rain and with it the rise in the flow of the canals. This phenomenon is known as Acqua alta and lasts only a few hours, but if you witness it don't hesitate and take out your camera.
It is very likely that you will see it if you visit the city in November or December, but practically impossible if you do it in August or September and unlikely but not impossible if you travel to Venice in October, January or February.
Personally I think it is quite an experience, but if you want to avoid it I leave you this post about the best time to travel to Venice
4. Take a gondola ride through the small canals of Venice
Taking a gondola ride through the canals of Venice is a romantic, super pleasant and already iconic activity in Venice. I recommend you not to miss this once in a lifetime experience but, above all, I advise you to book your gondola ride in Venice in advance and online so as not to waste time there given its high demand and the difficulty to distinguish the 'official' gondoliers from the 'pirates', very common in the city. Here are some options:
- Gondola ride in Venice, from $48.
- Gondola ride with serenade in Venice, from $64.
- 30 minutes gondola ride in Venice, from $42.
- Guided tour of Venice with gondola ride, from $66.
- Morning tour of Venice with gondola ride, from $83.
- Guided tour of the hidden Venice with gondola ride, from $63.
Given the demand for this activity, there are different combinations with which you can hire your gondola ride along with a guided tour of the city or its most important buildings, which will mean a good saving on the trip, especially in special times like Christmas in Venice, when the gondola ride usually goes up in price.
5. Set off in search of the most important and oldest bridges in Venice
With over 400 bridges, it's impossible to walk around Venice without crossing many of them or even passing under the vast majority by booking a Grand Canal ride
But a Venice Grand Canal cruise is not the only way to get to know the different must-see bridges in Venice whose history you can discover thanks to some of the guided walking tours of the city. These are the most important bridges:
- Ponte Rialto: it is the oldest and most famous of the four bridges that cross the Grand Canal and was built in stone between 1588 and 1591. At sunset you will enjoy the best sunset in Venice. From one of the streets leading down from the bridge, you can discover the Rialto Market, with dozens of food stalls, Venetian masks or Murano glass.
- The Barefoot Bridge: also called the Station Bridge due to its proximity to the Santa Lucia railway station, was built in 1932 in stone and with a single arch.
- The Accademia Bridge: built in wood, it is 48 meters long and was erected to replace the previous iron one and inaugurated in 1933.
6. Explore other main churches in Venice
In addition to the majestic St. Mark's Basilica, Venice has other relevant temples that you can visit through some of the tickets that include guided tours of Venice and that stand out for their architecture and the artistic treasures hidden in their interiors. Some of the most important are:
- Santi Giovanni e Paolo: one of the most beautiful churches in Venice and the largest of all, housing the remains of 27 dukes and remarkable works of art.
- Santa Maria della Salute: it has works by Tintoretto and others by the brilliant Titian. This church was built after the tragic plague epidemic that struck the city and killed more than 80,000 inhabitants.
- Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari: its ornate exterior exhibits great works by Titian, such as 'The Assumption', and houses his mausoleum and that of another genius, Antonio Canova.
- Church of San Barnaba: it is located in the interesting neighborhood of Dorsoduro and became world famous for appearing in the movie 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'.
Some of these churches are included when you book the Venice Chorus Pass, a pass that gives you access to about 14 churches by skipping the lines at the ticket office, allowing you to enjoy Venetian art and architecture while making the most of your time in the city.
7. Discover Murano and Burano from Venice
If you spend at least two days in Venice, I recommend you save half a day for an excursion to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. You have different options:
- Excursion to Murano and Burano from Venice, from $34
- Excursion to Murano, Burano and Torcello from Venice, from $34.
- Full day excursion to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello from Venice, from $34.
- Boat excursion to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, from $41.
- Tour of the lagoon of Murano, Burano and Torcello from Venice, from $34.
- Glass tour to Murano from Venice, from $136.
Visit one of the many factories of the famous Murano glass and learn how it is worked by a master glassmaker (something especially curious if you travel with children to Venice), get lost in the colorful fishermen's houses and stalls of handmade lace in Burano, and discover the architectural and historical heritage of Torcello, are unforgettable experiences.
Getting to the islands of Murano and Burano from Venice is easy, although if you want to make the most of your time and see all the tourist attractions of Murano, as well as enjoy all there is to do in Burano, I recommend an organized excursion.
Excursions from Venice
These islands are two of the must-do getaways from Venice whenever there is an opportunity.
If you are wondering how many days is recommended to spend in Venice I will tell you that the city can be seen in a couple of days, at most you can travel three days to Venice if you want to see it very thoroughly. From a four day trip to Venice, do not hesitate and book an excursion to Murano and Burano among other nearby cities.
8. Use the Vaporetto whenever you can
Walking around Venice can be exhausting, but fortunately the Venetian Vaporetto is at the service of citizens and tourists to take you from one side of the city to the other in comfort while enjoying the views of the majestic palaces that surround its canals.
A tip when visiting Venice? Take an entire route along the Grand Canal. It is, without a doubt, the cheapest way to cross it by water and although the experience is not as exclusive as the gondola, the views are the same and it is one of the main ways to get around Venice.
9. Get to know the Jewish quarter of Venice
Often overlooked by visitors to the city, this Jewish quarter is one of the best preserved ghettos in Europe today. Its streets are, if anything, more delicate and narrow than those of the rest of the city and the history that is breathed within its walls is worth knowing.
To get to know it, I recommend you to book a tour of the Jewish quarter of Venice, you will not regret it!
10. Enjoy an opera concert in Venice
On your trip to the City of Canals you can also contemplate the option of enjoying one of the best opera or classical music concerts in Venice. On my visit I had the opportunity to book tickets for the following two proposals and I did not regret it:
- Concert by I Musici Veneziani in Venice, from $40: an hour and a half show in which you will listen to Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
- Interpreti Veneziani Concert, from $46: a unique proposal to listen to pieces by Bach, Mozart or Vivaldi that takes place in the Church of San Vidal, located in the San Marco district.
11. Take a look at the best viewpoints of Venice
One of the most rewarding experiences to do in Venice is to ascend to its spectacular viewpoints, located on terraces or ancient towers, to get wonderful photographs of the panoramic view of this beautiful city. I especially recommend:
- Scala Contarini del Bovolo: the famous spiral staircase of this Venetian palace is another of the most beautiful spots from which to appreciate Venice, with unique views of the city's reddish rooftops and downtown churches.
- St. Mark's Campanile: it is the tallestbell tower in Venice and is located in St. Mark's Square. It will give you the best views of the historic center.
- Campanile of San Giorgio Maggiore: to appreciate the Venetian lagoon. Inside, this church houses masterpieces by Tinttoreto such as 'The Last Supper', 'The Deposition' and the 'Gathering of the Manna'.
12. Enjoy an aperitif and dinner at Canareggio
Enjoying a gastronomic tour in Venice or having an aperitivo are two must-do plans to get a taste of Italy's culinary culture. And Canareggio is one of the most authentic areas of Venice for this. Walking through its streets you can see how Venetians really live, how their houses are and even the workshops where they repair their boats.
At night the Venetian streets always have a festive atmosphere, with lots of terraces on the street and groups of young people having an aperitif or a good pizza.
Believe me if I tell you that you don't want to miss this part of the city. Here is a list of cheap restaurants to eat in Venice.
13. Have a cocktail with a view of Santa Maria della Salute
Here comes the treat of the day: if after hours of intense sightseeing you need to rest, but are reluctant to go to your hotel, I recommend that you treat yourself to a cocktail (or a coffee) on the terrace of one of the luxurious hotels at the end of the Grand Canal that offer wonderful views of Santa Maria della Salute.
The Palazzo Gritti (which, as a building in itself, is worth seeing) or the St. Regis are my favorites. But if you prefer to have the view from the opposite side, you will love the terrace of the Sina Centurion Palace. The terrace has incredible views and is right on top of the water.
14. See the Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs deserves a special mention, not only for its beauty but also for the history behind it, as it was the bridge that led to the dungeons of the prison of the Doge's Palace.
You will find it very close to St. Mark's Square and I recommend that you see it both day and night. You will recognize it immediately for being the target of the flashes of tourists strolling through the area.
15. Stop by the Lido beach if you go in summer
The Lido of Venice is an area unknown by tourists and loved by the citizens of Venice for being the beach where they escape to on weekends (especially in good weather) to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the city center.
If you are on one of those hot summer days in Venice and you feel like getting to know a much more "local" corner, you can reach it by Vaporetto with your transport pass (travel included in this card) and take a swim like a Venetian. There you will also find a residential area with bars and restaurants where you can spend a relaxing evening. A key destination if you spend a week in Venice during the summer season.
Book an airport transfer
The city of Venice will probably grab you so much that you won't want to leave it, but as unfortunately all good things come to an end, you have to go to the airport.
Transfers from the Venice airport to the center and vice versa can be just another formality or can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.
Venice is an expensive and very touristy city so it will not be uncommon for them to try to rip you off to get to and from the airport. To avoid this and, of course, to make the most of your time in the city, my advice is to book your Venice airport transfer in advance.