I spent only one full day in Venice but the city grabs you as soon as you enter her walls. My travels in Italy felt like I was just sampling what it had to offer, one day in Venice, two days in Florence and one whirlwind day in Rome. For a look at a longer Venice itinerary, check out this post by Destination Dorworth.
Venice has a very distinct feel and is a truly special place, with an exquisite melancholy feeling that wraps its arms around you and beckons you to explore. It felt like I stepped into some surreal world filled with strange creatures and happenings, like the show Penny Dreadful. I know that’s an odd thing to say but it just felt like there was a mystical undertone to the city. It’s the perfect city to get lost in its back streets, discovering unique places along the way, and the odd popular spot as well.
These are my recommendations for a day trip to Venice or for those who only have a short time to spend in this magical place.
Getting there
The best way to get there is via the train station, either from another city of from the Marco Polo airport. You will want to get an early start if you only have one day to give yourself enough time to explore all the top locations.
Best time to visit
Between the months of October and January Venice can experience something called the Acqua Alta where the water levels rise and flood the streets. This can make traveling around the city very challenging and isn’t a great time to visit.
The best time to visit is between April and the beginning of October. It is also the busiest and most expensive time to visit, so choosing the shoulder season if you can may help keep costs down. However, if you are only spending the day, you won’t need to worry about hotel costs.
Top sites when you don’t have limited time
When you first arrive you cross the Rialto bridge over the Grand Canal with some of the best views of the city where you can stop and watch the gondolas or grab a water bus to take you to another part of the city. Once you cross that bridge it’s just a short walk before you enter another world. You can feel the city all around you, closing in with its zig zagging streets that you can get lost in for hours.
Go on a gondola ride (maybe)
Venice has so many charms and I was drawn in immediately. The first thing you notice when you arrive is the Grand Canal and the gondola stations. The gondolas really were truly beautiful but 100 Euros for a single ride and a total tourist trap, though they remain one of the main tourist attractions and are a great way to get a different view of the city. If you are limited on time, just take a picture of them and maybe stop to watch them float by for a moment and then move on.
Visit the famous bridge of sighs and Doge’s Palace
This is one of the main attractions in Venice and always touted as one of the best things to do. Take a guided tour of the Doge’s palace and if you opt on a gondola ride you can head under the Bridge of Sighs, which connects the palace to the “new prison.”
Go on a walking tour
If you want something different out of your experience walk the city, slip into the shops, by the local food, and drink the local wine, don’t get sucked into what you perceive Venice to be because you will miss out on the real experience. Those crazy winding streets are like a maze that you may never find your way out of, which was one of my favorite things. But within those close quarters are spectacular shops, churches and history. Though, once again, I was a naïve traveler and I think back now and wish I had spent more time there, exploring, spending more time in those hidden shops and delectable restaurants. I don’t know that I was able to take in all that Venice had to offer. But my goal was to at least experience her once just in case she decides to slip into the sea one day, never to be seen again.
Visit St. Mark’s square
After much winding and losing our way we came upon the Piazza San Marco, a wonderful open space, full of pigeons that you can feed, surrounded by shops and restaurants with San Marco’s Basilica as its centerpiece. I highly recommend going inside, it’s one of the best places to visit and for good reason. There will be a long line and the wait was hot, but it is worth it. The Piazza is on the water (of course, this is Venice, what else would it be on) so there is often a nice breeze coming from the water. Just remember if you plan to visit the Basilica they do not allow bare arms, so cover up.
Tour the Basilica de San Marco and the Basilica Maria Gloriousa
The Basilica de San Marco was an impressive church in the city center, but I have to say if I were to recommend visiting one church in Venice it would be the Basilica Maria Gloriousa. This was the most interesting and one of the most unique churches I have ever seen and I have seen a lot of churches. Not because I am extremely religious but because churches tend to give you a strong sense of the history of a place, especially in Italy. The art and sculptures on display are some of the best Venice has to offer.
The one monument that stopped me in my tracks was the monument to the Doge Giovanni Pesaro, with its incredible figures this is a must see for anyone going to Venice. The monument shows two bronze figures representing death and four slaves holding up the monument. The slaves really make the monument unforgettable, there is almost a feeling of defiance emanating off these four men (which I am to understand was on purpose). This church was built in the 1300’s and like I said one of the most memorable places in Venice.
Eating in Venice
We kind of screwed up with the whole food thing. We waited until we were famished before having a lunch break and at that time it was probably 2 in the afternoon, poor choice on our part. For anyone travelling to Italy, these wonderful people participate in siesta, which means if you want to eat in the afternoon you can forget about it.
We meandered our way back to the Grand Canal area until we finally found an open restaurant and got, you guessed it, pizza….again. I know, I know, Italy is known for its pizza so what’s the problem? Naples is where you should eat pizza, otherwise you really aren’t getting anything all that special but that’s just my opinion.
Concluding Thoughts
One thing I wish I had of done while in Venice and still regret to this day is buying a mask. I know it’s cliché but I stepped into a store and saw the most beautiful all white mask, it was 20 Euros and I walked away. If you are in a city and you want a quintessential keep sake, just do it. If you are on the small island of Murano and want to buy some of their glassblowing products, just do it.
This floating city will not be around forever, it is slowly sinking and as tides get higher so does the intense flooding that occurs each year. Venice was my favorite spot on my trip to Italy and the best experience, but make sure to also add spending 2 days in Florence to your list while in Italy.
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