Hello Life Hopper! How great to find you looking for things to do in Venice, and how wonderful to know that this Italian city is on your plans.
Venice is one of the most unique and original cities in Italy. If you’re planning to visit the city of canals and gondolas, there are certain places you can’t miss.
Beyond the must-see spots, this Italian city is definitely a place to get lost, walking through discovering corners, passageways, and bridges that hide stories from a thousand years ago.
I covered all the spots I’ll mention in 2 days, but if you’re short on time, I definitely think you can see it all in a day too (or in 3).
That said, let’s start with the essential places that this city on the water hides. Hop on!
1. Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal
While there are many tourist spots to visit in Venice, the experience I highly recommend is floating in a gondola on the Grand Canal. Although it may not be the cheapest option (around €80 for 40 minutes), it’s something you must experience when visiting this unique Italian city.
Tip: Don’t rush to choose the first Gondolier you see; take your time to analyze the price and discuss the route to avoid surprises.
Many places recommend the Vaporetto as an alternative (Venice’s public transport), but personally, I don’t think it compares for two reasons: the Vaporetto goes along the central canal, without going into the smaller canals, and it’s usually crowded!
2. Visit St. Mark’s Square / Piazza San Marco
The iconic square is located in the heart of Venice and is surrounded by other monuments worth visiting. The galleries that border it are worth seeing and exploring. A clarification for those afraid of birds, there are many pigeons.
Recommendation: when visiting the square, stroll through the galleries and visit Florian café, the oldest café in Venice.
3. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica
It’s on one side of the square and is worth entering to admire the mosaics.
Inside, you can see, among other things, the Palla D’oro, a relic made of gold and precious stones that narrate the life of Jesus.
Photos and videos are not allowed inside the Basilica.
4. Go to the upper part of St. Mark’s Campanile / Campanile di San Marco
The tower is located in St. Mark’s Square and offers incredible views of Venice from above. You go up by elevator and there’s usually a line, buying an €8 ticket (when I visited!).
5. Riva degli Schiavoni / San Marco Waterfront
A spectacular place to walk and explore the coast of Venice. The riva is one of those walks that will be remembered, perhaps more than entering the monuments if you’re short on time to explore. Walking along the Riva, you’ll find the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Hotel Danieli from the movie The Tourist.
Along the riva, you’ll find cafes and restaurants to eat while overlooking the canal, and in the distance, you can see the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore.
Personally, one of my favorite points in Venice. I recommend walking along it after visiting St. Mark’s Square (the riva is a few steps away).
6. Bridge of Sighs / Ponte dei Sospiri
Although I mentioned it before because it’s on the riva, the Bridge of Sighs is an essential point in Venice. This bridge can be seen from the Riva or even pass underneath it with a Gondola.
It connects the Doge’s Palace with the New Prisons and gets its name because prisoners sentenced from the court to prison passed through here.
In addition to being one of the most famous views of Venice, it’s one of those magical places that send shivers down your spine combined with the beauty of the landscape contrasting with the nostalgic history.
Tip: patience for taking a photo! It can be crowded, so it’s better to be prepared!
7. Doge’s Palace / Palazzo Ducale
Located in St. Mark’s Square, the palace has rooms with art galleries and from where you can also visit the Bridge of Sighs.
8. Rialto Bridge / Ponte di Rialto
Iconic place in Venice located over the Grand Canal, and one of the most touristy.
Personally, one of the places I liked the most in Venice. A very lively area full of restaurants and shops along the bridge and on the edges of the Grand Canal.
Tip: the bridge is almost always full of tourists, if you want to take a photo, I recommend going to the Gondola rental points underneath to take a picture.
9. Fondaco Dei Tedeschi and the terrace view
An amazing shopping center that I discovered by chance! It’s a stone’s throw from the Rialto Bridge and admission is free.
The most relevant thing: you can access the terrace where you’ll have a magical panoramic view of Venice.
The shopping center has luxury brands and is very well laid out; if you have plenty of time, it’s nice to explore. Personally, I didn’t buy anything, but I did take some soaps as souvenirs.
Tip: although I had no problem entering when I went, I recommend checking access and availability because it has limited entry.
10. Basílica of Santa María de la Salute
The basilica is an impressive architectural work and it’s worth seeing, even if only from the outside.
11. Accademia Bridge
Another divine bridge in Venice located over the Grand Canal. It’s made of wood and offers views of the city. It’s not one of the most impressive, in my opinion, but if you have time, you can visit it!
12. Peggy Guggenheim Collection
It’s located in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, on the Grand Canal. A great opportunity to discover works by Picasso, Pollock, Dalí, among others.
13. Explore the streets and small canals of Venice
While you should prioritize visiting the most important places in the Italian city, I recommend getting lost in the streets and crossing lesser-known canals. It’s magical to discover its corners and capture the essence of this legendary city. I assure you there’s plenty to see!
Finally, if you have plenty of time and want to explore a bit more, you can visit Burano and Murano.
14. Burano Island
One of the islands in the Venice lagoon. It’s characterized by its colorful houses on the water, and you can reach it from Venice in 45 minutes.
15. Murano Island
Island north of Venice and the ideal place to visit if you’re interested in learning more about how the famous Venetian glass is made. You can visit glass factories and the Glass Museum.
I hope you’ve traveled a bit through this post, and that you keep it for your next visit to Venice. If you have any other questions about what to see in this city or where to stay, don’t hesitate to write to me!
Personal opinion: if you’re short on time and are unsure if you’ll have time to enjoy Venice, I would say mark a couple of the points in this guide and enjoy the rest of the day getting lost in the streets and canals of the city.
Hop on!
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