Can you visit Venice in a day? If you ask someone who loves it unconditionally, they will tell you no: they will tell you that you have to stay a long time to penetrate the secrets of this fascinating and multifaceted city, to fully understand its uniqueness and to be captured by its mixture of romanticism, sensuality and mystery.
Unfortunately, one does not always have a lot of time at one’s disposal, and the truth is that Venice is capable of bewitching its visitors from the very first glance. Moreover, the numerous motorway and rail connections with the whole of north-eastern Italy make it much easier to organise a one-day visit.
Another reason why the capital of Veneto lends itself well to a short visit is that all the main attractions are concentrated along a single walking route that starts right at the station.
On this page you will find all the information you need to fall in love with Venice in less than 24 hours: a walking itinerary and 10 things to see.
The classic Venice in a day walking itinerary starts from the Venezia Santa Lucia train station and arrives in St Mark’s Square via the Rialto Bridge. Once out of the station all you have to do is turn left and continue without crossing the bridge, following the signs for Rialto/San Marco.
Once you have arrived at San Marco and visited the sights in the area, if you are tired or have little time you can return to the station by vaporetto. If you still have time and energy you can walk back along a different route, perhaps passing through the Dorsoduro and San Polo districts, two areas located on the opposite bank of the Grand Canal from the outward journey.
You can also consider doing the classic route in reverse, i.e. from the station to St Mark’s by vaporetto and then back on foot: this way if you leave early in the morning you will be able to get to the square before it is completely invaded by tourists.
The disadvantage is that going backwards you will be against the direction of travel of most people, and this in some narrow calli can be inconvenient.
If you prefer the charm of the lagoon to museums and monuments, consider spending half a day with a boat tour to the islands of Murano and Burano. This can be combined with the attractions presented below by organising your time well, but in this case you won’t have time for sightseeing inside the monuments.
There are more than ten things to see in Venice, but if you only have one day, it is better not to cram too many visits in otherwise your trip risks becoming a tour de force.
We have created a list of things to see designed especially for those who only have one day at their disposal: it allows you to optimise your time and experience the best of Venice without giving up the most famous sights and without stressing yourself out by having to run here and there.
Remember that in Venice you mainly move around on foot and constantly going up and down the bridges can be tiring: better to set aside some time for a few stops. This is why we have not included the museums of Venice on the list, which are certainly worth a visit but require more time, and have instead included attractions that allow you to regain your strength such as gardens and bacari.
If you are staying longer and want ideas to fill up your other days visit the Things to do in Venice page. Otherwise, here are the 10 attractions in Venice to see in a day.
They say Venice is expensive, yet its top attraction is free and open 24/7. The Grand Canal, the characteristically serpentine canal that bisects the city centre and has forged its identity, is Venice’s most beautiful attraction.
Sitting in any corner of the city and admiring the comings and goings of boats and waterbuses along the Grand Canal is a priceless thrill that alone is worth a trip to Venice.
St. Mark’s Square is without a doubt one of the most famous squares in the world, so beautiful that even a guy who was accustomed to luxury and beauty (a certain Napoleon Bonaparte… ) was left speechless. The fame of the place is 100% deserved: this rectangular square, overlooked by iconic buildings that mix Venetian elegance and oriental suggestions, is a true enchantment.
The star of St Mark’s is certainly the basilica, but before you set your eyes on its extraordinary façade, take a look around and take the time to wander around and take the inevitable photo surrounded by pigeons (be careful not to feed them: it is forbidden).
To relive refined 19th-century atmospheres, you can sit at the tables of Caffè Florian, as intellectuals and enlightened nobles used to do. But do so knowing what you are up against, i.e. exorbitant bills, and don’t complain as most tourists do: luxury is expensive, and this is even more true in Venice.
After the overall view of the square, it is a must to enter St Mark’s Basilica, one of the largest, most famous and most beautiful churches in the world. Even if you have seen it countless times on websites and travel guides, the sight of St Mark’s Basilica in person will surprise you: the exterior is an exaggeration of domes, arches and golden spires; the interior is a triumph of mosaics and gold.
If you are short of time, plan your visit to St Mark’s Basilica carefully. You can visit part of the basilica for free, but the queues are always very long. You might as well make a full visit, preferably accompanied by a guide who can tell you the long history of the basilica and describe the works of art preserved inside.
The best way to visit St Mark’s Basilica with little time available is to book a guided tour online: this will allow you to skip the queue.
Next to St Mark’s Basilica is the Doge‘ s Palace, another marvel of Venice whose image you will certainly have already seen on countless postcards: an absolute architectural masterpiece that is at the same time a treasure chest containing priceless works of art.
The building was the palace of power at the time of the Serenissima and in its rooms the power games that decided the fate of the Republic took place. A visit to the Doge’s Palace is not only an unmissable artistic itinerary, but also a journey through time to discover political intrigues, secrets and curious aspects of daily life in Venice.
To conclude the St Mark’s area part of your visit to Venice, you must take a look at the historic Bridge of Sighs. It is a covered white stone bridge, completely without windows or other openings on the outside, that crosses Rio di Palazzo, i.e. the canal that runs alongside the Doge’s Palace.
The sighs that gave this bridge its name are not those of unrequited lovers, as some tourist guides mistakenly suggest, but those of the condemned prisoners who were transferred from the Doge’s Palace to the Doge’s prisons, located in a building connected to the palace by this very bridge.
There are hundreds of bridges in Venice, but only four cross the Grand Canal. The best known of these is the Rialto Bridge, which has become a symbolic monument of Venice. An incalculable number of residents and tourists pass through here every day.
It is a covered stone bridge, but unlike the Bridge of Sighs it does not inspire any fear, if anything great admiration for such a majestic work (a good 7.5 metres high!) with a long history. On one of its banks beside the bridge is the Rialto Market, Venice’s most famous indoor fruit and vegetable market.
Even if you only stay in Venice for one day, you have enough time to take a tour on a gondola, the traditional Venetian boat with its unmistakable black silhouette. A classic tour lasts 35 minutes and many of the stazi (the gondola moorings from which the tours depart) are located near the main attractions in the centre, making this experience accessible even to day-trippers.
True, it is very touristy and yes, it is expensive, but a gondola ride in Venice is the most exciting way to see the city and there is nothing else like it in the world.
A word of advice: as this is a very popular experience and considering the very high number of visitors coming to Venice every day, if you are only here for one day, it is best to book your gondola ride online so that you have a set departure time. This prevents you from wasting time queuing at the gondolas.
For more information on prices and how to book read our in-depth page ‘Gondola ride: how much does it cost and which one to choose’.
The elegant palace of Fondaco dei Tedeschi joined the list of recommended attractions in Venice only a few years ago but has already become a must-see. It is a recently renovated historic palace that has become the refined home of a high-class shopping mall.
The most loyal customers of the expensive boutiques in Fondaco dei Tedeschi are wealthy Chinese tourists, but there is one reason why even low-cost travellers must come here and that is the wonderful rooftop terrace. From the top you can enjoy a magnificent, and unusual, view of the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal.
Access to the terrace is free but must be booked online at the Fondaco dei Tedeschi website.
Bacari are typical Venetian bars: tiny, a little dark but with a warm atmosphere, they display on their wooden counters trays full of cicheti, the Venetian equivalent of tapas.
A gathering place for regulars and passing patrons, they are the best place to have a good goto de vin (glass of wine), quench your hunger with a few snacks and try to engage in good-natured chats with the locals. Venetians are not known for being talkative, but they are not grumpy either and have many interesting stories to tell. So if you are looking for an authentic experience, the bacaro is the right place for you.
And if you are a wine and food lover, consider a bacari tour that allows you to explore the varied world of Venetian street food with an expert guide, heading straight for the city’s best bacari.
They’re certainly not the city’s most famous or interesting attraction, but the Giardini Reali (Royal Gardens) are perfect to include in a day tour of Venice because they offer a refreshing break from the tourist crowds (and the stifling heat in summer).
After being abandoned for years, this 5,000 square metre green area a few steps away from the crowded St Mark’s Square has recently been restored to its former glory. Admission is free: why not take advantage of it?
If you’re short of time, the best thing to do is to rely on a guided tour: there are plenty of them in Venice and, thanks to the skip-the-line tickets, you’ll save time visiting the sights.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
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