When you plan your trip to Italy, don’t forget Venice! Even if you only have one day in the Floating City, you can still see some top attractions and hidden gems—just put on your best walking shoes and use our suggested itinerary. Here’s how to see Venice in a day.
Pro Tip: It’s easier to organize your trip when you have all your resources in one place. Create a browser folder and bookmark this post along with our dedicated guide to planning your visit to Venice, where you’ll find everything you need. You can also read about our best Venice tours.
Or check out our article on the best Venice tours to take and why.
DIY Day Tour of Venice: An Itinerary
The mesmerizing canal city of Venice may seem small compared to Italy’s main destinations, but millions of tourists visit every year. This iconic destination is increasing in popularity, and it’s easy to understand why. From great food to the iconic Rialto Bridge and the famous St. Mark’s Square, there are amazing sights to enjoy.
However, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and lost in the never-ending maze of narrow streets and bridges. And if you’re short on time, it can be difficult to know where to go and what to see.
Hopefully, you have a few days, in which case check out our full list of top things to do in Venice. But if you only have one day to explore, this is the best itinerary for Venice. We’ll show you how to see Venice in a day.
Getting to Venice: Roma Termini to Venezia S. Lucia
Departure: 6:15 am – Arrival: 10 am
Located in a lagoon facing the Adriatic Sea, Venice is a fish-shaped island made up of 118 smaller islands. It’s easy to reach from many Italian cities; simply hop on a high-speed train and arrive in no time. Train travel makes seeing Venice in a day easy.
- Rome – 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Florence – 2 hours
- Milan – 2 hours and 30 minutes
Once you arrive in Venice, the best way to get around is on foot. All the main tourist attractions are within walking distance of one another. However, public transport is available via expensive water taxis, traditional gondola rides, and easily accessible ferry boats.
Address: Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia
St. Mark’s Square
Arrival: 10:30 am – Departure: 11:30 am
About 30 minutes on foot or 20 minutes by ferry boat from the train station, St. Mark’s Square will leave you speechless at first sight. One of the most recognizable squares in all of Italy, it’s home to the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica, St Mark’s Campanile (bell tower), and Doge’s Palace. The biggest square in Venice, it’s the only one Venetians call a piazza—the smaller ones are called campo.
The bell tower is 99 meters tall and used to function as a lighthouse and watch tower. If you want to experience one of the best views of Venice, visit the bell tower at sunset. If you plan on visiting the inside of the Basilica, either buy your tickets online or take a guided tour. That way, you’ll avoid waiting in line for over 3 hours on average.
Address: Piazza San Marco
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our article on the best Venice tours to take and why.
Doge’s Palace
Arrival: 11:35 am – Departure: 12:30 pm
On the basilica’s right side, you’ll find the gothic-style palace that once belonged to the Doge. Doge’s Palace hides the most secret spots, myths, and tales of Venice. In its underground levels, hidden from most tourists, are the cellars where the infamous Casanova was once imprisoned!
Also, take note of the 9th and 10th columns on the side of the palace. The light pink hue represents the standing point where the Doge used to read out death sentences. If you want to learn more secrets about the palace, check out our tour of the Doge’s Palace.
Address: Piazza San Marco, 1 | Hours: Apr – Oct, every day 8:30 am – 7 pm; Nov-Mar, every day 8:30 am – 5:30 pm.
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our article on the best Venice tours to take and why.
Libreria Acqua Alta
Arrival: 12:40 am – Departure: 1:35 pm
Just a 10-minute walk from St. Mark’s Square, the Libreria Acqua Alta (Library of High Water) is a true hidden gem in Venice. Buried inside this little book store are old traditional gondolas.
In the past, the boats were used to prevent books from getting wet when the water levels in the lagoon rose. There’s even an escape staircase made out of books to climb in case the shop floods. This tiny place can get quite crowded on weekends, but weekdays are usually quieter. Come here and pick up a book to read by the canals.
Address: Calle Longa S. Maria Formosa, 5176/b | Hours: Daily, 9 am – 8 pm.
Casual lunch at Osteria al Portego
Arrival: 1:30 pm – Departure: 2 pm
After your early morning exploration, experience a real Venetian lunch break. Osteria al Portego is a great local spot to get the best Venetian cicchetti—what the locals call various types of finger foods.
Enjoy cicchetti alongside an ombra, or glass of venetian wine. The word ombra (shadow), comes from the fisherman’s tradition of drinking a glass of wine in the shade of the bell tower on their lunch breaks.
Venetian bars usually offer a variety of cicchetti, ranging from salami and prosciutto to seafood and baccalà, a traditional stock-fish recipe. All served on fresh, crunchy bread slices.
Address: Calle de la Malvasia Vechia, 6014-6015 | Hours: Daily, 11:30 am – 3 pm, 5:30 pm – 10 pm | €€
The Rialto Bridge and Market
Arrival: 2:05 pm – Departure: 4 pm
The Rialto Bridge is another of Venice’s top attractions. The view from the bridge is spectacular. Even better though, is visiting the Rialto Fish Market. Venice was born as a fishing village, and the market still provides an authentic glimpse of the island’s local culture.
Take a walk through the stands and ask the local vendors to show you their best cuts. Sample the fresh produce and absorb the vibrant atmosphere of the fish market.
Address: Rialto Bridge and Rialto Fish Market | Hours: Tue – Sat, 7:30 am – 12 pm. Market: Mon – Sat 7:30 am – 1:30 pm.
Cannaregio and the Jewish Ghetto
Arrival: 4:20 pm – Departure: 5:00 pm
The Jewish Ghetto in Venice was instituted in 1516, making it the oldest in the world. Divided into the Ghetto Nuovo (New Ghetto), and the adjacent Ghetto Vecchio (Old Ghetto), it’s located in the Cannaregio sestiere area of Venice. These days, the Jewish Ghetto is still important to the Jewish community of Venice.
Make sure you get a chance to sit down and relax when you visit—there are several good bars or cicchetteria. Our favorite are Mezzopieno, Bacaro dai Morosi, and Birreria Zanon. There’s no better way to finish up seeing Venice in a day than with some tasty food and wine.
Address: Calle Ghetto Vecchio, 1139
Take a Venice in a Day Tour
Prefer to have a passionate local guide show you around? Check out our Venice in a Day Combo tour to make things easier and more fun. It includes visits to St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, and hidden areas of Venice.
Or check out our article on the best Venice tours to take and why.
Where to Stay in Venice
Despite the size of this little island, there are endless hotel options to choose from. We’ve picked the best neighborhoods and hotels to stay in whether you prefer Italian luxury or quiet serenity—or both!
This is really nice travel blog base in Italy
Hola! That’s a great list for a first-time visitor to Venice. It would be also a great help if you could come up with a list of the best hotels to stay in Venice. Please suggest the names of the hotels which are close to the center.
Ciao Jessica!
Thanks for your suggestion, we will make a note to put together a blog post with Hotel recommendations in Venice very soon!
Nice blog. Super Excited