There is truly no other city in the world quite like Venice! This Italian city is known for its beautiful canals, many bridges, and floating gondolas. It is the perfect city to simply wander around because you’re met with amazing views at each turn. This makes Venice a great destination for a day trip. If you’re planning to travel around Italy and don’t have much time, Venice is a city you can see in a day. Check out this one day itinerary for a day trip to Venice!

How to Get to Venice

Venice is an easy travel destination with its nearby airport and train station. Venice is a great city for a day trip due to its ease of transportation!

From airport:

If you’re flying into Venice, you want to look for flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport. The airport is about 8.5 miles or 13.7 kilometers from Venice. To get from the Marco Polo airport to Venice, you have three options: public bus, public ferry, or taxi. If you’re traveling alone or with another person, I suggest using the public transport options as it is cheaper than a taxi. 

Bus:

The bus from Marco Polo Airport to Venice’s main bus station (Piazzale Roma) is €8,00 each way or €15,00 for round-trip transport. It is the easiest and cheapest way to get into Venice. The bus stop is right outside the airport, located outside the baggage claim and arrivals area. You can buy tickets at the ticket machines at baggage claim, ticket counters in the arrivals area, or the curbside ticket machines. The bus ride from the airport to the main bus station takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes. From the main bus station, you can easily walk or take a public ferry to Venice’s main attractions. 

Public Ferry:

Although getting from the airport to Venice is cheaper, arriving by public ferry offers a fun way to arrive in the city. Plus, it gives more options on your final drop-off location than the public bus. It is less than a 10-minute walk from the airport to the dock where all boats depart from the airport. 

The public ferry is by far the cheapest of the water transport options from the airport to Venice. You can certainly book a shared shuttle boat in advance or take a water taxi, but it will cost you a lot more if you’re willing to make the splurge. The public ferry is operated by Alilafuna and it takes about 70 minutes to get from the airport to San Marco. The public ferry costs approximately 15 euros and you can book online in advance. 

Taxi:

You can also get a taxi from the airport to Venice. Taxis are the fastest way to get into the city but not by much from the public bus. Taxis usually cost 40 to 50 euros and I would only recommend them if you’re traveling in a group. If you have a group of 4 or more people, you could split the cost so that it is almost the same as the public bus.

Private Boat:

If you want a memorable entrance to Venice, you could also book a private boat! Make your arrival in Venice truly unforgettable with a water taxi transfer to your hotel from the airport. Enjoy a scenic boat ride and get an amazing first look at Venice as you arrive at your hotel in comfort and style. Book here in advance for a trusted private boat service to your hotel.

From the train station:

If you’re taking the train into Venice, look for train tickets to Venezia Santa Lucia. Venezia Santa Lucia is the main train station for Venice and it is very central to Venice attractions. The train station is also just minutes away from Piazzale Roma, the main bus station. Walking from the main train station and the main bus station to the center of Venice is only 20 minutes. 

Train travel within Italy is very easy and cheap and that is my preferred method of getting around Italy. If you’re arriving into Venice from another Italian city, I recommend looking at Trenitalia tickets. Trenitalia is the public train company in Italy, and they have a great app that allows you to buy tickets, check train status, and look for routes. If you’re visiting Italy in general, I highly recommend downloading the Trenitalia app. 

Where to Stay in Venice

As mentioned earlier, Venice is a very walkable city! There’s not a bad area to stay in Venice but it depends on your priorities. If you want to stay closer to the train station, I would look for hotels near Piazzale Roma. If you want to stay closer to the main attractions, I would look for hotels near San Marco. Check out my hotel recommendations below!

Hotel Recommendations in Venice:

• Gritti Palace: This 5-star hotel is located on the Grand Canal and housed in a beautiful 15th-century palace and is a landmark of Venetian architecture. The hotel offers several dining options, including a Michelin-starred and the Gritti Terrace, which offers panoramic views of the city.
• Belmond Hotel Cipriani: This luxury hotel is located on the island of Giudecca, just a short boat ride from St. Mark’s Square. It offers beautiful views of the lagoon and a pool surrounded by lush gardens.
• Ca’Sagredo Hotel: This impressive hotel is located in a beautiful 15th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal. It offers luxurious rooms, a rooftop terrace, and a restaurant with stunning views of the water.
• Hotel Londra Palace: This elegant hotel is located near St. Mark’s Square and offers beautiful views of the lagoon. It has a rooftop terrace and a restaurant serving traditional Venetian cuisine.
• Hotel Santa Chiara: This newly renovated hotel is located near Piazzale Rome and Santa Lucia train station. This is an affordable option that offers updated rooms with free Wi-Fi and breakfast included in the price.
• Hotel Al Codega: This hotel is located in a quiet alley just a few minutes walk from St. Mark’s Square. It offers comfortable rooms with traditional Venetian decor and a breakfast buffet included in the price.
• Hotel Abbazia: This hotel is located near the Santa Lucia train station and the Grand Canal. It offers comfortable and spacious rooms with free Wi-Fi and a buffet breakfast included in the price.
• Hotel Scandinavia: This hotel is located near the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal. It offers comfortable rooms with free Wi-Fi and a buffet breakfast included in the price.

Venice One Day Trip Itinerary

I’ve been to Venice three times now, and two of my visits have been a day trip to Venice while I stayed for two days on my last visit. When I was studying abroad in Verona, I took day trips to Venice as it was only an hour away and only cost about 8 euros by train. From experience, you can totally see the best of Venice in one day!

The best way to see Venice is by foot – there truly is no better way to explore this city full of narrow streets and beautiful canals. It’s the best way to see all its nooks and crannies. Plus, most of Venice is car-free which makes it convenient to walk around. Note: I added in extra time between the itinerary stops as you’re sure to see sights along the way that you’d want to stop at!

My number one tip for visiting Venice is to wake up early! Seeing the city in the early morning is very different from than peak afternoon. The streets are so quiet and empty, plus you can avoid the massive afternoon crowds! 

Follow along with this one day Venice trip itinerary to see the best of Venice while avoiding most of the other tourists:

Start your day in Venice as early as you can! 

And I mean early…

Morning in Venice

Ideally, try and start your day by 7 AM. I know it is early but trust me, it is so worth waking up early in Venice. Venice is one of the most visited cities in the world so massive crowds as expected – especially if you’re visiting on a weekend or during the high season of June to August. 

7:00 AM Rialto Bridge

Start your day in Venice at the Rialto Bridge. The Rialto Bridge is one of the most iconic sights in Venice and it is a must visit while you’re in Venice. There are hundreds of bridges in Venice, but only four cross the Grand Canal with the Rialto Bridge being one of the four. In the morning, the Rialto Bridge is very peaceful and you’ll see a great view of the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge. Be sure to spend some time admiring the views from the bridge. If you stay on the bridge for just a little while, you can see the entire city come to life with boats and people scurrying around, trying to get ready for the day. 

8:00 AM St. Mark’s Square

Next, head to St. Mark’s Square. This square is one of the most famous squares in the world! It is surrounded on all four sides by restaurants and shops and the Basilica di San Marco. It is a busy and bustling square and early morning is the least crowded it will get all day. Take some time to stroll around the piazza and snap some photos at this famous square.

9:00 AM St. Mark’s Basilica

While you’re in St. Mark’s Square, visit Basilica di San Marco or St. Mark’s Basilica. It is the most important religious temple in Venice and has been the center of public and religious life in Venice. This basilica is dedicated to and holds the relics of St. Mark, the patron of the city. The basilica opens at 9:30 AM (Monday to Saturday*) and it is free to enter, however long queuing lines are typical. People even tend to start lining up before it opens! 

If you follow along this itinerary, you should get here by 9 AM, and getting in line this early allows you to be one of the first to enter the Basilica that day and avoids the long queue. 

You can also buy skip-the-line tickets for 3 euros in person or online (which they’re not offering currently), but if you’re in line by 9 AM, you shouldn’t have to buy skip-the-line tickets.

NOTE: This is a place of worship so please be dressed modestly (women’s shoulders should be covered and shorts are not appropriate)

*On Sundays, the basilica opens at 2:00 PM so if you’re planning to visit on a Sunday, shift this itinerary stop for further in the day and go ahead and visit Doge’s Palace.

10:30 AM Doge’s Palace

After visiting St. Mark’s Basilica, head next door to Doge’s Palace. Doge’s Palace or Palazzo Ducale is another landmark of Venice and it’s a beautiful palace built in Venetian Gothic style. You can visit the palace and tour its stunning interior! You can buy tickets online here in advance.

12:00 PM Bridge of Sighs

Once you’ve finished touring Doge’s Palace, take a short walk over to the famous Bridge of Sighs. This beautiful arched bridge is named for the sighs of prisoners crossing it from Doge’s Palace to prison. Today, it is a popular sight to see in Venice.

Afternoon

12:30 PM Lunch

I’m sure you’re hungry by now and want lunch, but the good news is that there are several great places to eat in the area!

Depending on what you’re in the mood for, here are some restaurant recommendations:

• Tratoria Al Gazzettino: Great seafood and pasta
• Antico Forno: Delicious pizza
• Dal Moro’s Venice: Quick grab and go pasta

Next, make an even more important stop…gelato! You have to stop at Gelatoteca Suso. This is the best gelato in Venice and if you’re in Italy…you have to get gelato on at least a daily basis.

2:00 PM Gondola or Boat Ride

If this is your first time in Venice, you need to take a boat ride! The most popular way is by going on a gondola ride, however, gondola rides are a bit pricey. The prices are fixed and typically cost 80 to 100 euros for a ride in person. If you have a group of 4 or more people then you can split the cost, but if you’re by yourself then it is quite costly. However, I think it is definitely worth the experience if it won’t put a dent in your budget.

Tip: You can also book a gondola here for $30 to $40 per person and this is a great option if you aren’t traveling in a large party and are willing to share a gondola! It’ll be much harder trying to find random people to split a gondola in Venice.

If you’re not willing to make the splurge, then you can also take a public ferry! Those only cost 7,50 euros a ride and can take you around Venice as well.  There are multiple ferry ports around Venice, and you can use Google Maps to find the closest one from where you’re at.

4:00 PM Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo

After your boat ride, head to Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo for a great view of Venice! It is also famous for its external multi-arch spiral staircase. The palazzo is an architectural wonder and definitely well worth the visit. I highly recommend booking tickets online in advance as it does sell out.

6:00 PM Libreria Acqua Alta

Next, check out one of the coolest bookstores in the world! You definitely want to add this bookstore into your day in Venice trip itinerary. Libreria Acqua Alta is a unique bookstore with lots of vintage books…and cats. It’s a great spot to browse around for books and even take some photos! There are great photo opportunities in this bookstore as there is a parked gondola outside and cool stacks of books in the back.

If you want to find out the best Instagram spots in Venice, check out my detailed article here!

Evening

7:00 PM Sunset and Drinks

Depending on how much time left you have in Venice, I recommend getting drinks at the Gritti Palace. Gritti Palace is a luxury 5-star hotel in Venice and worth a visit even if you’re not staying here. Drinks are more expensive here but you will get a great view

If you have more time, go watch the sunset from Rialto Bridge. It will be crowded, but the sunset over the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge is stunning! It will be the perfect way to end a day in Venice. Hope you enjoy your day trip in Venice and let me know in the comments how it goes!

If you have extra time…

If you do have more time than a day in Venice, I highly recommend visiting the islands around Venice, especially Murano and Burano. Both of these islands are great day trips from Venice and are both very unique and special. Murano is known for its glass and you can visit and watch the artisans demonstrating their trade. Meanwhile, Burano is actually known for its lace work and brightly colored homes. You can take public ferries from Venice to both of these islands or if you’re looking for a guided tour, check out the highly-rated one below!

Check out these tours and activities for Venice!

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