With its beauty and uniqueness, Venice is one of the cities that the whole world envies us! Rich in history and culture, walking through its narrow streets you can admire incredible views and there are so many things to do and see! If you only have one day at your disposal, don't worry, you will still be able to experience its wonderful atmosphere, even if you have to make some sacrifices!
Are you ready to leave with us? Let's discover together the Venice in a Day itinerary!
SEE ALSO: What to see in Venice
Venice one-day itinerary
Photo by Samantha Olivo. The itinerary includes the main stops in Venice, but excludes museums and attractions that would take too long to visit.
The itinerary starts from one of Venice's must-sees par excellence: the Rialto Bridge, from which there is a wonderful view of the Grand Canal! Stroll through the narrow streets and you are in the marvellous Piazza San Marco! Take a photo of the nearby Bridge of Sighs, admire the Doge's Palace from the outside and visit the wonderful St Mark's Basilica inside. Finally, end the morning with a gondola ride (departure at 12 noon, duration 30 min).
After lunch, climb up the Scala Contarini del Bovolo, one of Venice's hidden treasures! Then head towards the Accademia Bridge, but first make a small diversions to admire the Fenice Theatre from the outside and take a photo. Finally, reach the Accademia Bridge and admire the sunset, with the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute in the background.
To end the evening, we recommend going for 'cicchetti' in the classic bacari, typical places where the aperitif is accompanied by various appetisers (a sort of Veneto version of Spanish tapas)!
Morning: Rialto Bridge (free), St Mark's Square (free), Bridge of Sighs (free), St Mark's Basilica (free), Doge's Palace (€25.00), gondola ride (€112.00 per group, max 6 people)
Afternoon: Scala Contarini del Bovolo (€7.00), Teatro della Fenice (exterior free), Ponte dell'Accademia (free)
Evening: Bacari, Campo Santo Stefano (free)
Distance travelled: 2.5 km
Where to eat: Lunch at Osteria Enoteca San Marco, Calle Frezzaria 1610(Get directions) / Dinner at Cantine del Vino già Schiavi, Dorsoduro 1(Get directions)
First time in Venice? To optimise your time and get a first approach to the city, we recommend booking a guided walking tour with a local guide or a gondola ride on the Grand Canal.
Below we will analyse in detail the 5 main stages of our itinerary.
1 - Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal
Start this day in Venice from one of the must-sees par excellence, easily reachable on foot from the railway station if you arrive by train (1.5 km, 20 min) or from Piazzale Roma (17 km, 22 min), where the buses stop, and then continue towards St Mark's Square. We are talking about the Rialto Bridge, the oldest of the four bridges built over the Grand Canal. The one we can cross today was built between 1588 and 1591, but an earlier bridge dates back to 1250, when the nearby Rialto Market was becoming increasingly important.
From the Rialto Bridge there is a splendid view of the Grand Canal, called'canalazzo' by the Venetians, which crosses Venice for a good 4 km, taking an S-shape.
SEE ALSO: Visiting the Grand Canal: times, prices and tips
Visit it in the morning: during the day the bridge is so crowded that you can hardly get through. By starting your itinerary from here you can enjoy it in peace, admiring the view of the Grand Canal without being swept away by the crowds.
2 - Bridge of Sighs
From the Rialto Bridge, in just 8 minutes on foot you can reach another of the city's most photographed attractions: the Bridge of Sighs! It is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of Venice's most famous bridges, but unfortunately time is short so you won't be able to visit it inside, but you can't fail to stop and take at least one photo from the outside!
Built between 1600 and 1603, it leads from the Doge's Palace directly to the Prisons. The name Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs ) has a meaning: according to tradition, during the times of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, prisoners crossing this bridge knew that they would never leave the prison again until they died, so they sighed as they admired the outside world for the last time!
Admireit from the Memoria Bridge: don't settle for the usual photo in front of the Bridge, see it from a different perspective! Reach the Memoria Ponte, right behind St Mark's Square, near the Church of San Teodoro and enjoy the spectacle(Get directions).
3 - St Mark's Square and St Mark's Basilica
From the Bridge of Sighs in no time you can reach St Mark's Square, the real heart of the city. Surrounded by beautiful palaces, it will amaze you with its beauty. The great protagonists are of course St Mark's Campanile, which at 98.6 metres high is one of the Venetian symbols, called by the Venetians'el paròn de casa', i.e. the master of the house, and St Mark's Basilica.
We recommend a visit to St Mark's Basilica, built around 828 to house the relics of St Mark, which, according to tradition, were stolen by two Venetian merchants in Alexandria. Before entering, stop at the nearby Piazza dei Leoncini to admire the Clock Tower, built between 1469 and 1499, with a blue gold and blue enamel clock, which marks the time, day, moon phases and zodiac.
Visiting info: St Mark's Basilica generally open 10am-6pm, times vary according to period, see official website. Free entrance.
Choose what to see and take a gondola ride: there are so many things to see in St Mark's Square and always long queues at the entrance. We advise you to concentrate only on the Basilica and then take a gondola ride, departing from the Molo del Giglio (8 min walk from St Mark's Square, departure at 12 noon, duration 30 min). Info and costs here
4 - Contarini del Bovolo staircase
Photo by PatriPA. After such a busy morning, stop for lunch and then visit one of Venice's hidden gems: the Scala Contarini del Bovolo! Hidden amongst the narrow streets of Venice, if you don't know of its existence you are unlikely to come across it by accident.
It is a marvellous and imposing spiral staircase, from the top of which you can admire a splendid view of the city, its roofs and St Mark's Bell Tower! Definitely one of the hidden places not to be missed. And if you are also looking for Instagrammable views, this is definitely one of them!
Visiting info: open every day 10am-6pm. Full price €7.00, reduced €6.00.
Book your visit in goodtime: entrances are limited in order to safeguard this marvellous staircase, so it is necessary to book your visit directly on the official website. Book as early as possible, as places sell out easily!
5 - Fenice Theatre and Accademia Bridge
Once your visit to the Scala Contarini del Bovolo is over, which will take you about 1 h, head for the Ponte dell'Accademia, but first stop to take a photo of the Fenice Theatre (5 min from La Scala), a place full of magic, charm and history, where the greatest artists have performed. Unfortunately, there is no time to visit its interior, but when you return to Venice you certainly cannot miss a guided tour!
Stroll through the narrow streets, first reaching Campo Santo Stefano, one of the largest squares in the entire city, and eventually reaching the Accademia Bridge, the southernmost of the 4 bridges of the Grand Canal. It takes its name from the nearby Accademia Gallery and is one of the points from which you can admire one of the most beautiful views of Venice! In front of you is the majestic Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute! The best spot from which to admire the sunset.
Have anapericena with cicchetti: a few steps from the Accademia Bridge is one of the most famous bacari in the whole of Venice, the Cantine del Vino già Schiavi. Stop here for a spritz or a glass of wine accompanied by lots of cicchetti, appetisers with typical local products!
Activities and ideas for alternative itineraries
If you are in Venice for the second time, you might consider a visit to the Doge's Palace (€25.00), the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (€15.00), or the Gallerie dell'Accademia (€12.00) or the Fenice Theatre (only visitable with a guided tour). However, considering a visit time varying between 2 and 4 hours. Equally worthwhile are the islands of the Lagoon, such as Murano, Burano and Torcello, which can be visited via a comfortable boat tour (duration 5 h 30 min).
Photo by Samantha Olivo. Also famous are the Art Biennale (dates and tickets on the official website) and the Architecture Biennale (dates and tickets on the official website), held every other year between theArsenale della Biennale and the Giardini della Biennale. In this case, however, the visit will take an entire day!
Another alternative attraction of great interest, especially if you want to enjoy a general overview of the city, is the Jewish ghetto, which takes a whole morning! Finally, if you are travelling with children, you could climb up to the Fondaco terrace (free of charge), or, if time permits, enjoy the Lungomare d'Annunzio beach at Lido di Venezia (from San Marco ferry line 1 Lido).
Family city tour: morning Rialto Bridge, Fondaco terrace, gondola ride and San Marco. Immediately after lunch tour of the Lagoon Islands or relaxation on the beach at Lido di Venezia
Itinerary of the unknown places: morning Oratorio dei Crociferi and Scala Contarini del Bovolo. Afternoon Giudecca Island and Church of Santa Maria della Presentazione (Le Zitelle)
Free attractions itinerary: morning Jewish Ghetto, Rialto Market, Rialto Bridge and Fondaco terrace. Afternoon Acqua Alta Bookshop, photos at the Bridge of Sighs, St Mark's Square and St Mark's Basilica, sunset from the Accademia Bridge
Itinerary among the Lagoon Islands: morning walk in the centre, Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Square. Departure from St Mark's Square boat tour of Murano, Torcello and Burano (11:30 am, duration 5 h 30 min)
Day among the museums of Venice: morning dedicated to St Mark's and its beauties (Basilica, Bell Tower and Doge's Palace). Afternoon gondola ride and then visit to the Accademia Bridge and the Guggenheim
Itinerary among the Churches of Venice: morning Basilica S.Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Rialto Bridge and Church of San Zaccaria. Afternoon St Mark's Square and St Mark's Basilica, Accademia Bridge and Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
Day at the Biennale: visit of the Biennale (art or architecture depending on the year) between the Arsenale della Biennale and the Giardini della Biennale. Late afternoon Piazza San Marco
Before leaving: useful tips
Consider a waterbus pass: if you intend to travel by waterbus, we recommend that you buy a pass to travel at a reduced price. Info and costs here
Evaluate the Venice City Pass: depending on the itinerary and the attractions you want to visit, the city card, which also includes the Doge's Palace (from €51.00 - see details), can be useful.
Be careful about parking: arriving in Venice by train is the easiest thing to do, but if you arrive by car beware of the very high cost of parking - find out more
Book visits and tours in advance: with only one day to spare, it's important to be organised and book all the visits so you don't run into long queues, especially in St Mark's Square
Wear comfortable shoes: in Venice you will have to walk, and although the distances may not be very long, there are plenty of bridges and steps. So wear comfortable shoes and always take a bottle of water with you on summer days
