Check with us what to do in one day in Venice: a complete 24 hours itinerary for an unforgettable day in the most romantic city of Italy
It is one of the most famous and romantic city in the world, one of the best place to choose for an unforgettable vacation in Italy: Venice, the superb city built on a group of more than 100 small islands protected by a lagoon, with its canals cruised by the traditional Venetian boats called gondole, its squares and its iconic bridges and its monumental palaces decorated with masterpieces made by the most famous artists, Venice is a daydream to visit at least once in a life.
With more than fifteen centuries of history and several churches, museums, palaces and places to visit, it is difficult to choose which monuments of Venice to explore if you have only 24 hours to spend in the city, that is the reason why we have created this guide to enjoy the most renowned monuments of Venice, its unforgettable corners, in the meanwhile discovering the flavors of the city like locals. Let's find out our complete itinerary to explore Venice, one of the most beautiful Italian cities, with details about what to do in only one day, without wasting time. Let's go together.
24 hours in Venice: a mix of history, culture and food
Venice doesn't need any presentation, it is one of the most famous cities in the world. Known for its historical Carnival, the international Film Festival and over all for its position surrounded by the sea, Venice has so many places to discover choosing thematic itineraries, but there are several unmissable places to visit even though you have only a few hours available: the Saint Mark Cathedral with its iconic square, the Doge's Palace with its Gothic architecture, the Rialto bridge with the characteristic gondole and in the meanwhile tasting delicious typical food or drinking an apertif. Our itinerary touches the main unmissable attractions and overall it can be done by foot, although taking a ferryboat can be useful to take a rest and gain more time from a location to another one. Let's start the journey,
Discover Venice with the Venice Pass❯
8:30am: The lagoon and the Gran Canal
Venice is the city of floating on water and the first main attraction is in front of every tourist who arrives in the city by ferry boat: it is the lagoon with a stunning overlook over all the city center and the gran canal which divides the old city in two parts. Entering the lagoon is an incredible experience which gives the opportunity to see some of the most important monuments of Venice from a privileged position: the Saint Mary of Health church, the Saint Mark cathedral and the Doge's palace.
Explore Venice with the Vaporetto Pass❯
9:00am: Saint Mark square
It is the most famous and elegant square of Venice, Saint Mark square it is simply stunning with its arcades and palaces built in the characteristic Gothic Venetian style and the Cathedral with its bell tower which dominates the square from above. Strolling under the historical oriental style arcade or taking a cappuccino in one of the historical cafès which overlooks the square is the best way to start a daily tour in Venice.
10:00am: Saint Mark Cathedral
Its five iconic domes and its bell tower are one of the symbols of Venice the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, better known as Saint Mark Cathedral, is the most important and stunning church in Venice as well as one of the most famous in the world. Surely for its unique architecture and for the breathtaking interiors it deserves a visit even though you have only a few hours to discover the city. Built using different architectural styles, Byzantine, Islamic and Gothic its shape is unique and the treasures kept inside like the Pala d'Oro (the altarpiece) are breathtaking. If the weather is fine, our suggestion is to lift up on the bell tower to admire a stunning view of the Saint Mark square and the Venice lagoon.
Skip the line to visit Saint Mark Cathedral❯
11:30am: Doge's Palace
Next to Saint Mark Cathedral stands out the other monument symbol of Venice in the world: the Doge's Palace with its unmistakable arches made in Gothic Venetian style which welcomes the tourists when enter the lagoon from the sea. The building represents the power of the Serenissima Republic as maritime power and the interiors still show to the public the elegance and the luxury of Doges who governed Venice for more than ten centuries. Behind the Doge's Palace, it lies another unmissable place to visit: the bridge of sighs (ponte dei sospiri), a symbol of Venice as romantic city even though the tradition tells that the sighs where made by convicts when they crossed the bridge by boat (and not by loved fiances).
Visit the Doge's Palace with us❯
1:00pm: lunch Rialto district
After a morning day spent on visiting the main attractions of Venice, it’s time to taste some traditional plates for lunch. Our suggestion is to have a lunch at Rialto district easily reachable with a ferryboat ride. Rialto is the oldest nucleus of Venice and one of the most lively area of the city center, thanks to the fruit, vegetables and fish markets based there since the XIth century. Tasting some of Venice’s specialties, such as the Venetian style liver served with polenta, is an experience to live in one of the taverns close to Rialto's market. After the lunch don't forget to take a pic of another of the symbols of Venice, the Rialto bridge, one of the most spectacular and stunning bridges which cross the canals.
3:00pm: the Venetian ghetto
In a tour of 24 hours in Venice it cannot missed a walk along the canals in one of the historical sestiere (district) following no maps but getting lost in the mazes of canals, alleys and streets. One of the most characteristic and beautiful is the Cannaregio sestiere where it lies the ancient Venetian ghetto, one of the oldest area of Venice. Located close to Rialto district, the Venetian ghetto is an immersive experience in what it was the life in Venice in the past centuries, with small canals, historical palaces and some of the most famous corners of Venice to snap.
Discover Venice by gondola❯5:00pm: Ca' Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art
Since Venice is one of the Italian cities with the most vibrant cultural offer, it is a great idea spend some of the afternoon hours visiting one of the main Venice's museums. The choice is wide, we suggest you to visit the Ca' Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art sites in front of Venetian ghetto, inside the wonderful Pesaro family palace, which was built in baroque style and projected by the architect Baldassare Longhena. The collection hosts a permanent exhibition of modern and contemporary arts with paintings and sculptures in addition to temporary exhibitions of important collections coming from abroad.
7:00pm: the aperitif time at the bacari
In an itinerary of one day in Venice do not forget to have your aperitif time in one of the bacari (traditional taverns), an essential place for the local culinary culture. Drinking a spritz while tasting some cicchetti - finger food portions of some of the traditional Venetian recipes similar to tapas - is one of the essential thing to do like a local during a vacation in Venice. The Cannaregio sestiere hosts the most popular bacari, yet they are located in many other districts of Venice city center.
9:00pm: the opera at La Fenice theatre
In the city of Goldoni and Vivaldi it cannot missed a night in the most famous Venice's theatre: La Fenice. The historical temple of opera has a rich program during its lyrical concert and ballets season and our suggestion is to look what it is scheduled during your vacation in Italy. Attending an opera show in the beautiful baroque building of La Fenice, which is a monument in itself, is the best way to end a 24 hour itinerary in Venice.
What to see in Venice in one day: suggestions and alternatives
Do you have more than 24 hours? You can explore the main islands of Venice's lagoon such as La Giudecca with the church of the Most Holy Redeemer, known as the Redeemer (il Redentore) by Venetians, Murano with the ancient art of glass manufacture or Burano with its famous lace tradition. Venice is also not far from Treviso and Padova if you want to continue to explore the Veneto region.
Explore Murano and Burano islands with us❯
