Sharing with you my favorite Venice highlights and activities in a day.
The French say “Voir Venise et mourir…” which roughly means after you witness the beauty of Venice, you can die happy as nothing else would compare…
Having visited Venice on numerous occasions, I would highly recommend making a dramatic entrance by taking an evening flight and catching a water taxi to the hotel. Water taxis are like luxury limousines with leather upholstery and could be pricey. Expect to pay around EUR 110 from Marco Polo airport to a city hotel, but they can usually accommodate up to 10 people. In my opinion, it’s worth it as the nocturnal canal ride is absolutely stunning!
Rialto Bridge, Venice’s landmark
If you wish to beat the crowd during peak season, I would suggest to visit the most popular sites such as the Rialto Bridge very early in the morning, if possible before 8 am. Rialto Bridge is the oldest and most famous among the four bridges that cross the Grand Canal.
Stroll along the many shops that line both sides of the Grand Canal. From there, you could visit the Rialto Market, which is open from 7 am to 1 pm.
While you’re there, enjoy the mesmerizing Grand Canal views from both directions.
Venice Highlight: Piazza San Marco
Head towards the iconic Piazza San Marco, which Napoleon called “The most beautiful drawing room in the world“. Personally, I prefer to explore this enormous piazza in the evening, so it would be better to first visit the St. Mark’s Basilica by 9 am as the lines start to get really long from 9:30 am.
The Basilica entrance is free but if you are pressed for time, you could get a skip the line ticket for a few euros, or book a guided tour for both the St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.
Walking from the Doge’s Palace toward the water, you’ll reach the Riva degli Schiavoni, a great spot to take pictures of the many gondolas moored there or navigating in the waterfront
Turning left, you’ll pass by the infamous Bridge of Sighs, thus named as it was rumored that the prisoners would emit a sigh at the last view of beautiful Venice from the bridge window looking out, before being incarcerated
From there, you can walk all the way to the Ponte dell’Accademia, where you will be rewarded with an amazing view of the Grand Canal
Basilica de Santa Maria
Another architectural marvel is Santa María della Salute with its striking dome.
Salute, as it is commonly known, was founded in the 17th century to commemorate the end of a terrible plague killing a large portion of the Veneto population. It was dedicated to Our Lady of Health (Salute in Italian)
There are so many beautiful sites to visit in Venice, but my favorite activity is to walk through the endless maze of narrow streets alongside the canals. I would also recommend going on a Venice Food Tour. It’s one of the best way to taste local specialties and discover the local customs through the food.
Even if you don’t do a food tour, there are so many places to enjoy local specialties such as cicchetti, which are Venetian appetizers, delicious pastas and pizzas.
The Bacaro Jazz, a few steps away from Rialto Bridge, is open late into the night and is a popular spot among locals to enjoy a beer while watching soccer on the wall hung TV screen, under hundreds of bras hanging from the ceiling…
I mentioned earlier that I prefer to explore San Marco Piazza in the evening with the receding crowds. It’s a more relaxing time to enjoy the few bands that take turn playing beautiful music. There are many restaurants, from casual to fine dining, where you can get a table and enjoy an Aperol (my favorite cocktail!), a nice meal or just an espresso, while enjoying the live music, in the evening cooler air.
One last note: While in Venice, do splurge in hiring a private gondola ride (or share a ride), it’s a really enjoyable experience! Alternatively, book a tour (or Food Tour) that includes a gondola ride… For the budget-conscious, take a ride on the vaporetto, or water bus that runs up and down the Grand Canal for less than 8 Euros/ride, while enjoying the same fabulous views.
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FOOD TOUR – Venice
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