Last Updated on July 26, 2023 by Christine Kaaloa

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Venice is a lover’s city. ⁣ ⁣It is hard not to fall in love with it. Unequaled with its waterways, bridges, gondolas, and medieval architecture.⁣ There are many unforgettable things to do in Venice. In this 24-hour Venice Travel Guide, I share the top things to do in Venice and things to know about Venice.

Despite being crowded with tourists, Venice is still breathtaking. As an Italian city, it lives up to its hype of being unique in its waterway culture. Try as I did to find a substitute for Venice, I couldn’t.

Watch my Venice experiential travel guide

Unforgettable things to do in Venice

1. Rialto Bridge

On the Rialto Bridge you’ll have a literally breathtaking view of the Grand Canal. It is a popular spot for tourists, so you may find some competition. In the morning to midday when tourists arrive and clamor to take selfies on the bridge, it is super-crowded.

To beat crowds and enjoy the bridge and canal view in peace, arrive before 8 am or visit in the later afternoon. You can also take a gondola ride on the Grand Canal and see the Rialto bridge from the waters.

2. Grand Canal

The Grand Canal is one of the city’s key water-traffic routes. The Grand Canal is bordered by many buildings, dating from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Noble Venetian families spent a lot of money to show off their wealth in palazzos, and you’ll find them lining the channel.

3. Rialto Fish Market

Under a luxurious structure next to the canal sits the Rialto Fish Market. On Mondays, the Rialto Fish Market is closed.  We were there on a Monday, so the marketplace was empty.  But next to it is the Rialto Market, a local market where vendors sell produce and foods for the Venetian table.

4. Gelato at Maison de la Creme

A stone’s throw from Rialto Bridge is Gelato at Maison de la Creme, a family-run shop that sells crepes and home-produced gelato since 2009. It’s a small shop with a colorful selection.  Located: Sestiere Cannaregio. Website: www.la-maison-de-la-crepe.business.site

5. Libreria Aqua Alta

Liberia Acqua Alta is a used bookstore in Rome, Italy. It sits along a canal and can be subject to flooding during “acqua alta” (high tides). In the store, you’ll find a gondola filled with books. The owners have raised the books high to prevent from water damage. There is a lovely staircase made out of old books outside in the back of the store. The books are all in Italian but it attracts a crowd because it is a popular Instagram spot. If you are there for an Instagram photo, please buy a postcard to support the store. Facebook page:www.facebook.com/libreriaacquaalta

6. Fondaco Dei Tedeschi (rooftop view)

Fondaco dei Tedeschi is a three-story palazzo building that has been transformed into a luxury and lifestyle shopping center. Aside from the shopping, it is a spot where you can get a free ticket to the palazzo’s rooftop view. It is a precious view overlooking city and the Grand Canal. Just ask the information desk when you enter.

7. Bridge of Sighs

In the 19th century, Lord Byron gave the Bridge of Sighs its name from an Italian translation “Ponte dei sospiri,” meaning that convicts would sigh as they looked out the window at their last view of Venice before being imprisoned.

8. Doge’s Palace

Doge’s Palace and St Marks Basilica can be visited hand-in-hand as they are across each other. Doge’s Palace is one of Italy’s most important public spaces. A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, the building and its sculptural decoration date from various periods. The interior, with works by artists such as Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto and Tiepolo, includes vast council chambers and residential apartments. Located at Piazza San Marco.

Note: You’ll need around 1 – 1.5 hours to get through the palace tour and more time if you want a deeper dive.

The crowds and lines in Italy cost a lot of time and physical energy in standing. Save both and get a combo skip the line pass for Doges Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica! These are two popular iconic Venice attractions you won’t want to miss!

Tip: Book advance entry to Doge’s Palace and walk across the Bridge of Sighs.

Packing Tip:  Create and download a free packing checklist

9. St Marks Basilica

The St. Mark’s Basilica was constructed back in the 9th century. It was built to house the remains of St. Mark’s corpse that was smuggled in from Egypt by Venetian merchants. Walking through the basilica can take around 90 minutes and up, depending upon your interest.  The structure is known for having a Greek cross layout and for using a great amount of gold in each of its attractions.

If you go on Sunday morning for mass, the museum is open at 9:30, and you must use the side entrance. Backpacks are also not allowed in the basilica, so you must leave them with the church. It is free for one hour. Located at Piazza San Marco.

Alternate travel options: Do an evening tour of Doges Palace and St Marks Basilica to discover the hidden secrets and prisons that crowds will not see in the daylight. Skip the messy crowds and get a combo Skip the Line ticket of St Mark’s Basilica and Doges Palace.

Note: All churches in Italy have a dress code. No bare shoulders, shorts or miniskirts are allowed.

10. Basilica de Santa Maria della Salute

Santa Maria della Salute basilica, sometimes known as the Salute, is a basilica and Roman Catholic church located in Punta della Dogana, between the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal, near the Bacino di San Marco. You can see it from the water while entering St Mark’s Square. It is a stunning sight!

11. Gondola ride

Gondola rides are something to experience at least once in your lifetime, as a gondolier is a profession in Venice and an authentic experience. Gondoliers have their own union and the hat and uniform are part of the job. The standard gondola experience for a 1/2 hour is approximately $80 and higher. You can also rent a shared gondola tour if you don’t mind sharing your experience with others and a romantic night gondola ride.

The lowest price for a gondola experience under $50 was recommended by a follower.

Tip: Book your private gondola ride of the Grand Canal in advance!

12. Do a walking tour of Venice

Why not sightsee Venice’s highlights and learn about its life and local stories from an expert local guide? Taking a Venice walking tour will only enhance your understanding of Venice while cutting through the messiness of getting lost as you find popular spots. I like walking tours because you can also ask for recommendations and insights you wouldn’t normally have access to if you do not have an Italian friend.

This helps save time if you have a short time to enjoy Venice:

• City walking tour + gondola ride– Rated 4.2 of 5 by travelers

• Venice Medieval Walking Tour – Rated 4.2 of 5 by travelers

• Must See Sights of Venice – Rated 4.5 of 5 by travelers

• City Highlights Wheelchair Accessible – NEW

13. Venetian Islands: Burano and Murano

The Venetian Lagoon holds several islands that you can spend a day trip to explore:

Burano is known for its needle lace, colorful buildings and fish dishes. It takes around 45 minutes to get there from Venice.

Murano is world-famous for its glass-blowing art. It is formed by seven island and connected by bridges.

I’ve heard mixed reactions towards these islands ranging from a must visit to hype. My recommendation is the make your own decision if it calls to you. The most economical way to see the islands is by day tour options: from panoramic boat tour to full day islands tour to Murano and Burano walking tour with a local guide.

Must-Try Foods in Venice

Venice does not have many of its own foods originating from the Venezia region.  You’ll find the most common is bar food.

14. Do a Venice Food tour or Bar Crawl

Venice is not commonly known to inspire Italian food. But it is known for its Cichetti and apperitivos, so if you’d like to sample the flavors of Venice, hop aboard a Venice food and pub crawl tour.  Most of the food tours I’ve seen offer a combination of neighborhood sightseeing and bar crawl tours as the cichetti is a type of bar food and there are many neighborhood pubs with their own version of cichetti.

Read Must Try foods around the World

15. Baccaro

Baccaro is a neighborhood pub, comparable to an osteria, where you may have beverages and cichetti (little sandwich appetizers). Traditional baccaros are quite basic, lacking seats, and bathrooms. In fact, Venetians bounce from one baccaro to another, much like bar hopping. Men may congregate outside them for a social happy hour.

The second bacarro I visited was more modern, with a larger food menu and dishes prepared on a small stove. It felt like a conventional bar, complete with tables and chairs and an outdoor backyard that led to the canal. With a glass of prosecco, we had slightly different Cicchetti.

16. Cicchetti

Cichetti is bar food, which is typically, finger sandwiches with ham, salami, fish or combined variation. You buy them at a bacarro, which is a standup neighborhood bar. They’re very tasty and inexpensive and each bar serves their own menu.

I took a food tour with The Tour Guy to get a sampling of many types of cichetti. We visited two bacarros and my favorite was the first bacarro with outdoor standing room. The cicchetti were small finger sandwiches with fish, salami and ham.  While it wasn’t a bad tour, I didn’t love it. It wasn’t as informative as I hoped in comparison to other food tours I’d been on.  My guide was chatty, but not insightful- and there were a couple of food options I didn’t quite get being on the menu. You’ll find parts of my food tour in my Venice trip video.

Here’s a helpful list of food tour options on Get Your guide

17. Venetian Spritz

Venetian Spritz is an aperitivo or pre-meal drink that Venetians love.  It is made with 1/3 Prosecco, 1/3 soda water and 1/3 aperol. A lot of travelers rave about the spritz! While it wasn’t my favorite aperitivo, I can see why travelers and Venetians love it.

18. Prosecco

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling white wine made from Glera grapes produced in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia areas in northeastern Italy. It’s quite bubbly, and I liked it a lot more than Venetian Spritz. Prosecco has one of the lowest alcohol concentrations of all wines, at only 12%, and a somewhat sweet tinge. To be named prosecco, the grape combination must include at least 85 percent Glera.

19. Gelato

There wasn’t anything specifically special about this gelato shop other than they had gelato and we were free to choose two flavors.

Getting Around in Venice

You can cover a lot of the city on foot in a day.  Canal views and medieval street architecture will reward you. City transportation is ferry boats and gondolas but they are pricy options.

Unlimited waterbus and mainland pass

Planning to sightsee many attractions which require a water taxi to land bus? Visiting Murano, Burano, or staying outside of Venice central? I recommend getting the unlimited waterbus and mainland pass !

20. Traghetto

A traghetto is a public ferry boat, which transports passengers from one side of a canal to another for approximately 50 cents. The traghetto means ferry in Italian and they are an inexpensive way to get around. They are designed for the Venetian workers, so they only run at certain times a day. Locals occasionally like to stand during the ride as the trip is not very far. Our traghetto ride lasted less than five minutes as the canal was not very wide. It was an experience I found cool and recommend.

21. Hop a Vaporetto

Vaporettos are water buses and they are less expensive than the water taxis of Venice. They start at approximately 7.50 Euro one-way. There are economical options of day or multi-day (up to three days) pass tickets ranging from 23 to 43 Euro.

Check out my solo travel gear resource list 

22. Visit Verona

Did Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet really exist? A trip to Verona confirms the legend to be true. A day trip from Venice, visiting Verona is a must. From visiting Juliet’s house (this alone is worth a visit!) and standing on her balcony or touching her statue’s left breast for luck to visiting her crypt and Romeo’s house, your day is well occupied. You will fall in lve with this old city, it’s historical architecture, amphitheatre, moat… I’d even recommend a hike.

If you’re traveling,

23. Visit Treviso

If you’ve got time and want to get away to explore another Italian city, Treviso is about 45 minutes away.  It’s a super chill walkable city, with waterway canals, museums, United States of Benetton flagship store (it’s their original home). It’s charming and modern, despite cobble stone streets. Check out my Treviso travel guide

Venice Train Stations

There are two train stations to Venice:

Venice Train Station is located on the island of Venice and opens directly to the waterway taxi stations. The train station has many boutique shops for travelers who need to pick up basic travel essentials. When you step out of the station directly to the canal, it is breathtaking. Water taxis lined up at the steps to the river, while boats propel down the river… this is what Venice is about in waterway traffic and romance. You will find water taxis lined up and ready to take you to your hotel. It can be overwhelming to see them, so I recommend booking a water taxi to minimize that stress. You can see it in my video!

Venice Mestre Train Station stops at Venice Mestre, a neighborhood right outside Venice central, where there is little to see but lower costing and nicer hotels. After researching hotel costs and facilities in Venice central, I decided Venic Mestre was going to be budget friendly but also afford me a nicer accommodation.

I took a train from Bologna to Venice Mestre using my OMIO transportation booking app (it’s so convenient, you can book on the bus to the train station or at the train station waiting for your train!). I booked my day trips from Venice such as Treviso and Verona! Check out their routes and timetables. 

Tip: Also, if you’re there for a day trip while in-transit to another city, check out Radical Storage. It’s cheaper than storing your bags at the train holding service. It allows you to keep your bags at local places near the train station,  like restaurants (that’s where I stored my bags) .

Getting to Venice Bus station from Venice Mestre bus stops was super easy as the bus to Venice was right across my hotel and took around 10 minutes. I cannot remember the bus number, but it is in my video!

Tip: If you plan to sightsee many attractions which require land bus or distance water taxi to Murano or Burano, get the unlimited waterbus and mainland pass !

Getting from Marco Polo Airport to Venice Central

If you fly into Marco Polo International Airport (VCE), there are two ways to get into Venice Central to you hotel. You can book:

• An airport pickup water taxi into Venice Central and ride in comfort down the canals for approximately $35.

• An airport bus transfer to Venice central for approximately have the cost minus the dreamy view!

• If you don’t mind paying a little more for a private experience, book a private water taxi from the airport to your hotel and experience the Venetian romance all to yourself. Highly recommended for travelers who want to live the prime luxury that Venice has to offer!

Getting your Italy Prepaid SIM card

SIM cards are not always sold at the airports in Italy. When I arrived in Italy, I found a local telecomm shop that sold SIM cards. I brought my passport and I was up and running in 10 minutes. (See my Ravenna video). I recommend the TIM card for Italy. My network was solid and you can also use TIM in Europe, so it’s not only for Italy. If you’re type of person who does not want to waste time or stress looking for a Prepaid SIM for Italy, you can buy Italy Prepaid SIM cards in advance and  Europe eSim. Airalo lets you order an Italy eSim from its mobile app and installs it right there!

Where to Stay in Venice

Some travelers don’t want to skimp on the convenience that staying in mainland Venice offers. Although hotels in Venice can feel expensive. Travelers on a budget may opt to stay in Venice Mestre, outside of central Venice and about a 15-minute bus ride from Venice Bus Station.

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Read essential tips for Staying in Hotels

Venezia Mestre

Staying outside of Venice is cheaper, you can get nicer options, and getting your luggage to your hotel is simpler, if you ask me. This is the route I took and I didn’t feel much of a hinderance. My only complaint might be that there weren’t many food options nearby the area I stayed in.

Venezia Mestre is a 10-minute bus ride outside of old Venice. It has newer and more economical accommodations. There aren’t many food options in the nearby zone next to the train station, so I ate at Da Michele, 4 minutes from my hostel.

ao Hotel Venezia Mestre 1 has both, a hotel and hostel, with anything from single room to 8-dorm hostel room. The facilities are well-managed and everything is clean. I stayed here in a dorm room of 8 women. It was a fairly convenient stay with a nearby busstop into Venice main. They are located 8 minutes from the Mestre train station and the bus station is right outside.

ao Hotel Venezia Mestre 2 is similar to its sister but is a tad newer. I believe it is a little closer to the train station.

Anda Venice Hostel is a popular and stylish hostel with a 9.1 rating on Booking.com. They have mostly hostel-styled rooms (women’s only and mixed) with bunk beds that fit six to nine travelers. There is also a twin and family room but no single rooms. Located five minutes from the Mestre station, this is a popular option for the budget traveler that doesn’t mind sharing its dorm with a lot of travelers.

Read my tips for staying in Hostels

Safety Tips for Solo Travelers in Venice

As a female solo traveler on an Italy trip, small cities like Ravenna, Treviso, Modena felt safe and laid back.  There are very little tourists compared to bigger cities like Rome, Florence, Venice. So there is little attraction for pickpockets (See my tips for outsmarting thieves ). Pickpocket gypsies were my biggest fear on my Italy trip.  They can hang out at train stations looking to help travelers book their tickets or in crowded tourist areas. One should always use travel street smarts and research travel scams to the city you visit. I also advise use anti-theft bags and recommended crossbody bags.  On trains going to other cities I would still be watchful of my belongings.

I highly recommend buying travel insurance for added peace of mind for your Italy trip.

More Italy Travel Tips

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➱ SIM cards for traveling Europe

What are unforgettable things to do and eat in Venice you’d recommend?