In this ‘Venice in a Day’ article, I’ll help you plan a route through the must-see spots of this wonderful city full of secrets. I’ll also share a few tips to help you save on accommodation, as finding a place to stay in Venice can be quite a challenge, especially depending on the time of year. So… can you see Venice in just one day? Absolutely! You’ll even have time to put away the map, wander through its maze-like streets, cross its most famous bridges, and travel the Grand Canal by vaporetto. Let’s get started.
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Here’s a video of our one-day trip through Venice, in case you’re interested in watching it:
How to Get from the Airport to Venice
To get to Venice, most people arrive at Marco Polo Airport or Treviso Airport. Marco Polo Airport is about 10 km away, while Treviso is approximately 40 km from Venice. We flew into Treviso Airport since it’s the one used by most low-cost airlines like Ryanair or Vueling.
From Treviso Airport to Venice, you can travel by train or bus; we chose the train. First, there’s a bus that takes you directly from the airport to Treviso’s train station. From there, you can take a REG or RV train to Mestre-Venice or directly to Venice.
If you prefer to go by bus only, the ATVO company offers buses that cost €12 and take about 1 hour to reach Venice from the airport. You can find these buses right outside the airport.
If you’re arriving at Marco Polo Airport (closer to Venice), ATVO and ACTV buses cost around €10 and drop you off directly in Venice. All land public transport will bring you to Piazzale Roma, where you’ll need to take a Vaporetto (water taxi) to get closer to your accommodation.
Venice in a Day Accommodation
This all depends on whether you want to stay within Venice or prefer to stay in Mestre. Mestre is a nearby city where accommodation is much more affordable, and there’s a wide range of public transport that takes you to Venice in just 15 minutes. We stayed in Mestre, and it was a great choice, both for saving money and avoiding the crowds in Venice. Here’s a link with various options for staying in Mestre: Where to Stay in Venice-Mestre.
That said, if you want to stay right in Venice, a good area for accommodation is Dorsoduro—a university district that’s much quieter compared to the more tourist-heavy areas. The area near the Accademia Bridge is also a good option.
What to See in Venice in a Day: Must-See Places
Let’s get to the important part: here, I’ll share the route we took and what we saw on our one-day trip to Venice.
St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Pier, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Doge’s Palace
St. Mark’s Square is without a doubt one of the symbols of Venice. The best way to get there is to take a vaporetto from Piazzale Roma in Venice. We recommend going early if you want to experience it calmly and without too many people, as the square fills up with tourists and pickpockets as the day goes on.
In St. Mark’s Square, you’ll find the majestic St. Mark’s Basilica, an architectural gem that combines Byzantine and Gothic elements. Admire its ornate facade and, if time permits, explore its interior, decorated with golden mosaics. A fun fact: in this square, you’ll also find Caffè Florian, one of the oldest cafés in Italy and one of the oldest in Europe still in operation. It opened on December 29, 1720 and still preserves that classic touch from the era.
IMPORTANT: If you plan to enter the Basilica, we recommend booking tickets in advance to skip the line. There are also tickets available that include entry to both the Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.
Right next to St. Mark’s Basilica, you’ll find the Doge’s Palace. This building was once the residence of Venice’s rulers and is now a museum. If you walk a bit further, you’ll reach St. Mark’s Pier and cross the famous Bridge of Sighs, which connects the palace to the prisons. In those days, prisoners sentenced in the Doge’s Palace crossed this bridge to reach their cells. Due to its role in Venice’s penal system, the bridge is also known as the “Bridge of Laments.
Accademia Bridge and Dorsoduro District: Venice in a Day
The next thing to do on our one-day visit to Venice is to explore the Grand Canal and visit its most important bridges: the Rialto Bridge and the Accademia Bridge. We recommend starting with the Accademia Bridge. You’ll probably feel a bit hungry by now, so it’s a good time to stop for a bite. A great place is Pizzeria L’Angelo, conveniently located on the way to the Accademia Bridge, where you can buy typical Venetian pizza slices to-go or dine in. Other excellent spots nearby are Taverna San Trovaso and Trattoria San Trovaso.
The Accademia Bridge is a must-see. From here, you can view the palaces along the Grand Canal and watch gondolas and vaporettos gliding by. The current Accademia Bridge, inaugurated in 1933, connects the Dorsoduro district with San Marco, making it an important route for Venetians. While here, it’s worth taking a stroll through Dorsoduro to explore its canals and squares. If you enjoy art, don’t miss the Accademia Gallery or the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute.
At this point, there are several options for exploring the Grand Canal: by vaporetto, gondola, or simply on foot. SPOILER: We chose to walk, and we believe it’s well worth it, as wandering through Venetian streets is truly enchanting.
Rialto Bridge and Gran Canal
As we mentioned, we preferred to walk from the Accademia Bridge to the Rialto Bridge, but you can also go by gondola or vaporetto. A little before reaching the Rialto Bridge is a great spot to enjoy a coffee with views of the Grand Canal; we stopped at Bar Rizzo, where they also shared a bit of history about Venice’s floods.
The Rialto Bridge is usually packed with tourists. It’s the oldest bridge crossing the Grand Canal and a must-see if you want to experience Venice in a day. Since its construction, the Rialto Bridge has been a commercial hub of Venice. Over the centuries, it housed a variety of shops and businesses, from fish and produce markets to jewelry stores and luxury boutiques. Today, the Rialto Bridge remains one of Venice’s most popular tourist spots, with breathtaking views of the Grand Canal and the city, making it an ideal place to enjoy the Venetian sunset.
If you’d like to ride a gondola, there are many stations around this bridge where you can take a ride through the city’s most beautiful canals. Note that a gondola costs €80, so if you want to save money, it’s best to share it with others. Another option is to take a traghetto, which costs €2 per person and is a type of gondola that crosses the Grand Canal.
Scalzi Bridge and Return to Mestre
To end our one-day visit to Venice, we strolled from the Rialto Bridge to the Scalzi Bridge. The Scalzi Bridge connects the Santa Croce and Cannaregio districts, and it’s named after the nearby Church of Santa Maria di Nazareth, also known as the Church of the Barefoot Friars, belonging to the Discalced Carmelite monks. From here, you’ll also get great views of the Grand Canal along with the Venice Santa Lucia train station. If you have time, we recommend exploring the Cannaregio district—you’re sure to love it.
From there, we headed to Piazzale Roma to return to our apartment in Mestre.
I hope you enjoyed this Venice in a Day guide! Keep in mind that if you plan to visit during summer or Carnival, the city will be packed with tourists. For a quieter getaway, it’s best to visit in October or March, for example.
If you’re interested in traveling to other places like Iceland or Portugal, you can check out all our trips here: https://feelingdrone.com/en/category/travel/