Towards the northeastern part of Italy is the Veneto regional capital, spread across 118 or so small islands, connected with others by more than 400 bridges. Famous as the home of the womanizer and writer Giacomo Casanova, the Silk Road explorer and trader Marco Polo and the Baroque Era violinist and composer Antonio Vivaldi, Venice is a marvel of both human ingenuity and nature.
Believed to have been inhabited first by refugees fleeing Roman cities such as Concordia, Padua, Altino to Treviso and Aquileia under waves of attacks from the Hun and Germanic tribes, Venice derives its name from the Veneti people as memorized by the Romans.
It’s considered to be one of the most beautiful and picturesque cities in the world. Neither has Venice’s historical significance ever been in question, nor its strength militarily and financially right to the Italian Renaissance from the Middle Ages. Venice today is a visitor’s paradise fueled by millions of tourists annually and celebrated in films throughout the golden age of cinema to date.
Traveler Tip: Buy the Venice City Pass with Doge's Palace & Public Transport Pass to see all Venice sights at your own pace with easy Transportation on the ACTV public transport network (vaporettos and buses)
The Italian city offers so much to do you probably need months if not years to attempt immersing yourself in all of them. Here are the best 14 things you should not leave Venice without having tried.
1. See classic literature at the Libreria Acqua Alta
The Libreria Acqua Alta
It’s hard to believe it but Venice offers more than just beautiful surroundings and unforgettable Gondola rides. Li-breria Acqua Alta isn’t your typical bookstore; pieces of literature of all kinds are safely tucked in waterproof vessels, gondolas and even bathtubs perhaps to deal with accidental flooding common in the city. It might not be the most ideal place to read a classic book from way back due to the mass of people around, but a must stop nonetheless.
2. Get on a Gondola for the Ride of Your Life
It’s almost a sin to visit Venice and not view the city from a gondola floating blissfully on the Venetian waters. Famous for its unique canals, Gondola tours seem and feel great like they appear on postcards or movies. From the memorable striped shirt of the gondolier, a neck-tied handkerchief in red, a head covered by a straw hat and a long oar the ride is as exactly as romantic and satisfying as you’ve imagined it.
You can get either a shared or a private Gondola ride. I myself took this Shared Gondola Ride when I visited Venice although I was traveling solo. It was way cheaper than a private one, and I guess the experience is the same, unless you are traveling with someone and you need the privacy. It is up to you!
3. Explore the Heart of Venice at Piazza San Marco
St Mark’s Square or the Piazza San Marco is named after the patron saint of the city, Saint Mark, the Evangelist. It’s almost inexcusable to visit Venice and fail to explore the social life of what it means to be in the Italian city throughout the main public square. Here, you’ll interact with unforgettable landmarks from the Doges’ Palace, Clock Tower to the winged twelfth century statue of the Lion of Venice. The North end is dotted with cafes where you can sit and sip a hot beverage or some lavish wine watching the city beam with life. Byzantine inspirations and Venetian Gothic architecture unfold wherever you visit.
4. Admire St. Mark's Basilica
Starting your visit in St. Mark's Square means you're steps away from one of Venice's most legendary pieces of architecture, St. Mark's Basilica. This church was constructed in 1092 and reigns as one of the most iconic religious buildings in the Italy and the world. Inside and outside, this church is a must-see for its incredibly ornate detailing, Byzantine artwork, ornate columns, sculptures, and more.
5. Visit The Doge's Palace
No visit to San Marco square is complete without an entry to the residence of the Doge of Venice and the head of a thousand-year republic. Do not miss its art, architecture and the walk across the Bridge of Sighs.
The queue to purchase the tickets is a hassle though. Spare this time and buy The Doge's Palace Priority Admission Ticket which allows you to avoid waiting in line. Skip the line with this ticket valid for one full day and enjoy the marvelous palace.
6. Walk Across the Bridge of Sighs
While still at Dodge’s palace, make sure to walk across the Bridge of Sighs or at least look at it from the outside. This bridge connects Prigioni Nuove to Doge’s Palace. While across the bridge, enjoy the sigh of Venice. It is claimed this is the last sigh of Venice that criminals were able to see while they were taken to prison.
7. Climb St. Mark's Campanile
Back at St. Mark's Square sits one of the city's most famous buildings and one that is better experienced from inside than out. St. Mark's Campanile, or San Marco Campanile, stands as the city's tallest structure at 98.6 meters high. The structure originally served as a watch tower and has seen damage from lightening, fire, and earthquakes. Take an elevator to the top to admire and snap bird's-eye photos of this magical city and its waterways.
Climbing makes you tired? Well, have a look at the rewarding view from top!
8. Bask in a Venetian Beat at the Teatro La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice
Venice is a city of extraordinary culture, art and tasteful architecture. Live music and ballet shows offer a unique approach to understanding the artistic side of the place and there’s no better place to experience this than at the La Fenice opera house. Closed-box seating and golden classic Italian design make the interior a grand opera joint. Symphony orchestras are famous and available here, considering the huge influence of its notable composers of the baroque era such as Girolamo Dalla Casa and Antonio Vivaldi. These include Rondo Veneziano, Orchestra della Fenice and the Interpreti Veneziani.
9. Shop mementos and take photos at the Ponte di Rialto
One of the exquisiteness of visiting Venice is lounging in the presence of sites that have made the city famous for centuries. Ponte di Rialto is exactly what you see in your mind when the most famous bridge in the city is mentioned across the Grand Canal. It connects the Venetian districts of San Polo and San Marco and a hugely popular stopover for tourists. After the collapse of the original wooden bridge in 1524, a baroque stone bridge took its place, flawless in symmetry and designed to perfection. Lots of shops spread on the di Rialto have keepsake jewelry souvenirs and other items.
10. Escape the Tourists in Castello
Venice sees roughly 30 million visitors each year. It's common to grow tired of battling the crowds to admire some of the city's most popular tourist attractions. However, there are plenty of places to escape just minutes from bustling St. Mark's Square.
Castello Area, Venice
The quieter, more residential area of Castello is just a 15-minute walk from St. Mark's Square, yet it feels worlds away. Here, you'll discover locally-owned shops, food markets, tranquil canals, and Venetian locals going about their everyday lives. Understanding where and how the Venetians live and work is an essential part of understanding the city itself.
11. A Quick Visit to Hotel Danieli
Hotel Danieli, Venice
Not everything memorable in Venice is all about sightseeing and picturesque surroundings. At the Hotel Danieli, a palace setting that goes back to the fourteenth century marked by glass chandeliers, golden surroundings and antique fixtures, you have a chance to toast to Bond, James Bond. Apart from attracting diverse celebrities over the centuries from the English author of the nineteenth century, Charles Dickens to American actor Harrison Ford, its Ian Fleming’s Bond who has engraved the Danieli unforgettably in people’s memory.
For example, the lobby bar of the Hotel Daniel has been seen in three James Bond films featuring three different Bonds, from the 1963’s From Russia with Love starring Sean Connery, 1979’s Moonraker starring Roger Moore and 2006’s Casino Royal starring Daniel Craig.
Tip: Hotel Danieli is perfectly located near to almost all major sights of Venice. On top of being a luxurious hotel, it got some raving reviews from guests. Check room rates and consider staying their if your budget allows.
12. Dine at Caffè Florian
Caffè Florian
There's arguable no more iconic restaurant in the city of Venice than Caffè Florian, and visiting this café alone is a bucket-list-worthy experience. Back in the heart of St. Mark's Square, this legendary caffé has housed Andy Warhol, Charlie Chaplin, and many of the world's most celebrities. Amazingly, the decor hasn't been altered much since the 1700s, which means dining here also offers a trip through time. Dine on the patio during the summer months to pair your unforgettable meal with people watching on the piazza.
Legend says that when Casanova escaped from prison at Dodge’s Palace, he passed by this Caffè for some coffee before leaving Venice!
13. Learn all About Classic Glass Making in Murano
Situated inside the district of Venice, Murano is accessible via a refreshing water taxi ride. It’s as historic as most Venice with relatable architecture you probably have been seeing since you arrived. Murano is special though and considered the world’s glass-making capital that offers unique adventures you might never find anywhere.
After a series of fires during glass making, glass-makers of Venice were moved to Murano around 1291 to mitigate infernos common at that time. Learn all about it at the Museo del Vetro where you can also join a glass-making class and blow one of your own before you leave. The glass blowing demos are a fete not to be missed and take-home souvenirs are almost irresistible.
For those interested in taking an actual lesson in glass making, this private lesson with a local artisan provides a 90 minute glass making class at a private and personalized level. You can make your own unique artwork and take it home as a souvenir or just to show off 😉
If you are only interested to see how glass is made or you want to shop some of the world's very beautiful glass products, you can either go on your own or take one of the tours below that combine a short visit to a glass making factory with a glass blowing demonstration:
14. Hit the Beach at Lido Island
Venturing even farther from the center of the city offers scenery that will make you think you've traveled to an entirely different country. Lido Island is a 30-minute ferry ride from St. Mark's. Here, you'll find a picture-perfect beach on an 11-kilometer-long sandbar. Admire the Hotel Riviera, frequented by Lord Byron and Ernest Hemingway, or simply soak in some rays on a hot summer day. You may even spot Hollywood stars doing the same.
Of course, Venice offers hundreds of things to do. Even so, these seven should get you started and will probably weld unforgettable memories in your mind.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry … If you have no time, you can visit most of the attractions listed above in one day!
Venice is a small city and walking tours are a very fit. I have personally took one of those walking tours because I had only one day in Venice when I visited the city for the first time. The tour was very organized, well planned, not over crowded and the guide was very professional. Check this one day walking tour of Venice!
I have reviewed this tour in details and included some tips and images from the actual tour back in 2017 on my personal blog, the Humble Tourist. Please have a look and let me know what you think in your comments!
Want to book a room in Venice? Check out these hotel options:
- Hotel Danieli, the best luxury hotel in Venice.
- Hotel Locanda Fiorita, and Hotel B&B Al Teatro for the best budget hotels in Venice.
- Hotel San Marco Palace, or Hotel Albergo San Marco, or Hotel Royal San Marco for the best location in city center.
- Hotel Residenza Veneziana is the best rated hotel by people at booking.com
- You can also check our other articles on The Best Luxury Hotels in Venice, The Best Budget Hotels in Venice
Want to book a tour in Venice? Check out these tour companies that we personally use:
- Walks of Italy: Venice walking tours
- Get Your Guide: Venice tours
- Viator: Venice tours
- Tour Radar: Venice multi-day tours
- G Adventures: Venice multi-day tours
- You can also check our other articles on The Best Tours in Venice, and The Best One Day Trips from Venice
Want to read more about Venice? Check out these great guides:
- Venice & the Veneto city guide: for a detailed guide on Venice
- Pocket Venice: for a concise and easy to use guide of Venice that fits into your pocket!
- Venice City Pocket Map: I do use Google Maps on my phone to be honest; however, this durable, easy-to-fold and waterproof map is the best for those who still prefer to use an actual printed map!
- Italy travel guide: for a detailed guide on Italy, including Venice.
Travel related services? We have personally used all of these services on and off!
- World Nomads for travel insurance
- Booking.com to book the best hotel deals
- Rental Cars for the best deals on car rentals
- Get Your Guide or Viator for day tours in your destionation
- Tour Radar or G Adventures for guided multi-day tours
- AirTreks for multi city airline tickets
- Kayak for the cheapest airlines tickets you can find online
- Omio for the best online train ticket reservation platrom. Also include bus and ferries reservations!
- Lonely Planet for well written travel guides
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