1 Day in Venice: The Perfect Itinerary to See Everything

Italy is home to some of the most amazing cities in the world. If you find yourself with just one day in Venice, have no fear – with our itinerary, you can easily see all the major highlights.

We were actually supposed to have two full days in Venice. Due to unexpected events, our time was unfortunately cut short. This left one day to take in all the magic. It can be done with a little pre-planning and guidance. Many of the items on this itinerary are sites that you will stop to enjoy, photograph, and then move on. It’s not like there are 14 museums you need to visit!

Overall, you will experience:

3 iconic bridges (+ all of the ones you’ll spot in between the canals)
2 famous bell towers for breathtaking aerial views
the most famous public square & Venetian buildings
another charming island (not including Venice)
the best gelato in the whole city
1 pink palace
a memorable gondola ride

& more! You will still have plenty of time to get lost and explore the hidden gems of Venice. Are you ready for one AMAZING day in Venice? First stop: Accademia Bridge!

1. Accademia Bridge

The views from Accademia Bridge are incredible. Stretching across the Grand Canal, this bridge offers iconic photography angles. Be sure to take a look at BOTH sides of the canal once at the top of the bridge. While the bridge itself is average, the images of the Grand Canal ended up being some of favorites from the whole visit to Venice!

Address: 30100 Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy
Admission: Free

2. Canals/Bridges on the Way to St. Mark’s Square

Your next main stop will be St. Mark’s Square. However, the charming canals, bridges, and buildings along the way are stunning. You will likely be following Maps, but don’t get too caught up with directions to miss the gorgeous Italian architecture. The unique canals are some of the many things that make Venice special.

Address: Various canals/bridges on the way to St. Mark’s Square
Admission: Free

3. St. Mark’s Square

St. Mark’s Square is unmissable during any visit to Venice. The major icons of the city are pretty much all located here: St. Mark’s Campanile, the Procuracies, Doge’s Palace, and more. It is only natural that you will be spending the majority of your day here. If you’re in need of a bite to eat, Caffe Florian is a popular choice.

Address: Piazza San Marco, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy
Admission: Free to walk around

4. Procuracies

The beauty of St. Mark’s Square is largely due to not only the basilica, but also the elegant symmetry and harmony of its three sides. Known as the Procuracies, these are three connected buildings along the perimeter of St. Mark’s Square. The architecture is impressive and one of my favorite spots to photograph. Today, the buildings house the Museo Civico Correr, Museo del Risorgimento, and the Museo Archeologico.

The image above is a view from St. Mark’s Campanile (your next stop), looking down on the main square and the 3 Procuracies.

Address: Piazza San Marco, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy
Admission: Free to walk around & view

5. St. Mark’s Campanile

It’s impossible to miss this amazing tower. Located right in the heart of Venice, St. Mark’s Campanile offers some the best views in the whole city. An elevator will whisk you up to the platform at the top for spectacular views across the city and the lagoon.

I initially wanted to go up this tower for the iconic photo seen above. To my surprise, however, there is SO much beauty of Venice that can be seen from the tower. You will be given a bird’s eye view of Venetian rooftops, St. Mark’s Square, the Grand Canal, gondolas, the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, and much more.

This experience is very affordable and beyond memorable – especially if you are passionate about photography.

Address: Piazza San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Admission: €6 per person. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket counter or online

6. Clock Tower

Yet another Venetian icon in Piazza San Marco, the clock tower of Torre dell’Orologio was designed and built between 1496 and 1499 by Mauro Codussi. It is a beautiful detail within St. Mark’s Square, next to St. Mark’s Basilica. The passage to Merceria, a narrow shopping street that’s the most direct route from St. Mark’s Square to Rialto Bridge, is through the arch at the base of the clock tower.

Address: Piazza San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Admission: Free to view from the square. To go up into the clock tower, visit their website for prices and reservations. A ticket to the Clock Tower will also give you access to other nearby museums.

7. St. Mark’s Basilica

Venice’s most popular church for visitors has to be this one. St. Mark’s Basilica is stunning around all sides. Entrance is free to walk through the basilica, which makes this experience a bit sweeter. Though you cannot bring bags inside nor take photos/video, a walk through the interior is worth a few minutes. To me, it is not the most extravagant interior in comparison to other cathedrals/basilicas of Italy. But, while you’re in Venice, why pass up a *free* opportunity?

If you’re visiting St. Mark’s Basilica on a weekday, you will have a larger window of opportunity to tour the inside. If you find yourself wanting to visit on a Sunday or a holiday, keep in mind that the basilica is only open for 2-3 hours in the afternoon.

Weekdays: 9:30am – 5:00pm (last admission 4:45pm)
Sunday and holidays: 2:00pm. – 5:00pm (last admission 4:45pm; last admission “skip the line” 4.30 p.m.)
From April 16 – October 28 Sunday and holidays, 2:00pm – 4:30pm (last admission 4:15pm; last admission “skip the line” 4:00pm)

In the winter months, lines are not long. I had to wait maybe 5 minutes total. In summer, however, you should definitely consider purchasing a skip the line ticket. It’s 3 euros, but it beats waiting in the hot summer sun!

Address: Piazza San Marco, 328, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy
Admission: Free for the interior. For the terrace & more, visit their website for prices and reservations.

8. Doge’s Palace

The large, pink building that you spot next to the basilica is Doge’s Palace. It is a palace built in Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city. Step back and admire the façade as a whole work of art, but don’t overlook the individual columns, their beautiful carved capitals, and the sculptures that decorate the façades.

Many visitors opt to tour the inside of Doge’s Palace – which is now a museum – to catch a look at the ornate hallways, paintings, and even cross the Bridge of Sighs. With only one day in Venice, we decided to skip this experience. We had already seen our fair share of museums in other Italian cities. Touring the interior museum is one of the pricier experiences in Venice and will take around 2 hours. If you want to tour the palace, you might want to take an item or two off this list, or make other experiences quicker. (If we had more days in Venice, we would have probably toured the museum).

After Doge’s Palace, I suggest making a stop for lunch. There are many cafes and restaurants along the water and throughout St. Mark’s Square!

Address: Piazza San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Admission: visit their website for prices & reservations

If you would prefer a tour over visiting the landmarks yourself, check out these great options…

9. Gondolas in Front of Doge’s Palace

You’ll find multiple gondolas lined along the water in front of Doge’s Palace. This water-front walkway is named Riva degli Schiavoni. At some point, take a minute to photograph these Venetian boats. I loved pairing the gondolas with a bit of San Giorgio Maggiore island in the background (which will be one of your upcoming stops!).

Address: 30100 Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy
Admission: Free to view

10. Bridge of Sighs

Continue walking along the water-front walkway, Riva degli Schiavonito, to the end of Doge’s Palace façade for a look at one of the most famed of all Venetian icons – the Bridge of Sighs. Historically, this bridge was used to lead prisoners from the examining rooms to their cells in the palace.

Legend has it that prisoners who crossed the bridge on the way to their prison cells or the execution chamber would sigh as they caught their last glimpses of Venice through the tiny windows. If you decide to tour the Doge’s Palace, you’ll have the opportunity to cross this bridge and see for yourself that “last glimpse of Venice.”

Address: Piazza San Marco, 1, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy
Admission: Free to view

11. San Giorgio Maggiore & the Bell Tower

San Giorgio Maggiore island, photographed from St. Mark’s Campanile

The beautiful island of San Giorgio Maggiore is right across from Venice. You can easily spot the island from Doge’s Palace and the anywhere else along Riva degli Schiavonito. The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore (the big white building) and its bell tower are the two main landmarks on this charming island.

My favorite view of San Giorgio Maggiore island would be from the top of St. Mark’s Campanile in Venice. However, the views from San Giorgio Maggiore island are equally as amazing! Once you are on the island, you have the opportunity to explore the church and then take the elevator to the top of the bell tower. The tower costs €6…worth it? YES!

With the island being significantly less touristy than Venice, we had the tower completely to ourselves for quite awhile. The views from this tower are incredible. I love how you can see the iconic landmarks of Venice from a completely new perspective.

You really don’t need a lot of time to enjoy San Giorgio Island. I believe that it took us about an hour and a half total to purchase tickets, ride the ferry, explore the church, view the bell tower, and ride back to Venice. In my opinion, the views of Venice are worth the price.

How do you get to the island? Unless you already have a Tourist Travel Card, you will need to purchase ferry tickets from the San Marco-San Zaccaria “B” water bus terminal. The terminal is located along the water directly in front of Ristorante Da Lorenzo (past the Bridge of Sighs & past a large bronze statue of Victor Emmanuel II). A single water bus ticket costs around €5 per person. Assuming you want to get back to Venice afterwards, you will need to purchase 2 ferry tickets each or ask about a roundtrip fare. One ticket to get you there, one ticket to get you back.

Be sure to travel via the number 2 water bus line, as this will drop you off right in front of the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore. The drop-off platform is also where you will catch the ride back to Venice. You have to validate your ticket each time you board a water bus. Do this by holding the ticket close to the white electronic card reader at the entrance to the platform until you hear a beep.

Long story short, you need to buy the tickets, validate, board the line #2, and get dropped off & picked up in front of the church..

12. Gelato at Suso

After a busy morning and afternoon, you deserve a tasty treat. Head to Gelatoteca Suso for the BEST gelato in all of Venice. I’m not kidding…any and every flavor is amazing! Often times, cafes can be hyped up, when in reality, they’re really not that amazing. Luckily, Suso deserves all the praise. It is conveniently located very close to Rialto Bridge, which is your next stop. We enjoyed taking our gelato to-go and eating it on Rialto Bridge.

Address: Sotoportego de la Bissa, 5453, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Website: http://suso.gelatoteca.it/

13. Rialto Bridge (+ Souvenir Shopping)

Arguably the most iconic and beautiful bridge in the city, Rialto Bridge cannot be missed. It is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal. The bridge is lined with multiple jewelry and souvenir shops, which is where I recommend doing a bit of shopping. Yes, the shops are touristy. But the prices are inexpensive and the items are just as good as any other souvenir shop in the city!

From the bridge you will receive gorgeous views of the Grand Canal and Venetian buildings. Head down the steps to the corners of the bridge for an Instagrammable perspective.

Address: Sestiere San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy
Admission: Free

14. Gondola Ride Along the Grand Canal

What better way to end your day than a peaceful gondola ride? There is much debate amongst travelers as to whether or not a gondola ride is worth the hefty price. My opinion is take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Gondolas are practically everywhere but mainly around the tourist areas. Up to 6 people can ride in a gondola. The price is per boat, not per person…so you can easily split the price. Rides generally start at €80 for 40 minutes. This doesn’t mean you’ll actually pay 80 euros, or that you’ll get a 40-minute ride. Depending on demand, gondoliers may negotiate or even bring down their rates. When we traveled to Venice in December (off-season), a gondolier near Rialto Bridge offered a 40-minute ride for €65 since he was about to close down! We jumped at the opportunity.

You might have to do a bit of negotiating to finalize a price, but don’t expect a gondolier to dramatically drop his rates…especially if you’re traveling in the summer. Whatever the case, this experience is iconic and very memorable. I recommend requesting a ride that goes along the Grand Canal but then in between some of the quieter canals. This will give you a peaceful ride that is sure to leave a lasting impact!

As a Quick Recap, Here is Your Itinerary!

Accademia Bridge
Canals/Bridges on the way to St. Mark’s Square
St. Mark’s Square
Procuracies
St. Mark’s Campanile
Clock Tower
St. Mark’s Basilica
Doge’s Palace
Gondolas in front of Doge’s Palace
Bridge of Sighs
San Giorgiore Maggiore & Bell Tower
Gelato at Suso
Rialto Bridge (+ Souvenir Shopping)
Gondola Ride Along the Grand Canal

If You Have More Than 1 Day in Venice

You might consider splitting some of the amazing sites up to give yourself more freedom. I also would highly recommend venturing out to one of the nearby island, such as Burano, Murano, or Torcello. If we had our second day (as originally planned), we would have gone to the vibrant island of Burano. It looks like paradise! The islands can easily be done in a half day or full day trip. You might consider one of these tours…

Venice, Italy is a destination like none other. Whether you have one day or one week to visit, you are bound to encounter some of Europe’s greatest treasures. Spend your time wisely and make memories to last a lifetime!

Did you know that I am a professional photographer? If you love these photos, you can get them exclusively printed from my print shop!

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