With only one day in Venice, Italy you’ll need to make the most of your time. Prior to visiting, plenty of people told us you only need a day in the city so that’s the advice we took. With low expectations for Venice due to what previous travelers had said, I can honestly say Venice, Italy was so worth visiting and it surprised me in the best way. Since cruise ships are now banned from entering Venice’s waters it seemed to be a lot less crowded and it may have added to why we enjoyed it so much.
Venice, Italy was truly so charming, a shopping paradise and with only one day, there was plenty to see and do.
GETTING TO VENICE
Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, which means when you purchase something using these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, I link these companies because I have used them or truly recommend them based on their quality and the experience I had
Assuming you flew into Venice, Italy, getting to your hotel will be a bit different than you’re used to. There are no cars allowed in Venice and instead people travel by gondola or water taxi. We booked a private water taxi to take us from the airport to the hotel. This was the best option for us because it was super seamless and dropped us right off at our hotel. You can book one through VeniceLink.
Another option is to share a water taxi or take the Alilaguna into the city. You can book this in advance or get in the ticket line after picking up your luggage. Some of these options will drop you off in the city center so depending on where your hotel is in Venice, you may need to walk a bit with your luggage.
WHERE TO STAY IN VENICE, ITALY
You can’t really go wrong with where to stay in Venice, Italy since it is a very walkable destination. We chose to stay in the San Marco area and absolutely loved our stay at Hotel Monaco and Grand Canal. The location was perfect putting us super close to many attractions like Doge’s Palace and Cafe Florian.
Not to mention, the rooms were massive and the bathroom had a tub that is what dreams are made of. Use the search below to find other Venice hotels.
WHAT TO DO WITH ONE DAY IN VENICE, ITALY
With only one day in Venice, Italy our trip was jam packed. The attractions below are in order based on our route starting from our hotel and ending there. Side note, we arrived in Venice, Italy super early (around 7 AM) so we were able to still have a full day in the city. If you arrive later, you may need to choose which of these attractions you can and can’t see.
+ SAN MARCO PLAZA
San Marco is the main plaza of Venice and known as St. Mark’s Square. The next few stops on the itinerary are all packed into this plaza so it’s easy to walk to all of them.
+ CAFE FLORIAN
If you start in St. Mark’s square, you’ll easily identify Cafe Florian. It’s the oldest cafe in the world. Yes, you read that right and it’s seen the likes of every celebrity who’s pretty much ever visited Venice. It gives off all the Italian cafe vibes you would expect and it’s a can’t miss stop in Venice, Italy. So, be sure to sit outside here to enjoy a quick breakfast and people watching.
+ ST. MARK’S BASILICA
St. Mark’s Basilica also lines San Marco Plaza. It’s is just as beautiful as these pictures seem. Truly an architectural gem and it’s the most important religious temple in the city of Venice. You can purchase tickets in advance here.
+ DOGE’S PALACE
Doge’s Palace is a pretty iconic part of Venice architecture and hard to pass up since it’s so close to all of the other sights in this area. This was formerly the residence of the Doge’s, the ruler of Venice, so it’s no surprise it’s a massive palace. You can tour the inside, but be sure to buy skip the line tickets in advance.
+ BRIDGE OF SIGHS
Like most attractions in Venice, Italy the Bridge of Sighs is full of history and a bit of folklore. The bridge connects from Doge’s Palace over to Rio di Palazzo and supposedly gets its name for the sighs the prisoners would make as they saw the beautiful view of Venice for the last time before heading into their prison cells.
+ CA’DO ORO
If you couldn’t tell, Venice kind of has a thing for palaces. Ca’D Oro is another famous palace on the Grand Canal. The palace was designed for the Contarini family (one of the founding families of Venice) and dates back to the 1400’s. The building is an important part of Venetian history due to it’s distinct architectural style.
+ GRAND CANAL
Visiting the Grand Canal in Venice is a no brainer. You’ll most likely either be taxied on it or you will run right into it while roaming through the streets of Venice. It’s the main canal in Venice, runs right through the city and it’s known for the many palaces that line it.
+ RIALTO BRIDGE
Aside from being pretty cool to look at, the Rialto Bridge is famous for being one of the oldest bridges in Venice. One of the easiest ways to get from San Marco to the San Polo area by foot is by crossing over the Rialto Bridge.
+ SHOPPING
There is no shortage of shopping in Venice. From high-end designers to boutiques, they have it all. You’ll find some of the best shopping in the Le Mercerie area and Salizada San Moisè.
+ GONDOLA RIDE
No trip to Venice, Italy is complete without a gondola ride. Yes, it’s touristy. Yes, it’s overpriced and yes, with only one day in Venice, Italy you need to do it! It’s just a right of passage. It’s easy to spot a gondola, but just be sure to have cash on you! Plus, the gondola drivers give you a mini tour of the city and scope out some of canals that aren’t as busy.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK IN VENICE, ITALY
Similar to the other Italian cities we’ve visited, Venice did not disappoint in the food department. Check out our favorite restaurants and bars in Venice, Italy.
+ CAFE FLORIAN
As I mentioned earlier, Cafe Florian is one of the most famous cafe’s in the world. Typically, you’ll get some pretty crappy service and mediocre food when you visit an overly-hyped restaurant but that’s not the case with Cafe Florian. A great cappuccino and croissant awaits you at this cafe
+ ANTICO FORNO
Surprisingly, we didn’t eat as much pizza as I would’ve hoped on this visit to Italy and by that I mean, we didn’t eat it every day per usual. But, if you are looking for a classic Italian pie then head to Antico Forno. A true hidden gem in Venice, Italy.
+ OSTERIA AI PROMESSI SPOSI
Okay, you have one day in Venice, Italy and you need somewhere to eat dinner? Well, look no further than Osteria Ai Promessi Sposi. Their food was so so good and they had cute outdoor seating. My only mistake about visiting Venice, Italy in August was not worrying about the bugs which came out to play here. So, come prepared with bug spray!
+ GELATOTECA SUSO
And, of course what is a visit to Italy without some gelato? You have one day in Venice, Italy so you have to eat at the best gelato in the city. You’l find it at Gelatoteca Suso. So many flavors, not enough time. Once you’ve grabbed your gelato, walk a bit down the alley to run into a canal with a great view of the city. And yes, we came back that night for some more because we loved it so much.
As you can see, there is no shortage of things to do with only one day in Venice, Italy. Hoping your time in the city of bridges is just as memorable as ours was and let me know if I missed a must-visit place. If you’re looking for other Italian city vacations, check out my Amalfi Coast guide.
happy travels, liz stanford
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Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, which means when you purchase something using these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, I link these companies because I have used them or truly recommend them based on their quality and the experience I had.
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