Our first day in Venice was a super experience. And at the end of the day we did feel happy that our planning had gone right. But how many days are enough for Venice? Well to get the best out of your trip to the ‘Queen of the Adriatic’, you need at least 2 nights & 3 days. That’s what we had planned for. Therefore let’s see what our 3 Days in Venice – The Best Itinerary looks like. One with beautiful landmarks, stunning views and awesome things to do.
First things First – Local Transport
The best way to go around in Venice is to buy your 72 hour Venezia Unica Pass in advance. This would help you to avoid long queues at the airport ticket counters and dispensing machines. Moreover the best part about this pass is that you can create your own custom card depending on services you wish to avail of including transport, top attractions, monuments, museums and cultural events.
The other cheaper option is to purchase the 72 hours transport tickets on Actv, which is responsible for providing transport services on both land and water in Venice.
Also Read – Where to Stay in Venice-Top locations
3 Days in Venice- Day 1
1. Take a Vaporetto Ride on Grand Canal from Piazzale Roma
The Grand Canal forms one of the major water corridors in the city and is crossed by four bridges – the Rialto Bridge, Ponte degli Scalzi, the Accademia and a fourth bridge linking the railway station and Piazzale Roma. A ride gives you a first glimpse of the beauty of Venice and offers some memorable views.
2. Stop at St.Mark’s Square
St.Mark’s Square also called Piazza San Marco is the main public square of Venice. It’s a lovely place to hang around with important landmarks St.Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and Campanile Tower. There are some nice coffee shops for you to relax and get refreshed after you have walked around a bit and explored.
3. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica
St. Mark’s Basilica also known as Basilica Di San Marco is the cathedral church of the Roman Patriarchate of Venice. Do spend some moments here and enjoy the architecture and the peace as you enter inside.
4. Admire Doge’s Palace
Doge’s Palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice and was built in 1340. Further modifications were undertaken in the following centuries. This Venetian Gothic style palace is a treat to the eyes as you explore inside. We were lucky there wasn’t a big rush while we were there.
5. Take the Elevator to the top of Campanile Tower
Campanile Tower is the Bell Tower of St. Mark’s Basilica. The reconstruction of the current tower was completed in 1912 after the previous one collapsed in 1902. It is the tallest tower in Venice and is 98.6 m in height.
6. Enjoy the breathtaking views from top
7. Take a self-guided walking tour of San Marco & San Polo neighborhoods
San Marco & San Polo are the two top locations to put up in when in Venice. With them being the closest to St. Mark’s Square, the top landmarks and the water transport jetties including those for vaporettos, ferries and gondolas. A walk through the narrow lanes along the canals and small squares is a wonderful experience. And an opportunity to feel the real charm of Venice.
8. Walk down to Rialto Bridge
Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four bridges on Grand Canal. It connects San Marco to San Polo. Walk through San Marco neighborhood before going over the bridge to San Polo.
8. Stop at Rialto Market
A 5 mins walk from the Rialto Bridge is the Rialto Market. Located right on Grand Canal it is famous for its fruits, vegetables and fresh catch of fish. You can pick up some fresh fruits for later.
9. Walk to Teatro La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is the Opera House of Venice. It is considered to be one of the most renowned landmarks in the history of Italian Theater & Opera. The location is just a 10 mins walk from Rialto Bridge and the neighborhood is a nice place to relax a while.
10. Go for a Gondola Ride
Take the relaxed 10 mins walk back to St. Marks square and hop on for a 30 mins Gondola ride on Grand Canal and adjoining canals. It would cost you € 80 during daytime and € 120 during the night. But it certainly is worth the experience going past important landmarks while enjoying the sights from the water. One such encounter was the “Bridge of Sighs”.
11. Enjoy the views of “Bridge of Sighs” from your Gondola
This completely enclosed “Bridge of Sighs” constructed in 1600 was made of white limestone and the windows with stone bars. It was meant to connect the New Prison with the interrogation room in Doge’s Palace. The bridge passed over Rio di Palazzo and prisoners would sigh at the final view of the bridge.
12. Walk to Cafe Lavena at St. Marks Square for some coffee & bites
13. Head back to your hotel followed by a Dinner of your choice
3 Days in Venice- Day 2
While the first half a day was more of walking around Venice, a ferry ride and a Gondola ride, the second day would involve a bit more of ferry rides and walking the neighborhoods around the landmarks.
Get all details of ACTV FERRY SERVICES IN VENICE here on MOOVIT. You could also download the App. for the details.
1. We start our day with Ponte Dell Academia
Accademia Bridge was the second bridge built in Venice after Rialto Bridge. You can reach here with ease from any location that you are staying in. Although not as famous as Rialto, there are 50 steps up and 50 steps down the bridge which makes it so special. Also the architecture is marvelous and its a great location to click some beautiful photographs.
2. Walk to Ca’Rezzonico Museum
Situated in Dorsoduro, the Ca’Rezzonico Museum possesses classical furniture, paintings and sculptures of the 18th century. The palatial building is a notable example of the 18th century Baroque and Rococo architecture. It is just a 7 mins walk from Accademia Bridge.
3. Take a stroll to Gallerie dell’ Accademia
Gallerie dell’ Accademia is a pre-19th century art museum and is also located in Dorsoduro. It is just a 3 mins walk away from Ca’ Rezzonico Museum.
4. Walk to Santa Maria Dei Frari Church
The Basilica Santa Maria Dei Frari is located in San Polo and is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. It is the largest church in Venice and holds the status of a minor basilica. Again it is just a short walk of around 6 mins from Gallerie dell’ Accademia.
5. Take a ferry to Santa Maria Della Salute
Santa Maria Della Salute is a Roman Catholic Church which is located at Punta della Dogana in Dorsoduro sestiere of the city. It is commonly known as the Basilica of Health and a lovely place to spend some quality time. The ferry ride to reach here would take around 20 mins from Santa Maria Basilica.
6. A ferry again to Venetian Arsenal
The Venetian Arsenal is a complex of former shipyards and armories. From the late Middle ages to early Modern period, the armory was responsible for major part of Venetain Republic’s Naval power. It is located on Castello Island and we reached here from Della Salute, Dorsoduro in 25 mins.
7. Ferry to Venetian Ghetto in Cannaregio
This ride was of 30 minutes and the pretty sights on view made us feel completely relaxed. Instituted in 1516, Venetian Ghetto is the oldest Jewish Ghetto in the world where Jews were forced to live during the Venetian Republic days.
Walk around to get a good feel and indulge in some shopping at the ‘Strada Nova’ or explore the backstreets for some crafts and vintage goods. Then you can walk to the canal side restaurants and bars nearby to laze around a bit. We were hungry and decided to have a light lunch before moving on.
8. A Jewish lunch at ‘Gam Gam Kosher Restaurant’
9. Walk to Jewish Museum
The Jewish Museum located at Ghetto Nuovo came up in 1953 through the efforts of the Jewish community in Venice. It is a small museum focusing on Jewish history. The museum too has a Kosher Cafe.
10. Ferry to San Simeone Piccolo
Located in Santa Croce which was just a 12 mins ferry ride from Jewish Museum, San Simeone Piccolo is a beautiful church. The church faces the railroad terminal which is the entry point for most visitors to Venice. It’s an awesome place to relax for a while.
11. Another ferry to San Giorgio Maggiore
The ferry ride from Santa Croce took us 20 mins. San Giorgio Maggiore is a beautiful island with Palladian Church being the main landmark.
12. Ferry to Lido di Venezia
The 30 min ride from San Giorgio Maggiore was extremely picturesque as we landed here in Lido di Venezia. Lido is a 11 km long barrier island in the Venetian Lagoon. The Venice Film Festival takes place here in the months of August/September.
Be ready with your beach essentials and something to munch and sip as you wet your feet. Spend a few relaxed hours on the beach till the sun sets down. And enjoy the togetherness with your loved ones.
13. Head to San Marco for an Italian dinner
3 Days in Venice- Day 3
Have an early breakfast
Check out from your hotel
We kept our luggage in their safe custody
Reach San Marco Jetty
Take a tour to Murano, Burano & Torcello islands
Pick up your luggage from the hotel & head to the airport
But before that make sure you do not miss out on a visit to Cannaregio Venice which is a less touristy part of Venice and a little away from the center of town.
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