Last Updated on October 2, 2026
Oh Venice. It is a city like no other. A car-free city where you can walk everywhere along canals, where the only transport is a boat or a gondola. Venice is unique, different from the rest of Italy, so romantic and charming that you’ll fall in love with it, guaranteed. Below a selection of things you must do when in Venice, as well as how to get there and where to stay, in this Venice bucket list.
VENICE ESSENTIALS
✈️ Getting There / Marco Polo Airport is a short hop from the city, from there you can take the Alilaguna water bus straight into Venice, a slow, scenic introduction to the city. Book a private airport transfer with WelcomePickups if you’d rather have it sorted in advance. Search flights on Skyscanner.
🚗 Getting Around / Venice is entirely car-free, the only way to get around is on foot or by vaporetto (the public water bus). No need to think about car rental here at all. If you’re planning to hop between islands or into Mestre, a waterbus and mainland bus pass works out cheaper than buying individual tickets each time.
🎟️ Tours / A few things are worth booking ahead, especially the gondola ride. The best ones to book in advance:
Private Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal
Doge’s Palace Reserved Entry Ticket
Murano and Burano Glass and Lace Half-Day Tour
🏨 Stay / Skip the endless scrolling, these are the ones I’d point a friend toward (full picks in Where to Stay below):
Budget: Porta Orientalis Venice
Mid-range: Palazzo Keller
Splurge: Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel
🧳 Luggage Storage / If you’re early for check-in or have time to kill after checkout, no stress, there are luggage storage points all over Venice, including near Santa Lucia Station and Piazzale Roma. Use this website to find one nearby.
📱 Connect / Stay connected from the moment you land with an eSIM. I use Holafly, use code TRAVELWITHPAU for 5% off.
🛡️ Get Insured / Things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for over 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Venice Bucket List: 25 Things to Do
1. Wander the Narrow Winding Streets
If you do one thing in Venice, do this one. It’s free and it’s the one I enjoyed the most. The main streets of Venice may be packed with tourists but if you let yourself get lost you’ll wind up in quiet gorgeous streets where you’ll go like “Ah, this is why everybody talks about Venice”. If you’d rather have a local point you toward the quiet corners instead of finding them by chance, book a city highlights walking tour with a local guide, a good way to get your bearings on day one before you go off wandering solo.
2. Drink an Aperol Spritz
The Spritz originated in Venice when it was part of the Austrian empire. It’s a version of the Austrian Spritzer, which is white wine and soda in equal parts. Today the spritz is the most common aperitif in Venice, and it’s drunk with Aperol, Campari, or Cynar. That’s what the orange, red and brown watery drinks you’ll see on the streets of Venice are about!
3. Have an Espresso at Caffè Florian in Piazza San Marco
Yes, of course an espresso in Piazza San Marco will be overpriced, but how expensive can an espresso be? Caffè Florian, founded in 1720, is one of the oldest cafés in the world, and sipping a coffee beneath its chandeliers while you gaze at San Marco Basilica and people watch is worth the price alone. It’s also really nice to walk the Piazza when the sun comes down and the lights come on.
4. Watch Sunset at the Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge in Venice is one of those bridges you’ll never forget. If you watch sunset from here then you’ll also watch a sunset you’ll never forget! Fun fact: the stone bridge you’re standing on was built in the 1590s after the previous wooden one collapsed twice under crowds, and the winning design came from a competition that beat out Michelangelo himself. It still has 24 shops built directly into it today, the same way it’s had for 500 years.
5. Take a Gondola Ride
Of course a huge cliché but you can’t really skip this when in Venice, sorry. The rides come at a hefty price though, last time I checked it was 80 EUR for 40 mins, and the price goes up at night to I believe 120 EUR. Worth it, specially if you are trying to be extra romantic. You can also book a private gondola ride in advance here, roughly €145 for a private group of up to 5, note this is pricier than a shared ride since you’re not paired up with strangers, but it means the whole boat is just your group.
6. Eat Like a Venetian
Polenta and seafood dishes are traditional from Venetian as well as Bigoli, which are thick fresh noodles which you can eat with a variety of sauces. Some restaurants to try: La Zucca, Trattoria Antiche Carampane, Osteria alle Testiere, Osteria Enoteca Ai Artisti, El Magazen in Cannaregio, and, for something splashier, Il Porticciolo at Hotel Cipriani on Giudecca or the terrace at The Gritti Palace on the Grand Canal. For dessert, Suso Gelatoteca near the Rialto does some of the best gelato in the city, and La Terrazza Bar is worth it for a rooftop drink over the Grand Canal. If you’d rather have it all explained to you, book a cicchetti and wine tasting tour with a local that takes you through Venice’s bacari culture, the little wine bars where locals gather for small plates and a glass of wine.
7. Cross the Bridge of Sighs
This bridge takes its name because it is where convicts would get the “last view of Venice” before their imprisonment, or execution. There is a nicer legend around this bridge which says that if a couple kisses while drifting under the bridge at sunset, as the bells of St Mark’s Campanile ring out, it will enjoy eternal love and happiness. The bridge is beautiful, by the way. Access to it is included in every Doge’s Palace ticket, so you’ll walk across it anyway if you visit the palace itself.
8. Tour the Doge’s Palace
The Doge’s Palace was the seat of Venetian political power for over a thousand years, Gothic on the outside, gilded state rooms and Tintoretto ceilings on the inside. It’s where the Bridge of Sighs leads through to the old prisons, so the history and the drama come as one visit. Book a reserved entry ticket to skip the queue at the door.
9. Admire St Mark’s Basilica
This is one of the most iconic sites of Venice. It’s located in Piazza San Marco, and it’s known for its gorgeous mosaic and golden details. It is impressive to say the least. The queue to get in can be brutal in high season, so if you don’t want to lose half a morning standing outside, book priority access with a guided tour, you’ll skip the line and get the mosaics and history explained rather than just wandering through.
10. View Venice from Above at St Mark’s Campanile
St Mark’s Campanile is the bell tower of St Mark’s Basilica. Climb the stairs to get a panoramic view of the city. Lines can get pretty lengthy in the summer, so arrive early or invest in a skip-the-line ticket.
11. Visit La Fenice Opera House
Make your time in Venice more memorable by visiting the La Fenice Opera House. Even if you don’t have the time to watch a performance, use this skip-the-line ticket with audio guide to admire its sensational avant-garde design. The name literally means “The Phoenix”, and it’s lived up to it: the theatre has burned down and been rebuilt three separate times, most dramatically in 1996 when a fire gutted it in under nine hours, leaving only the outer walls standing. It was rebuilt to the exact original design and reopened in 2003, so what you’re walking into today looks exactly as it did before the fire.
12. Create Your Own Carnival Mask
The wearing of masks in Venice is a tradition which goes back as far as the 12th century, and historians speculate that it was a response to one of the most rigid class structures in all of Europe. Eventually the wearing of masks was so ubiquitous that the government had to pass laws restricting it to the Carnival season. Instead of buying one, learn more about this tradition and make your own mask in this workshop.
13. Admire the View from Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
Get an amazing view of Venice and its network of canals from the top of the famous spiral staircase of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo. You can buy the entrance ticket in advance here, it’s cheaper than if you buy it on the spot.
14. Get Lost in Libreria Acqua Alta
Libreria Acqua Alta is touted as one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world, and it’s easy to see why: bathtubs, gondolas, and even full-size boats are all stacked with books to protect them from the flooding the shop is named after. There’s a staircase made entirely of old hardback novels out the back, worth the visit for that alone. It’s free to wander in and browse.
15. Visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection fills a Grand Canal palazzo, Peggy Guggenheim’s own former home, with modern art by Picasso, Pollock, and Kandinsky. Wander the airy rooms and the sculpture garden, then linger on the terrace for the canal views. Book a skip-the-line ticket.
16. Hear Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at the Church He Played In
Vivaldi was born in Venice, and the Church of the Pietà (also known as the Vivaldi Church) is where he actually played and composed, a genuinely different experience to hearing the Four Seasons anywhere else. The Vivaldi Baroque Ensemble performs it live in the same space, and it’s a lovely, low-effort evening to add onto a day of sightseeing. Book your Vivaldi Four Seasons concert ticket here.
17. Watch Sunset from Punta della Dogana
If the Rialto Bridge crowd isn’t your thing, Punta della Dogana, the tip of land where the Grand Canal meets the Giudecca Canal, is a quieter sunset spot with a wide-open view back across the water to Piazza San Marco. Grab a drink first and just sit.
18. Ride Vaporetto Line 1 Down the Grand Canal at Night
This is the closest thing to a gondola ride at a fraction of the price. Vaporetto Line 1 runs the full length of the Grand Canal, and taking it after dark, when the palazzos are lit up, is a genuinely romantic way to see the city for the price of a normal bus ticket. Grab a waterbus and mainland bus pass in advance if you’re planning to use the vaporetto more than a couple of times anyway, it works out cheaper than single tickets.
19. Get Gelato at Suso Gelatoteca
Suso Gelatoteca, tucked away near the Rialto Bridge, does some of the best gelato in Venice. Try the Manet flavour, chocolate, caramel and salt, if you only try one.
20. Lunch at Il Porticciolo, Hotel Cipriani
For a proper splurge, Il Porticciolo at the Hotel Cipriani on Giudecca Island is a seafood and oyster restaurant right on the water, with a Bellini basically mandatory. It’s a boat ride away from the main island, which makes it feel like even more of an occasion.
21. Dine at El Magazen
El Magazen in Cannaregio is a small, contemporary osteria that’s worth booking ahead for, especially if you’re celebrating something. Good for a proper sit-down dinner away from the tourist-menu spots near San Marco.
22. Rooftop Drinks at La Terrazza Bar
La Terrazza Bar at the H10 Palazzo Canova hotel has one of the best rooftop views in the city, right over the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge. Go for sunset if you can, it gets busy.
23. Lunch on the Terrace at The Gritti Palace
The Gritti Palace, a historic 5-star hotel right on the Grand Canal, is worth it for a lunch on its terrace alone, even if you’re not staying there. Between April and October you can eat al fresco with views over Punta della Dogana and the Santa Maria della Salute basilica, or dine year-round at its Club del Doge Restaurant. Another proper splurge, but one of the most iconic dining views in Venice.
24. Escape the Crowds at Giardini Reali
Right between Piazza San Marco and the water, the Giardini Reali (Royal Gardens) are a genuinely peaceful 5,000-square-metre green space that most tourists walk straight past. Commissioned by Napoleon in the early 1800s and reopened after a full restoration in 2019, it’s free to get in and a good spot to sit down for ten minutes when the crowds around San Marco get overwhelming.
25. Climb the Bell Tower at San Giorgio Maggiore
For the view every postcard is trying to capture, head across the water to San Giorgio Maggiore and go up its bell tower instead of St Mark’s Campanile. Entry to the church is free, and the lift to the top of the tower costs around €8, taking you up for a 360° view of St Mark’s Basin, the lagoon, and the whole skyline, with far fewer people up there than the Campanile.
Best Day Trips from Venice
Murano, Burano and Torcello
Both Murano and Burano are islands you can travel to as a day trip from Venice by taking a vaporetto (public ferry), and Torcello, Venice’s original settlement, makes a genuinely worthwhile third stop if you have the time. Burano would be my first choice, this cute little island with colourful houses just makes postcard-perfect photos, some consider it a slice of paradise. Murano is a must for glass lovers, you can get all sorts of hand-blown glass ornaments and even watch a demonstration. If you’re in Venice for a couple of days you can visit them separately, or take a tour that covers both Murano and Burano in half a day.
Verona
If you fancy a day away from the canals, Verona is about an hour from Venice by train, the mainland city of Romeo and Juliet, with a Roman arena still used for opera in summer, Juliet’s House and its famous balcony, and the medieval Piazza delle Erbe. Book a Verona, Sirmione and Lake Garda tour with a boat cruise if you want to combine it with Lake Garda in the same day, or check train times and prices on Trainline if you’d rather do Verona alone at your own pace.
The Dolomites
For something completely different to the canals, the Dolomites make a genuinely spectacular full day out from Venice, dramatic mountain scenery that feels like a different country entirely. Book a Dolomites day trip with Cortina d’Ampezzo and Lake Misurina, a 9-hour round trip with a driver, panoramic viewpoints, and a walk around the lake. It’s a long day, so worth it only if you’ve got the extra time in Venice to spare.
Where to Stay in Venice
Venice is small and super touristy so staying there is expensive and even more so on weekends. To avoid the steep prices some people stay in Mestre, the first city on the mainland, and commute in. In my experience that’s not worth it. To get the real Venetian experience, I’d strongly recommend you stay in the city. Evenings and walking at night are the nicest thing about Venice and there is nothing better than knowing that you are a short walk back from your bed.
Budget Accommodation
- Porta Orientalis Venice: This is where I stayed, standard and not too expensive, but the location is unbeatable. A quiet, colourful apartment in Cannaregio, close to Santa Lucia Station and a walkable stretch to Piazza San Marco. Best for: anyone who wants a genuine, affordable base without sacrificing location.
Mid-range
- Palazzo Keller: Tucked down Calle del Pestrin, you could genuinely walk straight past this one without noticing it, which is exactly the appeal. It’s a converted 15th-century noble palace, some rooms still have their original ceiling frescoes, and the common areas keep the vintage floor tiles and chandeliers. Close enough to Piazza San Marco to walk over whenever you fancy, far enough down the side street to escape most of the crowds. Best for: anyone who wants a proper Venetian palazzo feel without the Splurge-tier price tag.
Splurge
- Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel: A historic palazzo facing the lagoon, steps from San Marco, with a rooftop restaurant looking out over the water. One of Venice’s most iconic addresses. Best for: a genuine once-in-a-while, no-expense-spared Venice trip.
None of these float your gondola? Search all Venice hotels.
How Long to Spend in Venice
2 to 3 days is the sweet spot, enough time to wander without rushing, tick off the main sights, and still have a slow morning or two.
4 to 5 days lets you add a day trip to Murano, Burano, and Torcello without feeling rushed on the mainland side too.
A week or more only really makes sense if you’re using Venice as a base for the wider Veneto region, Venice itself is small enough that most people find 3-4 days genuinely enough.
Getting To & Around Venice
If you’re travelling from abroad, search flights on Skyscanner, Marco Polo Airport is just a short trip from the city. From the airport, the Alilaguna water bus is the most scenic way in, or book a private airport transfer with WelcomePickups if you’d rather have it sorted in advance. If you’re travelling within Italy, the best way to get to Venice is by train, Santa Lucia station is right in the centre so you can most likely walk to your hotel from there.
Once you’re here, Venice is entirely car-free, the only ways to get around are on foot or by vaporetto. If you’re planning to hop between islands or into Mestre, a waterbus and mainland bus pass works out cheaper than buying individual tickets each time.
Best Time to Visit Venice
The best time to visit Venice is spring (April to May) or autumn (September to October), mild weather and thinner crowds than peak summer. Summer (June to August) is hot, humid, and busy. Winter brings acqua alta (occasional flooding) but also Carnival season and far fewer tourists, worth it if you don’t mind bundling up.
Venice FAQs
How many days do I need in Venice?
2 to 3 days is genuinely enough to see the main sights and get properly lost in the backstreets. Add a 4th day if you want to fit in Murano, Burano, and Torcello without rushing.
Is Venice expensive?
Venice is one of the pricier Italian cities, especially for hotels and anything right in Piazza San Marco. Staying in the city itself (rather than commuting from Mestre) costs more but is worth it for the evenings and night walks alone.
Do I need to book a gondola ride in advance?
You don’t have to, but booking ahead online works out considerably cheaper than hailing one on the spot, and guarantees you a slot rather than queueing.
Is Venice worth visiting if it’s touristy?
Yes. The main streets around Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge are genuinely packed, but wander a few streets away and you’ll find quiet canals and squares with barely anyone around, that contrast is part of what makes Venice special.
Can I visit Murano and Burano as a day trip?
Yes, easily, both are a short vaporetto ride from Venice, or book a half-day tour that covers both if you’d rather not sort the ferry timetables yourself.
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