Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy and a destination I highly recommend including in your must-see places in the world list.
Venice is fascinating thousands of visitors for its precious cultural and artistic heritage, evoking the glorious times of the Serenissima Republic.
What about the magic that its one of a kind bridges and canals can unleash?
It’s worth knowing that apart from being known as ‘la Serenissima’ or ‘the Floating City’ is also called the ‘Queen of the Adriatic’.
How Many days in Venice is Enough?
There’s tons to see and do in Venice! No matter what time of the year you go, you’ll always find something to do. Even Venice in December is good fun.
But how many days in Venice should you spend?
Spending 3 or 4 days in Venice is the ideal escape, but even if you have less time, there are many things you can include in your itinerary.
Is one day enough for Venice?
One day is not enough to visit Venice, but it’s possible to see some landmarks if you plan your time wisely and stick to a strict itinerary with dedicated timeslots.
In fact, I took the time and effort to strategically plan and list a fully bulletproof one day in Venice itinerary for you to follow, so please take a look at that. Otherwise…
Here’s a list of must-see places for your day in Venice:
- St. Mark’s Square: the iconic square of Venice also called the ‘drawing room of Europe’ is the real heart of the city.
- St. Mark’s Basilica and Campanile: you can visit the basilica for free and admire the spectacular golden mosaics inside. The bell tower is the perfect place to enjoy the best bird-eye view of Venice! To avoid queues, climb the bell tower early in the morning ideally as soon as it opens.
- Doge’s Palace: one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in Venice and the political centre of the Serenissima Republic. This was also the doge’s residence and you can still visit its apartments and rooms. To make the most of your time visit with an expert guide and book this skip the line tour and soak up the local knowledge.
- Bridge of Sighs: during the recommended tour you’ll have the chance to cross the famous bridge before accessing the prisons, but when your tour ends, take a few minutes to take a picture from outside too!
- Rialto Bridge: the famous bridge is only 15 minutes walk from St. Mark’s Square. It’s one of the oldest bridges of Venice that crosses the Grand Canal. The Rialto Market is also worth a visit. In this area you’ll find good tavernas and bars for tasting delicious cicchetti and have aperitivo!
- Canal Grande: the best way to explore the beautiful canal? By riding a gondola, of course! You can find a gondolier (gondola driver) by yourself whilst walking along the canal, or book the gondola ride in advance.
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Is 2 Days in Venice enough?
Two days in Venice is still not enough, but better than just a day. To visit all the best and a few hidden gems you’ll need a bit more time.
Compared to just a day though, you can definitely enjoy its charm with more calm. It’s important to optimize your time to be able to visit as many places as possible.
Your first day in Venice can still include the same attractions and sights I described earlier, without rushing into the next one.
You can also leave the gondola ride for the day after, for example! Why not see all my best tips with this 2 days in Venice itinerary for even more time-saving ideas?
On your second day in Venice I highly recommend visiting:
- The Acqua Alta bookshop: is a few minutes walk away from St. Mark’s Square. It is considered one of the world’s most original bookshops, and you’ll see books and large prints inside gondolas and kayaks!
- Gallerie dell’Accademia: one of the most important art museums in Venice.
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection:
a contemporary art museum with masterpieces of Pollock, Picasso, Dalì, Max Ernst, Vasily Kandinsky. - Cannaregio neighbourhood: this area of Venice is popular among Venetian people as there are some authentic restaurants and tavernas where to have lunch or dinner. I recommend the Trattoria da Marisa.
- Jewish Ghetto: based in the Cannaregio district, it’s one of the oldest ghettos in Europe. Many small businesses belong to the Jewsish families that have been living in Venice for many centuries. You can also visit the Jewish Museum and nearby synagogues.
- Castello neighbourhood and Arsenale of Venice: the furthest district and the former shipyard of the city. Around this area of Venice you can also find the Biennale Gardens.
How much does a week in Venice cost?
You will find that one week in Venice can cost at least 2000 euros for 2 people. Especially for those on a low-medium budget.
This includes budget includes:
- Accommodation in Venice: 62 € per person / night (1 room or apartment at 125 €) – Only 2 or 3-star hotels or apartments. Even if you’re not travelling the next week or month, it’s always better to book your accommodation far in advance to find a good deal. Many properties allow you to cancel for free till a week or a few days before your arrival.
- Food in Venice 50 € per person per day but the cost can go down if for lunch you have some street food like a slice of pizza or scartosso de pesse frito that cost between 4 and 8 euros. You can find more about street food in Venice in my post dedicated to Venetian street foods.
- Local transport in Venice: this depends on your plan but most of the time you won’t need to get any transport to move around Venice. But there might be days when you’d want to visit other islands in the lagoon. Or, get to and from Venice from Marco Polo Airport before and after your stay, for example. A vaporetto ride costs 7.50 euros, a 24 hours transport pass 21 euros and a 7-day transport card for two 120 euros.
- Entertainment in Venice: here cost can vary a lot depending on how many museums you want to visit. I’d definitely include a gondola ride that costs 80 euros (for up to 5 people) and get the combined ticket to visit the Doge’s Palace + Museo Correr + Museo Archeologico Nazionale + Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana for 30 euros per person from September 2022. If you book your ticket online a month before your visit you’ll pay half the price!
As you can see there are always ways to save money (and the environment).
Just a silly one, you won’t need to buy water bottles when in Venice, as there are many fountains all around the city, from which you can drink water from. Just remember to carry your refillable one!
How Much Time in Venice? My Suggestion
My recommended amount of days in Venice is 3 or 4 days.
This way you’ll have enough time to visit the most touristic attractions on different days and explore the city in a relaxed mood.
You’ll have more time to get lost in ‘calli’ and small Venetian squares of Castello, Dordosuro and San Polo neighbourhoods. With 3 or 4 days in Venice you’ll also have time to visit other islands in the lagoon.
Many visitors include Murano, Burano and Torcello in their itinerary. I also suggest visiting San Giorgio Maggiore, La Giudecca or Lido di Venezia.
Having more time to spend in Venice and doing things with your pace will allow connecting more with the local culture and get to know the city better.
Why not take a look at my post on the best time to go to Venice if you’re currently planning your trip and concerned about the weather or what events will be on?
Best Guided Tours in Venice
Joining a tour in Venice is a way to save time and support locals.
A guide is generally a local person with a strong passion for all things Venice related and knows the city better than anyone else.
So check out these tours you can book and join any time!
Grand Canal by Gondola with Commentary
This Grand Canal (with Commentary tour) is the best way to visit the Grand Canal and get to learn its role in the city’s history whilst riding a gondola.
During your ride, you’ll see La Fenice Theatre, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection museum, Santa Maria della Salute church and Punta della Dogana.
It will last around 35 minutes and the commentary is by mobile app and is available in a list of different languages.
Yummy Cooking Class In Venice
Wanting to know more about Italian cuisine? Then you can learn from a pro chef how to cook during this yummy cooking class in Venice.
The chef Carolyn is welcoming you in her house to show all the secrets of the Venetian millenary cuisine.
After preparing your own meal, you’ll even eat it around the table and in good company, enjoying a nice glass of wine!
Doge’s Palace Reserved Entry Admission Ticket
This Doge’s Palace reserved entry admission ticket allows you to skip the queue and access the Doge’s Palace in no time!
This attraction is well-known to have the longest queues in the city, so if you have a limited time in Venice, book your reserved entrance now.
You’ll not only visit the opulent rooms and doge’s apartments, but also cross the famous Bridge of Sighs. With this ticket, you can also visit Correr Museum, National Archaeological Museum and Biblioteca Marciana.
Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands
Are you thinking about visiting other islands in the Venetian lagoon?
Then if it’s your first time in Venice you should definetely join this Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands boat trip.
Your transport will be sorted out for the whole time and you’ll have the chance to spend some free time in all islands. Included the entrance to a glass factory in Murano and a lace shop in Burano.
How Many days in Venice
Now you should have a better idea of how many days in Venice you should spend to make the most of your time in this city.
3 or 4 days should be enough to get a taste of Venice and not only visit the main attractions but also include some off-the-beaten-track sights.
While you’re still here, why not read my 3 days in Venice itinerary to get more ideas on what to do and how to organize your time during your time in this floating city?
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