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Things to Do in Venice, Italy
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Plan language: EnglishMost popular attractions in Venice, Italy
Things to do in Venice, Italy include exploring the breathtaking St Mark's Basilica with its intricate mosaics and golden domes, wandering through St Mark's Square to soak in historic charm, and admiring the views from the Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal, a 3.8-kilometer waterway threading through the city.
1. St Mark's Basilica
Experience a treasure trove of dazzling mosaics and timeless art. Walk through a cathedral where every corner tells a story weeks long to unfold.
Quick facts: Golden mosaics cover nearly 8,000 square meters, shimmering brilliantly under natural light. The architecture blends Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance styles in a unique Venetian symphony.
Highlights: Look up inside to spot the Pala d'Oro, an altar screen adorned with over 1,300 gems and precious enamels, each telling a story from centuries ago. The basilica's horses, famous bronze statues known as the Horses of Saint Mark, have circled through history from Rome to Constantinople before finding their home here.
2. Doge's Palace
Step into regal history filled with stunning art and dramatic stories. Walk through lavish halls and peek into the chambers where power once ruled.
Quick facts: The palace was once the residence of the Venetian doges and served as the seat of government. Visitors can wander through grand chambers adorned with intricate frescoes, including works by Tintoretto and Veronese.
Highlights: Explore the ornate Bridge of Sighs connecting the palace to its historic prison, where prisoners glimpsed their last view of Venice. The grand council chamber features an enormous ceiling painting celebrating Venice's naval victories, filling the room with drama and awe.
3. Rialto Bridge
Step onto a bustling walkway with views that captivate every angle. Experience vibrant street life mixed with stunning Venetian architecture.
Quick facts: The structure spans the Grand Canal with a single elegant stone arch, once the longest of its kind in Venice. Rows of lively shops line both sides, adding a buzzing marketplace vibe right atop a historic crossing.
Highlights: At night, golden street lamps cast romantic glows on the ripple of water below, creating a scene straight out of a painter’s dream. A quirky tradition lets locals hang love notes on the lanterns, weaving personal stories into the bridge’s history.
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4. Grand Canal
Experience Venice's iconic waterway alive with historic charm and vibrant life. Glide past grand palaces and lively markets for a truly unforgettable adventure.
Quick facts: The longest waterway in the city measures nearly 2 miles, lined with more than 170 historic buildings. Gondolas and vaporettos gently navigate its winding curves, revealing centuries of Venetian life bursting through every canal bend.
Highlights: The sight of the Rialto Bridge arching elegantly over sparkling water surrounded by Renaissance palaces paints a scene straight from a Venetian painting. As sunlight hits the canal's surface at sunset, the colors of the buildings shimmer, creating a magical glow that feels almost otherworldly.
5. Bridge of Sighs
Step into a bridge thick with dramatic tales and romance. Experience the magical Venice skyline mirrored in the canal's gentle waves.
Quick facts: Legends say prisoners would sigh as they caught their last glimpse of Venice, giving the bridge its evocative name. The bridge uniquely connects a courthouse to a prison across a small canal, a dramatic passage for those facing justice.
Highlights: At dusk, the bridge glows softly with the reflection of Venetian lights on water, creating a hauntingly beautiful scene. An intriguing tradition involves couples sharing a gondola ride beneath the bridge at sunset for love and good luck.
6. Gallerie dell'Accademia
Offers a deep dive into Venetian art like no other. Experience breathtaking masterpieces that chronicle centuries of creative genius.
Quick facts: Home to one of the world's finest collections of Venetian paintings, this gallery showcases masterpieces from the 14th to the 18th century. Visitors often find themselves captivated by the detailed brushwork of artists like Bellini, Titian, and Tintoretto.
Highlights: The highlight lies in the stunning "Last Supper" by Tintoretto, which fills an entire wall with dramatic intensity and vibrant colors that seem to leap out at you. Around 1,000 works reveal Venetian art's evolution in breathtaking galleries arranged to tell a visual story through time.
7. Teatro La Fenice
Experience the grandeur of an opera palace reborn from ashes. Walk through halls where music legends once captivated audiences.
Quick facts: An iconic opera house with a dramatic history of fires that led to two complete reconstructions. Its name means "The Phoenix," symbolizing its rise anew from the ashes each time.
Highlights: The lavish gold-leaf interiors sparkle under intricate chandeliers, creating an ambiance fit for centuries of opera legends. Spot the ceiling fresco by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta, which tells a vivid story in vibrant colors.
8. Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Dive into an eccentric world of modern art and personal stories. Explore surreal sculptures and colorful canvases in a stunning canal-side palace.
Quick facts: The collection showcases more than 200 works from iconic artists like Picasso, Dalí, and Pollock. The museum is actually housed in Peggy Guggenheim's former home, a palazzo on the Grand Canal.
Highlights: A unique mix of surrealist and abstract art is displayed in a setting that blends indoor galleries with a charming sculpture garden overlooking the canal. The museum's personal touches, like Peggy’s eclectic furniture and art-filled rooms, make it feel like stepping into her artistic sanctuary.
9. Murano
Step into a vibrant world where glass turns into art and tradition lives in every swirl. Experience the mesmerizing glow of colors dancing inside exquisite handmade glass creations.
Quick facts: This island churns out some of the world's finest hand-blown glass, with artisans using techniques passed down through centuries. Over 1,000 glassmakers work here, crafting everything from delicate beads to massive chandeliers.
Highlights: Vivid colors explode inside tiny glass beads after heating, creating a kaleidoscope effect that mesmerizes visitors. Locals still guard secret recipes for glass formulas, making each piece uniquely vibrant and impossible to replicate elsewhere.
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Traditional Sweet Dishes
Tiramisù
Although its precise origin is debated, tiramisù is strongly associated with the Veneto region near Venice, and became globally famous for its layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone and cocoa.
Fritole (Fritole Veneziane)
These small, fried carnival doughnuts are a Venetian staple, traditionally studded with raisins and pine nuts and widely sold in the streets during Carnevale.
Baicoli
Baicoli are dry, ring-shaped biscuits created for long sea voyages in the 18th century, and they remain a distinct Venetian treat often served with coffee or zabaglione.
Traditional Savory Dishes
Sarde in saor
Sarde in saor pairs fried sardines with a sweet-sour onion, vinegar and raisin marinade, a preservation technique developed by Venetian fishermen before refrigeration.
Baccalà mantecato
This whipped, creamy salted cod spread is a classic Venetian bacaro dish, typically served on crostini or polenta, and it was popularized in Venice in the 18th century.
Bigoli in salsa
Bigoli are thick, whole-wheat noodles served with a savory anchovy and onion sauce, a humble but beloved Venetian dish with medieval roots.
Traditional Beverages
Spritz (Spritz Veneziano)
The Spritz is the emblematic Venetian aperitivo, made with Prosecco, a bitter liqueur like Aperol or Campari, and a splash of soda, and it is enjoyed across Venice at sunset.
Bellini
Created at Harry's Bar in Venice by Giuseppe Cipriani in the 1940s, the Bellini mixes Prosecco and fresh white peach purée and was named for the Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini.
Sgroppino
Sgroppino is a frothy, refreshing Venetian palate cleanser made from lemon sorbet, vodka and Prosecco, often served between courses or as a light dessert.
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Most popular day trips
Verona
Roman arena, Juliet's balcony, medieval streets.
Cortina d'Ampezzo (Dolomites)
Dolomite peaks, hiking, alpine scenery.
Rent a car in Venice, Italy
Getting there
Train stations
High-speed and regional lines to Milan, Verona, Trieste
Regional and national lines, connections to mainland
From Marco Polo, take Alilaguna water bus or ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma; from Treviso, take bus to Mestre then train.
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Comments (8)
Fell in love with the canals and light, food was unreal. Expect crowds, evenings are magical. Two days OK, three if you like museums.
Beautiful city but pricey. Gondolas are fun once, restaurants near the main square are tourist traps. Walk further for better pasta.
Buy 24 or 48 hour vaporetto passes at the ACTV kiosk, much cheaper than single tickets and you won't waste time buying each ride.
Skip restaurants right by Rialto bridge at midday. Walk two blocks into side streets for fresher food and much better prices.
Rainy week gave an eerie vibe, bridges and alleys are charming but slippery. Bring good shoes and patience for the crowds.