Venezia

Day trip in Venice

Quick itinerary for a short Venetian experience: literally just a photo-op day and not entering any of the establishments. 

When in Venice, one can easily lose track of time because of the charming canals/streets of the capital. So for those who would like to see more within a limited amount of time and not be distracted, here's a quick day trip itinerary.

Venetian windows

Getting There:

It is so easy to get to Venice as it is only a train ride away to its station - Station di Venezia Santa Lucia. I suggest to book the tickets online, even on the day itself, as it is way cheaper than purchasing them at the train station.

Going Around Venice:

Upon arrival at the train station, since this is a quick day trip, it is practical to buy the 1-day Venice Tourist Travel Card (also available for 2, 3, or 7 days) which includes unlimited travel on the ACTV water and land buses, from the water bus station immediately in front and outside of the station.

Gondola ride

Make sure to validate the ticket by tapping it against the white electronic card readers every time before boarding the water bus or inside the land bus to avoid being fined.

I've also read from other travellers that it is indeed still worth to ride a gondola even just for half an hour. So if you're willing to shell out some euros and have a couple (30 minutes or more, that is) of time to spare, try riding a gondola and enjoy the sights of the capital in a romantic and relaxed pace.

Venetian street/canal

Ponte Rialto

Board a water bus to get to Ponte Rialto - the oldest out of the 4 bridges that cross the Venetian Grand Canal. The ornate-covered 16th century stone footbridge connects the districts of San Marco and San Polo, and is one of the city's hottest tourist attractions.

Rialto Bridge

Grand Canal

The Grand Canal is a 3km channel in Venice forming one of the major water-traffic corridors of the city. It is considered as the city's bustling 'main street' lined with restaurants and shops in old Venetian buildings and palaces.

Grand Canal

Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco, or simply, la Piazza, is Venice's main and largest public square. All the other squares in the city are known as 'campi'. Being at the heart of the city, here you'll find St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, Torre dell Orologio, and the San Marco Campanile.

Piazza San Marco

The piazza has an extension towards the lagoon in its southeast corner and is called Piazzetta.

St. Mark's Basilica

St. Mark's Basilica is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. The Italo-Byzantine styled cathedral is the most well-known church of the city.

St. Mark's Basilica

Entry to the basilica is free but expect a long and 'processional' queue  to get inside the cathedral. Pre-booking is required.

St. Mark's Basilica

Doge's Palace

A Venetian Gothic style palace which served as the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the former Republic of Venice, but is now a museum since 1923.

Regular ticket is €20 (combined ticket for entrance to other tourist attractions in Venice).

Torre dell Orologio

This is the city's 14th-century clock tower located on the north side of St. Mark's Square at the entrance to the Merceria. The huge face of the clock shows the hours of the day, phases of the moon, and movement of the sun through the Zodiac signs. It is also known as the Moor's Clocktower.

Moor's Clocktower

Regular ticket is €12.

San Marco Campanile

The 98.6m tall campanile is the bell tower of St. Mark's Basilica. 

Campanile

The original tower used to serve as a lighthouse for the sailors, and a belfry. The belfry house 5 bells - each being rang for different purposes during the Republic of Venice.

Regular ticket is €8. Climbing the tower provides panoramic views of the city. But we weren't able to go up during out visit.

Bridge of Sighs

Built in 1600, the Bridge of Sighs (also known as the Hertford Bridge) is an enclosed bridge made of limestone. The bridge has windows with stone bars, passes over Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace.

Bridge of Sighs

Venetian  Lagoon Islands

Apart from the Venetian capital, it is possible to explore at least 2 of the islands in the Venetian Lagoon (in our case, we chose Murano and Lido) in the afternoon.

If you do plan to explore the islands of the lagoon, make sure to check the boat timetables so as not to be stuck unnecessarily in the last island you're at.

Murano

Murano is known as the glass-making centre of Venice. The most visited site in the island is the Museo del Vetro - the museum which tells the story of the island's glass-making through the centuries, and features a souvenir/gift shop.

Murano

Other points of interest include the the churches of Santa Maria and San Donato. The two churches were built in the Romanesque style, with the latter featuring a colourful mosaic floor and supposedly housing the remains of a slain dragon.

Mosaic floor

Lunch at B Restaurant

Abacus-like

We had a delightful seafood lunch at B Restaurant known for affordable seafood with big servings. You will find this restaurant with an iconic glass piece resembling an abacus placed in the small square in front of the restaurant.

Seafood for lunch

Lido di Venezia

Lido is an 11km long sandbar in the Venetian Lagoon. Lido hosts the Venice Film Festival every September, and is the only island in the lagoon where there is a public beach to go to for a swim.

Lido's Free beach