Itβs hard to name any more romantic city in the world than Venice. So itβs not surprising that itβs also hard to name one more crowded by tourists. But what to do if you have only a limited time in Venezia and would like to bring the most out of your time? How to visit the main attractions and sites of Venice in 1 single day? This article will help you on that! So, if you only have 24 hours in Venice, these are our recommendations.
We arrived in Venice in the afternoon and the next day afternoon we already had to leave. So we tried to squeeze in the most interesting sites of the place within 24 hours. Since both of us have visited Venice before, we knew exactly where to go, so now you can learn from our experience what the best way is for a rapid visit around Venice.
Activities for 24 hours in Venice
We have started with a βpasseggiataβ on the main island. The distances are quite big so itβs worth to choose the most direct streets to reach Rialto, San Marco and the Bridge of Sighs.
Ponte di Rialto
The Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice. Connecting the sestieri (districts) of San Marco and San Polo, it has been rebuilt several times since its first construction as a pontoon bridge in 1173, and is now a significant tourist attraction in the city.
Rialto tips:
- Donβt miss out the opportunity to cruise under it via a vaporetto or a gondola! This bridge is beautiful from the top and from the bottom as well!
- Go back to admire it during the night as well, itβs beautiful when itβs lighten up.
Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco is an unforgettable and a must-do experience for a 24 hours in Venice trip. St. Markβs square is the principal public square of Venice. Initially, it was laid out as a small square lined with a number of trees and plenty of open space around. Whatβs more; it was constructed in front of the original St. Markβs Basilica, which used to be a small chapel within the Dogeβs Palace.
The Piazza quickly became the central gathering place for Venetians and was soon enlarged and paved with bricks in 1267. As its popularity soared, the administration appointed Andrea Tirali, a famous Venetian architect, to redesign the square. And in 1735, bricks were replaced with natural stone and laid in a more organized manner with marked locations for merchants who could now set up their stalls at the renovated square. Being the largest square of the city, St. Markβs houses important government buildings and various facilities central to the city.
Ponte dei Sospiri
The Bridge of Sighs (Italian: Ponte dei Sospiri) is an enclosed bridge made of white limestone, has windows with stone bars, passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove) to the interrogation rooms in the Dogeβs Palace. It was designed by Antonio Contino, whose uncle Antonio da Ponte designed the Rialto Bridge, and it was built in 1600.
In order to visit some islands around Venice, you need to be smart with the timetables of the βvaporettosβ. On the second day therefore we started the day very early, first to visit Lido de Venezia, and after Murano and Burano as well.
Lido de Venezia in a 24 hours in venice trip
The Lido can be easily reached by car as well with the Ferry-boat leaving from Tronchetto, or on foot with public water buses from Piazzale Roma and from Venice Santa Lucia train station. From Marco Polo Airport it is possible to reach the Lido through a convenient and direct service of boats.
We woke up at 5AM to catch the sunrise on Lido. Actually the best spot to watch the sunrise around whole Venice is on the island of Lido de Venezia. The βvaporettosβ are working already from 6AM, and the route is approximately 35 minutes to get to the island. Then you just need to walk and cross the tiny island from the port to the beach, which doesnβt take more than 10-15 minutes.
Murano in a 24 hours in venice trip
If you are looking to go to Murano or even to Burano you can hop on the βvaporettoβ from Venice San Zaccaria stop which is near St. Markβs. The trip to Murano takes 40 minutes and from there from Faro de Murano stop to Burano additionally 30 minutes.
The island of Murano is known for its colourful glass makers and for unique souvenirs. Here youβll find precious glass-blown artifacts, incredibly rare charms made of coloured patterns made in a glass cane. You can also visit the Museum of Glass to learn about this local tradition.
Burano in a 24 hours in venice trip
Most likely Burano is the most Instagrammable place among all the islands, wherever you look β the colourful houses β with the colours coordinated by the local town-hall β create an amazingly vivid and lively atmosphere. Fun fact, that old times the colours served as traffic sights, in fact, many legends say they served as semaphores so that sailors and fishers could find their homes in case of thick fog.
How to get to Venice, where to park & how to move around
By car
You can drive to Venice from Mestre by car on the Libertad bridge with no problem. The problem starts when you realize that all the parking places, and garages are βcompletoβ, meaning full. In this case you can drive back on the bridge and look for the first parking option in Mestre and leave your car there to get back to Venice by public transport, bike, or with your own electric scooter, as we did.
Of course you can book ahead your parking place in one of the biggest garages (e.g. Tronchetto) in Venice, with no problem. Actually this is the wisest thing to do if you happen to arrive by car.
By transfer
You can find many transfer options from Mestre and as well as from the airport, that you can book ahead, most likely these are the most convenient but as well pricy options. Feel free to use our transfer searcher hereby.
By train
The best way to arrive in Venice is by train, to the Santa Lucia / Ferrovia Train Station on the northwestern edge of the city. Thereβs also a bus terminal and parking garages nearby, at Piazzale Roma. Venice also has the small Marco Polo Venice Airport, and from there, you can take a bus or boat into Venice.
By bike
Besides that, itβs worth to know that in Venice the use of bikes, scooters, cars etc. are strictly forbidden. The main transport vehicles are the βvaporettoβ and the βgondolaβ. But what is great that from Mestre you can access the bridge with your own bike, scooter, e-scooter, get into Venice and park your small vehicle there and go further by walking. There are plenty of places for motorbikes, or bikes at the entrance of Venezia.
By vaporetto
1-day-pass to the βvaporettoβ passenger ferry system costs 20 EUR per person. But if you want to buy only a 75 minutes ticket, you can as well for 7,50 EUR per person. This is definitely the best and most effective way of transport to move around the islands.
- All lines are active from 6:00AM until 10:30PM every day (with exceptions during the holidays).
By gondola
Definitely the most romantic way to move around in Venice, but how much does it cost? The standard gondola rides in Venice have a fixed cost 80 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour. At night, however, the cost of a gondola ride is 120 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour. If you desire to stay longer, tell the gondolier and ask for the price before the start of the tour.
Where to stay in Venice
We wanted to stay in the city center as much as possible for a reasonable price and we have found a very good budget option, with breakfast, comfortable double bed, luggage storage and just 2 minutes walking from Ferrovia station. Itβs called Hotel Agli Artisti, nothing fancy, but absolutely perfect to spend one night in Venice.
If you are looking for other options, feel free to use our below search bar.
Enjoy our discounts in the place
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