I will say right away that supposedly the most romantic city in the world has never attracted me. And this is with all my love for Italy. But since we let’s go to Verona for 4 days, it would be foolish not to go to Venice. In this article I will tell you what to see in Venice in 1 day, and what you need to be prepared for.
If you are coming by train
If you are traveling in Italy and intend to travel to Venice by train, then get tickets to Venezia Santa Lucia station – then you will arrive in the historical center of the city and, leaving the station, you will see this panorama:
There is a left-luggage office at the station if you suddenly arrive with things. The cost of one seat is 6 euros for the first 5 hours, each additional hour is 1 euro.
What you need to be prepared for when going to Venice
Get ready for what’s in Venice insane amount of tourists. It is clear that in winter there are much fewer of them than in summer, except, perhaps, only for the period of the Venice Carnival in February, but still. Therefore, slowly walking, enjoying the city, will hardly work. Rather, you will have to wade through people, like in the subway at rush hour.
At the same time, if you turn off the main tourist trail, you may not meet people at all. But you can’t ignore the main attractions of the city, can you? Therefore, be prepared for this.
Second moment. The city is much more picturesque from the water. But you can see it completely (or almost completely) only on a boat / boat / vaporetto (river trams), because. There are no pedestrian promenades in Venice. But I will talk about this below.
Third moment. There are no garbage cans and baskets in the city. So you have to carry everything with you. And if you buy gelatto, then take it in a waffle cone, not in a cardboard cup 😉
What to see in Venice in 1 day
Due to the fact that the Venetian Republic at one time was very rich, Venice consists entirely of palaces. But given that we are only in the city for 1 day (or a few hours), then I propose to make an inspection only main attractions, namely:
- Piazza San Marco – the main square of the city (beware of pigeons),
- Cathedral of San Marco – a cathedral in the Byzantine style, which in itself is a rarity for Western Europe,
- Campanile – the bell tower, which you can climb to look at the city from a height,
- Doge’s Palace – the palace of the 14th century, in which the heads of the republic met,
- Bridge of Sighs – so named not in honor of the lovers, but in honor of the convicts who were moving from the courtroom located in the Doge’s Palace in the direction of the prison,
- Rialto Bridge – the oldest surviving in Venice,
- Academy Gallery – keeps the largest collection of Venetian paintings,
- and Church of Santa Maria della Salute – built in honor of the deliverance of the city from the plague.
Good news: The listed sights are located very compactly, so they can be explored quickly. There will just be time to wander aimlessly through the deserted lanes of the city and feel its spirit.
I propose to go from the station to the Rialto Bridge, from there to St. Mark’s Square with all the surrounding attractions (St. Mark’s Cathedral, Campanile, Doge’s Palace and Bridges of Sighs). From San Marco on a vaporetto we cross to the other side to the church of Santa Maria della Salute, if you wish, look into the Accademia Gallery and go back through the alleys towards the station.
This is what it looks like route on the map:
Where else to see Venice from above
Near the Rialto Bridge there is a palace of a former German merchant, which today has been turned into a Central Department Store – T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS. There is a view terrace on the roof of the palace. You need to book a visit in advance, otherwise you just might not get in. Read more and book your visit here.
Is Gondola Ride Worth It?
We rode. Now I can definitely say that this should be done solely for show. I explain why. The cost of a 30-minute walk is 80 euros during the day and 100 euros at night, the gondola can accommodate 6 people. All prices are the same, because officially regulated. Gondola speed is minimal. We started from the Rialto Bridge and in 25 minutes (yes, in the end we were even less driven) managed to ride under the bridge, turn off the Grand Canal inland, go around a couple of houses, one of which was Casanova’s house, and that’s it. That is, there was really no special walk that allowed you to see the city from the water. And to watch Venice, as I mentioned above, you need just the same from the water.
Therefore, judge for yourself. If you really want to understand what it is, then ride. If the goal is to see the Grand Canal, then it’s better to take a vaporetto ticket for 7 euros or rent a boat if your budget allows. There will be much more sense.
Where to eat in Venice
We dined at Restaurant Santa Maria Formosa (Castello, Campo Santa Maria Formosa, 5245). There are lunch sets for 15 euros. We ordered food from the menu. Lasagna and tea or pasta and a glass of wine will cost 20 euros including service charge. The portions are big, the food is delicious.
The same bookstore
Surely many have seen photographs of an unusual bookstore, where books are displayed not only on the shelves, but stacked in a gondola or even in the bathroom. This bookstore is called Libreria Acqua Alta (Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, 5176). In a small patio there are books that have suffered from flooding, a film is also shown there, how the books were saved. The place is rather unusual. Recommend.
My services
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