Visiting Venice is one of those things you absolutely must do once in a lifetime. With history, art, culture and truly unique urban planning, Venice will make you fall in love. Realizing that it’s often difficult to decide what to see in a city that has so much to show, we have made a list of attractions to make it easier to figure out what to visit in Venice. Some are better known, some less so, but all are truly breathtaking. If you’re thinking of combining your trip to Venice with a tour of the Veneto, we recommend renting a car.
SIXT has convenient locations in Venice, including at the airport, and Mestre Train Station. If you’re traveling in the summer, book a convertible so you can get a better view of the sights. If you’re driving and parking a lot on the narrow streets of Venice, then an economical compact car is a great choice.
Must-see attractions in Venice
1. Saint Mark’s Basilica & Square
We can’t talk about what to visit in Venice without mentioning St. Mark’s Square. Before 828, the year the basilica was built to house the relics of St. Mark, this square was a large vegetable garden crossed by the Batario stream, which was later filled in. Today it’s the most important and famous square in the city (there are only two squares in Venice – Piazza San Marco and Piazzale Roma. All the others are fields.). Lots of events take place here throughout the year, but we recommend visiting during Carnival.
The monumental St. Mark’s Basilica stands out mightily at the bottom of the square. Also called the Golden Basilica because of the more than 1,000 square meters of gold leaf mosaic tiles that cover it, it represents the grandeur of the Republic of Venice. Other points of interest overlooking the square include the Campanile, the city’s tallest building, the Clock Tower, the Correr Museum and the historic Cafè Florian. Visiting St. Mark’s in Venice is definitely a great way to start your city tour.
Address: Piazza San Marco, 328, 30100 Venezia VE
Entry fees: More information
Hours: When to visit
2. Doge’s Palace & the Bridge of Sighs
Visiting Venice in one day is challenging, but possible. If you opt for this option, the Piazza area cannot be missed as a stop. A few meters from St. Mark’s Square, is the Doge’s Palace. Although it had to undergo several alterations due to the many fires that affected it over the years, it is now one of the greatest examples of Venetian Gothic architecture. This palace has always been of great political importance, welcoming the doges of the Venetian Republic and becoming the center of administrative power during Napoleon’s tenure.
Connecting the Doge’s Palace with the Prisons of the Serenissima is the world-famous Bridge of Sighs. Apparently, it owes its name to the sighs the condemned prisoners made when looking at Venice one last time from the bridge’s two small windows. Visiting the Doge’s Palace in Venice will allow you to admire the bridge from the inside, but you must also admire it from the outside from the Ponte della Paglia.
Address: Piazza San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE
Entry fees: More information
Hours: When to visit
3. Grand Canal & Rialto Bridge
The Grand Canal is definitely one of the “places” to visit in Venice. The canal cuts Venice in half with its iconic inverted S shape. It is no less than 2.5 miles long, reaching more than 16 feet deep and 230 feet wide in places. There are many spots from which you can admire it, but the most iconic one is probably the Rialto Bridge. Perhaps not everyone knows that the Rialto Bridge is one of 354 bridges in Venice.
It was built in 1593 to replace the bridge made of wooden boats that allowed passage to the Rialto market, once the economic heart of the city. Today, this arcade-covered bridge is a staple of Venetian shopping, thanks to the many street vendors and luxury boutiques. If you want to enjoy a good aperitif, at the foot of the bridge you’ll find the Campo Erberia, which is especially popular with young people.
Address: You can find it in the district of San Polo
4. Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
In the district of San Marco, near Campo Manin and overlooking the San Luca River, you will find Palazzo Contarini. If you are looking for little-known places to visit in Venice, the palace won’t disappoint. This late Venetian Gothic-style palace was built between the 1300s and the 1400s as the home of the Contarini family. Toward the end of the 1400s Pietro Contarini had a spiral staircase added to the building. Nicknamed “bovolo” (snail in Venetian) this unique architectural element greatly impressed the Venetians of the time. Even today the palace’s staircase is a must-see for all visitors who do not want to limit themselves to seeing only the most tourist attractions.
Address: Scala Contarini del Bovolo, 4303, 30124 Venezia VE
Entry fees: More information
Hours: When to visit
5. Gallerie dell’Accademia Museum
If you’re an art lover, you certainly cannot miss the Accademia Galleries. Here you can find the richest collection of Venetian and Veneto paintings from the Byzantine and Gothic 14th century to the Renaissance. The 37 rooms are all inside the former Church of Santa Maria della Carità and the adjoining convent. Famous names include Veronese, Bellini, Tintoretto, Titian, Canaletto and Pietro della Francesca. The gallery also houses Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man”.
Address: Calle della Carità, 1050, 30123 Venezia VE
Entry fees: More information
Hours: When to visit
6. Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Among the things to visit in Venice, we can’t fail to mention the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, a confraternity, or brotherhood consisting of laypeople, founded in 1478 and still in existence today. The strong growth of this confraternity led to the decision to build a new, imposing headquarters. A competition was held to decorate its walls, which was won by Tintoretto. Between 1575 and 1587 the artist and his students produced a cycle of canvases with scenes from the Old and New Testaments to adorn the Sala Terrena and the Sala dell’Albergo. The drama of the scenes and the size and number of details painted will truly leave you breathless.
Address: San Polo, 3054, a, 30125 Venezia VE
Entry fees: More information
Hours: When to visit
7. Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
Venice is full of churches to visit. One that hurried tourists often forget is the Basilica dei Frari. Its dimensions are monumental: 335 feet long, it houses 17 monumental altars and looks so majestic that it will leave you breathless. The two most important works you will be able to see in this church are Titian’s “Assumption” and the Pesaro Altarpiece, but Bellini’s works such as “La Madonna in Trono” and the “Frari Triptych” are also not to be outdone. Titian himself, Antonio Canova, and the musician Monteverdi are buried in the Basilica dei Frari, not to mention many notable figures such as doges and condottieri.
Address: San Polo, 3072, 30125 Venezia VE
Entry fees: More information
Hours: When to visit
8. Peggy Guggenheim Collection
If you want to discover the more modern side of the city, you must go to Dorsoduro, the university district of Venice. The city has always wanted to maintain a prominent role on the international art scene. The locals thought so, but more importantly, so did the international artists who decided to make Venice their base. Prominent among them was Peggy Guggenheim, a wealthy and educated American collector who made art her life. Between 1949 and 1950, after a lifetime spent collecting art in Europe and America, she bought Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, an 18th-century building overlooking the Grand Canal. Here Guggenheim created one of the largest museums of European and American modern art. You’ll find masterpieces by famous names including Kandinsky, Pollock, Picasso, de Chirico and Modigliani.
Address: Dorsoduro, 701-704, 30123 Venezia VE
Entry fees: More information
Hours: When to visit
9. Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art
Let’s continue talking about what art-focused places to visit in Venice with Ca’ Pesaro. This famous Venetian palace surely must be among the places to visit in the city. It was designed in the 17th century by the Pesaro family and houses the International Gallery of Modern Art, on the second floor, and the Venice Museum of Oriental Art, on the third floor. The second floor is dedicated to temporary exhibitions. Ca’ Pesaro houses masterpieces by Klee, Klimt, Kandinsky and Chagall, as well as a selection of works by Italian artists. It cannot be missed on the list of what to see in Venice.
Address: Santa Croce, 2076, 30135 Venezia VE
Entry fees: More information
Hours: When to visit
10. Murano & Burano
Venice has many islands to visit. Two in particular are famous: Murano and Burano. Murano is perhaps the most famous island in the lagoon, after Venice. Unlike Venice, which is characterized by a majestic aura, Murano looks like something out of a storybook, with its characteristic multicolored houses reflected in the canals. This island is also famous for glassmaking, an ancient tradition that has made it a popular destination for visitors.
Although Burano is about 7 miles from Venice, to reach it will take about 1.5 hours by boat. Unlike its older sister, Burano is smaller, farther away and, as a result, somewhat less well known. But don’t let these things hold you back. If you want to see a “different” Venice, Burano is for you. In Burano, too, you will find many colorful houses overlooking the water, but unlike the glass here lace-making excels. During warm weather it is not uncommon to see a few lace-makers sitting outside the house embroidering in pillow lace. There are many islands to visit in Venice, but these are definitely the main ones and cannot be missed if you have 2 to 3 days to spend here.
Best Places to Eat & Drink in Venice
Now that we’ve talked about what to visit in Venice, it’s time to talk about what really matters: the food. There are indeed many dishes of the “lagoon cuisine” that will delight your tastebuds, but perhaps the most characteristic “dish” of the area, are the appetizers. In Venice they are called “cicchetti” and are nothing more than appetizers made with local products. In the bacari, or taverns, you can find all kinds of them including vegetables, salt cod, polenta, shrimp, eggs and anchovies. We recommend you go to Campo dell’Erberia or the district of Canareggio to find some bacari and enjoy cicchetti accompanied by an Aperol Spritz or a “ombra” of wine.
If, after the aperitif, you are still not full, let yourself be tempted by one of the many fish dishes typical of the island. Try spaghetti with clams or with squid ink, polenta and shrimp and creamed salt cod. But there is no shortage of other dishes such as pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans), risi e bisi (rice with peas), and fegato alla veneziana (Venetian-style liver). Among desserts, don’t miss the butter cookies and fritole (fritters) that are the national dessert of Venice.
