8 places to visit in Venice and surroundings
Located in northwestern Italy, Venice is a splendid city perched on an archipelago, built on the water and separated by canals. Designated by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site in 1987, its core is located in Piazza San Marco, surrounded by grandiose palaces, streets and squares that invite you to stroll around.
In this article we show you what to see in Venice in two days and other interesting places to visit in the surrounding area.
Traveling by boat along one of the most spectacular canals in the world is an experience worth having at least once in a lifetime. By taking vaporetto no. 1 from Piazzale Roma you can look down the extraordinary Grand Canal all the way to Piazza San Marco. The best pastime is to sit and watch the maritime traffic and the majestic palaces and churches built over four centuries that surround its banks.
The Grand Canal marks the division of the city; on its eastern side are the neighborhoods of Cannaregio, Castello and San Marco, while on the west are the neighborhoods of Dorsoduro, San Polo and Santa Croce. This impressive canal was the main route for merchants heading to Rialto, one of the first areas of the lagoon to be inhabited and now popular for its market.
The buildings built along the Grand Canal feature all the Venetian architectural styles. Just above Rialto is Ca' D'Oro, considered one of the most elegant Gothic palaces in the city. The fortune of the Venetian patricians is expressed in the palace of Ca' Rezzonico, which today is a museum that allows you to delve into the eighteenth century. Without a doubt, this area is one of the best places to visit in Venice.
On the Grand Canal was also erected the International Gallery of Modern Art Ca' Pesaro, located on Santa Croce street. The gallery houses works by great contemporary artists such as Miro, Kandinsky, Klimt, Matisse and Klee, among many others.
Fall in love with one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Italy and its famous bridge over the Grand Canal. Discover the traditional scenery of its markets to feel like a real Venetian. It is advisable to buy food at the Rialto market and its specialized stores, where it is easy to find people bargaining mainly for fresh fish and seafood.
Entering the Piazza (Square) San Marco is one of the best things to do in Venice. It is known as the historic heart of the city, and blends Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Amazing museums and elegant stores surround the imposing square, which also has two historic cafes, characterized by their luxurious interiors: Caffè Florian and Caffè Quadri. If you are traveling to Venice in high season, be sure to visit these places early in the morning or late in the afternoon, as they tend to be very crowded.
In Piazza San Marco you will also find Venice's main museum, the Correr Museum. It is the best place to learn in depth about the history of the city over the centuries. The museum houses works of art, maps, documents and ancient objects that reflect the daily life of the Venetians.
The Byzantine-Venetian Basilica of San Marco is a spectacular medieval building, full of interior mosaics and with a majestic dome. It is advisable to visit early in the morning, before the queues build up, and once inside, take time to contemplate the monumental beauty of this building and its views.
The Basilica of San Marco is attached to the Doge's Palace, an architectural marvel in Gothic style with a luxurious interior. For art lovers, it is one of the best places to see in Venice.
Important Venetian artists of the 16th century were commissioned to decorate the halls of this sophisticated civic building illustrating the history of the city. Reaching the palace involves a half-hour vaporetto ride or a 45-minute walk from the train station.
Separated from the palace by a canal is Europe's most elegant prison, Piombi, where Venetian criminals enjoyed the many amenities it offered. The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) is a baroque construction that allows crossing this canal. According to legend, once prisoners crossed the bridge, they never returned. Don't leave Venice without taking a picture on the most photographed bridge in the city.
If you go into the Dorsoduro district you will find the Accademia Gallery, which exhibits the best Venetian painting in three historic buildings. Made up of 24 rooms, the gallery contains one of the largest collections of specialized art in the world. The visit to the Accademia will take you a couple of hours, so it is advisable to take a map when you enter.
A tour to Murano and Burano from Venice is a great idea if you want to visit the lagoon islands. Plus, you can explore them on this free tour that will take you on a walking tour of the most beautiful sites.
Dwellings in Burano.
Burano has colorful houses and small canals full of boats, as this picturesque island thrived as a fishing community. In the mornings Burano offers a fish market that you should not miss. In addition, you can savor delicious dishes in the fish restaurants of Via Galuppi, the main street.
The island of Murano is known for being the center of the Venetian glass industry of the 18th century. This island is the ideal place to buy glass or watch master craftsmen show their skill with the flame, modeling and blowing.
For its part, Murano has a miniature Grand Canal, palaces and beautiful churches, of which you should not miss the basilica of Santa Maria e Donato.
It is advisable to go by boat to the Colonna (or lighthouse) to discover the island and embark again in Venier, located at the other end of the main channel.
Canals of Murano.
Torcello is a marshy island inhabited only by Venetian workers that has only one channel. The majestic Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, the oldest building in the lagoon, and the Romanesque church of Santa Fosca, are must-sees if you decide to go to Torcello.
On another small island in the lagoon sits the Lido, known for being an elegant tourist center where the Casino and the Palace of the Venice Film Festival are located.
Although Venice is a city in which there is practically no low season, it is advisable to avoid traveling between June and September, when it is full of crowds of tourists.
Early autumn is an ideal time to visit Venice, as it is less crowded, and during this season the city has a pleasant climate, drier and with less rain than in winter.
Spring (March to May) is also a good time to travel to the city of canals, when you can enjoy more daylight hours and the weather is warmer.
However, try to avoid your trips to coincide with days of continuous rain, as the rising tide causes flooding of low-lying areas that make it very difficult to move around the city.
If you are planning a trip to Venice, it is best to book accommodation well in advance and, if possible, not too far from a vaporetto stop. Venice is one of the busiest tourist spots in Europe, so in general, all accommodations near the center of Venice are expensive.
However, if you are looking to save as much as possible during your trip, there are cheaper accommodation alternatives in the towns of Mestre and Marghera, where the industrial activity of Venice is located.
These two towns, which are part of the same municipality, are a popular choice for travelers looking for something more economical without being too far from the city center. Mestre, for example, is only 9 km away from Venice and can be reached by public transport in 15 minutes.
For more recommendations and travel tips during your stay in Venice, don't hesitate to book a free tour of Venice with local guides in your language (available in English and Spanish).
Don't forget that to discover the must-see sites in Venice and the many tourist attractions it offers, you need to be prepared to walk, so don't forget to wear comfortable shoes before joining a walking tour.
By Irene Lara
In this article we show you what to see in Venice in two days and other interesting places to visit in the surrounding area.
1. The Grand Canal
Traveling by boat along one of the most spectacular canals in the world is an experience worth having at least once in a lifetime. By taking vaporetto no. 1 from Piazzale Roma you can look down the extraordinary Grand Canal all the way to Piazza San Marco. The best pastime is to sit and watch the maritime traffic and the majestic palaces and churches built over four centuries that surround its banks.
The Grand Canal marks the division of the city; on its eastern side are the neighborhoods of Cannaregio, Castello and San Marco, while on the west are the neighborhoods of Dorsoduro, San Polo and Santa Croce. This impressive canal was the main route for merchants heading to Rialto, one of the first areas of the lagoon to be inhabited and now popular for its market.The buildings built along the Grand Canal feature all the Venetian architectural styles. Just above Rialto is Ca' D'Oro, considered one of the most elegant Gothic palaces in the city. The fortune of the Venetian patricians is expressed in the palace of Ca' Rezzonico, which today is a museum that allows you to delve into the eighteenth century. Without a doubt, this area is one of the best places to visit in Venice.
On the Grand Canal was also erected the International Gallery of Modern Art Ca' Pesaro, located on Santa Croce street. The gallery houses works by great contemporary artists such as Miro, Kandinsky, Klimt, Matisse and Klee, among many others.
2. Rialto Bridge
Fall in love with one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Italy and its famous bridge over the Grand Canal. Discover the traditional scenery of its markets to feel like a real Venetian. It is advisable to buy food at the Rialto market and its specialized stores, where it is easy to find people bargaining mainly for fresh fish and seafood.3. Piazza San Marco
Entering the Piazza (Square) San Marco is one of the best things to do in Venice. It is known as the historic heart of the city, and blends Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Amazing museums and elegant stores surround the imposing square, which also has two historic cafes, characterized by their luxurious interiors: Caffè Florian and Caffè Quadri. If you are traveling to Venice in high season, be sure to visit these places early in the morning or late in the afternoon, as they tend to be very crowded.In Piazza San Marco you will also find Venice's main museum, the Correr Museum. It is the best place to learn in depth about the history of the city over the centuries. The museum houses works of art, maps, documents and ancient objects that reflect the daily life of the Venetians.
4. Basilica of San Marco
The Byzantine-Venetian Basilica of San Marco is a spectacular medieval building, full of interior mosaics and with a majestic dome. It is advisable to visit early in the morning, before the queues build up, and once inside, take time to contemplate the monumental beauty of this building and its views.5. Ducal Palace
The Basilica of San Marco is attached to the Doge's Palace, an architectural marvel in Gothic style with a luxurious interior. For art lovers, it is one of the best places to see in Venice.
Important Venetian artists of the 16th century were commissioned to decorate the halls of this sophisticated civic building illustrating the history of the city. Reaching the palace involves a half-hour vaporetto ride or a 45-minute walk from the train station.Separated from the palace by a canal is Europe's most elegant prison, Piombi, where Venetian criminals enjoyed the many amenities it offered. The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) is a baroque construction that allows crossing this canal. According to legend, once prisoners crossed the bridge, they never returned. Don't leave Venice without taking a picture on the most photographed bridge in the city.
6. Accademia Gallery
If you go into the Dorsoduro district you will find the Accademia Gallery, which exhibits the best Venetian painting in three historic buildings. Made up of 24 rooms, the gallery contains one of the largest collections of specialized art in the world. The visit to the Accademia will take you a couple of hours, so it is advisable to take a map when you enter.
7. Murano and Burano
A tour to Murano and Burano from Venice is a great idea if you want to visit the lagoon islands. Plus, you can explore them on this free tour that will take you on a walking tour of the most beautiful sites.
Dwellings in Burano.Burano has colorful houses and small canals full of boats, as this picturesque island thrived as a fishing community. In the mornings Burano offers a fish market that you should not miss. In addition, you can savor delicious dishes in the fish restaurants of Via Galuppi, the main street.
The island of Murano is known for being the center of the Venetian glass industry of the 18th century. This island is the ideal place to buy glass or watch master craftsmen show their skill with the flame, modeling and blowing.
For its part, Murano has a miniature Grand Canal, palaces and beautiful churches, of which you should not miss the basilica of Santa Maria e Donato.
It is advisable to go by boat to the Colonna (or lighthouse) to discover the island and embark again in Venier, located at the other end of the main channel.
Canals of Murano.8. Torcello
Torcello is a marshy island inhabited only by Venetian workers that has only one channel. The majestic Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, the oldest building in the lagoon, and the Romanesque church of Santa Fosca, are must-sees if you decide to go to Torcello.
On another small island in the lagoon sits the Lido, known for being an elegant tourist center where the Casino and the Palace of the Venice Film Festival are located.
The best time to visit Venice
Although Venice is a city in which there is practically no low season, it is advisable to avoid traveling between June and September, when it is full of crowds of tourists.Early autumn is an ideal time to visit Venice, as it is less crowded, and during this season the city has a pleasant climate, drier and with less rain than in winter.
Spring (March to May) is also a good time to travel to the city of canals, when you can enjoy more daylight hours and the weather is warmer.
However, try to avoid your trips to coincide with days of continuous rain, as the rising tide causes flooding of low-lying areas that make it very difficult to move around the city.
Where to sleep in Venice
If you are planning a trip to Venice, it is best to book accommodation well in advance and, if possible, not too far from a vaporetto stop. Venice is one of the busiest tourist spots in Europe, so in general, all accommodations near the center of Venice are expensive.
However, if you are looking to save as much as possible during your trip, there are cheaper accommodation alternatives in the towns of Mestre and Marghera, where the industrial activity of Venice is located.
These two towns, which are part of the same municipality, are a popular choice for travelers looking for something more economical without being too far from the city center. Mestre, for example, is only 9 km away from Venice and can be reached by public transport in 15 minutes.
For more recommendations and travel tips during your stay in Venice, don't hesitate to book a free tour of Venice with local guides in your language (available in English and Spanish).
Don't forget that to discover the must-see sites in Venice and the many tourist attractions it offers, you need to be prepared to walk, so don't forget to wear comfortable shoes before joining a walking tour.
By Irene Lara
18
October,
2019
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