Venice is called “The Floating City”, “The City of Masks”, “Queen of the Adriatic”, “The City of Canals”, and “The City of Bridges” and justifies all these names.
Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world. The moment you exit the Venezia. S. Lucia station, it’s a whole new world. Everything about Venice is so amazing; the gondola, the narrow streets, and the canals. I was awed and it was love at first sight. I couldn’t help but jump around with joy.
Venice is flooded with tourists and you can’t walk without being rubbing the shoulders. I feel this is the best part of Venice. This place is so amazingly beautiful and no wonder it attracts over 15 million tourists every year.
Our journey started in Stuttgart. Since we booked the flight tickets a few months before our travel, the price was just 30€. Using Skyscanner, find low-cost tickets easily, provided you book in advance. Find more ultimate tips to find cheap flights in my blogs.
After an hour’s journey, we reached Aeroporto di Treviso A. Canova, an international airport located 1.6 km away from the city of Treviso and approximately 31 km away from Venice. Read my blog on ‘3 ways to reach Venice from Treviso airport‘
Tip: Don’t forget to punch your train tickets at the machines every time you travel.
Blog Contents
Things to do in Venice
1. Grand Canal
The Grand Canal is the main and largest canal in Venice amidst 100’s of canals. There are many historical buildings on the banks of the Canal from the 13th century.
It is a feast to view the water traffic from the Ponte Degli Scalzi bridge.
2. Vaporetto Ride
Vaporetto is an efficient transportation system in Venice. The Vaporetto ride is not mandatory. We did not opt for this ride as we thought it was not worth.
It is just overrated and the water taxis were too crowded. It’s just like any other boat ride and doesn’t give the essence of Venice.
However, we thoroughly enjoyed seeing them sail. We felt Venice is best explored on foot.
3. Gondola ride
Venice is best known for traditional longboat – the Gondola. Gondolas are the best way to enjoy the narrow and calm canals which can’t be reached on foot.
The prices are fixed, 80€ for a 40-minute ride and 100€ after 19.00 hours. Up to 6 people can share the gondolas.
I suggest that you walk a little inside and then take a boat. If you take a ride near the main canal, then there are chances that you can’t explore the narrow canals.
Gondolas are expensive for a reason. They give you a royal feeling when you sit on those bright red-coloured seats. You will feel special and the treatment is also royal.
The rider will take you back in time explaining the history of Venice and all the bridges that you would come across. It’s a one time experience.
4. Ponte di Rialto
The most iconic and must-visit Bridge in Venice which connects the San Marco and San Polo districts. The bridge gives the best view of Venice.
There were so many tourists that we had to wait until the people in front of us finished clicking pictures.
5. Bridge of Sighs
Another historic bridge that connects Prigioni Nuove and Doge’s Palace. This is another major tourist attraction which is on the way to St.Mark’s Square.
6. St.Mark’s Square
It is the most famous piazza in Venice. It’s a beautiful place to visit with many old buildings with spectacular architecture. You can spend an hour walking around the square.
7. St.Mark’s Basilica
It is a religious building in Venice built in 1092 and is located in St.Mark‘s Square. Entry ticket prices are available on the Basilica Sanmarco website.
8. Doge’s Palace
Another spectacular building in St.Mark‘s Square. Tickets and guided tours are available and it is recommended to pay a visit to admire the grand interiors and architecture.
9. San Marco Campanile
This tallest structure gives the best panoramic view of the entire city. You can reach the top with an elevator. The regular price is 8€ and the reduced price is 4€.
This is how we spent half a day with many exciting things to do in Venice. We strolled not-so-famous streets, enjoyed the famous Gelato ice creams, and watched the street artist’s performance. They were beautiful.
We continued our day and also visited the three island tour- Murano, Torcello and Burano. I recommend this tour to have a complete Venice experience.
Once we were done with the must-visit locations and the 3-island tour, we walked along to explore the narrow streets and admired the canals. We had a meal at a restaurant by the Grand Canal munching on delicious pizzas, lasagna along with some wine. Watching the sunset was the perfect way to end our day in Venice. It truly was romantic.
Tip: Most of the restaurants charge a whopping 10% Service charge and force you to buy a mandatory drink. Enquire before you order.
Overall experience: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5.
Time of visit: June 2019
”Collect moments not things” – Anonymous