Melo Villareal
Bucket List: Tourist Attractions and Best Places to Visit in Venice, Italy
This is among the most beautiful cities globally as it boasts romantic scenery, serene canals, historical attractions, and many things you can try out here. The city was built on a Mediterranean lagoon, filled with many medieval history and cafes that have not changed since the 18th century. Some of the top things to do in Venice are listed below.
Visit St. Mark’s Basilica
This is among the most recognized churches globally, and it was originally the Doge’s private chapel. The church is decorated with Byzantine art treasures, which are part of the booty brought back by Venetian ships after the fall of Constantinople.
The church’s highlight is the stunning golden altarpiece, the Pala d’Oro, the mosaic domes, a masterpiece of marble inlay, and the multitude of richly decorated altars. You will also like the gold reliquaries and icons in the treasury.
Go sightseeing at St. Mark’s Square.
This is one of the top things in Venice, and it is a well-known piazza. The square is situated on the grand canal opposite the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. This is a truly stunning place to visit, as it holds great importance in Venice.
You will also see many important buildings like St. Mark’s Basilica, Torre dell’ Orologio, Doge’s Palace. This is the best place to start your tour in Venice, as you will see some magnificent things.
Walk around Ponte di Rialto
This is undoubtedly the most iconic and famous, and it is among the bridges that span the impressive Grand Canal. This bridge connects the San Marco and San Polo districts of Venice, and it is an important pedestrian thoroughfare and a famous tourist attraction.
You will enjoy the detail and the bridge’s stunning design and symmetry, perfectly framing the grand canal. You will also get to buy a series of shops on the bridge which sell a range of wares from jewelry to souvenirs.
Explore Ca’ d’Oro
This is a fragile filigree made by Bartolomeo Bon, which looks lace-like to be carved of stone, and you can only wonder how the impression of this façade is covered in its original paint gold. This is one of the top things to do in Venice, as it is considered the perfect example of Venetian Gothic.
You will also be wowed by the interior as this palazzo is now used as an art museum, which is restored to provide a setting for the artworks, and you will also get to see how wealthy Venetians lived in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Walk around the Canale Grande
Venice has many canals that connect the various islands, which make up the city, and the largest of the canal is the Canale Grande. You will be amazed as the monumental canal is more like a river that passes from one side of Venice to the other and then snakes through the center in a large S bend shape.
You can walk around the canal sections while admiring the buildings that line it and watch Venice’s heavy water traffic.
Visit Santa Maria dei Miracoli
This is a masterpiece of the early Renaissance by Pietro Lombardo, and it was constructed from 1481-1489 to display a miraculous picture of the Virgin.
This is one of the best things to do in Venice, and you will be amazed by the matched colored marble, which creates delicate patterns of rosettes, octagons, circles, and crosses on the façade.
This is the best place to get married as the city’s interior is among the most beautiful.
Go sightseeing at Gallerie dell’Accademia
The museum is situated at the Ponte dell’Accademia on the Grande Canal and features a fine collection of pre-19th-century art. It features works by artists like Canaletto, Titian, and Bellini.
The museum was formerly a convent before being converted to the museum in the mid to late 1700. The museum’s highlight is the Vitruvian Man by Da Vinci and many other notable works like the Virgin and Child by Titian, Resurrection by Tintoretto, and the Battle of Lepanto Veronese.
Relax at Venice Lido
This is the best place to go if you want to relax and get away from most tourists. You can enjoy the long stretch of stunning beaches at this place.
At the Lido, there are many residential areas, restaurants, shops, and hotels that you can explore, and you will get a much calmer atmosphere on the island.
This is the best place to escape the busy streets and waterways surrounding the grand canal.
Go sightseeing at Bridge of Sighs
This is an important historic landmark and among the most viewed structures in the city. The bridge connects the Prigioni Nuove to Doge’s Palace as it passes over the Rio di Palazzo. You should ensure that you visit this landmark while you visit St. Mark’s Square.
A legend has it that criminals were taken from the Palace over the bridge while they caught their last glimpse at Venice before getting punished and imprisoned.
Visit Palazzo Rezzonico
Palazzo Rezzonico will give you a picture of life in the Baroque and Rococo periods in the 18th century. The Palace was designed and begun by Baldassare Longhena, and completed approximately 100 years later in 1750 by Giorgio Massari.
You will enjoy the interior decoration of the silk wall-coverings, Flemish tapestries, and magnificent finish details. You will also see the importance of luxury goods like clothing and fashion for the Venetian economy in the 18th century, which the museum detailed.
Ride a Vaporetto through the Grand Canal
Vaporetto is the main form of transport in Venice. To experience Venice, you must do so from the water. This is efficient and one of the quickest ways to travel the various islands of Venice.
Try and buy an extended pass to give you multiple uses, and you won’t have to worry about purchasing a ticket anytime you use one. You should ensure you travel on Vaporetto in Venice to enjoy the water traffic and sights and sounds you will encounter.
Visit San Giorgio Maggiore
This is among the smaller separate islands that connect Venice’s main canals, and this is a short distance from the Venice Basin and the Grande Canal and can be reached by private water taxi or Vaporetto.
Walk through the small harbor, see the many moored boats, explore the great church and monastery, and climb the campanile for stunning views across Venice’s central city.
Explore Torcello Island
This peaceful escape from Venice offers just that, and it is less crowded than the main areas of Venice. The island is situated far east of Venice’s central part, is nestled behind Burano, and is up to 45 minutes from Venice through a regular ferry.
Stroll through the main street of Torcello and admire the stunning canal until you reach the Church of Santa Maria Assunta with its fantastic design.
You can also visit the museum, displaying these islands’ history and the numerous restaurants and shops.
Go sightseeing at Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta
The church is situated in the Cannaregio area of Venice, and it is a fine structure, also called I Gesuiti. You will love the church’s front façade, which features several columns, intricate detail, and ornate sculptured religious figures statues.
The church was built in 1729, and the church’s highlight is Martyrdom of St. Lawrence by Titian. You will be wowed by the frescos, artwork, and gold detail covering the church’s ceiling and motif artwork, which lines the walls and columns.
Visit Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute
This is situated on the opposite side of the grand canal to St. Marks and stands out against the surrounding architecture. You will love the Baroque design, and this church was completed in 1687 and is designated as a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church.
Although the church is not as decorated as the other churches in Italy, this basilica has a great deal of symmetry, which you will be amazed by design.
Venice is a city of historical significance and gorgeous, but it is also one of its kind as it is different from the other city in Italy. You will surely love your stay in this city.
Our Top Hotel Picks for Venice
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice – Located in the popular neighborhood of San Marco near the busy area with St. Mark’s Square’s iconic monuments, high-fashion boutiques & casual snack bars. Experience a 15th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal; this lavish hotel is a 3-minute walk from the Giglio Vaporetto stop, an 8-minute walk from Piazza San Marco, and a 10-minute walk from the Bridge of Sighs.
Palazzo Veneziano – Venice Collection – Overlooking the Venetian Lagoon, this upscale hotel in a stately redbrick building is a minute’s walk from a Vaporetto stop and 2 km from both Saint Mark’s Square and the Bridge of Sighs.
The St. Regis Venice – Set on the Grand Canal, this polished hotel is a 5-minute walk from the iconic city square, Piazza San Marco. It’s a 10-minute walk from Venetian artwork at Gallerie dell’Accademia and 2 km from Venezia Santa Lucia train station.
Searching for the best hotels, resorts, and affordable flights in the nearby Cities? Check out our list of affordable Venice hotels and resorts via Agoda, Booking, or you may also see available Airbnb properties in the city.
Venice Travel and Tour Packages
To help you plan out your vacation to Venice, we listed places to visit and other amazing things to do in Venice, Italy. We also listed links to some of the best travel deals, tour packages, excellent flight deals, and accommodation options.
Venice Gondola Ride
There is only one way to see Venice, famously known as the city of water – and it is aboard a gondola on the beautiful Grand Canal.
Interesting Facts about Venice
- The city rests on 118 islands separated by 150 canals
- There are no cars in Venice
- Biking is prohibited in Venice
- Venice is known for its lace and handmade glass
- Only four bridges cross the Grand Canal
- Venice was once an independent, wealthy empire known as La Serenissima for over 1,000 years.
- Marco Polo was a Venetian; he was born in Venice in 1254
- There are 417 bridges in Venice, and 72 of those are private.
- There are 177 canals in Venice. The S-shaped Grand Canal is the biggest and splits the city in two.
- Around 350 gondolas float through the city’s canals today
- The Rialto Market is nearly 1000 years old!
- The country Venezuela was named after Venice.
- The famous Horses of St. Mark’s Basilica aren’t actually Venetian.
- More than 20 million tourists visit Venice each year
- Venice is sinking at the rate of 1-2 millimeters a year.
Want more updates about new package tours and travel guide to Venice, Italy? Follow #TeamOutofTown, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin, and Pinterest for more travel ideas.
Also read:
- Discovering The Waterways Of Venice
- Top 11 Stunning Airbnb Accommodations In Los Angeles, California
- Food Trip: Eat Like A Local In Venice, Italy
Do you have other recommended fun and exciting things to do in Venice? Please feel free to share by posting a comment below.
