Venice is built on more than 100 small islands, interconnected by over 400 bridges, in the Venetian Lagoon. It’s a city of canals and to get around one must walk or take a boat. There are no cars. Strolling through the back alleyways lining the quiet canals is probably the best way to enjoy the real Venice away from the hustle and bustle of the masses of tourists arriving by cruise ship. Of course, you will want to explore the area around Piazza San Marco and sail along the Grand Canal.
With its Renaissance and Gothic palaces, winding canals, and charming little bridges, one word that comes to mind when I think of Venice is romance. And a fun way to explore the city’s back canals is to splurge and take a gondola tour. What’s more romantic than being serenated by a gondolier while enjoying the sites?
With 4 days in Venice we had time to see the city’s main attractions and even venture out to some of the islands in the area.
The Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge
The Grand Canal is Venice’s most popular waterway and a highlight of any visit to the City of Water. It’s lined with historical Venetian palaces, former homes of the ruling classes, and many of the city’s must-see attractions are located along the Grand Canal.
The Rialto Bridge is the most famous and the oldest of four bridges spanning over the Grand Canal. This famous stone bridge dates back to the 16th century and is a popular gathering point to enjoy the sunset. It’s also lined with shops in a similar fashion as Ponte Vecchio in Florence.
An inexpensive way to take in the views along the Grand Canal and to get around in Venice is to hop on a vaporetto (water bus).
Places to see around St. Marks’s Square
St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
Piazza San Marco is the largest and most popular square in Venice and has been a gathering place for centuries. It’s a hub for some of Venice’s most important attractions. This is where you’ll find St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, the Campanile and the Clock Tower. There are also a few museums, as well as restaurants, cafes and shops.
However, it can get very crowded at times, especially when there are multiple cruise ships in port. If you can, go early in the morning or in the evening.
St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica San Marco)
St. Mark’s Basilica is a top attraction in Venice. The current church was built in the 11th century. It has splendid domes, arches and glittering golden mosaics. Do pay extra to visit the museum and see the bronze horses and get a fantastic view of Piazza San Marco from the loggia. Get there early or go later in the afternoon when it’s less crowded.
St. Mark’s Campanile
The Campanile is a recognizable symbol of Venice. The bell tower dates back to 1514, but after it collapse in 1902, it was rebuilt in 1912. It’s 325 feet tall and from the top you can see spectacular vistas of the city and lagoon. It’s also an excellent vantage point to get a bird’s eye-view of the basilica’s domes. No need to climb lots of stairs as there is an elevator to get to the top.
St. Mark’s Clocktower (Torre dell’Orologio)
Another highlight around St. Mark’s Square, is the Clock Tower. It’s a Renaissance building with a mechanical clock that indicates the time, phase of the moon, and sign of the Zodiac. There’s also a statue of a winged lion holding a Bible, symbol of the city of Venice, on the façade of the clock tower.
To visit the interior and get a closer look at the two bronze statues on the top terrace, you must take a guided tour. It’s worth it to get a closer look at the intricate clock that still marks the hours in Piazza San Marco. You should reserve in advance since space is limited. The tickets are available at the Correr Museum or online.
Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale)
The Doge’s Palace is one of the most visited places in Venice. It’s located next to St. Mark’s Basilica and well worth the visit. It was the official residence of the Doge of Venice and home to the government and justices. It’s now a museum where you can visit among other things the luxurious apartments, courtyard, and prisons. This is also where you will find the famous Bridge of Sighs where the condemned had their final look at the sky and the sea before they were imprisoned or executed.
The best spot to view the Bridge of Sighs is from Ponte della Paglia, which is located to the right of the Doge’s Palace. Also, if you’re interested in taking the Secret Itineraries Tour you must reserve well in advance.
Museums to see in Venice:
There are plenty of galleries and museums in Venice to choose from. These are the ones we visited:
The Correr Museum contains a collection of Venetian artworks and also has exhibits about the history of Venice. It’s located around St. Mark’s Square.
The Gallerie dell’Accademia is an art museum housing 13th to 18th century paintings. I think our favorite painting was Veronese’s Feast in the House of Levi which was highly controversial at the time. The artist had included buffoons, dwarfs, drunken Germans, and other oddities to a painting that was supposed to represent the Last Supper.
The Naval Historical Museum displays exhibits relating to the naval and maritime history of Venice. There were also lots of ship models, including a replica of the Doge’s ceremonial barge.
Famous churches in Venice
Like many places in Italy there seems to be a church on every corner. Obviously the most popular is St. Mark’s Basilica, but there are a few others well worth visiting. Starting with the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute in the Dorsoduro neighborhood. It’s a Baroque church with a spectacular dome that dates back to the 1600s.
Another prominent church is the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore which is located on its own little island. It’s a massive church built between 1566 and 1610. We also liked the Basilica dei Frari and Church of Saint Roch in San Polo and the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Castello.
Islands to visit around Venice
It’s easy to get from one island to another with the water bus network (vaporetti). We were able to visit Murano, Torcello, Burano and Mazzorbo in one day since these islands were all on the same ferry line. Another day we went to Lido to check it out.
Murano
The island of Murano is famous for its glass making. Many visitors come to see glassblowers’ artisans at work and to visit the Glass Museum. Others come to shop for locally made souvenirs.
Please be aware that free excursions offered by your hotel concierge come with pressure to buy glass pieces at inflated prices. So, we recommend that you get there on your own with the ferry. It’s easy and this way you can also visit some of the other islands.
Torcello
Torcello’s main attraction is the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. It’s an ancient basilica that dates back to 639. Its most important features are the beautiful golden mosaics, which are some of the earliest mosaics found in the area.
Burano
Burano is known for its picturesque colorful houses and for its handmade lace. It’s a good place to buy lace products like linens and clothing, and you can learn about the history of lacemaking at the Lace Museum. There’s also plenty of restaurants to choose from serving fresh seafood from the lagoon.
Mazzorbo
The quiet island of Mazzorbo is also known as the island of the cats. So, of course as cat lovers we had to go check it out. But I can’t say that we saw many felines during our visit! It was nice and peaceful and easy to get to from Burano since there’s a bridge that connect the two islands.
Lido
This is the island of the resorts and beaches. It’s easy to get to using the water bus and you can plan to spend a few hours here perhaps having a nice lunch.
Conclusion
With four days in Venice we had plenty of time to see what we wanted to see. We highly recommend venturing out from the most popular attractions to go visit some of Venice’s lesser visited neighborhoods.
We were staying in the Castello district where it was quieter than San Marco, but yet less than a 10 minutes’ walk to St. Mark’s Square and only 2 minutes away from the closest vaporetto stop. It was ideal.
We arrived in Venice by train from Milan and took a vaporetto to get to our hotel. There are no cars in Venice, so traveling light is a good idea, unless you want to lug your suitcases over multiples staircases to get to your hotel.
See our post: How to Travel with Only a Carry-on
If you are visiting by cruise ship, choose a cruise that leaves or ends in Venice. There’s simply too much to see in only one day and once the cruise ships leave the atmosphere changes.
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