Travel Europe Tours To See Venice In A Day

Many people try to see Venice in a day. Time and money are often short when you're traveling, so you want to get to as many places as you can. You really shouldn't see Venice just in daylight.... a day and a night maybe. Or two nights and a day.

Venice really is a small town. You can walk right across it from the train depot to St. Mark's Square in less than an hour... but that would be if you were just walking and not looking, and what you really want to do is stroll and SEE Venice.... La Serenissima herself is the main attraction.

The first time we went to Venice, we arrived by train at night and stayed near the train station. As soon as we settled in, we hit the street and started walking. To see Venice by street light is magical. Narrow winding streets.... Blue and red stripped "barber poles" holding boats and gondolas on the canals.... Little arching bridges to cross....

Don't worry too much about your direction or getting lost.... Follow those signs that say "Per Rialto" or "Per St. Mark's"... (Per Rialto means the direction for Rialto Bridge; Per St. Mark's means... well, you get it...). Sometimes the signs "Per St. Mark's" point in BOTH directions.... isn't that wonderful! Wander where you want! All of the day trippers have gone home in the evening, and the narrow streets are all yours and so romantic!

Do what we did and wander all the way to St. Mark's Square. If you don't want to spring for an expensive drink at one of the cafes on the square, buy a gelato on a side street, then stand in the square and enjoy the dueling orchestras playing sentimental old favorites.

In the morning, try to see St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. You probably won't have time to go up the Campanile for the view with only a day, but it's your choice.... if you only have a day, you'll be back.

Stroll the streets, shopping along the way. There are lots of wonderful expensive things to buy in Venice, but there are some affordable Italian fashions too... and what better, easily packable souvenir could you ask for than some flamboyant Italian creation?

Find a table at one of the restaurants along the Grand Canal with a view of the Rialto Bridge for lunch. Yes, it's touristy... it has been touristy for centuries, so you are in good company.

In the afternoon try to sample some of the art... at the Church of the Frari or the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Or if you're interested in the history of Venice, you could venture into the Museo Correr. If you want to see one of the grand palazzi that line the Grand Canal, see the Ca' Rezzonico, the museum of 19th century Venice.

When you get all the way to one end of Venice, take a vaporetto to the other end... you'll never tire of seeing Venice from the water, watching all those palazzi glide by. It takes on a different look in the morning, in the afternoon, at night.

Choose a romantic canal-side restaurant for dinner... or a wonderful little trattoria down an alley. Take a gondola ride before or after dinner. Who cares if it's touristy? Your gondolier will sing for you, tell you where Marco Polo lived... and you'll love it.

Go to a concert in the evening... there are chamber orchestras all over vying for your money. Or just go back to St. Mark's square and listen to those dueling orchestras again.

Two nights and a day will let you see Venice in the short time you have... and by having one or two nights there, you'll be able to savor it with fewer crowds..... how romantic!

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