Venice is a city that needs little introduction. It’s canals, bridges and historic buildings have charmed travelers for a long time now. In my opinion there is no better way to discover Venice than to get lost in its idyllic labyrinth of streets and waterways. However if you don’t want to miss out on specific landmarks a Venice itinerary can come in handy. No trip to Venice is complete without visiting Murano and Burano, the nearby islands where Venetian glass and lace are made, so make sure to add these to your to-do list as well.
Piazza San Marco
As many of Venice’s main attractions are located upon the Piazza San Marco, it’s a great starting point for your walk around the city. Piazza San Marco was named after the patron saint of Venice, San Marco, whose winged lion symbol is everywhere. If you arrive by Vaporetto boat you will most likely enter the famous square piazza via the Piazetta San Giovanni XXIII, which is known for its lion statues.
Piazza San Marco is dominated by the Basilica di San Marco, Venice’s main church. The outside of the basilica is a combination of different building styles, which is really nice to see. The basilica is probably best known for its mosaics. The floor, walls, and ceiling are all covered with them, and they’re wonderful. The entrance is free, but because of that, the lines are always very long. If you don’t want to wait in line, I suggest you buy the tickets online. It only costs € 2 per person.
The Campanile is 98,5 meters high. Up there you have a wonderful view on the domes of the basilica, San Giorgio Maggiore Island and the rest of the city. The bell tower was built in 1173 as a lighthouse for the Venetian sailors. In 1902 the original tower collapsed, so today you’ll find a replica on the square.
The Palazzo Ducale was the former residence of the Doge of Venice and the seat of the Venetian government. This gothic style palace was built between 1309 and 1424, but the foundations date back to the 9th century. Today it’s part of the Civic Museums of Venice network.
The Bridge of Sighs, built in 1614, connects Palazzo Ducale to the New Prisons. The name of the bridge refers to the sighs of prisoners who, passing from the courtroom to their cell, took a last look at the outside world.
Canal Grande & Rialto Bridge
Canal Grande is the main canal of Venice. You’ll find plenty of beautiful Venetian palaces along the canal, such as the Ca’ d’Oro and the Ca’ Rezzonico, which are both museums now.
The famous Rialto Bridge is a 400 year old, stone bridge. The area around it, is the most important part in town for trade, as it’s the most high up part of the city. Every morning from Tuesday to Saturday the Campo della Pescheria or Rialto Market is taking place. Upon this lovely market you can find fresh, international and local fish, fruits and vegetables. This market is very popular with both tourists and locals, so it’s always very busy.
One of the most romantic and most expensive ways to discover the Canal Grande is during a Gondola ride. The prestigious Gondolas have been a Venetian tradition for more than 600 years. It takes about three years to become a professional gondolier. A century ago there were still 20.000 gondoliers, today they’re only 500 left. I really believe that a gondola ride is an unique way to experience Venice, but it’s really expensive. It costs about € 80 for half an hour. Maybe if I would have been there for a special, romantic occasion I would have gladly done it, but as I was there with my friend, we decided to skip that and explore the city by Vaporetto instead.
Carnival of Venice
Carnevale is one of the biggest celebrations in Italy, and it’s commonly known that no place does it like Venice! Unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to experience it myself, but I would love to! The beautiful masks, masquerade balls… that Venetian fairytale really takes you back in time doesn’t it? Luckily for me there were plenty of stores that sell the handmade masks, so I was able to have a sense of that after all. The tradition of masking leads all the way back to 1268. By the time of the Renaissance, masks became the symbol of Venetian carnevale celebrations and that tradition still lives on today.
Murano
If you have some time to spare, I can only recommend a trip to the islands. Murano is the closest one from Venice, and the most famous one. While its been inhabited since the Roman days, the island only became important since 1291, when the Venetian glass ovens where moved there as a precaution against fire. Nowadays it’s worth a visit, thanks to the many glass stores and factories. If you are interested in the art of glassmaking, the Museo del Vetro might be something you like. This glass museum, showcases Venetian glass techniques over the centuries.
Campo Santo Stefano, Murano’s main square, is one of the most visited places on the island. It’s best known for the abstract blue glass starburst sculpture in the middle of the square, and the Church of St. Stephen with it’s 19th Century clock tower.
Burano
The most beautiful island of the Venetian lagoon is Burano. This little gem of a town is only a 40 minute Vaporetto boat ride away from Venice and is a place that I think everyone should visit while you’re there! Although Burano is famous for it’s lace, it’s the fairytale colored houses that draw people to the island. Originally, these bright colors were meant to guide fishermen home safe through thick fog.
Truth be told, Burano, while totally charming, doesn’t offer much in terms of sights and activities. As mentioned before, Burano is known for its lace, which has been produced there since the 16th century. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you’ll find a lot of boutiques selling lace. Personally I wasn’t really interested in all these lace goodies, so we just walked around and enjoyed the beauty this picture-perfect little town had to offer.
Venice is a captivating city. Although it’s not my Italian favorite, it’s one of these places where you should go to, at least once in a lifetime. Once again, the best way to discover the city is to go off the beaten track, and especially the crowded Piazza San Marco, and you will come across some lovely squares, streets and stores. During your time in Venice, you can’t forget about the islands. There are over a hundred scattered around the lagoon but most people will go to either Burano or Murano. And they are oh so right! We had the time to visit both, but if your time is limited, I suggest you head to my personal favorite, Burano!
Practical information Venice
- Buses and taxi’s take you from Venice Marco Polo Airport in 30 minutes to Venezia Santa Lucia Railway Station. From there you can take private taxi boats or the Vaporetto (public transportation) to your hotel.
- Currency: Euro (€)