24/08/2026
🇮🇹 VENICE — first time? Here’s your list.
✓ St. Mark’s Square — the obvious place to start. Come early for a quieter experience.
✓ St. Mark’s Basilica — go inside for the golden mosaics. It’s much more impressive than the exterior suggests.
✓ Pala d’Oro — inside St. Mark’s Basilica; a spectacular golden Byzantine altarpiece covered in precious stones.
✓ St. Mark’s Campanile — take the lift to the top for one of the best views over Venice.
✓ Doge’s Palace — walk through the grand rooms, cross the Bridge of Sighs and see the old prison cells. One of the best places to understand Venice’s history.
✓ Bridge of Sighs — you’ll see it from outside, but walking through it as part of the Doge’s Palace visit is even better.
✓ Rialto Bridge — Venice’s most famous bridge. Go early or around sunset for the best atmosphere.
✓ Grand Canal — take Vaporetto Line 1 and sit outside if you can. It’s basically a sightseeing tour for the price of a public transport ticket.
✓ Gondola ride — iconic, but expensive. If you just want the experience of crossing the Grand Canal by traditional boat, take a traghetto for around €2.
✓ Santa Maria della Salute — beautiful Baroque church at the entrance to the Grand Canal. Walk around Punta della Dogana for great views.
✓ Dorsoduro — one of the best areas to simply walk around, with quieter streets, canals and good bars.
✓ Venice at night — stay out after dinner. Once the day-trippers leave, the city feels completely different.
OPTIONAL — if you have more time:
✓ Accademia — for Venetian art.
✓ Cannaregio — quieter streets, canals and good places for dinner.
✓ Libreria Acqua Alta — quirky bookshop and a quick fun stop.
✓ Murano — famous for glassmaking.
✓ Burano — colourful houses and canals; worth the half-day trip if you have time.
Save this for your first trip to Venice. 🇮🇹
