3 Days in Venice
My second favorite place to visit on our 10 country trip through Europe was Venice! We ended up spending 3 days in Venice and it was such a unique, chill and beautiful experience. We took Flixbus which was a super convenient and cheap way to get around Europe, I will create a video review and blog post about that later.
The route we took through the 10 countries we visited made it impossible for me to travel too far South in Italy without canceling another country or two off the list. As much as I would have like to visit Rome or Tuscany on this trip I feel fulfilled with the amazing experiences we had in Venezia.
During our 3 days in Venice, we covered some serious ground and even got some amazing aerial footage with my drone. The weather could not have been better, it was a solid 30° and clear skies the entire time we were there. Considering we went in the middle of September it felt like Summer, which made our exploring and boating around that much more enjoyable.
Below I will cover our basic 3 days Venice Itinerary.
Arriving in Venice
When you get to Venice you will likely be brought directly to the Venezia Tronchetto, this is where you can take a Vaporetto (water ferry) out to San Marco and most other areas. The costs start at around $7 for a one hour ticket and $20 for day tickets, more on that here. You will most likely be dropped off on Riva Degli Schiavoni, which is the main southern waterfront road in San Marco.
Day 1
We spent our first day wandering around San Marco, you know, getting a lay of the land. As you can see below, there is a lot going on here with like a million alleyways to explore.
There is no shortage of opportunities to take pictures in this beautiful city.
I swear it took us hours to get around our first day as we walked aimlessly exploring different alleys and waterways in seemingly every direction.
Don’t forget to stretch! Venice makes for some pretty extensive walking is the only way to get around, you wouldn’t want to get a cramp.
Speaking of walking around, that makes me hungry! Don’t forget to have some of the many amazing and delicious local Italian restaurant which can be found throughout. If you’re in a rush or just want to grab a slice, you can’t go wrong with the Pizza here.
As mentioned before, and which can also be attested to by others who have visited this lovely land, there are countless unique photo opportunities in seemingly timeless locations everywhere.
One Minute you’re wall to wall walking in narrow alleyways, the next minute you’re literally surrounded by water.
Try and make some time to just explore and get your sense of direction. Don’t overthink too much and just enjoy the experience of being there. We found most of the time to either follow the crowd or follow the water, either way will lead you to a new experience.
Day 2
Our second day was a bit more organized as I made a general plan of the direction and some of the sights I intended on seeing while we were there.
Basilica di San Marco
Located next to Monumento Tetrarchi and across the courtyard from Doge’s Palace, you will find the magnificent Basilica di San Marco. Also known as St. Mark’s.
Ponte Dell’ Accademia
The Ponte dell ‘ Accademia is one of only four bridges to span the Grand Canal in Venice and will get you over to the Southwestern part of San Groce.
Basilica Santa Maria
Over in the southwestern part of the San Groce peninsula is the Basilica Santa Maria which is a prominent monument from almost anywhere on the opposite side of the Grand Canal.
Doges Palace
Formerly the Doge’s residence and the seat of Venetian government, the Palace is the very symbol of Venice and a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
Punta Della
During the fifteenth century, developments in Venice’s commercial activities led to the Sea Customs House but now is occasionally open to the public as an art exhibit.
Da Vinci’s Museum
Visit the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in the heart of Venice where you can discover the great artist’s life, his projects, and his works.
Venice Secrets
For those interested in learning about the darkest of the dark sides of Venetian history, then come here for some basic training in medieval torture.
Waterfront
Along the Riva Degli Schiavoni Waterfront, you can find all kinds of performers, vendors, and snacks while you go from place to place and pier to pier.
St. George’s Church
This is the only Anglican church in Venice and one of the few non-catholic denominational churches located in the city.
Street Performers
As I’ve mentioned there are many people pulling stunts and performances around to make a couple euro, from giving you overpriced handfuls of seeds to feed the pigeons to dressing up in audacious outfits, be careful to not let some charge you too much. The police routinely clear these people out on their rounds just to have them return when they are out of sight. If you plan on participating I usually offer half of their asking price for silly things like pictures or bread crumbs, if they get pushy or rude you can always just walk away as there is typically no obligation to pay, unless you are taking merchandise of course because that is called theft, lol.
Day 3
After two incredible days of walking around Venice, it was time to take a traditional Gondola Ride.
Small Canal
Regardless of where you start, you will begin your Gondola Tour in the small canals of the respective area you boarded.
There are over 400 bridges in Venice, scattered throughout transcending their elaborate waterways.
As you gently glide around with your Gondolier, he will share various facts about the history, architecture and, lifestyle in Venice.
I saw one tour even had its own personal accordion player for their groups.
Big Canal
After exiting the main network of small canals you will end up in the Grand Canal, which is the primary access point for all traffic in Venice.
The unique and privileged experience you get on one of these Gondola rides is truly one of a kind.
In the smaller canals, the water is calmer so it’s much easier to move around the boat and switch places for pics.
When you get out to the Grand Canal the water gets rougher as there are many motorized boats passing by in either direction.
This was probably one of my most favorite “touristy” things I’ve ever done, but at 80 euro for only a half an hour it’s no wonder a local joked with me about how “those (gondolier) guys are the richest ones in Venice”. Showing up and leaving whenever they want, the price can conveniently be rounded up to 100 euro if you’re feeling generous or if you received extraordinary service.
Departing Venice
As your trip comes to an end, you will want to make sure and board a ferry at whatever location is most convenient for you. These are typically crammed with people so make sure you stay together and don’t get off on the wrong exit like some people I know! ; )
3 Days in Venice Video
Venezia Map
3 Days in Venice
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