The Perfect 2 Days Venice Itinerary – The Complete Guide
So you are planning a longer Italy itinerary and would love to spend 2 days in Venice, but you don’t know where to start?
If you are wondering if two days is enough, let me say that with a good itinerary, you could see most of the important tourist attractions.
I have been to Venice several times and will help you plan the perfect 2 days in Venice itinerary.
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Table of Contents
- 2 days in Venice itinerary – everything you should know
2 days in Venice itinerary – everything you should know
There is something special about Venice, from the beautiful old cafes to the luxurious hotels and the history-packed streets and buildings.
Where to stay in Venice
While accommodation in Venice is not cheap, you can find good options if you know where to look.
Venice neighborhoods in a nutshell
Before choosing where to stay in Venice, you should have an overview of the city’s neighborhoods.
If you are traveling on a budget, you will want to stay in Venezia Mestre, a different city 10 minutes away from Venice.
Cannareggio is near the Santa Lucia train station and extends to the Rialto Bridge. It is a bit less crowded than the city center but is also packed with restaurants, shops, squares, and canals.
Castello is where you will want to stay if you like peace. There won’t be quite as many restaurants to choose from, but you will get to taste the authentic Italian way of living. It is also the place to be if you plan a day trip to Murano and Burano.
San Marco and San Polo are the city’s heart, with most essential landmarks and crowds. As expected, these are also the most touristy and expensive places you could stay in in Venice.
Santa Croce will set you along the Canal Grande and not too far from the train station. Dorsoduro is a less-explored area where you might find value-for-money accommodation options.
Luxury Hotels
Hotel Danieli a Luxury Collection. It had to be at the top of the list, just because it is one of the most famous hotels in Venice. A few minutes away from San Marco Square and Grand Canal, the hotel has a rooftop terrace from where you can enjoy your drink with the Doge’s Palace insight. Have I convinced you yet?
JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa. Stay on your private island in Venice. Does that sound like a dream? And yet, it can come true if you book a room at this beautiful resort on the Island of Roses (Isola Delle Rose).
Mid-Range Hotels
Hotel Antiche Figure. The hotel has a charming Venetian flavor and is only a few minutes from the Venice Santa Lucia train station. Moreover, it comes with an affordable price tag. By Venetian standards, that is. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have a room overlooking the canal.
Hotel Olimpia Venice, BW Signature Collection. It is a nice hotel with an enchanting garden where you can enjoy an authentic Italian breakfast. Guests have rated it as “great value for money.” Choose to stay here when you travel as a couple or with your family because they have different rooms. The hotel is hidden in Santa Croce, where crowds won’t bother you.
Budget Hotels
Chiara Lodge. Only a few minutes’ walk from Venezia Mestre Railway Station, you can stay in an authentic Italian villa and live like a local while still seeing one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Booking.comHow to get to Venice
Venice is one of the most visited towns in the world, not only in Italy, so you can imagine how easily reached it should be. In fact, Venice is served by two important international airports, two train stations, and boat buses.
Getting to Venice by Plane
If you travel by plane, you’ll probably land at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) or Treviso Airport (TSF).
From Marco Polo Airport, there are a few easy ways to get to your hotel in Venice:
- Water Taxi Transfer. There will be enough space for your luggage, and the taxi will take you to your hotel. However, you will have to share the ride with other tourists. Book your transfer here!
- Bus to Venice City Center. Taking the shuttle bus offers the best cost/benefit ratio. However, you will have to walk from Piazzale Roma to your hotel. Book your bus ticket here!
- Private Water Taxi Transfer. If you would rather travel alone and are in Venice for a special occasion, you will want to splurge on a private transfer. Book your transfer here!
- By Public Transportation. Bus number 5 connects Marco Polo airport to Venice city center in Piazzale Roma. The other option by bus would be the ATVO blue bus, which is much faster since it doesn’t make additional stops along the way. Alilaguna is the public water bus that will take you to Piazza San Marco.
While Treviso Airport is located further away from the city (roughly 40 kilometers away), it is still well-connected to Venice, and getting to the town is not difficult.
- Express Bus. It is one of the cheapest options, so you should look into this. Book your transfer here!
- Airport shuttle bus to Mestre Train station, and from there to Venezia Santa Lucia by train
- ATVO bus. The public bus makes several stops, goes through Venezia Mestre, stops at the Santa Lucia train station, and ends in Piazzale Roma. See timetables here!
Are you traveling by car? Can you drive in Venice?
If you have planned for a longer itinerary around Italy and are planning to rent a car, you might want to do that after visiting Venice. That’s because no vehicles are allowed inside the city.
Another option is to choose a hotel with parking facilities on the outskirts of Venice. You can also stay in Venezia Mestre, from where you can get to the city by train.
Getting to Venice by Train
This is another easy option if you travel from other towns in Italy. All trains will take you to Venezia Mestre; from there, you can take the train to Venice Santa Lucia.
How to get around Venice
As mentioned above, cars are not allowed inside the city, so you won’t have many options for getting around Venice.
The good news is that the city is not so big that you can walk to the most important tourist attractions.
On the other hand, various lines of “water buses” will take you anywhere you want, even to different islands.
The best option would be to get the Venice Public Transport Pass for 48 hours. This pass gives you unlimited use of public transport (ACTV Vaporetti and buses) in Venice, Lido, and train R and RV in the municipality of Venice.
When is the best time to visit Venice?
Choosing the best time for your vacation is extremely important, especially in Italy. Unfortunately, you cannot skip the crowds in a place like Venice, but you can choose a period with excellent weather.
I wouldn’t go during winter or summer. Temperatures are either too low or too high. Being on the water, Venice has a humid climate, and you will feel both extremes more intensely.
April, May, and October might be the perfect months for me when it comes to visiting Venice.
The Carnival usually takes place during February, but needless to say, Venice gets incredibly crowded on those days, and prices skyrocket. On top of that, the weather is cold, and you cannot enjoy the city to the fullest.
Are 2 days in Venice enough?
Ideally, you should spend 2 nights in Venice to fully enjoy your 2 days in Venice.
Of course, if you want to see other attractions, you might want to add an extra day. But fret not—two full days are enough to cover the main sights.
The Venice Pass
What is the Venice Pass, and should you consider getting one?
Whether you spend your money on the pass or not depends a lot on the number of tourist attractions, you plan to visit during your stay.
If you would only like to see 1 or 2, it would be cheaper to get individual tickets. However, if you want to see most of the included attractions, you will save overall.
What does the Venice Pass include?
- Skip The Line entrance to St. Mark’s Basilica
- Access to Pala D’Oro
- Skip The Line entrance to St. Mark’s Museum
- Access to the terrace with an overview of St. Mark’s Square
- An audio guide
- 30-minute shared gondola ride
- 20 minutes walking tour
- Access to the Doge’s Palace
- Access to Bridge of Sighs
- Access to the Archaeological Museum Marciana National Library and other places
Things to do in 2 days in Venice
Day 1
Start your day with a coffee at Caffe Florian
It is one of the most Instagrammable cafes in Venice, set in the perfect location right in Piazza San Marco. You couldn’t have a better start to the day.
It will impress you to know that this is the oldest coffee shop in Europe, opened at the end of 1720. Start your day with some specialties that have stood the test of time.
Visit the Doge’s Palace
Walking down the picturesque streets of Venice or sailing its canals, it might be hard to imagine that the city was once the center of a vast empire.
For centuries, it was one of the global centers of commerce, akin to what is now New York, London, or Hong Kong.
The historical landmarks visitors see today are a testament to that glorious history. None is more symbolic of Venice’s imperial past than the Doge’s Palace.
Venice was a republic for more than a thousand years, and, as such, it was led by an elected official called the Doge. He was a kind of president per life with autocratic powers checked by the Minor Council or the Signoria.
To reflect the wealth and power of the Republic, the Venetians built a new palace for their leader in 1340, the current Doge’s Palace. Destroyed by several fires during the ages, the complex became even more impressive with each renovation and refurbishment. Today, it is one of the most recognizable landmarks globally.
As one might expect, most people flocking to Venice will want to visit the palace. Thus, if you only have 2 days in Venice, you must come prepared and book your tickets in advance.
Take a picture with the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri)
An enclosed bridge made of white limestone, the bridge’s name has a darker origin than its beautiful appearance might suggest.
Built in 1600, the bridge connects the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace with the so-called New Prison of the city. The view from the bridge was the last thing condemned prisoners would see before their execution, so it is said that they let out deep sighs when they crossed it. Hence the name, the Bridge of Sighs.
Visit the St. Mark’s Basilica and climb the Campanile
Attached to the Doge’s Palace, Saint Mark’s Basilica dominates the famous square with the same name.
Interestingly, the church, the plaza, and their association with Saint Mark originate in one of the most audacious break-ins recorded in history.
In 828 AD, a group of Venetian merchants stole Saint Mark’s remains from his tomb in Alexandria, Egypt. To avoid detection, they smuggled them out in a bask filled with pork meat—they knew that the Muslim customs officials wouldn’t touch the forbidden animal.
When the stolen bones arrived in Venice, the city’s leaders built a church dedicated to Saint Mark to house them.
The cathedral suffered later embellishments and renovations, the most prominent adornments being acquired by another criminal act, this time against a Christian Empire.
In 1198, Muslim armies retook the holy city of Jerusalem from the Christians.
The leader of Venice, a 95-year-old blind man named Enrico Dandolo, agreed to ship the Crusaders across the sea so they could liberate the Holy Land once more.
However, after the holy warriors embarked, the dodge convinced them to fight Venice’s Christian enemies instead.
Long story short, the Venetians and their Crusader allies desecrated countless churches and sent the loot back home, including the four bronze horses that adorn Saint Mark’s Basilica today.
In a way, Saint Mark’s Basilica is both a monument to human greed and one glorifying the teachings and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Once again, I urge you to book your ticket in advance.
You have 2 options available:
Book a skip-the-line ticket with terrace access
Book a combo ticket and tour for both the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica
Go on a romantic gondola ride
If you have arrived here, don’t skip the ultimate experience: a gondola ride on the romantic canals or Venice.
You will have plenty of picture opportunities, the gondolier might enchant you with a song, and you will also get to see the city from a different perspective.
Day 2
On your second day in Venice, you will have 2 options.
Explore less popular neighborhoods, admire beautiful buildings, and visit the less famous museums. Or go on a day trip to Burano and search for some of the most photogenic corners of Venice.
I have included a list of potential attractions on the map for you to discover on your strolls through the streets of Venice.
Ca’ d’Oro
One of the older palaces in the city, Ca’d’Oro, is an impressive building on the Grand Canal’s waterfront. It was finalized in 1430 and currently functions as a museum, the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti.
Rialto Bridge
The Rialto area of Venice has been the city’s financial and trade center. It is known for its monumental markets and the very Instagramable Rialto Bridge crossing the Grand Canal.
Extra tip: Check out the Libreria Acqua Alta nearby
Ca’ Foscari
Another waterfront palace on the Grand Canal is Ca’Foscari, the palace of the Foscari family. It was erected by Doge Francesco Foscari in 1453 in the Gothic style. Today, it is the main seat of the Ca’Foscari University of Venice.
Ca’ Rezzonico
If you’d like to marvel at how the wealthy have lived in the heyday of Venice, you need to stroll along the Grand Canal, home of several palaces.
Ca’Rezzonico is a Venetian palace with an iconic marble façade overlooking the canal’s water. Built in the 18th century, it is a notable example of Venetian baroque and rococo architecture and interior decorations.
It functions as a museum dedicated to 18th-century Venice, displaying several paintings from leading local painters of the period, including Francesco Guardi and Giambattista Tiepolo.
Contarini del Bovolo Palace
Contarini del Bovolo is a small palace in Venice best known for its external multi-arched spiral staircase known as the Staircase of the Snail (Scala Contarini del Bovolo).
The staircase leads to an arcade that provides an impressive city view, so in addition to the quirky staircase, you can snap some great photo shots.
Teatro La Fenice
Considered one of the most important landmarks of Italian theater and opera, the Teatro La Fenice was the site of many premieres of works by Verdi, Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti.
Sadly, an arson attack in 1996 severely damaged the building. However, it was successfully restored and has continued to host art lovers since it reopened in 2004.
Gallerie dell’Accademia
The Art Academy of Venice was founded in 1750 and became the first institution to study art restoration. In 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte refounded the institution by imperial decree, renaming it The Royal Academy of Fine Arts.
Today, visitors can marvel at masterpieces of Venetian painting up to the 18th century, including works by Tintoretto, Canaletto, and Titian. The most famous piece in the collection is Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, albeit not permanently displayed due to its fragility.
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
Known locally as Salute (health), the Santa Maria della Salute is a Roman Catholic basilica. Given its position wedged between the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal, it is visible from the water when entering Saint Mark’s Square.
Santa Maria della Presentazione Church
Santa Maria della Prestazione is an important church in Venice, built on the waterfront of Giudecca Island. It is popularly known as La Zitelle since it used to be part of a complex that offered shelter to young maidens (zitelle in Italian) who had no dowry.
Other things worth doing in Venice
If you have more time in Venice or would like to skip some of the above attractions, rest assured there is plenty to do.
Here are some activities, museums, and attractions worth looking into:
- Go on an excursion to Murano, Burano, and Torcello. You will get there by boat and see the different sides of Venice. See more here!
- Do a wine tasting. Are you even in Italy if you haven’t tried some local wine? Each region has its specialty, and you should give Veneto wine a chance. See more here!
- Don’t feel like traveling to Murano? Visit the Murano Glass Museum in Venice. See more here!
- Get lost in the Borges Labyrinth
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So many helpful tips and information for 2-day trip to Venice.