What to see in Venice in 1 day on your own โ route, photo, description, map
Perhaps there is not a single European or world tourist top in which Venice would not occupy one of the first places. Travelers are attracted here by a rich history full of complex and incomprehensible intricacies, and a romantic atmosphere, and numerous architectural masterpieces, and, of course, endless canals with legendary gondolas seen here and there in the distance.
The list of famous names can be continued for quite a long time, as well as listing the sights located on numerous islands. What to see in Venice in 1 day on your own is a rather difficult question, because the travelers who come here really โdazzleโ from the abundance of everything interesting and unusual.
But we will try to offer the best route around the city. It is better to start an independent walk in the early morning, when tourists are still having breakfast in hotels, and the breathtaking aroma of coffee brewed according to the Venetian recipe is already coming from cozy cafes.
grand canal
The Grand Canal is the central Venetian street, along which the most beautiful buildings and palaces are located. True, it doesn't really look like a street in the traditional sense of the word โ there are no embankments along its entire length, and the houses have two exits โ on land and on water. That is why you can โwalkโ along such an avenue only by gondola or vaporetto. The second option is much cheaper and is ideal for those who want to save money.
Traditionally, it is the Grand Canal that is considered the central, front gate. Many years ago, merchant ships entered the city through it, today they have given way to small boats with tourists who dream of seeing Venice in all its glory and immediately, at first sight, discovering all its best sides. However, one should not think that the Grand Canal is only of interest to guests.
For the convenience of the movement of local residents, 4 bridges were thrown over it, bearing the names of Rialto, Scalzi, the Academy and the Constitution. Also, often in its waters you can meet medical, police and other โserviceโ boats. So, if there is a choice โ to see one thing, then it must certainly be the Grand Canal with its luxurious mansions, constant bustle and unique color, which is impossible to describe in words โ everyone must feel it for themselves.
Piazza San Marco
If the Grand Canal is the soul, then Piazza San Marco, located on one of its banks, can rightly be called the heart of the city. A magnificent panorama opens up to guests immediately from the pier and โฆ invariably takes your breath away. So many sights and architectural masterpieces โgatheredโ on a small patch of land that would be enough for a European town of an average hand. Here are the bell tower of San Marco, which is visible from any part of the city and is a kind of landmark for those who have gone astray, and the Doge's Palace, and St. Mark's Cathedral, and a huge library, and much more.
But still, the visiting card of San Marco is not architectural masterpieces, but numerous pigeons that are glad to every guest and are sure that they come only with peace. Piazza San Marco has managed to become not just a kind of center (although if you look geographically, this is not so), but also a visiting card. She appeared in many films, acquired a huge number of legends and, of course, managed to become a cult place among tourists.
Doge's Palace
The history of the Doge's Palace began in the distant 7th century. It was then that it was decided to unite the 12 groups of the Venetian islands into a single state, which was later called the Most Serene Republic of Venice under the leadership of a kind of Senate, consisting of 12 doges. Not surprisingly, the government soon needed a place where official receptions and internal meetings could be held.
So a magnificent palace appeared on San Marco Square. True, in the 15th century the building was destroyed by fire and a new one was erected on its site, according to a completely different project, which has survived to this day. It should be noted that it looks really impressive โ the architects, who sought to show the greatness and power of the city, achieved their goal.
Years passed, the political and economic situation in the world changed, and with it the status. The Doge's Palace became a haven for various state bodies โ the Senate, Ministries, the Supreme Court and even the secret police. Today it is completely given over to tourists. It is immediately worth noting that to look at the Doge's Palace from the outside means not to learn anything about it.
Indeed, inside you can see not just luxurious halls โ each of them can rightfully be considered a work of art. For example, the hall of maps is decorated with works by the best Italian masters (it is not difficult to guess what is depicted on the walls), the ceilings of many other halls are decorated with paintings by Veronese and Tintoretto, and the legendary Golden Staircase is not even worth talking about โ you need to see it with your own eyes.
St. Mark's Cathedral
The Cathedral of San Marco, located on the square of the same name, is one of the most beautiful temples not only in Venice, but throughout Europe. It is known not only for its legendary architecture, but also for the fact that it is here that the relics of the Apostle Mark, who is considered the patron and protector of the city, are buried. In addition, during the Crusades, the Cathedral became a repository of numerous art objects brought here from Constantinople.
You can see them to this day. The history of the Cathedral is full of ups, downs and changes. It was built back in 829 in order to demonstrate to the whole world the power and strength of the Republic. At the beginning of the 11th century, the church burned down and was rebuilt. Further, it was repeatedly enlarged and transformed, while maintaining the overall style and color.
By the way, it's hard to believe, but the church stands on ordinary wooden piles, made of larch. Their number reaches several tens of thousands. In the Middle Ages, they knew for sure that when in contact with water, this material does not collapse, but becomes stronger and harder! When planning a visit to the Cathedral of San Marco, it is worth considering that this is not only a museum, but also a functioning church, in which services are regularly held. For a visit, it is better to choose a free time from them.
Rialto Bridge
Rialto is one of the four bridges connecting the banks of the Grand Canal. It can rightfully be considered not only the very first, but also the most problematic โ what just happened to the crossing that appeared on this site back in 1181: fires, collapses and other troubles. In 1551, the construction of the current bridge began, according to the project of the then unknown architect Antonio de Ponte.
Although many dreamed of doing this work, including Michelangelo, it was he who won the competition announced by the authorities. Today, the Rialto Bridge is one of the symbols and a calling card. He โlit upโ not only on numerous postcards, but also on the pages of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. A walk along the bridge can be combined with buying souvenirs. There are more than 20 shops open here, but the prices are very high.
San Giorgio
On the small island of San Giorgio Maggiore, there is a cathedral of the same name that occupies its entire territory. Its construction began at the beginning of the 17th century and lasted for 40 years, but the result was really impressive. The snow-white stone facade with 4 columns and the red brick walls in bright contrast with it can amaze anyone, even a seasoned traveler. But this cathedral is famous not only for its architecture, but also for its bell tower, from the heights of which a magnificent view of St. Mark's Square, located directly opposite, opens. By the way, it costs less to climb here than to the bell tower of San Marco.
Belfry Campanile
Visit St. Mark's Square and climb up to the observation deck of the Campanile Campanile. From almost a hundred meters high, tired of the guests, but such a beautiful Venice appears before the audience in all its glory.
The brick bell tower crowned with the figure of the Archangel Gabriel was built in 888. In 1902, the structure, which had withstood lightning strikes and earthquakes for centuries, suddenly collapsed, damaging only a small logette. Today, an exact copy of the bell tower rises on the square. During the Middle Ages, torture chambers were located inside the old tower, now a shaft with an elevator is installed there.
Opening hours: December to April 09:30-15:45, May to June 09:00-19:00, July to September 09:00-21:00, October to November 09:00 -19:00.
St. Mark's Bell Tower: Skip-the-line ticket โฌ17
La Fenice Opera: โฌ13 Skip-the-line ticket with audio guide
Shared gondola ride โฌ33
Ticket that entitles you to unlimited use of public transport services in: Venice; Lido and Murano; islands of Burano and Torcello โ 10.50โฌ
Hop-on hop-off sightseeing boat trip โ 20โฌ
Short boat trip to Murano, Torcello and Burano โ 20โฌ
Lodgetta Sansovino
At the foot of the monumental Campanile bell tower there is a logetta, the crowning achievement of the Italian sculptor Sansovino. The marble building was erected in 1546, but a tragic fate awaited it: during the fall of the tower, the building was severely damaged. The reconstruction of the logette ended in 1912.
The three-arch openwork building is decorated with a balustrade, pinkish columns are perfectly combined with greenish marble walls. The yellow-white niches are filled with statues by Sansovino representing Apollo, Mir, Mercury and Pallas.
Saint Mark's Clock Tower
The tower, located in the northern part of St. Mark's Square, was built in 1497. Be sure to consider it carefully โ there is no place for trifles. At the top of the structure, you will see two figures of the Moors striking a large bell. Below is a winged lion. The next tier is occupied by a statue of the Mother of God with the Child, under it is a blue-gold dial, in the center of which the Earth is depicted, and a little further away is the rotating Moon. The arrow shows the time, the zodiac circle shows the position of the Sun.
The tower building can be visited as part of an excursion, a ticket for which must be purchased in advance. The price is 12.5 euros. Time: Monday-Wednesday at 10:00 and 11:00, Thursday-Sunday at 14:00 and 15:00.
Columns of Saints Mark and Theodore
Granite columns, towering on the shores of the Gulf of Venice, were removed in 1125 from Constantinople. Initially, there were three of them, but during unloading one sank into the sea. The rest lay on the ground until 1196, until the architect Nicolo Barattieri came up with a brilliant idea: he girded them with a dry hemp rope, which, when wet, lifted the load.
The sculptures on top of the columns were also not made in Venice. It is said that the bronze lion was cast either in Persia or in China. And the figure of Theodore is generally assembled from the head of the sculpture of Mithridates of Pontus and the torso of the statue of one of the generals of Rome.
Giardini Papadopoli Park
In the southeastern part of the city, among the canals and stone streets, there is a small green oasis โ a park founded in 1834 after the demolition of the Santa Croce temple and named after the designer Papadopoli. The territory of the Venetians' favorite vacation spot is planted with palm trees, flowers, plane trees and fruit trees. Twisted paths and secluded alleys allow park guests not to interfere with each other. The youngest visitors also love the green zone โ a wonderful playground has been organized for them.
Church of San Nicola da Tolentino
The construction of the Church of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, located near Piazzale Roma (Piazzalle Roma), began at the end of the 16th century. The bulky faรงade was completed in 1714. The ancient portico and Corinthian columns made the medieval church look like a Greco-Roman temple. Stop here for a minute and take a closer look at the building. There is a round hole in one of the walls. It was left by an Austrian cannonball, which pierced the dome during the shelling of 1849. Later, it was decided to place the core in the wall of the church.
Church of San Simeone Piccolo
A feature of the temple on the banks of the Grand Canal is a huge copper dome decorated with the figure of the Savior, for which Napoleon called San Simeone Piccolo โa dome without a church.โ The cathedral was built in 1738. The architect Giovanni Scalfarotto, who designed it, took the Pantheon as a model.
As in a Roman temple, the inner space is a circle, where several altars are located, decorated with works of Italian artists. The air here is saturated with the smell of incense, and there is always an atmosphere of peace. The church is active, services in Latin are held from Monday to Friday at 08:00, on Saturday โ at 16:00 and on Sunday โ at 11:00 and 15:00.
Scalzi Bridge
The Scalzi Bridge has a characteristic feature: the steps, wide at the base, narrow towards the top. Passers-by who have reached the middle have to walk in single file โ the platform is 80 cm wide. The bridge was built in 1856 near the railway station. The Venetians were unhappy โ the modern design did not fit into the old look of the surrounding streets. In 1932, the authorities heeded the murmur of the inhabitants, and two years later a new bridge was thrown over the Grand Canal in the traditional style.
Cathedral of Santa Maria Glorioza dei Frari
The history of the cathedral, built in the form of a Latin cross, goes back to the 12th century. The red-brick Gothic church acquired its modern look in 1446. At the same time, a bell tower was added to it, second in size only to the Campanile bell tower.
A colonnade of 12 columns divides the cathedral into three naves. Once inside the basilica, you will find yourself in a huge space, as if ascending to heaven. The treasure of the temple is the painting โMadonna Pesaroโ by Titian. The works of Italian artists and sculptors of the Renaissance are the decoration of each chapel. The cathedral is open from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 18:00, on Sunday โ from 13:00 to 18:00. Entrance โ 3 euros.
Church and Scuola San Rocco
Another church, erected in 1549 in honor of the defender of the city from the invasion of the plague, St. Roch, nestled next to the previous temple. Its construction was organized by the brotherhood of San Rocco, founded to help the sick, and lasted 34 years.
If in Frari tourists admire the works of Titian, then in San Rocco, art lovers rush to rendezvous with the works of the Renaissance genius Tintoretto. The amazing canvases with which the walls and ceiling are painted are full of such a piercing feeling of love for God that they cause sincere tears in the audience. The church can be visited every day from 9:30 to 17:30. Entrance โ 11 euros.
Church of San Giacomo di Rialto
At first glance, the Byzantine church in the Rialto quarter seems unremarkable, but it is the oldest of the 60 cathedrals. The townspeople believe that the foundation of San Giacomo was laid in 421, when the world first learned about the city on the water. Despite the reconstruction of 1601, the temple has survived to this day almost in its original form.
The history of the church is closely connected with the market, which has been located nearby for centuries. The inscription on the ledge of the building urges merchants to make only honest transactions. Tourists are interested in watches โ the dial is divided into 24 parts instead of the usual 12. The temple is open daily from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00. The entrance is free.
Academy Gallery
Those of you who appreciate medieval painting should visit one of the finest art museums in Europe. And there are a number of reasons for this:
The gallery was founded in 1750 and was originally an institution where young artists learned the basics of painting. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8:15 to 19:15, on Monday from 8:15 to 14:00. Entrance is 15 euros.
Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute
In the middle of the 17th century, Venice was slowly dying from the plague. The authorities of the city turned to the Mother of God for help, promising to erect a church in honor of the Most Pure Church in case of getting rid of the disease. The Holy Virgin helped the city, and in 1631 the construction of the baroque basilica began, which lasted 50 years.
The snow-white church seems to soar above the waters of the Grand Canal. The octagonal building is crowned with a 60-meter dome made of copper, the marble facade is decorated with figures of archangels, columns and pilasters. The cathedral houses masterpieces by Pietro Liberi, Titian and Luca Giordano. We recommend that you visit the basilica in the evening when it is lit up by spotlights. One of the main religious shrines is open daily from 9:00 to 12:00 and in the afternoon from 15:00 to 17:30. For those wishing to see the paintings of Titian, the entrance costs 4 euros.
Church of St. Stephen
There is an infamous church on St. Stephen's Square. Because of the murders committed within its walls, the holy house was re-consecrated six times. The original temple building was erected in the 13th century and almost completely rebuilt two centuries later. In 1544, a lightning strike hit the top of the bell tower, as a result of which the tower received a slight slope.
Among the โcheerfulโ bright buildings, the Gothic gloomy church serves as the epitome of the Middle Ages and looks alien. The interiors, on the contrary, are made in the Renaissance style. The wooden arch of the central nave resembles the inverted keel of a ship; paintings by Vivarini, Diziani, Tintoretto and Domenico are kept in the sacristy.
Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00, Sunday from 15:00 to 18:00. Viewing the paintings costs 3 euros.
Palazzo Grimani
Pay attention to the magnificent white palace towering over neighboring buildings. Erected in the Renaissance, the building acquired its modern look in 1575. The Palazzo attracts tourists with its faรงade made of multi-colored marble so beloved by the Venetians and interiors decorated with frescoes by Italian painters.
The palace has witnessed many historical events, such as the ascension to the throne of Cardinal Grimani and the meeting of Russian ambassadors who came with a request for financial assistance for the war with Sweden. Now the building houses the Court of Appeal.
Ca' d'Oro Palace
Among the palaces, a special place is occupied by Ca d'Oro โ the Golden House, which received this name for the gold leaf used in decoration. A masterpiece of Gothic architecture built in 1440 by order of the patrician Contarini, whose idea was to create a palazzo that surpasses all houses in beauty.
Even after changing several owners and undergoing many renovations, Ca' d'Oro remains one of the most beautiful sights in the city. Its feature is the asymmetry of the monolithic right and openwork left parts, which makes the palazzo even more recognizable and loved by tourists. Since 1927, the halls of the palace have been occupied by the Franchetti Art Gallery.
Opening hours: Monday โ from 8:15 to 14:00, from Tuesday to Sunday โ from 8:15 to 15:15.
Venice is located on 118 islands and you can often get from one to another only by water on vaporettos โ small boats that move along certain routes. If we are talking about the Grand Canal, then where there are no bridges, you can cross it on a traghetto โ another type of Venetian public transport. If you decide to travel on foot and are time bound (for example, gathering a group, departures, etc.), then it is important to always leave a small margin โ Venice very often surprises in the form of a lack of bridges and โlong waysโ. In addition, it is very easy to get lost in the intricacies of streets on the water.
Another Venetian surprise is the weather. Predicting when it will rain in a city on the water is beyond the power of even the most talented weather forecasters. That is why, when planning long walks, you need to have an umbrella with you and wear waterproof shoes โ at any time of the year. Venice is one of the most expensive cities not only in Italy, but throughout Europe. In order to save money, you need to look closely at the life of local residents, use water, but public, not tourist, transport, and, of course, choose cafes and restaurants away from St. Mark's Square. Prices on the menu decrease inversely with the distance to it.
And, finally, we must not forget that behind the external beauty lies an interesting story that began in the 3rd century BC. The confrontation between the Romans and the Veneti, numerous raids, the unification of the islands under the leadership of the Doge's Council, the Venetian-Genoese wars, the greatness of the maritime Venetian Republic and, finally, the โhand-wavingโ of European rulers after the conquest by Napoleon, which resulted in joining Italy. These are far from all the pages of history that you can โflip throughโ while walking along the streets and admiring the buildings and canals.
Arriving here, do not rush to follow the well-trodden traditional routes, risking seeing only crowds of tourists. Remember that even making your way through the narrow colorful streets that are not listed in the guidebooks, you will see all the main attractions. Choose restaurants and taverns further away from the center โ the greater the distance from Piazza San Marco, the lower the cost of lunch.
Venice is a place where wheeled vehicles are banned. If you arrived with a suitcase equipped with hard wheels, leave it in the luggage room, because the use of such luggage is punishable by a fine of 100 to 500 euros. You should not arrange a date with the city from July to September โ these are the most crowded and hot months.
The weather here is changeable at any time of the year, so stock up on an umbrella and waterproof shoes, and then the sudden onset of rain will not prevent you from getting to know the most interesting places. It is immediately worth noting that in order to see the whole variety of Venetian sights, a lifetime is not enough. Therefore, you will have to choose.