Venice in 1 Day: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Venice is one of the most touristy cities in the world, and also one of the most spectacular. It boasts squares, churches, basilicas and buildings that are considered among the most beautiful in the world. With the added bonus of its canals, Venice is a city unlike any other in the world.

Seeing it all in one day can be a bit stressful if you don't plan ahead. That's why I've prepared this circular tour designed to show you the most important sights of the city, such as St. Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace and the Rialto Bridge, in a single day. Come with me and let's get started.

The starting point for our visit will be the Santa Lucia railway station. This is where most visitors arrive in Venice and, from there, you can hop on a vaporetto or book a gondola ride to travel along the Grand Canal to your first destination.

The Grand Canal is the main artery of Venice and there are many cruises and boat trips you can take along it. It is like one of the city's main avenues, but with water instead of asphalt and boats instead of cars. Our destination is St. Mark's Square. On the way, we will see iconic buildings and structures such as the casino, the Ca' Pesaro and the Rialto Bridge from the boat.

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• Tip: If you want to be prepared before your trip, read the article on what to see and do on the Grand Canal in Venice.
• Prices: The gondola ride starts at S$58, while the Venice transport card, which includes the vaporetto, costs around S$22

We arrive at what will be our main starting point for this tour. St. Mark's Square is the heart of Venice. Napoleon described it as one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, and he was right. This 9th-century square is home to some of the main places you should visit. St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, the Clock Tower and the Old Procuratie are the most iconic buildings you can see here.

If you want to relax before getting started, you can enjoy a delicious Italian coffee at the famous Caffè Florian. With its spectacular décor and privileged location, having an espresso on its terrace is a very typical Venetian experience. However, you can expect to pay more than £6 for a coffee, although for some people the setting is well worth it.

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• Tip: Check the weather forecast before your trip and keep an eye out for acqua alta. On rainy days or when the tide is high, the water rises and partially floods the square. If your visit coincides with this phenomenon, you will have to walk on the walkways that are installed if you don't want to get wet.
• Price: Free.
• Be sure to read the post about St. Mark's Square in Venice: a practical guide to discovering it in its entirety to get the most out of your visit.

The first thing we will visit is the first thing that catches your eye when you enter the square. Well, the second thing after looking up at the tower. I'm talking about St. Mark's Basilica. This impressive Byzantine-style basilica was built to house the relics of the saint after whom it was named.

On the outside, its golden and blue colours, impressive frescoes and 98.5-metre-high bell tower stand out, offering one of the best panoramic views of Venice. The interior is equally spectacular.

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• Tip: Bear in mind that the queues are usually quite long and, as we only have one day, it is best to book tickets for St. Mark's Basilica in advance.
• Price: Prices start at S$49 But for a little extra, you can also choose a guided tour.

Leaving the basilica and in the same square, you will find another of Venice's most representative buildings: the Doge's Palace. It is a symbol of the power that Venice once wielded and was the residence of the doges, the city's highest rulers.

One of its façades overlooks St. Mark's Square and the other overlooks the Grand Canal. The Gothic-style building was also the seat of government and served as a prison. In relation to the latter, the palace is home to the Bridge of Sighs, so named because of the sighs of the prisoners who crossed it on their way to their dark fate.

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• Tip: Book your tickets to the Doge's Palace in advance to avoid the queues.
• Price: Below, you will find all the information about prices for the Doge's Palace. Tickets start at S$51
• And to make the most of your visit, be sure to read about what to see inside the Doge's Palace in Venice.

During your visit to the Doge's Palace, you will cross the famous Bridge of Sighs from the inside. After learning about its history, the best thing to do when you leave the palace is to go and see the bridge and take a photo of it from the outside.

Contrary to popular belief, this bridge has nothing to do with romance. Its name comes from the prisoners of the Inquisition who crossed it and looked at the sun for the last time through its small windows and sighed, knowing they would not see it again for a long time. There are many secrets surrounding the Bridge of Sighs.

More information

• Tip: Check out our post on everything you need to know about the Bridge of Sighs.
• Price: The visit is included in the entrance fee to the Ducal Palace.

After visiting St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, you're bound to start feeling hungry. It's the perfect time to grab a bite and try some Italian cuisine near St. Mark's Square. The restaurants in the square itself are quite expensive, but there are many options in the surrounding streets at more reasonable prices.

Being Italy, pasta is a must, but in Venice, seafood and fish from the surrounding waters are also part of the menu. Some of the best places to eat near St. Mark's Square are Rossopomodoro Venezia, a franchise with good food at good prices, and Da Mamo if you want to taste the best Italian pasta.

More information

• Tip: If you decide to go on a food tour, don't miss our article on the best food tours in Venice.
• Price: Booking a food tour of Venice starts at S$160

After lunch, the best thing to do is take a stroll to the Rialto Bridge. It's a leisurely 10-15 minute walk to the bridge, and you can take the opportunity to see some less touristy streets and enjoy a delicious Italian gelato along the way.

The Rialto Bridge was built between 1588 and 1591, and its arches and views of the Grand Canal mean that it is usually crowded with tourists. That's why after lunch is a good time to visit, as there are fewer visitors.

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• Tip: The Rialto Bridge is, along with the Bridge of Sighs, the most famous bridge in Venice and the largest crossing the Grand Canal. Get up to speed on your visit to the Rialto Bridge in this article.
• Price: Free.

After photographing and viewing the Rialto Bridge, we will take another vaporetto that will take us across the Grand Canal to the Accademia Bridge. This bridge is one of four that cross the Grand Canal and one of the most important bridges in Venice. It connects the Dorsoduro district with the San Marco district.

The bridge is named after the Venice Academy Gallery, one of the city's most important museums, which is located next to it.

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• Tip: Unfortunately, if you are only visiting for one day, I do not recommend visiting the Accademia Gallery, as it would take too long to see all the works.
• Price: Free.

From the bridge itself, we will walk about 10 minutes to the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, at the Punta della Dogana. The exterior of the basilica is spectacular thanks to its imposing dome. The building was constructed to thank the Virgin of Health for ending the plague that wiped out most of Venice's population.

Under its enormous dome and inside the church, you can see several works by Titian, such as David against Goliath and The Death of Abel. The famous Renaissance painter is buried in Venice itself, in the Basilica of Santa Maria dei Frari.

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• Tip: I recommend booking a guided tour. You can easily do so on the official website.
• Price: The price of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute starts at £4.

To top off the day, there's nothing better than watching the Venetian sunset. Luckily, the Basilica of Santa Maria is located at the Punta della Dogana, one of the best spots to watch the sunset. From there, you can see the last rays of sun over the Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore and its bell tower or part of St. Mark's Square.

From this point, you can take a vaporetto back or cross back to St. Mark's Square to finish with a good dinner and enjoy Venice at night. It all depends on how long you want to extend a magical day in the city of canals.

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• Tip: Find out about the Basilica Di San Giorgio Maggiore before your visit.
• Price: Free
• Remember that the Venice transport card includes all vaporetto journeys.

There is so much to do and see in Venice that it is inevitable that with only one day you will miss out on many things to visit. The tour we have put together takes in the main tourist attractions in Venice, but you may already be familiar with them from previous visits and want to see other things. In that case, here are some alternatives for you to consider:

• Canareggio Jewish Quarter: Jews were forced to live in this neighbourhood in the 16th and 17th centuries to keep them separate from the rest of the Venetian population. It is the oldest Jewish quarter in the world and its streets are home to the Vendramin Calergi Palace, the Ca' d'Oro Palace and the Jewish Museum of Venice. You can book a tour of Venice's Jewish quarter from S$35
• Acqua Alta Bookshop: One of the most unusual bookshops in the world. It has a large collection of antique books, but it is not the books themselves that attract visitors, but the way they are displayed. Due to the Acqua Alta, many of the books are stored in gondolas moored along the banks of the canal.
• Teatro La Fenice: Its history makes it one of the most important theatres in the world, as plays such as Verdi's La Traviata premiered on its stage. You can visit and see parts of the theatre, such as the Royal Box and the many rooms. You can book tickets to the Teatro La Fenice in Venice from S$22

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• Tip: Any of these places can be easily visited in a day and are a great alternative to any of the places on the previous itinerary. A good option if you are visiting Venice for the second time and have some time to spare.

When you set yourself the challenge of seeing Venice in a day, making the most of your time is essential. To help you achieve this, here are some tips for visiting Venice which, in my experience, will help you see the city in a day:

• As they say, the early bird catches the worm. In this case, it's certainly true. Beyond the obvious advantages of having more time, getting up early and arriving at St. Mark's Square early will save you from long queues.
• Just as I recommend getting up early, I also recommend stretching out the day as much as possible. Venice at night has a different atmosphere and the night-time lighting transforms it completely. If you come back at night, you'll be glad you did, even if you're tired.
• Buy your tickets in advance. This will save you from queuing to buy tickets for the monuments and you will be able to go straight in.
• Guided tours also have their advantages. For example, although admission to St. Mark's Basilica is free, a guided tour allows you to enter the temple directly without having to queue.
• When you arrive at Santa Lucia station , go to the tourist office there and pick up a map of Venice. These maps usually include information on the vaporetto lines, one of the best ways to get around Venice, and knowing this in advance will allow you to get around more easily.