3 days in Venice

Start early at the basilica, before the day-trippers arrive, then ride the water bus up the Grand Canal and cross the Rialto. Go back to the square after dark, when it is calm.

1. 1
   MorningWorth the time, book ahead

   St Mark’s Basilica

   The golden Byzantine church beside the great square, covered inside with glittering mosaics. Go at the first hour you can, when the light on the gold is soft and the crowds are small. Book ahead, and check the dress code and bag rules.

   Go when The first hour it is open, when the crowds are small and the gold mosaics catch the morning light.

   Local tip Look down as well as up: the floor is a wave of patterned marble. Check ahead for the dress code and what bags are allowed.

   

2. Treat

   Coffee and a pastry

   Start the day the Venetian way, standing at a small bar with an espresso and a warm pastry, a brioche or a cornetto.

   Local tip Do what the locals do and drink it at the counter, then walk back out into the empty streets.

   

   Places to try4 near St Mark’s Basilica‹›

   • Cafe, pastries

     Caffè Florian

     A cafe under the arcades of Piazza San Marco, steps from the basilica, serving coffee and pastries at indoor or outdoor tables.

     0.1 km from St Mark’s Basilica
   • Cafe, pastries

     Caffè Lavena

     A cafe on the square opposite Florian, with coffee, pastries and hot chocolate a minute from the basilica.

     under 0.1 km from St Mark’s BasilicaPhoto: Dimitris Kamaras, CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons
   • Pastry cafe

     Rosa Salva

     A Venetian pastry cafe on a side street just off the square, with a counter of pastries and coffee at the bar.

     0.2 km from St Mark’s Basilica
   • Cafe, coffee

     Caffè Aurora

     A cafe in the arcades on the square with coffee, pastries and sandwiches, easy to reach from the basilica.

     0.1 km from St Mark’s Basilica

   Hours change, so check before you go.

   About 9 min walk0.7 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Grand Canal

   The main street of Venice, an S-shaped canal of nearly four kilometers lined with palaces. Take the water bus slowly from one end to the other, and sit by the open side if you can. Check ahead how tickets work.

   Go when Late morning on a slow water bus, or at dusk when the palace windows light up.

   Local tip The slow line stops at every landing, which is the point. Stand at the front, and take the same ride again after dark.

   

4. Lunch

   Cicchetti

   Cicchetti are Venice’s small bites, served on bread or fried, with a glass of wine in a little bar. Try creamy salt cod on toast, fried olives or sardines. Make a lunch of four or five.

   Local tip Look for the small bars a few streets from the main sights, and eat standing at the counter.

   Places to try4 near Grand Canal‹›

   • Wine bar, cicchetti

     Cantina Do Mori

     A small bacaro near the Rialto market, serving cicchetti, small snacks, with a glass of wine at the counter.

     0.6 km from Grand Canal
   • Osteria, cicchetti

     All'Arco

     A small osteria close to the Rialto market that serves cicchetti, small bites on bread, with wine by the glass.

     0.6 km from Grand Canal
   • Wine bar, cicchetti

     Al Mercà

     A tiny stand-up bar on a small square by the Rialto market, serving small sandwiches and wine by the glass.

     0.6 km from Grand Canal
   • Bacaro, cicchetti

     Cantina Do Spade

     A traditional bacaro in the lanes near Rialto with cicchetti at the counter and a few tables.

     0.6 km from Grand Canal

   Hours change, so check before you go.

   About 7 min walk0.6 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short stop

   Rialto Bridge

   The oldest of the bridges over the Grand Canal, a single stone arch lined with small shops. Stand in the middle for the view along the water, then step down into the market streets behind it.

   Go when Late afternoon, when the day-trippers start to leave and the light along the canal is low.

   Local tip The view is best from the middle of the bridge. Then walk down into the market streets behind it, where the city is busiest in the morning.

   

6. Dinner

   A lagoon seafood dinner

   Venice is a seafood city: sardines in sweet and sour onions, black risotto cooked with squid ink, grilled fish and small fried fish. A good place for a slow dinner.

   Local tip Book ahead for a quiet table, and ask what came in fresh from the lagoon that day.

   Places to try4 near Rialto Bridge‹›

   • Venetian seafood

     Trattoria alla Madonna

     A large, traditional trattoria steps from the Rialto Bridge serving Venetian dishes with plenty of fish from the lagoon and Adriatic.

     0.1 km from Rialto Bridge
   • Venetian seafood

     Antiche Carampane

     A seafood restaurant in a quiet corner of San Polo, a few minutes from Rialto, with a menu that follows what is local.

     0.4 km from Rialto Bridge
   • Venetian seafood

     Da Fiore

     A seafood restaurant a short walk from the Rialto Bridge that cooks fish and shellfish in the Venetian way.

     0.5 km from Rialto Bridge
   • Seafood osteria

     Osteria alle Testiere

     A small osteria in Castello, an easy walk east of Rialto, serving seafood that depends on the day's catch.

     0.4 km from Rialto Bridge

   Hours change, so check before you go.

   About 6 min walk0.5 km
7. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Piazza San Marco

   After the day-trippers have gone, the square belongs to the city again: lit arcades, the bell tower against a dark sky and a few couples crossing the open stone. A good place for a last slow walk before bed.

   Go when Late evening, or at the very first light, when the square is nearly empty.

   Local tip Cross it once to feel the size, then sit at the edge and listen to the bells. The best view of the basilica is from the far end.

   

The quiet art quarter, at an easy pace: two galleries, the domed church at the mouth of the Grand Canal, and the long waterfront promenade as the sun goes down. This is the special evening.

1. 1
   MorningPick your rooms, book ahead

   Gallerie dell'Accademia

   The main gallery of Venetian painting, in a former convent and school beside the Grand Canal. Quiet rooms of altarpieces and Venetian light. Book ahead, and pick a few rooms instead of all of them.

   Go when Morning, soon after it opens, when the rooms are quiet.

   Local tip Do not try to see it all. Choose the early Venetian rooms and the large painted canvases, and sit when you are tired.

   

   About 3 min walk0.3 km
2. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Peggy Guggenheim Collection

   A modern art collection in a low white palace on the Grand Canal, with a small sculpture garden. Easy to see in a couple of hours, and a calm place to sit.

   Go when Midday, when the garden is warm and the rooms are calm.

   Local tip Finish in the garden and the terrace on the Grand Canal. It is a good place to slow down after the Accademia.

   

3. Lunch

   A slow lunch in Dorsoduro

   Dorsoduro has quiet cafes and small restaurants near the galleries, with pasta, fresh fish and salads. A good place to sit down after a morning of art.

   Local tip Walk a street or two away from the gallery doors, where the tables are quieter.

   Places to try4 near Peggy Guggenheim Collection‹›

   • Venetian trattoria

     Trattoria ai Cugnai

     A neighbourhood trattoria near the Guggenheim serving Venetian home cooking, pasta and fish, at a relaxed pace.

     0.1 km from Peggy Guggenheim Collection
   • Wine bar, Venetian

     Enoteca Ai Artisti

     A wine bar and small restaurant on a quiet canal in Dorsoduro, with Venetian dishes and wine by the glass.

     0.5 km from Peggy Guggenheim Collection
   • Venetian, seafood

     Casin dei Nobili

     A restaurant on Calle Lunga San Barnaba serving Venetian dishes, with a short walk from the Accademia and the Guggenheim.

     0.5 km from Peggy Guggenheim Collection
   • Osteria, Venetian

     Osteria ai Pugni

     An osteria near Campo San Barnaba serving simple Venetian dishes, pasta and a daily menu at a calm lunch pace.

     0.6 km from Peggy Guggenheim Collection

   Hours change, so check before you go.

   About 3 min walk0.3 km
4. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short stop

   Santa Maria della Salute

   The great domed church at the mouth of the Grand Canal, built as a thank-you after a plague. Walk around the outside for the view across the water to St Mark’s, then step in to the cool, round interior.

   Go when Late afternoon, with the light on the white stone and the dome.

   Local tip The steps along the water are a favorite place to sit and look across to St Mark’s. Check ahead if you want to go inside.

   

5. Treat

   Gelato on the Zattere

   Gelato is the walking treat here. Take a cone to the Zattere and eat it on the promenade, looking across the water to the Giudecca.

   Local tip Try the flavors that change with the season, and take a little more time than you think you need.

   

   Places to try4 near Santa Maria della Salute‹›

   • Gelato

     Gelateria Nico

     A gelateria on the Zattere promenade, a short walk from the Salute church, to eat gelato by the Giudecca Canal.

     0.7 km from Santa Maria della Salute
   • Gelato

     Gelateria Paolin

     A gelateria on the Campo Santo Stefano square, an easy walk from the Salute, with outdoor tables.

     0.4 km from Santa Maria della Salute
   • Gelato

     Gelateria Il Doge

     A gelateria on Campo Santa Margherita, a lively Dorsoduro square, for gelato before walking down to the Zattere.

     0.9 km from Santa Maria della Salute
   • Gelato

     Gelato di Natura

     A gelateria in Dorsoduro making gelato in small batches, within walking distance of the Zattere.

     1.2 km from Santa Maria della Salute

   Hours change, so check before you go.

   About 6 min walk0.5 km
6. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Zattere

   A wide, sunny promenade along the Giudecca Canal, where Venetians stroll at the end of the day, with the island of the Giudecca just across the water. Take a gelato, walk west, and watch the sun go down.

   Go when Sunset (about 7:22 PM), when the sky over the Giudecca turns pink.

   Local tip If you want a gondola ride, an early evening ride down the quiet side canals is the most romantic one. Agree the route and the time before you step in.

7. Dinner

   Dinner by the water

   For the special evening, book a table with a view over the water and order slowly: fresh fish, pasta with shellfish, and a glass of something local.

   Local tip Book ahead for a table at the water’s edge, and ask for a time near sunset.

   Places to try4 near Zattere‹›

   • Venetian, seafood

     La Calcina

     A restaurant on the Zattere waterfront serving Venetian dishes, with a terrace facing the Giudecca Canal.

     under 0.1 km from Zattere
   • Venetian, seafood

     Ristorante Riviera

     A waterfront restaurant on the Zattere serving Venetian fish and pasta dishes, with tables outside facing the water.

     0.5 km from Zattere
   • Venetian trattoria

     Locanda Montin

     A traditional trattoria with a garden courtyard, a short walk from the Zattere, serving Venetian classics.

     0.4 km from Zattere
   • Wine bar, cicchetti

     Cantinone già Schiavi

     A wine bar on a canal by the San Trovaso boatyard, with sandwiches, cicchetti and wine for a lighter dinner.

     0.3 km from Zattere

   Hours change, so check before you go.

Take a water bus to Burano and Torcello while the lagoon is quiet, then spend the afternoon in the old Jewish Ghetto and finish on the calm canals of Cannaregio. A longer day, but an easy one.

1. Travel from ZattereAbout 22 min by car or transit9.3 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Burano

   A small fishing island of brightly painted houses along narrow canals, known for its lace. Take one of the first boats from the northern shore of the city, before the tour groups, and wander the back streets.

   Go when One of the first boats in the morning, before the tour groups, or late in the day when they have gone.

   Local tip The painted fronts are best from the side streets. Houses here are lived in, so keep your voice down and do not step into doorways.

   

3. Treat

   Burano biscuits

   Burano is known for its crisp, buttery S-shaped biscuits, sold by the bag in the bakeries. A sweet thing to nibble as you wander the canals.

   Local tip Buy a small bag for the boat ride, and keep the rest for later.

   Places to try4 near Burano‹›

   • Cafe, pizza, pastries

     Galuppi

     A cafe-restaurant on Burano's main square serving coffee, pastries and island biscuits, with outdoor tables.

     under 0.1 km from BuranoPhoto: Venetian School of the 17… on Wikimedia Commons
   • Venetian seafood

     Trattoria da Romano

     A long-running trattoria on Burano's main street that serves seafood, with the island biscuits offered at the end of a meal.

     0.1 km from Burano
   • Venetian seafood

     Trattoria al Gatto Nero

     A seafood trattoria on a canal of Burano, with a coffee and biscuit after a meal as a simple way to finish.

     under 0.1 km from Burano
   • Venetian trattoria

     Trattoria alla Maddalena

     A trattoria on Mazzorbo, the island across the footbridge from Burano, serving Venetian dishes and coffee.

     0.6 km from Burano

   Hours change, so check before you go.

   By vaporetto, about 5 min1.4 km

   Options

   VaporettoLine 9 shuttles between Burano and Torcello, about every 15 to 30 minutes in the day.

4. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Torcello Cathedral

   On the next island, a short boat ride from Burano, stands a very old basilica with glowing mosaics, beside a grassy square. Torcello was once a large town, and today it is a quiet place of fields and canals.

   Go when Midday, when the light falls through the windows onto the mosaics.

   Local tip It is a quiet island, so there is little to do but walk to the cathedral and sit in the grass beside it. Check ahead for the visiting times.

   

5. Lunch

   A long lunch on the islands

   The lagoon islands are known for fish from the lagoon, and for risotto cooked with local fish. Make lunch the slow meal of the day.

   Local tip Eat at a table by the water, and keep an eye on the time of the boat back.

   Places to try4 near Torcello Cathedral‹›

   • Seafood osteria

     Osteria al Ponte del Diavolo

     An osteria on Torcello's main path serving grilled fish and seafood, with a garden near the cathedral.

     0.2 km from Torcello Cathedral
   • Venetian, seafood

     Villa 600

     A restaurant on Torcello with a garden terrace, serving seafood and pasta a few minutes from the cathedral.

     0.2 km from Torcello Cathedral
   • Venetian, seafood

     Al Trono di Attila

     A restaurant next to the cathedral square serving Venetian fish and pasta dishes, close to the church.

     0.3 km from Torcello Cathedral
   • Venetian seafood

     Trattoria da Romano

     A trattoria on Burano's main street, a short boat ride from Torcello, serving seafood for a long lunch.

     1.5 km from Torcello Cathedral

   Hours change, so check before you go.

   By vaporetto, then a walk9.3 km

   Options

   VaporettoLine 9 to Burano, then line 12 to Fondamente Nove.

   WalkThen a walk into Cannaregio. Check the times.

6. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Venetian Ghetto

   The district in Cannaregio where Venice’s Jewish community lived, now a calm group of tall old buildings around an open square. Walk slowly and look at the synagogues from the outside, and check ahead if you want to visit one.

   Go when Afternoon, in the quiet hours between the morning tours and the evening.

   Local tip The buildings are tall because there was no room to grow outward. Look up, and leave time to sit in the main square.

   

   About 6 min walk0.5 km
7. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Fondamenta della Misericordia

   A broad canalside walk in Cannaregio, lined with small bars and old buildings. A quiet corner of the city where locals gather as the light goes soft.

   Go when Early evening, before sunset (about 7:22 PM), when the bars fill and the water is calm.

   Local tip Walk the whole length once, then choose a spot by the water. It is a place for a slow drink or an early supper.

8. Dinner

   Dinner in Cannaregio

   The canals of Cannaregio are lined with casual restaurants and wine bars that fill with local people, away from the main sights. Order the day’s fish and share a few small plates.

   Local tip Walk the Fondamenta once before you choose, and go early for a table by the water.

   Places to try4 near Fondamenta della Misericordia‹›

   • Venetian, seafood

     Paradiso Perduto

     A lively osteria right on the Fondamenta della Misericordia, serving Venetian dishes and wine, often with live music.

     under 0.1 km from Fondamenta della Misericordia
   • Venetian, seafood

     Anice Stellato

     A canalside restaurant in a quiet part of Cannaregio serving Venetian dishes and fish, a few minutes' walk away.

     0.4 km from Fondamenta della Misericordia
   • Osteria, Venetian

     Osteria Ai Promessi Sposi

     A small osteria on a lane near the Ca' d'Oro serving Venetian dishes, pasta and fish in a quiet corner of Cannaregio.

     0.5 km from Fondamenta della Misericordia
   • Wine bar, cicchetti

     Al Timon

     A casual wine bar on Fondamenta degli Ormesini with cicchetti and platters, with tables on a boat by the canal.

     0.3 km from Fondamenta della Misericordia

   Hours change, so check before you go.