A day in Venice

Venice
Are you going to spend a day in Venice and you don't want to miss the most important thing? Don't worry, luckily it's not a very big city, so it will give you time to see many things before saying goodbye to it until another time.

Strolling through the mazes that make up its channels is already something that will fill you completely, but if you want to visit the most beautiful From Venice I recommend you make a list with everything I describe below. The order of visit is up to you, but try not to leave anything in the pipeline.

Rialto bridge

Built in 1181, it can be said that it is the oldest bridge in Venice, something that gives it a special charm. It crosses the Grand Canal and is usually crowded with people. We could say that it is the most beautiful and touristic, among other things because it offers beautiful views (especially at sunset).


Rialto Market

It is located in Sestiere San Polo, right in the center of Venice. It can be said that it is divided into two clearly differentiated areas: the fishmonger and the greengrocer / greengrocer. Sardines, squid, salmon, lobsters or sole sharing space with tomatoes, zucchini, figs or peppers a few meters apart. The fish market is open from 07:00 to 14:00, while the fruit and vegetable market is open from 07:00 to 20:00.

rialto market

St. Mark's Square

Not visiting this square is a sin. Is he Venice's main tourist destination, a place where pigeons, photographers and photo cameras mix to appreciate the beauty of the place. It is the center of the city, and also a site known to be the first to flood when it rains more than normal. Being connected to the Grand Canal, when the tide rises the water makes an appearance.


St. Mark's Square

St Mark's Basilica

It is the most popular building in St. Mark's Square, and surely also the most popular in Venice. It is the main Catholic temple in the town, a work of Byzantine influence that began to be built in year 832. It was burned in 975, but it was rebuilt in the 11th century thanks to the work of the workers and architects of Constantinople.

Its plan is a Greek cross, there are five domes and the decoration is marble. There is no lack of mosaics. Visiting it takes about 10 minutes. You cannot enter with suitcases and recording and taking photographs is prohibited.


You can access for free to the Basilica on Sundays and holidays from 2 to 5 in the afternoon. Its usual opening hours are from 9:45 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. What you will have to pay for is to access the Museo di San Marco, the Pala d’oro and the Treasury.

Ducal Palace

It is located at the eastern end of Saint Mark's Square and is one of the symbols of the glory and power of the city. Is a gothic style building and in a cubic way it became a prison. You can visit it along with ten other museums in Venice paying 24.50 euros (18.50 euros for children between 6 and 14 years old and students between 15 and 25 years old).

Bridge of Sighs

It is famous for its history. It was built in the 17th century and is the one in charge of giving access to the dungeons of the Ducal Palace. Sighs are not romantic at all. They are sighs of the prisoners that from there they last saw the sky and the sea. It is very close to the Plaza de San Marcos.

bridge of sighs

Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute

It is a basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin since March 22, 1630, when the Patriarch of Venice, Giovanni Tiepolo, spoke some words that had a lot to do with the plague who lived there. More than 80,000 Venetians died and began to build it a year after eliminating the contagious disease.

Bell tower

The Bell Tower of Saint Mark is in a corner of Saint Mark's Square, very close to the door of the Saint Mark's Basilica. Measure 98.6 meters high and it is basically made of brick. Construction began in the 9th century and was completed in the 12th, but a wooden beam was destroyed by lightning in 1489. It was rebuilt years later, but an earthquake in 1511 took its toll again. The same with other rays that fell, until in 1776 they placed a lightning rod.

Walk on the Grand Canal

The Venice water bus is called Vaporetto. It is public transport that allows you to get to know the city and get to practically all places. It is recommended to be placed in a place from which all buildings can be seen. The trip is much more enjoyable.

ride in Gondola
Going by gondola is more beautiful, but it is very expensive. Luckily there is an option lowcost baptized as traghetto. They are gondolas without decorations and driven by two gondoliers. The bad thing is that they only serve to cross the Grand Canal from one side to the other. You cannot choose a personalized route through the more than 150 canals of Venice.

To finish, nothing better than enjoying this video from Venice recorded and edited by Jörg Niggli using the time-lapse technique. The background music is Chris Haigh's 'Heart of Champions'.

Venice in a Day: Hidden Gems & Top Attractions (March 2024)


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