Venice has made it to the top of many people’s bucket lists, with its romantic canals, old architecture and delicious food. And it’s not without good reason! Venice will always hold a special place in my heart so if it’s on the next agenda for you, you’re in for a treat! Read on to find out all the unmissable spots to visit!

Planning your trip:

One thing to be wary of is that the majority of hotels do not have direct access by boat. Instead, you will almost certainly have to carry your luggage across Venice and over many stepped bridges (steps rather than ramps), so try to pack as light as you can. This can, of course make it rather difficult if you’re taking a pram – so keep this in mind when planning your accommodation!

In terms of transport while you’re there, there are water taxis and water buses (no cars allowed in Venice!). Do remember to validate your ticket every time before entering the water bus (even if it’s already been “activated”). Failure to do so can lead to fines.

Now onto the fun part…

 

What to See in Venice – Day 1

We arrived in Venice early, dropped our bags off at the hotel (we stayed at Ca’Vendramin Zago) and headed down the Grand Canal which is about 3800m long to our first site: the Bridge of Sighs.

Bridge of Sighs:

The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) is one of the most famous bridges in Italy and gets its name from the fact prisoners originally had to cross the bridge “sighing” as they entered the jail.

Dorsoduro:

We carried on our walk until we reached Dorsoduro – one of the perfect spots for the classic photograph of Venice.

Piazzo San Marco (St Mark’s Square)

We then beaded to Piazza San Marco, one of the finest squares in the world and Venice’s top tourist attraction. There’s a variety of things to see here. Firstly there’s the Palazzo Ducale – this was originally where the Venetian government sat and now houses a museum dedicated to telling its history.

Then there’s the Basilica di San Marco and Companile (a bell tower which boasts some pretty impressive views), restaurants, shops and other museums. A real must is visiting Saint Mark’s basilica which has the most incredible interior. Unfortunately it was closed while we were there so we couldn’t go inside, but hopefully you’ll have better luck! Around this square there

San Giorgio Maggiore:

If you’re pushed for time and want the view that the Companile bell tower offers but don’t have time to queue for ages, it might be worth going to this church – you can get to the top quickly and have just as good a view of Venice!

Teatro la Fenice:

If you have time and are interested in Music it might be worth visiting the Teatro La Fenice (opera house) – we found it rather impressive when we peaked in!

Gondola ride 

Of course, no visit to Venice is complete without a ride on the famous Venetian gondolas. But it’s certainly not cheap – at 80 euros a ride it doesn’t always seem like an affordable option for students. However, what my boyfriend and I decided to do was find another young couple to share the ride with, making the trip just 20 euros each. The gondolas are big enough that it didn’t feel crowded, and was a fun opportunity to meet other like-minded students.

Rialto bridge (Ponte di Rialto)

Finally we ended the day with a trip to Rialto bridge (which gets incredibly crowded but was bearable by the end of the day).

DAY 2: Trip to Burano

Our second and final day in Venice, we decided to spend the day visiting the famous island Burano. This meant taking a boat which dropped its passengers at Murano first and then headed to Burano. Since we were on a tight schedule we decided to give Murano a miss but I’m told it’s rather popular – especially to watch the famous glass-making.

Burano

Having arrived at Burano we headed to Rio di San Mauro where the classic “instagram shot” is often taken. But it’s worth exploring the whole island which is small but boasts beautiful colourful buildings as well as homemade Venetian lace. Burano ended up being the highlight of my trip – a true wonder and unlike anywhere else I’d ever been!

 

If you still have time:

If you are in the luxurious position of having longer in Venice here are a few extras you might want to see. Firstly there’s the Giardini Public in Castello, a beautiful garden, away from the crowds and hustle of the city, which is home to a statue of Garibaldi and hosts various festivals and events in the year. Then there’s the Palazzo Grimani, a Palazzo that is largely hidden from the public eye but boasts beautiful frescoes, sculptures and paintings.

I spoke about the two islands Murano and Burano which are the most popular, but others swear by Torcello – saying it’s far more enchanting. Here you can see the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Museo di Torcello as well as climbing up the cathedral’s bell tower for an aerial view of the island lagoon. Then if you still have time you can walk past the meadows to Taverna Tipica Veneziana before returning to the hustle of Venice.

 

Planning a trip to Europe? Why not check out some of my other guides: What to see in the Amalfi Coast