Venice, the floating city in Italy. Where you cannot go by car and all transport is via boats and bridges. Venice is one of the world's most unique cities and therefore an absolute must-see while visiting Italy. This city is photogenic, has beautiful buildings and colourful streets. You can easily spend a long weekend there but you can also see a lot in one day. Check out our tips for planning the perfect trip to Venice.
Transport to Venice
Venice is easy to reach. So you can get to this great city by boat, train, car or plane.
Car/camper: Just keep in mind that you cannot get into Venice itself as no cars are allowed here. We parked our camper at a free camping spot about a 25-minute walk from the port. There are also paid parking options at the port. From the port to St Mark's Square was about a 30-minute boat ride and a return ticket cost us €15p.p.
Coordinates free camping spot: N45.44025 E12.44280. You can also find this spot with the app Motorhome Contact.
Tip: We rented a motorhome on the website of Camptoo. On this website, several individuals and companies offer their motorhomes, each with different options, different insurances and different rental terms. Perfect for a road trip through Europe! Want to hire a car for just a few days? Then take a look at Sunnycars.
Plane: The city has two airports namely Marco Polo Airport & Treviso Airport. From Marco Polo Airport, you can easily get to the centre of Venice by vaporetto (water bus). A one-way ticket costs €14 and you can pay at the stop. This water bus stops at San Marco Square, among other places. If you arrive at Treviso Airport, you first need to take the ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma. From here, you'll catch the water bus to the centre of Venice. This will cost around €30.
Train: If you are staying near Lake Garda or Verona, the best way to get to Venice is by train. This is cheaper than travelling by car.
Tip: For up-to-date train times, check Trenitalia.
Transport in Venice
Venice is car-free. Buses, ambulances and even the rubbish collection service go by boat, but public transport is surprisingly easy to use. ACTV water buses run every 5 - 15 minutes, depending on boarding point. You can see the times on Google maps. The standard single fare for this is €7.50. If you plan to make several stops, choose a day ticket/weekend ticket these are available from €20.
Entrance to Venice
This may sound crazy, paying entrance fees to a city. But since Venice is one of the most popular cities in Europe, the government has decided to charge all day tourists entrance fees. The entrance fee is €6 per day and during Carnival the fee is increased to €10 per day.
Corona 2020: You temporarily pay no entrance fee to visit Venice since September 2020.
Advice on planning a trip to Venice
Planning: Planning for holidays? Yes, that's not what we like to do either! But in this case, it can be incredibly useful. Instead of thinking of a schedule mapped out from hour to hour, write down your top 3 - 5 places & restaurants. Keeping these locations in mind will make it easier to plan a walking itinerary.
Choose the right time: Venice is extremely crowded. Whenever you visit this city, you will always find yourself with hundreds of others in St Mark's Square. To avoid the biggest crowds, we recommend visiting Venice outside the most crowded months (June, July and August).
Bookings: Book tickets online before you travel. You save a lot of time by arranging them online and in advance. Especially if you are only in Venice for 1 day, a 2-hour queue does not come in handy. Tickets for the Basilica of San Marco, the Doge's Palace and most other palaces and museums can easily be booked online.
What to do on your trip to Venice
One day in Venice is not much, let's face it. If possible, plan it so that you have exactly one full day at your disposal so that you can visit Europe's most famous and romantic destination. Compared to many other European cities, Venice is compact and eminently walkable. Explore the dazzling floating city with its dreamy canals, fairytale gondola rides, impressive churches, beautiful architecture and more must-dos in this one-day travel guide.
Bridge of sights: When you arrive in Venice by boat, this is probably the first bridge you see. This bridge separated the palace and the prison. Although it is incredibly busy here, you can still sit on the canal side and watch the gondolas pass by. A great place to start your itinerary.
St Mark's Square: No trip is complete without a visit to this famous square. St Mark's Square is one of the busiest, most iconic squares in the world. Many of Venice's highlights are located around this square, so you don't have to travel far to see them all. Enjoy the architecture, history, Venetian mask shops, ice cream shops, antique cafes and walkways.
Basilica of San Marco: Not to be missed from St Mark's Square is St Mark's Basilica. We did not go inside ourselves but we have heard many good stories about it. In fact, the building is as impressive on the outside as it is on the inside. Buy your ticket online and avoid standing in a long queue.
Basilica Di Santa Maria Della Salute: Almost exactly opposite the Grand Canal from Saint Mark's Square stands the striking basilica of Santa Maria Della Salute. From here, walk further west towards the Galleria dell'Accademia, through the district of Dorsoduro. Dorsoduro means ‘hardback’ in Italian and this area was the backbone of Venice for a long time. You'll notice the much quieter streets and canals here and be able to feel the real character of the city.
Ponte Dell'Academia: Cross over one of Venice's most famous bridges to re-enter the San Marco district. Admire the Grand Canal from here, as this is perhaps the best view of the canal in the city.
Ponte Di Rialto: The way here is already fantastic. Get lost in the San Marco district and admire the storefronts of luxury brands, cobbled cul-de-sacs, small squares and heavenly churches. Once you arrive at the Rialto Bridge, check out the many souvenir shops and take a picture by the Grand Canal. It is also worth visiting the nearby Rialto market for all the delicious Italian products on offer.
Gondola ride: When you're in Venice, a gondola ride is a must. It is an unforgettable experience and definitely worthwhile. However, a gondola ride is not cheap keep in mind a starting price of €80.
Get lost in Cannaregio: If you choose not to visit any museums or skip the gondola ride, we recommend getting lost in the colourful Cannaregio district. Here you can escape the crowds and discover the ‘real’ life of Venice. Find Venice locals here, cute little vegetable and fruit markets and small, green squares where locals congregate. It is a district full of Venetian culture, historic buildings, beautiful canals and traditions known for the ‘Campo de Gheto Novo’, the Jewish Ghetto.
Tip: The Cannaregio district is also home to the coolest bookstore (& the well-known Instagram spot) of Italy namely Libreria Acqua Alta.
Add Venice to your road trip through Italy? Check out our two-week road trip across Europe for inspiration!
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