The Best Things to Do in Venice if You Only Have One Day

We only had 7 days in Italy but knew that we couldn’t go to Italy without stopping in Venice. Venice is ranked as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is also one of the most unique cities in the world as it consists of 118 tiny islands connected by a maze of canals and over 400 bridges. Although we would have loved to have spent more time in Venice, we made the most of our day and want to share the best things to do in Venice in one day.

Top Things to Do in Venice, Italy

Table of Contents

• 1. The Jewish Ghetto
• 2. Strada Nuova
• 3. Rialto Bridge
• 4. Acqua Alta Book Shop
• 5. Riva Degli Schiavoni
• 6. Bridge of Sighs
• 7. Piazza San Marco
• 8. San Marco Ferry Terminal
• 9. The dock behind Hotel San Moise

We flew into Venice from Rome on the first flight of the day and checked into our hotel. (If you are planning to visit Rome be sure to check our First Time Guide to Rome.)

We chose to stay at the AC Hotel Venezia because we are partial to Marriott hotels and it was a great location.

It is located right next to the shuttle bus stop from the airport, as well as the train station and ferry terminal. We were impressed with the hotel and loved having a room overlooking the canal.

Once we dropped our luggage off we were excited to start exploring and hit the ground running.

There are so many amazing things to see in Venice so we created a walking map before we left to help as we navigated our way through the city.

Thankfully everything is within walking distance, but it is a lot of walking so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

1. The Jewish Ghetto

The Jewish Ghetto was created in 1516 and is the oldest Jewish Ghetto in the world. It is an authentic and colorful neighborhood rich in history.

We wanted to stop at the Jewish Museum of Venice but didn’t have time. I’ve heard it’s informative and worth the stop if you are able to.

You can also take a free guided walking tour to delve deeper into the stories and secrets of the past. The tours are run by passionate local volunteers who love sharing their city with visitors.

2. Strada Nuova

Strada Nuova is the main street of Venice. The long narrow corridor is bustling with tourists and is lined with shops, vendors, and restaurants. It is a lively and energetic part of Venice.

We picked up some souvenirs for the kids and browsed through the different stalls.

If you’re craving more solitude and an escape from the crowds, I would suggest detouring through the Cannaregio neighborhood.

You’ll find it to the left as you’re walking toward Strada Nuova just past the Jewish Ghetto.

Venice is made up of six sestieres, or neighborhoods. Cannaregio is the second largest sestiere and dates back to the 16th century.

While Strada Nova is packed with tourists, Cannaregio has a quiet secluded local feel.

We got lost wandering through the sleepy side streets. We strolled through beautiful alleyways strung with clotheslines and past windows adorned with flower boxes.

3. Rialto Bridge

From Strada Nuova we walked down towards the Rialto Bridge.

You’ll know when you reach the Rialto Bridge because it will be packed with tourists.

There are four bridges that cross the Grand Canal. The Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four and has become an architectural icon in Venice.

While we were in the area, we explored the nearby streets and grabbed some street food for lunch. We ordered fried seafood skewers from Acqua e Mais.

Bigoi Pasta Fresca also had the BEST Cacio e Pepe. Of course, we had to stop and sample different cannolis and pastries along the way too.

4. Acqua Alta Book Shop

There is something magical about a quaint old bookshop.

The Acqua Alta Book Shop was unlike any I’ve ever seen before with books stacked from floor to ceiling and spilling off shelves.

The books were arranged in artistic vignettes perfect for photos. There was even filled a full sized gondola sitting in the middle of the shop that was filled with new and used books.

If you head to the back of the shop you’ll even find a staircase made of books that leads to a view over the canal.

5. Riva Degli Schiavoni

The Riva Degli Schiavoni is the most famous waterfront in Venice. It is filled with tourists, artists, and vendors.

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It also offers spectacular views across the canal to the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore.

6. Bridge of Sighs

As you’re walking toward St Mark’s Square, you’ll pass the infamous Bridge of Sighs.

This beautiful limestone bridge connects the Old Prison and interrogation rooms in Doge’s Palace with the New Prison. The Doge’s Palace is now a museum that you can tour.

Many prisoners crossed the bridge on the way to their execution. They took one last look at the outside world through the decorative stone bars as they passed along the bridge.

It is also said that couples will enjoy eternal love if they kiss under the bridge at sunset while drifting in a gondola.

7. Piazza San Marco

The Piazza San Marco, or St Mark’s Square, is the main public square and the beating heart of Venice.

It is home to Saint Mark’s Basilica and Saint Mark’s Campanile (or bell tower). For 8 euros you can take a short elevator ride to the top of the bell tower for panoramic views over the city.

Saint Mark’s Basilica is free to enter, however, you can purchase skip-the-line tickets for a guided tour. There is often a long line, but it is worth the wait. This was one of the most impressive churches that we visited, and we visited a lot of churches in Italy!

It is absolutely stunning with over 40,000 square feet of intricate mosaic tiles adorning the floor, walls, and domed ceilings.

The mosaics depict different events, such as when Saint Mark’s bones were stolen from Egypt and brought to Venice.

He was laid to rest under the altar, which can be viewed through a separate paid entry.

I would also highly recommend visiting the Galleria Museum. Just inside the doors of the basilica, you’ll see a long steep staircase to the right that leads up to the museum. Admission was 5 euros when we visited.

The small museum is informative and holds various artifacts and relics. But what we loved most is that it allows access to the rooftop for spectacular views over the square.

In the museum, you’ll also be able to view the original four horses that stood above the door. They were stolen from Egypt by Nero and made there way around Italy and Paris before finding a permanent home at Saint Mark’s Basilica.

The horses that are currently on the roof are replicas in order to preserve the originals.

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8. San Marco Ferry Terminal

If you head down to the San Marco Ferry terminal, you’ll find the perfect quintessential Venice view.

You’ll see dozens of gondolas swaying at the dock with the spectacular Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute in the background. It is the best spot to get an unobstructed view of the basilica from the shore.

You can also find a traghetto crossing here. As of 2019, the city has set the price of a gondola ride to be 80 euros for 40 minutes (increasing to 100 euros after 7pm).

The cost is for the gondola, not per person, so it can easily be split up among 6 passengers if you want to find other tourists to share a ride with.

However, if you are on a budget and short on time, I would recommend taking a traghetto. The traghetto is a ferry gondola that provides a short ride across the Grand Canal for about 2 euros. You can still experience riding in a genuine gondola in Venice for a fraction of the cost.

There are about a half dozen traghetto lines that cross the Grand Canal and one of them can be found at the San Marco ferry terminal. We took the short ride across the canal and visited the beautiful Santa Maria Basilica.

9. The dock behind Hotel San Moise

If you’re looking for the most Instagrammable spot in Venice, head to the Hotel San Moise. The address is S. Marco 2058, 30173 Venezia VE, Italy.

The hotel is located on a street corner, but you’re going to want to walk to the back of the hotel towards the canal.

On your left, you’ll spot a small dock that makes for the perfect photo op. I absolutely loved this view of gondolas gliding gently through the narrow canal surrounded by colorful buildings.

After we took some photos we sat on the ground and face-timed our kids so that they could see just how beautiful Venice was.

From here we wandered through the maze of streets as we made our way back to the hotel.

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It was nice having an agenda to ensure that we saw the main attractions, but it was just as nice being able to wander aimlessly and explore the hidden beauty of Venice.

The city takes on a whole different feel once the sun sets. It is mysterious and absolutely magical.

We walked along the empty streets and tucked into a small cafe for dinner before calling it a night.

We were exhausted by the time we finally went to bed, but absolutely loved our one perfect day in Venice.

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