How to Spend 1 Day in Venice

My husband and I took a day trip to Venice (from Bologna). I would recommend spending at least 2 full days in Venice.

But, if you only have 1 day, it is still totally worth the visit!

How to Spend 1 Day in Venice?

Food Tour
Wander!
Walk Across the Rialto Bridge
Shop for a Venetian Mask
Visit Piazza San Marco

And if you have more than 1 day, I suggest visiting one of the smaller islands like Burano (known for its brightly colored houses) or Murano (known for its glass making).

1. Food Tour

We decided to do a food tour with Devour to get the most out of our limited time here. This is a great way to see and eat a lot and learn some Venice history along the way.

Below are some yummy foods we ate and sights we saw along the way.

venice things to do food tour cicchetti sample

And bonus, our food tour included a short gondola ride!

venice things to do food tour gondola ride

2. Wander Around Venice

I enjoyed wandering around Venice off the beaten path more than stopping at the popular tourist stops.

Around almost every corner is a picturesque view. Like a cute bridge with a gondola in the back drop.

And there are so many yummy pastry/coffee shops!

3. Walk Across the Rialto Bridge

venice things to do rialto bridge and boat

One of the most popular sites in Venice is the Rialto Bridge. It is about a 20 minute walk from the train station

Be warned, it is very crowded. We just happened to walk across the bridge while wandering around Venice. Would I go out of my way to see it? No.

4. Shop for a Venetian Mask

Masks are deep rooted in Venetian history. You can find shops selling handmade masks all over Venice.

Here is an article that shares some history of the Venetian Masks.

5. Visit Piazza San Marco

venice things to do piazza san marco couple

Piazza San Marco (or in English, St Mark’s Square) is the most well known square in the city. It is home to some famous structures such as St Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile, and Doge’s Palace.

Be Prepared for the Weather

It was raining most of the day while we were in Venice. If there is rain forecasted, I suggest wearing water proof footwear because the puddles can be big!