1. Get inside the Venetian palace
Visitors are only allowed into those palaces that have been turned into museums or hotels; all others are privately owned. We advise you to visit three of the most beautiful Venetian palace museums: Ca’ Rezzonico – an 18th century palace with beautiful frescoes by Tiepolo, Ca’ Pesaro – a 17th century Baroque palace that houses a museum of modern art, and Ca’ d’Oro (golden house) – a Gothic palace whose façade overlooks the Grand Canal. It used to be decorated with gold and white marble, hence the name; it now houses an art museum.
2. Take a vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal
The Grand Canal is the central street of Venice, where the facades of the most beautiful palaces and churches of the city overlook. The Vaporetto waterbus route along the Grand Canal, from San Marco to Santa Lucia Station (or in the opposite direction) is considered the most picturesque. The trip lasts one hour and costs €7.5. It is best to ride this route at night – the views of Venice at night are beautiful and there are no crowds of tourists.
3. Visit the beach in Lido
Lido is a small island with sandy beaches where Venetians go on vacation. The vaporetto ride from the city center to the Lido takes 20 minutes. At the beginning of the 20th century, artists, poets and English aristocrats lived on the Lido. Since 1932, the famous Venice Film Festival has been held at the Lido Cinema Palace.
4. See the deserted Piazza San Marco
San Marco is the main city square of Venice, surrounded by the Doge’s Palace, the Old and New Procuracies and St. Mark’s Cathedral. During the day, the square is filled with tourists and countless flocks of pigeons, but as soon as the bars and restaurants close, it empties. There is no nightlife in the center of Venice, so you should come to the square late in the evening or early in the morning and enjoy the beauty of this place in silence. It is also more convenient to view the mosaics of St. Mark’s Cathedral earlier, during morning mass.
5. Visit the Rialto fish market
The oldest and most picturesque market in Venice is located in the center, next to the famous Rialto Bridge. It is open until lunch, early in the morning fishermen come here and sell their catch from boats. The freshest seafood, juicy fruits and vegetables at the lowest prices in Venice. Next to the market is Poste Vecie, the oldest Venetian restaurant, opened in 1501.
6. See Venice from the height of the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore
The bell tower of the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is located opposite the Doge’s Palace, on the other side of the Grand Canal. From its observation deck there is a beautiful view of Venice and the lagoon, and on a clear day the peaks of the Alps are visible on the horizon. After descending from the bell tower, go into the cathedral – this is one of the masterpieces of the great architect Palladio. The cathedral houses five paintings by Tintoretto.
7. Visit the islands of Burano and Torcello
The island of Burano is a 40-minute vaporetto ride from Venice and is famous for its fine lace and brightly colored houses, just like its neighbor Murano. But Burano has many fewer tourists. From there there is a ferry to the island of Torcello, famous for the magnificent Byzantine mosaics in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.
