4-Day Itinerary for Venice, Italy – How to Make the Most of Your Time

Welcome to Wild Meadow Studio and our travel and photography blog, we are excited to talk travel with you and share our detailed itineraries in hopes that they make your adventures more care-free and enjoyable! In this 4-day detailed Itinerary, we’ll be exploring, Iconic Venice landmarks, museums, the different districts of the city, beautiful near-by islands, taking a fun and interesting food tour, enjoying a great daytrip and more!

FYI, we always suggest stopping by the local tourist office to pick up a city map, it will be up to date and detailed, which comes in handy. If you’re staying in a hotel, they may have some available there, and some short-term rentals may supply them, but if not the, here is a list of Tourist Offices in Venice, but here is an easy one to get to as most people arrive here when coming to Venice, located at Santa Croce 456D, at the north end of the Piazzale Roma and to the left of the Ponte della Costituzione (bridge), open 7:00am to 8:00pm daily.

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Table of contents:

1. Itinerary Day 1 – Exploring & Sunrise in St. Mark’s Square, and afternoon in San Marco and Castello Districts.
2. Itinerary Day 2 – Morning in Burano, Afternoon in Murano and Sailing down the Grand Canal at sunset.
3. Itinerary Day 3 – Sunrise in Dorsoduro, explore Santa Croce, Cannaregio, and San Polo districts, including the Rialto bridge and Market, end with a fun Food Tour.
4. Itinerary Day 4 – Daytrip to either of these beautiful hidden-gems, Treviso or Chioggia.
5. References
6. The Wrap up

1. Itinerary Day 1 – Exploring & Sunrise in St. Mark’s Square, and afternoon in San Marco and Castello Districts.

Day 1, morning: start off at St. Mark’s square, get there just before sunrise, (check out sunrise times here), and watch the magic unfold! This is the heart of the city and has numerous Iconic landmarks. At this time of day, enjoy the quiet(er) moments, great for photos, and soaking up the atmosphere without all of the crowds. Walk towards the lagoon and take sunrise photos with the gondolas in the forefront (like our photos below). This was a jaw-dropping, not sure where all to look, take a hundred photos, kind of spot. So beautiful with the slowly changing colours of the sky.

 From here walk left (if you’re facing the lagoon) and from the bridge just ahead, you can get some great shot of the Bridge of Sighs. Later in the afternoon, that bridge is filled with selfie-takers, so take advantage of this time. There is also another option for taking photos of the Bridge of Sighs, from the other side, there is a bridge there as well, that you can take photos from, both are shown on the map above.

Next, wander back into St. Mark’s Square, explore, and take it all in. If you’d like to do any of the tours, (Basilica, Palace, Bell Tower) choose this morning, but buy your tickets online in advance. Check out Viator, Get Your Guide, or Expedia. Most entry tickets start between 9:15am to 10:30am so plan accordingly. You would need approx. 30 to 45 mins for the Bell Tower, and 1 to 1.5 hours each for St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. If you’ve finished exploring the area and need to kill some time, try one of the cafes in the square, like Caffe Florian for a coffee/tea and a treat, sit outside and people watch, (it’s a little on the expensive side, but worth the splurge for the view). This café has been in business since 1720! Depending on what you’ve decided to do here, it may still be within the morning hours or approaching the afternoon.

Day 1 late morning/early afternoon: Next stop in the San Marco District is the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, it’s about a 5 mins walk northwest of St. Mark’s Square. This Palace is open from 10:00am to 6:00pm during the summer and 9:30am to 5:30pm during the winter and costs 9 euros with reduced prices depending on age. This hidden-gem dates back to 1300, this location was chosen due to its equal distance from the Rialto, (place of Commerce) and from San Marco, (place of political power). In 1499 Pietro Contarini commissioned the beautiful spiral staircase (or Bovolo), it has 80 steps and stands 26 meters high. Whether you climb to the top or just marvel at it from below, it’s worth taking a look!

From here head over to the Libreria Acqua Alta (high water bookstore), it’s about a 12 mins walk east, on your way you’ll go through Campo Santa Maria Formosa, there you can see the large black bronze lion and lioness sculptures, very impressive a fun piazza. Continue on to Acqua Alta, Located at C. Longa Santa Maria Formosa, 5176b and open from 9:00am to 7:15pm daily. Whether you’re looking for a book or not, it’s just a cool place to look around. Due to the frequent flooding, they experience, they had to be creative with how they display their books, so they use bathtubs, canoes, kayaks, and gondolas, as well they use damaged books to line walls and make stairs, quite unique. They also have pretty prints of Venice, bookmarks, postcards, and little souvenirs.

Day 1 afternoon: From here make your way southeast towards the Castello district, depending on the time and your hunger level, we are suggesting trying La Nuova Perla Ristorante Pizzeria, we really enjoyed this restaurant, they have great local and international cuisine, and indoor & outdoor seating, if you’ve already eaten, this could be an option for a dinner during your stay, they have great views of the sunset too.

The Castello district is a little less touristy then the others, it’s home to the Naval History Museum, the Venetian Arsenal, the National Pavilions, parks, gardens, a waterfront path, Via Garibaldi a fun street with shops and restaurants, and the John Cabot House, this building has a plaque that marks it as the home of John Cabot, (Giovanni Caboto) and his son Sebastian, both notable Venetian explorers and who the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia, Canada is named after. It has an interesting exterior, but not usually open for tours.

If you’re interested in history, the Navel History Museum is quite informative, it covers events in history, traditions, innovations, and stories of courage related to the relationship between Venice and the sea. We really enjoyed it, we did the self-guide audio tour, which was fun, but does take a while if you listen to every numbered item. It’s 4 stories and 109 listening points, so you can listen to what you wanted to or listen to it all, but plan on a few hours if you do so. Down to the left of the museum around the back and including with your museum ticket is the Ships Pavilion, which houses ancient ships and gondolas from the past. It’s open from 10:00am to 6:00pm every day but closed on Tuesdays. There are plans for Museum renovations so check before you go. From the canal outside of the Ships Pavilion look North and you’ll see the two towers and bridge that is one of the openings to the Venice Arsenal, where ships used to exit from once built.

From this area, head southeast along the lagoon, you’ll come to the John Cabot house on Via Garibaldi, stroll down this street, perhaps while enjoying a gelato? Turn right (south) into the Garibaldi Park, simply explore the areas parks, gardens, and waterfront path, this is a quieter part of Venice, so enjoy, great to do this area during the high tourist time of day. Once satisfied, with your explorations, head back to your accommodations and relax for a bit before dinner and your Passeggiata (evening stroll) with gelato! Check out our post “Tips and Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Venice, Italy” for restaurant suggestions in each district.

2. Itinerary Day 2 – Morning in Burano, Afternoon in Murano, and sailing down the Grand Canal at Sunset.

Depending on where you’re staying, google the F.te Nove “A” (or Fondamente) vaporetto stop for directions from your accommodations. The ACTV Vaporetto runs about every 20 to 30 mins, depending on the season, we left Venice for Burano around 6:30/7:00am, it takes approx. 45mins. Check their up-to-date schedule here. The earlier you get here the better, check sunrise times here. The map above just shows you the 3 vaporetto stops you’ll use today, where you’ll catch it in Venice and where they are located, in both Burano and Murano.

**Please Note: because you’ll be taking 3-5 Vaporetto rides today, we suggest getting the ACTV Travel Day Pass for the Vaporetto, which is 25 euros, as one fare would cost approx. 9.50 euros, so you’d be saving money, and you’ll only have to validate it once. You can buy it ahead of time from the bigger Water stops, like Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, the Santa Lucia Train Station, Fondamente Nove, as well as machines near the stops, or at kiosks and tobacco shops that display the ACTV signs. You can also buy them online, but you still have to exchange it for an actual ticket to be able to use it. Also, you have to make sure you validate the ticket before you get on the vaporetto for the first time, that gives you the date and time so your 24 hours will start then, so validate it just before you get onto the boat. You’ll see these small machines at the dock near where you get onto the boat. If you don’t validate it and the inspector asks you for your ticket, you could face a sizable fine.**

Day 2 morning: Once you reach Burano, walk south through the town and you’ll come out to one of the prettiest canals, take a look at the walking tour on the map above, it takes you to the nicest areas, canals and the main piazza with the San Martino church (FYI the walk from the Ferry stop to the church is only about 6 to 10 mins). Fun fact about the church, its bell tower or Campanile is slanted, this 53-metre-high tower is offset from its base by about 1.83 metres, making it a distinctive landmark in Burano, this is due to the ground conditions, (soft/floating foundations) not its design. You can get a good shot of it down the canal to the right of the piazza. Do the highlighted walk first, so you’ll have a better chance at getting photos without the crowds. Then simply take your time and explore, the whole island is unique and beautiful. Stop for a bit to eat, we had pastries, tea, and coffees at Eceoro Bistro, shown on the map. They have indoor and outdoor seating and are right on the canal. If you have the time and interest, there is the Burano Lace Museum (Museo del Merletto) located at Piazza Baldassare 187 (in the main square). It’s open every day but Monday, from 10:00am to 4:00pm, Friday and Saturday it’s open until 5:00pm. So, you could finish off your time here before you head to Murano.

Day 2 afternoon: After you’ve finished exploring Burano and are ready to move on, head back to the Vaporetto stop and get back on to Line 12 towards Venice, It’s about a 30 mins ride to Murano. Once there depending on the time and your hunger level, you could either head west towards the canal and try one of the many cafes in that area for your lunch, or head north up to the Original Murano Glass OMG Factory & Showroom for a Glass Blowing demonstration, located at Fondamenta San Giovanni dei Battuti 4b and open from 9:30am to 4:30pm. This will need to be booked in advance, you can’t go in without a reservation, you can book online and either pay then or pay when you get there (5 euros/person), if you’re there early or late for your chosen time, it’s ok, it’s more about the day, then the time, just make sure you get there before 4:00pm.

Following the walking tour from the map above will take you by some of the highlights of the island, some of their beautiful churches, the glass museum, glass-blowing factory and by a lot of beautiful shops selling Murano Glass. Although I would have liked to buy sets of their beautiful glassware, vases and more, I opted for a pretty glass pendent that I could fit in my carry-on! Just the window shopping alone was fun and impressive! Once you’ve seen the main sites, just explore, sit, and have an aperitivo or lunch by the water, and enjoy! Once done, head back to the Vaporetto station and take the #12 Line back to Venice!

Day 2 sunset & evening: Once back in Venice, you could return to your accommodations for some relaxation, change/shower, then get ready for the sunset and evening. Walk to Piazzale Roma and take the Line #1, which takes you all the way down the Grand Canal and get off at San Marco Vallaresso stop. By talking it this direction at sunset you’ll have great views of the changing colours of the sky! The vaporetto ride usually takes about 45 mins to get through the full Grand Canal, as it stops along the way. Try and sit outside (back or front of the boat) for better photo opts. Check out sunset times here. Once at St. Mark’s Square you could wander through the area and look for a restaurant to enjoy a nice dinner, for some suggestions, check out our post “Tips and Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Venice, Italy”. Afterwards, take a Passeggiata, (evening stroll) with some gelato. Then take full advantage of your ACTV Travel Pass, before it expires, and get back on the Vaporetto at the San Marco stop and sail down the Grand Canal the opposite direction and enjoy all the lights along the canal, another beautiful time a day to experience this. Then get off at whatever stop is closes to your accommodations. Day 2 is in the books!

3. Itinerary Day 3 – Sunrise in Dorsoduro, explore Santa Croce, Cannaregio, and San Polo districts, including the Rialto Bridge and Market, ending with a fun food Tour.

Day 3 morning: to start off this day you’ll want to get up early (it will be worth it) and head to the Ponte dell’Academia (bridge), this is another great place to see the sunrise and take photos, (from the bridge looking east towards the Basilica della Salute). Check out sunrise times here and arrive about 15 mins or so before the sunrise time. Once you’ve enjoyed your time here, continue east, passed the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, and the Basilica della Salute, (which you just took pictures of from the bridge) and walk to the point. Put Punta della Dogana in your phone’s GPS if possible or use the map we suggested getting this will come in handy. The path doesn’t fully go along the waterfront, so you’ll have to navigate over canals and through alleyways. I’ve done basic directions on the map in blue, but it is a bit of a maze, so do your best. From the point you can see the St. Mark’s Square area, the bell tower, and the top of St. Mark’s Basilica, this point is another great place to take photos in the early morning light. Follow the path (bottom red line on the map above) along the water around to the other side and continue west, this is a really pretty waterfront walk.

If interested in taking a sneak peek at gondola making/repair, take a detour to the right, to the Squero di San Trovaso, (shown on the Map above) this is one of the oldest active gondola workshops in Venice, it’s been in operation since the 1600’s. If you’re really interested in taking a tour, you can email the workshop to see if it’s possible to arrange a one, otherwise, just walking by and taking a look can be interesting, as they may be out working on some gondolas. From here, simply explore the Dorsoduro, look on the map above for some lively piazzas and incredible churches, like, Campo San Barnaba, Campo Santa Margherita, and Chiesa di San Pantalon, near this church is our favourite bakery, Pasticceria Tonolo, open in 1886, it’s located at Calle San Pantalon, 3764, (closed Mondays) a 2 min walk around the corner to the right from the San Pantalon Church. This bakery can get busy, but it’s delicious! There are a lot of bakeries in and around Dorsoduro though, so pick up a pastry, coffee/tea and relax for a bit. Once done in this district, move along to the Santa Croce district, here is the busy Piazzale Roma the transport hub of the island. But there is more to Santa Croce than that. There are pretty parks, piazzas, churches, and more beautiful canals. There is also the 4^th and newest bridge over the Grand Canal here, Ponte della Costituzione opened in 2008, connecting Santa Croce with Cannareggio. Beside Piazzale Roma Santa Croce is the least touristy area, great for restaurants, one of our go to trattorias is Pizzeria All’Anfora, it has great pizzas at reasonable prices, we’ve eaten here several times and have loved it every time. If the timing works out you could have your lunch here, they are located at Santa Croce 1223 Lista Vechia dei Bari, open 12:00pm to 3:00pm and 6:30pm to 10:30pm, closed on Wednesdays. If the timing doesn’t work out, put this on your list for one of your dinners. Once done in Santa Croce cross Ponte degli Scalzi into Cannareggio.

Day 3 afternoon: Start your afternoon at Ponte degli Scalzi bridge, cross over into Cannaregio, to your left you’ll see the Santa Lucia Train Station, Venice’s main station. Head right and simply wander around this interesting district, we’ve added some points of interest for you to explore, like The Jewish Ghetto area (where the museum is on the map) this island within an island, has an interesting past, it’s the first place in the world to be called a Ghetto, a term later used to describe any segregated area where a minority group is restricted. In 1516, this area of Venice was where the Jewish population were forced to live for almost 300 years, until Napoleon defeated the Venetians, and the Jewish people were granted equal rights.

Cannaregio has impressive churches, piazzas, a casino, (if anyone is feeling lucky), and an old Italian theater, which is now a very nice Despar (grocery store). Spend an hour or two wandering around and seeing the sights, then head down to the famous landmark, the Rialto Bridge. Built between 1588 and 1591, this beautiful stone, arched bridge is lined with shops and is a must-see sight.

Cross over the bridge and turn left towards Campo San Polo and experience the San Polo District, checking out some of our points of interest on the map. Then head north to the Rialto Market and explore this famous, historical place. If you’ve booked our suggested Food Tour, you’ll likely have to head over to the Campo San Giacomo di Rialto, as shown on the map above for 5:00pm, (check out your instructions before you go as it could change). This was a great food tour, we really enjoyed our guide, the interesting history and of course the delicious food, which definitely filled us up enough that we didn’t need dinner. If you didn’t book this tour, look for a place for dinner in the San Polo area, for some suggestions, check out our post “Tips & Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Venice, Italy”. Then of course end your day with a Passeggiata and Gelato (or some Prosecco).

4. Itinerary Day 4 – Daytrip to either of these hidden-gems, Treviso or Chioggia.

Day 4: It’s fun to explore a little of what else the Veneto has to offer (and there is a lot) while visiting Venice, so if you have a day to explore, here are two options that are easy to get to and not too far. The maps above just give you an idea of where these two places are located, Treviso, 30 mins north by train and Chioggia 60 mins south by coach bus.

Treviso:

Treviso is a small, beautiful hidden gem, that is filled with dreamy canals, lively piazzas, an old fish market, some great shopping streets, delicious trattorias, and history that dates back over 2,000 years. Treviso also has a claim to fame, Prosecco wine was first produced in the surrounding hills and the popular Italian dessert, tiramisu originated from here. So of course, if you choose Treviso for your day trip, you’ll have to try them both! We have 4 posts on the lesser-known town, (including a 1-day itinerary) “Top 8 Things to do in Treviso, Italy – Explore the Best Sights”, “1-Day Itinerary for Treviso, Italy – An Easy Day Trip from Venice”, “Tips & Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Treviso, Italy” and “How to Make the Famous Italian Dessert, Tiramisu from Treviso”. Take a look at these and see if Treviso piques your interest.

Chioggia:

Chioggia is another lesser-known destination, making it a perfect choice if you want to avoid crowds. It’s a lively fishing village, with canals, bridges, great seafood, busy markets, and a laid-back, authentic vibe. For Chioggia we are suggesting leaving early, but not too early, so if you want to sleep in a little, today is the day to do it. Catch the #80 bus from Piazzale Roma and it will take you direct to Chioggia in about an hour. The map above shows you where you will get off the bus, (take note of where it is, as that is the same bus stop you’ll catch your return bus from).

Head east down the street and turn left onto Corso del Popolo, this is the main street with lots of shops, restaurants, museums, and the impressive Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta dating back to 1627, lots to look at here. If you follow our suggested walking tour in red, it will take you down this street all the way to the harbour, where you’ll see the waterfront Piazza and Ponte Vigo, it will take you down a picturesque canal, with historic plaques scatter throughout it, down side streets, along a larger canal lined with fishing boats, and by a lot of great seafood restaurants to take your pick of. We ate at Ostaria La Forcola and had delicious seafood pasta, we sat outside and had great views of the fishing boats. We really enjoyed our time here; it was a very slow-paced relaxing day.

**All pricing, opening/closing hours and days listed here are as of Nov. 2025 and are subject to change, so be sure to check before you go. I like these websites: venicelover.com and visitvenezia.eu for all your current information.

5. References:

All this information, research and suggestions came from our own experiences we had while enjoying this one-of-a-kind, incredible city of Venice and the itinerary we followed while we were there. In addition, we spent countless hours reading travel books, like DK Eyewitness Top 10 Venice, DK Eyewitness Venice and the Veneto, DK Eyewitness Italy and Rick Steves Italy. We also read multiple Travel blogs and Venice tourism websites too, like, visitvenezia.eu and venicelover.com. We also used Google maps to check out directions and distances between some of the sites.

6. The Wrap up:

We hope you enjoy our suggested itinerary for this amazing city, as much as we did and find this information helpful. I have added a website link to some of the major sites so you can check them out and see what piques your interest! If you have any questions, ask away. Feel free to comment, give advice, join our mailing list, follow, like, pin, share with friends, anything goes. Let’s talk Travel!

Thank you,

 From Wild Meadow Studio

A Travel and Photography Blog

By: Beth de Verteuil

[email protected]

Where we help you Focus on the Journey

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