Top 8 Things to do in Venice, Italy! Explore & Experience

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In this post we will be introducing the historical, one-of-a-kind, island city of Venice, Italy! We will be discussing a brief history and revealing our top 8 things to do! For any tours or activities, you might be interested in, you can book them through Expedia, Viator or Get your Guide all very easy to use, reliable and what we recommend.

Check out our additional posts on Venice, “4-Day Itinerary for Venice, Italy- How to Best Spend Your Time”, “Tips & Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Venice, Italy”, “Top 3 Spots to Experience the Sunrise in Venice, Italy”  and “How to Make the Famous & Refreshing, Bellini from Venice, Italy”.

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Table of Contents:

1. Introduction to Venice, Italy
2. Venice’s Historical Run Down
3. Top 8 Things to do and experience in Venice.
4. References
5. The Wrap up

1. Introducing Venice, Italy:

Nestled in the heart of northeast Italy, Venice is a city like no other – built on top of over 100 small islands, a network of canals and steeped in centuries of history, art, and romance. This floating city delights visitors with its winding waterways, elegant architecture, and iconic landmarks like St. Mark’s Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, and the Grand Canal. This 1600-year-old city has so much to offer, from the popular gondola rides to cozy cafes tucked away in quiet corners. Venice has a laid-back, romantic vibe that makes it perfect for wandering, exploring, and soaking up the atmosphere. Because of this, Venice gets approx. 25 to 30 million visitors per year, making it a very crowded place. The best times to visit for less crowds and better weather is the shoulder seasons, April to June and September & October. The Winter months are still an option, but it brings colder weather and possible flooding. February is Carnivale so that time can get busy too, but if interested could be a lot of fun. Summer months get over-crowded, and the temperatures are high, either way, Venice is definitely Bucket List Worthy.

2. Venice’s Historical Run Down:

• 5^th to 6^th Century AD – People fled invasions by Germanic tribes, (like the Lombards and the Huns) and settled on the islands of the Venetian Lagoon and began making a life for themselves on the water.

• 697 AD – Venice elects its first Doge (chief magistrate) Paolo Lucio Anafesto.

• 9^th Century AD – Venice grows into a Maritime power, and St. Mark’s relics are stolen from Alexandria by two Venetian Merchants and brought to Venice in 828. St. Mark becames the patron saint of Venice.

• 10^th – 11^th Centuries – Venice gains autonomy from the Byzantine Empire and begins to expand its trade over the Adriatic and Eastern Mediterranean.

• 1204 – Venice plays a major role in the 4^th Crusade and helps defeat Constantinople. They gain extensive trade privileges and territory in the Eastern Mediterranean.

• 13^th -15^th Centuries – Venice becomes one of the richest cities in Europe, from trade in spices, silk, and salt. It dominates commerce between Europe and the East.

• 15^th – 16^th Centuries – Venice thrives as a centre of Renaissance art, music, and architecture.

• 1469 – The printing press was introduced, turning Venice into a major publishing hub.

• 17^th Century – Trade declines as the maritime routes shift to the Atlantic because of the Portuguese and Spanish exploration.

• 1797 – Venice falls to Napoleon; the Republic of Venice ends after more than 1,000 years. With the Treaty of Campo Formio, Venice is given to Austria.

• 1866 – Venice becomes part of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy, after the Austro-Prussian War.

• 20^th Century – Major developments and infrastructure are introduced, like bridges and rail connections that link Venice to the mainland.

• 1990’s – to Present – Venice struggles with over tourism, flooding (acqua alta) and its own preservation.

• 2020s – Venice introduces measures to limit tourism, including cruise ship bans and visitor tax fees.

 3. Top 8 Things to Do in Florence:

1. Enjoy Saint Mark’s Square and all that it has to offer:

St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) is the vibrant heart of Venice and an absolute must-see sight for any visitor. Surrounded by iconic landmarks like St. Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile (bell tower), Doge’s Palace, and the Bridge of sighs, (just on the other side of the Basilica). The Square captures the grandeur of Venice’s past and the charm of its present. Whether you’re admiring the golden mosaics of the basilica, sipping a coffee at the historic Caffe Florian, or simply soaking in the lively atmosphere with pigeons fluttering overhead, experiencing St. Mark’s Square is one of the top highlights of any trip to Venice. It’s where history, architecture, and the Venetian spirit come together in one unforgettable place. Experiencing it during sunrise is something well worth getting up early for, especially the views over the Lagoon. If you want to do any of the Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Bell Tower or Bridge of Sighs tours, they need to be purchased online in-advance. Check out Viator or Get you Guide for tickets.

2. Take a Venetian Food Tour:

As we’ve mentioned in the past, taking a food tour is one of our favourite activities to do. We recommend booking this in-advance and for the begging of your trip, that way you can get great restaurant recommendations from your guide. This is the one we did in Venice and loved it, Eat Like a Local: 3 hour Venice Small-Group Food Tasting Walking Tour, booked through Viator. We did the 5:00pm tour, which also gave us more than enough food to be our dinner. We enjoyed approx. 8 stops, including casual bars, historic cafes, hidden-gems, bakeries and gelato shops and got to try, sea food, cheese, meats, pasta, fried fare, cicchetti, desserts, gelato and a great selection of wines. If you do the earlier tour you go through the Rialto Market, which was closed by the time our tour started, so if seeing that interests you, book the earlier one and it could cover your lunch. Either way, it’s a fun and interesting thing to do!

3. Sail down the Grand Canal:

Sailing down the Grand Canal is one of the most iconic experiences in Venice, offering a stunning introduction into the city’s unique beauty. Whether it’s on a vaporetto (water bus) or a romantic gondola, cruising along this winding waterway reveals a breathtaking view of historic palaces, charming bridges, and centuries-old architecture. We opted for the vaporetto as it was a lot less expensive, if you have been dreaming of taking a romantic gondola ride, then we say treat yourself, but keep in mind, during busy times the waterways get quite busy. For a 30-minute gondola ride it costs 90 euros from 9:00am to 7:00pm, after 7:00pm it’s 110 euros for 30-minutes, this is per boat not person. For a single-ride fare on the vaporetto it costs 9.50 euros per person and is good for 75 mins, if you plan on using it multiple times per day you could get a day pass, which is 25 euros, a 2-day pass is 35 euros and a 3-day pass is 45 euros. If you get any of these tickets, make sure you validate them using the electronic reader as soon as you get on board. These passes also allow you to visit Murano and Burano, so if you plan on going to these islands and sailing down the Grand canal, you could do that all in the same day and get the 1-day pass. Check out the info for the passes here, ACTV travel cards. Whatever you decide, seeing Venice from the water is a must-do when visiting this unique destination.

4. Visit a Unique Bookstore:

The Libreria Acqua Alta bookstore is a very unique place to visit. Due to the frequent flooding, they experience, they had to be creative on how to best protect their merchandise, so they decided to use things like gondolas, kayaks, and bathtubs to store some of their books. It is a little maze like going through it, and has a staircase made of damaged books, that provides away to climb up for a view of the canal. As well, they have a wall of old books displayed with kayaks, making a few great photo ops. Besides a great selection of books in different languages, they have great prints of Venice in different sizes, postcards, little souvenirs, and bookmarks. If you have any interest in books, this is a great place to visit. Location is C. Longa Santa Maria Formosa, 5176b, open from 9:00am to 7:10pm. Check them out here. It can get busy, so go early if possible.

5. Explore the Unique Districts of Venice:

One of the most fun things to do in Venice is to just simply explore or “get lost”, as people say. There are so many amazing little corners of the city and it’s such a unique place like no other, so just getting out and wandering around will be a rewarding experience. Before you head out let’s just go over the make-up of the city. Venice is divided into 6 separate districts or Sestieri, meaning sixth. There is:

1. San Marco– the heart of Venice and home to St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. Great for sunrise and shopping.
2. Cannaregio – the most populous area and home to the Venetian Ghetto and the train station. Great for museums and restaurants.
3. Castello – The largest sestiere, home to the Venetian Arsenale, Naval Museum and parks. Great to get away from some of the crowds, with its parks, gardens and walkway along the water.
4. Dorsoduro – known as the school district and the hub for art and culture. It’s home to the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery. Great for lively piazzas, great restaurants, cafes, and sunrise, we stayed in this area multiple times and loved it.
5. San Polo – The oldest district of Venice and home to the famous Rialto Market, and the Rialto Bridge that connects it to the San Marco district. Great for old hidden-gem trattorias, the market and frequented by locals.
6. San Croce – this is the least touristy district and home to Piazzale Roma the transportation hub, this is where you arrive if coming by bus or taxi from the airport or if you are picking up/dropping off a rental car. Great for less touristy restaurants, but we don’t suggest staying in this area as it gets so busy with people coming and going.

The Rialto Bridge and area is one of Venice’s most popular spots, blending centuries of history with the energy of modern-day life. The 434-year-old Rialto bridge spans the Grand Canal with its beautiful stone arch, shops and stunning views. The bridge is surrounded by lively markets, charming cafes, and local shops selling everything from handmade leather goods to Venetian glass. Just steps away from the bridge is the famous Rialto Market, a great place to just explore, you’ll find fresh produce, seafood, and a slice of daily Venetian life. The best time to visit is early morning or in the evening otherwise it will be overcrowded.

7. Visit Murano & Burano:

Murano – Just a short vaporetto ride from Venice (approx. 10-20 mins), Murano is a beautiful little island known for its amazing glass art. You can watch glassblowers at work, browse unique shops, stroll along some pretty canals, and enjoy a great meal. It’s a laid-back spot that mixes creativity, history, and classic Venetian charm. We arrived here after touring Burano, had lunch, and simply explored this unique place, we especially loved the window shopping, as the glass making is impressive and all over the island, they make everything from jewelry (including Pandora charms), vases and sculptures to chandeliers, ornaments, and tableware. A lot of the restaurants all throughout Venice use these beautiful glasses, vases, etc. Murano is well worth the trip.

Burano – A little farther from Venice (approx. 45 mins by vaporetto) this small, but charming island was one of our very favourite spots on this trip. Burano is known for its very brightly painted houses that line their canals, creating a colourful and cheerful atmosphere. It’s also famous for its traditional handmade lace. If you like taking photo, this is definitely the place for you. Burano is great for wandering, snapping a few (or a thousand) photos and for its great seafood. Due to the fact that it’s a pretty incredible place, it does get very busy, we took an early vaporetto over in the morning and we hardly saw anyone, we explored, took a lot of photos, checked out some shops, and enjoyed some delicious pastries and coffees by the water. As the vaporetto’s came, the people trickled in, by the time we left, the vaporetto’s coming were packed! So, our experience would have been so different if we had of come later. After our visit to Burano, we sailed over to Murano, and yes, it was busier than if we had of arrived early, but because we were very interested in taking photos of Burano, we decided to go there first. Sometimes you have to choose which place to see with less crowds, unfortunately you can’t be everywhere first thing in the morning.

8. Take a Day Trip to Either Treviso or Chioggia:

If time permits and you find yourself with an extra day in the area, both of these small, hidden gems are well worth the visit:

Treviso – this Charming Italian town is just 30 mins north of Venice, by train, and known for its picturesque canals, medieval walls, and delicious local food, especially Tiramisu, which originated here. It’s a great spot to explore authentic Italian life away from the crowds, with cozy cafés, colourful markets, and beautiful historic streets, piazzas, and palazzos. Our favourite place here was the Buranelli Canal, (pictured above). This canal was so beautiful and tranquil, just a joy to experience. Check out our 4 posts on this hidden gem, “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!”.

Chioggia – this is a lively fishing village south of Venice, about and hour by bus, often called “Little Venice” because of its canals and bridges. It’s known for its fresh seafood, busy markets, and laid-back, authentic vibe. Great for experiencing the Venetian culture without the crowds. This is another hidden gem, we loved our time here, we arrived by bus mid-morning, and it wasn’t very busy, it was more locals, than tourists. The outer banks of the village are filled with large fishing boats, the main shopping street is Corso del Popolo, then there are multiple canals, lined with small fishing boats, historical, colourful houses and restaurants. Great for photos, fresh seafood, and getting away from the crowds in Venice.

4. References:

All of this information, research and suggestions came from our own experiences we had while enjoying this one-of-a-kind, stunning city of Venice, Italy. As well, we spent countless hours researching and reading travel books, like DK Eyewitness, Top 10 Venice, | DK Eyewitness Travel, Italy,| DK Eyewitness Venice and the Veneto | & Rick Steves Italy. We also read multiple Travel blogs and tourism websites like, Venicelover.com

5. The Wrap up:

After reading this, we hope you feel inspired to visit this unforgettable, one-of-a-kind, beautiful city of Venice. We hope you find our information helpful, so you can plan your own amazing trip.

At Wild Meadow Studio, we love everything travel – planning, research, maps, books, itineraries, tours, trying local foods, meeting new people, hiking, cooking classes, relaxing and of course creating memories and artwork, through our photos! We enjoy talking travel too, whether it’s sharing our experiences or hearing about yours. So, comment, ask questions, give advice, join our mailing list, like, follow, pin, share with friends, anything goes, let’s talk travel!

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From Wild Meadow Studio

A Travel and Photography Blog

Where we Focus on the Journey

By: Beth de Verteuil

www.wildmeadowstudio.com