Venice is the unexpected gem of Italy. Many blogs will tell you to limit your time in Venice to 1 – 2 days. Here is why they are wrong.
Venice as the Perfect Couples’ Destination
When my husband and I travelled to Italy, I dreamed of the gorgeous shores of the Amalfi Coast, the wonder of the Colosseum, and the rolling hills of Tuscany. While all of these locations really do live up to the hype,
I did not expect to be so enthralled by the beauty, quaintness, and novelty that Venice had to offer.
Many articles will tell you to breeze through Venice as a day trip or limit your visit to one or two days. I naively followed this advice and can honestly say I truly wish I had not! I was under the impression that Venice is relatively small, crowded, and overhyped. Therefore, I planned my husband and my two week journey to Italy accordingly. We spent days on the Amalfi Coast, Florence, and Rome – all of which were just as wonderful as you would hope – but in order to compensate for the time spent in those locations, we cut time from Venice and only spent a day and a half.
While the duration of our stay in Venice was short, it left an immeasurable impression. I will detail our experience, as well as add the places I wished we would have had time to see, so that you can plan your trip to Venice accordingly.
Essential Experiences in Venice:
- Doge’s Palace
- St Mark’s Square
- Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concert
- Gondola Ride
- Ciccetti
- Orient Experience
Venice: Day 1
Venice was our second to last stop on our overall journey through Italy, so we travelled to Venice from Florence. In the morning, we dragged our bags along the cobblestone streets for twenty minutes to reach the train station in Florence to catch the train to Venice. We rode TrenItalia for most of our train travel throughout Italy and had a fairly good experience. We definitely learned a few things along the way.
Putting the details of navigating train travel in Italy aside, we enjoyed a two hour train ride to Venice.
Pro Tip: If you’re planning to travel to and from Venice via train, it is crucial to verify that you book the train ticket for arrival at Venezia S. Lucia NOT Venezia Mestre. The latter stops at the mainland, whereas Venezia S. Lucia drops you directly in Venice.
Instant Enchantment
The magic of Venice captivated us the moment we approached the city. The rails were so close to the water that it almost looked like the train was gliding across the surface.. The sky was overcast, yet it did not feel gloomy. The combination of grey sky and blue water created an ambiance that was so unique and special that just the thought brings me back to our short, extraordinary experience in Venice.
We found Venice fairly easy to get around by walking, but fair warning, as with any travel in Europe, getting around with luggage is an adventure. This is especially true in Venice when there are several occasions where you must carry all your luggage up and over canals via bridges. We stayed in a lovely Airbnb located in the San Polo area, which was central to everything we wanted to see in Venice.
We arrived before check in, so to maximize our time, we promptly dropped our bags and explored the area. Our first stop was at a cute little wine bar called Adagio for an aperol spritz (an Italy must!) and cicchetti. Cicchetti is a Venice specialty that can be found all throughout the city. They are small snacks akin to tapas and come in a variety of forms. When travelling to Venice, you must ensure that you get Cicchetti at least once!
Photography Session
Upon check in, we got ready for the evening and set off for an hour-long photoshoot. This is not a traditional activity that a traveller would typically include in their itinerary, but I have found that one of our best souvenirs are the professional photos that we get on our adventures. I absolutely recognize that it is a cost and does not fit in every budget, but it may be worth exploring if you return back from your trips solely with a collection of selfies and have the room to spend a couple hundred dollars.
I always carry a tripod to capture pictures of my husband and I, which we have successfully taken numerous beautiful photos of the two of us, but there is something special about a photographer capturing you and your partner on your journey. This was particularly special because part of our photography experience was riding in a gondola at sunset. Talk about checking off items on your bucket list!
Evening Wandering Through the Canals
While this may not be abundantly apparent yet, I am VERY Type A and tend to have itineraries planned down to the minute. However, something I have discovered through travel is that it is valuable to have a plan, but equally important to allow for flexibility. Clinging too closely to the perfect plan can derail your trip if minor inconveniences throw you for a loop. If you can’t tell – I’m speaking from experience, and trust me, adventure is well…more adventurous if you leave space for change.
That is exactly what happened following the photoshoot. I underestimated how tired we would feel and how dark the sky would look. Instead of spending the evening sightseeing, we returned to our Airbnb to change and wandered around the empty streets of Venice until we found a quaint pizza spot. We sat en plein air enjoying the crisp breeze as we sipped on glasses of wine eating delicious pizza. The night concluded with a cup of coffee and a slow walk back to the Airbnb.
Venice: Day 2
Doge’s Palace & St Mark’s
Our second day in Venice was much more action packed. I booked a fantastic tour through Get Your Guide to tour Doge’s Palace & St Mark’s. I highly recommend this tour because it enables you to see several sites in a short period of time, all well getting historical context from a knowledgeable guide. The afternoon was spent wandering the narrow sidewalks of Venice under a cloudy sky with a light drizzle. We found the perfect spot for lunch at a restaurant called Orient Experience. The restaurant serves a variety of food from around the world offering blends of different palettes into unique dishes. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal; it ended up being one of our favorites of the whole trip.
Vivaldi’s Four Season Concert
Now for the piece de resistance…the most anticipated part of our time in Venice…the Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concert at San Vidal Church. Our tickets were booked through Get Your Guide for the Vivaldi Four Seasons Concert & Music Museum. This was a highly unique experience that is an absolute must when traveling to Venice. I am not a classical music enthusiast, but these beautiful works performed by a talented orchestra in a stunning church is an unparalleled experience and the perfect romantic evening for couples.
Left in stunned awe following the concert, we once again wandered the streets of Venice in search of a quiet dinner. It was so peaceful exploring the narrow sidewalks lining the canals lit only by the periodic street lights illuminating the path. We stumbled upon a quaint wine bar where we enjoyed charcuterie and wine to wrap up our second, and final, night in Venice.
Our fast and furious trip to Venice came and went in the blink of an eye. Exploring Venice was an amazing experience, but with so little time here we did not see nearly everything there is to see in Venice. Venice is absolutely underrated and should be allowed at least two full days for a visit, if not three.
Here are the experiences I would have loved to have if I had an extra twenty-four to forty-eight hours:
Explore the Peggy Guggenheim Museum
Peggy Guggenheim was the niece of Solomon R. Guggenheim, who started the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. By nature of being born into a wealthy family and marrying an artist, she spent much of her life socializing with many great artists of the time. She curated a collection of works that are now displayed in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, where Peggy once lived.
I really wanted to go to this museum but it was closed on the one full day that we had in Venice, a Tuesday, so unfortunately we were not able to go. However, I would highly recommend that when you make your plans to visit Venice, that this museum be included on the itinerary AND make sure you do not plan to go on a Tuesday because it will not be open.
Explore the Jewish Ghetto
I am truly so sad that I did not have the chance to explore the Jewish Ghetto. It is a closed area that requires a ticket to enter. It is possible to buy tickets upon arrival, but I am a proponent of buying tickets ahead of time. We did get to briefly see the outside of the ghetto, which was a truly humbling experience. It is a staunch reminder of the horrors experienced by Jews during World War II. I wish I would have had the time to thoroughly explore the Ghetto and highly recommend that space be created to include this in any itinerary to Venice.
The Wrap Up
Venice is the perfect couples’ destination. This magical city is truly one-of-a-kind – perfect for the solo traveler or swooning couple. There is so much magic to be found winding through the narrow canals of this fascinating city. I still dream of Venice today and cannot wait to plan a return trip! I hope these tips will help you plan your perfect trip to Venice!