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I don’t think 1 day in Venice is enough, but here’s how to spend a day in Venice if you’re tight on time. If you’re like me who tries to opt for quality over quantity, then I suggest visiting a few main tourist sites and leaving enough time for yourself to meander the streets. 

A perfect 1 day itinerary in Venice, I truly believe, involves strolling through the narrow streets to enjoy the rich history of this fantastical floating city. See below for some of the best things to do in Venice in one day to prioritize what you want to experience. 

Know Before You Go

Here are some essential Venice travel tips to know before you go. Definitely read up about the Venice access fee (see below) if you plan to do a day trip to Venice during high travel season. 

Language: Italian. 

Voltage: 230 V. 

Currency: the Euro (and credit cards are widely accepted). 

Major Train station (on the Venetian lagoon): Venezzia Santa Lucia

Major Train station (on the mainland): Venezzia Mestre 

Major International Airport: Marco Polo International Airport

Pay the Venice access fee (if you’re doing a day trip only) 

The Venice access fee (costs about 5 EUROs) applies to visitors who are only doing a day trip to the city. You won’t have to pay the additional fee if you’ve booked an overnight stay in a hotel (see my ultimate Venice travel guide on some of my favourite places to stay in Venice). In fact, this fee only applies to certain dates during certain months of the year (usually high tourist season). 

See the official Venice Access Fee guide for a list of dates of when the fee applies. 

How to pay the Venice access fee 

Pay online at the official Venice Access Fee portal if you know exactly which dates you’re visiting Venice for a day trip. You can also pay the access fee at any tobacco store (e.g. convenience store) in Italy. Make sure to check the dates when you’re visiting Venice on a day trip to confirm if the fee applies. 

What to See and Do in Venice in 1 Day

Here are some of my top suggestions on how to spend a day in Venice. Certain sites I think are must-see if you’re only in Venice for one day. 

Gaze in wonder at Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark’s Square) 

Saint Mark’s Square is one of the most beautiful and well-known squares in the world. The Doge’s palace, with its intricate byzantine mosaics, is located at one end of the square. Make sure to buy tickets in advance if you want to head inside. 

It’ll cost you about 15 EURO for a cappuccino if you want to sit and drink in Saint Mark’s Square. Make sure to have your credit card ready if that’s what you want to splurge on. I personally don’t think it’s worth it. There are lots of cute cafés all over Venice selling good coffee. I find sitting next to the Rialto Bridge with less tourists and spending 5 EURO on a cappuccino slightly more reasonable. Overall, it all depends on the view you’d like to have with your drink. 

Admire the Bridge of Sighs by Ponte della Paglia 

Walk a bit outside of Saint Mark’s Square towards the water and you’ll spot the famous Bridge of Sighs.

Prisoners would sigh one last time at the beauty of Venice as they were being led to their deaths; hence the name. Walk onto the Ponte della Paglia (another gorgeous bridge unto itself) to see the Bridge of Sighs.

Glide on the Grand Canal in a Gondola 

It costs about 80 EURO for a gondola ride of up to 5 people. This is a fun and probably once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride in a historic gondola. Your gondolier will explain the history of Venice and also their gondola.

Every gondolier gets to name their gondola and choose how to decorate it. It might be a slightly cheesy, and expensive, tourist activity, but I personally thought it was worth it especially if you only have a day to spend in Venice. 

Revel in the beauty of the Rialto Bridge

And if you do opt for a gondola ride, you’ll get to sail under the iconic Rialto Bridge. It’s an architectural marvel. Seeing it from below on a gondola gives you a different perspective of things. You can also stroll across the bridge and get an impressive view of the Grand Canal and all the stunning architecture surrounding it. 

Visit a glass blowing factory on Murano Island

Even if you only had a day to spend in Venice, you can take a vaporetto to head to Murano island. The boat ride is only about 10 minutes or so. Catch a glass blowing demonstration at one of the factories and see how the famous Venetian glass sculptures are made. There’s no pressure to buy anything. But if you do, you could save up to 40% off the purchase price if you’re a tourist. Check with the factory store representatives for more details if you plan to buy something grand. 

Where to Eat 

If you’re looking to complete your itinerary of how to spend a day in Venice, then I highly recommend trying fresh seafood. It’s some of the freshest seafood you’ll have and I firmly believe it’s an unmissable experience. 

Indulge in fresh seafood at the Giardinetto 

Restaurant: Osteria Antico Giardinetto
Location: Calle dei Morti 2253, Santa Croce 30135 Venezia
Style and price: Premium casual. 

Follow Google maps to find the very special Osteria Antico Giardinetto. It’s a lovely seafood restaurant with a charming patio and a small space for indoor dining. Reservations are a must. 

We had appetizers of mixed fresh seafood such as fresh sardines, anchovies, creamed cod on polenta, seared scallops, salmon, mussels, and langoustine. By the way, fresh seafood doesn’t smell fishy or pungent. Venetians take their seafood seriously, so don’t worry about any fishy smelling seafood. 

For mains, we ordered taglioni (long pasta) with scallops and zucchini, squid ink vermicelli, and spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams). And finally we had a strawberry panna cotta to close out the meal. 

Delight in fresh tiramisu. 

Shop name: I Tre Mercanti
Location: Calle al Ponte de la Guerra, 5364, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy
Style and price: Casual and affordable. 

My favourite place for a refreshing treat is I Tre Mercanti. It’s also specialty grocery store that also makes fresh tiramisu every day. There’s usually a gentleman in a bowler hat standing at the store front’s bay window making fresh tiramisu. The tiramisu they make is balanced, light, but decadent without the weight. 

And that’s how you should spend a day in Venice if you’re there for a day trip!

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