How To Spend 1 Day in Venice

It’s hard to do a city like Venice justice in just one day, but if you have limited time, this itinerary will show you how to make the most of it. Venice is one of the most enchanting cities in Italy (and all of Europe!) with its opulent palazzos, endless canals and bridges, and narrow pedestrian-only streets.

It’s hard to believe that this elegant city rising up from 118 small islands in the middle of the Venetian Lagoon even exists, and it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world — for good reason.

Although Venice has suffered from overtourism and major hordes of tourists in recent years, please don’t let that stop you — it’s still possible to get off the beaten path and discover a hidden side of Venice if you only walk 10 minutes away from the crowds.

With just one day in Venice, you can see the main tourist attractions and explore the more relaxed and local side of the Floating City. In fact, that’s exactly what I did on my first and second visits to Venice, both of which were day trips from Florence!

So yes — a day trip to Venice is definitely doable. I’m excited to show you how to spend the perfect day in Venice, Italy!

This post was published in August 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Dale Peterson.

When to Visit Venice

Keep in mind that when you go to Venice can greatly impact the experience you have there. Venice gets very hot and crowded during the summer, especially in the months of June, July, and August. If you’re traveling at this time, you might also need to pay a small day visitor fee (more on that below).

I think the best time to visit Italy is spring or fall, when the weather is milder and the crowds are lower. Winter is also a nice time to visit Venice, although it can get quite cold.

While winter is typically a very quiet time to visit Venice and feel like a local, it does get extremely crowded during the Carnival festival, which typically occurs in February. Keep in mind that fall and winter bring a risk of acqua alta, when water levels rise and the city floods. Locals are ready for this with their tall rain boots.

If it were up to me, I would visit Venice between late fall and early spring. I think Venice looks nice when the weather is a bit gloomy, and the lack of crowds is an added bonus.

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