What to do in Venice in a day?

Written by Lucie Tournebize

Published on February 27, 2024, modified on May 14, 2024

Venice is not just a tourist city; it's also a place to change trains: naturally, it makes you want to make a stopover there for the day, an excellent way to enrich the journey.

Train Layover in Venice

By definition, Venice is at the end of the line, where the railway gives way to the lagoon. From Venice, you can catch a night train to Munich or Vienna, embark for Calabria or Puglia. In a European journey, it serves as a stop on our route to Austria, Germany, the southern Italian peninsula, or, with a few additional connections, the Balkans. To make this layover in Venice an opportunity for discovery, follow our advice to go beyond its touristy façade.

Arrival in Venice, Breakfast by the Water

As you step off the platform and a few meters away, it's a sight to behold: the Grand Canal lies before you, with its bustling vaporetti (water buses) and gondolas. Cross the waters with a stride over the Ponte degli Scalzi to reach the Rio Marin pastry shop. Adorably vintage, it serves exceptional tiramisu and cappuccino with a velvety foam, enjoyed on the terrace along a small canal. Venice awakens, and so do we. It's time to start the day by exploring the neighborhood.

Address: Pasticceria Rio Marin, Fondamenta Rio Marin, 784. Note: Luggage storage is available at Venice station, on platform no. 1.

Le Grand Canal de Venise

From Santa Croce to Rialto

Crossing the Grand Canal for breakfast, we unwittingly entered the heart of Venice. Here, we don't talk about neighborhoods but sestieri, as there are six. Spend the morning wandering between Santa Croce and San Polo, a true maze of winding, narrow streets. Don't bother turning on your GPS, as it might lead you into a canal. Instead, look up, sooner or later you'll stumble upon the Basilica dei Frari, a vast Gothic church, the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista and its Renaissance portal, or the Campo San Polo, the largest in Venice. Yellow signs occasionally indicate the train station ("Ferrovia") or Rialto. Follow the latter direction to arrive mid-morning at the Venetian market. Sheltered under the arcades of the Pescheria, fishmongers fend off seagulls. Along the water, fruits and vegetables are unloaded by boat. Close to the Rialto Bridge, the former warehouses of the Naranzeria have been converted into bacari. This Venetian word denotes bars where you can eat cichetti, small savory bites, at the counter, while enjoying an ombra, an inexpensive glass of wine. Not bad for a quick lunch.

🧡 Our favorite: Al Mercà, which offers mini-sandwiches with truffle cream (Campo Bella Vienna, 213)

Navigating Through St. Mark's Square

On the Rialto Bridge, there's a crowd and the view is beautiful. Piazza San Marco is not far, and the crowds, which we successfully avoided this morning, converge here. The goal? To reach St. Mark's Square by taking only side streets. Venetians call these alleys calle sconta: parallel to the busier streets, they allow you to save time and avoid the crowds. You'll get lost, but that's okay, take your time, sooner or later, you'll arrive at the famous square, which is still worth a look. After admiring the Doge's Palace, turn right, walk along the quay, and enter the Giardini Reali: a small green oasis by the water, these gardens are planted with varieties chosen for their resilience to the lagoon's climatic conditions.

Pont du Rialto

Finale and Aperitivo

Venice is a city that goes to bed early. Therefore, from late afternoon onwards, the bars fill up; it's time for a Spritz. Head to Fondamenta della Misericordia, a long quay lined with terraces perfectly aligned with the setting sun... and less than a fifteen-minute walk from the station. Before ordering, know that in Italy, the Spritz comes in many versions: with Aperol, the most classic, with Cynar, the strongest, with Select, the most Venetian, and bianco, with just white wine, Seltzer water, and an olive, perfect for summer. On the way back to the station, pass through the old Jewish Ghetto district, then cross the Ponte delle Guglie, bidding Venice a final farewell. We'll be back.