2 days in Venice

Day by day

1. Day 1: St Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace

   St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, St Mark's Square and St Mark's Campanile, then La Fenice opera house in the evening.

   1. Morning

      St Mark's Basilica

      Paid extras include the Pala d'Oro, a gold altarpiece set with enamels and gems, and the museum and terrace, where the original bronze horses of St Mark are kept and the loggia looks over the square.

   2. Late morning

      Doge's Palace

      The route climbs the Golden Staircase to council chambers painted by Tintoretto and Veronese, including the vast Hall of the Great Council with Tintoretto's Paradise, then crosses the Bridge of Sighs to the old prisons.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cicchetti

      Bacari around the Rialto, along Fondamenta della Misericordia in Cannaregio and near Campo Santa Margherita in Dorsoduro.

   4. Afternoon

      St Mark's Square

      Historic cafés such as Florian, open since 1720, have outdoor orchestras in season. The adjoining Piazzetta opens onto the lagoon between two granite columns topped by the lion of St Mark and St Theodore.

   5. Late afternoon

      St Mark's Campanile

      A lift takes visitors to the belfry for views over the domes of the basilica, the lagoon and, on clear days, the Alps.

   6. Evening

      La Fenice opera house

      Even a seat high in the gallery for an opera or concert is worth it for the atmosphere; dress smartly.

2. Day 2: Rialto Bridge and Market and Basilica dei Frari

   Rialto Bridge and Market, Basilica dei Frari, Scuola Grande di San Rocco and Grand Canal by vaporetto, then Fondamenta della Misericordia and Ormesini in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Rialto Bridge and Market

      On the San Polo side, the Rialto Market sells fruit, vegetables and lagoon fish under the arcades of the Pescheria, a neo-Gothic fish hall.

   2. Late morning

      Basilica dei Frari

      This vast Franciscan brick church holds Titian's soaring Assumption of the Virgin over the high altar and his Pesaro Madonna, both still in the places they were painted for, along with Titian's tomb, Canova's pyramid-shaped monument and a Bellini triptych in the sacristy.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sarde in saor

      Bacari and traditional trattorie across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Scuola Grande di San Rocco

      Hand mirrors are provided so you can study the ceiling of the upper hall without straining your neck.

   5. Late afternoon

      Grand Canal by vaporetto

      It costs a fraction of a gondola or water taxi.

   6. Evening

      Fondamenta della Misericordia and Ormesini

      Canal-side bars and bacari in Cannaregio, the liveliest evening strip in Venice.

Before you go

• St Mark's Basilica: Queues are long from late morning; book a timed entry online for a small fee.
• Doge's Palace: Buy timed tickets online to avoid ticket queues, especially from spring to autumn.
• La Fenice opera house: Performances sell out; book online well ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in Gallerie dell'Accademia (Dorsoduro): Focus on the Bellini, Giorgione and Veronese rooms if time is short.
• Swap in Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Dorsoduro): Step onto the canal terrace beside Marino Marini's horse-and-rider sculpture for one of the best views of the Grand Canal.
• Swap in Ca' Rezzonico (Dorsoduro): Combine it with a spritz in nearby Campo Santa Margherita.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 10–12 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.7 hours in December to 15.7 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Walking is the main way to get around; yellow signs point to Rialto, San Marco, Ferrovia and Piazzale Roma, and getting lost is part of the experience.

More or fewer days

• One day in Venice
• 3 days in Venice
• 4 days in Venice
• 5 days in Venice

Questions travellers ask