Venice for the weekend is a great idea for a short trip abroad. When we can’t afford a longer vacation or just want to change the environment for a little bit. Venice is a city considered to be extremely romantic, which is why many couples celebrate their anniversaries and come here on Valentine’s Day.
How to spend an active weekend in Venice?
The city on the water is one of the most famous in Italy, and for this reason it can be very crowded. However, when you come here for a weekend in winter, there will be fewer tourists. Unless you dream of a carnival in Venice … then again crowds appear on the streets of this city.
Such a weekend getaway can be a great excuse to spend time together.
Short one or two day trips to Venice
Venice is a good place for a short trip, because many airlines offer cheap connections to the famous city on the water. It is often better to land at Venice Marco Polo airport within a few hours of flight – there will always be more time to explore this amazing city.
A weekend in Venice is enough to see the biggest attractions of this place. The historic part of the city is not huge, most of the interesting points can be seen by simply walking, even staying only for two days.
This district of Venice is closed to car traffic, and the only means of transport, apart from your own legs, are ferries, water trams, and of course the famous gondolas. All interesting places are more or less concentrated next to each other, so even a short stay in Venice can be fruitful.
It also depends what type of traveler you are.
Some prefer to indulge in the atmosphere of this city, others tick off other monuments. And there is something to visit …
See what you can see in Venice during 1 or 2 day trips on the weekend:
What can you see / visit during two weekend days in Venice?
The truth is that even a one-day trip to Venice is enough to see the most important monuments and attractions. The historic part of this city is not very extensive. Everything is explored on foot or from one of the water transport modes. We chose those attractions and Venetian monuments that are worth – and even must-see.
You can’t not start from St. Mark’s Square, no matter where you start your tour of Venice, you’ll find it anyway. Similarly to the slogan – all roads lead to Rome, so in the city on the water – all roads lead to St. Mark.
Even if you get lost in the tangle of narrow streets of Venice, you will finally reach her heart. St. Mark’s Square is the focal point where all tourists meet. It is here that the nearby restaurants are arranged (with sky high prices for coffee!), as well as the cathedral of St. Mark, bell tower of St. Mark and the Doge’s palace and several interesting museums in the historic buildings adjacent to the square. Finally on St. Mark, the most important events and celebrations for this city have taken place. It is therefore impossible to overlook this part of Venice.
Going forward.
The second important and obvious monument of this city that you must see during a weekend trip is the basilica of St. Mark. Richly decorated on the outside, although its interior is probably even more impressive. This attraction is free, however, to enter the basilica of St. Mark you have to stand in a fairly long queue.
Inside, in addition to fancy decorations, you can see the power insignia stored in it, as well as a gallery and observation deck for an additional fee. We will not enter the temple with a backpack, and you will not take any pictures inside – despite this, it is worth going inside, because the basilica is really one of a kind.
Right next to the basilica there is also the famous bell tower of St. Mark. It is hard to overlook it, because it is one of the tallest buildings in Venice. It was once used as a lookout and lighthouse. Now from its peak you can admire the panorama of the entire city and the lagoon. Admission to the bell tower of Saint Mark is paid. Practically opposite it is also often photographed Clock Tower with a bell, a winged lion (the symbol of Saint Mark), Madonna with the Child and the astronomical clock.
During a trip to Venice for the weekend, you cannot miss the Doge’s Palace, which is located next to the Basilica of St. Mark. This is another object that is also worth seeing from the inside. Although admission tickets are not the cheapest, the collections of art, paintings and old maps collected here are impressive. And all this surrounded by the splendor of the palace of the then Venetian rulers. Chambers and representative rooms dressed in marble and gold are not an everyday sight. Additionally, you can walk here with the famous Bridge of Sighs, which connects the Doge’s Palace (first floor) with the prison building. However, this object is definitely more attractive to admire from the outside.
In this way, by coming to Saint Mark’s Square, you have included several of the most important monuments and places of this city. That’s enough for the first day of visiting Venice, where you’ll spend the lion’s share of time standing in lines for attractions.
These are not all the attractions you can see during a trip to Venice for the weekend.
The next day you can discover Venice again. This time it is worth heading over the famous Rialto Bridge, another must see point on the map of monuments city on the water. Suspended on the Grand Canal immortalized on many photographs and postcards from Venice. Small shops and shopping stalls are located on the Rialto Bridge. Of the three passages, two are open to tourists. On the other side of the bridge is the well-known Rialto market, where you can buy fresh fish, vegetables and fruit, gold and Venetian masks.
Then you can see Venice from the water side and go on a cruise on the largest and widest canal of Venice – the Grand Canal, for example. Even a simple water tram is enough to see the church of Santa Maria della Salute, or the Golden House or the palace of Ca Da Mosto. It’s a fairly fast and attractive way to explore the rest of Venice. For the more affluent, there is the gondola cruise option. However, it is quite an expensive pleasure, and there is no shortage of volunteers, which is why it is not an obligatory point of weekend city sightseeing on the water.
When the time remains, you can still go to one of the nearby islands – Murano or Burano. These are other attractions to see on a trip to Venice. The first of them is famous for glass products, the second for lace handicrafts and colorful houses. Both are equally nice, but rather during the weekend trip you will be able to visit only one of them.
Prices in Venice for the weekend
In addition, it’s worth just strolling through the Venetian streets, drink a good cup of coffee or eat an excellent Italian gelatto. As for accommodation, for the weekend it is worth choosing the land part of Venice. The best and most popular tourist spot is the Mestre district. Accommodation prices do not give you a headache. On the other hand, if it is a trip to celebrate an anniversary or other circumstances, then you may want to consider a slightly more expensive hotel in the historic part of Venice. You won’t spend much on transport, because you will reach most places on foot. On the other hand, tickets for water trams – vaporetto are not expensive. Food prices will depend on the place where you intend to board. There is no denying that the historic part of Venice is very expensive. However, it is not that bad, you can also find premises where we will rent without ruining your own wallet. It is enough to move a bit away from the central part of the city, e.g. by entering one of the side streets leading away from St. Mark.
Important: Learn more about current prices in Venice!
Reviews of trips to Venice for the weekend
Let me know if you managed to spend a successful weekend in Venice. What you saw, what you missed, where you slept and what important and practical information you should have in your mind spending a weekend in Venice.
In addition to the fact that Venice can be visited during a 2 or 3 day trip, it is also a great place for a honeymoon, an engagement, a weekend getaway with a girlfriend or boyfriend and as an ideal place to take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle.