Top Things to Do in Venice: Attractions, Islands & Unique Experiences (2026)
Venice is unlike anywhere else we’ve travelled!
During our two months backpacking around Europe, we spent three days exploring Venice as part of a wider two-week Italy trip. Before arriving, we expected beautiful canals and gondolas. What we didn’t expect was just how easy it would be to lose hours wandering the maze of alleyways, bridges and hidden squares.
Whether you’re spending a weekend in Venice or adding it to a longer Italy itinerary, this guide covers the very best things to do in Venice, including iconic landmarks, island day trips and a few experiences that we think are worth splashing out on.
Things to Do in Venice: Top 10 Venice Highlights
Short on time? These are the attractions and experiences we’d prioritise:
- Wander Venice’s canals and bridges
- Visit Burano and Murano
- Explore Doge’s Palace
- Ride a gondola
- Visit Libreria Acqua Alta
- Walk across Rialto Bridge
- Climb St Mark’s Campanile
- Take a cooking class
- Visit San Giorgio Maggiore
- Browse Venice’s famous carnival masks
Things to Do in Venice Map
1. Get Lost Exploring Venice’s Streets and Canals
This might sound like a strange suggestion for the top spot, but honestly, it’s our favourite thing to do in Venice.
Unlike most cities, Venice isn’t somewhere that needs a rigid sightseeing plan.
Some of our best memories came from wandering aimlessly through narrow streets with a coffee, crossing tiny bridges and discovering quiet canals away from the crowds around Piazza San Marco.
Every turn seems to reveal another postcard-worthy scene. If you’re visiting Venice for the first time, leave plenty of room in your itinerary for spontaneous exploration.
2. Take a Day Trip to Burano
If we had to choose our favourite place in the Venice area, it would probably be Burano.
Located within the Venetian Lagoon, this small island is famous for its brightly coloured houses, charming canals and traditional lace-making heritage.
The moment we arrived, we understood why it’s one of the most photographed places in Italy, every street seemed more colourful than the last.
According to local stories, fishermen painted their homes in bright colours so they could identify them when returning through the fog. Whether that’s entirely true or not, it certainly makes for a beautiful island today!
We spent hours wandering around with no real plan, stopping constantly to take photos. If you only have time for one island trip from Venice, we’d choose Burano.
3. Visit Murano and Watch Glass Blowing
Murano is another island that deserves a place on every Venice itinerary.
While Burano is known for colourful houses, Murano is famous for glassmaking. Glass production has been taking place here for centuries, and watching skilled craftsmen transform molten glass into intricate works of art is genuinely fascinating.
We combined Murano and Burano into a single day trip, which worked perfectly.
If you’d prefer an organised experience, consider a Murano and Burano tour that includes transportation and a glass-blowing demonstration.
Murano also makes a great place to pick up a unique souvenir, although be prepared for some of the handcrafted pieces to come with equally handcrafted price tags!
4. Visit Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica
Even if you’re not normally a museum person, these are two attractions that shouldn’t be skipped.
Located in the heart of Venice, Doge’s Palace was once the political centre of the Venetian Republic and remains one of the city’s most impressive buildings. Inside you’ll find lavish rooms, historic artwork and access to the famous Bridge of Sighs.
Right next door sits St Mark’s Basilica, one of the most recognisable churches in Italy.
The exterior alone is stunning, but the interior is equally impressive with its gold mosaics and intricate details. If you’re visiting during peak season, we’d recommend booking a guided skip-the-line tour in advance to avoid wasting hours in queues.
5. Climb St Mark’s Campanile
Want one of the best views in Venice? Head up St Mark’s Campanile!
Standing proudly beside the Basilica, this bell tower offers panoramic views across the city, the Venetian Lagoon and the surrounding islands; this needs to be added to any Italy bucket list!
Seeing Venice from above really helps you appreciate just how unique the city is.
Unlike most European cities, there are no roads crisscrossing the centre, just canals, waterways and tightly packed historic buildings.
If you’re only going to pay for one viewpoint in Venice, make it this one!
6. Take a Gondola Ride
Let’s be honest, Gondola rides are touristy, and they’re expensive.
And yes, they’re still worth considering, especially if you aren’t travelling Europe on a budget!
Before visiting Venice, we debated whether or not to do one. In the end, we decided that if you’re only visiting once, it’s one of those classic Venice experiences that deserves a place on your itinerary.
Gliding through narrow canals while passing beneath centuries-old bridges is undeniably memorable.
If a private gondola exceeds your budget, look into shared rides instead.
7. Try a Venice Street Food Tour
One thing that surprised us about Venice was how much we enjoyed the food. Beyond pizza and pasta, Venice has its own culinary traditions, including cicchetti, which are small snacks often compared to Spanish tapas.
While wandering around independently is perfectly fine, food tours can be a great way to discover hidden local eateries and learn more about Venetian cuisine.
For first-time visitors, a street food tour is one of the easiest ways to combine sightseeing with eating.
8. Explore Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco is Venice’s most famous square and the place most visitors naturally gravitate towards. While it’s very crowded and the cafes are overpriced, it’s also one of the most beautiful public spaces in Europe.
Surrounded by St Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and the Campanile, this is the historic heart of Venice.
We spent quite a while simply sitting and people watching here, which is always one of our favourite activities.
9. Take a Local Cooking Class
One activity we wish we’d had time for was taking a cooking class.
Italy is famous for its food, and learning how to make fresh pasta and tiramisu is a fantastic way to experience local culture.
It’s particularly popular with couples looking for a more romantic evening activity. Plus, you get to eat your creations afterwards, which is always a bonus!
10. Visit San Giorgio Maggiore
Many visitors admire San Giorgio Maggiore from across the water but never actually visit. We think that’s a huge mistake and one of the things we regret not doing from our Venice trip!
The island offers some of the best views back towards Venice and is far quieter than many of the city’s main attractions. A quick vaporetto ride takes you across the water, where you’ll find a beautiful church and an excellent viewpoint.
11. Treat Yourself to Gelato
No trip to Italy is complete without gelato, and Venice has no shortage of options.
We quickly developed a habit of stopping whenever we spotted a gelateria that looked particularly tempting. After several days of walking thousands of steps around Venice, we considered it a well-earned reward!
12. Browse Venice’s Luxury Shopping Streets
Even if designer shopping isn’t in your budget, Venice is a fun place to window shop.
We spent time wandering through elegant shopping streets admiring displays we had absolutely no intention of buying.
The city is filled with boutique stores, jewellery shops and luxury brands, making it a pleasant way to spend an hour or two between attractions.
13. See Venice’s Famous Carnival Masks
One of the things you’ll notice almost immediately in Venice is the abundance of elaborate carnival masks. They appear everywhere and are absolutely beautiful!
Shop windows are filled with colourful creations ranging from simple designs to incredibly detailed works of art.
Some travellers even choose to take part in mask-making workshops, where you can create your own Venetian souvenir. It’s a fun way to learn more about one of Venice’s most famous traditions.
14. Visit Rialto Bridge and Rialto Market
Rialto Bridge is one of Venice’s most famous landmarks and one of the best places to admire the Grand Canal.
The bridge itself is beautiful, but don’t stop there. Nearby Rialto Market offers a glimpse into local life and provides a refreshing contrast to some of the city’s more tourist-focused attractions.
Make sure you arrive early for the best atmosphere!
15. Explore Libreria Acqua Alta
One of the most unique attractions in Venice is Libreria Acqua Alta.
This quirky bookshop stores books inside gondolas, boats and bathtubs to protect them from flooding. It’s unlike any bookshop we’ve ever visited.
The famous staircase made from old books has become one of the most photographed corners of Venice, and the entire place feels wonderfully chaotic. Even if you only spend fifteen minutes here, it’s worth the detour, just to visit the cats!
16. See the Bridge of Sighs
Located beside Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs is one of Europe’s most famous landmarks.
The bridge connected interrogation rooms inside the palace with the prison cells across the canal. Legend says prisoners would sigh as they caught their final glimpse of Venice before imprisonment.
Today it’s one of the city’s most photographed spots.
17. Take a Day Trip to the Dolomites
If you’re spending longer in Venice, consider escaping the canals altogether.
The Dolomites are among the most spectacular mountain landscapes in Europe and make a fantastic day trip. Expect dramatic peaks, alpine villages and scenery that feels completely different from Venice itself.
18. Explore the Prosecco Hills
Wine lovers should consider a day trip to the Prosecco Hills. Located within easy reach of Venice, the region is famous for rolling vineyards, picturesque villages and, of course, plenty of prosecco tasting opportunities.
It’s one of the most underrated experiences near Venice.
19. Visit Verona and Lake Garda
Another excellent day trip combines Verona, Sirmione and Lake Garda.
Verona’s historic centre, romantic reputation and beautiful architecture make it one of northern Italy’s most popular destinations. Combined with the lakeside scenery of Lake Garda, it creates a fantastic alternative to another day in Venice.
20. Things to Do in Venice With Kids
If you’re visiting Venice as a family, we’d recommend:
- Taking a gondola ride
- Visiting Burano
- Watching glass blowing in Murano
- Riding the vaporetto
- Exploring Libreria Acqua Alta
- Trying plenty of gelato
The city itself can feel like an adventure for children thanks to its bridges, canals and lack of cars.
One thing to note, though, Venice is a tough one if you are travelling with a pram or a wheelchair; we saw a lot of people struggling with the steps and bridges.
Things to Do in Venice at Night
Venice becomes noticeably quieter after many day-trippers leave. Some of our favourite evening activities included:
- Walking along quiet canals
- Watching the sunset over the lagoon
- Enjoying an Aperol Spritz
- Taking evening photos around Rialto Bridge
- Having dinner away from the busiest tourist areas
FAQs About Visiting Venice
Visiting Burano and Murano, exploring St Mark’s Square, riding a gondola, seeing Doge’s Palace and simply wandering the canals are among the best experiences in Venice.
Absolutely. Venice remains one of the most unique cities in Europe and unlike anywhere else we’ve travelled!
We spent three days in Venice and thought it was the perfect amount of time. However, two days is enough to see the major highlights.
We enjoyed both, but if we had to choose one, Burano was our personal favourite.
It’s expensive and undeniably touristy, but for many first-time visitors it’s one of those classic Venice experiences worth trying.
Final Thoughts
Venice completely lived up to the hype for us.
Between the canals, colourful islands, incredible architecture and unique atmosphere, it’s one of the most memorable cities we visited during our two months travelling around Europe.
While attractions like St Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace are certainly worth seeing, some of our favourite memories came from the simplest experiences: getting lost down quiet alleyways, eating gelato by the canal and watching boats glide through the city.
If you’re planning a trip, we’d recommend giving yourself at least two days to explore. And if you can squeeze in a visit to Burano and Murano, even better.
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