You Don’t Need More Than Two Days to See Venice

Venice, as everyone already knows, is an extraordinarily beautiful city. It really is one of the world’s most stunning cities.

Because of this sheer beauty, Venice, of course, draws in enormous hordes of tourists on a daily basis. It also is a very popular cruise destination. This is the obvious downside of a city this spectacular. Especially from mid-morning to the early evening, Venice is packed with tourists. This is when the city is best avoided.

Although it is absolutely spectacular, it is also absolutely possible to visit the city in just two days. Two days in Venice is enough to get a sense of what it has to offer, to see most of the highlights and even to go on a day trip to one of the neighboring islands.

What to Do in 2 Days in Venice

Day 1 in Venice

When staying in Venice, get your bearings by immediately buying a proper city map. While this map will be of great help when wandering through the maze of streets in Venice, it will not guarantee that you won’t get lost. In fact, it is nearly impossible not to get lost at least once when exploring the city on foot.

You will most likely arrive at the main train station, from where it is relatively easy to reach major landmarks, such as Piazza San Marco, the Rialto Bridge and the Palazzo Ducale. These really are some of the most important landmarks in Venice—if you’ve seen them, you can explore further as you please.

Make sure to stick around to watch the sunset, though, as this is the second-most beautiful time of the day.

Day 2 in Venice

The sunrise is the most beautiful time of the day. So, be sure to rise early on your second day in Venice and catch it. You can then enjoy breakfast at one of the many cafés and restaurants in the city—expect to pay a cover charge!—before heading out for  visit to one of the other islands in the Venetian Lagoon.

Burano is my absolute favorite island, a place home to countless lace shops and the most colorful houses I have ever seen. It’s a spectacular little island, a magnificent place to go if you want to avoid the massive crowds that flood Venice in the afternoon.

If you have more time (and more days), you may want to go inside some of the landmarks, such as the Basilica San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale.