We spent 9 days in Italy: 3 days in Rome, 3 days in Florence and Venice was the last destination in Italy during our trip. Detailed itinerary of 3 days in Rome can be found here and 3 days in Florence can be seen here.
Day 1: Venice
We had an action packed day. We took the train for Venezia St. Lucia. Once you reach Venice, most of the destinations can be reached either by walking or by waterbus. Since we were tight on time, we took the waterbus to Rialto; nearest stop to our hotel.
We did the Venice Free Walking Tour. The meeting point for the tour is Campo St. Apostoli. It was one of the best free walking tours we did.
Some folks highly recommend the very famous gondola ride which takes you through the canals and exposes you to the mesmerizing views of Venice. However, I personally felt that this ride was very expensive and I had more fun to simply look at it instead of sailing in it.
Day 2: Murano & Burano
Murano Island is famous for its glass-making. A few centuries ago, all glass makers were required to live on the island to protect the glass-making secrets. Today the tradition of glass making continues here and you can find out about it in its museum. Some glass factories have free demo for visitors. There are many shops selling glass creations and souvenirs – but be careful, as some are made from China. True story. Wiki here.
Burano Island is an island of picturesque canals lined with colorful houses. What a happy place! Interesting fact about Burano is that only the government is allowed to renovate the houses to ensure the uniqueness and retain the colorfulness of the island. It’s also famous for its artisan lace (but check to see that it’s handmade and not mass-produced) or visit the Lace Museum to find out more about the tradition of lace making. Wiki here.
Day 3: Rialto bridge, the market and its surrounding area
This was the last day of our trip and very well spent indeed.
We did the Doge’s Palace Secret Itinerary tour. During the 1,000-year reign of the Republic of Venice, its headquarters and and the residence of its leader, known as the Doge were at the Doge’s Palace. It is now a museum with options to explore its secret passages. While this is a very interesting tour and I personally loved it, this is not meant for those who are claustrophobic. The tour is in the dark and there is no ventilation. However, while I was touring, I realized how much of what we have we take for granted.
Basilica San Marco is quite close and is beautiful as well. This grand multi-domed church, is one of Italy’s most spectacular churches and one of Venice’s top attractions. Exhibiting influences from Byzantine, Western European, and Islamic architecture all due to Venice’s powerful seafaring past, Saint Mark’s Basilica is truly an embodiment of the Venetian aesthetic.
We captured some really good shots of the local streets and did some shopping.
While you do what you do in Italy, please do not forget the Gelatos Icecream! That is an absolute heaven on earth. We just couldn’t stop having it.
Below are the most recommended shops for eateries by the locals in Venice:
We hope you enjoy the trip as much as we did! Would love to know if was helpful. Please feel free to write back to us should you have any questions/comments.