Venice is one of the too-beautiful to-be-real places. The narrow canals, gondolas, and architecture cannot be found anywhere else. This Venice 3 Day Itinerary will show you the must-see spots. Spend 3 days in Venice, or essentially 72 hours in Venice, Italy since Venice is relatively a small area and that is adequate time.
In this Venice 3 day itinerary, there aren’t many museums listed. The majority of the Venice 3 Day Itinerary will be wandering around the streets of Venice and admiring what comes before your eyes. Since Venice is small, you likely won’t get lost. Just aimlessly walking around is the best way to explore Venice.
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Day 1 of Venice 3 Day Itinerary
Marco Polo Airport to the Venice Main Island
To start this Venice 3 Day itinerary, we’ll talk about transportation. Since Venice doesn’t have cars in the main area, it’s a bit tricky to get into the island. There are a few main ways.
- Purchase tickets for Aliguana which is a water taxi that takes you directly from the airport to many different areas in Venice. Be sure to check the map for the route because certain routes may take significantly longer to reach your destination (€15 one way, €27 round trip).
- Take the ATVO bus (€10) from the airport and it’ll take you to Piazzale Roma. If your hotel is in that area, you can walk but if you’re staying elsewhere (like St. Mark’s Square or Murano), you’ll need to take a water taxi to reach your final destination.
- Take a private water taxi ride directly to your destination but this is significantly more costly.
Acqua Alta Bookshop
Next up on the Venice itinerary is the Acqua Alta Bookshop. This bookshop is self-proclaimed “the most beautiful bookstore in the world” and it stores a tremendous amount of books stacked wall-to-wall. The interior has very unique displays and there’s an area that has books displayed as steps. During the winter months, Venice floods so hundreds of books are flooded each year in this bookshop.
St. Mark’s Square
St. Mark’s Square (or Piazza San Marco) is probably the most famous landmark in Venice aside from the gondolas and canal views. It’s a big square with buildings surrounding it and during nighttime, it lights up beautifully. Inside this square also has Doge’s Palance and the Campanile.
Doge’s Palace
This place features Venetian Gothic architecture and the inside is beautiful as well. There are always long lines to entire this place so be sure to get your tickets ahead of time.
Campanile
The Campanile really defines Venice’s skyline. You can actually go to the top and get a really nice view of Venice.
Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs is an enclosed bridge that according to legend, got its name from prisoners who sighed crossing the bridge on their way to their prison cells. Through the small windows of the bridge, they can catch a small glimpse of the outside world before going inside.
Ponte di Rialto
We cannot miss the famous Ponte di Rialto on this 3 day itinerary for Venice. There are over 300 bridges in Venice and Rialto Bridge is the biggest and one of the oldest. This bridge spans over the Grand Canal and even if you don’t intentionally visit this attraction, you’ll probably need it to walk over to the other side. The architectural design of the bridge is beautiful which makes it one of the most visited tourist attractions.
To-Go Pasta at Dal Moro’s
There are quite a few small shops that serve pasta in a cup and this is one of the most popular ones. I got the Squid Ink Pasta (€7.5) and also the Pescatora pasta (€7). The pasta noodles were much thicker than I expected and were very chewy which I liked.
Go Pizza Hopping
There are an insane amount of pizza shops in Venice and it’s really fun to just try a slice at a few different pizza shops. I recommend going to Pizzeria L’Angelo for its thin slices and Antico Forno for its thick-crust pizzas. Both were delicious.
Gelato at Gelato Artigianale
This is hands down the best gelato I’ve ever had. And the price is unbeatable – €1.60 for 1 scoop. Their gelato is made with fresh real ingredients and you can taste the flavor so well. My favorite flavors were pistachio (€ 0.50 extra), chocolate, and strawberry. It was so good I came back every day of the trip.
Visit the Tarnowska’s American Bar
If you’re up for some nice live music and some drinks, this is the bar to be at. The inside isn’t too big but there are a few 2 or 4 seater tables. It’s a nice place to just enjoy, relax, and wind down for the night.
Day 2 of Venice 3 Day Itinerary
Walk Around to Explore Small Shops
Starting the 2nd day of our Venice 3 Day Itinerary shopping. Near St. Mark’s square and Rialto Bridge, there are a ton of small shops between the narrow streets. Shops include Italian handmade leather bags, souvenir shops, luxury brands, and much more.
Lunch at Ristorante Fusjon
Eating a lot of pizza and pasta from the day before can be very heavy so we’ll balance it off with something lighter – Japanese Food. Ristorante Fusjon is an all-you-can-eat Japanese and Chinese food restaurant. The sashimi is very fresh and I recommend coming here for Japanese over the Chinese food. It’s only €16/person plus a €2/person mandatory service fee.
San Zaccaria Church
This is a Monastic Church towards the East side of St. Mark’s square. There is also a crypt that is always flooded. The church is free of entry but the crypt will cost a few euros.
Get Aperol Spritz
This Venice 3 day itinerary is not complete without Aperol Spritz. That’s because Venice is where Aperol Spritz was created so, of course, you need to try it. You can find Aperol Spritz at a fancier restaurant or bar for €7-10 but you can also visit taverns or other restaurants that commonly sell this for €3-5. It’s a wine-based cocktail with prosecco, soda water, and digestive bitters.
Eat Some Cicchetti
While drinking Aperol Spritz, get yourself some Cicchetti, small bites that are very popular in Venice. It’s essentially a thick slice of baguette topped with various ingredients. Some may have fish, cheese, veggies, or a combination of all of them. One of the most popular places for Cicchetti is Osteria all’Arco which is located near Rialto Bridge.
La Fenice Theater
La Fenice Teater place is extremely grand inside with bright yellow lights throughout the interior. It’s an opera house and is one of the most famous Italian theaters. You’ll need to buy tickets to enter and you can get them here.
Wander Around the Surrounding Area
After visiting The Fenice Theater, just stroll around the area and let yourself be in full adventure mode to just discover new sights in the area.
Take a Gondola Ride
There are gondoliers standing around almost everywhere near the canals. Just walk up to them and ask for a ride. It is quite expensive though at €80 for 30 minutes or €100 for 30 minutes after 7pm (priced per gondola, not per person).
Dinner at Ristorante San Silvestro
In Venice, there are tons of options for sit-down dining restaurants to get some nice pasta. One place I recommend is Ristorante San Silvestro. The interior is very Italian style and the tables inside are spaced apart widely. We ordered the Proscuitto with burrata appetizer, Clam Pasta, and Carbonara. The appetizer was my favorite. At the end of the meal, they give you a shot of this very sour drink. I thought it tasted terrible but it was an interesting experience.
Gelato Again at Gelato Artigianale
You have to come again to try another flavor. It’s so good. This one is passion fruit and pistachio.
Day 3 of Venice 3 Day Itinerary
Get Coffee at Cannaregio
Day 3 of our Venice itinerary is a long one so we’re going to first grab some coffee. This is by far one of the best coffees I’ve ever had. I’m not sure what kind of bean they used but the cappuccino tasted so buttery and creamy and was not bitter at all. I also got the iced coffee because it’s one of the only places in Venice that serve iced but the hot drinks are definitely much better. There are always long lines here.
Murano
Murano is one of the islands in Venice and is the closest one to the main island. You can get to Murano by taking the ACTV Vaporetto (water taxi). I recommend visiting the islands all in one day and purchasing a 24-hour ticket. You can purchase tickets there for the best price but there may be a line.
Murano is known for its shops selling unique pieces of glass. Stop by these shops and maybe even get yourself a souvenir to take back home.
Watch a Glass Blowing Show in Murano
While in Murano, you have to watch a glass-blowing show. There are many that are free to watch and conduct a show at different times of the day. There’s usually no formal schedule – just walk up to one and wait till their next show. The one that I recommend going to is called Ellegi Glass Vetreria Artistica.
Lunch at Trattoria Busa alla Torre
This lunch spot has a lot of outdoor seating that is in a spacious area. It’s a very relaxing lunch experience and they have delicious pasta. We got the gnocchi and the simple Pomodoro pasta.
Burano
Further out is Burano island. This island was my personal favorite. There are colorful houses throughout the entire island and you can see many residents living in those houses. Just walk around aimlessly and you’ll find yourself in narrow streets between colorful buildings and discovering unique houses. It’s around a 1-hour Vaporetto ride from Murano.
Torcello
Slightly farther out from Burano is Torcello. There are significantly fewer tourists in Torcello but it’s definitely a must-visit in my opinion. Once you get off the Vaporetto, you walk a short distance along a calm lagoon to get to the main area of Torcello. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is one of the main attractions in Torcello which is known to be Venice’s first cathedral. It’s overall a very peaceful island to explore.
It’s completely doable to visit Murano, Burano, and Torcello on your own, but if you’d like to do a tour instead to avoid figuring out the Vaporetto transportation, I recommend doing a boat trip tour like this one.
Lido
Coming back to the main island in Venice, you’ll reach another island called Lido. Lido is significantly bigger than Murano, Burano, and Torcello. This island actually allows cars so after not seeing cars for 2 days, it’s definitely a nice change of environment. The Venice Film Festival is hosted in Lido every year. Lido is a very modern-looking place and there is even a beautiful beach on the island.
Read more: The Best 4 Islands In Venice
Get a Whole Pizza for Dinner
We did pizza hopping on the first day so, on the last day, we need to end it off by getting a whole pizza and taking it along the Grand Canal to eat. We got the arugula Proscuitto pizza from a small stall called Crazy Pizza. They handmake it in front of you and is served right after it’s out of the oven.
Gelato One More Time at Gelato Artigianale
Just one more time. Take this chance to re-try your favorite flavor or try a new one. You won’t regret it. This one is mango and pistachio.
Just Walk Around
We’re approaching the end of the Venice 3-day itinerary so take one last look at Venice by just walking around the narrow streets of the main part of Venice. Many shops will be closed but many souvenir shops will still be open.
Read more about Venice!
The 4 Best Venice Islands To Visit Now
What To Wear In Italy To Look Like A Local
FAQ: Venice 3 Day Itinerary
Are 3 days enough in Venice?
Definitely. Venice isn’t very big so 3 days is more than enough. Spend one day exploring the islands and the other two exploring the main island in Venice.
What should you include on a 3 day Venice itinerary?
Spend the first day visiting St. Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge, Doge’s Palance, Campanile, ride the gondola, and do some shopping. Spend the second day visiting the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello, and Lido. Spend the third day exploring San Zaccaria Church, La Fenice Theater, and other museums you want to go to.
Of course, don’t forget the delicious foods like pizza, pasta, gelato, coffee, Aperol Spritz, and Cicchetti.
