Italy: Must-Do Activities in Venice

Venice – Its history

The birth of the City of the Doges dates back to the early 5^th century. It was built gradually with the maritime traffic on the Adriatic, the obligatory passage for merchants from the East and the West.

Independent, powerful and intriguing, the Serenissima, as it’s also known, developed its own internal politics, led by the Doges or Dukes, hence the Doge’s Palace. It was weakened by history’s various crises and invasions, before finally joining the Kingdom of Italy.

Over time, during the Renaissance, Venice charmed many artists, painters and architects, allowing it to become a culturally active city. Many noble families lived here, some in beautiful mansions, others in numerous palaces.

Receptions and banquets were commonplace, as were cultural outings to the theatre, public festivals and the carnival, which lasted six months of the year. The Venetians loved to celebrate and always found an opportunity to do so.

Take time to admire the world-famous La Fenice theater. Does carnival intrigue you? Discover its origins on this tour.

Festivities were a means of social cohesion, allowing us to forget our everyday worries (which is why we still do them today!?). This gave rise to a new market for costumes and masks, leading to acting.

How about a luxury cabaret dinner show at Avanspettacolo or a visit to one of Europe’s most important modern art exhibitions, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

Venice – Recommended activities

The City of the Doges will seduce you with its cultural offerings. Its monuments. Its shops and its atmosphere. Discover it on foot, by gondola, or boat—a pleasant and soothing tranquillity along the water.

Coming here is like stepping back in time as the gothic architecture has remained in time with Byzantine and Islamic inspiration in its colourful facades and patterns.

A guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica Museum and the Doge’s Palace is not to be missed.

Nothing beats a ride on the Vaporetto along the Grand Canal for a first glimpse of the city. That’s how we reached our hotel before strolling through its narrow but inviting streets.

During your stay, you will find that you often sail between the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square. A good way to organize your visits. Wander around each of these two points.

Go to the globally famous St. Mark’s Square and admire the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica and the Campanile. Stroll along the Piazzetta quay and take a break (or even have a picnic) in the Royal Gardens!

Ideally, a free walking tour allows you to discover the main monuments.

Go window shopping in the alleys. Why not take home a traditional souvenir, such as a Venetian mask? There is also a course in Venetian mask decoration.

As well as souvenirs, the City of the Doges also has some great fashion boutiques: from small manufacturers to luxury boutiques, there’s something for everyone. For my part, I fell in love with a small jewelry boutique, Il Baule D’Oriente.

Or simply get lost, wander where the bridges will take you. Make it a game! You’ll see that it’s not so easy to get where you want to go without a map: bridges are often tricky, but that’s how you get to know the city!

One of the most popular activities is of course the gondola ride. Each gondola is unique as it is handmade and painted and then decorated. A walk along the water’s edge that appealed to us, whether as a romantic getaway, a family outing like ours, or a get-together with friends!

It’s also an opportunity to learn more about the city, its history, its monuments and its issues by asking your boatman!

Lovers will be tempted by a sunset dinner cruise on a Venetian galleon or a private guided tour of Venice.

As our boatman told us, the city boasts over 400 bridges, the most famous of which are the Rialto Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs, a closed bridge that prisoners used to sigh across on their way to their cells after being sentenced in the Doge’s Palace.

The city has more than 120 churches. Some are not to be missed: a concert of the Four Seasons in Vivaldi’s church is pure enchantment.

It’s quite an experience to enter these places, to feel the soul of these monuments that have stood the test of time. A perfect place to take a break on a hot summer’s day!

There are several islands around Venice to visit, including Murano, world-famous for its glassmaking expertise.

Murano’s glassblowers use a technique that’s unique to them, an art to be discovered on a private tour.

Another island to see if you have more time is Burano. A town known for its colorful facades and lace-making expertise.

Discover it and San Francesco del Deserto on a tour that includes a boat trip.

Sunrise is another moment I’d recommend: relaxing, silent, with only birdsong and little hands already at work. The place will be all yours.

Enjoy a coffee at the counter in one of Venice’s alleyways with a delicious pastry. It’s always a good way to start the day; we loved the Pasticceria Bonifacio.

If you have more time, have breakfast on a terrace. I recommend the one at Rialto, where you can watch the comings and goings of boats, vaporettos, tourists and deliverymen. A pleasure to live with!

At the same time, you’ll gain a better understanding of the day-to-day life of the locals, with the Rialto market, for example, the cleaning of the alleyways, the delivery of goods by boat and the sportsmen and women running through the deserted alleyways.

To finish on a high note, don’t miss the sunset over St. Mark’s Square, which is decked out in shimmering colours. You’ll be amazed by the atmosphere!

For an even more delightful sunset, take a seat on a perched hotel terrace like the one at Danieli, a Luxury Collection Hotel , or enjoy one of Serenissima’s many canal-side or piazza-side restaurants.

The atmosphere changes in the evening, the terraces and bars fill up. It was the opportunity for us to test several nice terraces to have a drink including the one of The Gritti Palace, The Luxury Collection. It offers a magnificent view of the canal, a small luxury that leaves a memorable impression.

As Venice is very busy with tourists in general, the shopkeepers have adapted. You can easily find businesses that openly accept American Express credit cards.

A very good point for all the holders of these cards and the Milesopédiens who follow us! For example, you can use your American Express Cobalt^® Card in many restaurants and bars to earn 5 points per dollar.

And if you want to go for a swim, you can! The nearest beach, Lido, is about 45 minutes away. The sand is thin and golden.

Gas & Transit

All visitors « cross » the Bridge of Freedom or Ponte della Libertà,whether they come by train (the railway line runs parallel to the bridge and leads to Santa Lucia station), by car (parking spaces at the exit on Piazzale Roma), or by plane (Treviso or Marco Polo airport with onward train service).

From there, hop aboard an ACTV vaporetto on line 2, which will sail, for example, via the Grand Canal to the Rialto Bridge (Pier F) or via the Giudecca to Piazza San Marco or S. Marco (landing stage G).

Venice has taken steps to protect its heritage and environment from mass tourism. In addition to ships of around 200 passengers, large cruise ships are not allowed in the lagoon, and have been banned from docking in Venice since 2021.

You can buy your bus and navigation tickets on site at one of the automatic ticketing machines, at the counter, or buy them online.

You can find all the information on this subject on the Venezia Unica website.

Finally, to fly to Venice, use your Aeroplan points. According to Air Canada’s points predictor, a minimum of 35,000 points are needed for a one-way trip in economy class, departing from Montreal.

Venice – Book your accommodation or hotel with points

To discover Venice, Airbnb rentals remain a good solution. You will be able to discover the city from a different angle, like a local. With credit card points, you can save a lot of money.

Otherwise, turn to hotels. We tried two hotels in the Marriott chain:

• JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa
• The Danieli Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel

Prices are quite high, so it’s worth using Marriott Bonvoy points. There are two Marriott Bonvoy credit cards that allow you to quickly earn Marriott Bonvoy points. Thanks to these cards, you can enjoy several free nights.

We also recommend that you travel with the Scotiabank Passport^™ Visa Infinite^* Card, which has no foreign currency conversion fees and offers excellent travel and purchase insurance.

In fact, Milesopedia voted this card the Best No Conversion Fee Credit Card of 2024.

Bottom Line

If you’re coming to Venice for a weekend, you must get organized and know your priorities. You won’t be able to see everything in three days. Enjoy your visit!

What's the best time of year to visit Venice?

Venice is a city in Italy with cold, wet winters and hot, humid summers. To visit, go from spring to autumn, avoiding midsummer.

How long will it take to visit Venice, Italy?

The city boasts over 400 bridges, the most famous of which are the Rialto and Sighs bridges. It will take several days to see the city’s main attractions.

How to visit Venice in three days?

For a short stay, it’s best to concentrate on the main activities, including St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile, the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge, as well as the islands in the lagoon.