With just one day in Venice, what is the one thing I should see?

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thing55000

You can see a lot in Venice in just one day, if you get organised.

A good place to start is Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square), which is the main square and around which there are many interesting sights, including the historic Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and many art galleries and beautiful churches.

Beyond St Mark's Square, you can easily walk to the Ponte Rialto (Rialto Bridge) and beyond that to areas of the city which are more residential and also some historic places where you may not find so many tourists, such as the 'New Ghetto', home of Venetian Jews for many hundreds of years.

If you just want to wander about absorbing the fabulous beauty and history that Venice offers, or maybe shopping, or seeing sights such as Harry's Bar (a place many famous Americans of the past and present have enjoyed visiting!), you will have a full day, BUT there will always be more to see!

A local person I spoke to in Venice last year told me that after a lifetime in Venice, she still had not seen every corner of the city and there were still places she wanted to visit! Like any city I guess :-)

If you do have time, a boat ride to Murano (where beautiful glass is made) or Burano (an island of Venice which is at once similar and very different) is well worth while. I know that if I ever have the chance to return, I will want to visit the Lido and the Guidecca, so there is still much to see.

Get a good map, get a plan (walking is easy in Venice!) and have a great time :-)

eurostudent

Definitely San Marco Square. Here you can see the Doge's Palace and the San Marco Church. You can feed the pigeons, take a gondola ride, or people watch from a cafe.

Venice is relatively compact and you will (probably) be surprised to know that you can really see everything in one day. The Rialto is not far at all from San Marco square (2-5 min walking). The view of the Grand Canal is super and there are lots of little artisan shops where you can buy some cool Venetian souveneirs.

Rest assured that you will be able to see most all of Venice in your one day there.

gibby

Definately do Piazza San Marco...there's the Basilica, St. Mark's Campanile, the Grand Canal for gondola rides, lots of cafes...just be prepared for all the pigeons...
Then you got the Bridge of Sighs not far away...
Venice is pretty tiny, you could get it done in a day if you walk quickly...ha ha, look out for all the "fat" statues...they're amusing...

mareeclara

I really only had 1 full day to see Venice and you can walk it very quickly...I also used the "bus boats" to get around, they also give you great views on the main canal and the houses/buildings along it.
St Marco's square is pretty cool and there are lots of churchs all around that you can have a look in. THe Doge's palace at St Marco's square is well worth going to see.
Rialto Bridge is definately worth the views and there is a market on one side with lots of things to buy like "murano" glass...now if you don't care that it real or not like me thats fine (as I seriously doubt its genuine, but still looks god).
Just meader around. I did have a map that had 10 things to see on it and I easily saw all in the time I had.

sunday girl

St. Mark's Square
Go in St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, walk around the square, and don't forget to go on a gondola ride. Venice is beautiful, have fun!

wanderlust2480

the water.. hahaha!
It depends on what you like really. Art? Drinks?
Off the cuff, I'd say just EXPERIENCE Venice, especially at night a bit buzzed. All the shops lit up and you get lost, it's great! . My top three would be: St. Marks Church and Square (there's a LOT to explore in the church!!), Murano, where they make all the glass figurines you WILL see in Venice everywhere (this is a sep. island) and the cemetary island (I forget the name). Of course, you have to be into that sort of thing, but it's cool. There's also Harry's, the famous birthplace of the martini.. hehe. If you like classic 60s movies, you can view all the spots random actresses fell hundreds of times into a canal for a single shot in famous movies.. or see the library (it's really a church) in Indiana Jones... there's a footbridge near there where people settled disputes by facing toe to toe (there are literally two footprints there to stand on) and the first in the canal lost, hah. Don't go in fall/late fall or you won't see much because venice floods and you will be walking on boards held up by saw horses.

Heinz M

St Marco's square.

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