Venice in 4 Days: the key elements so you don’t miss anything

Venice is one of that small group of unrepeatable cities. Its air of elegance and decadence, its incredible history, its artistic heritage, its canals... La Serenissima is, without a doubt, a place where you can lose yourself while discovering new things every minute. In this article I show you how to organise your visit to the city of canals in 4 days without dying trying.

Venice is famous the world over for its artistic heritage. A legacy that is palpable in every street, on every corner and, practically, on every tile. Star Renaissance architects such as Palladio, Sansovino and Lombardo left examples of their best art in the city of canals. We will begin, therefore, by getting to know the romantic and artistic Venice that captivates so many visitors. First stop: St. Mark's Square. Then we will cross the Rialto Bridge and have lunch in Campo de Santa Margherita.

Start at the heart of Venice: St. Mark's Square

I can't think of a better way to start than with a tour of St. Mark's Square. Without a doubt, St. Mark's Square is the most representative urban space of the city; especially because of the presence of the imposing St. Mark's Basilica. An exceptional monument of Byzantine origin with no less than 5 domes. The Campanile is not far behind in terms of quality and grandeur: its 98 metres will provide you with stupendous views. I show you how to enjoy both monuments to the fullest.

Visiting both monuments at your leisure will take you 2 hours (unless you decide to see the Museum, the Treasury or the Golden Spire, which would take longer). However, I advise you to go with all the information already in hand. You will find all the information on how to visit St. Mark's Basilica here.

Cross the Rialto Bridge

We leave St. Mark's Square for a moment and go to the Rialto Bridge, about 450 metres away on foot. This will give us the opportunity to see one of the icons of Venice. The Rialto Bridge, a late Renaissance bridge 48 metres long made of stone. The structure of semicircular arches culminating in a central arch topped by a pediment stands out.

From here you can enjoy great views of the Grand Canal. In fact, there is nothing to stop you from lingering a little in this space. Find out more about what to see on the Grand Canal here. You can also browse (and buy) something in the various souvenir and craft shops that are located nearby on both banks of the river. You can also book a gondola ride in Venice- you'll love it!

Head to Campo Santa Margherita for lunch

Once you've crossed the Rialto Bridge, make your way to Santa Margherita. A charming square where you can grab a bite to eat and recharge your batteries. You can also book a gastronomic tour of Venice. What I recommend is that you take the route that follows the canal to your left. It will be a golden opportunity to wander around Venice. You will come across some remarkable churches:

• Church of Sant Aponal.
• Rectory Church of San Polo.
• Church of St. Thomas.

On this route, you will also have crossed two narrow canals before arriving at Campo de Santa Margherita. The walk will have taken about 20 minutes, not long but, if we add it to the route behind us, enough time to sit down and eat. In Santa Margherita, a rectangular square flanked by beautiful traditional Venetian buildings, you'll find everything from restaurants, bars and even takeaway pizza places.

Relax in Palazzo Vendramin

To wash down your meal, there's nothing better than a stroll with an artistic dessert. Five minutes from Santa Margherite, in the direction of the Santa Margarethe River, you'll find Palazzo Vendramin. You can see it from the other side of the river or cross the bridge for a closer look. This Gothic palace is one of the symbols of Venice, so it is well worth a visit.

Once you have completed your visit, you can turn back and a 10-minute walk away you will find the gardens of Ca'Rezzonico. A haven of peace in which to sit or lie down on the lawn and, why not, let yourself drift off. Once rested, the best thing to do is to return to St. Mark's in the best possible way in Venice: by vaporetto!

Return to St. Mark's by vaporetto

A great idea if you want to explore the city while enjoying the views of the Grand Canal. You can check the prices of the vaporetto here but the best option is to book your Venice Transport Card, which includes the vaporetto. There are two options:

• Take it from the Rialto Bridge;
• Go to the nearest pier at Ca'Rezzonico.

To find out more, here is more information on everything you need to know about getting around by vaporetto. The journey will reveal the beauties of Venice as seen from the Grand Canal itself. We will also be able to admire another of Venice's icons: the Church of Santa Maria della Salute. We will be very close to St. Mark's Square.

Depending on the time of day, it may already be dark and we will be able to admire it illuminated at night. The best way to end the day. Especially if we finish it off with dinner in the vicinity of St. Mark's Square. Here are the places to dine around San Marco.

The second day in Venice is all about getting to know the city. You've already seen some of the must-see sights. Now you can linger a little longer and go for the experiences. So, you can continue your exploration of St Mark's, then wander the back streets of Venice and finish off with a gondola ride before heading to dinner and getting ready to party.

Experience a little more culture

We started a new day, again in St Mark's Square. Did you think you'd seen it all in this unique Venetian space? There are still a few exceptional monuments. For example, the Martian Library, designed by Sansovino.

Once we have finished, we can wander around the San Marco area, the area of Venice that is separated from San Polo by the Grand Canal. Interesting alleys, as well as imposing monuments and spaces await us here. We highlight these must-see monuments:

• La Fenice Theatre in Venice.
• Doge's Palace of Venice.
• Campo di Sant'Angelo.
• Scala Contarini of Bovolo.
• Bridge of Sighs.

These are just a few ideas. Venice is a city full of monuments of great quality. Here is more information about the best monuments in Venice.

Take a gondola ride

One of the most desirable places to take a gondola ride is around La Fenice. It is a much better experience to ride in a gondola on the narrow canals than on the wider waterways such as the Grand Canal. In the Fenice area you can hire a gondola for a ride.

My advice: make sure you are dealing with reputable gondoliers, as there is a lot of rogue traders and "pirate" gondoliers are not uncommon. Another issue is, of course, the price. Few things are cheap in Venice.

Gondola rides are usually charged by time; periods of 30-50 minutes are the most common. Prices for this time range from €20 to €80. My advice is to go to Venice knowing all the information you need to avoid unforeseen circumstances. Here you have detailed information about the prices for gondola rides.

Experience Venice by night

Nighttime is especially good for Venice. The illumination of the canals gives the city a magical and romantic atmosphere. There are several things to do. The first is, of course, dinner. There is no shortage of places to dine in Venice. The most popular area for dining is usually Canareggio. Its authentic atmosphere and wide range of restaurants and take-away pizza shops make it a great choice.

If after dinner you feel like doing something else, Venice offers you that possibility! Check out the best things to do at night in Venice here. You can also attend a musical or cultural event. On the official website of the city of Venice you can check out some of the events taking place in Venice. Some of them are free and take place at night.

We continue our cultural tour of Venice, this time through its museums. This is not only an opportunity to contemplate the beauties housed inside. It is also a great opportunity to see some of the most beautiful buildings in Venice, since many of these museums are housed in ancient palaces. We will also complement this cultural visit with a tour of the Jewish Quarter, one of the oldest in Europe.

The Venetian museums

Venice is one of the cradles of European culture. Great painters and composers had their homeland or place of work in Venice. This has left us with a handful of places to remember their work. Visiting Venice's must-see museums can take up a good part of the day. I advise you to optimise your time by taking into account the means of transport available to you. Here is more information on how to get around Venice. These are the museums you should not miss:

• Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Venice: Delve into the figure of one of the most influential artists and geniuses in the history of Italy.
• Natural History Museum of Venice: In this museum you will find collections of more than 700 million years old.
• Accademia Gallery: One of the most important in the city. It houses paintings by geniuses such as Titian and Tintoretto.
• Museum of 17th century Venice: Another of the great museums, since it covers the art of the great period of Venetian culture. Here you will be able to contemplate the works of the great artists of the time such as Visconti, Tiepolo and Crosato among others.
• Peggy Guggenheim Collection: Perfect if you prefer contemporary art. This museum treasures the works of some of the great artists of the 20th century such as Duchamp, Miró and Picasso.
• Galleria Franchetti: Located in one of the most beautiful palaces in Venice: Ca D'Oro. Inside you can contemplate some of the masterpieces of the Renaissance.

Take a tour of the Jewish Quarter

I advise you to set aside some time during your visit if you are going to see Ca D'Oro. Very close to this palace and art gallery is the Jewish Quarter. A place worth visiting for its enormous historical and architectural heritage. It is just a 15-minute walk from Ca D'Oro.

It is considered one of the oldest Jewish quarters in Europe. For this reason, I recommend you book a tour of the Jewish quarter, where you can relive the story of the Jew Yorick, the protagonist of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. Don't miss the heart of the area, the New Ghetto Field. An open square where you can admire the beautiful traditional Venetian architecture without filters. A great way to round off this visit is to discover the Jewish Museum.

It's been a full day of culture. If you still have time and energy to spare, you can unwind a little with a more relaxed plan. And, perhaps, more child-friendly, if you are travelling with your family. Here's all the information you'll need to visit Venice with children.

It's the last day. We've seen the essentials of Venice, but we still have one thing left: the variety of places located far from the centre that are nonetheless very worthwhile. I'll give you some getaway ideas and show you how to make the most of them.

Take a trip to Murano and Burano

You can't leave Venice without visiting either of these two places located on islands in the Venetian lagoon. You can get there by vaporetto or with guided excursions to Burano, Murano and Torcello that include transport in the price. If you still want to go on your own, you can find out how to get to Burano and Murano from Venice here.

Even so, I recommend that you book the excursion to Murano and Burano. These are very traditional places, with very low, colourful little houses that are a great way to spend about half the day. You can find out more about what to see in Murano and what to see in Burano here. As well as wandering the streets, I recommend a visit to the famous Murano glassworks. The traditional way of life and craftsmanship of these little places will perfectly complement your visit.

Don't miss the Lido

Another option is a trip to the Lido, a perfect beach for a relaxing last day. This is helped not only by the sea but also by the local atmosphere that surrounds it. You can reach it by vaporetto, which leave every 15 minutes or so. You have the following points to catch the vaporetto:

• From Venice Central Station and Bus Station: 30 minutes;
• From St. Mark's Square: 15 minutes;
• From Rialto: 30 minutes;
• From Punta Sabbioni: 15 minutes.

If you're thinking of going to the Lido, it's probably because you'll be visiting Venice in months with good weather. If so, here are some other things to do in Venice in summer.

And that's all. If you want to expand, you can always check here for more details on what to see and do in Venice. And, don't hesitate, Venice is one of those cities you always come back to!