When visiting Venice for couple of days, you should definitively take a day tour out of Venice. Thus you can explore the province of Veneto and its hidden treasures: architectural, natural and culinary. This post contains 8 easy day trips from Venice to places that you can get there in under an hour.
I know you will find a lot of suggestions for day trips from Venice, but most of the ideas include cities and places that are like at least a 2 hours ride from Venice. Not that you can’t visit Milan or Florence on a day drip from Venice, but there are so many other lovely places near Venice that visiting them takes no longer than an hour.
I have asked fellow travellers to share their favorite tours out of Venice. There was one condition: all places or activities should be within an hour from Venice. Here are the places that they have suggested:
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I’ve mapped all recommended places and activities near Venice so that you can easily find your way. You can download the map and use it off line or add it to YourPlaces.
Padua
recommended by Daniela, the author of this blog
Padua is a short an easy day trip from Venice. The city is absolutely lovely and kind of underrated by the tourists, although without a reason. When in Padua, enjoy walking around the city and discovering the beautiful piazzas: Piazza dei Signori, Piazza dei Frutti, Piazza delle Erbe, and Piazza Eremitani. At Piazza dei Signori you can grab a bite in one of the numerous restaurants there.
Padua doesn’t come short of UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the mesmerizing Scravegni Chapel with beautiful frescos by Giotto (14th century) and the world’s first botanical garden – the Orto Botanico, established in 1545.
Another attraction not to miss in Padua is Il Santo – the Basilica of Saint Anthony – the patron saint of the city of Padua. A lovely place to hang around and take pictures is Prato della Valle – Italy’s largest square and one of the largest squares in Europe.
Getting from Venice to Padua by public transport is quite easy. There’s a train each 20 minutes from Santa Lucia train station and it takes about 25 minutes from Venice to Padua.
Read more: What to see and do in Padua
Brenta Canal Cruise
recommended by Daniela, the author of this blog
If you are staying in Venice for a couple of days, you might want to explore the Veneto region. A boat trip on the Brenta Canal to Padua is among the best day trips from Venice and river cruises in Italy!
The Brenta Canal Cruise will take you along gorgeous villas and sleepy towns. You’ll visit 3 of the villas that are open for tourists: Villa Foscari, Villa Widmann and Villa Pisani.
The famous villas along the Brenta Canal (about 100) are actually summer residences of the wealthy families who wanted to escape the muggy Venetian summers. They were designed by some of the most famous architects of the time: Palladio, Scamozzi, Frigimelica, and frescoed by equally great artists Gianbattista Tiepolo, Benedetto Caliari, and Zelotti, just to name a few.
The Brenta Canal (Naviglio del Brenta) is a waterway that connects Venice (Venezia) with Padua (Padova). The part from Fusina in the Venetian Lagoon to Strà is a branch of the Brenta River that was corrected. The part from Strà to Padua is a 10-km canal dug in 1209 to connect Padua with Venice, known as the Piòvegio Canal.
There are 5 locks along the canal and 9 swing bridges operated manually. It’s pretty amazing to cruise along the canal and see those being operated.
Click here to book this cruise. The cruise is including a lunch in the lovely village of Oriago. It can be booked in two directions: from Padua to Venice and from Venice to Padua.
Read more: Everything you need to know about the Brenta Canal Cruise
Vicenza
recommended by Dhara from It’s not about the miles
Vicenza makes for a wonderful day trip from Venice, especially if you love architecture. Vicenza’s historic center contains many buildings designed by famous Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio.
Wandering the streets of beautiful Vicenza is a joyful activity. The historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the architecture is stunning.
Start your visit at the Piazza dei Signori, the main square, where you should visit the Basilica Palladiana, with its beautiful loggia and aqua roof. There are many other buildings of note around the plaza, as well as the tall Torre Bissara.
One of the best things to do in Vicenza is a visit to Palladio’s Teatro Olimpico. Here you can see the the trompe-l’œil stage, designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi. Its 3-D effect is fascinating. Also be sure to step into the Palazzo Chiericati, another building designed by Palladio, to view the art: it houses Vicenza’s civic museum. An interesting fact is that although Palladio designed these buildings, they were completed only after his death.
Just outside the city center, you must also visit Villa La Rotonda, a beautiful Renaissance villa designed by Palladio. The design is said to have inspired many prominent buildings around the world.
Vicenza is easily accessed from Venice by train. There are numerous departures in both directions everyday. A regional train can get you from Venice to Vicenza in just under one hour.
Another option will be to book a tour from Venice. Check out this private tour from Venice to Vicenza.
Author’s bio: Dhara is a seasoned traveler who loves Italy, which she has visited many times. She is equally passionate about traveling, photography, and writing, and she combines all of her passions into her travel blog.
Bassano del Grappa
recommended by Maddalena from Venice Travel Tips
Bassano del Grappa is one of the most beautiful medieval towns based in the Veneto region of Northern Italy, crossed by the Brenta river and facing the Dolomites. It takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to get from Venice to Bassano del Grappa by train and only 1-hour driving.
Bassano is worth visiting not only for its chilled atmosphere, but for the wide range of restaurants serving traditional Veneto dished. Among the best things to do in Bassano is crossing the Ponte degli Alpini from where you can marvel the spectacular views of the river and mountains. Also, spend some time strolling around the narrow cobblestoned streets and public squares like Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Libertà.
This medieval town is known for it fresh produce and of course for the grappa, the world-famous distillate made from grapes. You can take a market tour in Bassano combined with a 4-course delicious meal featuring the best of the local cuisine.
You can visit the Poli Museum for free and learn everything about the grappa. Bassano is also known for its ceramic production and Sturm Palace is the best place to visit to learn all about it.
The best time to visit Bassano del Grappa is between spring and autumn when temperatures are pleasant, and when you can make the most of the sunny and warm days outside.
To get from Venice to Bassano, just take the regional direct train from the Venezia Santa Lucia railway station to Bassano del Grappa. If you’re driving, get on the A27 motorway from Mestre and then the new Superstrada Pedemontana Veneta.
Author’s bio: I’m Maddy and I’m originally from Castelfranco Veneto, Italy. I’ve been living in the UK for the past 5 years. I love travelling, and Venice is the one place I always go back to. I share my tips and knowledge about the city and the region on my blog Venice Travel Tips.
Jewelry Making Workshop in Murano
recommended by Faith from 3 Tickets Please
Many people day trip from Venice to Murano to see the magnificent hand blown glass. And the day trip in itself is worth it. But if you are looking for a unique experience on the island of Murano, we recommend taking the glass jewelry making workshop at Ferro Toso
During the workshop, the owner, Caesar, will teach you how to place and arrange small cut pieces of glass inside a ring of copper. Then you are left with a kaleidoscope of small pieces of glass to arrange according to your imagination.
After you have arranged the glass, your piece is heated to create a glass pendant, bracelet or keychain. From a 20 minute workshop, you leave with a truly unique piece of Murano glass, made by you.
Vaporetto is the best way to get from Venice to Murano. We took the fastest route to Murano, which is line 3, the yellow line, from P.le.Roma straight to Murano. Then we took line 4.2 back to Venice, past St. Mark’s Square. You can just use line 3 to get to and from Murano island. However, if you want to see St. Mark’s by water, then 4.2 is your route.
There are so many things to do in Venice: museums, gondola rides, the Doge’s palace. And we did many of those things. And yet, as we left Venice for Florence, we all agreed that our time with Caesar at Ferro Toso was our favorite experience in Venice. And at 10 EUR it was so inexpensive.
You might be also interested in visiting the glass-blowing factory on Murano. Book here a tour of the glass factory.
Author’s bio: Faith Hansen, along with her husband and son, make up 3ticketsplease. As teachers, Faith and Matthew have the time to travel, but not always the money. And so the trio has traveled on a budget to over 20 countries together with no plans to stop any time soon.
Santerasmo
by Lori Sorrentino from Italy Foodies
Located just a 25-minute ferry ride from the hustle and bustle of Venice there is a place that’s hard to imagine until you’ve seen it. The small Venetian island of Santerasmo is a bucolic alternative to Venice.
Known as the Garden of the Doges, Santerasmo was the agricultural heart of Venice that grew the foods for the aristocracy and the Ruler of Venice known as the Doge. The tiny isle was literally the breadbasket to the Imperial city for centuries, and still is today. The island is also home to some of the oldest Prosecco vines in Veneto, one of the most prolific Italy wine regions.
Few tourists know about the island nor take the time to explore its quiet, idyllic bounty. Aside from stunning views of the surrounding lagoon, nature and eco-travelers will love exploring the island on foot or by bike, riding along the paved level road that skirts the coastline past fields of violet artichokes, Prosecco vineyards, and fresh honey farms as far as the eye can see.
You can take a tour of the island but it’s just as easy to explore on your own. Stop by the area’s only winery, Orto di Venezia, to taste their crisp white organic wines grown from Malvasia and Vermentino grapes. Then buy a bottle, grab a picnic table and enjoy the afternoon overlooking the most scenic view of the lagoon.
Author’s bio: Lori is the author of several travel blogs including Italy Foodies for travelers hungry to discover Italy’s unique slow food culture, and Travlinmad, a travel resource for slow and sustainable travelers.
Burano
recommended by JJ from Travel Across the Borderline
Burano is one of the islands situated within the Venetian lagoon. It is famous for its bright colourful houses that line the canals. The houses were originally painted in the bright colours so that the local fishermen could easily identify which house belonged to them, in order to be able to return there without problems even with the thickest fog and bad weather. Today tourists flock to the island to get the perfect Instagram worthy photo against the colourful backdrop.
There are plenty of things to do in Burano such as visiting the lace museum and seeing a demonstration of how they traditionally make the famous Burano lace. You can also visit Burano’s leaning tower or simply enjoy aperitivo in one of the many bars and restaurants that line the canals.
Burano is easy to get to from Venice. Many tours run several times a day and usually include a stop in Murano and Torcello too. You can also reach Burano independently by taking a vaporetto (a water taxi) from Venice. The vaporetto ride only takes 45 mins and departs frequently throughout the day. If you take the vaporetto you will have more time to spend in Burano than you would do on a tour.
Check here to check 21293the availability for a day trip to Burano, Murano and Torcello from Venice:
Author’s bio: Hi, I’m JJ from Travel across the borderline. I help wannabe adventurers to fearlessly explore and care for our beautiful planet and themselves. I write travel itineraries, teach others how to make money as a travel-preneur and show you how you can embrace travel as a tool for mental wellbeing.
Treviso
recommended by Megan from Megan Starr
One of the best day trips from Venice is the gorgeous city of Treviso. Treviso was long just a place that travelers flew into on a trip to Venice but over the years, people began discovering how much the city actually had to offer!
If you’re looking for the best things to do in Treviso, you will find plenty of options by just heading there from Venice and strolling around!
One of the most iconic places to visit and see in the Italian city are the Walls of Treviso. Dating back to the early 1500s, these walls were used to protect the city from possible Lega Cambrai attacks. Another famous place in Treviso to visit is Piazza dei Signori, the city’s most famous square. It is lined with cafes and is the perfect place to grab a cappuccino and relax!
Not many people know this, but Treviso is the home of Tiramisu. Le Beccherie is the place credited with inventing it and it is still open today! Be sure to also have a glass of Prosecco when visiting Treviso as the region is also home to it! If you’re a foodie, be sure to enjoy risotto al radicchio, a local specialty that you can be sure to find on the menus of many restaurants in the city. And if you want try yourself preparing a traditional Italian meal, try out this cooking workshop with a local.
You can reach Treviso from Venice by train. It is around a 22-minute ride and less than 2 euros one-way. There are over 60 trains per day, so you won’t be pressed to find one.
Author’s bio: Megan & Aram are travel bloggers from the US and Armenia focusing on travel in the Nordics and beyond. They love delicious food, supporting small businesses, and sports.
