Is spending 2 days in Venice enough?
If you’re planning a trip to Venice, 2 days is just about the right amount of time to cover the city. It’s a charming city no doubt, but I will still have appreciated the time to visit other less touristy parts of Italy, to try the local food and experience local culture. I had a little bit of that at local bars and restaurants in Venice, but it felt important to venture out, to see what Italy was actually like. Is spending 2 days in Venice enough? I would say you could even cut it down to 1.5 days.
Is spending 2 days in Venice enough?
Day 1 – St Mark’s Square, Dodge’s Palace, Castello
St Mark’s Square and the Dodge’s Palace are Venice’s most famous sights. We took the Secret Itineraries tour around the Dodge’s Palace and got to learn about Venetian culture and history, which was really helpful.
After lunch, we visited Castello, which was further along the water’s edge from San Marco. To our astonishment, the whole neighbourhood was almost a ghost town. There were houses with flaking paint and boarded up windows, while an unnatural quiet had descended on the town. I found this strange as just 10 minutes away, St Mark’s Square was busy with tourists. It then got me thinking, why are there so many empty houses in Venice? Read on to find out more.
Transport
Sights
- 5 reasons to do the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doges Palace in Venice
- Why are there so many empty buildings in Venice?
- When is the best time to visit the Rialto Bridge in Venice?
We also visited the Ostaria Dai Zemei and Al Merca for dinner and drinks. The crostini at Ostaria Dai Zemei was delicious, while Al Merca served good wine.
Food and Drink
- Recommended: Have Cicchetti at Ostaria dai Zemei in Venice
- Recommended: Visit El Vin Del Paron for affordable wine in Venice
- Recommended: Visit the Al Merca Wine Bar in Venice
Day 2 – Murano and Burano
The next day, we took a ferry out to visit Murano which was pretty much a ghost town apart from the few curious tourists (including us). Murano was known for its glassware while Burano, its lace products and painted houses. Murano was very quiet, with only a few glass factories open. Burano was more interesting – it had a lace museum and we had a fun time observing tourists take selfies of themselves.
We left at 9am that morning and were back by 2pm. There was more than enough time for our train to Florence later at 4pm. If you are keen to buy food gifts back from Venice, click on the link below.
The Travelling Squid’s Take
Venice is an exceedingly charming city. There is no city like it – one with its canals, occasionally overflowing, flooding the homes of its resilient residents. Like a fog that descends over the town every morning, Venice seems to be fading into the distance. It is not only climate change that is causing its residents to leave. Rather, it is more about the lack of industry – for people to work, a place where families would find it easy to settle down at. Alas, it is an example that an over-reliance on anything, or anyone can be detrimental, a stern, grave warning that all tourists should be aware of, even as they take Instagram photos against the cheery backdrop of the painted houses of Burano.
