Studying abroad in Italy and wondering how to take a day trip from Florence to Venice? This post will tell you how to take a day trip Florence to Venice as a study abroad student. From getting your train, where to go, what to do, and how to navigate Venice, you’ll be able to plan a successful day trip from Florence to Venice during your time abroad!
Day Trip Florence to Venice
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There are many places to see, and if you plan your day out wisely you’ll have a wonderful time and get the most out of it! Below are recommendations of places to go and links to buy tickets for your trip. It is definitely tough to plan to see all of these in one day, so I would recommend picking a few favorites and seeing the rest from outside! Start your day by taking a ferry to San Marco, which is where many of the most famous places are located. (St. Mark’s Basilica, Bell Tower, Doge’s Palace, and the bridge of Sighs) all located in San Marco square. This eliminates the possibility of losing/wasting time on figuring out how the ferry works because it can be kind of confusing! If you start your day at San Marco, you’ll be able to sight-see with less of a crowd, and will have the rest of the day to explore. There are also gondola rides you can take that meet in San Marco square. Below are the must-see places of Venice!
Florence to Venice Train
When I studied abroad in Florence, I was wondering if you could even do a day trip from Florence to Venice! Good news, you absolutely can! If you do a day trip from Florence to Venice by train, I would recommend giving yourself 10-12 hours of time in Venice to enjoy as much as possible. Of course, with only one day in Venice you won’t be able to see absolutely everything, but you can at least see your top favorite things! This day trip option is great for study abroad students, or travelers on a budget. For a guide on taking the trains, read more from my post, “How to Take A Train from Florence,”.
See Doge’s Palace
Located in San Marco square, Doge’s Palace is one of the top places to see while in Venice. If you want to go inside and walk through, it’s smartest to book your tickets in advance, otherwise you’ll likely not get in the day of, or you’ll spend most of your time waiting in line.
If you want a self-guided experience just to walk through and see it for yourself, there are Doge’s Palace tickets for 40 €. These are great because they are valid for the whole day, and you can enter at anytime that is convenient for you.
If you would like a guided tour that also walks you through the Bridge of Sighs, there are guided tour tickets available for around 60 €. The tour is 1-2 hours long.
Climb St. Mark’s Bell Tower
St Mark’s bell tower, located just across from Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica provides some really great views from the top of the tower. This is great for photography if you want to see Venice from above, and take home some really cool photos!
Tickets to climb to the top of the tower can be purchased the day of. The Bell Tower opens every day from 9:45am to 9:15pm (last admission is at 8:45pm; tickets cost 10 €; free for children up to 6 years of age). In the event of adverse weather conditions (fog, strong wind, intense cold), the Bell Tower will be closed.” (Official Website).
Walk the Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs is absolutely a must see on your trip to Venice. “Commissioned by the doge Marino Grimani, whose familial coat of arms is depicted in the centre of the facade, the Baroque-style bridge was built about 1600 by the architect Antonio Contino. The enclosed passageway was named for the “sighs” of the prisoners who passed over it.” (Read More).
If you choose to tour Doge’s palace, it is likely your tour will take you on a walk through this bridge. Just an added bonus if you do decide to tour Doge’s palace. Tickets to a tour of Dodge’s palace that includes the Bridge of Sighs can be found through Get Your Guide.
Visit St. Mark’s Basilica
St. Mark’s Basilica is another beautiful place to see in Venice in San Marco square. Tickets are around 40 € if you book ahead with Get Your Guide. This makes it possible to skip the lines, and gives you more info to understand what you’re visiting! If you’re on a budget and just want to see it from the outside, it is plenty beautiful! However going inside is even more fascinating and there is absolutely plenty of time to see it. Tours are only 1 hour long, leaving you with plenty of your day left to see the rest of the city! Opening hours are from 9:30am to 5pm. Opening hours are shorter on Sundays and holidays, so be sure to double check before you visit!
Take a Gondola Ride
Of course while in Venice, you MUST take a gondola ride at least once! Be sure to plan this in advance, because the prices are insane the day of! For a 30 minute gondola ride and a little bit of history on the gondolas and guided commentary, it cost me only 30 €! It is so worth doing and you get to see some really cool views from your gondola! This one takes you through the grand canal while you ride. (Tickets for Gondola Ride).
Get Lost and Take Photos
One of the best things you can do while in Venice is just walk around and explore the city! There are so many unique and inspiring views while just walking through Venice. If you love to take photos, this is the way to do it. You’ll find so many bridges and views that you can only dream of. It’s amazing to find them in real life, and it’s hard to remember that it’s real! This also gets you away from the busy tourist crowds and will allow you to rest for a bit!
Walk Across the Rialto Bridge
One spot you definitely can’t miss is walking across the Rialto Bridge! This is within walking distance from San Marco, be sure to check it out while out walking and exploring Venice!
Take The ACTV Ferry For the Views
Wanting to get a nice ocean breeze and see even more beautiful views for some beautiful photography opportunities? Take the ACTV ferry when leaving or going to San Marco! Tickets are anywhere from 4-7 € and can be bought at the ticket booth near the ferry port. If you have any questions, ask the ticket desk and they will tell you where to go! The views will certainly not disappoint! You may have to fight your way a bit to get to the edge of the boat to get the best view, but if you try you’ll get to see some amazing things! This ferry is also a way to get to Murano Island if you want to visit it for the glass making opportunities.
Visit Murano Island
If you have a longer day with some more time, visit Murano Island in the afternoon after seeing everything in San Marco in the morning! San Marco is a stop on the way to Murano from the train station in Venice, which makes it much more convenient to visit San Marco in the morning and Murano in the afternoon! Murano is known for Murano glass, and there are many glass shops with unique pieces for sale. If you are interested, you can take a tour of a glassmaking factory in Murano to get the full experience! You will also get to see glass blowing done by the factory. Afterwards, visit the shop and gallery and receive a discount on any of your purchases. Tickets are only 10 €!
If you have extra spare time at the end of the day, just keep exploring Venice! This day trip is totally possible if planned out well and in advance. This post was all about 9 things to do on a day trip from Florence to Venice as a study abroad student! Hope this helps you to plan a successful and worthwhile trip to Venice.
