Venice is a beautiful city to visit, and it certainly has enough attractions and diversions to keep you busy for at least several days to a week or more. But if you have the time and want a break from the canals of Venice, there are also many great options for day trips. The Veneto region is home to interesting towns and cities outside of Venice, which are most easily reached by public transport.
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The best islands of Venice
Murano, Burano, and Torcello are the top three islands to visit on day trips from Venice. Murano is known as the island of glass makers, Burano has canals lined with picturesque colored houses and is known for lace making, and Torcello is a green island where Byzantine mosaics can be seen in the 7th century Cathedral.
- How to get there: from Fondamenta Nove, Vaporetto number 41 or 42 to Murano, or number 12 to Burano and Torcello.
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Venice Lido
Venice Lido is a long strip of land off the coast of Venice. The Lido is surrounded by beaches and is a good place for nightlife, shopping or to get away from the tourist crowds in Piazza San Marco. At the beginning of September, the Venice Film Festival is held on the Lido. There are also shops, restaurants, bars and hotels (often less expensive than in Venice) on Venice Lido.
- How to get to the Lido: Vaporetto number 1 from Piazza San Marco. Vaporetti also run from other parts of Venice.
- Read more about going to the beach in Italy.
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Venetian villas on the Brenta Riviera
Along the Brenta Canal, between Venice and Padua, there are a number of beautiful old villas, some designed by the famous Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Although most can only be seen from the outside, some of the former gardens are now public parks and some villas are open to visitors.
- How to get there: You can take a bus that goes from Venice (from Piazzale Roma) to Padua, stopping at Mira or Stra, although the best ways to visit it are by boat or car.
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Padua
Padua (Padua) is a walled city east of Venice. It has the oldest botanical gardens in Europe, the Basilica of Saint Anthony and the frescoes of Giotto’s Scrovegni Chapel. The gardens and the basilica are on the other side of town from the train station, a pleasant walk through the historic center.
- How to get to Padua: Trains from Venice to Padua take about half an hour and depart frequently.
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Treviso
Treviso is a pleasant medieval city north of Venice with canals and alleys running through its center. The defensive walls, the city gates and the moat can still be seen. The center of Treviso, a short walk from the train station, is a good place to stroll or enjoy a drink in a cafe.
- How to get there: Trains from Venice to Treviso take about half an hour and run frequently.
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Chioggia
Chioggia, a fishing port on the Venetian lagoon, is sometimes called “Little Venice”. A wide pedestrian street lined with cafes and restaurants runs through the city center to the port. Chioggia has a great seafood market in the morning, the clock tower museum, and the Museo de la Laguna Sur. The beaches are 2 km from the center. It is a nice place to relax and good for day trips to Venice in summer.
- How to get to Chioggia: in summer, a direct tourist boat runs from Saint Mark’s Square to Chioggia. At other times, vaporetti or train connections can take two hours.
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Vicenza
Vicenza was an important city between the 15th and 18th centuries. The famous Renaissance architect Palladio was from Vicenza and designed 23 of the city’s buildings, including the Palazzo Barbaran da Porto which houses the Palladio museum. The Basilica Palladiana is considered by many to be Palladio’s masterpiece. With a car, you can tour the Palladian villas on the outskirts of Vicenza.
- How to get to Vicenza: Trains from Venice to Vicenza take about 45 minutes and depart frequently.
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Verona
Verona, sometimes called the Florence of the North, is famous for the house and balcony said to belong to Juliet in Shakespeare’s story, “Romeo and Juliet.” Verona has a 2,000-year-old Roman arena where summer opera performances take place, a Roman bridge, and a market square that was once the Roman Forum. Verona is one of the most visited cities in Italy.
- How to get there: Trains from Venice to Verona take between 60 and 90 minutes.
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Bassano del Grappa
Bassano del Grappa is a pretty medieval town below Monte Grappa on the Brenta river. Bassano del Grappa is known for its alpine wood, grappa and ceramic bridge. It is a pleasant base for exploring the nearby Venetian villas, castles, cities and attractions of the Veneto region.
- How to get there: Trains from Venice to Bassano del Grappa take about 90 minutes.
Original article by Martha Bakerjian.
