How to spend 48 hours in Venice

Going on a trip to Italy and have 48 hours to spend in Venice? This was my third time in the romantic city of Venice, and still it seemed as magical as the first time. Everything from architecture and food to the canals and the gondolas at every corner, Venice seems like a piece of fairy tale. It sure does if you manage to look past the crowds of tourists and let yourself get lost in the narrow streets.

48 hours in Venice

Get lost

If you are a walking person, opt in for this. We stayed at a hotel in Mestre (that also provided with a parking spot) and we took a bus to Venice. After that, we walked through the city, until the Piazza San Marco. There are plenty of arrows and tourists to follow. But if you want to take your time, get far away from the crowds get lost in the maze of narrow streets. Be prepared for rather humid but also chilly places (so welcome on a hot Italian summer day). All those wanderings might throw you into pretty places that you would not expect!

All the gelato           

While in Italy, I must have eaten one ice cream per day, on average. I swear. And during my time in Venice, I did not disappoint. Go for all the pasta and the gelato – enjoy yourself and don’t think of the calories – you will walk a lot anyway.

Take photos

Make sure you take tons. It’s not everyday that you go to Venice, right? I must have taken a photo of every canal with a cute blue boat floating peacefully. Those places seem so magical and serene. But don’t forget about the landmarks either.

Rialto Bridge, Bridge of Sighs & Piazza San Marco

You can easily find it without a map, if you are on a major tourist route, you will see indications for the Rialto bridge, the Bridge of Sighs and Piazza San Marco. They will both be full of tourists, but that doesn’t make it less enjoyable, right? As a heavy traveler, you must find the beauty of the landmark beyond the crowds. As I said, you’re not coming to Venice everyday, so you might as well find ways to enjoy your time there.

Take a water taxi

We took one on our day trip to Murano & Burano. It is definitely an experience, but also quite expensive. I recommend it for cases where you have no other way. Such as island hopping, if you’re doing a day trip in Venice and have limited time or if your hotel is in the heart of Venice and you have lots of pieces if luggage. Otherwise it could be quite expensive to use all the time (there are some transportation passes for Venice, so just ask your hotel).

What other tips do you have for spending 48 hours in Venice?