6. Restaurant Antica Sacrestia
9. More Excursion tips for Venice
10.1 Meine Landausflüge
10.2 Get Your Guide
10.3 Viator
Venice
Venice never loses its magic, no matter how many times you have visited. It is like a vast open-air museum; everywhere you look, there are beautiful houses, impressive buildings, museums, and squares to discover—each telling its own story. What makes Venice unmistakable is its unique location: built on wooden piles, the city sits above the sea, interwoven with countless canals. While a single day is certainly not enough to explore the city in its entirety, it is plenty of time to gain a wonderful first impression. Currently, about 30,000 people call this lagoon city their home.
Hotel St. Antonin
Hotel Sant’Antonin is centrally located, making all the major sights easily accessible on foot. We stayed in a beautiful, spacious room decorated in a classic Venetian style. The welcome was very friendly, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The hotel is situated within one of the largest private gardens in the city and is surrounded by a charming medieval courtyard.
St. Mark`s Square
St. Mark's Square is the secret heart of Venice. It is the only square in the city permitted to use the title 'Piazza.' This is due to the historical rule that only paved squares were allowed to carry this name; all other squares in Venice are called Piazzetta or Campo. Therefore, if you arrange to meet at 'the Piazza,' you are heading to Piazza San Marco.
The square is surrounded on three sides by historic buildings housing numerous restaurants, shops, and both the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of City History (Museo Correr). The many cafés lining the square are extremely popular and quite expensive—here, the motto is truly 'to see and be seen.' The fourth side of the square opens up majestically toward the lagoon.
Book tickets for St. Mark`s
St. Mark`s Basilica
The Cathedral dates back to the 11th century, with further additions made in the 13th and 14th centuries. St. Mark’s Basilica earned its nickname, the 'Golden Basilica,' thanks to the stunning mosaics inside, which were crafted on a gold ground. These mosaics cover more than 8,000 square meters, forming the largest contiguous mosaic surface in the world. Many other works of art (though some were famously plundered) can be admired within the Basilica.
The Bell Tower (Campanile) is no longer the original; it collapsed on July 14, 1902, following an attempt to install an elevator. Remarkably, no one was injured, and except for the Loggetta, all surrounding buildings remained undamaged. It was rebuilt exactly as it was, using the original stones—and including an elevator this time. As thousands of tourists visit the Basilica daily, it is highly recommended to book your tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line for hours; you can find them here.
Doge`s Palace
The Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is considered one of the most significant examples of Gothic architecture. It was once the seat of the Doge, the head of state of the Republic of Venice. While a smaller predecessor was built in the 9th century, the structure we know today began to take shape in the mid-14th century. Despite being damaged by fires several times, it was consistently rebuilt almost exactly to its original design.
The interiors of the palace are magnificently decorated, with the elaborately designed ceilings being a particular highlight. As with the Basilica, a 'skip-the-line' ticket is highly recommended for the Doge's Palace. If you combine your visit with a tour of St. Mark's Basilica, you can save both time and money. You can find tickets here.
Rialto Bridge
After exploring St. Mark's Square to our heart's content, we strolled toward the Rialto Bridge. With the many small shops lining the bridge, every souvenir hunter is sure to find something special. Be sure to take a moment to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Grand Canal; the bridge offers a fantastic view, provided you can find a gap among the many tourists.
As early as the 13th century, a wooden bridge connected the previously divided parts of Venice at this very spot; the stone bridge we see today was inaugurated in 1591. If you want to experience the Rialto Bridge and the view of the Grand Canal without the massive crowds, we recommend coming here in the early evening, once the day-trippers have slowly begun to leave the city.
After visiting the most important landmarks, we simply let ourselves drift through the streets of Venice. There are truly beautiful corners to discover, and as soon as you move a few side streets away from St. Mark's Square, the lagoon city becomes significantly less crowded and much more pleasant.
Restaurant Antica Sacrestia
During our walk through Venice, we happened upon Antica Sacrestia and were immediately drawn to its beautiful little garden, so we decided to return there for dinner that evening. The food was excellent, and the service was both fast and attentive. We certainly didn't regret our decision to stop in.
Of course, a single day is far too short to see everything worth visiting, but it is enough to gain a wonderful impression of the city and its lively atmosphere. For us, the next morning was all about snapping a few quick photos in the sunshine, as the weather the day before had been rather unsettled. Then, we took the water bus back to the harbor, where the Costa Serena and an incredibly beautiful sail-away from Venice were waiting for us
Top sights
Venice is a very popular destination. Not only do cruise ships dock here, but there are also many day visitors. As a result, long queues can form at the top attractions, or tickets may only be available for specific time slots. For the following sights, it is highly recommended to book a fast-track ticket or a fixed time slot in advance.
Status 2025
Cruiseport Guide
Here you will find information about the location of the port, public transportation, rental cars, and options for independent excursions.
More excursion tips for Venice
Venice can be explored very well independently. Here you can see the highlights awaiting you.
Landausflüge buchen
Meine Landausflüge
Meine Landausflüge offer you fantastic cruise trips at the most popular ports worldwide. Typically, they are available in much smaller groups and at more affordable prices than the cruise line’s own excursions. All our options are carefully selected to guarantee you an unforgettable outing experience.
- Small group sizes
- Punctual return guarantee
- Convenient pick-up and drop-off service from/to the port
- Money-back guarantee for itinerary changes and port cancellations
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour (Flex option up to 60 minutes before the tour start)
GetYourGuide
With GetYourGuide, you can book land excursions in small groups, often at better prices than those offered by cruise lines. All experiences are carefully selected and reviewed by experts. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start of the excursion.
Viator
Viator, a Tripadvisor company, is one of the world's leading online marketplaces for travel experiences. The platform provides travelers with access to more than 300,000 activities, including guided tours, day trips, attraction tickets, and exclusive experiences in thousands of destinations worldwide. A key advantage for users is the millions of authentic traveler reviews that help in making informed choices.
Viator is known for its high flexibility:
- offering free cancellation on many bookings up to 24 hours in advance.
- Additionally, the "reserve now, pay later" option provides financial freedom during trip planning.
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