Venice: what to do in 2 days
Venice needs no introduction. The romantic Italian city is besieged by millions of tourists every year to admire the uniqueness of this city. Its canals, the richness of its artistic heritage blend in its traditions and excellence. The Carnival, the cinema exhibition, the teeming with exhibitions, events, attract many visitors every year. If it is true that to get to know and savor Venice and its countless districts it is necessary to stay in the city for several days, a first “smattering” of what the Venetian capital offers can already be obtained in just 2 days. The result will be to make you fall in love with the “Serenissima” and plan another trip as soon as possible.
Piazza San Marco
The heart of the city of Venice is undoubtedly Piazza San Marco. A true living room of the city, it offers the most emblematic monuments of Venice: the Basilica of San Marco, the iconic bell tower, the Doge’s Palace, the Marciana Library, the Procuratie and the Clock Tower to name a few. Inevitable a photo in the square with the many pigeons flitting among the tourists. Piazza San Marco is one of the lowest points of the city and during the high water the show takes on a charm never seen before. The Piazza also hosts numerous cafes where you can enjoy an excellent spritz with live musical accompaniment that the historic Venetian cafes often offer. Among these, the Café Florian is one of the best known.
Venice seen from the canals
What makes Venice unique is its urban conformation. In an apparently hostile context in the lagoon, the city has managed to historically become a European power and has made a fundamental contribution to Western culture. Made up of hundreds of islets connected by countless bridges, the urban fabric of Venice consists of canals and canals that surround the urban areas called insulae. The Grand Canal crosses the historic center of the city in an S and a “cruise” along it is an ideal point to admire the architecture of the city.
Venice offers an alternation of unique views from which to admire the passage of boats and typical gondolas. A gondola tour is undoubtedly a must-do in Venice, ideally at sunset.
Instagrammable places not to be missed
If your stay in Venice is a “hit and run” of only two days, your goal will be to immortalize the most iconic and “instagrammable” places in the city. Don’t miss the Acqua Alta bookshop. The peculiarity of this place is that when the high water exceeds 110 cm the water enters the shop making gondolas and other floating elements float topped by books of all kinds. The courtyards beyond retain stacks of books damaged by water to create unique walls.
Another chapter of unmissable places is that of bridges. The Rialto Bridge is one of the most famous in the city. The oldest, connects the Sestiero di San Marco to that of San Polo by crossing the Grand Canal. Other noteworthy bridges are that of the Academy and the emblematic Bridge of Sighs. The latter built in stone in Baroque style crosses the Rio di Palazzo connecting the Palazzo Ducale to the new Prisons and was used for the passage of prisoners from prisons to the offices of the State Inquisitors to be judged.
Practical advice
Visiting Venice in a few days requires meticulous organization in order not to lose any precious moment. My advice is to stay in the historic center, ideally in the San Marco district. My choice fell on the splendid Donà Palace Hotel, a few steps from Piazza San Marco. Overlooking the Rio Palazzo, this boutique hotel guarantees privacy and tranquility just a few steps from the main attractions of the city. This elegant, finely restored historic building features high-prestige suites such as the Duchess Suite.
Venice is the home of spritz and how not to enjoy an excellent spritz in the Aperol Terrace or in one of the many taverns such as the excellent Bancogiro tavern where you can enjoy a drink accompanied by typical Venetian cicchetti.
For an excellent typical Venetian cuisine, my advice is the Ai Barbacani restaurant, which also has tables close to the canal for an unforgettable experience.
