The Best Day Trips from Venice

People say that who hasn’t lost their way in Venice at least once, has not truly experienced the city.

The small, charming alleys are perfect for relaxed strolls, you can endlessly meander around the beautiful city admiring the architecture of astonishingly raised buildings, cute bridges and beautifully tiled pavements.

What you may not know about Venice is that the city can be a great hub for day trips and excursions! Have a browse through our recommendations for best day trips from Venice Italy.

Day trip from Venice to Milan

The city known for its world-famous design week will not only enchant design enthusiasts! The Milanese architecture and interiors are indeed stunning, and the city is now also growing its contemporary art scene with many internationally renowned art galleries opening exhibition spaces in the city.

Two major art institutions: Pirelli Hangar Bicocca and Fondazione Prada also attract contemporary art enthusiasts.

When visiting Milan, do not miss the main square with the world-famous Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral), listed as one of Milan’s UNESCO world heritage sites. Both its exterior and interior are breathtaking, and (after paying an additional fee) tourists are also allowed to go to the roof to come closer to some of the spectacular sculptural works.

Since the cathedral was built over several hundred years, the main architects (and hence the building style) were changing a lot, for which the cathedral received negative aesthetic judgement.

The Milanese Duomo is a whole complex and does not only include the main church. For ticket booking options, we recommend checking online and pre-booking entries to the respective sites you want to visit within the religious complex. The full fares start at 8 € (approx. 9 USD) and the reduced fares at 4 € (roughly 4.5 USD).

Milan will also have a lot to offer for shopping enthusiasts! Boutiques with established brands are abundant in Venice, but in Milan, you will find more independent fashion designers as well as unique interior design and decorative items.

Day trips from Venice to Milan are easiest done with the train! There are around 30 daily connections between the two cities, and train fares start at around 10 € (approx. 11.2 USD). Pick an early departure to get the most out of your day tour, but note that departures around 8 AM tend to be more expensive due to work commute.

Day trip from Venice to Milan

• Lakes Region, Cinque Terre and A Taste of Tuscany 3d/2n

Day trip from Venice to Lake Garda

Peschiera del Garda is an Italian resort town at the southern tip of the beautiful Lake Garda, and a destination that is easy to reach from Venice by train! With over 20 daily departures (only 13 of them are direct connections!).

Peschiera del Garda is one of the most popular spots for relaxed day tours from Venice. Depending on which connection you choose, the train trip will take from 1 hour 13 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes, and when booking your ticket in advance, the fares go as low as 10 € (approx. 11,2 USD) for a one-way journey.

One of the most prominent sites in Peschiera del Garda is “Porta Verona” from the 16th century. It is one of the historic gateways to the city, a part of the spectacular city walls that embrace the town centre.

A popular site for tourists is also the Madonna del Frassino Sanctuary, origin of which dates back to the 16th century. It is a spiritual and tranquil place with a beautiful collection of classical religious art pieces. Take note of the opening times, and keep in mind that the site closes down for siesta between 12 PM – 3 PM!

Peschiera del Garda often becomes a spot for overnight trips from Venice, especially for families! The little town is located just 10 minutes drive from Gardaland – a famous amusement park that can entertain the entire family.

Families travelling from Venice can find accommodation in Peschiera del Garda and explore the city on the first day and then dedicate the next day to Gardaland’s 32 rides (roller coasters, water rides and many more).

Day trip from Venice to Lake Garda

• Land of Venice 1-Day Small-Group Tour: Verona, countryside and Lake Garda
• Verona and Lake Garda
• From Lake Garda: Venice Day long guided Tour

Day trip from Venice to Rome

The Italian capital is a magical city and a must-visit destination on your trip to Italy. Venice and Rome are more than 500 kilometres apart, which makes the capital another popular destination for overnight trips from Venice. If you don’t want to spend a day travelling, you can take the overnight bus with FlixBus.

The bus leaves Venice in the early evening and arrives in Rome at 5 AM. That gives you a full day to explore the capital, and you can take another overnight connection with FlixBus back to Venice at 9.20 PM (the bus will arrive in Venice at 6.15 AM). Bus fares differ with the season, and day trips from Venice to Rome are popular, so plan your trip to get the best rates!

You can dedicate your day in Rome to exploring sites like the Colosseum (ancient amphitheater), the Forum Romanum (a historical place with ruins of significant ancient governmental buildings) or make your way to the Vatican City to see St. Peter’s Basilica with the Sistine Chapel (especially known for its stunning ceiling painted by Michelangelo) and the Vatican Museum with its abundant art collection.

If you are not ready for long walks and queues, simply enjoy your day sipping Italian coffee and admiring the beautiful sites around you. And even though in Rome coffee shops are to be found on every street corner.

We recommend you head to the area near the Pantheon (a former temple, dedicated to “all gods”, twice destroyed and twice rebuilt in the past, most famous for its significant dome with an “oculus” a hole through which sun rays enter the building) and Piazza di S. Eustachio. Loads of relaxed, authentic Roman cafés waiting for you there!

Day trip from Venice to Rome

• Italy Rome to Venice Private Semi-Independent 9-Day Tour by Rail
• Rome Day Trip by Train from Venice – Private Tour

Day trip from Venice to Vicenza

Have you ever heard of the “Palladian” building style? Maybe you aren’t familiar with the name, but for sure you know buildings like The White House In Washington DC or Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The unique building style was developed by architect Andrea Palladio, and it is inspired by the looks of the ancient Roman and Greek temples, basing the designs on symmetry and perspective.

Examples of Palladian architectonic style are abundant all over Italy, but the small town of Vicenza is one of the best places to go for architectural explorations! It is even listed among UNESCO world heritage sites as “The City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto”.

Most tourists who visit Vicenza come to see the heritage of architect Andrea Palladio, and hence the tourist information offices can give you maps with marked sites that are worth adding to your Vicenza itinerary.

But remember that real beauty lies inside! Dedicate enough time to enter the buildings too, and make sure to visit “Teatro Olimpico”. It is probably the most famous of Palladio’s creations in Vicenza!

Vicenza is only 75 kilometres from Venice, and day trips are easy to arrange. The train journey is approx. 1 hour 20 minutes, and there are several direct connections every day. If you go during off-peak hours, a one-way ticket will only cost you 6.40 € (approx. 7 USD).

Day trip from Venice to Vicenza

• Hidden Vicenza: food and artisans tour

Day trip from Venice to Padua

Padua (or “Padova” as it is called in Italian) is a charming little town with a magical city centre, where the stylish cafés are mostly frequented by students from the popular Padua University, history of which goes back to the 13th century!

The most popular spot for visitors coming to Padua is the Scrovegni Chapel though. The religious site is known for frescoes by Giotto that date back to between 1303 – 1305.

The chapel is dedicated to St. Mary of Charity and the frescoes (that cover the entire walls) narrate the lives of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary. In the 19th and 20th century the fragile frescos were subject to several restoration operations. Another important religious site in Padua is the Basilica of St. Anthony.

It is home to a wide range of significant religious artworks as well as relics of St. Anthony. When comparing building styles, the basilica will display strong influences of the Venetian Basilica of St. Marco. Inside the basilica, you will find several different chapels, each of them devoted to a different saint and abundantly decorated.

Have a look at “The Chapel of the Black Madonna” from the early 13th century or “The Chapel of St. Anthony”, a remarkable work from the renaissance period!

A direct train journey to Padua takes only 25 minutes, but the ticket fares for a single journey start at around 19 USD. The price lowers to around 12 USD for a one-way ticket if you book a train connection with an interchange. It is a good way to save some money, and the travelling time only goes up to 38 minutes.

Day trip from Venice to Padua

• Padua Half-Day Tour from Venice
• Half day cruise terminal shore excursion to Padua, Venetian villas Brenta canal
• Day Trip by train from Venice to Padua. Private tour

Day trip from Venice to Slovenia

The Slovenian coastline is beautiful, the relaxed atmosphere, budget-friendly accommodation and dining options and open-minded locals make Slovenia a great holiday destination.

Thanks to direct ferry connections, day trips from Venice to Slovenia can be easily arranged. From Venice, you can take the ferry to Piran in Slovenia. The journey will take around 2 hours 30 minutes, and fares for a round-trip start around 170 USD. 

Piran is a resort town at the Adriatic coast, and it is home to popular tourist attractions like the Tartini Square with the frescoed Tartini House (where the renowned violinist Giuseppe Tartini was born).

You will for sure enjoy strolling around the city centre, where the architecture still carries marks from the times of Piran’s belonging to the Venetian Empire, like the stone lion (symbol of the former Venetian Republic) in front of Piran’s City Hall.

Other remarkable sites are “Walls of Piran” (the town wall fortification from the 7th century, much of which is surprisingly well-preserved) and the Church of St. George, which (similarly to the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua) was also modelled after St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice.

At the Church of St. George, you will also find a popular viewing spot – The Bell Tower. For just 1 € you can climb to the top for an amazing view over Piran and a breathtaking aerial perspective of the Tartini Square!

Day trip from around the Venetian Lagoon

Interested to try more day trips from Venice by boat? Why not explore the Venetian Lagoon further? Thousands of years ago the lagoon was formed by nature, but human intervention and special preventive hydraulic projects have shaped the lagoon to what it is today.

Explore the islands of Burano, Murano and Torcello. They are situated close to each other, but each of them will offer you a different perspective on Venice’s culture and history.

Burano Island is famous for tranquil views of small houses with coloured facades. The Island of Murano will attract creatives and local arts and crafts enthusiasts, as it is mostly known for glass art and is it home to many of the so-called “glassblowers”.

Torcello is probably the least frequented, but it is home to the famous Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, also known as “Torcello Cathedral” with some of the earliest mosaics in and around Venice.

You can explore the islands in the Venetian Lagoon either by booking a curated tour (those are often half-day tours but you still get a chance to do some sightseeing at the three islands) or on your own by taking a water bus (Vaporetto).

Do note that water taxis are also available in Venice. They tend to be fairly expensive, but if you are travelling with a big group, sharing a water taxi to the adjacent islands in the Venetian Lagoon might turn out to be a budget-friendly option after all.

Day trip from around the Venetian Lagoon

• Private Excursion by Typical Venetian Motorboat to Murano, Burano and Torcello
• Private Tour: Murano, Burano and Torcello Half-Day Tour
• private boat tour Murano & Burano
• Murano & Burano Islands Half Day Guided Tour by Private Water Taxi
• Explore the Venetian Lagoon: Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands Half-Day Tour

Recommended Day tours from Venice

• Dolomite Mountains and Cortina Small-Group Day Trip from Venice
• Venice Super Saver: Skip-the-Line Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica Tours plus Venice Walking Tour
• Private Tour: Murano, Burano and Torcello Half-Day Tour
• Lamborghini Headquarters and Ferrari Maranello Motor Valley Day Trip from Venice
• Private Tour: Prosecco Wine Tasting Day Trip with Lunch from Venice
• Prosecco Small-group wine tour from Venice
• Exclusive Venice private walking tour (4h) with a licensed tour guide
• Tasty Rialto Farmers Market Food Tour in Venice with Wine Tasting & Sightseeing
• Independent Florence Day Trip from Venice by High-Speed Train
• Valpolicella Day Trip from Venice: Wine Tasting and Verona

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