One day in Venice can take you from Dorsoduro’s churches and galleries to the major sights around San Marco. Start at Santa Maria della Salute, then plan your central stops around the opening hours at St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. For church details before setting out, the Santa Maria della Salute visitor guide covers that stop separately.
At a glance
- Start in Dorsoduro with Santa Maria della Salute and the nearby Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
- Santa Maria della Salute is about a 2-minute walk from a three-star hotel in Dorsoduro.
- St Mark’s Basilica has different opening hours on Sundays and national holy days.
- The St Mark’s Square Museums ticket includes the Doge’s Palace, Museo Correr and the National Archaeological Museum of Venice.
Start among the Dorsoduro sights
Dorsoduro gives you a close-together opening to the day, with Santa Maria della Salute and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection both near the hotel. The church is a natural first stop; its distinctive exterior also makes a clear landmark for beginning this Dorsoduro itinerary.
From there, choose how much time to give the gallery before continuing toward San Marco. The Accademia Gallery is another cultural stop in the area, while Magazzini del Sale and Palazzo Loredan Cini add nearby architectural landmarks to the route.
If the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is your main museum stop, plan around its place in the day rather than trying to fit every sight into one visit. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection visit has its own practical considerations.
Cross toward San Marco
Set aside the second part of your walk for San Marco’s central landmarks, especially St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Their hours vary by day and season, so check the official site before you go: consult the basilica’s official site for basilica access and the Doge’s Palace official site for palace hours.
St Mark’s Basilica is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., with last entrance at 4:45 p.m. On Sundays and national holy days, it opens from 2:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., with last access at 4:45 p.m.
The Basilica’s Museum and Horses Loggia have separate Sunday access: from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., only the Museum is open.
Book basilica admission for the date and time you plan to arrive. Entry may be refused if your booking does not match, and the stated time tolerance is approximately 5 minutes.
The Doge’s Palace opens from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from 1 April to 31 October, with last admission at 6:00 p.m. From 1 November to 31 March, it opens from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with last admission at 5:00 p.m. Closing procedures begin 30 minutes before closing.
Choose a museum or a church stop
Choose your central stop based on whether you want to spend more time inside a museum or focus on the basilica. The St Mark’s Square Museums ticket combines three institutions, while the basilica’s timed admission needs its own attention.
St Mark’s Square Museums
The ticket includes the Doge’s Palace, Museo Correr and the National Archaeological Museum of Venice. If you choose this option, use the palace’s seasonal hours to decide when to arrive and leave time for its closing procedures.
St Mark’s Basilica
For the basilica, match your booking to your visit date and entry time. Sunday and national holy day access begins later than Monday-to-Saturday access, so account for that difference when arranging the day.
The Accademia Gallery offers another museum stop back toward Dorsoduro. Picking one main museum or church visit can leave the rest of the day for walking between the area’s landmarks.
Return by the Grand Canal or vaporetto
You can finish the day by following the Grand Canal or using ACTV water transport. For a broader look at the water route, the Venice Canal Grande vaporetto guide focuses on seeing the canal by boat.
ACTV’s standard 75-minute Rete Unica waterborne ticket costs €9.50 and is not valid for journeys to or from Marco Polo Airport.
Its Venezia Daily Pass costs €25 and lasts 24 hours from first validation on the Venice municipal urban waterborne network, Mestre mainland bus and tram network, and People Mover. It excludes routes 16 and 19, the Casinò route, Alilaguna, and airport journeys.
The Venezia Daily Pass can also be used on Trenitalia Regional and Fast Regional trains between Venezia Santa Lucia, Venezia Porto Marghera, Venezia Mestre, Venezia Carpenedo and Venezia Mestre Ospedale, within Venice municipality.
If your plans extend onto the mainland, the Mestre Daily Pass costs €5 and covers the mainland urban bus and tram network and regional trains within Venice municipality. It is sold only through the AVM Venezia Official App and partner apps, and must be activated before boarding.
FAQs
When is St Mark’s Basilica open?
Monday to Saturday, it is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., with last entrance at 4:45 p.m. On Sundays and national holy days, it opens from 2:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Does a St Mark’s Square Museums ticket include the Doge’s Palace?
Yes. It includes the Doge’s Palace, Museo Correr and the National Archaeological Museum of Venice.
Can you use the Venezia Daily Pass for airport journeys?
No. The pass excludes journeys to or from Marco Polo Airport, and the standard 75-minute ACTV waterborne ticket is also not valid for those journeys.