day trip from Venice

Padua, Ferrara.

Bologna is not quite a tourist hot spot…yet
It won’t be nearly as crowded as Venice

Add to above
Verona
Bassano del Grappa
Vicenza

Although a bit further as a day trip Ravenna is also a possibility. Mosaics are worth the trip.

How lucky you are to have so much time in Venice. Trieste is a 2 1/2 hr train ride, so it might be an option for you. I didn't explore the town. Instead I took a taxi to Lipica Slovenia to see the Lippizan horse farm. Here's a concurrent thread about Trieste https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/trieste-fcd47ec5-06de-4451-9d1c-640b4f7b9e11

Another vote for Verona and Vicenza. With the amount of time you have in Venice, you might want to consider an overnight in Verona so as not to be rushed. But with an early start and late return, both can be done the same day.

Treviso
Ferrara
Bologna

Our absolute favorite day trip from Venice is
Bassano del Grappa with its Alpine feel, rushing river.
Once while in Venice we took a boat out to the Brenta Canal, a wonderful day passing by the beautiful Palladian mansions.. We got on the boat right in Venice.

We spent the month of October in Venice when we retired 10 years ago. It was wonderful to have so much time to experience and e pore the city and the lagoon area. The only actual daytrip we did outside of Venice was to Padua. We also visited Ravenna, but it was an overnight tripm(highly recommended.

Now, having just been to Italy last month, I would highly recommend Ferrara. It is a beautiful, historic and very walkable city, only an hour by train from Venezia SL. Italo offers “Italo Friends” tix for as little as 8€ each way.

https://www.ferrarainfo.com/en/ferrara

We also spent time in Bologna and Venice on this last trip; we have been to both before and love both cities. But for a daytrip from Venice I would recommend Ferrara over Bologna. It is a shorter trip, less crowded in the city, and more “approachable” than Bologna, meaning easier to see the main sights and get a feel for the place in a short time.

It is an easy, level 20-minute walk mostly on a pedestrian path/street from the train station past the soccer stadium ( unless it is game day) down Via Viuseppe Garibaldi to Piazza Repubblica and Castle Estense. From there, another block to the Cathedral and the large main square with the pedestrianized shopping street. If you want to see some amazing frescoes, continue down the shopping street and find your way to Palazzo Schifanoia for the 15th-century Hall of the Months.

https://www.ferrarainfo.com/en/ferrara/discover-the-area/art-and-culture/museums-and-galleries/museum-of-ancient-art

We spent an hour in this room, using the museum app to explore and learn about the images and mythology presented. Most of the time we had the whole salon to ourselves.

For lunch I would recommend this restaurant, on a side street just off is Garibaldi:

https://www.ristorantelocagiuliva.it/

If you want something more casual offering lighter fare, there are small places offering pinzini (the local specialty), piadini, pizza and salads all along Via Garibaldi and nearby.

Of the other places suggested, we would choose Bassano del Grappa. Haven’t been to Vicenza, so I cannot comment. Verona is nice, but it is mainly all about the Roman arena, and the opera there. We like to use Verona as an overnight stop to break up the journey to the Dolomites, but we just spend an afternoon, usually walking the horseshoe-shaped path along the river. Bologna is so big and has so much on offer I would feel cheated with just a half day there.

In art history, architecture, and history of Venice, Villa Pisani is a lovely, very close option. Check hours and renovation closings.

Get a train ticket to Padova (it's about an hour away) and go to Scrivegni chapel with the Giotto frescoes. Magnificent. You must get tickets as soon as possible though, they're hard to come by. If you're staying overnight in padova you can get tickets to see the frescoes in the evening. Then you have a double session, 40 minutes.

Thanks everyone, a lot of great ideas! I had already decided to go to Verona for one night as The Barber of Seville is playing at the Arena and I got tickets for that! but I''ll certainly visit a couple other of the towns noted!