We only have 2 half day stays in Venice outside of our guided tour & would love recommendations for activities outside of St Marks Basilica as that will be part of our tour. The more active, the better!
Posted by
Hampshire, UK
412 posts
To me, one of the great joys of Venice is just walking, and getting lost. The whole Island is a maze and I seem to almost always find something new or interesting. I quite like walking along the water from the Doge's palace up as far as the Biennial gardens, stopping briefly to look at the gates of the Arsenale. On the other side of the Island, the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo where there is also a medical museum and (if I remember correctly) one of the landside entrances to the hospital which is almost unrecognisable as such because of the architecture.
Posted by
Switzerland
45 posts
TimW, the medical museum and the entrance to the hospital are part of the Scuola Grande di San Marco - one of Venice’s seven historic scuole grandi which were essentially charitable institutions brimming with art you can still admire today.
On this train of thought, merfranklin13 you could visit Scuola Grande di San Rocco (its chapter hall rivals the grand rooms in Doge's Palace).
You mention active experiences, so why not see Venice from above? Reaching some of the city’s most spectacular viewpoints often means climbing staircases and sometimes squeezing through tight spaces — especially at places like the cupola of Santa Maria della Salute or St. Mark's Clock Tower: https://www.cityscrolls.com/venice/from-above/
Btw, since July 2025, your entrance ticket to St. Mark’s Basilica also includes free access to see Tintoretto and Titian's paintings in the Sacristy of La Salute — giving you one more reason to take on the climb to the dome (a separate €8 fee). From up there, the views over the Grand Canal and the San Marco Basin are breathtaking.
Once you're back down, head to nearby Punta della Dogana for another fabulous panoramic spot, this time at water level. From there, begin your stroll along the Zattere waterfront - the promenade is especially magical at sunset!
And if you're not ready to stop, then simply wander into the heart of Dorsoduro where the ever-changing layout of canals and charming bridges invite you to never stop exploring as no 2 areas are the same.
Posted by
Atlanta
5467 posts
...one of the great joys of Venice is just walking, and getting lost.
Very, very true! It's amazing the great thing one finds when just wandering about the city. The RS guide book has (or had) at least one self guided walking tour. You may also be able to download an audio tour/guide.
One thing that many completely overlook is the Jewish Ghetto. Do some checking on the internet and see if it holds any interest for you.