Optional add-on: Walk through Piazzetta San Marco, a ceremonial waterfront space that served as the formal gateway to the Republic, taking note of Colonna di San Marco and Colonna di San Teodoro.

Head to St. Mark’s Square, considered to be the city’s political and religious heart, then ascend St Mark’s Campanile for panoramic views over the lagoon and rooftops.

Visit St. Mark’s Basilica, whose Byzantine-influenced domes and mosaics reflect Venice’s close artistic and commercial ties to the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as the accumulation of relics and treasures through trade and conquest. Requirements for respectful/modest attire apply at churches and other religious sites. Visitors should avoid disrupting religious observances and remain mindful of posted customs.

Continue on to Doge’s Palace, where the Republic governed its maritime empire, including a walk across the Bridge of Sighs linking the palace to its historic prisons.

Visit Chiesa di San Zaccaria, known for its flooded crypt and famous altarpiece by Bellini. Requirements for respectful/modest attire apply at churches and other religious sites. Visitors should avoid disrupting religious observances and remain mindful of posted customs.

Wander through Castello, a residential district historically associated with shipbuilders and sailors. Include a photo op at Scuola Grande di San Marco for its striking Renaissance façade and a visit to Scuola Giorgio degli Schiavoni with its Carpaccio cycle of paintings.

Continue to Venetian Arsenal, the Republic’s vast state shipyard, known for its highly organized, assembly-line-style production of galleys that supported naval expansion.

Optional add-on: Stop in at Libreria Acqua Alta, a bookstore known for storing books in bathtubs, boats, and a full-size gondola to protect them from floods.

Make a brief stop at Santa Maria dei Miracoli, known as the “marble church” for its detailed, extensive use of marble for the exterior and interior.

Take a sunset vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal, gliding past palaces that once showcased the wealth of merchant families. Make sure to look for Ca'd'Oro, one of the most famous examples of Venetian Gothic architecture along the Grand Canal, its intricate facade once decorated with gold leaf, giving the palace its name.

Head to Cannaregio for a cichetti crawl, sampling small plates such as sarde in saor (sweet and sour sardines with onions, vinegar, raisins, and pine nuts), baccalà mantecato (creamy whipped cod spread typically served on bread), and bigoli in salsa (thick whole-wheat pasta with anchovy and onion sauce). Finish with tiramisu (coffee-soaked ladyfingers layered with mascarpone cream and cocoa), then enjoy a post-dinner stroll through the Venetian Ghetto, a historically significant area.

Begin at the Rialto Bridge and Rialto Market, the historic commercial center where Venetians have traded goods for centuries. Then take a gondola ride through the quieter, back canals, offering a close-up view of Venice’s architectural details and waterways.

Visit Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute for its stunning Baroque architecture, massive dome, and masterpieces by Titian and Tintoretto. Requirements for respectful/modest attire apply at churches and other religious sites. Visitors should avoid disrupting religious observances and remain mindful of posted customs.

Head to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which showcases a collection of modern art in a Grand Canal palazzo.

Continue to the Gallerie dell’Accademia to explore masterpieces of Venetian painting from the Renaissance to the Baroque.

Spend time wandering through Dorsoduro, considered by some to be the cultural heart of Venice. Take a break for gelato at Campo Santa Margherita, a lively square lined with cafés frequented by locals. During your neighborhood exploration, stop by Squero di San Trovaso, where artisans use traditional methods to build and repair gondolas.

Optional add-on: Shorten your time at the museums to make time for a visit to Ca' Rezzonico, a Grand Canal palace that provides a glimpse into aristocratic life in Venice, with ornate interiors, frescoes, and furnishings that illustrate the wealth and cultural refinement of the city’s elite in the 18th century.

Watch the sunset from Ponte dell’Accademia, one of the city’s best vantage points over the Grand Canal.

Optional add-on: Take a pre-dinner stroll along Zattere, a waterfront promenade in Dorsoduro with lagoon views.

Enjoy an osteria dinner in Dorsoduro featuring local favorites, such as risotto al nero di seppia (squid ink risotto) for primo and spaghetti alla busara (pasta with fresh seafood) or fegato alla veneziana (calf's liver cooked with white onions, olive oil, and butter) for secondi.

Travel to Murano to see glassblowers at work and explore the Museo del Vetro, which traces the history and artistry of Venetian glassmaking.

Continue to Burano, known for its brightly painted houses and long tradition of lace-making, leaving time to browse local shops and explore the Lace Museum, or Museo del Merletto, to learn more about traditional lace-making.

Optional add-on: Travel to Torcello to visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, known for its Byzantine mosaics, providing insight into the history of settlement in the lagoon. Requirements for respectful/modest attire apply at churches and other religious sites. Visitors should avoid disrupting religious observances and remain mindful of posted customs.

Return to Venice and then head to San Giorgio Maggiore before sunset. Head up Campanile di San Giorgio for panoramic views of Venice.

Return once again to Venice for a stroll along Riva degli Schiavoni, a waterfront promenade with views across the lagoon.

End your time in Venice with classical music at Santa Maria della Pietà.

Other options include an opera or other performance at Teatro La Fenice or enjoy classical music at Chiesa di San Vidal.