Venice: 7-Day First Visit and Lagoon
A full week is a luxurious first trip: you see everything at a walking pace and still have room to simply be in the city. Two sights a day at most, one per day some days, and the rest given to wandering. Prices are 2026 figures, so treat each as verify on site.
Day 1: the city core
Piazza San Marco early: St Mark’s Basilica on a timed slot (nave free, dress code enforced), then the Doge’s Palace (about EUR 30 to 35), booked ahead. Bacaro lunch, then the Rialto Bridge.
First-timer tip: pre-book both sights so day one has no queues.
Day 2: Dorsoduro
Line 1 down the Grand Canal (EUR 9.50), one museum in Dorsoduro, then the Zattere and Campo Santa Margherita.
First-timer tip: a 7-day vaporetto pass (about EUR 65) covers the whole trip from today.
Day 3: Cannaregio and the Ghetto
A gentle day in Cannaregio: the Jewish Ghetto (founded 1516), the Strada Nova and the northern Fondamente.
First-timer tip: this is the best evening to eat far from the tourist strips.
Day 4: the lagoon islands
An early ferry to Burano, Torcello and Murano. The islands are exempt from the access fee.
First-timer tip: take snacks for quiet Torcello.
Day 5: Castello and San Giorgio
Quiet Castello and the Biennale gardens, then the San Giorgio Maggiore bell-tower view.
First-timer tip: time the San Giorgio lift for late-afternoon light.
Day 6: Giudecca and the Lido
Giudecca’s waterfront, then the Lido for a flat seafront and a swim.
First-timer tip: hire a bike on the Lido for an easy, breezy afternoon.
Day 7: a slow finish
Close gently in San Polo: the Frari church for Titian’s Assumption, then just drift through the calli you liked best.
First-timer tip: keep this whole day unplanned; it is often the one you remember most.
Read more: the main Venice guide ranks the sights, the quiet corners guide suits day seven, and the Veneto base guide helps if you want to add a day trip out of the city.