5 Great Day Trips From Venice
While it’s easy to fall in love with Venice and never want to tear yourself away, the region offers so much diversity and incredible experiences that it would be a shame to miss. While in Venice, you are just an hour or two away from landscapes, history, and places unlike anywhere else on Earth.
While each of these destinations is rich enough to be a holiday in itself, they are also an excellent break from the crowds and tourists of Venice. Here are some of our favorite day trips from Venice.
Go back in time with a visit to Verona
Verona is a thriving city where the past lives harmoniously with the present. The Arena di Verona draws visitors from around the world for a legendary annual opera festival, in an amphitheater built in the first century, one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind. Verona is a history lover’s dream, with the huge medieval Castelveccio hosting a broad art collection from the ancient past to modern day, fascinating cathedrals and basilicas, and an ancient Roman theater. If that weren’t enough, two of Shakespeare’s plays are set in Verona, and you can visit the balcony where Juliet uttered her famous words. Verona is undoubtedly Italian, with large squares lined with cafes where people enjoy the longest lunches in the world, and the relaxed pace, warm climate, and rich history of this city are unforgettable.
Get back to nature in the Parco Regionale Veneto del Delta del Po
Shaped over centuries by natural processes and by human cultivation, this nature preserve is an incredible wetland uniting the Po river with the Adriatic Sea. The Po delta is an extraordinary landscape, where the river branches open like a fan, creating seven distinct microclimates home to different bird, flora, and wildlife species. Filled with hiking and biking trails, dunes, natural history museums, and hosting several campgrounds, this park offers insights into the natural world of Italy and the Adriatic that visitors seldom see.
Visit to Padua and the Padua Morning Market
About 25 miles outside of Venice is the walled city of Padua. Known as Padova in Italian, Padua may be the oldest city in northern Italy, if you believe the claims of its 12th-century BC founding by Trojans. It certainly has history, including its famous university (one of Europe’s oldest, from 1222), the 13th-century Basilica di Sant’Antonio (resting place of St. Anthony), and Scrovegni Chapel, with Giotto’s famed 14th century frescos. The magnificent Prato della Valle, a 950,000-square-foot elliptical square, is thought to be Europe’s second-biggest.
If you choose to take us up on this fantastic getaway, then you must visit Padua’s historic morning market. Situated on either side of the elegant, thirteenth-century Palazzo della Ragione are Padua’s two outdoor markets which have been operating for over 800 years (!!). While each piazza was named for what each market once specialized in—herbs and vegetables in the Piazza delle Erbe (Square of Herbs) and fruit in the Piazza della Frutta (Square of Fruit)—now shoppers can find everything everywhere. Take a walk under the arches of the palazzo’s charming arcade for more permanent shops hawking super fresh and local meat, fish, cheese and bread. Vendors set up shop every morning but Sunday.
Gain some altitude at Feltre
The ancient city of Feltre is nestled in the foothills of the eastern Dolomites, and has been the surprising setting of many historic events. Situated in a stunning rocky mountain landscape, this little city has churches, palazzos, landmarks, and archaeological sites dating back to pre-Roman origins. See the remnants of the old city walls, the stunning Imperial Gate, and the superb facades on the painted walls of the town center. The city has steep hills, cobblestone streets, and is loaded with quiet charm.
Get some sun in Caorle
All year long, a bus runs from Piazzale Roma in Venice to the seaside resort town of Caorle. In the summer you can make the trip by boat. Caorle isn’t full of activities and attractions; it’s a quaint, sleepy seaside town, where summer guests focus on relaxing in the sun and enjoying the water. Its history as a fishing village is still alive and well, supplying the markets and cafes with the freshest fish around. In some parts of the town, you can still see traditional fisherman’s huts, made of reeds. While nearby Lido di Jesolo is a larger and better-known beach resort community, picturesque Caorle is a perfect complement to glittering Venice.
If you have a longer holiday in Venice, make sure to take advantage of your proximity to the wealth of culture, climates, history, and nature that are just a short trip away from the city center.
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