72 HOURS IN

venice

with wtb hotels

Venice rewards travelers who look beyond its most famous landmarks, revealing a city of lively markets, historic bacari, artisan workshops, quiet canals, and centuries-old traditions. This three-day itinerary balances the icons of the Floating City with experiences that offer a deeper look at Venetian culture, art, gastronomy, and everyday life. 

Centered around a stay at HOTEL L’OROLOGIO VENEZIA, part of WTB HOTELS, the journey moves from the Rialto Market and Piazza San Marco to the quieter streets of Dorsoduro and the colorful islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Private water journeys, celebrated art collections, traditional cicchetti, local craftsmanship, and memorable dining experiences offer inspiration for discovering Venice from a more intimate perspective.

DAY 1

morning

– Start the day with breakfast at Hotel L'Orologio Venezia, with views over the Grand Canal. 

– Step outside to explore the Rialto Market while it is still in full swing, visiting the Erberia for fresh produce and the Pescheria for the morning's catch, one of the last true working markets in Venice's historic center. 

– Cross the Rialto Bridge and take in sweeping views up and down the Grand Canal from its highest point.

Afternoon

– Spend the afternoon on a cicchetti crawl through San Polo. Begin at Cantina Do Mori, one of the city's oldest bacari, for an ombra, a small glass of wine, and a few classic bites. 

– Visit the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, home to major works by Titian and Bellini, then step next door to the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, where the walls and ceilings are covered almost entirely by Tintoretto's paintings, creating one of Italy's most immersive single-artist collections. 

– Alternatively, take a guided tour of Teatro La Fenice, Venice's storied opera house, for a glimpse behind the curtain of one of Italy's most celebrated stages.

Evening

– Return to the hotel for sunset drinks at Santa Cocktail Club, where the signature cocktails are each inspired by a Venetian Carnevale mask. Try the Medico della Peste, served in a glass shaped like the plague doctor's iconic curved beak, as the light changes over the Grand Canal. 

– Take a short walk to Casa Cappellari for dinner, located in the authentic district of San Polo. 

– Overnight stay at Hotel L'Orologio Venezia.

DAY 2

Morning

– Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before setting out on a gondola ride through the smaller canals of San Polo and into the wider sweep of the Grand Canal, offering a quieter way to arrive in the heart of the city. 

– Arrive in Piazza San Marco to visit the Basilica di San Marco, where Byzantine mosaics and gilded interiors rank among the most extraordinary in Italy. 

– Climb the Campanile for panoramic views across the lagoon and the rooftops of Venice.

afternoon

– Enjoy lunch at Trattoria Do Forni, just off the square and away from the busiest tables directly on the piazza. 

– Tour the Doge's Palace, crossing the Bridge of Sighs and exploring the grand council chambers that once governed the Venetian Republic. 

– Cross into Dorsoduro for a hands-on mask-painting lesson at Ca' Macana, the atelier behind some of Venice's most celebrated carnival masks, followed by a stroll through the district's quiet canals and squares.

Evening

– Enjoy dinner at Poste Vecie, one of Venice's oldest restaurants, tucked beside the Rialto Market. 

– Return to the hotel for a final drink at Santa Cocktail Club. 

– Overnight stay at Hotel L'Orologio Venezia.

DAY 3

Morning

– After breakfast, depart by private water taxi to Burano, known for its brightly painted houses and centuries-old tradition of handmade lace. 

– Visit a historic lace workshop, such as La Perla, run by the Bon family, to see the craft still practiced by hand. 

– Walk over to neighboring Mazzorbo, a quieter, greener corner of the lagoon just across the footbridge, for lunch at Venissa. Set within a walled medieval vineyard with its own orchards and gardens, the one-Michelin-star and Green Star restaurant builds its menu almost entirely around ingredients from the lagoon and estate.

afternoon

– Return to Venice by water taxi and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. 

– Alternatively, visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Dorsoduro, one of Europe's foremost collections of 20th-century art, set within a palazzo directly on the Grand Canal.

Evening

– Enjoy an aperitivo at Santa Cocktail Club and try the Colombina, poured into a glass echoing the delicate lace of the mask for which it is named, one of the few female figures in Commedia dell'Arte. 

– Continue to a farewell dinner at La Porta d'Acqua, directly on the Grand Canal. 

– Overnight stay at Hotel L'Orologio Venezia.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

This Venetian escape is hosted by WTB HOTELS, with HOTEL L'OROLOGIO VENEZIA providing an elegant base in the heart of the city. Overlooking the Grand Canal near the Rialto Market, the hotel places guests within easy reach of Venice's celebrated landmarks while offering an intimate retreat from the energy of the surrounding streets. 

The experience extends beyond the stay itself, with days shaped around Venice's art, craftsmanship, gastronomy, and enduring traditions. From mornings at the Rialto Market and evenings overlooking the Grand Canal to artisan workshops and private journeys across the lagoon, Hotel L'Orologio Venezia offers a natural starting point for experiencing the city at a more thoughtful pace.