When organizing trips to Venice, people often overlook all the beauty that lies just a short distance away, in the region known as Veneto. If you are planning a trip to Venice, we recommend that you also take the time to organize one or more day trips from Venice. There are many places to choose from; some of which are very well known, but we are sure you didn't know they were so close to our city.
Whether you prefer traveling by train or by car, Venice allows you to reach mountain landscapes, historic cities, wine regions, and small towns without changing hotels. Below you’ll find a practical and carefully curated overview of the most interesting trips from Venice, along with guidance on how to choose the right option for your travel style.
Day trips from Venice Italy: which one do you prefer?
Every destination you choose will give you an unforgettable travel experience. For each place, you can include different activities in your day and build tailor-made itineraries.
Northern lagoon islands
Tour of the islands of Venice: Murano, Burano and Torcello.
Verona and Lake Garda
History and romance in Verona and views of Lake Garda.
Treviso and the Prosecco Hills
Local life, canals and UNESCO World Heritage landscapes
Vicenza and Bassano
Architecture, UNESCO heritage and local traditions.
Cortina and the Dolomites
Nature and mountain UNESCO World Heritage.
Arquà Petrarca Euganean Hills
Small towns, art, landscapes and tastings.
Northern Lagoon islands
The northern lagoon offers the closest and most water-centered day trip from Venice. Murano, Burano, and Torcello can be visited in one day using public boats or a guided boat tour.
Each island has a distinct identity: Murano for glassmaking, Burano for colorful houses, and Torcello for its quiet, historical atmosphere. Traveling through the Venice lagoon by boat is an experience in itself and offers a different perspective on the city and its surroundings.
Day trips from Venice: Verona
Verona is one of the easiest and most rewarding day trips from Venice. Thanks to frequent fast trains, you can reach the city in about 90 minutes directly from Venice Santa Lucia or Mestre.
The historic center is compact and walkable. Highlights include Piazza delle Erbe, Roman ruins, medieval architecture, and Renaissance palaces, all within a short distance. A Venice to Verona day trip works perfectly as a train-based day trip because everything is close to the train station or easily reached on foot.
Day trips from Venice Italy: Lake Garda
A Venice to Lake Grada day trip offers a completely different landscape: wide horizons, Mediterranean vegetation, and charming lakeside towns. Unlike city destinations, the lake is best explored by car, which allows you to move between villages and reach panoramic viewpoints.
Sirmione is often the first stop, known for its peninsula setting and historic center. From there, a boat ride or a longer boat tour on the lake adds a relaxing and scenic element to your day trip.
Day trips from Venice: Prosecco Hills and Treviso
The Prosecco Hills, UNESCO World Heritage Site, are one of the most distinctive wine landscapes in Northern Italy. Rolling vineyards, small towns, and rural scenery define this area, which is very different from both Venice and the major cities.
A guided Prosecco tour from Venice by car with a driver is often the best option, especially if you want to focus on wine tasting without having to worry about driving. It is also possible to include a stop in the small and charming city of Treviso (reachable also by train).
Day trips from Venice: Vicenza
Vicenza is one of the most elegant and culturally significant day trips from Venice, especially for travelers interested in architecture and art. The city is strongly linked to Andrea Palladio and is home to some of his most influential works.
Reaching Vicenza by train is simple and efficient, with frequent connections from Venice and a train station close to the historic center. Highlights include the refined urban layout, Palladian palaces, and the extraordinary Teatro Olimpico, the oldest covered theater in the world.
Day trips from Venice Italy: Bassano del Grappa
Bassano del Grappa is a refined yet authentic destination at the foothills of the Alps. The historic center, the famous wooden bridge, and the town’s connection to grappa production make it unique among day trips from Venice Italy.
A Bassano del Grappa tour from Venice can be done by train or combined with Vicenza by car. This allows you to connect different layers of Veneto culture, from traditional crafts to Renaissance architecture. Nearby Vicenza is home to Palladio’s Teatro Olimpico, one of the most important architectural landmarks in the region.
Day trips from Venice: Cortina and the Dolomites
A Venice to Dolomites day trip is absolutely possible, as long as expectations are realistic. Cortina d’Ampezzo, the most famous alpine resort in the region, is the natural gateway to this UNESCO-listed mountain area.
Reaching Cortina d’Ampezzo independently involves a longer journey, but a guided day tour or a panoramic full-day experience by car allows you to focus on landscapes rather than logistics. In one day, you can enjoy mountain views, fresh air, short walks, and time in Cortina’s elegant town center, without attempting demanding hikes.
Day trips from Venice: Arquà Petrarca and the Euganean Hills
Arquà Petrarca is one of the most charming small towns in the Veneto and a perfect extension of a visit to the Euganean Hills. Set among gentle volcanic hills, vineyards, and olive groves, this medieval village offers a slower and more intimate side of Northern Italy.
The town is closely associated with the poet Petrarch and preserves a remarkably authentic atmosphere, with stone houses, quiet streets, and panoramic viewpoints. Combined with the surrounding hills, this day trip from Venice works especially well by car, allowing you to move easily between villages, scenic roads, and countryside stops.
Combining multiple day trips in Veneto region
If you plan to explore several destinations, consider combining multiple day trips with one or two nights outside Venice. While returning to Venice each evening is possible, staying elsewhere reduces travel time and allows for deeper exploration.
This approach works particularly well when visiting the Dolomites, Lake Garda, or wine regions. A short overnight stay can transform individual trips from Venice into a more immersive experience of Northern Italy, without rushing.
Contact us to organize your multi-day trip from Venice in Veneto.
The best day trips from Venice: car rental with driver
Traveling by car offers a wider choice of destinations, especially those not directly connected by train. Lake Garda, the Prosecco hills, Bassano del Grappa, and many rural areas are much easier to explore by road. What's more, in just a couple of hours' drive, you can reach practically all the most beautiful places in Veneto.
Starting from Piazzale Roma or Mestre, you gain flexibility in terms of time and routes. A car allows you to combine several stops, enjoy scenic roads, and reach smaller towns that do not appear on standard itineraries.
Among the best day trips from Venice, those by car offer great freedom, a wide variety of landscapes, and the possibility to change your plans during the day.
In addition to renting a car, we also recommend considering the services of a driver. This service guarantees a safer trip, ensures that travel times are respected, and also gives you the opportunity to enjoy some tastings without any worries.
You can choose to rent a car with a driver:
- directly from Venice;
- from another location that you can reach by train; this allows you to save money but above all to combine more destinations (e.g., Verona + surroundings or Lake Garda, Treviso + Prosecco Hills).
Day trips from Venice by train
One of Venice’s greatest advantages is how well it’s connected by train. Cities like Verona, Vicenza, Padua, and Treviso are all reachable via fast trains, often in under 90 minutes.
Train travel is efficient, sustainable, and stress-free, especially if you prefer not to drive. Departures are frequent, and stations are centrally located, making it easy to plan a full day trip without a car.
If simplicity and time efficiency are your priorities, day trips from Venice by train offer some of the best options in Northern Italy.
FAQs about day trips from Venice
Choosing among the many places to visit in Veneto is really difficult. And thinking about how to organize these day trips without a local partner can be even more difficult.
Below you will find some help to resolve the most common doubts. For anything else, please contact us directly.
And if you are a travel agency, find out how we can work together.
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