We started Day 5 in full culture mode—and full sun. Dressed up and melting a little more each minute, the plan was ambitious: Doge’s Palace, Museo Correr, and St. Mark’s Basilica. Except… I forgot the Basilica tickets. Whoops. So, we pivoted to a palace + museum day—and it turned out to be pretty perfect.
Our 20-minute walk to St. Mark’s Square took us over quiet canals and sleepy bridges as Venice slowly came to life. We stopped for cappuccinos at a stand-up bar (very Italian of us), and strolled while the shopkeepers were still rolling out displays. Early morning Venice is truly magical—soft light, minimal crowds, and an echoing stillness you can’t quite capture any other time of day.
Thanks to some advance planning, we got to skip the massive line for Doge’s Palace—easily one of the best travel moves we made. By 8:00 a.m., the line was wrapping around the building, but we were already waiting to be the first ones inside.
And we were! For about 10 minutes, we wandered alone through grand halls and golden chambers, taking in the architecture, the artwork, and the quiet weight of Venetian history before the tour groups arrived.
Doge’s Palace was once the political and judicial heart of the Venetian Republic—home to the Doge (the ruler), seat of government, and site of trials and decisions that shaped centuries of European trade and politics. Each room held a story and sometimes sordid history – it’s a palace with an attached prison and torture chambers! Some of the rooms like the “red room” were anti chambers to larger halls where prisoners would wait to find out their fate.
The walls are adorned with frescos and oil paintings – some of the largest in the world, many painted in place, and designed to make the most of the light entering the rooms. People say they’re full of propaganda: allegories of good government, justice, and divine sanction (there was certainly a divine theme in most of them)
The Bridge of Sighs, one of the most iconic landmarks in Venice, connects the palace to the old prison. Legend says the name came from the sighs of prisoners catching their last glimpse of freedom as they crossed the canal toward confinement. It’s a stunning structure with a surprisingly heavy story. We even found out that the Doge himself was somewhat of a prisoner. He was elected for life, but his powers were tightly controlled. He couldn’t leave the city without Senate permission, lived inside the palace, and was always accompanied by officials.
We explored the palace and the prison wing (the kids were, ahem, less enthusiastic about this part), then lingered too long in the gift shop before stepping back out into the blazing piazza.
That’s when we realized: no Basilica tickets. I totally spaced on getting them (I know I thought about it but either missed the window or they were full). Bummer but we did have passes to Museo Correr. So we had a choice – wait in the line to get a day of ticket (which at that point stretched what seemed like a mile around the square) or walk ANOTHER museum (as the kids claimed).
Museo Correr turned out to be a hidden gem—located at the far end of St. Mark’s Square in the Napoleonic Wing. It houses an impressive collection of art, maps, armor, and political artifacts spanning the early days of the Venetian Republic through its decline. Between a few helpful English signs and our trusty ChatGPT translator, we got a crash course in Venetian and Italian history, from empire to everyday life.
I got a kick out of the gallery of marble busts. Bust after bust of Greek, Roman, and Venetian rulers in various stages. We all noted that most had curly or wavy hair which made for an interesting conversation with ChatGPT about why this might be. Turns out it’s two fold: First, wavy/curly hair is easier to carve as it provides more structure for the marble and second curly, wavy hair was considered a mark of vitality, youth, and attractiveness—qualities linked to both mortals and gods. So it was both symbolic and practical!
Culture makes you hungry. So we followed a bookmarked lunch spot down some tucked-away alleys to L’Bacaro de’ Bischeri, a tiny shop serving panini on fresh-baked bread. The English menu was there, but we decided to order in Italian, letting fate and phonetics guide us. 10/10—would eat again.
Back at the apartment, we took the classic Italian siesta + shower combo, then split up. Lia and I hit the local fruit stand, grabbed snacks at the CoOp, and successfully hunted down an adorable lemon-patterned dress. (Still chasing that perfect linen one though) and Mark and Noah went off in search of leather wallets and a girlfriend-approved gift.
Dinner was exactly what it should be: a tiny trattoria down a side street, just a half-block from our apartment. No website. No hype. Just fresh, local, amazing food. Rick Steves would have approved. I didn’t even catch its name but we were greeted with prosecco and a smile. The kids each tried something new (cuttle fish, anchovies, and cod spread on the cicchetti appetizer). And have no fear, gelato (and tiramisu, and cannoli) was had as we walked back to our place.
And just when we thought the day was winding down, Mark and I made a game-time decision: gondola ride at sunset. We flagged a gondolier who agreed to steer us down our home canal so we could yell up to the kids on the balcony like classic tourists. The light was golden, the canals were quieting, and it was the perfect exhale to end the day.
Back to the apartment to finish laundry, grab a glass of wine on our little balcony and say good night to Venice. Tomorrow we hop the Vap and tour the islands in the lagoon!
Tips from Day 5 in Venice:
- Book Doge’s Palace tickets in advance—you’ll skip the line and feel like royalty.
- Forgot your Basilica tickets? Try the Museo Correr—less crowded, more overlooked, and totally worth it.
- ChatGPT + a photo = surprisingly helpful when you need translation or historical context in real time.
- Go off the main path for lunch. Venice is full of tiny panini shops that feel like treasure hunts.
- Leave time for shopping—local markets and boutique shops are full of gems.
- If you’re doing a gondola ride, go at sunset (it’s a few Euro more but worth it! Zero crowds, calmer sunshine, and less water traffic)
- Venice gets hot in summer—AC is not a given. Plan accordingly.
From marble corridors and ancient cells to sandwiches, shopping, and sunset serenades—Venice, you showed off today. And we’re not mad about it.