9 of the Best Views in Venice and Where To Find Them

St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) is fronted by an ornate facade covered in glittering mosaics and divided into an upper and lower section by a terrace running along the entire length. Many visitors don’t know that the terrace is accessible to the public and offers a unique view of St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) from above. Join a tour of the Basilica that includes terrace access to snap a souvenir photo; many tours also include the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) so you can check out the poignant view over the Rio di Palazzo canal from the Bridge of Sighs.

If you want to check out Venice’s main square as well as the surrounding rooftops, climb the bell tower (or campanile) that soars above St. Mark’s Square and offers 360° vistas across La Serenissima and the Venetian Lagoon (Laguna Veneta). Once used by Galileo as an observatory to study the stars, today this 324-foot (99-meter) landmark tops the list of where to find the best views in Venice. The line to enter the bell tower can be long, so book a St. Mark’s Basilica tour that includes bell tower tickets and hop on the elevator that whisks you directly to the observation deck at the top.

For a bell tower vantage point with a fraction of the crowds at St. Mark’s Bell Tower, hop on a vaporetto (water bus) for the short but scenic ride across the lagoon to the tiny island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Insiders head to the bell tower that pierces the sky above the island’s namesake abbey for equally spellbinding views without a long line and wall-to-wall visitors. Like St. Mark’s, the bell tower at San Giorgio Maggiore has an elevator to reach the top, where you can take in views that stretch across the water to the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Square on the opposite side. The abbey and bell tower are just minutes from central Venice, so a visit is easy to pair with a sightseeing tour of the city’s highlights.

Leave the churning crowds of St. Mark’s Square behind and follow a narrow lane to Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, just a short walk away but far from the beaten path. This historic palace is known for its spiral staircase—the Bovolo Staircase (Scala Contarini del Bovolo)—set in a cylindrical tower climbing the facade, with unique Venice viewpoints through the open arches along its entire height. You can’t see the lagoon from here, but you can spot St. Mark’s Bell Tower, the cupolas topping the Basilica, and other Venetian landmarks. This panoramic staircase is an ideal addition to a private Venice sightseeing tour with a customizable itinerary.

Editor's note: The first floor of the Ca' d'Oro is currently closed for renovations. The upper floor and balconies are still open to the public.

One of the most striking historic palaces along the Grand Canal, the Ca' d'Oro is best known for its asymmetrical, Gothic facade, which you're likely to spot on a Grand Canal boat tour or Venice architecture tour. If you step inside, you can not only explore the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti, but also climb to the upper balcony, where you'll get an unobstructed view of the Grand Canal. It's definitely a more low-key view than some of the others on this list, but here, you can you can get a relatively close look at Venice's central artery.

Venice is composed of more than 100 islands, all linked by picturesque pedestrian bridges. The smallest are just a few paces long to cross the sleepy secondary canals, but the largest span the entire width of the Grand Canal and include landmarks like the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) and the Accademia Bridge (Ponte dell’Accademia). City tours of Venice generally cross at least one of these Venice sightseeing locations so you can pause at the center to take in the handsome palaces on each bank and the boat traffic below.

Not all wow-worthy views in Venice are from above. Take a ride in a traditional gondola to admire the city by water, including quiet corners that are only accessible by boat and number among the best places to see in Venice for one-of-a-kind photos. You can opt for a classic gondola ride through the tiny side canals and along the Grand Canal, or pair a gondola ride with guided visits of the city’s blockbuster sights to cover Venice by land and sea in just a few hours. Snap photos you pass under pretty footbridges and just feet from ornate historic palaces rising directly from the waters of the canal.

Sitting just across the Grand Canal from the central San Marcosestiere (district), the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute—or “La Salute,” as it’s known locally—offers a unique vantage point removed from the crowds. Pause on the steps of the church that rise directly from the waters of the canal to take in the cityscape from ground level, or book a timed slot to climb the 150 steps up to the base of the dome for one of the most insider-only panoramic views of Venice. Visitors are allowed 30 minutes at the top, so schedule your panoramic break to complement your time exploring the surrounding Dorsoduro sestiere.

Stretching from the Doge’s Palace to the Ca’ di Dio bridge, Riva degli Schiavoni offers views of stately Venetian palaces and townhomes to one side and the islands of Giudecca and San Giorgio Maggiore across the waters of the lagoon to the other. Most tourists don’t venture far beyond Ponte della Paglia at the very beginning of the route, so you can walk just a short stretch farther east to lose the crowds and enjoy the panorama in peace. You can even continue all the way to the Biennale Gardens (Giardini del Biennale) at the far end of the Castello district to admire the national pavilions that host Venice’s contemporary art festival every two years. The scenic Riva degli Schiavoni walk is an ideal way to stretch your legs after a Venice food tour.