San Giorgio Maggiore

The island of San Giorgio Maggiore is served by vaporetto Line 2.

Most visitors board at San Marco–San Zaccaria, the vaporetto stop next to St. Mark's Square.

It's just one stop from there, and you'll step off right on the waterfront in front of the church.

Coming from Giudecca or Zattere?

You can also take Line 2 from either of these stops, this time in the opposite direction (toward St. Mark's Square) and get off at San Giorgio stop.

A single vaporetto ticket is valid for 75 minutes, so you can technically fit a visit to the church into it, including the return trip, but you'll need to keep an eye on the time.

But if you're planning to use the waterbuses throughout the day, opting for a day pass is a convenient, stress-free alternative to buying individual tickets.

For most visitors, the obvious choice for a bird's-eye view of Venice is the St Mark's Campanile, a landmark that hardly needs an introduction.

So how do the two panoramic viewpoints compare?

San Giorgio Maggiore's belltower has a few distinct advantages precisely because it stands across the lagoon from Venice's historic center.

From the top, you can take in the entire Venetian skyline, with St Mark's Campanile and the southern facade of Doge's Palace directly across the water.

The ticket also costs about half as much as a visit to the Campanile.

St Mark's Campanile, on the other hand, offers Venice's highest viewpoint, with spectacular views over St. Mark's Square and the crowds below: impressive by day and magical at night.

Choosing between the two comes down to what you prefer: a broader panorama with more of Venice's landmarks in view, or the dramatic height and energy of St. Mark's Square itself.

In our opinion, both bell towers are worth climbing because each offers a different, breathtaking perspective on a city that's just as beautiful from above.

If you're not in a hurry to return to the historic center of Venice, stroll a little farther along the northern quay to reach the free glass exhibition, Le Stanze del Vetro.

You can also visit Le Stanze della Fotografia, a photography exhibition space that requires a separate admission fee.

The adjacent monumental former Benedictine abbey, later used as barracks and a prison, is now home to the Fondazione Giorgio Cini.

This non-profit cultural hub features art exhibitions, a vast library and archive, and outdoors, a 1km-long trail through a green maze and an open-air amphitheater framed by lush botanical greenery.

Back at the vaporetto stop, the sunsets can be particularly stunning.