Padua is a very short train ride from venice and well worth a day trip.
Side trips from venice.
Verona is also an easy train trip.
Trieste in the neighboring friuli venezia giulia region is a two hour train ride from venice making it one of the longer day trips from venice but it s absolutely worth it.
Side trips from venice if you only have 3 days or so you will probably want to spend them in the center of venice.
However if you are here for a week or on your second visit to the city head over to the mainland to see some fascinating old towns like padua verona and treviso in the historic veneto region.
By train a day trip to padua is a fantastic option from venice.
You can also go by train as far as calalzo.
Located in a beautiful setting with the foothills of the alps rising behind it and the brenta river flowing through it bassano del grappa makes for a great day trip from venice and there is loads for you to see and do.
Do prebook the scrovegni chapel giotto chapel which is magnificent.
Perhaps best known outside italy as the decade long home of james joyce the city s location along the border of italy makes it a unique cultural destination.
Take a day trip from venice to admire the shiny red cars in the ferrari museum see how lamborghini sports cars are made during a factory tour and stop for lunch along the way to sample local specialties from nearby bologna.
Dolomite mountains about 115 miles 180 km away.
There are direct buses daily in the summer and at weekends throughout the year.
There are some other intriguing side trips from venice around the various lagoon islands.
You can reach cortina by public transport as a day trip from venice.