In Venice the public boat is both your transport and your plan: one ticket type, one network, and no one to agree a route with. In November the Biennale Arte is in its final three weeks, the Murano glass museum is on winter hours and one library stays open until midnight twice a week. All of it below comes from official sites checked on 2026-11-01.
Treat the boat as the day
ACTV/AVM is the public transport operator for the city. Its official fares page lists the standard 75-minute "Rete Unica" ticket at EUR 9.50, valid on the waterborne network of the Municipality of Venice. Tickets must be validated at the start of each journey and each time you change vehicle, and you can buy them in the AVM Venezia official app (AVM/Actv urban services).
Why this suits one person: a boat has stops, and you decide at each one whether to get off. Nobody else has to be consulted.
Burano by line 12
The Lace Museum sits on Piazza Galuppi 187 in Burano. The museum's directions: from Piazzale Roma or the Santa Lucia railway station take line 4.1, 4.2 or 5.2 to Fondamenta Nuove, then change to line 12 and get off at Burano (Lace Museum, how to get there). The museum shows Venetian lace from the 16th to the 20th century (MUVE museums). Check the opening hours on the museum's site before you set out, since the island is a long ride for a closed door.
Murano, in winter hours
The Glass Museum in Murano has the most extensive historical collection of Murano glass. From 1 November to 31 March it is open 10:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:00. Tickets are EUR 15 (EUR 7.50 reduced), and the audioguide is included in the ticket price (Glass Museum). A museum with a clear start and finish and an audioguide is a good first island.
The Biennale's last weeks
The 61st International Art Exhibition, "In Minor Keys", runs from 9 May to 22 November 2026 at the Giardini and the Arsenale. Autumn hours are 10:00 to 18:00 (last admission 17:45), closed on Mondays except 16 November. Tickets and guided tours are sold online only and need a reservation. A one-access ticket, valid for one entrance to the Giardini and one to the Arsenale (not necessarily on the same day), costs EUR 30, or EUR 16 for students and under 26s, and a three-day ticket is EUR 40 (La Biennale).
Two venues and two entrances mean you can do one today and one on another day. Alone, you control the pace.
Quiet rooms
- Gallerie dell'Accademia, Dorsoduro. Open Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 19:00, with ticket sales ending at 18:00. Full price is EUR 15, EU citizens aged 18 to 25 pay EUR 2, and under 18s are free (Accademia).
- Scuola Grande di San Rocco, San Polo. Open 9:30 to 17:30 every day of the year except New Year's Day, Christmas Day and Easter, with the ticket office closing at 17:00. It does not sell tickets online (San Rocco). The site is built around Tintoretto.
- Querini Stampalia, Castello. A house museum and the Intesa Sanpaolo collection, open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 (ticket office closes 17:30), closed Mondays. It also holds a garden by Carlo Scarpa and spaces by Mario Botta (Querini Stampalia). Ground-floor Caffe Mariona overlooks the garden (cafe).
For a museum method, see how to go to a museum alone.
After dark: a library and an opera house
From October, the Querini Stampalia library stays open until midnight every Thursday and Friday. The foundation describes it as a place to "study, read, work, meet, or simply spend a few extra hours". Access is for library cardholders aged 14 and over, registration is free, and registration and loans run until 19:30 (Late Night Library). Bring a book and register in the afternoon.
At Teatro La Fenice, the 2026/27 opera season opens with "Fedora" from 13 to 22 November, and a concert conducted by Riccardo Frizza follows on 28 and 29 November. The theatre also lists an Under 35 offer (La Fenice). A single seat is a normal thing to book.
Your first solo outings in Venice
- Easy. Walk into the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and stay for twenty minutes in the main hall.
- Medium. Take line 12 to Burano, or a boat to Murano and the Glass Museum before 16:00.
- Bold. Register for the Querini library on a Thursday afternoon and stay until it closes at midnight, or book a single seat at La Fenice.
Solo Era (an iPhone app) has a travel mission worded "Take a daytime canal passenger boat." It is a level 2 mission in the travel category, which matches line 12 or a hop to Murano. Free to download. A subscription is required to start missions. Prices and any free trial are shown in the app and depend on the offer and eligibility.
Details change. Check the venue before you go.
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
For other places on this list, see things to do alone in cities, the new-city guide and the first solo trip tips. Other Italian cities: Rome and Florence.
FAQ
How much is a single boat ticket in Venice?
The official ACTV/AVM fares page lists the standard 75-minute Rete Unica ticket at EUR 9.50. Validate it at the start of each journey and when you change vehicle.
How do I get to Burano?
The Lace Museum's directions say to take line 4.1, 4.2 or 5.2 to Fondamenta Nuove from Piazzale Roma or Santa Lucia, then change to line 12 and stop at Burano.
Until when is the Biennale Arte open?
Until 22 November 2026. Autumn hours are 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays except 16 November, and tickets are online only.
Can I use the Querini Stampalia library as a visitor?
The library is for registered cardholders aged 14 and over. Registration is free of charge, and the library is open until midnight on Thursday and Friday.
When does the Glass Museum close in winter?
From 1 November to 31 March it is open 10:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:00.
Sources (checked 2026-11-01)
- AVM/Actv urban services and fares: avm.avmspa.it/en/content/venice-urban-services-0
- Lace Museum, Burano: museomerletto.visitmuve.it/en/pianifica-la-tua-visita/how-to-get-there
- Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia: visitmuve.it/en/museums
- Glass Museum, Murano: museovetro.visitmuve.it/en/pianifica-la-tua-visita/opening-times
- La Biennale di Venezia, Arte 2026: labiennale.org/en/art/2026/information
- Gallerie dell'Accademia: gallerieaccademia.it/en/opening-hours-and-tickets
- Scuola Grande di San Rocco: scuolagrandesanrocco.org/en/information
- Fondazione Querini Stampalia: querinistampalia.org/en/day-in-querini, cafe and late night library
- Teatro La Fenice: teatrolafenice.it/en
Solo Era for iPhone
Try it with Solo Era
Solo Era gives you one realistic mission a week, records how nervous you felt before and after, and keeps a photo journal of what you did. An iPhone app. A subscription is required to start missions; any free trial depends on the offer and eligibility shown in the app.
