Rising from the waters of Venice Lagoon is a place like no other: the Italian city of Venice. Once the world’s greatest port, here, protected from the swells of the Adriatic, Venetian merchants created an impossible city of incredible wealth. Long hailed as the most breathtaking city on earth, there is no denying that sometimes Venice can be overwhelmed with admirers. But if you take your time and treat her gently, she will reward you with moments of profound beauty and bliss.
01.St Marks
Most visits begin in the central district of San Marco, where you’ll find one of the world’s great squares, St. Mark's. Arrive with the dawn, and the piazza will be yours to enjoy without the crowds.
02.St. Mark’s Basilica
St. Mark’s Square is surrounded by some of the city’s finest architectural jewels. But there are none greater than St. Mark’s Basilica, a treasure house of holy relics, from the body of St. Mark to a lock of the Virgin Mary’s hair.
St. Mark was known as Mark the Lionhearted, and everywhere you turn in Venice, you’ll see this proud symbol.
03.St. Mark’s Campanile
Across from the basilica stands the city’s beloved bell tower, St. Mark’s Campanile. Climb the tower to see Venice stretch out in all her marble and red-tiled splendor, all the way to the far-off Pyrenees.
04.Doge’s Palace
Below the tower is one of the city’s great landmarks, Doge’s Palace. For centuries, this Venetian Gothic masterpiece was the seat of the republic’s power and prestige. Today, its courtyards, apartments, and chambers are a museum that celebrates centuries of Venetian achievement and glory.
05.Columns of San Marco and San Teodoro
Just outside stand the Columns of San Marco and San Teodoro, the traditional gateways to the city.
06.The Grand Canal
Here, under the winged lion of Venice, begin your journey along one of the world’s great aquatic thoroughfares, the Grand Canal. For almost two and a half miles, the canal winds through Venice. It is her main artery, her lifeblood. Ride the Vaporetto dell'Arte and explore the canal’s treasures at your leisure. Or ride in true Venetian style by gondola, which Mark Twain once called the gentlest form of locomotion ever devised.
07.Santa Maria della Salute
Near the canal’s southern mouth rises the graceful dome of Santa Maria della Salute. Beset by plague in the 17th century, Venice turned to the Spirit of Mother Mary for deliverance. The plague lifted, and grateful Venetians raised this new church in her honor.
08.Ca Rezzonico
All along the canal, elegant palazzos, once the homes of wealthy merchants, slip by as if in a dream. The timeless wake of river traffic laps at their doorsteps, just as it has for centuries. Today, many of the palazzos are home to museums and galleries. Ca Rezzonico allows visitors to experience the opulence of 18th-century Venice.
09.Palazzo Grassi
Palazzo Grassi’s bold restoration and artworks are the perfect reflection of a city that cherishes its past and embraces the new.
10.Peggy Guggenheim
Venice has a way of capturing hearts. In the 1940s, American heiress Peggy Guggenheim made her home on the Grand Canal. Today, her passion for Venice lives on through her incredible collection of modern art, which brings joy to the hundreds of art lovers who visit each day. Venice is known as the City of Bridges, many of which are works of art too.
11.Accademia Bridge
The Accademia Bridge links the San Marco district to the Accademia Gallery and offers some of the Grand Canal’s finest views.
12.Rialto Bridge
The oldest of the Grand Canal’s four crossings is the Rialto Bridge. For over three hundred years, this was the only way to cross the canal on foot, and today it still stands as the grand gateway to the Rialto Markets. Away from the Grand Canal, there are hundreds more bridges to explore, from the purely functional to the breathtaking.
13.Bridge of Sighs
The most famous of all connects Doge’s Palace to the historic prison. From the enclosed walkway, the condemned would capture one last look at their beloved city and sigh—hence the name, the Bridge of Sighs. Venice is a city to get lost in, so put away your map and let her surprise you.
14.Teatro La Fenice
Follow winding alleyways that suddenly emerge into quiet piazzas and onto the steps of ancient churches. In the central area of San Marco, discover cultural treasures like the Teatro La Fenice, which, despite being destroyed three times by fire, arose from the ashes each time, just like its namesake. The further you roam, the fewer travelers you’ll see and the more locals you’ll meet. These are the places, where the city surrenders its most intimate pleasures…
15.Castello
When the city’s embrace becomes too tight, there are places to catch your breath, …like the waterfront promenades or the sleepy canals and spacious piazzas of Castello.
16.Murano
Venice was long the epicenter of European glassmaking. Fearing an inferno, in the 13th century, Venice relocated all her glassmakers to the island of Murano. 700 years later, the decedents of these artisans still create works of incredible delicacy and color.
17.Burano
Further across the lagoon, is another island famed for its color, the tiny island of Burano. Legend has it that fishermen painted their houses in distinctive colors so they could find their way home through the lagoon’s fog.
While here, shop for some of the island’s exquisite lace, just as Leonardo da Vinci did when he visited in 1481. From the adventures of Marco Polo and Casanova to the artistry of Vivaldi and Bellini, Venice has shone her light into the far corners of the world for over one and a half thousand years. And now the world comes to her.
Just remember, Venice smiles upon those who linger. So stay for a few nights, or stay for a month, and savor every sweet moment she has to offer.