Venice Travel Guide: A City Like No Other

One of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture in the world, St. Mark’s Basilica, or Basilica di San Marco, features breathtaking marble floors, sparkling gold mosaics, and 4,240 square meters of outstanding mosaics of religious scenes. Not only this, but it houses the remains of St. Mark himself, along with various reliquaries collected by the Venetian crusaders. Today, St. Mark’s Basilica still stands as the most important monument in Venice.

First built in the 12th century, and then rebuilt to its current glory in the 16th century, this 99 meter high tower can be found right in the center of the Piazza San Marco. In its heyday, the Campanile was used as a lighthouse and watchtower. Today, visitors can climb to the very top of the tower, enjoying a breathtaking view over Venice. Whilst you are there, take a moment to admire the tower’s original five bells.

The Bridge of Sighs is without a doubt one of Venice’s top attractions, and one of the most famous bridges in the world. Spanning across the Rio die Palazzo, it was originally intended to connect the interrogation rooms of the Palazzo Ducale with Venice’s prison. However, more importantly, local legend states that people who share a kiss at sunset, on a gondola under the Bridge of Sighs will be entrusted with eternal love and happiness.

Take a ride on the vaporetto along the entire length of the Grand Canal. This floating public transport system runs all the way from San Marco to Porta Roma. However, it is worth noting that you should make sure to take Line 1. This is because Line 2 is the express line, moving at a faster pace past all the sights.

Though many might dream about touring the Grand Canal on a gondola, these romantic gondola tours are much better suited for the smaller, quieter canals. Instead, for a more close up experience, you can also tour along the Grand Canal on a motor boat. These guides can point out all the attractions and even pull up close to them for unparalleled views.

If you take the vaporetto or motor boat tour from San Marco, gaze across at the jaw-dropping Baroque facade of the church of Santa Maria della Salute. To support the foundations of the building of the church back in the 17th century, more than one million timbers were secured into the floor of the lagoon below - an impressive, monumental architectural feat.

After you have passed the majestic church of Santa Maria della Salute, bring your attention to the low white contemporary building close by. Built on the foundations of a never-completed palace, this single floored masterpiece became the site of art collector Peggy Guggenheim’s museum in 1949. Try to catch a glimpse of the Angel of the City statue on the terrace as you float by.

Under Austrian occupation, the Ponte dell’Accademia was constructed across the Grand Canal in 1854. This small iron bridge connected San Marco to Dorsoduro. In 1932, it was replaced by a temporary wooden bridge, intending to rebuild it in stone. However, this wooden bridge proved incredibly popular with the locals, and so the ‘temporary’ wooden bridge still stands strong to this day.

The fabulous building that houses the Museo del Vetro was once a 17th century palace, before transitioning into a commemoration of Murano’s extensive glassmaking history in 1861. During Murano’s peak era of glass production, in the late 19th century, independent local glassmakers donated many artifacts to the museum. Thanks to this, the Museo del Vetro now houses a substantial collection of objects and works that authentically relay the history of Murano’s glass making prowess through generations.

However, don’t be tempted to think that glass making in Murano is confined to the workings of a museum. In fact, glass making in Murano is still at the very heart of the community to this day. The Mazzega Glass Factory revolutionized the glassmaking industry worldwide when it burst onto the scene in the 1950s. Visit the showroom to see eleven different areas displaying items made within the factory walls, and take a moment to learn about the techniques employed from the knowledgeable tour guides.

Though it has been rebuilt many times over the centuries, the Basilica di Santa Maria e San Donato’s history started back in the 7th century. It is dedicated to Saint Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Saint Donato. Within the basilica, you can find a large set of rib bones said to be the relics of Saint Donato, previously belonging to a dragon that he killed, behind the main altar. But don’t worry, no dragons were harmed in the making of this travel guide! The bones are most likely that of a large Jurassic marine reptile called a plesiosaur.

The story of the Teatro la Fenice begins in 1743, when the famous Teatro Benedetto opera house burnt down due to a fire. Though a new opera house was built, due to legal struggles between the landowners and theater operators, it was decided that a brand new, bigger, better, and more beautiful theater should be built on their own plot of land. The result - on May 16 1792 the Teatro la Fenice opened its doors, and the Theater of the Phoenix (literally) rose from the ashes.

There are two ways that you can visit the Teatro la Fenice. If you would like to take in a performance, it is well worth it to visit during the opera season, which is from January to July, and September to October. If you cannot attend a performance, you can also take an audio guided tour around the theater. The theater is open for visitors all year round, Monday to Sunday, 9.30am - 6.00pm. However due to rehearsals, technical requirements, or afternoon performances, there may be some closures or changes to this schedule. Therefore, it is always advisable to check the current opening times before you go.