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Venice Maps & Attractions Guide
Venice maps & Attractions - Things to do
in Venice
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Venice
Attractions - Things to do
1. The Grand Canal (Canalazzo)
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What is it? Venice's main waterway splits the city in
half with sestieri in equal parts to the west and east of it. It is
the hub around which much activity in Venice is concentrated and is
encircled with elegant facades of the palazzi, which testify to the
city's past opulence. The best way to explore the architectural
splendour of these Renaissance buildings is on board a vaporetta.
Pedestrian access across the canal is only provided along three
bridges situated at the station, Rialto and Academia. Gondolas
cross the canal at regular intervals and provide a romantic
interlude to the sightseeing itinerary. The Grand Canal palaces and
buildings to look out for include the Ca da Mosto, with its rounded
arches in low relief. The 'House of Gold' (Ca d'Ora) is a beautiful
Gothic building constructed between 1424 and 1430. Palazzo
Corner-Spinelli and Palazzo Vendramin Calergi combine classical and
Byzantine elements designed by Mauro Codussi. Architect Jacopo
Sansovino was inspired by Codussi's style and infused this in his
creation of the Palazzo Corner (Ca Granda). Another notable Palazzo
is the Grimani di San Luca, designed by Michele
Sanmicheli.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
2. St Mark's Square
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What is it? St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) has
always been the nucleus of Venice. The first citadel and church
were erected on its stony foundations, the Palazzo Ducale and the
Basilica di San Marco respectively. The Basilica di San Marco is a
unique juxtaposition of Byzantine, western European and Islamic
architectural styles. The Basilica's most precious relic is the
Pala d'Or, a Venetian-Byzantine gold relief
adorned with precious gems. Travellers and pigeons flock to the
Piazza with equal zeal. It is the tourists however who pay dearly
to eat or drink at the elegant cafes that spill onto the pavements.
Designer shops line the streets that radiate from the square. There
are worthwhile places of interest to explore beyond the square that
include the Museo Correr, the Archaeological Museum and the Museo
del Risorgimento, which are housed within the Procuratie Nuova.
Attached to the Procuratie Vecchie is the triumphal Torre
dell'Orologio. The adjoining archway guides one through to the
Mercerie, Venice's main commercial street that stretches to the
Rialto.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
3. Rialto
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What is it? The Rialto has long been the commercial core
of Venice and is famed as the place where the first bridge over the
Grand Canal was built. The original wooden bridge collapsed under
the strain of the crowds gathered here to admire a wedding
procession. It was replaced by the sturdier single stone arch
design of Antonio da Ponte, built in 1588. Today the area still
resembles the bustling fruit and vegetable market of former times
but is additionally swamped with tourists and the accoutrements
geared towards them.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
4. Basilica dei Frari
San Polo 3003
www.basilicadeifrari.it |
What is it? This great Gothic Franciscan church was
constructed in the 14th century and is primarily known as the
burial place of Titian and the Venetian sculptor, Antonio Canova.
Titian's tomb in the south aisle watches over large marble pyramid
created for Canova. The interior of the church is adorned with the
works of famous artists. These include Donatello's St John the
Baptist, Giovanni Bellini's triptych of the Madonna and Saints,
Titian's famous Assumption of the Virgin and his Madonna of Case
Pesaro.
Hours of Operation: Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm, and Sunday 1pm to 6pm.
Closed to visitors during services
Phone:(041) 222 637 |
5. School of St Roch (Scuola di San Rocco)
Campo San Rocco, San Polo 3054
www.scuolagrandesanrocco.it |
What is it? A Scuola in Venice was a mixture of guild and
religious fraternity where members paid annual fees to support
fellow members and to decorate the school's premises. The School of
St Roch is known for the canvasses of Jacopo Tintoretto that adorn
its interior. Tintoretto was commissioned to decorate the School in
1564 and dedicated 23 years to this task. The paintings are
arranged in chronological order that can be followed by beginning
on the second floor in the Sala dell'Albergo. Notable amongst his
works are the scenes from the Life of the Virgin and the
Crucifixion.
Hours of Operation: Daily 10am to 4pm
Phone:(041) 523 4864 |
6. Academia
Dorsoduro 1055
www.gallerieaccademia.org |
What is it? The Gallerie dell'Academia houses one of
Europe's finest art collections. Its display follows the
progression of Venetian art from the 14th to 18th centuries.
Notable works in the gallery include Paolo Veneziano's Coronation
of Mary, Carpaccio's Crucifixion and Apotheosis, Giovanni Bellini's
Madonna with Child between Saints Catherine and Mary Magdalen,
Giorgione's Tempest, Lorenzo Lotto's Portrait of a Young Gentleman
in His Studio, Paolo Veronese's Feast in the House of Levi, and
Tintoretto's Theft of St Mark's Body and
Crucifixion.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Sunday 8.15am to 7.15pm, Monday 8.15am to
2pm
Phone:(041) 522 2247 |
7. Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, 701 Dorsoduro
www.guggenheim-venice.it |
What is it? The Guggenheim collection is housed in the
former Palazzo of the wealthy American heiress and has become one
of the most illustrious collections of Modern Art in Italy. It
spans the artistic movements of Cubism, European Abstraction and
Surrealism with notable works by Brancusi, Marino Marini,
Kandinsky, Picasso, Magritte, Rothko, Max Ernst, Dali and Jackson
Pollock. Peggy Guggenheim built up her collection between 1938 and
1947 and bought the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni in 1948 where she
lived until her death in 1979.
Hours of Operation: Daily except Tuesdays 10am to 6pm
Phone:(041) 240 5411 |
Venice Holidays guide
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Transport -The romantic city of Venice with its
canals obviously has to have water as its main medium of transport.
More information at the |
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