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Things to See in Venice, Italy |
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The best place to begin your sightseeing trip of Venice is the Piazza San Marco. This remarkable square once served as the heart of the city and to this day it remains the one must see area. Home to some of the city’s most popular attractions including the world renowned Basilico di San Marco with its belfry offering the best views of the city, the Palazzo Ducale which once served as home and office to the doge the city’s ruling council and the Museo Civico Correr which holds thousands of Venetian artefacts, you could simply just wander around for days and not tire of this Piazza. Even without checking out the buildings and their interiors, it’s the perfect place to chill out listening to free live music and soaking up the wonderful atmosphere Venice has to offer.
Outside of Piazza San Marco, there is a whole lot more to see and regardless of how much time you spend in Venice, there will be a church or a museum or some other attraction which you simply won’t have time to see. San Marco itself is the sestiere or zone where most of the essential sights are to be found but it is also the most expensive and most crowded so do stray outside of here if you have any time at all.
The Dorsoduro is the place to visit for the architecture buffs among you, while San Polo is home to the Museum of Modern Art and the second largest square in Venice – Campo San Polo. Cannaregio houses the world’s first officially recognised ghetto and in Castello you will find the trio of churches – Santa Maria dei Miracoli, Santa Maria Formosa and San Zaccaria. And so it continues. You probably get the picture by now.
Of course there are those of you who won’t want to leave the city without checking the view out from a Gondola and it is a pretty amazing way to see the sights of Venice. You should be aware, however, that unless you go in a small group this is a rather expensive way to get around costing at least €70 before six and at least another €20 after 8.00pm. As well as this, for every 25 minutes you spend on it after the set time (usually between 30 and 50 minutes) you will pay another €30 or so.
So, all in all the best way to see the city and to soak up the atmosphere is on foot. This way you can move at your own pace, check out the things you really want to see in detail, and save yourself unnecessary expenditure as you do this. Kick back and relax at a canal side cafe, visit a gelatarie and treat the taste buds with some of the delicious ice cream you’ve ever tasted and then walk it all off in one of the prettiest cities on the planet and you’ll soon see what all the fuss is about.
Attractions in Venice
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Campo San Marco, Venice, Italy
Modelled on the Church of the 12 Apostles in Constantinople, construction of St Mark's Basilica began in 1063 after the original burnt down in 976. Highlights include St Mark's Treasure and the view over Campo San Marco from the balcony.
Open Mon-Sat 9.30pm-5pm, Sun 2pm-4pm; gen. admission free.
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Over the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy
Serving as the heart of the city for over four hundred years, the Rialto Bridge which has been built seven times, consists of three walkways – two along the outer balustrades and one in the centre which is surrounded on both sides by small shops which are perfect for the ever eager to shop tourists selling linen, glass, jewelry and the like. And, it couldn’t be easier to find thanks to its location so close to the train station and the Piazzale Roma.
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Riva degli Schiavoni, San Marco, Venice, Italy
Initially built as a castle in the 9th century, 'Palazzo Ducale' is a Venetian Gothic building that was home to the Doge (Duke), the highest political figure in Venice. It was also the city's political hub for centuries. Today it's Venice's most popular attraction.
Open daily from 9am-7pm; admission €9.50 (this is for St Mark's Square Museum Card).
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Campo della Carita, Accademia, Dorsoduro, Venice, Italy
One of the top three tourist attractions in the city (along with the Palazzo Ducale and the basilica), this gallery contains an incredible collection of Venetian art including Titian’s Pieta, Bellini’s Madonna Enthroned and Paolo Veronese’s Christ in the House of Levi (originally known as The Last Supper). Most of the works in the original gallery were those taken from churches and convents who were under attack at time. Entrance to the Galleria Dell’Accademia is limited to 300 at a time so lunch time is a good time to visit the twenty four separate rooms housing hundreds of works of art but ensure that you squeeze it in at some stage during your stay.
Open Mon 8.15am-2pm, Tues-Sun 8.15am-7pm; admission €6.50.
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Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy
Once serving as the official residence of the doge – the city’s governing council - it also was a place to show off the art and architecture of the time. As well as this it housed offices, courts and the city’s infamous prison cells. For the most interesting tour of the palace check out the Secret Trails of the Palazzo Ducale. Costing about €13 these guided tours begin at 10.30am, are now taking place in English and let you see secret and hidden passage ways and chambers which are not included on any of the other tours.
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Cannaregio 3931 - 3932, Venice, Italy
Built in the early fifteenth century, the ‘House of Gold’ is a typical gothic piece of architecture. Extensively restored by Baron Franchetti in the early twentieth, the building itself quite often overshadows the works of art stored inside. In fact many argue that the most impressive part of the whol Ca’ d’Oro is its façade and for the best view, you really should see it from the water. Once inside, however, you certainly won’t be disappointed either with tiled courtyards, some wonderful works of art by Titian, Mantegna and their counterparts and one of the finest views of the Grand Canal in the city.
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Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy
Located in the Procuratie Nuove which were apartments and buildings and offices converted into a palace by Napoleon and are themselves a most impressive attraction, the Museo Correr is now home to a large share of Venetian artifacts including weapons, coins and other historical goods. Many of the goods on display here might not appeal to everyone but the selection of Venetian art on show is guaranteed to impress even the fussiest sightseers among you.
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Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy
Built back in the 10th century, the campanile or bell tower collapsed suddenly on July 14th 1902. The only hint of things to come for the locals were the strange sounds emitted by the bell the previous evening. The belfry was completely rebuilt in the decade that followed, however, and is now perfectly safe to climb but for the lazier among you the even better news is that there is an elevator all the way to the top. The scene from the top is breathtaking offering some amazing views of the basilica as well as the rooftops of Venice so don’t forget your camera.
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, Venice, Italy
The Venetian Ghetto or The Ghetto Nuovo came into being in 1516 when all the Jewish residents of Venice were moved to this island and it is widely regarded as the first ghetto in the world. Once the Jews had been moved they were not allowed to leave and were guarded by Christian guards. They were also forced to wear distinctive clothing and hats and they paid the wages of the guards who kept them imprisoned in the Ghetto Nuovo. Today the walls that kept them confined don’t exist anymore but there is still plenty to see for visitors to the ghetto.
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Campo SS, Giovanni e Paolo, Castello 6363, Venice, Italy
Known in Venetian as San Ziapolo, this Gothic Church was founded in 1246, rebuilt in 1333 and consecrated in 1430. The size of the interior is the first thing that catches people’s attention thanks to its 90 metre length and 33 metre height because the décor itself is not as impressive as some of Ziapolo’s counterparts in the city. Nevertheless, there is, as in almost every historical building in Venice, an ample collection of art and architecture to be seen as well as the tombs of 25 members of the doge which themselves are definitely worth seeing.
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