CLASSICAL TOURS : THE MAGNIFICENCE OF VENICE;
FUN FOR KIDS AND NOT ONLY KIDS !
SPECIFIC ART AND PAINTING TOURS COMBINED WITH THE DISTRICTS
SPECIFIC TOURS FOR ARCHITECTURE INTERESTED VISITORS
SPECIFIC TOURS 'VENETIAN PALACES AND MUSEUMS'
SPECIFIC TOURS FOR MODERN PAINTING INTERESTED VISITORS
ISLANDS
CLASSICAL TOURS : THE MAGNIFICENCE OF VENICE
1) DOGE'S PALACE a MUST for first time visitors !
We visit all the famous landmarks in St. Mark's Square, the former political centre of the Venetian Republic, the Doge's Palace, once the seat of the government, we cross the Bridge of Sighs to walk through the dark cells in the Dungeons. The tour ends with a visit of St. Mark's Church.
2) ST. MARK'S CHURCH general overview-tour for first time visitors
We visit St. Mark's Square, the most important square in Venice. The Doge's Palace, once the seat of the government and the Bridge of Sighs will be both explained from the outside. We admire the breathtaking mosaics in St. Mark's Church including the Pala d'Oro or the Terrace and through the main shopping street we walk over to the Rialto Bridge, the former trading centre on the Grand Canal.
3) ST. MARK'S + RIALTO + MARCO POLO
We visit St. Mark's Square, the most important square; the Doge's Palace, once the seat of the government, and the Bridge of Sighs will be both explained from the outside. We admire St. Mark's Church, from there we walk through a labyrinth of streets to Marco Polo's former house, learn about the history of this Venetian explorer and reach the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal.
4) ST. MARK'S + RIALTO + OPERAHOUSE + WINDING STAIRCASE
We visit St. Mark's Square, the most important square, the Doge's Palace, once the seat of the government, and the Bridge of Sighs will be both explained from the outside. We admire St. Mark's Church, from there we walk over to the recently rebuilt opera house La Fenice, to a fascinating winding staircase and to the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal.
5) VENICE BY NIGHT
When the sun sets Venice acquires a magical fascination. We tour in the twilight the historical centre, St. Mark's Square, we walk through the dimly-lit streets to the Rialto Bridge, the former trading centre, and finish taking a ride in a public boat or in a private water-taxi on the Grand Canal back to St. Mark's Square.
FUN FOR KIDS AND NOT ONLY KIDS ! informative, technical and fun
6) HISTORY OF GONDOLAS
We cross the Grand Canal on a traghetto gondola, have a look at the carving of a rowlock and then visit the oldest gondola dock yard and learn some of the secrets about these boats. We briefly stop in the church venerated by gondola-builders and the by the oldest shop selling gondolier shoes.
7) FISH, DINOSAUR AND CROCODILE informative, entertaining and fun
We head over to the lively fish market and through an echanting route of narrow streets and windings canals we reach the Natural History Museum where a huge dinosaur and Crocodile are awaiting us ! Ouranosaurus and giant crocodile Sarcosuchs imperator were discovered in Niger 1973.
8) the DOGE'S PALACE, THE PRISONS, THE TORTURE ROOM AND CASANOVA interesting also for children
We visit the inofficial part, the secret rooms of the Doge's palace including the Torture chamber, the Leads, prisons where Giacomo Casanova was imprisoned and from where he escaped in an incredible way !
SPECIFIC ART AND PAINTING TOURS COMBINED WITH THE DISTRICTS
9) Accademy Art Gallery if you love paintings then this is the tour for you !
The Accademia Art Gallery offers a matchless collection of Venetian paintings from the beginnings, 14th up to the 18th Century.
Admire the great masterpieces of Venetian art over the centuries from Paolo Veneziano to Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese and Tiepolo !
10) SAN POLO DISTRICT AND BELLINI AND TITIAN a highly recommended tour also for first-time Venice visitors
We begin from the Rialto area, the ancient hub of Venice, and walk through the markets, the quiet district of S. Polo and reach the Frari church. Built in the Gothic style by Franciscans this church contains a number of masterpieces among which Bellini's tryptic and Titian's Assumption, allowing us thus a first introduction to Venetian Early Renaissance paintings.
11) BELLINI OR TITIAN IN VENICE
2 hours' walking tour through Venice admiring 3 main works by Titian or by Bellini.
12) SAN POLO DISTRICT AND TINTORETTO a highly recommended tour also first-time Venice visitors
We begin from the Rialto area, the ancient hub of Venice, we walk through the fish, fruit and vegetable market, the quiet district of S. Polo and reach the Brotherhood of S. Rocco. This former guild of laymen is entirely decorated with Tintoretto's unforgettable and spectacular canvases of religious subjects. Late Renaissance paintings will unveil their spirit.
13) DORSODURO DISTRICT AND TIEPOLO walking tour combined with 18th century art
In a self-contained urban unity you explore one of the big Venetian Scuole (former craft guilds of laymen), Scuola dei Carmini with religious canvases painted by Tiepolo and discover picturesque areas in the district of Dorsoduro.
14) DORSODURO DISTRICT AND VERONESE
Completely forgotten in the district of Dorsoduro lies the church of S. Sebastiano decorated with a pictorial cycle by Paolo Veronese, who is also buried here. We then walk through the quiet district of Dorsoduro.
15) CASTELLO DISTRICT AND CARPACCIO
The Dalmatian Brotherhood S. Giorgio degli Schiavoni contains a wonderful cycle of paintings by Carpaccio - famous the canvas of St. George killing the dragon. From there we walk through the picturesque district of Castello.
16) CANNAREGIO DISTRICT for visitors interested in the real Venice
We tour the northernmost part of Venice, the district of Cannaregio including the Gothic church of Madonna dell'Orto, Jacopo Tintoretto is buried there together with his daughter.
SPECIFIC TOURS FOR ARCHITECTURE INTERESTED VISITORS
17) PALLADIAN CHURCHES
St. Georges's church on the green same-named island and the Redeemer church on the Giudecca island offer the most complete example of Palladian churches in Venice. St. George's bell-tower offers an incomparable bird's eye view of the city.
18) LONGHENA AND MASSARI
Longhena's Baroque votive Salute church and Massari's Gesuati church are an excellent resumé of 17th and 18th century religious architecture in Venice.
SPECIFIC TOURS 'VENETIAN PALACES AND MUSEUMS'
19) CA' REZZONICO for interior designers and all those who love private homes
The Baroque palace Rezzonico on the Grand Canal houses the Museum of the 18th century that includes paintings, pieces of furniture and chandeliers, in an exceptional restored setting.
20) QUERINI STAMPALIA AND CARLO SCARPA interesting for architects
In this Palace Querini's collection of paintings, furniture and porcelain services offers an insight into the way of life of an average noble Venetian family in the 18th century. Not to be missed : Scarpa's garden !
21) MOCENIGO MUSEUM AND FASHION
The small Mocenigo palace provides the visitor with an idea of fashion and the way Venetian ladies dressed in the 18th century; situated in a quiet and pretty area off the beaten track.
22) FORTUNY MUSEUM
The superb Gothic palace Pesaro houses the creations of the Spanish artist Mariano Fortuny, fabric designer and inventor of the Delphos dress in pleated silk.
23) CA D'ORO
Baron Franchetti's collection comprehending Tuscan paintings, medaillons and vases is exposed in the most elaborate Gothic palace Ca' d'Oro on the Grand Canal.
SPECIFIC TOURS FOR MODERN PAINTING INTERESTED VISITORS
24) Pinault Collection
Tadao Ando restaured the former sea customs point so that the French collector Pinault could expose his works of art there in June 2009 : Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman and many others...
25) PEGGY GUGGENHEIM
Millionairess Peggy Guggenheim bought the unfinished Palace Venier on the Grand Canal. Her comprehensive collection of masterpieces of 20th century includes among avant-garde movements paintings by Picasso, Braque, Pollock and sculptures by Arp, Brancusi and Moore.
26) CA' PESARO
The Museum of Modern Art Ca' Pesaro was founded with the best pieces of the Biennale and features mostly Italian artists.
ISLANDS
27) SAN LAZZARO DEGLI ARMENI
You go by boat to the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni where you visit one of the most important Armenian monasteries with 150,000 books, 4500 manuscripts, an Egyptian mummy and many other treasures !!!
28) MURANO
You go by boat to the island Murano attending a demostration in a glass blowing factory and visiting big showrooms. You also visit the Glass Museum in Palazzo Giustinian, unique in its kind, after having a quick look into the SS. Maria e Donato church, one of the oldest churches in the whole of the lagoon.
29) CEMETERY
The island of S. Michele is wrapped in the silence of the lagoon : the island and the cemetery, where Ezra Pound, Igor Strawinski, Diaghilev and Joseph Brodskij are buried, are a tour worthwhile.
30) MURANO, BURANO AND TORCELLO
For this excursion you need time, but it is worthwhile. On Murano you are introduced to the amazing secrets of glass blowing; on Burano you admire the brightly coloured fishermen's houses and on Torcello you visit the old Cathedral S. Maria Assunta and the lonely brick Campanile.
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