Frommer's Venice day by day

Gondolas on the Grand Canal and Basilica Santa Maria della Salute.

The Best in One Day

The French novelist Marcel Proust said of his first trip to Venice, My dream became my address. You may feel the same way as you find your way to the Dogana, stand alongside the sea lanes at the entryway to the city, and take in the uniquely Venetian panorama of palaces and churches. End your day’s touring in one of the world’s most storied squares and the heart of Venice, Piazza San Marco. START: Vaporetto to Salute.

circle1 blackstar2 Santa Maria della Salute. The church of Saint Mary of Health was built in 1630, an offering of thanks to the Virgin Mary for bringing an end to a plague outbreak that killed a third of the city’s population. The massive white-marble cathedral by architect Baldassare Longhena commands the entrance to the Grand Canal. Its high domes, suggestive of the Madonna’s crown, mimic those of the Basilica di San Marco across the water. A suitably impressive collection of paintings hangs in the round, marble interior, including Tintoretto’s Wedding at Cana and Titian’s Saint Mark Enthroned with Saints. The Virgin is honored on the high altar with a Byzantine icon and a wonderfully dramatic marble sculptural group by Giusto Le Corte—an old hag representing the plague flees from a torch-bearing angel as the Virgin and a noblewoman, in the role of Venice, look on. clock  30 min. See p 28, circel_12 .

circle2 blackstar2 La Dogana da Mar. The 17th-century Customs house at the tip of the Dorsoduro resembles the hull of a ship and was once a mandatory stop for all vessels entering Venice. On the roof, a statue of Fortune stands over a gold globe. Looking out to sea from the landing stage, it’s easy to imagine the time when Venetians felt they were indeed the lucky rulers of the waves. The modern world, too, establishes a beachhead here at the tip of the city in the Centro d’Arte Contemporanea de Punta della Dogana, which houses changing exhibitions from the collection of French magnate François Pinault. Works by Jeff Koons, Cy Twombly, and other contemporary artists hang here and in Pinault’s other Venetian showcase, the Palazzo Grassi, farther up the Grand Canal (p 13, circel_11 ). clock  30 min. Fondamenta Dogana alla Salute. Vaporetto: Salute.

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection opens onto a waterside terrace.

The Grand Canal.

circle3 blackstar3 Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The American heiress (1898–1979) spent much of her life collecting contemporary art, living up to her pledge to buy a picture a day. In 1949, she found a home for herself and her paintings at the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni that is as surreal as some of the works she preferred. Only the ground floor of the 18th-century palace was completed, providing distinctive surroundings for a collection that includes Giorgio De Chirico’s The Red Tower, Rene Magritte’s Empire of Light, and works by Jackson Pollock (whom Guggenheim discovered), Max Ernst (whom she married), and many others. The shady garden is filled with sculptures, as well as the graves of Guggenheim and her dogs. The waterside terrace provides sweeping views up and down the Grand Canal. clock  1 hr. See p. 31, circle4 .

circle4 blackstar2 Palazzo Cini. Industrialist Vittorio Cini (1885–1977) spent much of his fortune collecting religious art from Tuscany, and his small, intimate palace, open only for special events and exhibitions, is filled with works by Sandro Botticelli, Piero della Francesca, and others. See p 37, circle1 .

circle5 blackstar3 Gallerie dell’Accademia. A walk through the galleries here can take the good part of a day and is a lesson in Venetian art from Carpaccio to Tiepolo. If time is tight or the temptation to be outdoors exploring the city too great, at least see the works by Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese and Carpaccio’s colorful, action-filled Story of Saint Ursula cycle. clock  2 hr. See p 34.

2909.jpg II Chioschetto. At this outdoor cafe, a panino and a glass of wine, well deserved after your serious pursuit of art, come with a view of the Giudecca Canal. Zattere Ponte Luongo.

telephone

 338-1174077. $.

circle7 blackstar3 Grand Canal. A cruise up one of the world’s most beautiful waterways tops off your long day of touring. Get off at the Ferrovia stop for the trip back down the canal to Piazza San Marco. clock  1 hr. See p 18. For details on the vaporetto, see p 166.

circle8 blackstar3 Piazza San Marco. This animated square, the heart of the city for more than 1,000 years, combines the very old (the Basilica) with the relatively new (the 16th- and 17th-c. Procuratie Vecchie and Procuratie Nuove buildings on the north and south sides of the square), yet still manages to be harmonious. For points of interest in Piazza San Marco, see the following page.

The Piazza San Marco contains many of Venice’s major attractions: In the 2921.jpg blackstar1 Museo Correr (p 31, circle1 ), maps, coins, costumes, and, best of all, paintings by Vittore Carpaccio (room 38) and Jacopo Bellini (room 36) recall the days of the republic. Across the square, bronze Moors strike the bells of the 2934.jpg Torre dell’Orologio to mark the time. During the feasts of the Ascension and Epiphany, statues of the Magi appear out of the clock on the hour, accompanied by a procession of angels. Below, in the 2947.jpg Piazzetta dei Leoncini, marble lions stand guard over what was once a marketplace. Next to this plaza is the 2961.jpg blackstar3 Basilica di San Marco (p 23, circle5 ), which inspired 19th-century man of letters John Ruskin to exhale into his journals, The crests of the arches break into a marble foam, and toss themselves into the blue sky in flashes and wreaths of sculpted spray; less poetical observers will be similarly moved by its ornate Byzantine architecture. 2974.jpg blackstar3 Palazzo Ducale (p 37, circle4 ), the palace where the doges lived and ruled, adjacent to the Basilica, is majestic but has a touch of whimsy as well. The city’s tallest structure, the 2986.jpg blackstar2 Campanile (p 44, circle2 ) or bell tower of the Basilica, in the center of the piazza, affords stunning views. Two columns, one topped by a winged lion and the other by Saint Theodore, frame the 3003.jpg Piazzetta San Marco, the seaside extension of Piazza San Marco. Finally, one of Venice’s great Renaissance monuments, the 3023.jpg blackstar1 Biblioteca Marciana, was completed in the 16th century to house a precious hoard of Greek and Latin manuscripts. clock  4–5 hr. San Marco. Vaporetto: San Marco.

The Best in Two Days

Many Venetians begin their days in at the city’s busy marketplace, the Rialto, and you should, too. Continue the Day 2 tour by exploring the historic sestieri (districts) of Dorsoduro, San Polo, and Cannaregio. This is not a quiet neighborhood amble: Some of Venice’s greatest masterpieces are here, and you’ll discover one remarkable church and treasure-filled museum after another. START: Vaporetto to Rialto.

circle1 blackstar2 Rialto. The name comes from rivoaltus, or high bank, a geographic asset when settlers in the early 9th century were searching for dry ground to establish the city’s first bazaar. (The Rialto has been a commercial center ever since.) Ships from around the globe once docked at the Fondaco dei Tedeschi—the Renaissance-style structure that now houses the main post office—and other neighborhood warehouses, and it was here that the Grand Canal was first spanned. clock  30 min. See p 42, circel_10 .

circle2 blackstar2 Scuola Grande dei Carmini. The Carmelite order founded this scuola in the 17th century in association with the guild of dyers and hired the architect Baldassare Longhena to build their premises. The master’s facades remain intact—as does much of the interior, little touched over the centuries. A painting by Tiepolo, The Virgin of Carmel Giving the Scapula to the Blessed Simon Stock, flows over the ceiling of the salon. clock  30 min. See p 32.

circle3 blackstar3 Scuola Grande di San Rocco. San Rocco, the patron saint of the sick and a Venetian favorite, was especially popular for his alleged prowess at curing the plague. A scuola in his honor was begun in the early 16th century to house the saint’s relics; it was lavishly decorated by Tintoretto. clock  30 min. See p 32.

circle4 blackstar3 Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. One of the largest churches in Venice is also one of the city’s great treasure-troves of art, with masterworks by Titian and Giovanni Bellini. clock  1 hr. See p 32, circel_10 .

pg11 Alla Madonna. For an authentic taste of the Rialto markets, take a seat in this busy room and enjoy a seafood lunch. Calle della Madonna.

telephone

 041-5223824. See p

102

. $$-$$$.

Sculpted faces adorn the exterior of Scuola Grande dei Carmini.

Back to Scuola

Founded in the Middle Ages, the Venetian scuole (schools) were guilds that brought together merchants and craftspeople from certain trades (for example, the dyers of Scuola Grande dei Carmini), as well as those who shared similar religious devotions (Scuola Grande di San Rocco). The guilds were social clubs, credit unions, and sources of spiritual guidance. Many commissioned elaborate headquarters and hired the best artists of the day to decorate them. The scuole that remain in Venice today house some of the city’s finest art treasures.

circel_6 blackstar1 Traghetto. Enjoy a walk over the Ponte dei Rialto, Venice’s oldest bridge over the Canal, then retrace your steps and make the crossing in one of the traghetti that run between the banks of the canal. A traghetto—basically, a large, plain gondola—provides a poor man’s gondola ride (one-way passage is just .2€) for non-Venetians, but it comes with a challenge: By tradition, passengers remain standing during the ride. clock  10 min. Near the Rialto; traghetti run from Fondamenta del Vin to Riva del Carbòn (Mon–Sat 8am–2pm) and the Pescaria to Santa Sofia (Mon–Sat 7:30am–8:30pm; Sun 8am–7pm). See p 48, circle2 , for more details on the Ponte di Rialto. Vaporetto: Rialto.

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari.

circle7 blackstar1 San Salvador. The handsome white interior of this chapel provides refuge from the busy Mercerie, one of Venice’s main shopping streets, as well as the chance to view some excellent paintings: two Titians (a Transfiguration and an Annunciation) and Carpaccio’s Disciples at Emmaus. clock  30 min. Campo San Salvador.

telephone

 041-2702464.

Mon–Sat 9am–noon, 3–6:30pm; Sun 3–7:15pm (evening hours from 4pm July–Aug). Vaporetto: Rialto.

circle8 blackstar2 Scala Contarini del Bòvolo. The beautiful spiral staircase (bòvolo, or snail, in Venetian dialect) that this palazzo is named for climbs five stories from a lovely courtyard, viewed through an iron fence. clock  15 min. Corte di Contarini del Bòvolo.

telephone

 041-5322920.

Vaporetto: Rialto.

circel_9 blackstar1 Palazzo Fortuny. The last resident of this 15th-century palazzo was textile designer and photographer Mariano Fortuny. The mansion now displays his distinctive work. clock  1 hr. See p 37, circle2 .

circel_10 blackstar1 Palazzo Mocenigo. One of the largest and grandest houses in Venice is actually four palaces that a succession of prominent residents combined over the centuries. Lord Byron lived here from 1818 to 1819—with enough pets to populate a small zoo, an army of servants, and his mistress. He often swam home across the lagoon from outings on the Lido. clock  10 min. Calle Mocenigo. Not open to the public. Vaporetto: San Stae.

The Scala Contarini del Bòvolo is so-called because its shape resembles that of a snail (or bòvolo).

circel_11 blackstar2 Palazzo Grassi. One of the last of the great palaces to be built in Venice dates from 1749 and now houses the contemporary art collections of French magnate François Pinault. clock  45 min. See p 31, circle3 .

circel_12 blackstar1 Santo Stefano. Beyond this church’s 15th-century sculpted portal by Bartolomeo Bon is a wooden ceiling whose shape resembles the inverted hull of a ship, as well as two works by Tintoretto in the sacristy. clock  30 min. Campo Santo Stefano.

telephone

 041-5225061.

Sacristy 3€. Church daily 9am–7pm; sacristy Mon–Sat 10am–5pm. Vaporetto: San Samuele.

circel_13 blackstar2 La Fenice. The aptly named opera house (fenice means phoenix) has burned several times, most recently in 1996, and risen from the ashes looking just as it has for centuries. Several Verdi operas, including Rigoletto and La Traviata, premiered in the sumptuous, newly restored house, and Maria Callas is among the stars who have graced the stage. clock  15 min. See p 128.

circel_14 blackstar1 San Moisè. In a city of beautiful churches, this baroque extravagance stands out as one of the ugliest. clock  15 min. Campo San Moisè.

telephone

 041-5285840.

Daily 9:30am–12:30pm. Vaporetto: San Marco/Vallaresso.

circel_15 blackstar2 Bacino Orseolo. One of the city’s 11 gondola stands is a good place to get a close look at these uniquely Venetian craft—or to board one. clock  15 min. Fondamenta Orseolo. Vaporetto: San Marco/Vallaresso.

The spectacular interior of La Fenice.

The Best in Three Days

Day 3 introduces you to some of the quieter sestieri (districts) of the city, where Venetians just go about their daily business. Along this route you’ll find yourself in two of the city’s most pleasant squares and you’ll also have the chance to step into a few more of the notable churches, palaces, galleries, and monuments with which the city is so liberally graced. START: Vaporetto to Fondamenta Nuove.

circle1 blackstar2 Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Bartolomeo Colleoni, a 15th-century mercenary, rides across one of Venice’s most beautiful squares astride an equestrian monument by Verrocchio. The namesake basilica here (known as San Zanipòlo in Venetian dialect) is the final resting place of 25 doges, entombed in marble splendor. clock  45 min. Castello. Vaporetto: Fondamenta Nuove.

pg15 Rosa Salva. Linger over a pastry and cappuccino while admiring San Zanipòlo at this venerable old cafe. Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo.

telephone

 041-5227949. See p

80

. $.

circle3 blackstar1 Fondamenta Nuove. One of Venice’s favorite seaside promenades stretches alongside the lagoon. Busy docks serve the outlying islands with passenger and freight traffic, and from the animated pavement you can see across the glimmering water to the most serene spot in Venice, the cemetery island of San Michele. For a boat trip to the cemetery, see p 47, circle4 . clock  15 min. Cannaregio. Vaporetto: Fondamenta Nuove.

circle4 blackstar3 Santa Maria dei Miracoli. This small, beautiful church, inconspicuously tucked away on a small campo next to a canal, seems almost like an