Rough Guide. Venice Directions

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In effect all of

central Venice is one

colossal sight, and

you’d have a great

time if you were to

spend your days

here just wandering

the alleyways at

leisure. That said,

there are several specific

monuments and museums

you really should make a

point of visiting. Here are

six of Venice’s foremost

attractions, every one of

which is guaranteed to

amaze.

The big six

The Palazzo Ducale

The home of the doges was the nerve-

centre of the entire Venetian empire, and

was decorated by some of the greatest

Venetian artists.

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The Frari

The gargantuan edifice of Santa Maria

Gloriosa dei Frari contains masterpieces

by Titian, Bellini, Donatello and many

more.

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San Marco

The mosaic-encrusted church of Saint Mark

is the most opulent cathedral in all of Europe.

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The Scuola Grande

di San Rocco

Rome has the Sistine Chapel, Florence has the

Brancacci Chapel, and Venice has the Scuola

Grande di San Rocco, with its overwhelming

cycle of paintings by Jacopo Tintoretto.

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Santi Giovanni e

Paolo

The vast Dominican church of

Santi Giovanni e Paolo is the

mausoleum of the doges,

containing some of the city’s

finest sculpture.

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The Accademia

In the Accademia’s

magnificent galleries

you can trace the

development of painting

in Venice from the

fifteenth century to the

eighteenth, the last

golden age of Venetian

art.

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The 118 islets of the

historic centre could

keep you fully

occupied for weeks,

but even on a short

trip you should try

to find time for an

expedition to some

of the outlying

islands of the

lagoon. Go to

Torcello and you’ll

be standing on the

spot where the history of

Venice began; on Murano

and Burano you’ll get an

insight into crafts that have

been central to Venetian

self-identity for centuries;

and an hour on Giudecca

will reveal evidence that

the city is nowhere near as

moribund as some people

like to make out.

Murano

Glass has been the basis of Murano’s

economy for seven hundred years, and there

are still plenty of factories where you can

admire the glassblowers’ amazing skills.

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The main islands

Burano

The brightly painted exteriors of the

houses of Burano give this island an

appearance that’s distinct from any other

settlement in the lagoon.

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San Michele

Located a short distance

north of the city centre, San

Michele is possibly the most

beautiful cemetery in the

world.

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ISLANDS

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Torcello

The majestic cathedral of

Torcello – the oldest building

in the whole lagoon – marks

the spot where the lagoon

city came into existence.

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NORTHERN ISLANDS

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La Giudecca

Once one of the city’s

main industrial zones, La

Giudecca is nowadays a

predominantly residential

area that retains much of

the spirit of the city prior

to the age of mass

tourism

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SOUTHERN ISLANDS

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Girdled with water,

replete with

beautiful buildings,

flanked by the sea

and overlooked by

the snow-capped

peaks of the

Dolomites, Venice is

the most photogenic

of cities. Stand on

any bridge and

you’ll have material

for a dozen

photographs staring

you in the face. For great

panoramic views of the

place, however, you should

make a bee-line for one or

more of these vantage

points.

Venice viewpoints

Campanile di San Marco

The cathedral’s belltower – the tallest

structure for miles around – affords grand-

stand views of the historic centre.

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The walk to Sant’Elena

A stroll from the Palazzo Ducale to

Sant’Elena – the eastern limit of the city –

gives you an unforgettable and ever-

changing panorama.

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San Giorgio

Maggiore

The one thing you

can’t see from the

Campanile di San

Marco is the

Campanile di San

Marco, which is why

the best of all views to

be had is from the

belltower of San

Giorgio Maggiore,

across the water.

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SOUTHERN ISLANDS

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The boat to

Burano

For a long-range

perspective on the

whole of the city, take a

trip on the #LN boat

from Fondamente Nove

out to Burano.

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NORTHERN ISLANDS

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The Záttere

The southern

waterfront of

Dorsoduro,

formerly a busy

dock, is

nowadays a

perfect place for

an unhurried

stroll and café-

stop.

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DORSODURO 

The Venetian lagoon

was first settled in

the fifth century, by

people fleeing from

the hordes of Attila

the Hun, and from

its inception their

confederation of tiny

settlements owed

allegiance to

Byzantium. The

cultural influence of

the capital of the

Eastern Roman Empire

continued to be felt long

after the Venetians

achieved their political

independence. Signs of this

crucial relationship are

evident all over the city,

both in its churches and in

its palaces.

Byzantine Venice

Palazzo Loredan

The Palazzo Loredan was founded way

back in the thirteenth century; as was the

adjacent Palazzo Farsetti; together they

now function as the town hall.

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Santa Fosca

Standing next to Torcello’s cathedral, the

plain little church of Santa Fosca clearly

shows its Byzantine heritage.

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Ca’ da Mosto

Dating back to the thirteenth century, this

picturesque Canal Grande palazzo is a

superb example of the distinctive hybrid of

Veneto-Byzantine architecture.

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Museo Dipinti Sacri Bizantini

The city’s Greek community kept alive the

tradition of Byzantine icon painting for

centuries, as you’ll see in this museum.

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San Giacomo di Rialto

Traditionally regarded as the oldest church in

central Venice, San Giacomo di Rialto is

Byzantine in design and adorned by columns

of ancient Greek marble.

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The Pala d’Oro

The mosaics of San Marco owe much to the

style of Byzantium, and Byzantine goldsmiths

and jewellers were responsible for much of

the handiwork on the astounding Pala d’Oro.

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The Accademia

packs a bigger

punch than any

other of the city’s

museums and

galleries, so if you

have time for only

one collection the

choice is pretty

straightforward. But

it would be a shame

not to sample the

other offerings,

which include

comprehensive

surveys of Venetian

political, social and

maritime history, a

superb overview of

eighteenth-century

art, and an assembly of

some of the key figures of

modern art.

Museums and art galleries

Museo Storico Navale

As you’d expect from a city whose wealth

and power was founded on shipping, the

naval museum offers a comprehensive

overview of maritime history and technology.

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The Guggenheim

For a break from the Renaissance, spend

an hour or two with the Guggenheim’s fine

array of twentieth-century art.

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