Venice is best described by an aggregation of romantic adjectives that complete justice to the impeccable countenance and postcard beauty of this divine Italian city.Venice is still one of the most interesting,charming and lovely places in the world.This sanctuary on a lagoon is virtually the same as it was six hundred years ago, which adds to the fascinating character.Venice has decayed since its heyday and is heavily touristed (there are slightly more tourists than residents), but the romantic charm remains.
This place may not seem huge but it is.Venice is made of different districts.The most famous is the area comprising the 118 islands in the main districts that are called "Sestieri" and they are: "Cannaregio","Castello","Dorsoduro","San Polo","Santa Croce" and "San Marco",where the main monuments and sights are located.Other main districts are "Isola Della Giudecca" and "Lido di Venezia". Other important islands include "Murano","Torcello","San Francesco del Deserto" and "Burano".The Most Serene Republic of Venice dates back to 827,when a Byzantine Duke moved its seat to what is now known as the "Rialto" and for the following 970 years prospered on trade and under the rule of a Roman-style Senate headed by the Doge.In 1797 the city was conquered by Napoleon,a blow from which the city never recovered.Later the city was soon merged into Austria-Hungary Empire, then ping-ponged back and forth between Austria and a nascent Italy,but Venice is still a monument to the glory days of the Renaissance and historical culture still throbs powerfully in the old Italians' veins.
1ST DAY - ST MARK´S SQUARE - SAN MARK BASILICA - DOGE´S PALACE - RIALTO
Start your visit to St. Mark's Basilica,The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (officially known in Italian as the Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco) commonly known as Saint Mark's Basilica cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice.It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture.It lies at the eastern end of the "Piazza San Marco",(St.Mark Square). Originally it was the chapel of the Doge and has only been the city's cathedral since 1807 .For its design,gilded Byzantine mosaics, and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power,from the 11th century on the building has been known by the nickname "Chiesa d'Oro" (Golden Church).
The exterior of the basilica is divided in three sections: lower, upper, and domes.In the lower section of the façade five round-arched portals enveloped by polychrome marble columns,open into the narthex through bronze-fashioned doors.Above the central door round three bas-relief cycles of Romanesque art.The external cycle frames a 19th century gilded mosaic depicting the Last Judgment .In the upper section, from the top of the arches,statues of Theological and Cardinal Virtues,four Warrior Saints and St Mark watching over the city.Above the large central window of the façade, under St Mark,the Winged Lion,symbol of Venice holding the book quoting “Pax Tibi Marce Evangelista Meus” (Peace to you Mark my Evangelist) . In the lunettes of the lateral arches are four gilded mosaics renewed in the 17th century.In the centre of the balcony the Greek Horses face the square.After a long restoration,since the 1990s they have been kept in St Mark’s Museum inside the Basilica.The horses now on the facade of the cathedral are bronze replicas.The interior is based on a Greek cross, with each arm divided in three naves and emphasised by a dome of its own.This is based on Justinian's Basilica of the Apostles in Constantinople.The marble floor dated 12th century but resrored in different periods is entirely tessellated in geometric patterns and animal designs .
After the visit of this masterpiece of art you can enjoy a walk around "Piazza San Marco".This great square overlooking the water is a mixture of spaces,volumes and styles.The Procurator's residence, the bell tower, the Doge's Palace and the Sansoviniana Bookshop.You can eat or drinking a coffee in the famous and romantic Caffé Florian established in 1720,a legendary Café of Venice. Continuing your visit the Doge´s Palace,constructed from 1309 to 1324.The Palace's main function was to provide a space for the government to carry out its civic responsibilities to its people.The building is preserved as a museum.Inside are housed paintings by Tintoretto and Paolo Veronese, famous painters of Venetian school.Stroll toward Rialto bridge and the nearest market.Rialto Bridge is the most famous of the bridges crossing the Grand Canal.The current Rialto Bridge,a stone arch,was constructed under the supervision of Antonio da Ponte, between 1588 and 1591.The construction was pretty difficult by the conditions of instability and by the height of the sea bottom.The structure, very similar in style to the previous wooden bridge is formed by two inclined ramps,with shops on each side covered by a portico.At the end of your visit you can choose for your dinner at the Bistrot de Venise,They combine modern Italian food, specialising in lagoon fish with reinterpretations of old Venetian dishes.
2ND DAY - ACCADEMIA - CA REZZONICO - PONTE DEI SOSPIRI
After your breakfast starting your 2nd day in Venice visiting the Accademia Gallery located in the prestigious centre of the "Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Carità", one of the most ancient lay fraternal orders of the city.The homonyms church of Santa Maria and the monastery of the Canonici Lateranensi, built by Andrea Palladio are integral parts of the Accademia.
Inside a very rich collection of Venetian paintings from Veneto as well, from the Bizantine and Gothic 14th century and masterpieces of artists of the Renaissance,such as Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto and Tiziano.Further more works by Tiepolo and the "Vedutisti" of the 18th century such as Canaletto, Guardi, Bellotto and Longhi. These artists will influence the whole history of European painting
.After the visit you can enjoy "Cá Rezzonico", another historic patrician palace restored with a small painting gallery where you can admire frescoes by Tiepolo and Guardi, and rooms in Chinese and Rococo style.You can enjoy your lunch at Ristorante Il Paradiso, excellent food, fish, seafood and starters, or in Osteria Antico Dolo, good wine and simple tastefully plates.
Coming back towards the Doge´s Palace, you could admire the famous "Ponte dei Sospiri",the Bridge Sights. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars.It passes over the "Rio di Palazzo" and connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace.It was designed by Antonio Contino whose uncle Antonio da Ponte had designed the Rialto Bridge and built in 1602.Spend the afternoon taking the vaporetto- waterbus tour of the Grand Canal.At night as dinner you can enjoy a dinner "Al Pesador" with a wide variety of wines, fish, "baccalá", venetian and italian dishes and view on Canal Grande and later of course, you can take a gondola ride.Yes, they're touristy, yes they're overpriced, nd yes they're hackneyed, but if you can put all that out of your mind, they're also pretty cool, relaxing, and romanti and who wants to go all the way to Venice and not ride in a gondola anyway?.
3RD DAY - MURANO - BURANO - TORCELLO
Start your visit day from the island of Murano a miniature of Venice and home to the lagoon's famed glass-blowing workshops. Murano’s reputation as a centre for glass making was born when the Venetian Republic fearing fire and destruction to the city’s mostly wood buildings ordered glassmakers to move their foundries to Murano in 1291.Actually, Murano is home to the "Museo Vetrario"the Glass Museum hosted in the "Palazzo Giustinian", which holds displays on the history of glass making as well as glass samples ranging from Egyptian times through the present day.Some of the historical glass factories in Murano are now among the most important brands of glass in the world.You can visit Venini, Barovier & Toso, Simone Cenedese and Seguso doing shopping in one of them.Murano’s glass makers held a monopoly on quality glass making for centuries,developing or refining many technologies including crystalline glass,smelt, glass with threads of gold, multicolored glasses and imitation gemstones made of glass.Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these centuries-old techniques,crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass jewelry to Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers.
Continue on to Burano, a quiet fishing village famous for its hand-tatted lace and for the eye-popping, super-saturated and wonderfully clashing colors of its houses.In Murano an historical attraction are the Church of Santa Maria e San Donato famous for iits Bzantyn mosaics.After your lunch (you can choose La Vecchia Peschiera) .Burano is known for its small, brightly-painted houses, popular with artists.The designer Philippe Starck owns three houses.
The colours of the houses follow a specific system originating from the golden age of its development.By vaporetto end up on Torcello,a glimpse of what Venice must have looked like when the canals still had mud banks,but which was once a glorious city larger than Venice itself of which all that remains is a gloriously mosaicked Byzantine church in the middle.Torcello is one of the most famous fans of the island’s decayed and contemplative charm was Ernest Hemingway who spent some time there in 1948, writing parts of Across the River and Into the Trees.In this Venice island you can visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, founded in 639 and with much 11th and 12th century Byzantine work, including mosaics.Another tourist sight is an ancient stone chair, known as Attila’s Throne.It has, however, nothing to do with the king of the Huns, but it was most likely the Podestà’s or the bishop’s chair.You can also admire two important venetian palaces "Palazzo dell'Archivio" and the "Palazzo del Consiglio", which was once the seat of the communal government.
Coming back by vaporetto to Venice to close your 3 days in this romantic and charming town you can have a dinner in an excellent restaurant "Taverna La Fenice" in San Marco,an ornate restaurant full of old world charm,hidden at a quiet countyard beside La Fenice Theatre.The cuisine is traditional Venetian,with a few modern touches.You can taste bouche of deep fried mezzancolle (large shrimps typical of Venice) oe "puree with seppioline" (baby squid with mash),excellent fine wines and a very good Tiramisú. You are near San Marco Square, take your last walk after your dinner there, look at it and say ..see you Venice, I will come back.
4RH DAY VENICE - YOUR TOWN
Departure from your hotel to Tessera Venice airport after your breakfast,ciao Venezia arrivederci !!
Francesco Mari
www.venezia.net
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