Venice Things to Do Tips by zadunajska8

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari Churches Review

The Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is huge and dwarfs the surrounding area of San Polo. The feeling of enormity continues inside with gargantuan columns and vast open spaces. It's also very dark in here which creates a strange kind of atmosphere.

The Basilica is home to some wonderful works of art including masterpieces by Titian and Bellini, and a statue by Donatello of John the Baptist. As you enter the nave you will however be most struck by the Monument to Titian on your right and the tomb of Canova on your left.

Unfortunately they don't allow photography inside the church and because it occupies almost all of the square around it, it's hard to get decent pictures of the outside.

The church is part of the Chorus Pass scheme for entry charges.

Google Map

Address: (except St Marks)

Website: http://www.chorusvenezia.org/

Ca' Rezzonico Ca' Rezzonico Review

This splendid Venetian palace is one of the few which is easily visitable by the public and it is home to the "Museum of 18th Century Venice". Approaching the museum from the vaporetto stop on the Canale Grande, you cross over a small wooden footbridge which leads to the main entrance on the Grand Canal.

The ground floor is devoted mostly to the ticket office, cloakroom (you can't take bags in to the museum), cafe and obligatory gift shop. At the furthest end of the ground floor from the Grand Canal you find the grand stairway which leads you up to the first floor. Here you find a magnificent ballroom which occupies the entire width of the building with extravagent chandaliers and frescos. All (I think!) of the rooms on this floor have frescoed ceilings by Giambattista Tiepolo and a collection of period furniture taken from other museums and palaces in the area in an attempt to restore this palazzo to what it may have been like back in the 18th century.

The second floor is mainly occupied by a display of 18th century paintings with some notable works displayed here, including Canaletto's View of the Rio dei Mendicanti , one of the few Canalettos in Venice. There is also an interesting display of frescoes from a villa at Zianigo to be found on this floor.

The 3rd floor is occupied by the Edigio Martini picture gallery, a collection of paintings donated to the city of Venice, and a reconstructed 18th century apothecary's shop which was interesting to me as a Pharmacist.

Google Map

Address: Fondamenta Rezzonico, 3136 Dorsoduro, Venice

Directions: Right next door to the Ca' Rezzonico vaporetto stop on the grand canal.

Website: http://www.museiciviciveneziani.it/frame.asp?musid=7&sezione=musei

The Sestiere Dorsoduro Dorsoduro Review

Dorsoduro was undoubtedly my favourite sestiere to just wander about in. It was so much quieter and less rushed than other areas and it seemed that as you turn every corner you would be greeted by the sight of another pretty little canal, or a shaded tranquil square, or a picturesque little footbridge. Then of course there's always the wonderful views from Zattere on the southern waterfront of this district across to the island of Giudecca. It's a great place to wander around as you make your way between some of the sights of the area such as the church of Santa Maria della Salute, the Academia Gallery and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

Address: Dorsoduro area

San Giacomo di Rialto Churches Review

This lovely little church filled with the heavy smell of incense is to be found just a few steps from the San Polo end of the famous Ponte Rialto. Allegedly, the first church to stand on this site dated to the 5th century and so it would make it Venice's oldest church. The present church, however dates from the 11th or 12th century but underwent a major restoration at the start of the 17th century.

the most striking feature is the huge 24 hour clock which has been famously bad at keeping time since it was installed back in 1410. The day we visited it did seem to be at least roughly on time though!

The small church seems happy to welcome in some of the hoardes of tourists who pass their door and ask only for €0.50 as a donation towards the upkeep of the building. It is a very small church inside and will only take a few minutes to look inside but it is charming enough to make it well worth while, despite not really having any single feature that is the big draw. I guess it's just the overall effect sometimes with these little, old churches that makes them rewarding.

Google Map

Address: Campo San Giacomo, San Polo, Venice

Ponte Rialto Rialto Bridge Review

Another one of those iconic images that everyone has seen pictures off from Venice. However, I'd say that this one is perhaps best from afar. When viewed from a boat on the Grand Canal heading from San Marco to Rialto the bridge is a wonderful sight as it comes in to view amongst the elegant palazzi, up close it's only really ok. There are some great views from the south side balustrade along the Grand Canal but you'll have to fight to get to see it. Even on a bitterly cold February day we struggled to get a look in. The North side of the bridge is much less congested but also much more neglected looking (quite a bit of graffiti here) and the views are not so good. Up the centre of teh bridge is a central thoroughfare which is lined with shops selling all the usual Venetian souvenirs.

The Ponte Rialto is the oldest of the bridges crossing the Grand Canal and the current one was constructed between 1588 and 1591. Previously there had been a number of wooden bridges here icluding one which collapsed under the weight of the spectators in 1444 at a wedding ceremony.

Google Map

Address: Ponte di Rialto, San Polo, Venice

Ponte dell' Accademia Ponte Dell Accademia Review

The first Ponte dell' Accademia linking the sestieres of San Marco and Dorsoduro across the Grand canal was not constructed until 1854. This first bridge, built of steel, was designed by Alfred Neville but by 1933 it had been replaced by a wooden bridge, which was only supposed to be temporary. In 1985 this tempoarary bridge was still in place, but in a poor condition and so it was replaced with another wooden bridge of the same design. Currently another replacement is being debated.

I think it would be a shame if any replacement changed the substantive appearance of this bridge as it well deserves it's place as a well known land mark in this city of remarkable sights.

Google Map

Address: Canale Grande, Venezia, Italy

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection Peggy Guggenheim Museum Review

The Guggenheim Collection is housed in the 18th century Palazzo Venier dei Leoni which was originally intended to be a four storey palace rising beside the Grand Canal, however it never actually got any further than the ground floor and so the building gets it's nickname Il Palazaao Nonfinito which means "the Unfinished Palace". In 1949 the building was bought by the wealthy American Peggy Guggenheim who was a collector of modern arts covering all modern arts movements.

Peggy Guggeheim died in 1979 and the house is now a museum displaying the collection.This collection includes works by Jackson Pollock, Miró, Pablo Picasso, Kandinsky and many other big names.

There are sculpures laid out in the gardens which are remarkably tranquil and enjoyable with their view of the dome of Santa Maria della Salute. Here is perhaps the most provocative work in the collection, Angelo della Citta by Marino Marini which depicts a man sitting on a horse, erect in all respects.

Like all Venetian museums and galleries, the tickets are not cheap at €12 per adult. Most of the staff appear to be American and so speak English. Most information about the works is given in English as well.

Google Map

Address: Palazzo venier dei Leoni, Dorsoduro 701, Venice

Website: http://www.guggenheim-venice.it/inglese/default.html

Ca' d'Oro Ca' d'Oro Review

The building of the Ca' d'Oro was conceived by the wealthy patrician Marino Contarini in 1420 when he determined that it would be the greatest palace in the city. The faceade of the palace at the time of it's constuction was adorned in glorious gold leaf, ultramarine and vermilion. It must have been a spectacular sight then. Sadly these colous are long since gone, worn away by the elements over the centuries, but the intricate carving of the stonework remains and is still a sight to behold.

Sadly the house did not do too well over the centuries and a succesion of 16th century owners remodelled the place and by the 18th century it was semi-derelict. In 1846 it was purchased by a Russian prince for the ballerina Maria Taglioni and then suffered a series of barbaric 'restorations' until it was saved by Baron Franchetti who restored it to somnething approaching it's former glory and then gifted it to the Italian state in 1915.

Restoration is still ongoing now and so when we visited the 2nd floor of the gallery now housed within the building was closed. Whilst the gallery is one of the most rewarding we saw in Venice (and I have reviewed it seperately to the building itself) the building is the real draw. Seen from a boat on the Grand Canal it is one of the most attractive buildings on what must be one of the most picturesque streets in the world. From inside the building, either the ground floor courtyard or 1st floor loggia, you get superb views across the Grand Canal through beautiful lacey stonework.

Google Map

Address: Cannaregio n. 3932 (Strada Nuova) - Venice

Directions: Get off at vaporetto stop Ca' d'Oro and you will have to walk past the door to Ca' d'Oro to get anywhere!

Website: http://www.cadoro.org/sito/ing_museo.html

The Franchetti Collection at Ca' d'Oro Ca' d'Oro Review

Whilst the building of the Ca' d'Oro is clearly the main attraction, the Franchetti collection displayed in the galleries within are possibly one of the most rewarding of Venice's galleries.

At the time we visited in February 2012 the 2nd floor was closed for renovation but the first floor was open for business. Here the pride of place item is Andrea Mantegna's St Sebastian (1506).

The portego gallery has some interesting Renaissance bronzes and a number of sculptures, and of course, that wonderful view out across the Grand Canal.

There are some interesting works by Capaccio and Signorelli amongst others. The great thing here is that there is plenty of information provided in a number of languages, including English.

Google Map

Address: Cannaregio n. 3932 (Strada Nuova) - Venice

Directions: Get off at vaporetto stop Ca' d'Oro and you will have to walk past the door to Ca' d'Oro to get anywhere!

Website: http://www.cadoro.org/sito/ing_informazioni.html

Statue of Colleoni

This is the statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni who was a famous condottiere (a commander of mercenaries) and left his fortune to the Republic of Venice on the condition that they placed his statue in front of San Marco. This would have broken precedent to have a prominent statue in the Piazza San Marco and so the cunning senate reinterpreted this to mean "in front of the Scuola di San Marco" next to Santi Giovanni e Paolo - and here it is!

Google Map

Address: Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Castello, Venezia