Zoom up the Campanile for great views and other Venice, Italy Things to Do Tips

Unlike in many Italian cities where you have to be fit (to climb hundreds of steps in claustrophobic conditions) to enjoy superb city views, Venice - its Campanile (bell tower), to be specific - takes tourists up the 99-meter tower in no time (and effort) at all through an efficient lift system. Not fun, if you are like me who considers the effort in climbing up as part of the experience. Somehow the reward of spectacular views is not as sweet as when actual physical exertion is involved. In any case, this is highly recommended and offers countless photo opportunities of the city's unique character.

But I doubt if that was that easy (to get to the top) when the tower was first built in the 10th century (which was destroyed in the 1902 and rebuilt since then), when the elevator didn't exist, much less electric power.

As the pictures will indicate, the weather was lovely when I went up. I initially planned to visit the Campanile a day prior to that, but the weather was not as good with occasional drizzles and very cloudy - not very good conditions for outdoor photography. The catch of visiting the Campanile on a fine day was the higher entrance fee of 7 euros vs. 6 euros when weather was not as good.

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San Marco owes its uniqueness to the blend of architectural and decorative styles reflected in the building itself and its interiors. For instance, the facade is seemingly a jumble of oriental and romanesque architectural styles - but the effect is fascinating.

I specifically liked the mosaics that adorned the facade and the central dome (the Ascension Dome) inside created by 13th century Venetian craftsmen. The image of St Mark and the angels with the giant cross on the backdrop present great photo opportunities (see main photo).

Visitors to the cathedral are requested to dress appropriately, and bags are not allowed inside. There is a free one-hour storage just off Piazzetta San dei Leoni (to the right of the cathedral). While entrance to the cathedral is free, it is worth visiting the museum (entrance fee of 3 euros) which contains St Mark's original gilded bronze horses (the ones on the facade are replicas) as well mosaics, medieval manuscripts and antique tapestries. From the museum balcony, one could also view the hordes of tourists milling around Piazza San Marco.

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Now a museum, Palazzo Ducale was the official residence of each Venetian ruler - called the doge - since the 9th century. The present palace, made of beautiful pink Veronese marble, was at around 14th-early 15th centuries following strict Gothic design principles.

Now a museum, it is open to tourists seven days a week (except on Christmas and New Year's day) but museum fatigue precluded me from venturing inside. Instead, I was happy to admire this Gothic masterpiece from outside, especially the intricate Porta della Carta (picture 2) and the historic Bridge of Sighs (picture3), which was being restored, thanks to the generosity of some Italian corporates.

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Once regarded by Napoleon as "Europe's finest drawing room," Piazza San Marco is the focal point of social, political and religious life in old Venice, and in today's Venice, a gathering place for thousands of tourists competing for scarce real estate with hundreds of pigeons. It's a great vantage point to admire the Basilica di San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, the Campanile and lesser attractions such as Torre dell'Orologio, Procuratie Nuove and Procuratie Vecchie. The square also serves as the dividing space, albeit a huge one, between two competing "ancient cafés" - Florian and Quadri - whose competition extends beyond the expensive cappuccino to classical music and sometimes a mini-orchestra. If sipping pricey cappuccino is not your cup of tea (pun not intended), enjoy the free music and the lively atmosphere of Piazza San Marco.

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Venice's Accademia provides the most comprehensive chronicle of Venetian art from the 14th to the 18th centuries - from Byzantine, to Renaissance, to Baroque. Housed in the former church and convent of Sta Maria della Carita, the museum traces its roots to the collection of Accademia di Belle Arti initiated by the painter Giovanni Battista Piazzetta in 1750. Napoleon was the man behind the current premises of the museum, further enriched by works of art removed (purloined?) from churches and monasteries.

Some of the more memorable works were two Renaissance masterpieces: Tintoretto's The Miracle of St Mark Fleeing a Slave and Paolo Veronese's HUGE Feast in the House of Levi.

Allot at least three hours to explore the Accademia's 24 rooms. More serious visitors could find the audio guide handy in providing a more in-depth knowledge of the works

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Website: www.gallerieaccademia.org

Ponte di Rialto is arguably Venice's most famous bridge, an icon of the city, even. The bridge was built in the 16th century by Antonio da Ponte, winner of a design contest that included architectural heavyweights such as Palladio. The area surrounding the bridge remains the commercial heart of the city with tourist souvenir shops and restaurants battling for space with banks and market stalls of the Erberia (fruit and vegetable market) and the Pescheria (fish market).

One of the best times to see the bridge is during sunset when passing gondolas and boats make for a perfect picture against the backdrop of the setting sun. Be there a bit early before sunset as demand for good vantage points become increasingly intense as sunset approaches.

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Consecrated in 1430, San Zanipolo - officially, Chiesa Santi Giovanni e Paolo - is the Dominican order's answer to the Franciscans' Sta Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (commonly known as "Frari"), with which it vies for the title of the city's largest Gothic cathedral.

It is truly one of the most marvelous churches I've visited in Venice. The church lays claim to many superlatives: (a) resting place of choice by 25 doges (Venetian rulers), whose tombs were designed by foremost Gothic and Renaissance sculptors including Pietro Lombardo's tombs of doges Nicolo Marcello, Pietro Mocenigo and Andrea Vendramin (pictures 2, 3 and 4); (b) the largest stained glass window in all Venice crafted by 15th century Murano glass artists; and (c) other religious masterpieces such as Bellini's polyptych painting highlighting the lives of Spanish St Vincent Ferrer, and Sts Sebastian and Christopher (picture 5).

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Address: Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo

Officially known as Sta Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, the Frari, built by Franciscan brothers - initially between 1250-1338 and expanded in the mid-15th century - is in the running for Venice's largest Gothic church along with the Dominicans' San Zanipolo.

While the cathedral's airy interior is humongous, this church is nowhere close to San Zanipolo's record as THE resting place of choice of Venetian rulers (doges). Still, the Frari has some great things to offer to lovers of art such as Titian's Assumption of the Virgin, and Bellini's Madonna and Child, which is a study in sublime use of colors and regarded as one of the best examples of Renaissance paintings. Unfortunately, the church's often-abrasive "wardens" zealously enforce a no-photo policy.

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Address: Campo dei Frari

Beautiful Baroque - that is what this church is, which was completed in 1687, more than 50 years it was began in 1630 to commemorate the city's deliverance from the great plague. And that, even if the dome is hidden behind massive scaffolding for a restoration, and even if I tried to visit the church twice without any luck. So I was content with admiring its intricate bas-reliefs and soaring arched portals of its facade from outside, and its strategic location on the mouth of the Grand Canal from the Campanile.

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Address: (except St Marks)

Even if it's a "poor" comparison to its sister Jesuit church in Rome, the magnificent Gesu, I Gesuiti (officially, Sta Maria Assunta), is worth a visit for its stunning baroque interiors featuring inlaid marble carved to resemble flowing drapes (see picture of pulpit) and twisted columns of the altar. But perhaps the church's biggest attractions are the paintings by masters Titian (Martirio di San Lorenzo) and Tintoretto (Assunzione della Vergine).

Its location in the less touristy district of Cannaregio also offers visitors a more solemn experience, further heightened by the soft background music of monastic chants (albeit, canned).

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Address: Campo dei Gesuiti
Directions: Close to the Fondamente Nuove vaporetto station.