Best Venice

The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, commonly known as St. Mark's Basilica, is the primary Roman Catholic cathedral of Venice, Italy. Consecrated in 1094, the structure originally served as the personal chapel of the Doge and is a preeminent example of Italo-Byzantine architecture. The...

The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark is the main Roman Catholic cathedral church of the city of Venice in Italy. Originally constructed in the 11th century, it is a prominent example of Italo-Byzantine architecture. The church is attached to the Doge's Palace and historically served as t...

The Pala d'Oro is a gold, enamel, and gemstone altar screen preserved behind the high altar of Saint Mark's Basilica in Venice. Its present form combines Byzantine enamels and Venetian goldwork produced and rearranged over several centuries, with major additions made in the fourteenth century. The d...

Teatro La Fenice stands as Venice’s principal opera house, originally opening in 1792. It holds significant historical importance due to its role in launching the careers of prominent Italian composers like Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi. The building underwent a dramatic rebuilding following...

Teatro alla Fenice is a historically significant opera house located in Venice, Italy. Originally built in 1792 and destroyed during World War II, it was meticulously rebuilt based on original plans, reopening in 1996. The theatre remains a vital venue for Italian opera performances attracting music...

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, commonly known as the Frari, is a Franciscan church located in the San Polo district of Venice. Built primarily in the Italian Gothic style, its construction was completed in the 15th century, making it one of the largest churches in the city. The inte...

The relics of St. Mark the Evangelist are enshrined beneath the main altar of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy. According to tradition, Venetian merchants smuggled the saint's remains from Alexandria, Egypt in 828 CE, concealing them beneath pork to avoid detection by Muslim inspectors. The acqu...

The Palazzo Labia fresco cycle is a decorative ensemble painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo in the ballroom of Palazzo Labia in Venice during the eighteenth century. Its principal scenes depict episodes from the story of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, including their banquet and meeting, using theatric...

The Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, commonly known as La Salute, is a Baroque church at the entrance to the Grand Canal in Venice, designed by the architect Baldassare Longhena and built between 1631 and 1687. The Venetian Senate commissioned it as a votive church in gratitude for the city's d...

Gilbert and Sullivan’s *The Gondoliers* premiered in Venice in 1889. This operetta blends English verse with Venetian settings and characters, offering a satirical look at bureaucracy and romantic folly. The work's enduring popularity stems from its clever musical score by Sullivan and witty librett...

The Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta is a historic cathedral located on the island of Torcello in the Venetian Lagoon. Originally founded in 639 AD, the current structure largely dates to a comprehensive reconstruction completed in 1008, making it one of the oldest surviving religious buildings in th...

A tranquil oasis away from the bustling city of Venice, Belmond Hotel Cipriani offers a luxurious escape with stunning gardens and a large Olympic-sized swimming pool. The hotels elegant rooms and exceptional service provide an unforgettable Venetian experience. It caters to those seeking relaxatio...

The Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo (known locally as San Zanipolo) is a large Gothic church in Venice, built by the Dominican Order between the 13th and 15th centuries. The brick-faced basilica serves as the burial site of 25 Venetian doges and features numerous funerary monuments and chapels....

St Mark’s Basilica is a significant medieval basilica located in Venice, Italy. Constructed primarily in the Byzantine style, it showcases elaborate gold mosaic decorations spanning approximately eight thousand square meters. The structure serves as the historical and current seat of the Patriarch o...

The Venice Vaporetto Line 1 operates along the Grand Canal, offering a direct experience of the city’s most significant architecture. This water bus route provides access to historic palaces and bridges, showcasing Venetian urban design. It is particularly useful for visitors seeking an efficient an...

The Piazza San Marco Campanile stands as a prominent brick tower within Venice’s St. Mark's Square. Constructed primarily of brick, it serves as the bell-tower for the Basilica. The structure gained significance following its reconstruction in 1912 after the original campanile’s collapse in 1902. It...

La Pescheria di Rialto is the historic fish market of Venice, located beside the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge. Built in 1907, the open-air loggia was designed by architect Domenico Rupolo and painter Cesare Laurenti. The structure is noted for its architectural blend of Gothic and Art Nouveau...

The Body of St. Mark the Evangelist is a significant Christian relic housed within the Basilica di San Marco in Venice. Recovered and brought to Venice in 828 AD from Alexandria, it represents one of the earliest documented body relics of an apostle. This remains are venerated by Roman Catholics and...

Johann Strauss II composed Eine Nacht in Venedig, an operetta from 1883. It’s notable as his only work staged outside Vienna and remains a popular Viennese operetta showcasing comedic elements. The piece is particularly relevant for audiences interested in late 19th-century music, specifically Strau...

Piazza San Marco is Venice’s central public space a historic landmark dating back to the 9th century. The square's significance lies in its role as a meeting point for Venetian power and culture throughout the medieval and Byzantine eras. Surrounded by impressive buildings including the Basilica di...

The Bridge of Sighs is a historic stone footbridge located in Venice, Italy. Constructed in 1600, it connects the former prison and courtroom buildings. The enclosed design, featuring an arch and constructed primarily of limestone, was intended to offer a final view of Venice to prisoners before the...

The Mercato Rialto is Venice’s iconic open-air market hall situated near the historic Rialto Bridge. Established centuries ago, it remains a vital component of Venetian life, offering a daily selection of fresh seafood and produce. It's notable for its longevity as one of Italy’s oldest continuously...

The ceiling cycle of the Scuola Grande dei Carmini in Venice was painted by Giambattista Tiepolo during the eighteenth century for the confraternity devoted to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Its central image shows the Virgin presenting the Carmelite scapular to Saint Simon Stock, while surrounding canva...

Acqua Alta is a crime novel by Donna Leon and the fifth book in her Commissario Guido Brunetti series. Published in 1996, it follows Brunetti after an assault on an American archaeologist and her companion draws him into an investigation involving art, museums, and murder. The story is set in Venice...

Death at La Fenice is a 1992 crime novel by Donna Leon and the first book in her series featuring Venetian police commissioner Guido Brunetti. During a performance at the Teatro La Fenice, a celebrated conductor is found dead in his dressing room after being poisoned with cyanide. Brunetti's inquiry...

A Venetian Reckoning is a crime novel by Donna Leon and the fourth installment in the Commissario Guido Brunetti series. Published in 1995 and issued in North America as Death and Judgment, it begins with a fatal bus crash and develops into an investigation involving murdered women, exploitation, an...

The relics of St. Nicholas at San Nicolò al Lido are bone fragments traditionally identified with the fourth-century bishop of Myra, the figure who later inspired the legend of Santa Claus. Venetian accounts state that sailors brought them from Myra in 1100, after a larger collection had been taken...

The Rialto Bridge stands as Venice’s oldest bridge across the Grand Canal, constructed in 1591. Its distinctive arched structure, built from stone, makes it a significant landmark and vital shopping thoroughfare. The bridge is primarily used by pedestrians navigating Venice's historic center and rem...

The relics of Saint Roch housed in Venice consist of the saint's body, which was transported from Voghera in 1485. They are venerated in the Church of San Rocco, a structure built specifically to house them and completed in the 16th century. The site and the relics are maintained by the Scuola Grand...