Venice Top Five Things to Do

Don’t miss seeing the fascinating Basilica Di San Marco an opulent synthesis of Byzantine and Romanesque styles, Venice's gem. It didn't become the cathedral of Venice until 1807. The original church was built in 828 to house the body of St. Mark the Evangelist. A 976 fire destroyed most of the original church which was rebuilt and reopened in 1094, and for centuries it would serve as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power. Famous for its 43,055 square feet of stunning mosaics, it’s a spectacle not to be missed. Note: As everywhere in Italy where religious buildings are concerned, you will be turned away if you have bare shoulders or knees.

Go on a Gondola ride! Hard to avoid, this is a highlight for many who visit.

Nearly all the bridges in Venice are interesting, but the most popular by far is the stunning Rialto Bridge. The competition to design a stone bridge across the Grand Canal (replacing earlier wooden versions) attracted the late 1500s' best architects, including Michelangelo, Palladio, and Sansovino, but the job went to the less famous Antonio da Ponte. His pragmatic design featured shop space and was high enough for galleys to pass beneath. Along the railing you'll enjoy one of the city's most famous views: the Grand Canal vibrant with boat traffic

The view of "La Salute," as Venetians affectionately call it, from the Riva degli Schiavoni at sunset or from the Accademia Bridge under the moonlight is simply unforgettable and one that all who visit should try and get to see.

Go People Watching! Sit in one of the canal-side café’s, sip a glass of local wine, dine on olives and cheese and go people watching. This is a very Venetian pastime, (in fact it’s an Italian pastime) and gives you time to rest your weary feet and absorb Venice on a gentler level. After all the sightseeing you’ll be doing on foot (or by sea) you’ll need to take time out.

Transport in Venice

Venice is world-famous for its canals. It is built on an archipelago of 118 islands formed by about 150 canals in a shallow lagoon. The islands on which the city is built are connected by about 400 bridges. Venice is Europe's largest urban carfree area, unique in Europe in remaining a sizable functioning city in the 21st century entirely without motorcars or trucks. The classical Venetian boat is the gondola, although it is now mostly used for tourists, or for weddings, funerals, or other ceremonies. Most Venetians now travel by motorised waterbuses ("vaporetti") which ply regular routes along the major canals and between the city's islands. The city also has many private boats. The only gondolas still in common use by Venetians are the traghetti, foot passenger ferries crossing the Grand Canal at certain points without bridges. The vaporetto lines 1 and 82 travel along the Grand Canal from Piazzale Roma to the Lido, allowing passengers to view the wonderful buildings that stand alongside the Canal until it reaches the San Marco Basilica, where it is possible to catch a glimpse of the wonderful, majestic Piazza San Marco. An interesting way to cross the Grand Canal from one side to the other is by using the gondola ferry, that is cheap but very picturesque. These ferries can be found at various points on the Grand Canal: from Santa Maria del Giglio to the Salute and vice versa (until 1 pm); from Ca' Rezzonico to Palazzo Grassi and vice versa (until 1 pm); from Riva del Vin to the Town Hall and vice versa (until 1 pm); from the Rialto Market to Strada Nova and vice versa (up to 7.45 pm); from San Marcuola to Fontego dei Turchi and vice versa (until 1 pm); from the train station to San Simeone and Giuda and vice versa (until 1 pm).
Venice is served by the newly rebuilt Marco Polo International Airport, or Aeroporto di Venezia Marco Polo, named in honor of its famous citizen. The airport is on the mainland and was rebuilt away from the coast so that visitors now need to get a bus to the pier, from which a water taxi or Alilaguna waterbus can be used.The Ponte della Libertà bridge connects Venice to the mainland and ends at Piazzale Roma, the only part of the city where cars can enter. There are several indoor and outdoor car parks in Piazzale Roma that vary in the parking fees asked: find the fees they apply and choose one that is most convenient for you. You can also park at the Tronchetto, which you reach by turning right immediately at the end of the Ponte della Libertà bridge, just before you get to Piazzale Roma. At the Tronchetto there are some indoor and outdoor car parks. You can get to the city center easily from both these points by vaporetto (the Venice water buses), water taxi or on foot.


Venice is also famous world-wide for its unique carnival

VENICE LIDO: “Venice Cinema Festival” from 30st August to 9th September 2006
 

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