Day 1

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Afternoon 

We arrive at the Marco Polo airport in Venice and took the public boat (Alilaguna) to the Residenza de l'Osmarin. This lovely bed-and-breakfast/hotel is in a perfect location, just a few minutes walk to the Grand Canal and St. Mark's square. We chose it because we needed a suite and they offered several clean and comfortable two-bedroom suites - some with canal view! They provide a hearty breakfast and the staff are welcoming and helpful.

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After getting settled in our rooms we went out for a walk along some of the small canals and shopping areas.

 

Evening

This evening we went to Luna Sentada, a cozy Venetian restaurant serving delicious fish and seafood as well as some interesting pastas - and of course a large variety of vino.

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Day 2

 

Morning

After breakfast we made our way along the winding streets and over small bridges to the dock by the Gritti Palace Hotel where we took a quick little motor boat (Traghetto) across the Grand Canal to the Dorsoduro District. Traghetto crossings along the Grand Canal allow you to get across the canal quickly and cheaply (2 Euros).

 

The Dorsoduro District, is a little quieter than the main part of Venice, and is where the Academia Gallery and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection are located.

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Visiting the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a must for anyone who likes art from the twentieth century. The museum is housed in the retirement palazzo of Peggy Guggenheim.

Ms. Guggenheim was dedicated to supporting living artists of her era and personally knew many of the famous artists displayed in this museum. There are works by Picasso, Dali, Ernst, Pollock, Klee, Calder, Chagall and others. The works are beautifully displayed and there is a nice courtyard with sculptures. 

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After the musuem visit we walked back to the Grand Canal and crossed at the Academia Bridge. 

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Afternoon

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant along the Grand Canal watching the boats.

 

We spent the afternoon wandering around through the St. Mark's square, visiting the San Zaccaria Church and the shopping district near the Rialto bridge.

 

Evening

This evening we walked over to the Jewish ghetto area called Cannareggio. This is the oldest Jewish ghetto in Europe. Up until the 14th century Jews were not allowed to live in Venice. They were only allowed in for money-lending activities.

 

Eventually Jews were allowed to live there but in the 1500's they were confined to ghettos, with locked gates at night and many restrictions were placed. At its peak, the ghetto housed 4,000 Jews in a two-and-a-half block area. Today there is a population of approximately 500 Jews although they do not all live in the ghetto area. 

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We stopped for wine and cicchetti (Venetian tapas) at one of the bars along the San Leonardo canal. We then found a restaurant along the canal for dinner. This area is less touristy than central Venice. 

 

Day 3

Morning

This morning we did a walking tour booked through City Wonders. This four-hour walking tour took us through the winding streets of Venice and to some of the quieter piazzas and into the heart of the city.

 

We learnt the history of the city from it's beginning as an uninhabitable marsh to the unique city of today. We learnt about the history of the famous Rialto bridge, walked by Marco Polo's house, learnt about the Byzantine influences and saw the Renaissance buildings and modern structures that make up one of the most visited cities in the world. 

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Our guide then escorted us to St. Mark's Square and into the beautiful St. Mark's Basilica famous for it's "onion" dome, frescoes and its terraces with gorgeous views of the piazza below.

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After the Basilica, our guide took us for a tour inside the Doge's Palace, home to the Duke of Venice, the city's courts and the centre of Venetian history. We toured through the rooms and heard stories of the history of one of the world's oldest republics.

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Afternoon

We found a nice restaurant a few minutes walk from St. Mark's Square for lunch.

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After lunch we crossed the Academia bridge and into Dorsoduro District, roaming the streets of this charming neighbourhood. 

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We visited the Academia Gallery, Venice's top art museum filled with Renaissance art by artists such as Bellini, Titian and others.

 

Evening

This evening we had tickets for a concert. After a short rest back at the hotel, we went for an early and quick dinner at a restaurant on route to the concert.

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Venice is known for its Baroque concerts and you can find them in churches throughout the city. We ordered tickets for a Vivaldi concert at the San Vidal Church. The Interpreti Veneziani Orchestra has an excellent reputation and is considered one of the best. The concert was excellent and the San Vidal Church is a beautiful setting.

 

Day 4

 

Morning

After breakfast we departed our hotel and headed home.