Your first visit to Venice - Part 2 Tuesday
Your first visit to Venice - Part 3 Wednesday
Your first visit to Venice - Part 4 Thursday
Your first visit to Venice - Part 5 Friday
Part
6/ Day 6 - SATURDAY
The weekend will be the
busiest in the city of your few days in Venice, and you’ll probably notice how much more
difficult it will be to circulate around Venice, and if you go near the Piazza,
how long the queues will be to enter the Palazzo Ducale and the Basilica di San
Marco, in particular.
I’d stay away from
the Piazza between the hours of around 8.30am – 6pm during these few days. Instead, take the opportunity to explore some
of the less well-known parts of the city.
Rialto
markets
Rise early today and catch
the action at the famous Rialto markets.
Traghetto
Now, take a traghetto trip
across the Grand Canal from Rialto to the Santa Sofia stop.
 |
| The Grand Canal from a traghetto between Rialto and Santa Sofia |
Ca
d’Oro
Ca d’Oro is Venice’s finest
Gothic building. Its elaborate exterior
is clad with white and coloured marbles (including red Verona marble). Its window traceries and carvings used to be
gilded, hence it’s name – the House of Gold.
Highlights of the
collection are Mantegna’s St Sebastian, fresco fragments by Titian and
Giorgione that used to decorate the Fondaco dei Tedeschi (formerly the main
post office and now owned by Benetton and being converted into a large shop).
Be sure to enjoy the views
on the balconies on the first and second floor, and the gorgeous courtyard with
a beautiful well-head.
 |
| Second floor balcony of the Ca' d'Oro on the Grand Canal |
Then, head by vaporetto to
San Giorgio Maggiore.
San
Giorgio Maggiore
This Palladian complex of
San Giorgio Maggiore includes a church, a campanile (which you should climb for
magnificent views), and a monastery including cloisters, a refectory, library
and garden. It’s hard to believe that so
much serenity can exist just a short hop across the water from the busy Piazza
di San Marco.
Giardini
Pubblici
Next, hop on a vaporetto
and descend at Arsenale. You could take
a small detour to your right to peek inside the Giardini Pubblici – Napoleon
razed this part of Venice to create these enormous gardens. Beyond the public gardens are the gardens of
the Biennale of art housing national pavilions of around 16 countries. However, you can only access the Giardini
della Biennale when the art and architecture biennales are being held.
Museo
Storico Navale
Pop your head into Venice’s
maritime museum to see a replica of the Doge’s ornate Bucintoro (the original
was destroyed by the French when they conquered Venice). My favourite exhibit is Peggy Guggenheim’s
gondola.
Arsenale
gates
Next, walk up to the gates
of the Arsenale. This area is still
patrolled by the Italian Navy but you can stand at the Renaissance gates and
gaze at the extraordinary trophies of war that protect its entry – two lions
pillaged from near Athens in 1687 and another bald, upright lion with runic
carvings. He is thought to have been
carved by Scandinavian mercenaries who in 1040 fought for the Byzantine empire.
 |
| Gates to the Arsenale, Castello |
La
Pietà
Continue to walk along the
Riva degli Schiavoni. You’ll pass the
Metropole hotel. Turn right and walk a
short distance between the Metropole hotel and La Pieta. You’ll see the wall of the Metropole’s bar
incorporates a foundling wheel, which allowed mothers to anonymously leave
their children at the orphanage that used to operate on the site of the
Metropole hotel.
Pop your head into the La
Pietà, somewhat erroneously known as Vivaldi’s church - he worked as
choirmaster at La Pietà from 1704-1740 and composed many works for the choir –
but the present structure was built from 1745-1760 so Vivaldi never actually
set foot inside this newer building.
The church is mostly used for concerts, and it’s well worth popping your
head inside to see the 1755 ceiling by Tiepolo, Triumph of Faith.
San
Zaccaria
We’ll change the pace at
San Zaccaria with Bellini’s Madonna with Child and Saints, some 15th
century frescoes by Vivarini and an atmospheric and slightly eerie waterlogged
crypt where eight doges are buried.
For things to do tonight,
please refer to my suggestions from yesterday’s itinerary.
Your first visit to Venice - Part 7 Sunday
Your first visit to Venice - Part 7 Sunday
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