Steves R. - Venice

Rick Steves & Gene Openshaw

Venice is a world apart. Built on a hundred islands, its exotic-looking palaces are laced together by graceful bridges over sun-speckled canals. Romantics revel in the citys atmosphere of elegant decay. And first-time visitors are often stirred deeply, waking from their ordinary lives to a fantasy world unlike anything theyve ever seen.

Those are strong reactions, considering that Venice today, frankly, can also be an overcrowded tourist trap. But Venice offers so much. By day, its a city of art-filled museums, trendy shops, and narrow alleyways. At night, when the hordes of day-trippers have gone, another Venice appears. Glide in a gondola through quiet canals. Dance across a floodlit square. Don a Carnevale maskor just a fresh shirtand become someone else for a night.

Sights are rated:

Tourist information offices are abbreviated as TI, and bathrooms are WCs.

Like Europe, this book uses the 24-hour clock. Its the same through 12:00 noon, then keep going: 13:00 (1:00 p.m.), 14:00 (2:00 p.m.), and so on.

For opening times, if a sight is listed as May-Oct daily 9:00-16:00, it should be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. from the first day of May until the last day of October (but expect exceptions).

For updates to this book, visit www.ricksteves.com/update .

With this book, Ive selected only the best of Veniceadmittedly, a tough call. The core of the book is eight self-guided tours that zero in on Venices greatest sights and neighborhoods.

My Grand Canal Cruise, snaking through the heart of the historic core, introduces you to this moist metropolis. Then hit St. Marks Square, with its one-of-a-kind basilica and Doges Palace. Ive included several neighborhood walks that take you to both major sights (Rialto Bridge) and out-of-the-way places (Frari Church).

The rest of the book is a travelers tool kit. Youll find plenty more about Venices attractions, from shopping to nightlife to how to do a Venetian pub crawl. And there are helpful hints on saving money, avoiding crowds, getting around town, enjoying a great meal, and more.

The island city of Venice (population 58,000) is shaped like a fish. Its major thoroughfares are canals. The Grand Canal winds through the middle of the fish, starting at the mouth where all the people and food enter, passing under the Rialto Bridge, and ending at St. Marks Square (Piazza San Marco). Park your 21st-century perspective at the mouth and let Venice swallow you whole.

The easiest way to navigate is by landmarks. Many street corners have a sign pointing you to (per) the nearest major landmark. St. Marks Square (San Marco) and Rialto Bridge are the center of the tourist action. Other major landmarks are Accademia Bridge (gateway to the charming Dorsoduro neighborhood), Ferrovia (train station), and Piazzale Roma (another transportation hub). Ive organized this booksights, hotels, and restaurantsaround these major landmarks.

Officially, Venice is divided into six districts, called sestieri (see the map). Addresses generally list the district and house number (e.g., Cannaregio #221b), not the street. For more on the sestieri and addresses, see . I find it easier to navigate by landmarks, not sestiere, addresses, or street names.

Venice is small. You can walk across it in an hour, and most sights are within 20 minutes of the Rialto Bridge or St. Marks Square. Beyond the citys core lie several other interesting islands (Murano, Burano, Torcello, Lido) accessible only by boat.

St. Marks Square Venices grand main square. Hours: Always open. See .

St. Marks Basilica Cathedral with mosaics, saints bones, treasury, museum, and viewpoint of square. Hours: Mon-Sat 9:45-17:00, Sun 14:00-17:00 (Sun until 16:00 Nov-Easter). See .

Doges Palace Art-splashed palace of former rulers, with prison accessible through Bridge of Sighs. Hours: Daily April-Oct 8:30-19:00, Nov-March 8:30-17:30. See .

Rialto Bridge Distinctive bridge spanning the Grand Canal, with a market nearby. Hours: Souvenir stalls open daily, produce market closed Sun, fish market closed Sun-Mon. See .

Correr Museum Venetian history and art. Hours: Daily April-Oct 10:00-19:00, Nov-March 10:00-17:00. See .

Accademia Venices top art museum. Hours: Mon 8:15-14:00, Tue-Sun 8:15-19:15. See .

Peggy Guggenheim Collection Popular display of 20th-century art. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue. See .

Frari Church Franciscan church featuring Renaissance masters. Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun 13:00-18:00. See .

Scuola San Rocco Tintorettos Sistine Chapel. Hours: Daily 9:30-17:30. See .

Campanile Dramatic bell tower on St. Marks Square with elevator to the top. Hours: Daily Easter-June and Oct 9:00-19:00, July-Sept 9:00-21:00, Nov-Easter 9:30-15:45. See .

Bridge of Sighs Famous enclosed bridge, part of Doges Palace, near St. Marks Square. Hours: Always viewable. See .

San Giorgio Maggiore Island across the lagoon featuring church with Palladio architecture, Tintoretto paintings, and fine views back on Venice. Hours: Daily April-Oct 9:00-19:00, Nov-March closes at dusk. See .

La Salute Church Striking church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Hours: Daily 9:00-12:00 & 15:00-17:30. See .

Ca Rezzonico Posh Grand Canal palazzo with 18th-century Venetian art. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, off-season until 17:00, closed Tue. See .

Punta della Dogana Museum of contemporary art. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-19:00, closed Tue. See .