Kick off Day 1 in Venice by visiting Basilica di San Marco , also known as St.Mark's Basilica nice and early in the day to escpae the crowd. Situated on Piazza San Marco, this Basilica of Byzantine domes decked in gold ground mosaics and intricate designs is a sight behold. Built in the 9th century to bury the corpse of St Mark, this resplendent structure is a cosmopolitan structure layered in white marbles from Middle Eastern countries, a Greek cross layout, rippled stonework arches and elements from Byzantine architecture. Due to the abundance of gold used in its architecture, it has rightly earned the nickname Chiesa d'Oro (Church of gold). A prime attraction here is the gold altarpiece namely Pala d’Oro golden altar encrusted with over 2000 precious stones like emeralds, amethysts, sapphires, rubies, pearls and many others. A guided Tour through the Basilica is highly recommended to understand the significance of this Basilica in biblical history. If time permits, you should definitely climb up the Campanile di San Marco ( Bell Tower) for a fabulous aerial view of St. Mark's Square.

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Must See

History

Right next door to the Basilica is the Doge's Palace, the seat of political and administrative power of the Venitian Republic from its birth to its end. The Palazzo Ducale as it is fondly called is a statement to the splendour of the La Serenissima (Venice). An architectural fusion, this monument is a refreshing blend of contemporary and primaeval eras. It boasts an array of Renaissance masterpieces, grand staircases, opulent rooms and monumental entrances, all of which will leave you breathless. It houses the largest canvas in the world produced by the famous artist Tintoretto. The walls of the chambers here are told to hold stories the world has rarely heard of. While you're here, walk across the Bridge of Sighs and feel the plight of the prisoners who used to walk across the bridge and heave a sigh of remorse at their last glance of beautiful Venice before serving their prison tenure. A guided tour as well as a secret itinerary tour of Doge's Palace is highly recommended to explore every nook and corner of this historic building.

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Kids

Couples

History

After strolling around St. Mark's Square, make your way to a quiter and quainter part of the city called Dorsoduro. Nestled in a bohemian vibe, this cobbled town is a hive of unpretentious eateries, lively pubs,a collection of museums, churches , galleries, a bunch of indie shops and vintage boutiques. While you're here, all we can say is get lost and wait for serendipitously surprises. You are bound to stumple upon Gallerie dell’Accademia, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Cà Rezzonico,San Sebastiano, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and Scuola Grande dei Carmini. Stroll down Fondamenta delle Zattere while you’re here and feast your eyes on a panoramic view of the Giudecca Canal and the line of picturesque buildings on the periphery of the canal. While you're here walk by the Squero di San Trovaso ( gondola workshop), close to Zattere and catch a glimpse of the labourous efforts that go into making gondolas. You can also pop by Cà Macana, a famous Venetian Carnival Mask shop while you're in this part of the town and buy a few souvenirs or click pictures with vibrant masks.

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Family

Couples

Must See

Walking Tours

• This quaint neighbourhood has a great collection of cafes, shops and restuarants. Make sure to grab a meal while you're here.

Recommended Experiences
• Venice Museum Pass
• St. Mark's City Pass
• Chorus Circuit Churches Pass

Plan to stay
4- 5 hours

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After traversing and exploring the streets of Dorsoduro, make your way to the Grand Canal and hop onto a gondola of your choice and snuggle in for a 30 minute romantic glide across the canals of Venice. Rest your legs and enjoy the most quintessentially Venetian affair while you're at it.The ideal time for a gondola ride would be early evening, around sunset. With the sky changing into hues of pink, the beauty of Venice's waterways is further enhanced, making your gondola ride exceptionally picturesque. Hiring a gondolier who will hum Italian melodies while rowing you around is a one of a kind experience. You could also opt for a romantic Italian dinner after the gondola ride to make your night more perfect than it already is.

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Must See

Kids

Family

Couple

• Consider buying tickets online for a hassle and haggle free experience.
• Combo deals of Gondola rides with a dinner or tourist attraction work out to be more economical.
• Shell out a little extra for a gondola serenade. It is worth the experience.

Recommended Experiences

• Gondola Ride: Grand Canal Experience
  
• Venice Gondola Serenade
  
• Gondola Serenade Tour with Romantic Dinner
  
• Venice Walking Tour & Grand Canal Gondola Ride
  
• Gondola Ride & St. Mark's Basilica Guided Tour
  
• Venice in a day - St Marks + Doge Palace + Gondola Ride
  

Plan to stay
30 - 45 minutes

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Start your 2nd day in Venice like the locals by visiting the historic Rialto Market. Sprawling on the western banks of the Grand Canal, this market is a hive of activity. You will catch a glimpse of venetian life while you're here ; going about their daily lives, selling or buying local produce. Wander through the fish (Pescheria) and vegetable/fruit (Erberia) market and soak in the vibrant atmosphere where you can find anything and everything from fruits and vegetables to herbs and dried products to stoles and carnival masks. This market is said to be a photographer's paradise and despite the noisy buzzing atmosphere, you will have experienced a slice of venetain lifestyle when you step out of here. Though the fishy fragrance may be a hindrance for a few, we urge you to make a trip here anyway. Markets have a way of telling you about the locals and their culture and the Rialto Market is the perfect example of this.

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Family

Shopping

Walking Tour

Couples

• It is advisable to go either early in the morning as vendors start selling their produce around 7:30 AM and by noon most of the fresh produce for the day is done with. Things start becoming slow around 1:30 PM and most stalls close by 2:00 PM.
• The restaurants around here are open through the day, but if you want to walk through the stalls and lay your eyes on fruits, vegetables and other produce that you may never have heard or seen of before, you should make it here in the morning.
• To reach the market via vaporetto (water bus) take waterbus number 1 and stop at "Rialto Mercato".
• This market arena houses a fish market too, hence the smell of fish is strong around here. If you're uncomfortable with this smell, a visit here can be incommodious for you.
• The Rialto Food Market Tour which a walk around the market with a local guide,food & wine tastings and a short local Gondola Ride across the Grand Canal is highly recommended to experience the Rialto thoroughfare.

Recommended Experiences
• Venice Rialto Market Food Tour

Plan to stay
2 hours and 45 minutes

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The city of Venice has a plethora of churches and museums that are breathtakingly beautiful and rich in history; and it is only fair that you visit a few to leave the city a little more in love with it.
To foster economical tourism, Venice has a couple of passes that bundle a few options together so that you can visit more and save money at the same time. The Chorus Pass is a church only pass that gives you admission to 16 prominent churches around the city. If you’re interested in delving into the Biblical history of this city, grab the Chorus Pass and spend your afternoon gasping at the magnificent gothic churches adorning the city. The Venice Museum Pass is another option for museum fanatics. For those interested in museum trailing and consuming copious amounts of Venice’s past, this one’s a convenient choice. You can check out what the Venice Museum Pass entails here. The last pass the city offers is the St. Mark’s City Pass which allows admission into the Doge’s Palace, 3 museums and 3 churches of your choice, the Teatro La Fenice, Querini Stampalia Foundation and Venice Casino; at a validity of 7 days from first usage. Those looking for an assortment of activities during their stay, this is a prudent choice. You can check out the offerings of the St. Mark’s City Pass here. These passes also help you skip the line and gain priority access hence saving you time and energy. We strongly suggest that you spend the second half of your second day walking around the museums and churches around the city based on your liking and learn a little more about Venice than any guide can ever provide.

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Couples

Family

Walking Tour

Architecture

Conclude your evening with a visit to the exquisite Teatro La Fenice and experience the golden era of Italian Opera in this Baroque Opera house that has once hosted world-renowned maestros like Verdi, Donizetti, Abbado, Muti and Chung, Rossini, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti and Bellini. The name La Fenice translates to "The Pheonix" and is a perfectly fitting moniker for this opera house that has been rebuilt from ash twice over during its existence. First in 1836 and again in 1996, this opera house was reduced to ashes in a mysterious fire. Venice without La Fenice was unimaginable hence, 90 million euro worth of donations poured in enabling its reconstruction and reopening in 2003. Teatro La Fenice was a space for Venice's cultural elite before its fire stints after which it became a monumental attraction. Today, this complex beauty is amongst Italy's most celebrated monuments and rightly so. Soak in the opulence of this wonder; the plush seats, the stuccos and gold plated ceilings and walls, the Baroque elements and gilded private balconies while you're here.

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Shows

Spend your last day in Venice Island hopping! Amongst the countless islands in Venice, Murano, Burano and Torcello are 3 major islands in the northern part of Venetian lagoon and are an absolute treat. You could start off with Murano , a fisherman island and the biggest of the the 3 islands , world famous for its glass factories. While you’re in Murano, make sure you visit the Museo Vetraio di Murano (The Glass Museum), the ancient church of Santa Maria e Donato and the church of Chiesa di San Pietro Martire ( houses oil paintings by Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese, and Giovanni Bellini).
After Murano, jump back on a vaporetto, enjoy a half an hour ride and get dropped at the vibrant island of Burano. The eye popping coloured houses are sure to steal your heart while you’re here and so will the intricate hand tatted Burano lace. In Burano, make sure you drop by the Museo del Merletto ( Burano Lace Museum ) and the Church of San Martino Vescovo. However, the best thing to do in Burano is to get your camera ready and click the shutter non stop at the brightly painted houses with shutters and doors dipped in lambent colours.
After Burano, make your way to the Torcello, an island stuck in the past and enjoy the grassy, secluded island decked in Byzantine mosaics and marshy muck lands. To put to perspective how secluded this island is, there are just about 75 inhabitants in the island! When in Torcello, The Devil's Bridge, Cattedrale di Torcello (Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta), the Church of Santa Fosca and Museo Archeologico della Provincia di Venezia di Torcello are all that you can sightsee per se, but walking around this deserted island is a the biggest delight in itself here.

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Family

Island Hopping

Kids

Couples

Lido is a narrow strip of beach on the Venetian lagoon and was initially established as a seaside resort destination and is ever since has been a popular beach with marvellous views. Spend the last few hours of your time in Venice on a beach promenade and walk along the Gran Viale with classy views of plush hotels, boutique shops and umpteen restaurants lining the stony walkway. If you're on the search for things to see around Lido, you could visit the Tempio Votivo Church (a war memorial of Venice), the Ancient Jewish cemetery ( can be visited only with prior appointment) and if time permits, you could visit the picturesque southern village of Malamocco. The Hop On Hop off Venice has a stop at Lido, hence should you opt for the Hop On Hop Off Boat Tour to see the 3 islands and Lido beach, you will save a lot on transport.

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Family

Kids

Beach

Boutique Hotels

• If you prefer stay away from the hustle of the city, you should consider staying on Lido island which has a fantastic selection of boutique hotels and is very well connected with the rest of Venice via vaporettos. It is closer to the airport as well.
• If you're up for exploring Lido in a span of 2 hours, you can rent a cycle and ride around the island. Most rentals give you a map as well, making your cycle trip all the more fun.
• Winters near this beach can be quite harsh, but the rest of the year the climate is quite pleasant.

Recommended Experiences
• Boat Tour to Murano, Burano & Torcello Islands With Glass Factory Tour
• Museums of the Islands
• Venice Hop on Hop off Boat Tour

Plan to stay
2 hours

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