When most people think of Venice, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to Venice than just the basics.

Of all the world’s travel destinations, Venice rates among the top three places where people want to go. The reason is simple: it is one of the most beautiful places on earth that fills up all of one’s senses ? the ageless beauty of the churches, palaces and buildings, the old-world ambience. More to the point, Venice is a total feast for the eyes.

Stretched along the Adriatic Sea, Venice is a unique group of 117 small islands joined together by 378 stone bridges over a number of canals. It has the unique mode of transportation, which is mostly on water.

The city is composed of six districts (sestiere), all with their own unique attractions: Cannaregio, San Polo, Santa Croce, San Marco, Dorsoduro and Castello.

Cannaregio

Cannaregio in the north has the Palazzo Labia, the Venetian Ghetto, and the Isola di San Michele. Palazzo Labia is a beautiful 7th century baroque palace. The Venetian Ghetto is the center of Jewish living where Jews go for religious services. The Isola di San Michele is the cemetery island where some famous writers and musicians are buried.

San Polo

San Polo is the smallest and the oldest, housing the famous Rialto Bridge, the San Giacomo di Rialto and the Campo San Polo. The Rialto Bridge is the largest of the four bridges connecting the Grand Canal in places. The San Giacomo di Rialto is the oldest church in Venice, built in 421 A.D. The Campo San Polo is the biggest field in the city and is very popular for the Carnival, concerts and screenings for the Venice Film Festival.

Santa Croce

Santa Croce is in the northwest with the Tronchetto and the main port. The main attractions are the Fondaco dei Turchi (a 13th century Byzantine palazzo) and the Church of San Giacomo dell’Orio.

The more authentic information about Venice you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Venice expert. Read on for even more Venice facts that you can share.

San Marco

San Marco is the center of the sestiere. This is where the well-known sites of Venice are found: Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. St. Mark’s Basilica is a Byzantine cathedral, originally the chapel of the Venetian rulers. The Doge’s Palace is a Gothic structure and home of the Doge of Venice, the formal head of state. It is now a museum housing some priceless paintings of Veronese and Tintoretto.

Dorsoduro

Dorsoduro in the south is the highest sestiere, with attractions that include the Penny Guggenheim collection (a museum containing personal art collections) and San Trovaso, the church built in 1028 which houses the works of Tintoretto.

Carnivals and festivals

Redentore is a festival held every third Saturday of July celebrating the end of the Plague, and is famous for its fireworks.

Every February and March, Venice holds its famous Carnival which dates back to the year 1268. Locals and tourists gather in the streets wearing historical costumes and masks, with music played all day in most places, and some street performances.

Another famous event is the annual Venice International Film Festival founded in 1932 and is the oldest in the world. It is highlighted with international film celebrities who gather in late August or early September in the island of Lido to present their latest films.

Indeed, the whole of Venice is a visual indulgence that one can never tire of. And we have not even mentioned a word yet about the masks, the shops, the food, the gondola, the gondoliers, the impromptu singing and the music.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you’ll be glad you took the time to learn more about Venice.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

The best, easiest, cheapest, and most convenient place where you can look for great Venice vacation packages is the Internet. With just several clicks on the mouse, you can open multiple sites that offer cheap yet great Venice vacation packages suitable for your budget.

To be able to find a great deal in Venice vacation packages, it is best to spend time researching. By doing this, you can find out when is the best time to go on a Venice vacation and pay half the price. If you are on a tight budget and you would want to on a vacation in Venice, it is best to book for flight during low season. This will ensure that you get decent flights and accommodation that are relatively cheaper compared to the regular rates during the peak season.

What to consider

Venice is such a wonderful city to miss out only because you are short on cash. If you only study your trip to Venice very well, you will discover that you can indeed visit this wonderful city on a shoestring budget. The following are some of the considerations that you need to pay attention to in order to get great Venice vacation packages:

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Venice, keep reading.

1. TIME. Among the major considerations would be the time you are planning to go on a Venice vacation. This is very important because it will determine the cost of your entire vacation. For those who want to go there on peak seasons, expect higher airfares and higher accommodation rates.

2. SIZE. How many are going on this trip? This is also a very important aspect to consider when looking for Venice vacation packages because the head count will determine how much you will have to spend. Knowing the total number of people who will be going in the vacation because it will give you an idea on what you will need like room size, accommodation, food, and other miscellaneous expenses.

3. ACCOMODATION. What kind of accommodation do you have in mind is also another major consideration. Knowing exactly kind of what accommodation you want and you need would make it easier for you to look for Venice vacation packages that will suit your budget. When thinking of accommodations, consider not only your needs but also the needs of your companion or the people who will be joining your trip.

4. ITINERARY. What do you plan to see and experience in Venice will greatly affect your trip. When looking forward to a low budget trip, it is a must that you plan carefully what are the things or activities you want to do during your vacation? Having a shot list of what you would want to do during the length of your stay will give you an idea what are the best choices for Venice vacation packages for you. If you money to spend, choose those vacation packages that include tours in various historical sites and other interesting sites nearby. Also, choose those vacation packages that include entrance fees in various museums so you won’t have to worry carrying another type of currency.

If you are in a tight budget, choose vacation packages that only cover the airfare and accommodation. This will save you more cash when you get to the destination. It is up to you how to budget the rest to maximize your vacation.

That’s the latest from the Venice authorities. Once you’re familiar with these ideas, you’ll be ready to move to the next level.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

In such a beautiful destination as Venice, one tends to be overwhelmed the minute one sets foot on the place. The excitement of seeing the canals, the buildings, the cobbled streets and the people makes one forget how and where to begin anything. It is important, then, to know some essential things about Venice.

The following is a partial list of some practical aspects of your stay.

Things to know

? No cars are allowed in Venice. Leave yours in the mainland and take public transportation going to the Venetian lagoon. Transportation within the city is good enough, though crowded at times. Also, they only stop at certain points along the Grand Canal and two other places. You walk your way around town.

? Get your Venice Card at the Marco Polo airport, Piazzale Roma and the Train Station. (There are now more places where to buy them.) This can help with museum admissions (discounts), vaporetto rides (lower fares), church admissions, and others. They also have a discounted version for young people.

? Public toilets are plentiful around popular tourist areas, charging 1 Euro for each use. If you have a Venice Card, they are free. Cafes and bars also have toilets which you can use, but as common courtesy, buy at least a cup of coffee.

? Original Murano glass is generally very expensive. But there are places where they are discounted (Piazza San Marco) and can sometimes go very much cheaper away from commercial centers (in outlying areas in Burano). Just be careful not to buy fakes imported from Asia.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Venice, keep reading.

? Fixed price ?tourist dinner? is cheaper than a plate of spaghetti ? there is no cover charge. Of course, the food quality of ?menu turistico’ can not be guaranteed. Also, restaurants now slap a 10 or 15% surcharge on top of everything.

? The area around San Polo near Rialto and the fish market is typical of ?bacaro? or ?cichetteria?. These are the typical Venetian places to consume small snacks and drinks. ?Cichetti? (similar to Spanish ?tapas’) are popular snacks.

? If you must insist, here’s a lowdown on gondolas. They are expensive tourist attractions or romantic tours, whichever way you look at it. They charge 80 Euros for the first 40 minutes, and 40 Euros for every 20 minutes. After 7pm, the rate becomes 100 Euros for 40 minutes and 50 Euros for every additional 20 minutes. The maximum number of passengers is 6 persons, and you may split the fare with everyone.

? When ordering a fish dish, be aware that they are charged according to weight and not by piece. 7 Euros for every 100 grams would add up to 35 Euros for a medium sized fish that’s around half-a-kilo (500 grams). It pays to ask questions first before ordering.

? Almost everyone sells maps to tourists. These maps are FREE. You must have yours at the airport together with your transport ticket pass. If not, get them at the reception area of your hotel.

As in all other tourist destinations in the world, it really pays to ask around before committing on anything ? transportation, food, shopping, going places, the best times to go, etc.

The above list is just some of the things one has to know about Venice. Be guided accordingly, and enjoy!

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Venice is one of the top 3 most-wanted tourist destinations in the world. As such, Venice is also one of the most ?tourist-infested? places. Almost all of its most popular sites have very long queues of people. Where could one find a good place in Venice away from the crowd?

The answer is simple. Go to places in the opposite direction where the crowds are going.
Walk around a couple of corners away from the Rialto-Accademia-San Marco triangle. From there, take any direction and you will find peace and quiet.

Another good alternative would be to visit the city during off-season, when the tourists are not as many, the streets not so crowded, where you enjoy your coffee in some small shop overlooking the famous canals, watching the world glide by.

Roads less traveled

Many tourists always take well-worn destinations. They would stick to Piazza San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, the Basilica and sometimes venture out to Murano to watch glass-blowers at work.

How about going north east to a church named San Francesco della Vigna in Castello? It has the best collection of fine sculptures by Pietro Lombardo and several paintings of Paolo Veronese, Bellini and many other masters.

Like Cannaregio, Castello is home to many Venetians. It has good restaurants, bakeries, shops and many other places of interest.

It also has La Pieta (Santa Maria della Visitazione) where the famous composer Vivaldi was choir master in an earlier building; San Giorgio dei Greci, a Greek Orthodox church; and in the far East of the sestiere, the church of San Pietro in Castello.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Castello is also home to the Pavilion of the Venice Biennale exhibition (Biennale D’Arte Contemporanea & Architettura), located in the Giardini di Castello.

In Cannaregio, the places to go are not limited to the Jewish Ghetto and Museo Ebraico. This was the home district of Titian, Marco Polo and Tintoretto. The church of Madonna dell-Orto has several of Tintoretto’s paintings.

The sestieres of San Polo and Santa Croce is where you can smell fish in the morning from the Rialto market. Get your fill in Chinese restaurants as well as in many excellent osterias and trattorias with traditional Italian fares.

They have their share of galleries and churches, too: Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Modern, Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, with the famous Madonna by Bellini and another by Titian, and the unforgettable “Sistine Chapel of Tintoretto” in the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Tintoretto spent the remainder of his life painting the ceiling of this church.

Mestre is the last place a tourist would like to go in Venice. This is where most Venetians live and it is in the mainland. However, it has a lovely district around Piazza Ferretto lined with shops, bars, and restaurants which are alive all day and night.

This is where hotels abound with much lower prices than in the lagoon, with parking lots if you arrive by car.

Lido is the place to go if you enjoy the beaches, the sun and 5-star hotels along with gold courses.

In Burano, looking at the colorful painted houses set in a tranquil fisherman’s village is worth the hour-long trip by waterbus.

Finally, one last secret in getting away from the crowd in Venice is to get up early in the morning and walk through the streets or duck into a café and get your hot latte. At this time, everything looks truly magical. That’s what you came for, right?

Is there really any information about Venice that is nonessential? We all see things from different angles, so something relatively insignificant to one may be crucial to another.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

So what is Venice really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about Venice–info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

Venice is located in Italy. It is a small city where people are warm and hospitable. The wonderful weather as well as the breathtaking sites will also make any vacation in the place a wonderful experience. Today, more and more people choose to visit Venice because it embodies a place where everybody can relax in a wonderful environment?with good food, hospitable people, and unique culture.

If you are planning to go on a trip to Venice, it is a must that you prepare first for the trip. The most basic thing that you can do is to introduce yourself to the place by knowing the basic things about it. You can do this by visiting various websites that offer information on Venice. These sites will give you an overview about the place, what to expect, how to get there, and a wide array of activities available for you. By visiting a websites, you can also get travel discounts or cheaper airfare fees especially when you book for a much earlier date. Getting a low rate airfare to get you to Venice is ideal to help you save some money for the big adventure.

Aside from browsing the Internet, you can also get important information and tips from travel magazines, which feature the place. In these feature stories and articles, you can get various opinions, comments, and observations about the place that can help you decide if you really can afford Venice vacations or if everything will worth the trip.

The best dining options

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Aside from the most basic things that you should know when you will go on a trip to Venice, there is one particular thing that you should consider?dining. If you are not a picky eater, you can just opt for anything that is offered within the vicinity. But if you can be sensitive about eating and dining in other places, then you might want to take some time off to research about dining in Venice.

A taste of Italy is visible in dining experiences in Venice. The most common dining area here is called the “Bacaro,” referring to a mainstream Venetian bar. In this area lie several “hole-wall-eateries” that offers delectable local Venetian snacks as well as local choices of wines that are relatively cheaper compared to other dining options. You can find “Bacaros” in all almost all areas of the city that are really designed and place in areas where people usually go for sight-seeing.

If you opt for a bigger and more comfortable dining place for you family or for your companions, dine in “Osteria”. These refer to family-run restaurants that are also plenty around the city of Venice. These restaurants offer home style cooking where you can choose from a wide variety of local specialties at very affordable prices. For those who have tried local specialties and are craving for other food choices, they can also opt for ethnic restaurants that can be found in the heart of the city.

These can be more expensive since they are not available locally and are especially-made for a few customers.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Venice to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Venice experts.

1. Prosecco – This faintly grapey, fairly dry, very cold and fizzy Champagne’s more casual, yet quite elegant, Italian cousin gained its popularity being the base for the luscious cocktail Bellini, invented at Harry’s Bar. Prosecco is produced in tanks by a method known as charmat between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the province of Treviso which is about 32 kilometers north of Venice. It’s a refreshing aperitif or prelude to the meals as suggested by many food writers and gourmand and comes in both the spumante or fully sparkling and frizzante or semi-sparkling styles.

Italy’s largest producer of Prosecco is Mionetto, which specializes in the traditional style and makes frizzante with about half the sparkle of Champagne. Mionetto Prosecco costs $10 ? 12. It has an appley and bubbly archetype that makes a wonderful companion on warm weather. Best served with Mionetto are antipasti, cold soups, or pasta primavera. The traditional base used in making a Bellini cocktail is Nino Franco Prosecco de Valdobbiadene ?Rustico.? It is more-champagne-like and has bit more staying power than most Proseccos. A bottle of this bubbly costs $ 14 ? 21.

2. Soave ? Best served with the city’s scrumptious fresh seafood dishes, soave comes from the verdant hills of charming town of the same name between the Valle d’Illiasi and Val d’Alpone. “At its best soave is intensely but not cloyingly aromatic, abundantly fruity, and subtly complex,” wrote Colman Andrews in his delightful essay on the wine in Saveur magazine (Issue # 38). It complements best with Venetian dishes like fritto misto de mare and sarde in saor.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Venice, keep reading.

The Coffele, one of Soave town’s premier wineries produces Soave Classico, Ca Visco and Recioto di Soave wines from primarily Garganega grapes. These wines are exported in Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Great Britain, in the USA, Australia, and Hongkong. The Coffele welcomes wine tastings which costs 6 euros per person for three wines and 12 euros when served with cheese. If you’re lucky, the Coffele family may invite you into their garden that sits below Soave’s castle for wine tastings.

3. Valpolicella – Made from the same grapes as Bardolino, this wine “has a ruby, cherry and banana nose, a fresh and dry, fruit flavour and a bitter finish,” wrote Tony Aspler in his bestselling book from Canada Tony Aspler’s wine lover’s companion.

7. Grappa – This colorless Italian brandy is made from the grape skins and seeds that are left in the wine press after the juice has been removed to produce wine. Grappa is the most famous or in some instances infamous among the wines of Venice, the clear spirit served at the end of the meal, or mixed with coffee as a caffe corretto. Grappa, as told by Robert Joseph in his definitive book The Wine Travel Guide to the World, was revolutionized by Benito Nonino.

Since then a large number of other wine producers followed his lead and grappas are made from almost every local and international grape.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Venice to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Venice experts.

All of Central Venice is one colossal sight – giving you a great time wandering the alleyways, monuments, museums and religious buildings. The historic centre of the city is made up of 118 islands, tied together by some 400 bridges to form an amalagamation divided into six large administrative districts. Here are six of Venice’s foremost attractions guaranteed to amaze tourists:

1. The Palazzo Ducale – This pink-and-white marble Gothic-Renaiisance residence and government center of the doges stands between the Basilica di San Marco and St. Mark’s Basin. It is one of Italy’s greatest civic structures built in the 15th century by Alesandro Sforza. The most famous painting display here is Piero della Francesca’s masterpiece, The Flagellation. Another highlight is the remarkable portrait of Federico and his son Guidobaldo.

2. The Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari – More popular as the “Frari,” this Venetian Gothic Church is few walks away from San Marco. Filled with great art, among of the best work that can be seen here is Titian’s Assumption over the main altar – a masterpiece of soaring beauty depicting the ascension of the Madonna on a cloud puffed up by floating cherubs. (Source: Frommer’s Portable Venice).

3. Piazza San Marco – Tucked in the heart of Venice is the Piazza San Marco where St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace can be found. St. Mark’s is adorned with booty from every corner of the city’s once far-flung mercantile empire. Spanning the facade is a loggia, surmounted by replicas of the four famous St. Mark’s horses, the Triumphal Quadriga. The interior is a stunning wonderland of marble, alabaster, porphyry, and pillars. To arrange a tour inside the Piazza San Marco, call 041-5225205.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

4. The Scuola Grande di San Rocco – One of the Venice’s most important scuole, it has a lively facade by Scarpagnino,and inside it contains one of the womders of Venice – or rather, 54 wonders – all painted by Tintoretto. The artist took more than 20 years to complete his dramatic works in this scuola. For tours, you may call 041-523-4864.

5. The Accademia – Many writers say that the glory that was Venice lives on in the Accademia, the grand cathedral of Venetian art, ablaze with light and colour. The collection is arranged chronologically, from the former refectory of the Scuola to 14th-century altarpieces by Paolo and Lorenzo Veneziano.

6. Santi Giovanni e Paolo – It is the richest monumental public space in Venice dominated by the huge brick church from which it gets its name. The square is overlooked by the most beautiful facade of any of the scuole grandi and one of the finest equestrian monumnets in the world. It was built by the Dominican order from the 13th to the 15th century where 25 doges are buried. It is second in size to the Basilica di San Marco and also home to a number of artistic treasures.

A row of cafe-bars and a perpetual gaggle of ball-playing kids keep the atmosphere lively. To visit this church, you may call 041-523-7510 or 041-235-5913.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

You should be able to find several indispensable facts about Venice in the following paragraphs. If there’s at least one fact you didn’t know before, imagine the difference it might make.

First, you need a good pair of very comfortable shoes, something light and cool. Venice is a car-free city. Wherever you are in the city, the streets of Venice are all you have if you want to discover the heart and soul of the place.

Walking along the narrow alleys (called ?calle’) at daytime, you will discover the small squares where the Venetians go to with their children and their pets. You will also come across those small shops and cafes not even mentioned in guides and brochures. At night, the city’s charms sharpen.

Strolling

Stroll the city at night ? it can be a wonderful experience. Begin at the alley at St. Mark’s Square next to the Basilica. There will be people, some restaurants, some bridges, some gelato stands, phone booths, and the dazzling back view of the Bridge of Sighs. (Dress warm in winter, the nights are bitterly cold walking around.)

The famous bridge is lighted at night, and if it is your lucky night, a musician might be playing. It is one Venetian moment you will treasure forever. Another lucky night would be watching the moon rise, its image shimmering in the water all around, an event by itself.

Cafes and pubs and the crowd

Venice after dark is not a party town, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. Stroll around, look into the little shops, and maybe enjoy some drinks at shops still open. The area surrounding Ponti de Rialto has the largest concentration of popular bars.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Venice now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Many of these bars tend to peak at around 8pm and these pubs and restaurants close at 10:30pm. This is because many of the restaurant workers live in Mestre and other mainland towns and they need to catch the last train or bus back home.

Some, like the Tortuga Pub (off Fondamente Nuovo) is open till 1:00am and plays rock music. They also serve food even at these early hours. During Christmas season, many stalls are still open selling hot mulled wine. The one near Scalzi Church is good.

On regular days, some classical music concerts are advertised around, but you can treat yourself to a dinner or drinks at Florian’s or Quadri’s while listening to the orchestras playing live music. Although quite expensive, the experience is something for the books.

Vaporetto

Vaporettos (water buses) run through the night in Venice. You can travel to one of the islands for a meal and drinks, and return, all via these unpretentious buses that travel by water.

If the Grand Canal is enchanting by day, riding the vaporetto by night and seeing the view of the Grand Canal and its surroundings is totally worth the expense. The view of the city lighted at night is an enthralling experience.

Of course, exploring the canals riding a gondola is the more expensive way. If you are the romantic kind, you would not mind the astronomical fare, especially if the gondolier is not shy about singing his way through the whole trip. (Of course, it is only right that you fork over a big tip.) Other practical tourists go by groups of six to share the charges.

Whether strolling on foot on the streets of the city, drinking at some pubs, or gliding along the canals by gondola, Venice by night can fill up a traveler’s senses with memories that can outlast a lifetime.

Now that wasn’t hard at all, was it? And you’ve earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert’s word on Venice.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

In Europe, many people consider the city of Venice in Italy as one of the most wonderful places to visit because of its unique and mesmerizing environment. But, no matter how wonderful the place is, it’s not a guarantee that you will have a good vacation unless you prepare for it.

What you need to know before you go

Many people who have been to Venice would agree that it pays to conduct a research before going into vacation there. This is because it can help you save time and effort if you already know what to do, where to go, and how to get there. Also, it is one way of ensuring a great and safe vacation. The following are some of the things that you need to pay attention to before going on Venice vacations:

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Venice than you may have first thought.

1. Prioritize what you want to do. During Venice vacations, there are so many things that you can do. You can enjoy water activities, visit historic places, take a nature trip and breathe the fresh environment, or indulge in various activities. Before going into Venice vacations, make sure that you know what you would want to do so you can save more time in doing the things you love the most.

2. Have background information in the place you are going to. It is best to conduct a research and get the basic information in the place you are planning to go to because it will give you more time to maximize your vacation. It can also help you prepare the things that you might need in going to a specific place. Pay attention to details such as time differences, means of transportation in getting around, entry requirements such as visas or passports, the best time to visit a specific place in Venice, what are the things that you will need in your vacation, paying and cash registrations, and places to stay in.

3. Try to find out what are the best historical places that you should visit while you are there. Since you don’t have the luxury of time to visit Venice anytime, it is best that you visit the “must-see” places when going on there on a vacation. Take time to conduct brief research on historical places in Venice such as including the Piazza San Marco or the St. Marks Square and other tourist attractions within the place including the St. Marks Basilica and the Doges Palace.

4. Know what kind of type of Venice vacation that you want. When people go on Venice vacations, it is a must to tour the historical sites. However, this is not the only thing that you can do when you are there. You can also opt for more adventurous activities such as touring the place via The Grand Canal while riding a gondola or just walk the city limits and find the things that you can find. You can also go on a shopping spree in local markets that offer great finds you cannot find anywhere else in the world.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Sparkling and grimed, disused and active, domed and campanili, much of the great attractions in Venice are its churches,
scuole or guild houses and synagogues.

1. Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore – Founded in the early 10th century, this church was designed by the great Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. In this church, he imposed a classical fa?ade by designing two interlocking facades with repeating triangles, rectanges, and columns – a logical rhytym that are carefully and harmoniously proportioned. The interior of the church are whitewashed surfaces showing Paladio’s fondness on stark and majestic, unadorned but harmonious space. Two epic paintings by Tintoretto, The Fall of Manna and Morti, Chapel of the Dead can be seen near the main altar.

2. Basilica di San Marco – Once a remarkable place of worship, the basilica embodies a unique blend of architectural and decorative styles, dominated by the Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance. It’s greatest treasure is the magnificent altarpiece known as the Pala d’Oro, a Gothic masterpiece encrusted with close to 2,000 precious gems and 255 enameled panels. For tours, you can call 041-522-52 05, admission is free.

3. Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli – One of the most attractive religious buildings in Europe, it looks like an elaborate box containing the most refined of chocolates. The architect of this chiesa is Pietro Lombardo, a local artist who bejeweled it with marble, bas-reliefs and statues. The timber ceiling is also eye-catching. In 1470′s a series of miracles were reported which led to pilgrims for the image of the Virgin Mary. The chiesa’s admission fee is 2.50 euros.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Venice? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

4. Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari – Finished in 1443, the Frari is a tower of elegance in brick, eschews almost completely the twisting face like external decoration typical of French and German Gothic. The frari was built by Franciscans and has long been considered something of a memorial to the ancient glories of Venice. Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna and Child is displayed in the sacristy. For tours, you can call 041-522-2637, admission is 2.50 euros.

5. Cattedrale di San Pietro di Castello – This church is the Venice cathedral from 1451 – 1807 which sits in easy somnolence on the far-removed island of San Pietro. Legend says that the strange Trono di San Pietro was used by the Apostle Peter in Antioch and that the Holy Grail was hidden in it. However, the legend is unlikely because the seatback of the throne is actually made up of Muslim tombstone, postdating the Apostles’s death by quite a number of centuries.

6. Chiesa di San Martino – This church is named after St. Martin of Tours, Venice pride being the first christian saint to die of a natural death and not a martyr. The main attraction of Chiesa di San Martino is the ceiling fresco which depicts the Gloria di San Martino. For tours you can call 041-523-04 87, admission is free.

To avoid embarrassments and disappointments, dress appropriately when visiting churches and other sacred buildings.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO