Venice , one of the cities that almost everyone would like to see at least once in their life. The city is almost every day under siege by crowds of tourists, but in the evenings it almost dies out.
Venice has for decades been full of legends and myths. Many of them are real - here it is worth mentioning attempts to stretch in tourist restaurants or expensive accommodation. Others, however, are completely exaggerated - just like unbearable fragrances or the inability to buy cheaper food.
Before coming to this amazing city it is worth getting well prepared and not being surprised on the spot, and above all, plan your visit well. The Venetian Republic existed for nearly a thousand years (726-1797) and had a huge impact on the development of European culture, science or industry. At the height of its heyday it was considered the most important commercial and marine power of the world. Today, visiting monuments, churches or strolling through narrow streets, we can try to go back to the glory days of this longest-running republic in the history.
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ITALY VENICE
Venice - sightseeing and practical information
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Venice , one of the cities that almost everyone would like to see at least once in their life. The city is almost every day under siege by crowds of tourists, but in the evenings it almost dies out.
Venice has for decades been full of legends and myths. Many of them are real - here it is worth mentioning attempts to stretch in tourist restaurants or expensive accommodation. Others, however, are completely exaggerated - just like unbearable fragrances or the inability to buy cheaper food.
Before coming to this amazing city it is worth getting well prepared and not being surprised on the spot, and above all, plan your visit well. The Venetian Republic existed for nearly a thousand years (726-1797) and had a huge impact on the development of European culture, science or industry. At the height of its heyday it was considered the most important commercial and marine power of the world. Today, visiting monuments, churches or strolling through narrow streets, we can try to go back to the glory days of this longest-running republic in the history.
Are you going to Venice? Check out our article: Where to sleep in Venice? A handful of practical information and example hotels .
! Gondolas in Venice
Gondolas in Venice
How to visit Venice?
Venice, which everyone who visits it should not be surprised, it is excluded from traffic other than walking. Everywhere we get on our own feet, but it's worth getting to know the topography of the city beforehand. Beyond the main route, it's easy to get lost in the maze of narrow streets. We should also have the location of bridges at the back of the head - despite appearances, especially in the case of the Grand Canal, there are not so many of them.
If you want to visit the surrounding islands or faster to get from, for example, from the vicinity of the station to St. The brand can use water communication.
Public transport [update 2017]
Public vapors within the city and connection to the surrounding islands are covered by vaporetto water trams. It is an interesting but quite expensive way of communication. It is worth remembering that only the first piece of luggage is free, for each additional one we pay the price as for an adult ticket.
The cost of a one-off journey is 7.50 € . Long-term tickets are more profitable - a daily ticket costs as much as € 20 , a two-day ticket is € 30 , a three-day ticket is € 40 , and a weekly "only" € 60 .
Detailed timetables for all lines and bus stops can be downloaded from the carrier's official website .
Tickets can be purchased in vending machines located near bus stops or in newsagents located nearby. At the Square of St. The brand has a marina with an information point from which several lines depart.
Gondola cruise [update 2017]
If we ask a random person about what Venice is associated with, most probably will mention gondolas. Not always a gondola cruise resembles the one known from films and postcards, for many it is the most important point when visiting this historic city.
The city authorities set a fixed rate for all gondolas. For less than an hour's ride we will pay 80 € ( for the whole gondola, regardless of the number of people ), and each extension for 20 minutes will increase the amount by 40 € . After 19:00, the price increases to 100 € , and each subsequent 20 minutes is 50 € .
Up to 6 people can stay in one gondola. During the day in some places gondolas are standing in traffic jams and the channels are clogged, we can then slightly regret the expense. On some routes at the peak of the day, we may lack privacy, when hundreds of people pass through the sidewalks and take pictures of us.
We can catch a gondola in several places, but remember that the starting place defines the route. There are stops on this page - and after clicking on the stop we will see the exact route.
Venezia Unica City Pass Card [updated 2017]
The city authorities of Venice have created a special city card, Venezia Unica City Pass . The way it works is quite unique - we can decide which services or packages we want to "punch" ourselves.
The downside is that the card is assigned to one user by name. If we go in 2 or 3 people, we must get 2 or 3 cards. We can download long-term public transport packages, museums (single or packet) or even a parking space.
The card can be ordered on the official website and picked up at the tourist information desk or in one of the machines. We can also purchase the card on the spot. It is worth calculating the budget beforehand. If we are going for 1 or 2 days, it is not worth choosing the biggest packages - we will not be able to visit all places temporarily.
Sample prices of packages can be found on the subpage Prices in Venice (Attraction prices) .
How much time do you spend on visiting Venice?
Many people come to Venice for one day. However, you must honestly admit that one day is very little and besides the most important attractions (mostly from outside) it will be hard for us to get to know this amazing city better.
It can be assumed that for a more detailed visit to Venice itself, a minimum of 3 days is needed, and in the case of joining the surrounding islands we need 5 to 7 days .
If we are going for a shorter time, let's try to plan your day more calmly, so that in a hurry to move between attractions you also have time to feel the city's climate.
Tourist information point [update 2017]
The most important tourist information point is located at the Santa Lucia station, right by the platforms from which trains leave. On the spot we will get a map and pick up and purchase the Venezia Unica Pass card. The open point is daily from 7:00 to 21:00 .
Another of the tourist information points is located on St. A brand in the Museo Correr building. This open point is shorter - from 9:00 to 19:00 .
toilets
In Venice, we can find several city toilets operated by Veritas. However, they are relatively expensive - the cost is up to € 1.50 . According to the city's assurances, all toilets are adapted to the disabled.
A map of public toilets can be found on the official Veritas website at this address .
Facilitation for disabled people and with limited mobility
Due to its specificity, Venice is not a simple city to explore for people with limited mobility. Many bridges or sidewalks in the middle of the city are difficult to move for people on a wheelchair or on crutches. The situation looks a little better at Plac św. The brand and the quay - bridges have been installed there on the bridges that allow passage without stepping up. The most convenient way to start sightseeing in Venice can be to use the water tram and go straight to St. Mark's Square. Make and start exploring there. Water trams have a special ramp and a special place for wheelchair users is set in the middle.
The Venice authorities have made available a special page in English with a list of walking routes available for people with limited mobility - located at this address .
What is worth emphasizing - people in wheelchairs enter for free the most important urban museums together with an accompanying person - this concerns, among others, The Ducal Palace or the Correr Museum.
Visiting Venice
Almost everyone who comes to Venice takes their first steps to St. A brand that leads to several ever-congested thoroughfares. In our opinion, it is worth planning your walk in order to go through the climatic district of San Polo and cross the Grand Canal with the Rialto bridge (Ponte di Rialto) . The bridge itself is one of the most interesting examples of using a crossing over the water to improve the everyday life of residents by building it with utility buildings, similar to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence.
Many people choose a route from the station through the district of Cannaregio leading along Strada Nova . Today, however, it is a crowded street with dozens of modern shops or restaurants, more like a fashionable street in Rome than the atmospheric narrow streets found in other parts of Venice ..
The Great Canal itself (Canale Grande) divides Venice into almost equal halves. What may surprise you, there are almost no bridges on the Grand Canal. Until recently, the only crossing was the Rialto bridge, and today we can find only 4 bridges in various places on the canal. The canal has a length of almost 4 kilometers and on its entire length many buildings with beautiful facades were built. Unfortunately, not every one of them will be seen from the street level. On some fragments there is no way to approach the shore. A lot of free space for walks can be found west of the Rialto bridge.
St. Mark
The most important point when visiting Venice is of course St. The brand and it's the most important city attractions. Almost always there are crowds on the square, and long queues run to each of the attractions. If we want to visit all the most important monuments, we should plan at least one whole day for them, although in the case of longer queues, this may not be enough.
he most important building on the square is, of course, the beautifully decorated Basilica of St. Brand . The temple impresses with its golden mosaic and bronze statues of four horses. These horses are Rumzy Lysa and were made in ancient times. They got to Venice from Constantinople, from where they were brought during one of the crusades. Previously, they probably were on the Greek island of Chios. However, not everyone knows that the statues on the facade are faithful replicas - their originals are in the museum located inside the Basilica.
The Basilica delights from the outside, but inside it beats Byzantine splendor. Huge columns and mosaics on the ceiling and vaults do not allow you to concentrate on any of the elements at first.
There are always queues to the Basilica. Entrance to the center is possible from 9:30 (but even 30 minutes before the opening of the queue in the season can stretch for several dozen meters) to 17:00 (last entry 16:45). The entrance is free .
You can not enter the Basilica with any luggage. This is very rigorously checked and there is no point counting on being squeezed. After checking, we will be asked from the queue. Fortunately, on the northern side of the temple there is a luggage room at Ateneo San Basso (the northern part of Piazzetta dei Leoncini).
In the middle you can not use cameras or cameras. If we are not properly dressed, we can not be allowed inside. We should have a top covering the shoulders and shorts covering the knees.
Although the entrance to the Basilica itself is free, in the middle you will also find paid parts:
The treasury - 9: 45-17: 00 (on Sunday from 12:00), ticket 3 € - in the middle you will see gold and silver products created by the Venetian goldsmiths. The most important elements of the collection were brought from Constantinople, although there are also exhibits of Islamic art. [update 2017]
Pala d'Oro altar (Golden Altar) - 9: 45-17: 00 (on Sunday from 12:00), 2 € ticket - it is difficult to describe this altar with words, it is a real work of jewelery art. It is hard to say that there are over 1000 pearls and 300 emeralds and the same number of sapphires. [update 2017]
Museum of the Basilica - 9: 45-16: 45, ticket 5 € - many people visit the museum only in order to enter the upper floor and exit to the observation deck. It must be admitted, however, that the museum's collection is very rich - in addition to the above-mentioned Lzyzypa Chops, in the middle you will see carpets, valuable manuscripts, remains of ancient mosaics and many liturgical exhibits. [update 2017]
The best lookout point in the city is Belfry of St. Brand . It is also the tallest building in Venice - its height is 99 meters . In front of the tower, long queues are always formed. However, we should not panic, everything goes quite smoothly - we drive up the elevator and the queue decreases relatively quickly.
The second most important monument is the majestic Doge's Palace . His courtyard and the stairs of the Scala dei Giganti , with the sculptures of Neptune and Mars, delight. In the middle we will visit many rooms, including huge halls in which Dozowie ruled the authorities. We will also see the apartments and enter the armory. If we do not want to hurry, we should plan a visit for at least two hours .
The palace is connected with the famous Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) next to the prison. This is where the convicts were led to the trial. We can visit the prison and, of course, go to the famous bridge. The prison itself is also a unique attraction on a European scale - mainly due to the number of rooms and its size. Some of the prison rooms are open and you can look at them.
Other museums on St. Mark's Square Mark:
Museo Correr - a museum dedicated to the history, culture and art of Venice. An interesting part of the museum is the so-called Napoleon's wing, or neoclassical rooms resembling a palace rather than a museum.
Museo Archeologoco Nazionale (National Archaeological Museum) - one of the most important archaeological museums in Italy. The museum was founded in 1523, and the collection has many exhibits from ancient Greece and ancient Rome. Vases, sculptures, marble and ivory products, ceramics, coins - all of this can be found in this institution.
Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana (historical rooms of the municipal library) - we can also visit some of the rooms of the historical library. Do not let us fool you, in the middle of these rooms look like a great palace. Interesting exhibits are certainly a map of the world from 1450 (before the discovery of America) created by the Italian cartographer Fra Mauro, ancient sculptures and frescoes.
You can purchase a combined ticket to all attractions on St. Brand - we should ask for such a ticket at the ticket office of any of the attractions. [update 2017]
Churches of Venice
At the time of the greatest prosperity of the city, there were almost 140 churches in its area. Until today, not enough has been preserved. Some have been closed, others are only open during Sunday mass. The most wonderful of them, however, are possible to visit - in the middle you will find works like from the largest art galleries. The most important of them are managed by the Chorus Venezia organizations. Entry to the facilities from the Chorus Venezia list costs 3 € (for one), but we can purchase a combined ticket allowing entry to all of them at a price of 12 € . [update 2017]
Some of the churches worth visiting:
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - one of the most important Franciscan complexes throughout Italy. Inside, the post-mortem monument of Antonio Canova is delighted, whose heart after death was brought to Venice. It is also worth looking around for the works of Titian .
Santa Maria dei Miracoli - one of the most original churches in the city, designed and created by one artist in the years 1481-1489.
San Giacomo di Rialto - a small church on the north side of the Rialto bridge. It is the oldest church in Venice, it was built in the 5th century .
San Giovanni e Paolo - the Dominican church in which we find the graves of many Doge. The temple is located at the beautiful square of Campo San Giovanni e Paolo for which it is worth coming here even if you do not plan to visit the church itself.
In churches, you usually can not take pictures or make movies. Information about this can be found at the entrance. In the case of some churches, we may be asked in case of inadequate dress.
Opening hours of churches [update 2017]
Churches in Venice are usually open from Monday to Saturday from 10:30 to 16:30 (last entry 16:20).
The church of San Giovanni Elemosinario is open from 10:30 to 13:15 (last entry 13:00) .
The church of San Stae is open from 13:45 to 16:30 (last entry 16:20) .
The Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is open longer, from 9:00 to 18:00 (on Sunday from 13:00 to 18:00, the last entry is 17:30) .
Palaces, museums and other important venues of Venice
When strolling around Venice, we come across the facade of a beautiful palace and another building with historical significance. In many of the palaces today there are museums and exhibitions, and some of them are in private hands. In the case of some, we can not go inside, although we can look, for example, in the courtyard.
We will run out of time to see and see all of them. It is, however, worth a look at the chosen and see the richness of the splendor of the Republic of Venice.
Worth visiting:
Teatro La Fenice (Phoenix Theater) - Venice was one of the precursors of the world opera. One of the most important places related to music is Teatro La Fenice. We can visit the theater alone with an audio guide. Unfortunately, it is not possible to enter the lower floor. The interior of the theater can be seen from the royal box located in the middle in front of the stage. It is worth remembering that today's building is an almost faithful reconstruction - the original theater burned on January 29, 1996 . During the reconstruction the theater was modernized and the number of seats increased from 840 to 1000.
Gallerie dell'Accademia - one of the most important art galleries in Italy. In the middle are exhibited works of the greatest artists of Europe until the nineteenth century. Inside, we'll see works by artists such as Hieronymus Bosch, Giovanni Bellini, Tintoretto, Titian and Paolo Veronese. The greatest treasure of the museum is Leonardo da Vinci 's work "Vitruvian Man" , which everyone certainly associates - although he may not be aware of its name. Unfortunately, work is rarely displayed publicly. In 2013, the sketch was exhibited for the first time in 30 years in a public exhibition.
Scuola Grande di San Rocco - former residence of the brotherhood of Saint. Rocha, which today houses an art gallery with an enormous collection of Tintoretto works. The measure impresses with its splendor, and most of the paintings are in the original place, everything looks just like a few centuries ago. The building is located next to the church of St. Rocha, in which there are the remains of the saint. It is distinguished by a beautiful marble facade.
Museo del Settecento Veneziano (Ca 'Rezzonico Palace) - a museum of eighteenth-century Venice, in a beautiful palace right next to the Grand Canal. In the middle we will see, among others paintings, clothing or silk products. We can see how rich Venetian merchants wore in the eighteenth century and what their tableware looked like.
Ca 'd'Oro (Palazzo Santa Sofia) - another of the palaces located at the Grand Canal. In the middle is a gallery of Venetian masters. Even if you do not plan to come inside, it is worth seeing the façade of this 15th-century building. Inside, we will look at works, among others Titian or Anton van Dyck.
Castello district
East of St. The brand will find another Venice, less tourist, the Castello area. It is in this rather extensive area that many indigenous people live. We find here shops or cafes less oriented on tourists, and more on local residents. It is a district of enormous contrasts, which is further from Plac Św. The brand, the neighborhood seems more neglected. A very atmospheric street is Fondamenta Sant'Anna walking along the canal, which is crossed by filigree bridges. We will get to it via Via Giuseppe Garibaldi , where there are, among others, Chiesa San Francesco di Paola church, Coop market and many restaurants.
The most important complex of the Castello district is, of course, the famous Arsenal (Arsenale di Venezia) , that is, the shipbuilding and military complex of Venice surrounded by walls. Until the industrial revolution in the eighteenth century it was the largest shipbuilding complex in Europe - even several thousand employees worked on the site.
Today, the area is not open to visitors except for temporary exhibitions. However, it is worth approaching the main gate ( Porta Magna ), which faces two sculptures of lions brought from Greece - one of them was in the port of Piraeus, the other on the road from Eleusis to Athens.
Near the Arsenal is the Maritime Museum (Museo Storico Navale di Venezia) . Inside, many exhibits related to the sea and the history of the Venetian fleet were exhibited - including models of ships, weapons and paintings depicting life at sea. On the spot, we can fully understand how the great naval power in the past was the Republic of Venice.
On the eastern part of Castello there is a small island of San Pietro , whose pearl is the basilica di San Pietro di Castello . Until 1807, the church served as a cathedral. In the middle you will find monumental tombs and sculptures. Today we can visit the basilica during mass, although it is sometimes open also in the middle of the day.
Almost near the bridge leading to the island of San Pietro, at the end of Salizada Streta , there is a bridge leading to the gardens of the arsenal ( La Biennale di Venezia - Educational Arsenal, open from 10:00 ), where some of the buildings were converted into exhibition pavilions. Up to now, there are paid exhibitions on the greater part of the area. The east side of the garden is usually open to visitors (free). It is worth going there to see from the inside the industrial part of the Arsenal, which is normally hidden behind the walls.
In the south, in turn, we find the largest green area of the island, the Giardini della Biennale gardens. In the garden itself, the sculptures and pavilions first of all fall into the eyes. If you are going there, it is worth choosing a route along the water and walk along the promenade every now and then passing through climatic bridges. All of the bridges are adapted to people with limited mobility - on each of them there is a ramp.
Heading east from the garden, after crossing the bridge, you will get to the Park Parco delle Rimembranze . And we will feel nothing in a small town by the Polish sea. Fields, paths, small shops and benches, affordable prices - you can not feel here at all that we are in one of the most important places in the history of Europe.
Santa Croce district
On the western side of the Grand Canal and to the south of the train station is the Santa Croce area. As in the case of Castello, many indigenous people live here. With the exception of routes leading to St. The brand streets and squares on Santa Croce are deserted.
One of the most important monuments of the district is certainly Palazzo Mocenigo palace, turned into a museum devoted to the dress and everyday life of the inhabitants of Venice. In addition to clothes, we will also see tableware, furniture or paintings belonging to the Mocenigo family. Part of the museum was also devoted to perfumes.
Another of the frequently visited places is the Ca 'Pesaro Palace , which today houses the Museum of Modern Art ( Ca' Pesaro Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna ). Both palaces are located close to each other.
A piece from the train station is the garden of Giardino Papadopoli . It is a good place for a short rest on one of the benches, without crowds of tourists.
Carnival
One of the most famous carnivals in the world takes place in Venice. Almost everyone associates specific Venetian masks in which residents parade during this period. Today it is difficult to determine where this custom came from, but the first mentions of wearing masks during the carnival appeared in the thirteenth century.
In the past, residents could wear masks starting from December 26 to Ash Wednesday - during the remaining period, dressing of masks was forbidden by law.
It is worth remembering that during the carnival, the city is visited by several million tourists - so the accommodation prices are close to the high holiday season.
Morning sightseeing
Everyone who visited St. At noon, the brand certainly has crowds of tourists in mind. Similarly with the movement of the main arteries in the middle of the day. If we would like to see an almost empty St. Make or go empty streets or an empty Rialto bridge - it's worth starting the tour between 6:00 and 7:00.
In the warm months it is already clear, and in St. The brand will meet only a dozen tourists having the same idea as us.
