THE GLORY OF VENICE

A guided tour of the principal sights of Venice, including the Islands

1. VENICE: ART & HISTORY

‘… I have, many and many a time, thought since of this strange dream upon the water: half-wondering if it lie there yet, and if its name be Venice.…’ Charles Dickens after his visit of 1844

Venice from Giudecca, seen at dusk and dawn (photo courtesy: Cipriani Hotel)

VENICE, the 'strange dream upon the water', was founded by refugees, escaping from the barbarians in the 5th century. Gradually they established a city on numerous small islands in the Lagoon, with canals as arteries and the sea as defence.

The relics of St. Mark were smuggled to Venice in the 9th century, a prestigious shrine which attracted pilgrims and trade. Because of her geographical position, Venice became the commercial link between East and West and her wealth grew. Ships built by Venetians were chartered by the Crusaders. Lucrative monopolies in spices and glass-blowing added to her power and magnificence. Although initially dominated by Byzantium the city soon became a free republic under its elected Doge, the last of whom was deposed by Napoleon in 1797.

Water makes Venice unique*. It is the sight and sound of Venice, lapping against the steps of the palazzi, nudging the black gondolas against their mooring-posts. No visitor should miss arriving by water and the moment the distant campanili of the city appear from across the Lagoon.

Canaletto (1697-1768) captured the canals, the essence of the city, their bustle and urgency and glorious pageantry. He captured too the genius of its architecture, that fusion of Byzantine and Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque.

For Venice itself is a work of art, as those who have watched the sun set behind Paladdio’s great churches, behind Longhena’s Salute on the Grand Canal, or catch the mosaics on the Basilica of St. Mark’s, can testify. But it is light that suffuses Canaletto’s pictures as it suffuses Venice - light and colour.

Colour dominates Venetian painting. Venetian artists from Carpaccio (active 1490 - died 1523/6) to Tiepolo (1696-1770) share a passion for colour but they also loved mood, movement and form. Tintoretto's (1518-94) and Veronese's (1528-88) restless canvases and portraits contrast with Giorgione's (c.1477/8-1510) masterpieces, like the great Tempest (1503) in the Accademia - so serene and mysterious - yet they are part of the same tradition.

The quintessence of Venetian painting is found in Titian (c.1487/90-1576), a genius of immense versatility, a master of compositional bravado. And in Titian's Assumption (1518) in the Frari, with its dramatic movement as the Virgin is borne by angels to Heaven, and luminous, evening light and colour, we have perhaps the embodiment of the glory of Venice, and the brilliance of her art.

*‘…STREETS FLOODED STOP PLEASE ADVISE…’ Telegram from Robert Benchley

[Further reading: no visitor to Venice should be without Venice for Pleasure by J.G. Links; Pallas Athene, £12.95. Venetian Painting by John Steer is a good, cheap survey; T&H, £6.95. And the Blue Guide, £9.99, is excellent on architecture]

THE GLORY OF VENICE

Venice: St. Mark's

The GUIDED TOUR is intended for both those familiar and unfamiliar with the city and its treasures. The innocent tourist can waste time outside closed churches or by getting lost, and can eat badly. We aim to avoid such pitfalls. The major sights will be visited, but so too will less famous gems. Travel in Venice is by water-bus (vaporetti) and is quite quick and easy, but a good deal of walking is both necessary and a pleasure. While we will want to see Venice’s principal churches, galleries and palazzi, there will be ample time to enjoy lunch, dinner, and drinks overlooking the Canale Grande. We have not included in the itinerary below several private palazzi which we will visit, by special permission of the owners, as the times of such visits will be decided nearer departure.

The tour and timetable is not rigid, but includes much of essential Venice. Everyone is free to meander, eat and drink wherever they wish.

2. TOUR

Venice: Rialto Bridge

Day 1….(Thurs.) To the church of S.M. della Salute; take traghetto (gondola ferry) to St. Mark’s Square. Drinks (weather permitting) in Square, with orchestra playing. Walk to Al Giardinetto restaurant via the church of S. Zaccaria, with newly restored Bellini altarpiece. After dinner, stroll and return to St. Mark’s Sq.; take water-bus to hotel.

Day 2….(Fri.) In morning visit Academy (Madonnas by Bellini, great paintings by Giorgione, Carpaccio, Veronese and Tintoretto). Then to the church of the Frari (S. Toma stop) and the Titian Assumption; next door is the Scuola di San Rocco with magnificent paintings (notably the Crucifixion) by Tintoretto.

Venice: Palazzetto Contarini-Fasan, Grand Canal

Lunch Da Ignazio, Calle Saoneri 2749. After lunch return to Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge. Cross Bridge and walk to Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a little marble jewel of a church by the Lombardi (father and two sons). Then a short walk to Santi Giovanni e Paulo, a huge church outside which stands Venice’s only municipal statue, the magnificent horsed Condottiere by Verrocchio (Leonardo’s master). A short walk to the Fondamente Nuove, the quay overlooking the burial island of San Michele and the glass-blowing island of Murano; turning left it is five minutes to the Jesuit church Gesuiti, which has the finest black and gold inlaid marble decoration, and trompe l’oeil, in Venice. Back via Ca d’Oro, with its stunning Grand Canal façade, which houses the Franchetti Coll. of Venetian sculpture (incl. Tullio Lombardo’s Young Couple) and variable pictures, apart from a powerful Mantegna San Sabastian).

Dinner, via walk and drink along Zattere (quay overlooking the island of Giudecca), to La Furatola, Calle Lunga S. Barnaba, seafood rest.

Day 3….(Sat.) Water-bus to Ca d’Oro; walk to Fondamente Nuove and catch the boat (40 mins.) to the colourful island of Burano. Lunch at Da Romano. Then boat to the island of Torcello, the site of the first settlement in the Lagoon, and the cathedral S.M. dell’Assunta. Return via Murano (if time) and visit S. Pietro Martire, with two fine Bellini altarpieces.

Dinner at La Madonna, near Rialto.

Day 4….(Sun.) To the Zattere and take bus to the Palladian churches of the Redentore and S. Georgio Magiore. Go up tower of the latter if open. Lunch outside (weather permitting) at Gianni on the Zattere. In p.m., after Ca Rezzonico, with its magnificent Tiepolo ceilings and 18th century art collection, by water-bus to Doge’s Palace, and see Tintoretto’s vast Paradiso, and pass through Bridge of Sighs to the dungeons where Casanova was imprisoned. Thence to St. Mark’s Cathedral. Afterwards it is a short walk via the Scuola di San Giorgio and its magnificent Carpaccios, to San Francesco della Vigna, with its Palladian façade, exquisite Lombardi chapel and beautiful cloister.

Dinner at Trat. da Remegio, 10 mins. from St. Mark’s. Concert in Vivaldi’s church (the Pieta, overlooking the Bacino) for the musical and sober.

Day 5….(Mon.) Water-taxi to airport. And home.

Links to our recommendations are below:

RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, MUSEUMS & PALACES, CHURCHES