Spending a few days in Venice? Or perhaps your ship is sailing into nearby Trieste, which is just shy of two hours away by car. How can you maximise your time in the City of Bridges?
We spent two days in Venice ahead of joining Celebrity Constellation and as we’ve found previously, being nearby the port of embarkation a couple of days before sailing really helps with getting into the holiday mode.
So, you have limited time in the city what do you do? Here’s what we managed to cover:
Doge’s Palace with Prisons
Starting in the heart of Venice at Piazza San Marco we met our friendly guide before skipping the line and heading into the palace. Once inside you’re instantly immersed into the history of the palace. Learning about the statues of Poseidon and Athena and how Doge’s were ‘crowned’ on these steps. A unique execution took place on these steps but you’d have to book the tour to find out what really happened; we don’t want to give away too many spoilers.
Eventually you climb the many stairs of the palace taking in the frescos painted in gold leaf, along with the many paintings and artworks that are in every room of the palace whether it’s a reception room or a court room, there are impressive works everywhere you look.
Once you’ve explored the palace, things go from the opulence of palace life to the prisons. Did you know the prisoners were given wine? This is where you get to walk over the ‘Bridge of Sighs’ which has two windows where prisoners would take one last look at freedom before serving their time.
Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello and Burano
This tour starts off at St Marks water taxi pick up point. The trip begins with a visit to Murano to watch a glass blowing demonstration which is fascinating to watch the master at work, creating works of art and practical objects from flame to form. The demonstration is only short and there is time to look around the showroom and a small part of the island. Did you know this is the only island in Venice with fires?
Second stop is the small island of Torcello with a short walk towards the church where you can browse the small number of market stalls or stop for a drink or perhaps some gelato at one of the restaurants.
Finally the highlight of the tour: Burano, with its colourful houses and plentiful shops. This island is an instagrammers paradise as it offers up so many picture perfect moments.
Like the sound of this tour? You can book it via this link https://gyg.me/Oo2KsppS
St. Mark’s Bell Tower
We booked last minute but for only €12 each we decided to ascend to the top to watch the sunset across the terracotta tiles of Venice. It really offers a different perspective of the city and a chance to view the islands from above.
Of course there’s plenty to see for free during your time in Venice; we attempted to see as many of the 400 bridges as possible, including Rialto Bridge. Google Maps was definitely our best friend during our time there though, it made for a far less daunting experience as we navigated around the narrow streets. You can also splash out €120 for a gondola ride should you wish but this was something we’d done on our previous visit.
Be prepared to walk A LOT during your time in Venice and remember to look up, you never know what you might be missing out on!
Top tip
Download the CheBateo? app to help navigate the complex waterways of Venice.
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