More great sights in Venice!

Ca' d'Oro.  Among the things on the top of your list to see in Venice is the Ca’ d’Oro (literally translated: "golden house").  It is an old merchant’s house, named for the gold facade that it used to have (before it was eroded by wind and rain).  

The inside has two floors containing many works of art, as well as frescoes in various stages of disrepair.  The views of the canal are spectacular and well worth the trip.  

Gallerie dell’Accademia.   The Gallerie is filled with art from the Byzantine era, during the height of Venetian painting.  It is an amazing gallery.  A couple of tips:  arrive at least two hours before the “last ticket sold” time is.  You will want a couple of hours to absorb everything.  We arrived about 45 minutes before the last ticket was supposed to be sold and were told that they were closed.  Um, what?  Also, the numbering of the paintings in the galleries is a little eschewed.  Don’t be alarmed if #1 is on one end of the room and #2 is down the hall and oh yeah,  #3 doesn't exist.  It might be gone for restoration and it may–or may not–be replaced with something else. Oh, and if that something else is there they won’t tell you what that painting is. Enjoy!  There is an audio guide... which only works for some things.  (Again if the painting is replaced you may find yourself staring at one thing while the audio describes something completely different.  The first time it happened, I thought I was crazy.  We were like, "I don't see any horses in this picture... unless.. wait, is that supposed to be a horse?  It looks to me like an old woman in a hat." etc etc)  There is a laminated guide for other things, but it is not necessarily accurate.  All this said, it is beautiful, but not particularly organized.  If you can get past that and just go with the flow, you will have a great time and enjoy some fantastic art.


The Rialto Markets are worth a walk around.  However it is very crowded and it is hard to take in your surroundings when you are fighting to get through the crowds.  I recommend stopping at one of the cafés on the canal and having a bite to eat and a glass of wine.  

It will allow you to relax and enjoy the surroundings without getting bumped and pushed.  The shops have a lot of touristy stuff (there are a few mixed in that are a little more original) but on the whole, your shopping will probably get done in other areas of town.  While you are in the area, you should take a walk down to the fresh food stalls and see all they have to offer.  It is really colorful and fun.

Basilica di San Marco and The Palazzo Ducale

We were only in Venice for two days and we covered a lot.  Of course you will go to the Basilica di San Marco and the Piazza San Marco.  (The Piazza San Marco is very beautiful at night and you should take a second trip there after sunset to soak up the atmosphere).  

While at the Basilica,  climbing to the top is a must.  There are some exquisite views of the Piazza as well as the magnificent detail on the top of the building that are too good to be missed.  If you like taking photographs and have a good zoom lens you will also be able to take some great pictures of the surrounding buildings. 

From there you will want to make your way over to the Campanile.  You can take an elevator to the top for the views it offers of the whole city. 

If you are pressed on time, don’t dawdle too much because you will want to make your way over the incredibly impressive Palazzo Ducale. 

The Palazzo Ducale was once a political hub and home to the doge, it still remains the grandest of all the Venetian palazzi.  Arrive at least two hours before it closes.  Some of the rooms close early and if you arrive too late you will not be admitted to see them.  Although the entire building is more magnificent than you could imagine, nothing will prepare you for the beauty of the sala del maggior consiglio.  It is the largest room in the palazzo (as well as the city) and was the meeting place for the Great Council.  It also houses the largest oil painting of the world, which depicts Dante’s Paradiso.  It is a sight you don’t want to miss.