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Ca' Rezzonico
Palazzo and art museum in Venice, Italy.
The upper floors hold the palace's frescoed rooms and the eighteenth-century painting collection; that is where most of the two hours should go.
Morning · 2 hrDay 1
The Grand Canal's palaces and canvases
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Ca' Foscari
Palace in Venice.
The grand courtyard and the view from the water-facing rooms tell the palace's story faster than any exhibit; the interior is often only partly open.
Morning · 1 hr 30 min.jpg?width=800)
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
Church in Venice.
Titian's Assumption above the high altar is the reason most visitors come; the choir and the side chapels repay a slow lap.
Afternoon · 45 min.jpg?width=800)
Gallerie dell'Accademia
Art museum in Venice, Italy.
Arrive with energy to spare; the collection is the city's core survey of Venetian painting, from the Byzantine to the late eighteenth century.
Evening · 2 hrCa' Rezzonico and Ca' Foscari are a short walk apart on the Grand Canal; the Frari lies just across the water through San Polo, before the afternoon crowds arrive.
Day 2
Churches and the lagoon's far bank
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Il Redentore
Roman Catholic church in Venice, Italy.
Reach it by vaporetto to Giudecca; the church is usually quiet, and Palladio's facade shows its geometry best from the water.
Morning · 45 min
Santa Maria della Salute
Church in Venice, Italy.
The spiral staircase in the sacristy and the Titian ceiling there are easy to miss in the shadow of the great dome.
Morning · 45 min%20-%20Facade.jpg?width=800)
Teatro La Fenice
Opera house in Venice, Italy.
The only way inside is a guided tour; check the schedule at the box office next to the entrance.
Afternoon · 1 hr.jpg?width=800)
Church of San Giorgio Maggiore
Basilica on the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice.
Climb the campanile at the end of the visit, when the light on the lagoon and the San Marco skyline are at their best.
Evening · 45 minA vaporetto pass pays for itself today; the day moves between Giudecca, the tip of Dorsoduro and San Giorgio Maggiore.
Day 3
The historic centre on foot
Ca' d'Oro
Palace and art gallery in Venice, Italy.
The gothic facade draws the eye from the canal, but the courtyard and the painting collection inside are the quieter half of the visit.
Morning · 2 hr
Rialto Bridge
One of four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
Cross early, before the market crowds; the view down the Grand Canal from the centre of the arch is worth a pause.
Morning · 45 min
St Mark's Basilica
Church in Venice, Italy.
Shoulders and knees must be covered; arrive with the afternoon opening to meet the shortest queue of the day.
Afternoon · 45 min
Santi Giovanni e Paolo
Church in Venice, Italy.
The evening is quiet here; Verrocchio's equestrian monument outside and the altarpieces within reward a slow visit.
Evening · 45 minThe morning is the quiet window at the Rialto Bridge; St Mark's Basilica asks for covered shoulders and knees, so carry a light layer.
Good to know
How do you get around Venice on this route?
On foot within each neighbourhood, and by vaporetto across the Grand Canal and the lagoon. Day two in particular crosses to Giudecca and San Giorgio Maggiore, where the water bus earns its keep.
Do Venice churches have a dress code?
St Mark's Basilica requires covered shoulders and knees. Several churches on this route are active places of worship, so modest dress and a quiet manner are welcome everywhere.
When is the best time to see St Mark's Basilica?
Early afternoon on this trip, timed with the opening. The queue moves fastest then, and the mosaics catch the afternoon light.
Can you go inside Teatro La Fenice?
Only with a guided tour. The box office at the theatre entrance lists the day's tour times, and the ornate foyer alone is worth a stop.
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