A Walk Through The Heart Of Venice

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a leisurely walk around St. Mark’s Square and on toward the 16th-century Rialto Bridge that spans the Grand Canal. To reach the square – which Napoleon called “the most beautiful drawing room in Europe” – you will cruise the Giudecca Canal in a motorized vaporetti. Although St. Mark’s Basilica dominates its namesake square, there is much more to see around this famed gathering place. Highlights include a 15th-century clock tower that displays the time and phase of the moon, and the lacy limestone and pink marble façade of the Doge’s Palace. The nearby Bridge of Sighs is named for the sighs of the prisoners that passed over it while walking to the interrogation rooms at the palace. As you walk along the narrow pedestrian-only lanes that wind into the Rialto area, you will pass countless luxury boutiques and cafés and drop by a factory to watch master glassblowers create exquisite Murano glassware.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Zip down the Giudecca Canal in a motorized vaporetti water bus.
• Behold the exteriors of the iconic architecture surrounding St. Mark’s Square.
• See St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and a clock tower from the 15th century.
• Stroll along the labyrinthine streets between St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge.
• Watch master artisans blow Murano glass works of art.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.