Venice is unique: partly because of its conformation, partly because it is surrounded by water, and partly because it is an entirely pedestrian city. These and other reasons make it a curious place. The city has a shape that is bizarre because it is unplanned and the result of continuous elaboration and modification over many centuries; therefore it is, in our eyes, random and difficult to manage. It is itself that guides us, with its intricate network of calli, and often leads us to places where we never thought we would arrive. In a way, it is best to let our curiosity take us there. We should not be afraid of getting lost because this surrendering to instinct will surely pay off and we will get to discover a beautiful Venice. One of the hypotheses about the origin of its name – fanciful, but very suggestive – is that it may derive from the Latin venietiam, meaning “return,” “come again.” This hypothesis certainly sounds like an invitation, and for my part, with this tour, I hope you will get to know Venice: a beautiful and curious city.
Proposed itinerary
The tour is a leisurely stroll through calli and campielli, full of historical, artistic and cultural information. A focus will be given to the techniques that made possible the construction of the buildings we still admire today. A thousand difficulties did not deter the Venetians, who never stopped in the face of devastating fires and high waters. While it is true that the city was born somewhat by chance, nothing was then left to chance. We will pass through the sestiere (the Venetian name for the neighborhood) of Cannaregio to learn about the Ghetto, the oldest in the world, meet the statues of the Moors in the campo of the same name (the Venetian square) and see where Tintoretto lived. We will enter a beautiful garden for unparalleled views of the North Lagoon (because the gardens are there but you can’t see them!) and take the gondola-ferry to the Rialto market. After an optional short stop for a coffee or cicchetto (the excellent appetizers of osterias) we will cross the Rialto Bridge to approach St. Mark’s Square. Before reaching the city’s only square, we will make a detour to the Corte del Milion, where Marco Polo lived, and visit a mask workshop to understand the rather curious use of masks by Venetians. The tour will end in St. Mark’s Square with a brief introduction to the main monuments.
Customizable
This tour can be customized as needed.
This itinerary is proposed by:
Isabella Bariani – tour guide
Qualifications: Italian, English, Spanish
Tel: +393478530463
Email: isabella.bariani@goguide.it
Website: www.venetianguide.it
VAT number: 03324570278
Contatta una guida
The itineraries in this guidebook:
