Venice City Breaks

A towering fixture of Venice’s skyline, the Campanile is not only Venice’s highest building, but it’s also one of the oldest monuments on the island. The building functions as the bell tower of St Mark’s Basilica and was originally constructed in 912 but had to be completely rebuilt after the entire tower collapsed in 1902.

The reconstructed 19th century Campanile was built to resemble the original design as closely as possible and it’s well worth a visit on account of its incredible views of Venice and its surrounding islands. There’s a lift for visitors to use to access the top of the tower and, on a particularly fine day, the spellbinding view may extend to the Dolomite mountain range.

In a city full of iconic landmarks, the Bridge of Sighs is still one of Venice’s most instantly recognisable and most visited attractions.

Designed by the nephew of the man who created Venice’s other famous bridge, the Rialto, the bridge was completed in the early 17th century. It takes its name from its position between what was once the interrogation room of the Doge’s Palace and the prison, which meant that the bridge was one of the final things convicted men would see before their imprisonment.

Venice’s most famous square tells the story of the island’s history through its buildings. It’s the location of the world-renowned sites of St Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile and the Doge’s Palace.

Byzantine splendour of St Mark’s, which was originally built as somewhere to keep the relics of St Mark the Evangelist, which Venetian merchants had stolen from Alexandria in the 9th century.

This lavish place of worship was used by the Doge of Venice as his private chapel, complete with over 8000 square metres of mosaic and priceless treasures including the four bronze horses which were looted from Constantinople during the Crusades, before it was made the city’s official cathedral in the early 19th century.

The city has inspired so many artists, and it’s little wonder that Venice has several outstanding galleries, namely the Accademia and Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

The historic Gallerie dell’Accademia offers a brilliant overview of Venetian art through the centuries, and visitors have Napoleon to thank for many of the artistic treasures that are on display here.

Having plundered Venice’s churches and religious buildings, the Accademia is where Napoleon chose to deposit his spoils. Now spread over three buildings, there is an overwhelming amount to see.

Enjoying an aperitivo with some cichetti (snacks) is a Venetian evening tradition, so it would be rude not to join in whilst on holiday in Venice.

The beautiful thing about this ritual is that it can be done in grand style, think bellinis at Harry’s Bar or simply at a local bar, such as All’Arco, where an Aperol Spritz or a glass of Prosecco and something to nibble on is had standing up at the counter.

Venice is full of extraordinary sights but, if you can tear yourself away, it’s certainly worth spending a little time exploring the other islands located in the Venetian lagoon.

Highlights are Murano, renowned for its glasswork, Burano, famous for its multi-coloured array of houses, and the ancient island of Torcello, where an exquisite 11th century mosaic of Madonna with Child can be found in the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta.

The island of San Michele, Venice’s cemetery island, which is the final resting place of ballet dancer Sergei Diaghilev and composer Igor Stravinsky.