Basilica di San Marco

Saint Mark's Basilica, is one of the must see sights on a visit to Venice. It sits on the Piazza San Marcoand and is both a beautiful building and a reminder of the Venetian Republic’s glory days. There are often long queues to get inside the basilica, but once inside you can soak up the atmosphere of intense religious significance and also marvel at the beauty. If you want to know more, then you can head upstairs to the museum which will provide with a detailed history and explain the significance behind the Basilica in more detail.

San Giovanni e Paolo

This massive Dominican church is another must see when visiting the city. Underneath you can find many tombs of the old leaders (Doges) who guided the city through its heyday, which compliment the beautiful interior and exterior of the church.

Jewish Ghetto

This is where the word ghetto was coined, because although ghettos existed before, it was the Venetian word which gave the world the name as it comes from the word for Iron Foundry, which was based on the site before the Jewish population was walled into the area. The Jews of the ghetto were freed when Napoleon invaded the city, and there is still an active and thriving Jewish life in the city, as it accommodates five synagogues and the Sabbath is still fiercely observed.

Ponte di Rialto

Ponte di Rialto, or the Rialto Bridge is probably the most iconic of Venice’s landmarks. Is situated on the San Polo, the smallest sestiere, and is a beautiful and romantic spot to stroll along or to glide under. It was rebuilt in 1591 to replace the original which collapsed in 1524, and its history is as long as its aesthetic pleasure is enjoyable.

Gondola Ride

If you come to Venice then you will no doubt want to take a float along one of its many canals. You have a few different options, because the locals also need to get to and from work, so its easy enough to hop on a cheap Ride a Vaporetto (Water Bus) and see some of the sights this way. But if you feel like you are ready to splash the cash, the you can hire your very own Gondolier and they will steer you around the city on your way to a Venetian paradise. The trips vary in length and price so it best to talk to your Gondolier first before you enter the Gondola.

Walking Tour

One of the reason Venice has proved so popular with tourists for many years is because it is one of the few cities in the world which has no cars. This makes it a paradise for walking, because there are no dirty car fumes, noisy horns and cars getting in the way of experiencing the beauty of the architecture. If you are using the water busses then you can jump between islands and stroll along until you come to the next patch of water and then jump on another. The small size, coupled with the amazing amount to see in such a dense area, means that you can happily wonder at random and see many amazing sites.