Just around the corner from the Galleria dell'Accademia, on the Grand Canal is one of Venice's premier museums. This world-famous museum is run by the same institution, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, that manages the renowned Guggenheim Museum in New York. Peggy Guggenheim, was interested in contemporary art and came into contact with various artists who guided and educated her, including Alexander Calder and Marcel Duchamp. This museum houses her collection of contemporary art such as works by Bacon, Balla, Brancusi and Chagall. You'll also find masterpieces by the likes of De Chirico, Kandinsky, Klee, El Lissitskj, Magritte, Man Ray, Picasso and Pollock.
Spanning the girth of the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge was once the only way to get across on foot. The majestic bridge arches over the murky waters of the canal, allowing ample room for the gondolas and water buses to pass underneath. The bridge was built in between 1588 and 1591, replacing predecessors from 12th Century onward. Designed by Antonio da Ponte, the bridge has survived unscathed for over four centuries. Today, the Rialto is only one of the four bridges that serve the canal but remains the most prominent. Small shops selling all kinds of souvenirs and curiosities run the length of the bridge while the Mercato di Rialto is a popular local market nearby.
This iconic Baroque bridge was designed in the early 17th Century by Italian architect Antonio Contino. It was built over the Rio di Palazzo to connect the Doge's Palace and the New Prisons, creating a route traveled by convicts between sentencing and imprisonment. Although many attribute the bridge's name to its popularity as a romantic spot, other accounts say that it got its name due to prisoners experiencing their last glimpses of freedom. As for its English moniker, Lord Byron is credited with translating Ponte dei Sospiri to Bridge of Sighs in the 19th Century. This must-see Venetian landmark is now loved by tourists and welcomes all to see it for themselves.
You get a splendid view of Venice and the Basilica di San Marco from the tallest bell tower in Venice. It can be seen from the laguna and once you have reached the top, the whole laguna can be seen from above. Even though the Basilica di San Marco-Campanile was erected at the beginning of the 20th Century, it is an exact replica of the 15th-century bell tower. In 1609, Galileo Galilei exhibited his telescope here, and during the Carnevale, it was used to serve as a stage for the tight rope-walkers who entertained the doge with their acrobatics.
The Grand Canal carves a path through the heart of Venice and serves as the city's main thoroughfare. While water taxis and water buses operate on the waters, the canal winds its way through the center of the city, terminating at the lagoon at one end and the basin, at San Marco square, at the other. Along the way, the jade waters flow past historic structures and sprawling squares, alive with the call of the gondoliers. From the Medieval, Byzantine and Gothic to the Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical, the structures that line the Grand Canal form a chronicle of sorts of the city's architectural change across the ages. Romanticized by numerous movies and novels, a gondola ride down the Grand Canal is an essential Venetian experience.
There is a silent and almost respectful ambiance in this museum. Visitors enter Museo Correr by means of a staircase, originally built as a grand entrance to the Napoleonic Wing. From here, the tour continues through neoclassical rooms, the Royal Palace, the Canoviana Collection, Venetian Civilization, Antique Art, and Renaissance Bronze. There are many sculptures by Canova and decorative objects by Francesco Hayez. Venezia by Jacopo De' Barbari can be admired in the entrance.
Just around the corner from the Galleria dell'Accademia, on the Grand Canal is one of Venice's premier museums. This world-famous museum is run by the same institution, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, that manages the renowned Guggenheim Museum in New York. Peggy Guggenheim, was interested in contemporary art and came into contact with various artists who guided and educated her, including Alexander Calder and Marcel Duchamp. This museum houses her collection of contemporary art such as works by Bacon, Balla, Brancusi and Chagall. You'll also find masterpieces by the likes of De Chirico, Kandinsky, Klee, El Lissitskj, Magritte, Man Ray, Picasso and Pollock.
This iconic Baroque bridge was designed in the early 17th Century by Italian architect Antonio Contino. It was built over the Rio di Palazzo to connect the Doge's Palace and the New Prisons, creating a route traveled by convicts between sentencing and imprisonment. Although many attribute the bridge's name to its popularity as a romantic spot, other accounts say that it got its name due to prisoners experiencing their last glimpses of freedom. As for its English moniker, Lord Byron is credited with translating Ponte dei Sospiri to Bridge of Sighs in the 19th Century. This must-see Venetian landmark is now loved by tourists and welcomes all to see it for themselves.
Spanning the girth of the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge was once the only way to get across on foot. The majestic bridge arches over the murky waters of the canal, allowing ample room for the gondolas and water buses to pass underneath. The bridge was built in between 1588 and 1591, replacing predecessors from 12th Century onward. Designed by Antonio da Ponte, the bridge has survived unscathed for over four centuries. Today, the Rialto is only one of the four bridges that serve the canal but remains the most prominent. Small shops selling all kinds of souvenirs and curiosities run the length of the bridge while the Mercato di Rialto is a popular local market nearby.
The city of Venice is known for its lovely bridges and promenades, the Riva Degli Schiavoni is one such landmark. Running across the St. Mark's Basin, it is one of the most visited sights in town and dates back to the 9th Century. Starting off at the Doge's Palace, it boasts of traditional markets, stalls that offer souvenirs, masks and of course delightful short eats and light fare. This area is also home to many hotels, ancient buildings, Vittorio Emmanuele II Monumen and La Pietà church. You can simply take a stroll and enjoy the great views or indulge in people watching at Riva Degli Schiavoni.
You get a splendid view of Venice and the Basilica di San Marco from the tallest bell tower in Venice. It can be seen from the laguna and once you have reached the top, the whole laguna can be seen from above. Even though the Basilica di San Marco-Campanile was erected at the beginning of the 20th Century, it is an exact replica of the 15th-century bell tower. In 1609, Galileo Galilei exhibited his telescope here, and during the Carnevale, it was used to serve as a stage for the tight rope-walkers who entertained the doge with their acrobatics.
Venice has only four bridges that traverse the famous Grand Canal. Ponte dell'Accademia is one of them connecting the neighborhoods of San Marco and Dorsoduro. It was originally built in 1854 and reconstructed twice to form the present structure. Though the bridge itself is not too great to look at, it affords magnificent views of gondolas and water taxis sailing through the Grand Canal and the play of sunlight creating myriad shadows on the surrounding red Venetian buildings. It is also a romantic spot and a popular destination with couples who wait to watch the awe-inspiring sunsets. Despite it being illegal, many couples attach talismans and love locks to the metallic rails of Ponte dell'Accademia as a symbol of eternal love.