MUST SEE Venice sites

click below for your Venice must sees:
http://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/venice

According to Rick, and his rating system ...

▲▲▲ St. Mark’s Square Venice’s grand main square.
▲▲▲ St. Mark’s Basilica Cathedral with mosaics, saint’s bones, treasury, museum, and viewpoint of square.
▲▲▲ Doge’s Palace Art-splashed palace of former rulers, with prison accessible through Bridge of Sighs.
▲▲▲ Rialto Bridge Distinctive bridge spanning the Grand Canal, with a market nearby.
▲▲ Correr Museum Venetian history and art.
▲▲ Accademia Venice’s top art museum.
▲▲ Peggy Guggenheim Collection Popular display of 20th-century art.
▲▲ Frari Church Franciscan church featuring Renaissance masters.
▲▲ Scuola San Rocco “Tintoretto’s Sistine Chapel.”
▲ Campanile Dramatic bell tower on St. Mark’s Square with elevator to the top.
▲ Bridge of Sighs Famous enclosed bridge, part of Doge’s Palace, near St. Mark’s Square.
▲ La Salute Church Striking church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
▲ Ca’ Rezzonico Posh Grand Canal palazzo with 18th-century Venetian art.
▲ Punta della Dogana Museum of contemporary art.
▲ Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art in a canalside palazzo.
▲ Scuola Dalmata di San Giorgio Exquisite Renaissance meeting house.
Church of San Zaccaria Final resting place of St. Zechariah, plus a Bellini altarpiece and an eerie crypt.
Church of San Polo Ninth-century church with works by Tintoretto, Veronese, and Tiepolo.

Nearby Islands
▲▲ Burano Sleepy island known for lacemaking and a lace museum.
▲ San Giorgio Maggiore Island across the lagoon featuring church with Palladio architecture, Tintoretto paintings, and fine views back on Venice.
▲ Murano Island famous for glass factories and glassmaking museum.
▲ Torcello Near-deserted island with old church, bell tower, and museum.
San Michele Cemetery island on the lagoon.

Ca d'Oro, one of the more lavish palazzos on the Grand Canal is for some reason ommitted from Rick's list.
As is the gondola workshop/slipyard of Squero di San Trovaso. http://www.squerosantrovaso.com/

I don't know why the church in Torcello isn't rated higher. The mosaics are awesome in the true sense of the word!

I found Burano OK, but not worth the time away from the historical district. No one on my tour was particularly thrilled with it. YMMV.

My best memories of Venice are getting lost in the alleys either late at night or early in the morning; seeing San Marco near sunrise; and watching the gondolas glide by any time of day. The island(s) itself is the real must-see.

As far as art on the walls goes, Venice is one of the best cities to see art in situ, where it was designed to be, for instance at the Scuola San Rocco and at the Doge's Palace, which was "wallpapered with masterpieces by Veronese and Tintoretto" from the start, although other furnishings are not all still in place. Some sites covered in the books are not summarized on the At a Glance lists, and Ca D'Oro is one of those. I enjoyed Ca Rezzonica on a recent trip, as well as the surrounding square and restaurants.

One of my biggest 'must sees' is riding the vaporetto up and down the Grand Canal. Get up very early and get onto a boat around 7-7:30 am. Get a seat in the front of one of the older boats and enjoy. It's also amazing late at night. A number of the palazzos are lit up and it's one of the most amazing rides.

The vaporetto will be really crowded during the day but early or late, traveling the Grand Canal is magical.

Kathryn knows what she's talking about! All of the things on the 'check list' are certainly 'must see' sites in Venice, I wouldn't miss any of them if I could help it. But an early morning vaporetto ride to watch Venice wake up is truly amazing. I also like a very late night ride to see Venice with my beloved - then go dancing in the piazza. Now that I think of it, a vaporetto ride during the middle of the day is great too - watch the hustle and bustle of the locals, enjoy the confused expressions of first-timers who can't get over the impact Venice has on the senses, and have a bit of a relaxing trip to my next 'must see' (sure beats walking!).

Michael, remember that Venice itself is the real MUST SEE. It's an amazing experience. Enjoy!

I have not come across house museums in Venice. However, of all the large palazzos that are open to the public, Ca d'Oro gave me a little feel for what life might have been like with a view on the Grand Canal... particularly the balcony and the courtyard.

Also, while I really don't like modern art, I found the Guggenheim to provide an interesting little glimpse of the life of Peggy Guggenheim. The day I visited, I also enjoyed the patio area on the Grand Canal – the day I was there it wasn't at all crowded. That may be atypical. But the home, as well as the art, are definitely 20th century style, even though the building is much earlier.

Finally, the secret itineraries tour of the Doges palace will take you up into the prison cells under the roof – if you want a different feel for what "Home" might have been like for some unfortunates.

If you were going to Florence, definitely go to Palazzo Davenzati. It is a wonderfully restored/furnished home of a late medieval/early Renaissance successful merchant family.

Edit: A wonderful way to experience Venice and surrounding islands is to just get on a random vaporetto and get off somewhere that looks interesting. But if you were getting off at a very small or less-visited islands, make sure you know the schedule for the last boat back (and for some of those islands, the boat stops only on request). Getting a vaporetto pass makes this type of exploration affordable.

It depends on your interests. If art then:
Chiesa di S. Sebastiano: great early Veronese - prepare by reading the Book of Esther
Chiesa di S. Pantaleone: incredible ceiling by Fumiani - he died falling from the scaffold after 20 years of working on it
Scuola Grande dei Carmine: superb ceiling by G.B. Tiepolo. I would start and end with the Academia, and Tintoretto at Scuola Grande di S. Rocco. One benefits by bringing the Bible to Venice.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the torre dell'orologio tour. My wife and I did it and it was amazing. We happened to be the only 2 people on the tour and had a fantastic, knowledgeable, and energetic guide. you get to see the inter workings of the clock and get amazing views when you go all the way to the top.

In my opinion, the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's Palace is skipable. It dragged on and on and I found it to be boring. It probably didn't help that my wife and I were slightly hungover from the night before haha...

If you're looking for a "period" house, check out the perfume museum. It wasn't really my thing but you might like it.

If you like churches, don't miss La Salute and the Frari.

Don't miss the Dorsoduro neighborhood. Gets you away from the tourists and gets you an authentic feel.

Eat cicchetti, it's great.

Get lost - Venice was my favorite city, enjoy it!

the fish market in the early morning. Get an espresso and enjoy contemporary life.

"Don't miss the Dorsoduro neighborhood. Gets you away from the tourists and gets you an authentic feel.""

This was my experience too (I stayed in that area). Other than a few designated attractions like the Peggy Guggenheim and the Accademia, the area was not "touristy" or crowded at all. This is where I saw the store selling socks (not shoes - just socks), and another refilling printer cartridges.

Michael, The best way to see Venice is by kayak! We did a night tour of Venice with Venice Kayak, 4 hours on the water, along the Grand Canal and back canals as well. Fabulous time and a great perspective on a beautiful city! http://www.venicekayak.com/