Jersey Travels

Taking a Vaporetto across the lagoon to Murano, the home of Venice’s renowned glass makers, is a must-do activity for anybody visiting the city of canals. In the 13th century, they were brought here to lessen the possibility of a fire breaking out in one of the glass furnaces sweeping across the densely packed core of Venice.

The Council of Ten of the Venetians took serious notice of this, passing a law in 1454 that stated: “If a glassblower takes his skill to another country to the detriment of the Republic, he shall be ordered to return; should he refuse, his nearest relatives shall be thrown into prison to induce him to return; should he persist in his secret disobedience measures shall be taken to eliminate him wherever he may be.” If they were restricted to an island, keeping track of them would be much simpler.

Today, glass showrooms and studios surround the canal, displaying anything from expensive works of art to inexpensive imported souvenirs. The Glass Museum, housed inside the 17th-century Palazzo Giustinian, houses one of the most significant collections of Venetian glass from the time of the Romans until the 20th century.

But the church of Santi Maria e Donato is not entirely made of glass; due to its multiple construction phases between the seventh and 12th centuries, it mixes Veneto-Byzantine and Early Romanesque elements. Particularly noteworthy features include the Greek marble columns with Veneto-Byzantine capitals, the animal-themed mosaic floor from the 12th century, and the statue of St.…

The Grand Canal, which connects Piazza San Marco, Rialto Bridge, and the places where the rail station and bridge from the mainland arrive, cuts through the center of Venice in a massive reverse S curve.

Only four bridges span its 3.8-kilometer length, but at various locations between them, decrepit gondolas known as spaghetti carry passengers back and forth. Anyone who claimed to have any influence in Venice would usually be found around The Grand Canal. The grand Venetian Gothic and Early Renaissance façade of the powerful families’ palaces face the canal, where the public arrives.

The most excellent way to see these grand mansions is on a voyage by Vaporetto, Venice’s floating public transportation system, along the canal. These grand palaces, or at least their façade, are still in good condition today. Or you may take a Venice Grand Canal Small Group 1-Hour Boat Tour, which includes some of the smaller canals, to visit the palaces more leisurely. 

You can’t miss the Peggy Guggenheim Collection if you adore modern art. This contemporary art museum is housed within Peggy Guggenheim’s former residence on the Grand Canal. The museum is one of Venice’s most well-liked tourist destinations because of its remarkable collection of artwork.…

One of those places where sightseeing, the arts, nightlife, and, yes, even romance coexist in harmony is Venice. Venice may appear to be a little island, but each neighborhood offers something unique. The most crucial query is: What must you visit in Venice?

St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), unquestionably the most famous church in Venice and one of the easiest to recognize in the entire world, was formerly the Doge’s private chapel and is now embellished with Byzantine art treasures that were looted and brought back by Venetian ships after Constantinople fell. 

The 4,240 square meters of gold mosaics that adorn the domes and walls within are only hinted at by the gold-backed mosaic images above the doors on the façade. These give its grand interior a particularly Byzantine feel. Still, you’ll also find gems from other eras, including later mosaics created by Titian and Tintoretto, whose names you’ll see all around the city.

Early 12th-century painters started work on the beautiful golden altarpiece, the Pala d’Oro, one of the best in Europe. Several decades later, approximately 2,000 diamonds and precious stones were added. Look down at the floor, a work of marble inlay, if you can tear your eyes away from this, the mosaic domes, and the numerous elaborately painted altars. Spend some time admiring the gold icons and shrines in the Treasury.…

Once upon a time, visitors to Venice would come ashore beneath the facade of this remarkable palace. Their admiration for its vastness and the elegance of its architecture was unavoidable.

If the Doges welcomed them, the impression would only grow as they passed through the Porta della Carta, a magnificent example of Venetian Gothic at its height, and climbed the towering Scala dei Giganti and the gold-vaulted Scala d’Oro before being welcomed in Sala del Collegio, a room that many people believe to be the palace’s most stunning space.

Even jaded tourists from the twenty-first century are amazed by the palace’s grandeur and expensive decorations. All the great Venetian artists are represented, including Tintoretto, whose Paradise is the enormous oil painting in the entire world.

A stroll across the Bridge of Sighs to the dark cells of the Prigioni, the jails from which Casanova made his infamous escape, is included in private tours but is not accessible to the general public. The Ponte della Paglia, located on the Riva Degli Schiavoni behind the Doge’s Palace, has the most excellent perspective of the Bridge of Sighs and is a famous postcard location.

The Doge’s Palace frequently has large lines for admittance, but if you purchase a Skip the Line: Doge’s Palace Ticket and Tour, you can skip these lines and view parts of the palace that are not accessible to ordinary tourists. Before guiding you under the Bridge of Sighs and inside the renowned jail, a local guide will escort you through the lines and discuss the history and artwork in each opulent apartment.…