Venice & The Jewels of Veneto

A MORNING WALK IN VENICE WITH DOGE’S PALACE VISIT

Please note that the amount of walking during this excursion is extensive.

Venice has no need to designate a pedestrians-only historic district because no cars are permitted within the island city – all transportation is by foot or water.

You first arrive at the Doge’s Palace and most famous plaza in Italy – St. Mark’s Square. Venetians elected their first doge, or duke, in AD 697 and began building the palace around AD 800.

The palace complex, as it exists now, mostly dates to the 14th and 15th centuries, and it brims with jaw-dropping artistic gems, including Tintoretto’s wall-sized Paradise and works by Veronese, Tiepolo and Titian. Throughout its history, Venice has been a supremely political city. Those convicted of crimes were led across the Bridge of Sighs to prison. Follow their footsteps to the prison and gaze into the cells. Casanova escaped from one of these cells. Other less-fortunate prisoners whiled away their time by inscribing graffiti on the walls, which you can still read.

You will continue this exploration by strolling through the historic Castello district. It’s the largest of Venice’s six districts. Back in the 13th century the Castello district was home to the Arsenal, where Venice’s ships were built. (Venetians boasted that they could build a complete ship in a single day.) This is also where the famous Biennale art exhibition now takes place. As you pass 800-year-old homes, you’ll hear the murmur of the soft local dialect through the open windows. Clothes flap from lines strung over tiny canals and kids kick soccer balls along cobbled alleys. It’s a real, living, breathing neighborhood, not just a historic site.

In addition to its well-known museums, Venice is also home to some highly specialized ones: Displays at the Correr are devoted to the history of Venice; the Museo della Musica contains 17th and 18th-century musical instruments and exhibits about composer Antonio Vivaldi. Known as the Red Priest for his hair color, Vivaldi taught music to the daughters of Venetian noblemen. The Museo Ebraico examines the history of the Jewish community that was confined to an island known as Ghetto Nuovo. The latter was one of Europe’s wealthiest and most cultured Jewish communities, made up in part with refugees from the Spanish Inquisition.

PRIVATE AFTER-HOURS VISIT TO SAINT MARK’S BASILICA

Welcome to Saint Mark’s Basilica. The doors of this icon are specially opened for you tonight. You will see the glorious church in the evening light and without the crowds. You’ll find it almost impossible not to gaze heavenward as you enter St. Mark’s. High overhead, magnificent domes are sheathed in mosaics telling the story of the New Testament, but don’t miss the intricate pattern of marble and mosaic tile under your feet. Ahead of you is the famous altarpiece made by 10th-century Byzantine artisans who gilded it and decorated it with precious gems, some of which were subsequently stolen by Napoleon. The building, which exemplifies the city’s historic connection to Byzantium and the Eastern Mediterranean, was finished in the 11th century and incorporates the remnants of earlier churches. Golden glass-tiled mosaics line the interior walls and cupolas, giving the church its nickname, Church of Gold. It houses treasures collected by Venetians over the centuries. The relics of St. Mark, patron saint of the city, were stolen from Alexandria, and the Tetrarch, a group of four crowned figures, was looted from Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. Every successful Venetian voyager returned with something to decorate the basilica—a frieze, a statue—and the result is one of the most stunning works of art and architecture in this amazing city.

Note: It is not always possible to arrange an after-hours visit to St. Mark’s Basilica if religious functions or festivities are taking place in the evening. We will try to organize an earlier tour, but if cancelled, an alternative option, like a visit to San Rocco, will be organized.

VENICE WALK WITH GONDOLA ARTISANS VISIT

Get an early morning start to see a side of Venice most of the tourists miss—The Dorsoduro. One of Venice’s six main sestieri, or districts, The Dorsoduro is quieter than some of the more popular districts and thus has an authentic, easygoing atmosphere. Enjoy a walking tour around this picturesque side of town before moving on to visit a gondola artisan. See the craftwork that goes into Venice’s iconic sailing vessels and meet some local masters at work.

PADUA WALKING TOUR

Join your local guide on a walking tour of medieval Padua. Discover the city’s great squares, churches and palaces.

Padua flourished as a hub of learning and discovery in the 13th and 14th centuries. The second-oldest university in Italy was founded here in 1222, hosting such students as Copernicus and faculty as Galileo. Immediately outside the Palazzo del Bo, the university’s first home, you’ll see a cafe where revolutionaries met to plot an uprising against Austrian invaders in 1848.

Stroll past the largest public square in Italy, Prato della Valle, originally laid out by the Romans and transformed in the 18th century into a graceful, elliptical open space with a serene canal and statues of local nobles. Gaze upon the Byzantine-influenced domes and towers of the vast Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, where you’ll often find a crowd waiting to offer thanks or prayers.

TORCELLO: HIDDEN TREASURE OF THE LAGOON

Settled before Venice was founded, Torcello was once the greatest, most populous city in the lagoon. Now, however, only a handful of people live there. Its centerpiece is the basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, the oldest church in the lagoon and a monument to Torcello’s lost might. The doors open early for you, so you can see the stunning 11th-century mosaic of the Last Judgment without the crowds—and with expert commentary from your art historian guide.

Before we head back to the ship, relax with a cup of coffee at a serene little Osteria on the island.

MURANO GLASS BLOWING DEMONSTRATION

Murano’s glassblowers are renowned for being amongst the best in the world—and how could they not be, with a tradition of craftsmanship dating back eight centuries? Watch a glass-master shape beautiful works of art in their Murano workshop. Before you leave, take some time to roam around the factory’s gallery to view works in a wide variety of styles—from tableware to sculptural, traditional to modern. You can even purchase some for yourself to bring a piece of Murano to your home.

CHIOGGIA MARKET VISIT

Chioggia is the quintessential Venetian Lagoon fishing village. Founded in the fifth century, it was known as the pantry of Venice because of its many small truck farms, which supplied Venetian households with produce until just a few decades ago. It is still a thriving fishing port; its wholesale fish market is one of the largest in Italy. On Thursdays, Chioggia also hosts Corso del Popolo—a dynamic outdoor market along its main thoroughfare where stands sell everything from clothes, shoes, purses, gadgets and “every-day” domestic items. Locals usually do their shopping here as prices are more affordable than retail shopping.

“Let’s Go” Biking Chioggia

Set off on a light bicycle ride along the beaches of Chioggia, an island often described as a second Venice in miniature. Head to Lusenzo Lagoon, break to see the fishing boats, and then continue on to Isola dell’Unione.

CASTELLO DEL CATAJO VISIT

Set off for the Euganean hills to discover one of Europe’s most majestic castles. Enjoy a guided tour of a palace so beautiful that it became a resort for the Habsburg Dynasty before being returned to Italy following the first world war. After marveling at its frescoed walls, continue on for a guided walk around its beautiful gardens or take some free time for yourself to explore as you please before returning to the ship.

BRAGOZZO RIDE WITH TASTINGS AT CA’ ZEN

Head to one of the most enticing islands of the Venice lagoon, Chioggia. A small fishing port often referred to as a Venice in miniature, with a well-preserved tradition due to its relative lack of crowds, Chioggia is a wonderfully authentic and picturesque island. Board a genuine Adriatic wooden sailing boat, a bragozzo, to take in the island from the clear blue waters of the lagoon.

After your sailing, return to shore for a visit to Tenuta Ca’ Zen, a beautiful Venetian villa with a fascinating story. Here, you can explore the expansive grounds, antique stable, family chapel and more before rejoining the group for a tasting of local products, which include organic olive oil, wines, honey and cheeses.

NOBLE COUNTRY VILLAS AND THEIR WINES

With a sommelier as your guide today, you will learn about the long history of winemaking in the Veneto region. Visit Dominio di Bagnoli, one of the oldest wine producing properties in Europe, for a private tasting. A variety of wines are produced here, with the most popular being made from an indigenous grape variety. The beautiful property of Dominio di Bagnoli is also a farm, where rice, grain and other products are grown. You’ll have the opportunity to see the granary on your visit today.

“DO AS THE LOCALS DO” VENICE WALKING TOUR

Back when Venice was at the height of its power, only the Rialto Bridge spanned the Grand Canal—and the city’s famous Rialto markets for fish and produce have sprawled at its feet as long as the bridge has arched over the water. Here you’ll find violet artichokes from the nearby island of Sant’Erasmo, honey from the salt marshes, white asparagus from Giare—and Venetians shopping for their dinners in the historic heart of the city. Join them as you explore the colorful, noisy and fun arcades with your guide (the ship’s chef often leads this expedition), who knows Venice’s culinary arts intimately. Freshly caught local fish is sold to knowledgeable customers under the Gothic arches of the covered fish market, which was probably originally built in the 11th century. At the end of the tour, join your guide at a bacaro (a casual wine bar) for the Venetian version of happy hour, called ombra e cicchetti—a drink (often a glass of prosecco) with a bite of something delicious— perhaps crostini with salt cod spread or another Venetian fish specialty.

RIALTO WALKING TOUR WITH CASANOVA

Giacomo Casanova, born in 1725, is one of the most notorious names to ever come out of Venice. Though a Renaissance man on all counts as a philosopher, Freemason, alchemist, spy and adventurer, his many romantic affairs are what he is best known for. Your tour of the city will take you through various spots in town that were significant to his life as you learn about his singular history.

You’ll begin in the San Samuele district, where Casanova was born to two actors playing at a theater near the Palazzo Malipiero. You will then reach Campo San Maurizio, with its leaning bell tower. Giorgio Baffo, Casanova’s mentor and Venetian judge known for his erotic poetry, lived here in the palace on the right side. Baffo introduced Casanova to the seduction rites.

A few steps further and you will be in San Moisè Square, the former site of a casino where Casanova used to meet his lovers. The next stop will be the Ridotto in Calle Vallaresso. Now a hotel, it was once a place where Giacomo Casanova and his contemporaries used to gamble—it is said that Casanova lost a fortune here.

Crossing into St. Mark’s Square, you will pass by the prisons of the Doge’s Palace, in which Casanova was imprisoned until 1756 when he escaped to France. He was permitted to return in 1774, but was exiled again within a decade for publishing a novel considered outrageously offensive by the Venetian authorities. Our last stop for the day will be the Palazzo Grimani of Santa Maria Formosa, where Casanova was hosted until this novel was published.

Ca’ Macana Mask Atelier

An integral feature of the Carnival of Venice, masks are known for their intricate beauty and wide variety of styles. See for yourself how these masks are created at one of the top handmade mask ateliers in town.