Posts in ‘Things to do in Venice’

You might wonder what taking a hop on hop off Rome tour, buying Last Supper tickets, and embarking upon a Venice gondola ride have in common with Julia Roberts. If you’ve seen her latest film, then you will know that one third of it takes place in Italy, where all three of the above experiences can be enjoyed. continue reading

Travellers will be able to add even more culture to their tours of Venice this summer by paying a visit to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection to see an exhibition of modern sculpture.

Robert Rauschenberg: Gluts will be open at the prestigious art gallery in the Dorsoduro area of Venice from May 30th to September 20th.

The exhibition will feature approximately 40 sculptures known as Gluts that Rauschenberg, a prominent American artist, created between the years of 1986 and 1995.

To construct the wall reliefs and free-standing sculptures, Rauschenberg assembled various pieces of metal that he had collected, such as petrol station signs, car components and industrial parts.

The artist’s Gluts period was one of the latter stages of a career that had previously seen him interested in technology-based art and the use of materials including cardboard, paper and fabric.

Art lovers planning Venice tours this year will also be able to visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection to see a display of futurist art that includes pieces by Umberto Boccioni, Giacomo Balla and others.

Venice – Fall in love all over again on a Gondola ride on the Grand Canal and lose yourself in the grand St Mark’s Square.

Holidaymakers in Italy will be able to incorporate some high-octane sport into their Venice tours this spring at the city’s annual Raid Pavia-Venezia event.

This popular speedboat race is scheduled to come to Italy’s famous aquatic city on May 31st this year.

Raid Pavia-Venezia sees vessels varying from top-of-the-range speedsters to vintage boats racing along waterways from Pavia, in northern Italy just south of Milan, to Venice on the north-east coast.

The competition is an inclusive event, inviting participation from anyone with a full FIM/UIM licence.

Italian speedboat racer Dino Zantelli currently holds the record for the highest speed achieved during Raid Pavia-Venezia - an impressive 203km per hour set during the contest held in 2005.

People planning to enjoy some slightly more relaxing activities during their trips in Venice can take a gondola ride along the city’s picturesque canals or sample some famous Italian cuisine in a Venetian restaurant.

Venice – Fall in love all over again on a Gondola ride on the Grand Canal and lose yourself in the grand St Mark’s Square.

Travellers on Venice tours will be able to join in with a celebration of the city’s waterways and maritime heritage this year at the Vogalonga.

This huge boat race is one of the city’s most popular traditional events, with a history stretching back to 1975 when it was founded by a group of rowing enthusiasts.

Scheduled for May 31st this year, the race will follow a route starting in St Mark’s basin, heading off around St Helen island and passing the isles of Mazzorbo, Madonna del Monte and San Giacomo in Paludo.

One of the most popular places to gather to see the race is the Punta della Dogana opposite St Mark’s Square, which serves as the finish line.

The organisers of the Vogalonga describe it as "an act of love for Venice and its waters, its lagoon and its islands", which embraces local history and traditions while also welcoming participants and visitors from around the world.

In 2007, more than 1,500 boats carrying over 5,000 rowers took part in the Vogalonga.

Venice – Fall in love all over again on a Gondola ride on the Grand Canal and lose yourself in the grand St Marks Square.

Holidaymakers planning Venice tours over the coming month will be able to visit an exhibition providing a solemn but fascinating look at the city’s past.

The display at the Cassa di Risparmio hall in Campo San Luca looks at life in Venice between the years of 1915 and 1918, when the city became involved in the escalating conflict that came to be known as World War I.

Featuring historical documents, drawings, photographs and newspaper clippings, the exhibition explores the impact of the war on the urban makeup of Venice, which had a strategic role as a port city.

The exhibition, which will be open until April 20th, also features original pieces by a number of artists exploring the experiences that Venetian people went through during and after the war.

Venice boasts a number of museums and institutions that provide an insight into its culture and heritage, including the famous Gallerie dell’Accademia and the Museo Correr.

The most famous and popular landmarks for people on Venice tours to see include St Mark’s Square and Basilica, the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli and the numerous bridges and canals.

Venice – Fall in love all over again on a Gondola ride on the Grand Canal and lose yourself in the grand St Marks Square.

As might be expected of a city which is built on the sea and relies upon its myriad waterways for everything from transport to tourism, one of the highlights of the Venetian calendar is the annual Vogalonga rowing race.

This year’s race, on May 31st, will see several thousand eager hopefuls compete in the 35th staging of the contest.

The prestigious competition started in 1974 and sees plucky boat-folk start from the straight between St Mark’s Basin and the Giudecca Canal, before a canon shot marks the beginning of the race.

Who completes the course first is irrelevant: this is a race where it really is the taking part (safely) that counts and fun is had by everyone, whether they finish at the front or come in dead last.

Tourists on Venice tours would be well advised to include the Vogalonga in their sightseeing plans as year after year it is a day filled with excitement and entertainment for all involved.

To describe Venice as being ‘married to the sea’ seems most apt given that is not just disconnected from the mainland but in fact relies on the sea for so much, including its transport network and its very physical stability.

On Ascension Day, marking the day Christ rose to heaven four days after his resurrection, locals and visitors on Venice tours gather to witness the remarkable Feast of the Sensa.

The event sees the mayor, or ‘Doge’, ride out into the water and perform a symbolic gesture of union between the city and the sea from which it emerges.

A gold ring is thrown into the sea in the mouth of San Nicolo port, before he returns to dry land to join in the celebrations with the rest of his citizens.

Nowadays, the event is more of a tourist attraction that anything else but is still held in high regard by many.

The mayoral boat is flanked by hundreds of ornately and elaborately-decorated craft of all shapes and sizes, which accompany the official on this important mission.

Venetian men show their romantic side on St Mark’s Day every year as they give roses to their beloved womenfolk.

On April 25th, Festa del Bocolo – rose bud festival – sees this tradition take place, with not just girlfriends, wives and lovers receiving the beautiful flowers but also mothers, sisters and any women who are important in a man’s life.

St Mark the Evangelist was a first-century gospel-writer, the patron saint of the city of Venice and is widely credited with the founding of the church in Africa.

After his death his remains are thought to have stolen and taken to Venice, where they lie in the basilica which bears his name.

Visitors on Venice tours might find themselves caught up in the mood and are encouraged to participate in this charming custom, which could see a few brownie points notched up with their significant other to boot.

Why not book the Tour Unusual on Foot and Gondola in advance?

The International Theatre Festival in Venice will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year and promises to be as big as triumph as ever.

From February 20th until March 8th the event will see some of the leading lights of Italian and world theatre descend on this beautiful coastal city in a whirlwind of performances, workshops and informative events.

Among the highlights is the presentation of the Golden Lion to Irene Papas, for her continued brilliance throughout a career spanning several decades, as well as performances of Le sorelle Bronte and Argelino servidor de dos amos.

The spring event follows on from the series of educational and training functions held in November – highlighting how much of this tremendous institution is about nurturing new theatrical talent as it is celebrating established successes.

Visitors on Venice tours can expect to see a range of performances across many genres and the chance to meet a number of luminaries from both on stage and behind the scenes.

Why not book the Ice cream and Gondola tour in advance?

Ruins of the ancient Roman city of Altinum have been discovered on the outskirts of Venice.

Satellite imaging has revealed a collection of ancient buildings and infrastructure including temples, theatres and streets.

Researchers at Padua and Venice universities are now formulating plans to excavate the ruins, which could soon be available for tourists to find.

Paolo Mozzi, researcher at the University of Padua’’s geography department, explained that Altinum had been an important seafaring centre before it was overrun by Attila the Hun in the 5th century.

He continued: "The hypothesis is that as Altinum also succumbed to the Barbarian invasions, the inhabitants fled farther down to the lagoon to build Venice on the islands, using some of the stones."

Meanwhile, the Venice Film Festival organisers have announced the next year’’s event will take place a week later than usual beginning on September 2nd, in a bid to avoid the traditional holiday rush.

However, there is concern that the new dates for the Venice festival, the world’’s oldest, will conflict with the Toronto Film Festival, which begins on September 4th.

Venice – Fall in love all over again on a Gondola ride on the Grand Canal and lose yourself in the grand St Marks Square.