Venice – Queen of the Adriatic | Top 10 Rich Historical Places to Visit in Venice Italy

Venice – “Queen of the Adriatic” is one of the most important cities in Italy. It is a place more enriched and historical than other cities in Italy. It is a very popular tourist destination worldwide.

This imperial place stands on its own identity. From literature to architecture, the city is praised throughout Europe. So, of course, Venice is currently ahead of the tourist demand.

Today we will celebrate Venice’s glorious history, heritage and art and discuss the most popular tourist destinations.

About Glorious Venice

Venice is a city in northern Italy. It is the capital of the Veneto region. This city is built on a group of 126 islands and these islands are separated by expanses of open water and canals. Hence, every portion of the city is linked by 472 bridges.

Venice is included in the “Padua-Treviso-Venice” Metropolitan whose population is about 2.6 million. Besides this, there is about 0.258 million population and its area is 414.57 square kilometers. 

The name of Venice is derived from ancient Venetian people. From 810 to 1797, it was the historic capital of the “Republic of Venice”. So this city was very powerful at that time. It became a major financial and maritime power during the middle ages. “Venetian Arsenal ” is considered the first factory in history which was the base of Venice’s naval power.

Venice’s powerful sovereignty ended in 1797 by Napoleon. Then it became part of the kingdom of Italy. Now this city is one of the most beautiful and fascinating parts of Italy.

Venice is known for several important artistic movements of the Renaissance period of time, very wonderful to see and explore the elements that are present. It has many important roles in the history of instrumental and operatic music.

This is the birthplace of “Baroque”, a wonderful creation by Tomaso Albinoni and Antonio Vivald. Then lots of famous literature of many ages of time was written following the Venice historical periods.

Venice has some unique adjectival names. This city is known as “La Dominante”, “City of Water”, “City of Masks”, and “City of Bridges “. Different famous newspapers and Journals ranked Venice as the most beautiful cities in the world and also at a time this city was called a “Romantic City” as well.

Visit these 10 places in Venice

1. Piazza San Marco

This place is in the heart of Venice. Its stunning square feature is very luxurious to see and three other important places, the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica and   the Campanile bell tower are connected closely.

This place is one of the principal public squares in Venice. Once it was the center of social, religion and Politics.  So it was a golden place for the tourists to visit and feel the middle age periods of Venice Supreme power.

Napoleon talked about this place. He called this place “The Drawing Room of Europe”. For this type of compliment visitors always love this place to visit and relate with one of the beautiful features of Venice.

2. St. Mark’s Basilica

This is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice. This beautiful church is made of mosaics, called golden ceilings and a famous religious relic of all time.

It was built in c. 829 – c. 836 for the first time and redesigned in c. 1063 – 1094. The structural style was Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic. Its length and width is about 76.5 meters and 62.6 meters.

This is also a unique place for those who are religious and love to see these types of unique cathedrals.

3. Doge’s Palace

This palace is one of the main landmarks of Venice and it offers showcasing opulent halls, artwork and stunning views of the city from the bridge of sight.

It was the residence of Doge of Venice, the authority of the former Venice government system. So it was a high profile palace of that time. All the powerful people of the Venice kingdom lived here. So visiting this place will help the visitors to know about the lifestyles of ancient people.

This palace was built in 1349 and it became a museum in 1923. Every year a large number of visitors come here to visit this important place.

4. Grand Canal

The Grand Canal is one of the main places to explore in Venice. This is the main waterway for Venice. It is lined with beautiful palaces, churches and bridges.

By native gondola or vaporetto (water bus) are the main Vehicles, tourists can enjoy the place with fresh breezes and sight beauties.

This canal is S-shaped. It is 3.8 kilometres long, 30 to 90 meters wide and maximum depth up to 5 meters. This is lined with 170 buildings, looks like a floating flower in the water, a must see for the Visitors.

5. Rialto Bridge

This is known as the most famous bridge in Venice. It is also one of the oldest four bridges that stand with their strong structure. For this it became an architectural icon of Venice.

It connects the two districts of San Marco and San Polo. Its construction period was 1588-1591 and was designed with stone architecture.

6. Gallerie dell’Accademia

This is a Museum gallery of the 19th century, mainly established in 1750. It is located on Scuola della Carita on the south bank of the Grand canal.

Now it is mainly an art academy that was independent in 1879.  It has two institutions that research ancient and modern art. Visitors can explore the mix of ancient artist touch in modern art.

7. Basilica di Santa Maria della salute.

This is a beautiful Baroque Church. This church has a distinctive octagonal dome, offering stunning views of the church. This minor basilica is located in Punta della Dogana.

This church is commonly known as the “Salute”. It was a Roman Catholic Church and the construction period was between 1681-1687.

The style of this church was Baroque. The building is about 70 meters in length and 47 meters wide. It was an important addition to Venice’s unique architecture   and became a fascinating beauty of the city.

8. Murano, Burano And Torcello

These 3 are the names of three popular islands. All of them are known for their unique tradition and culture.

Murano is well known for their glass blowing.  It was once an independent commune and now a frazione of Venice. This island’s total area is about 1.5 kilometres and the population is only 5,000.

Burano has mostly colorful houses and is known for its lace work. Its economy totally depends on the tourism, so they are really admire and welcomed their tourists. The total area of this place is about 2,10,800 meter square and the population is only 2,777.

Torcello is a place of peaceful atmosphere and there is an ancient cathedral. This city is sparsely populated.  This island is referred to as “Parent Island”.

9. Hard Rock Café Restaurant

This famous restaurant has mainly knowledge/ cuisine. It was established from the 17th century and it has managed to retain its own heritage.

This traditional restaurant is located near the main tourist spots like Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s square. It has held the historical cuisine of Venice for thousands of years and cooks their delicious dishes in Venetian style. So every tourist should try these dishes in this restaurant.

10. Fenice Theatre

This is renowned as an opera house. Here different types of classical operas, ballet and concerts are held at everyday schedules.

It was opened in 1792 and in the 19th century it started as a proper opera theater. Its audience capacity is about 1126 and highly modified to enjoy the plays from the front.

This theater is designed by some famous architects such as Gianantonio selva, Aldo Rossi.  So as a visitor, you must go there to explore the Italian different types of plays.

Tips from Our experience Diary

Here we will try to give you some reminders and smart techniques about all these 10 places, you must keep in mind.

1. Piazza San Marco- Here, you have to reach this place as early as possible to avoid crowds, especially in peak seasons. Then you can explore the nearby markets and cafes.

2. St. Mark’s Basilica- You must dress modestly like your shoulder and knees must be covered. Then ready to wait in line in the peak seasons.

3. Doge’s Palace – please purchase your ticket in advance and take a tour guide / hire a local guide to learn the palace’s history and secrets and definitely it will be helpful for you.

4. Grand Canal- You may take a gondola or a vaporetto to enjoy the water tour and have unlimited fun.

5. Rialto Bridge- Go to the nearby market, called Rialto market. Here you can see fresh fish products and local unique crafts.

6. Gallerie dell’Accademia- Please looks for the special exhibition or events. Then you may taste food from nearby cafes or restaurants around the museum.

7. Basilica di Santa Maria delle salute- you may climb the tower for panoramic views, mainly the sunset.

8. Murano, Burano and Torcello- Make a day trip to these islands. Murano and Burano are mostly popular, so keep in mind the crowds factor.

9. Hard Rock Cafe Restaurant- Make the reservations in advance and research about the food items available in the restaurant.

10. Fenice Theatre – please checks the performance schedule and books your ticket in advance.  Here is an opinion- go to the theatre at night, enjoy the elegant ambiance of the theatre.

Conclusion

A prosperous city serves as one of the country’s prides. A once-distinctive place gains all its glory when its identity is subsumed within a larger landmass.

Venice is a golden land in the history of Italy which still brings tourists with all kinds of beauty. Today we have tried to present the beauty of Venice, its colors and some easy tips to experience this beauty.

The beautiful, rich and historical city is sure to provide you a lot of knowledge/ experience, if you are a travel enthusiast.