Location: Venice
Top Things to do in Venice
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Things to do in Venice, Veneto: The Best Churches & Cathedrals
With its gondolas, canals, amazing restaurants, and unforgettable romantic ambiance, Venice is definitely a city for one's bucket list. Waterfront palazzos, palaces, and churches make drifting down the Grand Canal feel like cruising through a painting. To really experience Venice you must go to the opera or to a classical music performance, nibble fresh pasta and pastries, and linger in the exhibit halls of an art gallery. Label lovers will drool over the high-end shopping in Piazza San Marco.
Restaurants in Venice
1. Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,962 reviews
The Scuola Grande di San Rocco is a lay confraternity founded in 1478. The popularity of the cult of St. Roch, whose remains had been in the possession of the brotherhood since 1485, contributed to the latter’s rapid expansion to the extent of it becoming the richest Scuola of the city. At that point it was decided to build a new monumental headquarters and engage Tintoretto to decorate it with his most celebrated pictorial cycle, illustrating episodes from the New and Old Testaments. It is the only one of the historic Scuole Grandi to have survived the fall of the republic. It is a unique site, where over 60 paintings are preserved in their original setting in a building that has hardly undergone any alteration since its construction. The confraternity is still active today, carrying out its traditional charitable duties as well as looking after its extraordinary artistic patrimony.
Reviewed By 760billa - Spring Lake, United States
The Scuola Grande di San Rocco is one of those places that I suspect many visitors to Venice have never heard about. But, it should make every tourist's short list of places to see while in Venice. It features the artwork of the Italian painter, and master of the Venetian school, known as Tinteretto. To appreciate the history behind this building and the life story of Tinteretto, I highly recommend using the audio guide which is available for a reasonable charge. The audio guide will lead you through three floors of artwork. You can choose how much or how little detail you care to listen to. Even if you only have an hour, I think this is a must do attraction in Venice.
2. Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,171 reviews
Originally built in the mid-13th century, Santa Maria Glorisoa dei Frari (St. Mary of the Friars) houses many masterpieces of Venetian Renaissance art, notably Giovanni Bellini's triptych "Madonna and Child with Saints," the "Assumption" and the "Pesaro Madonna" by Titian, Saint John the Baptist by Donatello.
Reviewed By rzoe - Cambridge, United States
This Basilica is home to Titian's Assumption of Mary which is one of the most beautiful paintings in the world - it takes your breath away. It's 22 feet high, 11 feet wide and is perfect for its place on the high altar of the church. The church also has some fine Bellini's, but the reason to go there is the Titian. We were there is September and there were very few tourists so were able to sit and look at the painting in peace.
3. Basilica di San Marco
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28,574 reviews
Blending the architectural styles of East and West, Venice's magnificent basilica was consecrated in 832 AD as an ecclesiastical building to house the remains of St. Mark.
Reviewed By 627brendand
We visited this beautiful church and were blown away by the opulent gold mosaic artwork and beautiful sculptures and architecture. It was a personal goal to visit San Marco and the square so it was for us a dream come true. The disappointing thing was the general level of dishonesty around Venice by business people. To buy anything was a complete rip off, even a coffee and croissant was extortionate. You had to always check your change as we were deliberately short changes several times and my wife was also pick pocketed in Milan the very hour we arrived in Italy. So be careful with your money and I wouldn’t eat or buy any food in tourist areas. Also when we arrived at the train station in Venice the square was under about 12 inches of water. People were everywhere selling waterproof waders to put your feet in. 20 Euro later ...These promptly leaked and we were soaked anyway after 5 minutes of use. This was dishonesty on an industrial scale. Also no one told us that if you simply waited about an hour the tide would recede and you could walk around on dry ground. This basic information was simply not available to tourists. My advice would be, go for the beauty and amazing art and be very careful, as there is unfortunately a rip off culture everywhere.
4. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,763 reviews
Designed by Baldassare Longhena in 1631-83, the church's façade is embellished with 125 statues, which form a sharp contrast to the somber interior.
Reviewed By massimoswitz - Opfikon, Switzerland
Round basilica with huge dome with several paintings and in the sacristy you can visit Titian's masterpieces.
5. Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pieta
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
Built in 1745 by architect Masaari, the façade of this church has a classical style, and is noted for the presence of Gian Battista Tiepolo's masterpieces, the "Fortezza e la Pace" and the "Trionfo delle Fede," which is painted on the ceiling.
Reviewed By 359jh - Toronto, Canada
This church is smaller than some, but definitely has a wow factor, especially if you attend one of the Vivaldi concerts. My daughter and I attended an evening performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons in the church and the quality of the musicians and the actual sound was inspiring. This church does have an historical connection to Vivaldi as it was his church and he performed and directed music right in it while living in Venice. Just awesome and a lovely night out. Venice is amazing, but there is nothing like Venice in the evening. Have a lovely dinner by the Grand Canal and pair it with a trip to Chiesa Santa Maria della Pieta!
6. Chiesa della Madonna dell'Orto
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 467 reviews
Reviewed By massimoswitz - Opfikon, Switzerland
Gothic cathedral there are masterpieces by the master Tintoretto and of which he is buried in a chapel inside.
7. San Giorgio Maggiore
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,903 reviews
Reviewed By tg22wa - Seattle, United States
Visit this beautiful church designed by Palladio, the adjoining monastery (owned by the Cini Foundation*). Take the elevator to the top off the church bellower to see Venice, the island grounds and Giudecca from a wonderful distance. The Cini foundations offers regular tours of the former monastery buildings and grounds. You cannot just visit on your own. The tours seem to be about every hour but check ahead to coordinate this visit with the church and belltower visit. You can easily take Vaporetto 2 from several different points including from St. Mark's pier. The grounds include an incredible maze of boxwood created in 2012. Of special note to art lovers: 1. the refrectory of this monastery was the original home of Veronase's Wedding Feast of Cana in the Louvre. It was taken by Napoleon in the early 1800s and never returned. The Cini Foundation has replaced the original with a beautiful digital copy to give a sense of where this huge artwork belongs . . . 2. One of Tintoretto's last paintings, an innovative Last Supper, is located to the right of the main alter. Created for THIS space, the painting is orientated to be seen from the side. Read about both paintings before you go.
8. Chiesa di San Zaccaria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 636 reviews
Reviewed By saibot - Huntersville, United States
We stumbled upon this place after coming back from Murano via the boat dock of the same name. Nice square to get a little bit of breathing room. Lots of good dining options around there too! The church itself was very interesting, & a great no cost attraction to see some amazing architecture & art. Worth the visit!
9. Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo (San Zanipolo)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 962 reviews
Reviewed By massimoswitz - Opfikon, Switzerland
Beautiful and large basilica in Italian Gothic style, where there are monuments of various Venetian doges and a masterpiece by Bellini, not to forget the stained glass window with Murano glass.
10. Chiesa di San Sebastiano
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 127 reviews
Reviewed By lpMaggi713 - Baltimore, United States
The Church of Saint Sebastian is a Chorus Pass church. You will find Paolo Veronese’s series of paintings. You can pay your respects to him as he is buried here underneath his masterpieces – his memorial plaque is to the right of the organ – but don’t miss Titian’s San Nicolò to the right of the entry. Peek into the sacristy to glimpse Veronese's glowing Coronation of the Virgin on the ceiling.
