Whether you visit Venice during Carnival, during the Mostra (Film festival), or during the various Biennials (Art organization)–there is always a breathtaking and timeless place to discover in Venice…
The entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and when you visit Venice, you quickly understand why. Venice has such a rich past that it has so many must-see places because they are full of magnificence!
Icon-Icon has created a selection of must-see places in Venice Places that can be found in a number of movies which are emblematic to say the least– or in iconic songs which are bound to stay stuck in your mind.
Iconic Places of the Lagoon to Visit
First in this selection is the Doge’s Palace!
Known as the political and cultural epicenter of Venice before the Napoleonic conquest — the Doge’s Palace, with its extravagant architecture, was the residence of the Doges of Venice for almost 1,000 years, symbolic of the culture and power of the lagoon. Must visit without hesitation!
Another legendary place: Saint Marks’s Basilica…A legendary basilica for what it accommodates and its Byzantine style… But more importantly, a basilica whose lion has inspired so many artists’ souls Coco Chanel! The lion of Saint Mark and her passion for Byzantine crosses were found by Chanel here!
In regards to artists close to Coco Chanel, Luchino Visconti’s camera captured Venice like no other. And it is from another masterpiece inspired by Venice that he completes a movie appraised for encapsulating the enigmatic atmosphere of Venice… Adapted from the novel by Thomas Mann, Death in Venice by Luchino Visconti (1971) draws its spectators into the Floating City of the beginning of the 20th century… With the puny Tadzio as the protagonist, dressed in a marinière — the reference is obvious.
Visconti captured the splendor of the La Fenice Theater, in the movie Senso. The opening scene was shot in La Fenice — one of the most splendid and iconic temples of Italian opera.
La Fenice is an impressive building of greatness, a story intimately linked with the works by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti or Verdi… And a contemporary program which lives up to its legendary status!
In spring 1866, Giuseppe Verdi’s opera, Il trovatore, performed there — a legendary opera!
Here is another legend, an architectural one this time… Here is one of the must-see in places in Venice: the Palazzo Contarini Del Bovolo.
A palazzo with an exterior staircase inspired by the Tower of Pisa, which has made it one of the most famous and visited places in Venice, since its construction in the 15th century Nicknamed “il Bovolo” by the Venetians, meaning “the Snail”, it also offers a breathtaking view of the Serenissima.
Fancy turning back in time? Here is one of the oldest palaces in the city, now a museum, Ca’d’oro Gallery means “golden house” – this Palazzo owes its nickname to its gilded and polychrome exterior decorations that once adorned its walls…
Venice is now the capital of contemporary art. thanks to Peggy Guggenheim.
The preposterous and visionary spirit of Peggy Guggenheim lives in every room of this museum, formerly her home — and rare are the art spaces which carry so many iconic pieces from art history… From painters to genius sculptors, Guggenheim Museum offers to bring together the most explosive and revolutionary visions of art.
Another hotspot for art in Venice– Palazzo Grassi. Its imposing stature reigns over Venice since 1772 — and recently, the Palazzo Grassi has hosted François Pinault’s collection, as in an avant-garde and daring collection!
Unique again to Venice is the splendid glasswork since the 16th century… and one should head to the islands of Murano and Burano to discover it.
The islands are famous for their craftsmanship and incredible glasswork which has inspired other countries to do the same for centuries – Murano and Burano islands are also rich in architectural splendor… From colorful buildings to typical osteria places!
It is in 16th century Venice, epicenter of international commerce at the time, that William Shakespeare sets his work entitled the Merchant of Venice. In 2004, Michael Radford adapts it into film with Al Pacino as the main lead.
In Venice, we go for a swim… on the Lido island. The island, where the Mostra (Venice Film Festival) is held, presents another side of the Venetian way of living — there is a private beach and palaces but more importantly an atmosphere more detached from the vibrant Venice…
We cross the lagoon on the Rialto bridge… It is the oldest of the four bridges spanning Grand Canal in Venice – and it is fascinating due to its structure which is entire in Istrian stone and marble.
And one is inevitably reminded of the scene in Davis Lena’s 1955 film Holiday in Venice. With Katharine Hepburn jumping into a canal for a legendary scene!
In Venice, we use gondolas right? Once means of transport for noble Venetians, Gondolas are the pinnacle of the Venice experience.
Then we can only imagine ourselves to be in the shoes of Casanova, and in particular in Fellini’s Le Casanova which in 1976 opens this masterpiece with a memorable scene. Casanova, taken to a mistress, at night, in the lagoon with its enigmatic, almost mystical fog, on a gondola.
The gondolas.. In Venice… Seeing them is enough to make you sing O sole mio! Notably covered by Elvis Presley it is perhaps the unofficial anthem of Venice… That we sometimes hear resonating in the Venetian alleys, sung by the gondoliers themselves.
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