BYZANTINE VENICE (WALKING TOUR OF VENICE + SKIP THE LINE THE GOLDEN BASILICA)
An essential tour for the understanding of Venice and thanks to the special collaboration with the Curia of Venice you will enjoy privileged access avoiding the queues! Have a walk outdoors through the most characteristic and important places for the history of Venice. A qualified and experienced guide will escort you through the millennium of life of the Serenissima Republic, recalling the charm filled past of this unique city. Route: Piazza San Marco – Origins, history and description of the main monuments: Basilica San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, Bell Tower, Clock Tower and Procuratie. Santa Maria Formosa – History and anecdotes relating to this wonderful and characteristic square -Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo – The “Pantheon” of Venice, the Great School of Charity, the Captains of fortune. Marco Polo’s House and Malibran Theatre. Return to San Marco through the Mercerie, the vital connection between Rialto and San Marco and the city’s main shopping street.
After a short rest you visit one of the most majestic cathedrals of the world! On this tour, escorted by a qualified and experienced guide prepared in accordance with the Curia of Venice, enjoy a full visit of this masterpiece of byzantine art, unique in Italy. You’ll have the pleasure of admiring beautiful gold mosaics and marble inlays in the floors, sitting comfortably while our guide will show you the represented biblical scenes, the history and the particularities of this ancient Basilica. Admire the Pala d’Oro, exquisite example of the byzantine art with its thousands of gems and precious stones; enjoy the view of the Treasury, a splendour of the religious art collected along the centuries. After the visit of the Basilica you will have the opportunity to visit a Glass Factory close to Saint Mark’s Square where you can see a Glass Craftsman at work. Please note this is a free of charge optional tour of approximately 20 minutes and it is not a part of the tour.
