ST. MARK'S SQUARE and the HEART of VENICE
St. Mark's Square is undeniably the heart and soul of Venice and is often described as the most elegant drawing room in Europe, with its palatial arcades, sumptuous buildings and charming cafes. Your visit to our city must begin with the Venetian favorite" piazza" where the impressive Byzantine facade of St. Mark's Cathedral will immediately claim your attention. It was originally constructed in the 9th century to shelter the body of St. Mark, the patron Saint of Venice.


The Dodges' Palace comes next, once the official residence of Venice's rulers and chief magistrates from the 9th century until the fall of the Republic in 1797. You'll climb the famous Golden Staircase, marvel at the paintings of Tintoretto and Veronese and wander through the echoing Great Council Chamber where, from the balconies you can enjoy a splendid panorama.

Adjoining the Palace is the famous Bridge of Sighs, which leads to the prisons. It was from this bridge that the condemned prisoners caught their last glimpse of freedom.

THE VENETIAN'S VENICE
Not far from St. Mark's Square is Campo San Fantin, where now we are working to rebuild La Fenice opera house, destroyed by fire on 1995 and where also you can see the "Scuola San Fantin", a late 16th century building which now houses the Ateneo Veneto society of arts and letters.

A short distance away stands the Scala del Bovolo, with its intriguing outer spiral staircase. After plunging through a maze of narrow streets you will find yourself in Campo San Beneto, where the beautiful Gothic Palazzo Pesaro (now the Fortuny Museum) is located. Just few meters ahead lies the Grand Canal, where a gondola ferry service is available to row you across to San Tomà.

Here you can visit the Church of the Frari (Franciscans friars), containing masterpieces by Giovanni Bellini and Titian. The Carampane neighborhood, a red-light district during the age of the Serenissima Republic, takes you back to the heart of the city. Your tour ends at Rialto, now and always the commercial core of Venice, a traditional rendezvous and market place frequented by Venetian of all ages and walks of like.


City Sightseeing in Venice*

RATE CAD pp on # of Passengers	2	3	4	5	6	7	8/9
City tour on foot (no entrance fees)	€ 105	€ 70	€ 53	€ 42	€ 35	€ 30	€ 27
Half day to lagoon islands	359	243	182	147	123	107	98
Gondola ride	88	65	52	47	47	44	42
Gondola serenade	186	121	108	100	91	80	72

Regular City Tours*

	Daily from S. Marco	Rate
Morning city tour of Historical Venice	9.00 AM	€ 38.00
Afternoon city tour on foot + gondola	14:15 PM	€ 46.00
Gondola serenade with musicians	19:30 PM	€ 46.00
Half day lagoon islands (Murano, Buranoe Torcello)	9.30 AM & 14.30 PM	€ 25.00

*
Full day excursion to Lagoon Islands twice half day rate
Gondola night surcharge 8:pm to 8 am + 30%
Entrance Fee for Dodges' Palace: € 9.8

After the year 1405, when Venice conquered Padua and extended its dominion to the mainland, the Venetian patricians started to establish along the Brenta River large agricultural farms and wonderful villas. Similar to their palaces on the Grand Canal, their purpose was to follow the new growing economy and to enjoy the beautiful countryside, on the banks of a canal, with all the possible comforts.

For 3 centuries, the "Riviera del Brenta" was a continuous growth of elegant buildings, surrounded by parks and gardens with graceful statues, erected by some of the most important architects of those years, such as Palladio, Scamozzi and Longhena and decorated by famous painters and artists.

At that time, Padua and Venice were linked through the "Riviera del Brenta" by a white and elegant boat called "Il Burchiello" which brought passengers daily from the mainland to the "Serenissima" Republic. The boat was rowed through the lagoon and then horse-towed along the "Riviera del Brenta" from Fusina to Padua. On board the Burchiello nobles and adventurers, ladies and gallants, comedians and artists created a peculiar and colourful atmosphere which was the delight of foreign travelers, attentive and curious, for whom the river journey was like an anticipation of the Grand Canal in Venice. Burchiello was also described and praised by Italian and foreign writers: Goldoni, Casanova, Byron, Goethe, but, the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, marked the end of its journey and it was soon forgotten.

Today, part of the ancient routing of the Burchiello can be made aboard a private motor-launch from the heart of Venice through the lagoon to the mouth of the Brenta River. The river will be sailed up as far as "Villa Foscari", better known as "La Malcontenta" (The Unhappy), one of the finest examples of mansions. It was built in 1571 for Nicolò and Alvise Foscari. Legend says that the villa takes its name from the wife of one of the Foscari who hated being confined to the villa.

Second stop will be at "Villa Widmann Foscari', where Byron lived, built during the beginning of the 18th century in French Rococo style. Proceeding along the Canal, you find Dolo, a shoe-manufacturing centre, then Stra, located on the fork of the Brenta and its main canal, where you can see also "Villa Pisani", the grandest of all the villas on the Brenta, which is now National Museum.

Built by the Pisani Family between 1736 and 1756 to celebrate Alvise Pisani's election as Dodges' of Venice, the villa is very well known for it's elaborately decorated interior apartments, the large gardens and the famous maze.




"Venice by night"

• program E -- operates the entire season
• 19.30/20.30 boarding at Venice
  (Tronchetto or S.Marco or Lido ) or Punta Sabbioni or Fusina and navigation
• mild cruise by night among lighted sheets of water, old monuments and palaces
• on board dinner
• stop on request at St. Mark's Square; arrival within 01.00 at the boarding places



• Price per person includes navigation and fish menu € 72.00

Full day boat trip,
navigation Venice-Dolo-Venice

• Program A/3
• 08.00 / 08.30 boarding at Venice-S. Marco or at Tronchetto or 09.00 at Fusina and navigation along the Brenta Riviera; crossing the lock of Moranzani; raising of the water level, explanations during the navigation of the various Villas seen along the canal among them "La Malcontenta"; navigation among villages, locks and swing bridges; crossing the lock of Mira, raising of the water level
• arrival in Dolo and visit to the Old Mills of XVI century
• stop off at restaurant for optional lunch; boarding and navigation
• stop at Mira and optional visit to the Villa Barchessa Valmarana
• stop at Oriago and visit to the Villa Gradenigo. Boarding and navigation; arrival at Fusina or Venice about 18.15/19.00



• Price per person includes navigation Venice-Dolo-Venice, entrance fees for Villa Gradenigo and guide, optional lunch € 55.00

Day boat trip,
historical navigation Padua-Venice

• Special program B/1
• Day boat trip, historical navigation Padua-Venice along the original course of the old Venetian boat -- the Burchielli
• 08.30 boarding at Padua from the landing stage of the Porte Contarine, heart of the historical city or from the Steps del Portello of the XVI century, old river harbour of the city and navigation along the Brenta Riviera towards Venice
• Crossing the lock of Noventa Padovana, lowering of the water level; navigation along the course of the ancient Venetian boats. Explanations of the wonderful Villa Giovannelli (outside) of Noventa Padovana; crossing the lock of Strà, lowering of the water level
• arrival at Strà and visit to the Villa Pisani visit to the Old Mills of the XVI century at Dolo
• Stop off at restaurant for optional lunch
• Boarding and crossing the lock of Dolo. Navigation among villages and swing bridges; crossing the lock of Mira, lowering of the water level, explanations during the navigation of the various Villas seen along the canal
• Stop at Mira and optional visit to the Villa Barchessa Valmarana. Stop at Oriago and visit to the Villa Gradenigo
• Explanations of the different Villas seen along the canal, among them "La Malcontenta." Crossing the lock of Moranzani. Arrival at Fusina about 18.10 or at Venice-S. Marco or Tronchetto about 19.00



• Price per person includes navigation from the historical centre of Padua as far as Venice, entrance-fee to Villa Gradenigo and guide, optional lunch € 67.00

• A day of navigation to Venetian islands in a delightful old Venetian "Bragozzo"
  -- typical restored wooden boat
• 09.00/09.30 boarding at Venice
• delightful cruise to the Venetian Lagoon by a Venetian "Bragozzo"
• Stops at the islands; Torcello (visit the Cathedral), Burano & S. Francesco del Deserto
• Stop at a private little island for lunch in the garden;
  a hearty fish menu with polenta, an abundance wine, and dancing
• Return to the boarding places about 17.00/18.00



• Price per person includes navigation, guide and good lunch € 73.00

Rates

• €Euros per person in B/B basis
• as published reflect adjustments as of March 1, 2005
• subject to currency adjustments, change & possible surcharges