Venice

The Palazzo Ducale (or Doge's Palace), was the old seat of government of Venice. This stunning Gothic building was once at the hub of a naval empire whose power and reach for a millennium belied Venice's geographical size.

The building took shape between the 9th and 15th century, and the later parts are enormously impressive, with grand walls of white limestone and pink marble. The evolution of the palace over the centuries makes for an architectural tour in itself - here Renaissance classicism, here early Gothic, and everywhere sumptuous works of art.

Tintoretto, Veronese, Pietro Lombardo, Titian and a dozen more are exquisitely represented. On and on we go, through magnificent rooms and then, poignantly, we end at the Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners would take their final walk.

We have Doge's Palace tickets and tours as well as the famous 'Secret Itineraries' tour.

Should you want to see more of the Palazzo Ducale, there is the Itinerari Segreti del Palazzo Ducale (the secret tour of the Doge’s Palace). The tour begins at the offices of the Notaio Ducale (Doge's Secretary) thence to the chambers of the Deputato alla Segreta del Consiglio dei Diceci (‘the Deputy of the secret works of the Council of Ten’) ... the keeper of the secret archives.

The 'Ten' was the revolving council that ruled Venice. Now to the chambers of the Cancelleria Segreta (Secret Chancellery), and thence through the salon of the Reggente alla Cancelleria (Regent to the Chancellery) and to the Torture Room, which takes us to the city prison (as was). I Piombi or 'the leads' were so-called as they were beneath the lead roof the palace - prisoners were made to really sweat before sentencing!

The famous 'Secret Itineraries' tour is a chance to really get under the skin of this incredible building, and explore a Venice often missed by visitors.

For reasons that a visit will make abundantly clear, St Mark's is also known as the Chiesa d'Oro - the Church of gold - and is the best known example of Italo-Byzantine architecture. It was originally the chapel of Venice's Doge, and became the city Cathedral relatively recently, in 1807.

It's a given that a visit to Venice isn't complete without a visit to St Marks Basilica - Basilica di San Marco - but, given the paucity of information supplied inside the building, your visit is likely to be less than complete without the insights, explanations and sheer sense of history that an expert tour guide will provide.

St Mark's is an appropriately opulent symbol of the wealth and power of Venice and has many, many hidden spaces and treasures - we have a range of guided tours of the cathedral, all with skip-the-line entrance.

There's no getting around it - to see Venice, to experience Venice, you need to take to the water. The Grand Canal truly merits its usual adjectives - unique, unforgettable, awe-inspiring, beautiful, incredible - they seem not up to the task of evoking the sight of such a special place, and, to see the most of it, needs doing from a boat.

You'll take water taxis, doubtlessly, but you may prefer a more leisurely - and informed - boat trip around Venice. And then there's the gondola ride - ideal for slowly exploring the slower canals and backwaters in style.

We offer a range of boat trips, private or group tours, as well as private or group gondola tours, running all year round and truly unmissable as part of your time in Venice - click here to see what's available.

The Venice Clock Tower - Torre dell'Orologio - is symbolic of the city in so many ways. Now liberated from the scaffolding that concealed it for so long, this is a remarkably elaborate timepiece, showing time of day, phase of the moon, and current sign of the Zodiac.

In days past, sailors approaching or leaving the City on the Grand Canal could gaze up on the clock, sure of an accurate reading. In 1858 it was made the official timekeeper of Venice - to this clock are all others set.

Click here for ticket booking to view the Venice Clock Tower.

One of the world's great museums, the Gallerie dell'Accademia is a must-see (yes, another one!) on your trip to Venice. Pause for a moment at the front door, to glance down the Canal Grande. The Grand Canal is an enormous curve at this point (the Volta del Canal). Suitably inspired you approach the delights within - 24 rooms of them.

The Accademia is dedicated to Venetian artists and it's impossible to pick favourites but a selection of the highspots would include Coronation of the Virgin by Paolo Veneziano, The Dream of St Ursula by Vittore Carpaccio, The Tempest by Giorgione, and The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine by Paolo Veronese - a tiny selection from a monumental collection. Venice Academy ticket booking.

The Ca' Rezzonico Gallery is dedicated to 'exploring and explaining 18th century Venice'. Conceived as a family home for the Bons, it was begun in 1649 but not finished for more than a century, as money ran out, and the fortunes of successive owners rose and fell.

This is more stately home than museum, with the fabric and furnishings of a Venetian palazzo being displayed in situ - as if the owners just up and left.

It's an extraordinarily beautiful building of course - with a baroque facade, sumptuous ballrooms within, and fresoces by no less than Guarana, Diziani and Tiepolo.

Ticket booking for the Ca'Rezzonico Gallery, Venice.

Murano glass is one of the famous delights of a visit to Venice of course. Fine glass has been produced on the little island off the north shore of Venice since 1291, when the Venetian glassmakers were ordered to move their foundries from the city.

Over the centuries the invention and decoration became ever more elaborate: the processes of manufacture are rather different to conventional glassmaking, and Murano glassmakers work in the traditional way, with tongs, pliers and blowing the glass with canna da soffio (pipes). Fascinating, and with quite stunning results. A huge selection from the past 500 years can be seen at the Venice Glass Museum.

Ticket booking for the Murano Glass Museum, Venice.