AN ORANGE GEM

The magic of Venice and its fragile beauty have enchanted travellers for centuries. “An orange gem resting on a blue glass plate: it’s Venice seen from above”. This is how Henry James, mesmerized by Venice’s special lustre and dream-like essence, described this precious city of water and stone. Many writers have fallen under the spell of Venice and tried to capture its fascination in different ways calling it “the greatest masterpiece our species has produced” (Joseph Brodsky), “a box of chocolate liqueurs” (Truman Capote), “a thing you would shed tears to see” (Charles Dickens). Don’t miss the chance to discover this uniquely alluring city on a private orientation tour. Your guide will lead you round Venice’s iconic landmarks while sharing noteworthy tales of its glorious past.

Venice is an archipelago of one hundred and eighteen tiny islands separated by canals and linked by more than four hundred bridges. Historians agree that the city’s first inhabitants were refugees who fled nearby Roman cities, such as Padua, Treviso and Altino, during the Barbarian invasions in the 5th century AD. You will get to know the story of Venice from its origins and growth under the influence of Byzantium, to its rise in the Middle Ages and Renaissance when the city became a mighty maritime republic and an unparalleled hub of commercial, cultural and artistic ingenuity.

Make your way through the exquisite tracery of waterways, fairy-tale bridges and lacework facades to St. Mark’s Square, once the heart of Venice’s political and religious life and today the main tourist attraction of this fabulous floating city. When you reach this wonderful piazza you will be standing in what Napoleon called “the finest salon in Europe” which does indeed appear to be a stunning hall of marble lined with remarkable historic buildings: the Basilica in all its Byzantine glory; the Renaissance clock tower proclaiming the city’s unrivalled wealth and prestige; the elegant arcades of the Procuratie; Sansovino’s ornate Loggetta; the Doge’s Palace, presiding regally over the Serenissima.

Located at the eastern end of the square, St. Mark’s Basilica was originally the doges’ personal place of worship. It was not until 1807, when it became the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, that this private chapel was converted into the city’s cathedral, and henceforth became a public marvel for all to enjoy. Step inside to hear how the construction of the building one thousand years ago was intricately bound up with a theft and the survivors of a storm at sea. The sight of the church’s magnificently decorated interior, with its marble inlays, columns, finely carved capitals and expanse of glimmering mosaics will take your breath away.

Intriguing tales of scandal and conspiracies await you inside the Doge’s Palace, the former residence of the powerful Venetian rulers and a feat of Gothic architecture. The earliest nucleus of this impressive complex originated in the 14th century although what we can admire today is mostly the result of lavish and masterly reworkings carried out during the Renaissance and Mannerist epochs. Follow your guide through the splendid marble courtyard, up the gold-vaulted staircase, past the doges’ private apartments into the Hall of the Great Council. Here, you will gain a better understanding of the city’s political institutions and take a close look at the priceless works of art by local painters that embellish the walls. Inspired perhaps by the glitter of the golden mosaics in St. Mark’s Basilica and the shifting play of light on the canal waters, Venetian artists are known for their astonishing use of colour. An allegorical depiction of the Triumph of Venice by Veronese will draw your gaze to the ceiling while on the wall behind the doge’s throne you will see one of the widest canvas paintings in the world, the Paradise, created by Jacopo Tintoretto and his son Domenico between 1588 and 1592. To this duo we also owe the portraits of Venice’s first 76 doges represented on the frieze that runs beneath the ceiling. A macabre tale will explain why one of these paintings has been replaced with a black veil.

The grand lady of the lagoon, bathed in the shimmering light reflected from the water, wrapped in her veils of history and adorned by the brushstrokes of the greatest masters, continues to beguile all who visit her. After the tour you may well be inspired to pen your own poetic tribute to this orange gem.