What to do in Veneto

Step into Venice’s most famous square and expect to be impressed by the opulence of St. Mark’s Basilica, the towering Campanile, and the gothic façade of the Doge’s Palace. This lively hub has been the focal point for Venetian life for over 10 centuries. Enjoy a drink in one of the cafés under the colonnaded arcade that lines the square or visit its most iconic buildings.

The Grand Canal is Venice’s famous S-shaped thoroughfare. On any given day you can hear the splashing of the oars of the gondolas that slowly traverse the city just as they have done for centuries. A trip in a gondola is almost unavoidable because there are very few sidewalks along the canal, and the backs of the Floating City’s buildings drop straight into the water. A more modern and faster way to see the Grand Canal, and the main tourist attractions alongside it, is by vaporetto (water bus). For a simple crossing, take a traghetto, a ferry on which you remain standing for the duration of the short trip.

Dominating the skyline of Verona is Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheater that is one of the largest in the world. Built in A.D. 30, the arena is one of the oldest structures in the city and a building of colossal proportions. It’s also one of Verona’s most popular attractions and draws over 500,000 visitors to the city each year. Admire its architecture and watch an opera from its historic stone steps.

When riding a vaporetto (water bus) or gondola along the Grand Canal, look up as you round the bend by the fish market: One of Venice’s most iconic sights appears before you. The Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) has been a feature of the city since the late 1500s. It has a distinctive V-shape design, high stone arcades and balustrades from which tourists peek at the gondolas in the canal below.

Approach St. Mark’s Square from any angle and, on a fine day, you’ll see the golden spires of St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica San Marco) glimmer in the sunlight. This is why the locals call this the Chiesa d’Oro (Church of Gold). As you get closer, you’ll see the many sculptures, reliefs and mosaics of the ornate facade. This church is a spectacular example of Byzantine architecture.