From Florence: Explore Venice on a Semi-Private Day Tour by Train

Enjoy the experience on fast train in first class

When you’ll arrive in this city on the water, you admire an open-air museum and a unique shopping opportunity with its artisan districts. Venice, composed of 118 islands connected by over 400 bridges, is a timeless myth. Experience the thrill of traveling on the vaporetto (water bus) as you reach the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco, crossing the Grand Canal, the main street of Venice. You will visit: Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Ducal Palace. As you return to Florence, carry with you the evocative images of this unique city, a memory to share with friends.

The Rialto Bridge connects the commercial area of ​​the Rialto market with the streets that lead to Piazza San Marco, at a historic crossing point of the Grand Canal. At first it was a simple pontoon bridge, then a wooden bridge was thrown and finally, in 1588, this single-span stone bridge that until the 19th century was the only pedestrian connection between the two banks of the Grand Canal. The competition announced by the Republic of Venice at the beginning of the 16th century for the construction of the new bridge became a historic case because despite the illustrious architects participating including Sansovino, Palladio, Vignola, Scamozzi and perhaps even Michelangelo, the Venetian Antonio Da Ponte prevailed. 48 meters long, 22 meters wide and up to 7.50 meters high, it is supported by thousands of piles driven into the ground at the foundations of the ends. Inside, three pedestrian paths run between two rows of historic shops.

Piazza San Marco is one of the most famous squares in the world. This is due to its geographical position, practically surrounded by water (the Venetian lagoon and canals) and by ancient palaces, churches and unique monuments. Also because of its legendary history, with its life of more than a thousand years, it is a fascinating place to discover, learn and love.

St. Mark's Basilica is an architectural and artistic marvel that tells the story of centuries of history, faith and culture. Its timeless beauty, enriched by marble, mosaics and works of art, continues to inspire and fascinate anyone lucky enough to visit it. A living symbol of Roman, Byzantine and Venetian culture. Every architectural and decorative element, from the columns to the mosaics, from the sculptures to the works of art, bears witness to the richness and complexity of the city's history. The basilica is a place of worship and a historical and artistic monument of inestimable value, visited by millions of tourists every year.

The Campanile di San Marco is an imposing bell tower with a square plan. The current one is the third one built in this place. The original construction dates back to the 9th century. The first bell tower was built as a watchtower and lighthouse for the port of Venice. Over the centuries it has undergone several modifications and expansions. The Campanile di San Marco is 98.6 meters high and its base measures 12.7 meters per side. It is built of brick and covered in marble of various shades. The tower is divided into five orders, each of which is separated by a string course.

The ancient seat of government and residence of the Doge, the Doge's Palace of Venice is the symbol of the power of the Republic of Venice and is famous for being a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The Doge's Palace is visited every year by over 2 million tourists, thus representing the second attraction of Venice, after the Basilica of San Marco.

The Bridge of Sighs in Venice is the elegant treasure chest of a painful story. Having become famous as a very romantic place, chosen by anxious fiancés as a dream location to propose to their beloved, this small bridge with great fame is one of the most successful misunderstandings in the world. The misunderstanding is now well known: the sighs that gave the bridge its name are not those of lovers exchanging promises of love, but rather those of people condemned by the fearsome tribunal of the Serenissima who were led across this bridge to their cells... cells from which, the unfortunate prisoners knew, they would never leave.