Palazzo Ducale or the Doge's Palace was one of my favorite parts of my trip to Venice. Ducale or…read moreDoge means Duke. The Duke was the highest governing position in Venice, and this is once where they lived. While strolling St. Mark's Square I already admired the beauty of the building. The building has gothic architecture with influences from the Byzantine times, Islamic and European Medieval styles. My camera does not do its' beauty justice. The tickets to Doge's Palace are time entry tickets, but they didn't seem to be too strict compared to other museums. Tickets are 37€/person. There is a baggage check in area for large items like a backpack, at no cost. It's nice because my boyfriend and I left our stuff there, even things that weren't required to be checked so we walked around more lightly. I only kept my phone for photos. One of the first things I remember seeing is the snitch mailbox. In the olden days the citizens were encouraged to rat on one another and they can leave anonymous tips for the government here. Unfortunately as a result many were wrongfully imprisoned... and there is a full on prison in the later ends of the tour. It was really scary to walk through. On a more positive note, there had the most stunning golden staircase and one of the most incredible largest paintings in the world, the Il Parasido by Jacopo Tintoretto. A must visit when visiting Venice!

Situated between the Basilica di San Marco and the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront, the Palazzo…read moreDucale, or Doge's (Duke's) Palace, is arguably the jewel in the crown. It was the seat of the government of Venice for centuries and hosted various government institutions, including the Great Council and the Council of Ten, which controlled the affairs of the republic. Its façade featured intricate marble reliefs, elegant arches, and decorative elements that showcased the beauty of the place where my partner, our friend, family members, and I had gotten self-guided tickets without a reservation last Saturday and moved quickly. One entered the palazzo through a door next to the Lagoon into an enormous courtyard and the Arco Foscari. Here we saw the mix of styles that made up the palace, as successive doges tried to make the palace ever more magnificent. Inside, one can explore a series of opulent rooms, grand halls, and ornate chambers adorned with exquisite artworks, stunning frescoes, and elaborate ceilings. Notable rooms include the Doge's apartments, the Hall of the Great Council, and the Chamber of the Council of Ten. Plan a minimum of two hours to get a good bit of history, which is a living echo of a world that helped shape Europe. We can recommend.

Be careful to visit this library museum, which was closed by the time I visited. There's no signs…read moresaying they'll be closed online or upon the booking with agents, and the only way to find out is walk in front of the door.

Super cute and viral bookstore in Venice known for their picturesque book steps and book wall in…read morethe back of the store. Funny enough, I totally forgot about the book steps/wall when we got there but still had a great time walking around and exploring the bookstore. Their totes are popular and they had a variety of colors but it felt a bit pricey (€15 as of May 2026) for what it was. Lots of different books, with some specialty Venice books. I got a "Cats of Venice" book for a cat lover in my life which I thought was a unique souvenir to bring back. They had the entire "Little Books of Fashion" collection so I picked up a Little Book of Bottega Veneta as my own souvenir but noticed the book was priced higher than what they sell in the States (€20 versus ~$12-17 in US) - just FYI. They also had Libreria Acqua Alta postcards and bookmarks. We came mid-day in May and there was no line to get in. The actual bookstore itself is not big with narrow aisles so it was a bit crowded once we got in but it was manageable. No line to check out. We had several days in Venice which is why we stopped by but if you're only here for a day, I don't think it's a must-do.

This place looks better on Instagram than in real life…read more You walk through the store in a single file line at a pretty quick pace. There are books in different languages, and there are other items like postcards and bookmarks. While the ambiance is quirky and cute, there were not any cats when I was there (despite me thinking there would be based on what I had heard). Even as a bibliophile, I don't think I can say this place is a "must do". Rather, it's only a "nice to do".

I was so excited to read that Ca'Foscari gave tours of the university. I have always been…read moreintrigued by the beautiful palaces that sit on the Grand Canal and this is one of them. We met Elena on Saturday morning for our tour. It cost € 7 each to attend. There were only a total of 8 people on our tour, which made it more personal by Elena. The school is celebrating 150 years - 1868-2018. Some highlights of the tour were: they have the 2nd largest courtyard after the Palazzo Ducale; they originally offered 3 courses - Business, Diplomacy and Language; Foscari was the Doge for 30 years; and he was 53 when he became a Doge. After a brief history, we were shown the most stunning Mario Baratto Room - "Aula Baratto". The wide view on Canal Grand offers a majestic view of the Rialto Bridge on the left and the Accademia Bridge on the right. In 1936, Carlo Scarpo completely redesigned it. Carlo Scarpo work is easily recognizable by the style of the wooden windows, the furniture and the marble stage. The fascist work 'Venice, Italy and Scholarship' of Mario Sironi remained however on the wall. In 1956, Scarpa converted the large aula into a smaller room for lectures. His woodwork which separates the corridor from the aula is very fine. In addition to Ca' Foscari, we were able to tour the Ca' Dolfin. The 16th century Ca' Dolfin is located on the other side of the Rio di Ca' Foscari and was acquired by the university in 1955. You enter into a lovely, quiet garden. The impressive Aula Magna Silvio Trentin is now the main location for large events. As soon as you enter, look up and take in the sumptuous ceiling painting with 18th century frescoes. You feel really overwhelmed by the colors and images. One remarkable detail is the sculpture of a dolphin above the door. It refers to the Dolfin family who originally owned the building. Unfortunately, the 10 original wall paintings of the Venetian painter Giambattista Tiepolo had been sold by one of the former owners. The mirrors which now decorate the walls hide these empty spaces perfectly. From the terrace, you have lovely views of the rooftops and churches of Venice.

What an awesome accidental stop! We popped in because of a sign announcing Venetian Glass Week, and…read morediscovered that there was a superb, if small, exhibit of works by international glass artists. Admission - free! So we gave it a try. It doesn't take long to explore. There are a few rooms downstairs, which showcased works by younger artists on our visit. These ranged from interesting to unnerving. Upstairs - and it's a stunning staircase - works by better known artists we on display in a number of rooms. The rooms themselves are pretty amazing, too, including several library rooms filled with antique books, and the most glorious antique blown glass chandeliers - don't forget to look up! The whole thing took less than 40 minutes to walk through, if that, and there weren't a lot of visitors. Worth a quick stop on your Venice visit.