Day One – The Highlights

St. Mark’s Square

The best place to start your tour is standing in the centre of the Piazza San Marco or St. Mark’s Square. Arrive here as early as you can bear. There is something truly magical about being here as the sun rises on the square. You’ll see the beautiful rose-gold sunlight begin to kiss the cobblestone and bricks around you. The sun seems to bring the square to life as cafe owners begin taking out their chairs and pigeons flock around gawking tourists (but don’t feed them, this is now illegal in Venice!)

Standing in the centre of the square, in front of the Basilica, you can turn around 360 degrees and see one spectacular scene on top of another. In this one small area, you’ll find the St Mark’s Basilica, the great Campanile (Belltower), the Procuratie, the Piazzetta, Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs and Torre dell’ Orologio. There is rarely a time when you’ll visit the square when they aren’t some form of construction or renovation going on. With all these historic sights in one place, there is bound to be something falling apart and needing repair. Try to look past that and don’t like it ruin your experience.

Saint Mark

The square is named after the patron saint of Venice, Saint Mark. In 828, a relic of St. Mark was stolen from Alexandria and brought back to Venice by La Serenissima‘s great naval fleet. The Venetian Doge, awed by the acquisition of this precious relic, adopted Saint Mark as the new patron of Venice (whose honour had previously been given to Saint Theodore).

A city with a saintly relic immediately rose in power and prestige. Relics were the first tourist attraction of the medieval world. Pilgrims would come from all over the world to pray at the churches who preserved these relics. Pilgrims, much as tourists today, needed food and shelter and therefore brought lots of money into the city.

Piazza San Marco

A grand church to house the precious artifact began to be built in 836. The church and the nearby Doge’s palace were, even back then, the highlight of the city for visitors. And a great square was needed to further showcase the opulence the Doge wanted to project. In 1172 orchards were demolished surrounding this area and the Piazza San Marco was built. It’s been rumoured that upon visiting St. Mark’s square for the first time, Napoleon himself degreed that it was, “the drawing room of Europe“.

The Procuratie

The simplistic and yet elegant buildings along the north and south sides of the square are called the Procuratie. The Procuratie is most identifiable by its stunning arcade that wraps around this side of the square. The arcade features Byzantine arches, which are distinct for their tall and narrow structure.

The Procuratie buildings are actually three connected structures that once served as the offices of the Venetian Republic, also called La Serenissima. Today they house the Correr Museum, the Museum of the Risorgimento, and the Archeological Museum. Each one of these is an incredible place to visit but the Correr Museum is my favourite with their collection of art detailing the histories of the city of Venice.

The Lion of Venice

Throughout St. Mark’s square you’ll see various Lions of Venice, adorning doorways, columns and facades. The Lion of Venice is usually seen with his paw upon a bible as he is not just any lion, but St. Mark’s Lion. St. Mark was often referred to as a lion since he would preach the word of the lord so powerfully it almost seemed like a roar. Legend tells that St. Mark was travelling through Europe when he arrived in Venice and an angel spoke to him and told him that this place would be where his body would come to rest for eternity. His remains were originally interred in Alexandra but moved to Venice where the church was built to honour them.

Caffe Florian

Now housed inside one of the old Procuratie buildings is perhaps the most sumptuous cafes in Venice, or perhaps Europe itself. Although this cafe is by no means cheap, it’s a splurge that I think is worth it for the incredible interiors and history to be found within. The Caffe Florian was founded in 1720 and has served patrons like Charles Dickens and Lord Byron. There is a 6 euro cover charge to even enter the cafe, but along with getting to enjoy the lavish interiors, you’ll also be treated to a live orchestra which plays throughout the cafe. Palacial red velvet couches and chairs are spread out across the huge cafe, dotted throughout various antechambers. Each room is covered in ornate paintings, large Murano glass mirrors, gold foiled frames and intricate painting plastered to the ceiling.

To save a bit of money here, go right to the bar and order your food or drinks there. Although you won’t get a seat, the bar menu is vastly cheaper than the table service. An espresso at the bar will run you €5 but again, you’re here for the atmosphere. If you’d rather save your coin you can give this a miss for sure. Instead grab a coffee on your way in towards St. Mark’s square from any local cafe, to enjoy while you peruse the sights.

The Campanile

Standing guard in the centre of the square is the 323ft tall Campanile or Belltower. The low-level buildings throughout Venice are in stark contrast to the towering Campanile. Its little head pokes out at you no matter where you seem to end up in Venice. While the original tower was built in 1514, the current one is a reconstruction from 1912 after it’s collapse in 1902. It’s an incredible thing to imagine that such a tall structure could survive for so long-standing atop the shifting waters. But it wasn’t water which proved to be the biggest enemy of the tower, it was lighting. Lightning struck the tower multiple times over the years causing enormous fires and severe internal damage to the structure.

The tall base of the tower is designed with a fluted shaft that reaches up towards the belfry. Along one corner, one each side of the tower, are stacked arched windows looking out over the square. Inside the belfry are five large bells. Each one was used to call the people of Venice to attention. The bells have their own distinctive name and special significance. The Renghiera bell announced executions; the Mezza Terza would declare that a session of the Senate was taking place; the Nona sounded the midday hour; the Trottiera was used to assemble the Maggiore Consiglio and the Marangona, the largest of the bells, rang to mark the beginning and end of the working day.  

The Tower’s Crown

Above the arches of the belfry is another level of brickwork decorated with various sculptures on either side. On one side you’ll see the Lion of St. Mark and on the other the female representation of Venice, in the shape of the lady Justice. The golden weathervane which crowns the tower is the angel Gabriel, reaching out towards the citizens below.

Torre Dell’Orologio

Turn to the north-east corner of the square, and look up at the bright blue and gold details decorating the Torre Dell’Orologio. The morning light, the sunlight simply glints off the golden dial. The clock was built in the 15th century when mechanical clocks were a symbol of wealth and power. The clock faces out towards the water so that any foreign ships would be able to see it from the canals as they past through.

Atop the tower containing the clock, you can see two small bronze figures who carry large hammers in their hand which move upon the hour to strike the bell. One of the figures is a young man and the other an old man to symbolize the passage of time. Once more we see the image of the Lion of Venice above the clock, set against a blue sky of golden stars. Below the lion is the figure of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus wrapped in her arms. On either side of her are two blue panels with the time represented in roman numerals on the left and in Arabic numerals on the right, as was traditional at the time when the Byzantine influences were ripe throughout Italy.

The Zodiac Symbols on the Clock

The most impressive feature of the clock is the blue and gold engraved clock face with fantastically detailed signs of the zodiac encircling it. The large dial on the clock is set with the huge face of the sun. The dial, emblazed with the image of the sun, revolves around the zodiac signs and rather than showing the time, it marks the date. In the centre is a small gold orb representing the sun and below it, a smaller orb representing the phases of the moon.

St Mark’s Basilica

St. Mark’s Basilica is famously one of the most precious Byzantine treasures of the time. Within it, preserved by time, are so many aspects of history, art culture and faith. The most notable element of the design of the church are the powerful domes that are set against the sky. The bulb-shaped domes with their finials lanterns give the church that middle eastern appearance and character which defined the Byzantine period.

The exterior of St. Mark’s Basilica can be studied by its three distinctive areas; the lower level, upper level and the domes. The lower level mosaics are all scenes from the life of Saint Mark, for whom the church derives its name. In the central arch where the enormous doorway is located there is the largest mosaic which depicts the Last Judgment. The original mosaic would have been made in the 13th century but this current incarnation from the 19th-century. The portals which lead into the church are stacked with various colours of marble, creating a foreshortening perspective effect. Like you are being pulled into the church.

Mosaics of St. Mark’s Basilica

On either side of the central portal, the mosaics each depict the life of St. Mark. The first one on the left is the only one on the façade still surviving from the 13th century. The lunettes above the first floor depict the life of Christ. The lower level features dozens of marble columns. These rich columns are decorated in sumptuous vegetal motifs.

The Bronze Horses

The upper-level balcony, above the main entrance, also features four bronze horses. There are the Horses of Saint Mark-Lysippos and were stolen from Constantinople in 1252. The ones outside the church today are actually replicas of the original horses, as the originals were suffering terribly from the elements. They were brought inside the church museum in order to preserve them for years to come. The original bronze horses date all the way back to classical antiquity. It is rumoured that perhaps they once were positioned pulling an emperors chariot atop the Arch of Trajan in Rome. The Horses were one of the many trophies collected during the Crusades.

Above the horses, the ogee arch is decorated with blue glass and golden stars. In fro of this starry sky is the gilded winged lion, the symbol of Venice. Above the great lion, standing brightly against the blue sky, are Saint Mark and his six angels.

Entering St. Mark’s Basilica

If you are interested in going inside the Basilica, be warned the queue can get very long. But if you want to save yourself a bit of time you can book a timed entry ticket online that only costs €6.00. Well worth it, in my opinion, to be sure you are the first one in the door, leaving the rest of your day completely open.

If you don’t buy your ticket in advance, you will have to line up. The wait time is, on average, about 45 minutes but the earlier you arrive in the morning, the less of a line you’ll run into. When we arrived, early in the day, the line moved swiftly and we barely had to wait at all. But of course, this depends on the time of year you visit.

Interior Mosaics

Upon entering the church the first thing you’ll notice is the overwhelming amount of golden mosaics covering the floor, all the way up to the domed ceiling. There are over 85,000 square feet of mosaics in St. Mark’s Basilica. The light reflects off the surface of the glass and depending on the time of the day, the light changes the effect and the appearance of the interior. So depending on when you visit you might get a different experience from someone else. So much gold was used in its construction of the church that the residents of Venice would call it the Chizea d’Oro or, the Gold Church.

Because the Basilica was built during the Byzantine age, and architectural methods weren’t as advanced as they are now, you’ll notice large thick walls, hundreds of columns and the heavy use of marble. They needed only the strongest of materials to help keep the multi-domed ceiling standing.

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Inside the church are the treasures of the fourth crusade on the holy land. During the 4th-century crusade, Venice deemed itself the holiest place on earth. And therefore all the treasures the crusading armies found were brought to Venice. One such treasure is the Pala d’Oro. The Pala d’Oro is decorated with 1,300 pearls, 300 emeralds, 300 sapphires, 400 garnets, 100 amethysts, plus rubies and topazes. A glittering masterpiece.

Porta Della Carta

Coming back out of the church, into St Mark’s square, be sure to take a moment to study the Porta della Carta on the side of the church. In 1442 this was the ceremonial entrance to the church was built to connect the church to the Doge’s Palace. The doorway is dripping in gothic ornamentation, with two tall, thin pinnacles flanking either side of the statue of the Doge Francesco Foscari. The Doge is seen kneeling before the Lion of Saint Mark. Below each pinnacle is are statues of cardinal virtues.  

Doge’s Palace

A Venetian Doge is something that many of you may not have heard of before. A Doge is pretty much like an English Duke, they served as the leader of the Republic of Venice from 726 to 1797. The Doge would rule over Venice from his seat of power inside the incredible Doge’s Palace. Today the building serves a public museum.

The building itself is a wonder to behold. Despite the enormity of the upper structure, it looks almost weightless as it is supported by the delicate pink Verona marble columns. The columns are decorated with a lacy pattern, making them look even more fragile. The top of the building is adorned with spiked merlons and looks like frosted meringue atop a cake.

Walk through the arcade and study the individual capitals of the columns on the right side.

Piazzetta 

Past the Basilica, walking south towards the water, you can find the Piazzetta. The Piazzetta is the smaller square to the south. In the middle of the square are two large two columns, made in red marble. Between these two columns is where death sentences were announced during the medieval ages.

At the top of the columns are two statues, each depicting one of the patron saints of Venice; St Mark and St Theodore, on the left and right respectively if you’re facing the water. St. Mark is depicted as the winged lion of Venice and St. Theodore can be seen standing atop, of all things, a crocodile. In his hand, he also holds a spear which we can assume he used to slay the giant crocodile. Saint Theodore is more commonly known for slaying a dragon, not a crocodile, but perhaps the Venetians artists of the time who made this carving had little knowledge of what a real dragon looked like, so instead, they simply carved the next best thing, a crocodile.

The Bridge of Sighs

Walk around the Doge’s Palace until you turn to face the Bridge of Sighs. The bridge of sighs created to join the interrogation rooms of the Doge’s Palace to the prison across the canal. If you were found guilty by the Serenissima you were set to the prison, but upon crossing the bridge, were allowed to look out at Venice one last time. Two small, square windows on the bridge allowed prisoners this one moment of reflection, before facing their possible lifetime of imprisonment. The bridge’s windows are covered in a tightly knit wrought iron bars, so no one could escape.

Day Two – Exploring the Hidden Canals

Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo

Continue heading north until you reach the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo. This small palazzo has become an iconic viewpoint in Venice. The palazzo’s incredible, honeycomb-like spiral staircase, with a fantastic balcony at the top, provides one of the most amazing views across the city, and over St. Mark’s square. The staircase is called the “Scala Contarini del Bovolo” or “or the snail”.

Built in the 15th century for the wealthy Contarini family, the house became instantly notable for its unique outer staircase. In 1952 Orson Welles also fell in love with the house and even featured it in his film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello. The Palazzo was closed for many years but in 2016 it opened up its doors to the public. For three euros you can climb the stairs to the top and get a snap of the great landscape.

Explore the Side Canals

Make your way through this small island, heading north and slightly eastward. I don’t want to give you exact directions since exploring and getting lost in these small, neighbourhood streets is half the fun. You’ll discover amazing balconies pouring over with brightly coloured flowers. You might uncover a few secrets, etched into the walls of the alleyways. Or even discover your new favourite pastry shop. While there are some specific sights to see in Venice, exploring these side streets is a joy unto its own.

The Grand Canal

Continue walking north along the Corte Theatro, through one of the darkest brick tunnels, until you emerge out into the bright light of the Grand Canal. As this is the first time we are really faced with the view of the Grand Canal, I suppose we should talk a little bit about this ever so important waterway. The Grand Canal essentially splits the city of Venice into two. While the original waterway which ran through here was no doubt much narrower, the ancient river is thought to be a branch of the Brenta. Ancient Venetian fishermen were once the only ones who lived here, in simple stilt houses.

It wasn’t until the 9th century when the Doge moved his palace into the more protected area of what would become St Mark’s square, that the canal was widened. The canal needed to be larger in order to make room for the large ships needed for the construction of the palace. The canal became less of a fishing spot and more like a ritzy main street. Wealthy families began buying up property and building their huge manors along the Grand Canal.

History of the Grand Canal

The grand canal was the entryway into the city and the Venetian Republic wanted every building lining it to demonstrate the city’s power, wealth and artistic sensibilities. Like a parade of the best architecture Europe had to offer. This huge canal is now flanked by 170 illustrious buildings, which are from as early as the 13th century to the 18th century.

Rialto Bridge

Continue along with the Riva del Ferro, walking along the edge of the Grand Canal. Emerging from the last arcade you’ll be greeted almost immediately by the sight of the bright white stone of the Rialto bridge. The Rialto Bridge is the most famous of all of Venice’s canal bridges. It is also the oldest of the four major bridges which connect the various districts of Venice. The original wooden bridge installed here was built here in 1173. Back then it went by the name Ponte Della Moneta, which means “money bridge“. The reason for this was that on one side of the canal once stood the largest mint in Venice. People would flood into their area and across the bridge at all hours of the day to deposit and take out their cash!

The old wooden bridge was split down the center and could be raised on either side, to allow for tall ships to enter into these narrow canals. This was of the utmost importance especially when the Rialto Market opened, as boats would come in in mass to deliver fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. But as time past, the wooden bridge just wasn’t up to snuff though. After years and years of wear, riots, fires and crowds eventually it collapsed.

New Rialto Bridge

The new Rialto bridge design was completed in 1551. The architect who designed it did away with the raised wooden design and instead favoured stone as it was more durable and could last the test of time. Since the stone bridge couldn’t be raised, he needed to ensure that the two inclined ramps would be tall enough to accommodate the galley ships that needed to pass through. The result is this grand archway which looks like a gilded enclosure around a picturesque living portrait. The stone structure also featured a covered portico on top with rows of shops on either side. The addition of shops here meant that their rent could help pay for the maintenance of the bridge going forward. Between the inclined set of porticos is a large arch, like the crown atop this stunning structure.

While the bridge has become somewhat of a tourist trap, with stores selling souvenirs lining the entire walkway, early in the morning when they are all closed, this bridge still keeps its magic. There are these two little nooks on the bottom of the bridge, where you can sit right under it, besides the water. This is one of the most amazing places to watch boats and gondolas float by with stacks of fruits and vegetables coming into the market as dawn casts itself on the city. The top of the bridge is also one of the most iconic spots for pictures in Venice.

Mercado di Rialto

Now that you’ve been introduced to the look of the city, it’s time to meet the people of Venice. And there is no better place to get a peek into the real lives of the residence of Venice than to head to the Rialto Market! The Rialto Market is one of the last remaining fresh food markets in the city and as such, is a bustling place for locals to come and buy their food for the day. The outdoor portion of the market is where you’ll find seasonal fruits and vegetables. If you’re looking for a snack there is nothing more refreshing than a basket of freshly picked fruits!

But the Rialto Market is much more than just a place to get some of the best food in the city! It is also a place of great historical value. Of all the rich bankers and traders who lived in the region, the most famous were the Rivoalto family. The Rivoalto traders were one of the first families to come into the lagoon to set up a trading post. They picked this location because it was situated along the bend of the lagoon. This meant it was located on higher ground and therefore was spared from some of the floodings that other parts of the island experienced. The first known market took place here in 1097. Because the family didn’t have to constantly rebuild themselves, the Rivoaltos grew in prominence and wealth over time, eventually having the very spot named after them.

Pescheria

Opposite the green awning of the outdoor market is the neo-gothic fish hall, or Pescheria, built in the early 1900s. Outside the red brick building there is still to this day a marble plaque which you should study before heading inside. This plaque denotes the different types of fish which were allowed to be legally sold here when the marketplace was first built. Certain fishes were protected from overfishing and therefore there was a limit to the amount any one person could buy.

The fish hall is a soaring building with richly ornamented arches surrounding the exterior. Inside the columns continue throughout the interior, making a simple stone building feel rich and illustrious. Fresh fish has long been one of the most important resources in Venice. Right outside their door, this amazing product is caught daily. It can’t get much more local than that!

Buying food at the Market

The market place was facing the chance of being shut down a few years ago, due to a possible canal expansion for cruise ships. Thankfully the citizens were able to convince the city to stop this and the market was saved. But as more and more people choose to shop at larger grocery stores off the island markets like this always face the chance of being closed. So if you’re going to visit, be sure you buy at least a little something. We bought some fresh raspberries and cherries and they were absolutely delicious!

Basilica dei Frari

But probably what brings most people to San Polo is the Basilica dei Frari or Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. But most people just call it the “Frari” for short. The church is the beating heart of this neighbourhood. In 1231 the Doge Jacopo Tiepolo donated some land to the Franciscans. The original church he had built was small and as the Franscians rose to power, they demolished it in exchange for a larger, more impressive design. The current version was built in the 14th-century in high Venetian Gothic style.

At the back of the church is the great campanile, which is the second tallest tower in the city, after San Marco’s tower. The bell tower was built in 1396 and still stands today! The unassuming facade might fool you into thinking at first blush this church isn’t very important. But in actuality, it is perhaps one of the most significant churches in the city.

Titian Paintings in Venice

Many Doges were buried here under the watchful eye of masterful works of art by the painter Titian. Titian, who was a Venetian himself, painted the great altarpiece inside the church. The Assumption of the Virgin by Titian is one of the first things your eye is drawn towards as you enter the church. It sits behind the high altar, lit by the glow of the stained glass windows behind it. This piece is perhaps the best example of Titan’s masterful work. Setting the standard for Venetian art during the Renaissance.

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Entry into the Church

There is a small fee to enter the church (€ 3,00) but it is more than worth it to gaze upon the painting the Assumption of the Virgin in situ. When I first saw this painting in person, it was a moment of awe for me. Some paintings, like the Mona Lisa perhaps, don’t live up to the hype. But this one is even more grandiose and firey in person than it was on any page or screen.

Titian died of the plague at the age of 94 and a memorial to his life and death stands inside the great basilica. The monument is gigantic! A version of the Assumption painting is carved into the stone behind an image of the painter crowed with a laurel wreath. On either side of the artist are two figures which represent the universal nature and the genius of knowledge. The other four figures are Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Art and Architecture.

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Dorsoduro District

The Dorsoduro district is located on the bottom of the Venetian islands. This area borders the Grand Canal as well as the Venetian Lagoon, making it a prime spot for traders to live. While it’s not as flashy as the other districts, think of this as the blue-collar neighbourhood, I still find it to be one of the most charming areas in Venice. Dorsoduro lacks the pretensions of the other neighbourhood. Since it’s home to Venice’s Ca’ Foscari University you’ll also find the new blood of Venetian society, its students, who liven up the streets with modern music, food and entertainment.

Ponte dei Pugni

Continuing south, we’ll be going to pass over the Ponte dei Pugni. I love the view from this bridge. If you look towards the west you can see the bell tower from the church of Santa Maria del Carmelo. On either side of the bridge are a pair of footsteps marked on the corner. This marked the beginning of where the great fight between Venice’s two rival family factions took place in 1705. Thereafter, many more fights took place here. Opponents would stand on either side of the bridge, where the footsteps are now marked. Originally, there were no railings on this bridge, so when the two opponents would fight, the first one to fall off the bridge and into the water as the loser.

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Cantine del Vino già Schiavi

By this time, we are approaching the evening, but its not time for dinner just yet. Oh no, first we must have aperitif! And one of the best places to get it in Dorsoduro is Cantine del Vino già Schiavi. This bar sells Cicchetti (small snacks) which include Venetian classics like crostini topped with salt cod and wild garlic, pistachio cream or alioli with flower petals. Grab an Aperol spritz to drink while standing at the bar to feel very much like a local.

Calle Nuova Sant’Agnese

Head northeast until you reach the Calle Nuova Sant’Agnese. This narrow street is filled with shops. Being so far away from the touristy areas, these stores are known to seel authentic Venetian goods but at reasonable prices. In addition to the tourist shops, you’ll also find unique boutiques which are a great way to support local businesses.

Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute

If you’re still feeling up for it, continue walking through Dorsoduro, eastwards, until you reach the Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute. This stunning white marble church is not only a sight to see, but where you can get a great view of Saint Mark’s square, where we first started the tour.

In 1630 Venice was being ravaged by the plague and there was no signs of it stopping. At the time, one of the ways people thought you could stop the plague was by making an offering to god and pray he would send deliverance to the city. So, the Republic of Venice built the church to Our Lady of Health as a last resort. Eventually, the plague period past and the city was able to start rebuilding itself. Nearly a third of the population of Venice died during the plague. Those that survived would remember that harrowing experience forever. Since the church was made in honour of stopping the plague, most of the art and symbolism you’ll find throughout the church in some way refers to death or the plague, making it a very uniquely themed church. 

The Dome of Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute

The church is most notable for its humongous white dome which dominates the sky. The dome, which almost seems to defy gravity, became a symbol of inspiration for artists in the city. To support the huge dome and enormous marble church, 1,000,000 wooden piles were used to hold up the floating building. At the apex of the central pediment stands a statue of the Virgin Mary, looking out of the city. The group of figures in the scene is stunningly theatrical and it really looks like a moment frozen in time.

If you choose to come inside be sure to check out the statuary group at the high altar. This stone scene depicts depicting The Queen of Heaven expelling the Plague and was crafted in 1670. 

Zattere

To finish the evening, walk down south towards the far end of the island. The stone promenade which flanks the water’s edge is called the Zattere. Zattere in Italian means rafts. In the 16th century timber would arrive in the city on large rafts. Timber was not only used to constructed the walls of grand palazzos and houses in Venice, it was literally the ground on which the houses were built on. So timber was one of the most important imports in the city. Timber was also used to make gondolas up until the 18th century. Suffice to say, the city was literally built around the timber industry and therefore its importance is not to be ignored. The earliest parts of the Zattere date as far back as 1520! Today the wide promenade is a great place to watch the sunset against the waters of the canals.

Trattoria San Basilio

If you’re feeling like you would like to dine somewhere close to your accommodation there are Vaporetto stops all along the Fondamenta Zattere. But if you’re looking for something special along the water’s edge, but away from the touristy hub, you should check out Trattoria San Basilio.

This down to earth restaurant is located inside the corner of one of the older buildings in the Zattere. It barely looks like a restaurant at all except for the awning and few tables and chairs out front. But don’t let its modesty fool you, here you’ll find a relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff, and best of all, traditional Venetian cuisine. Their seafood spaghetti with mussels, clams and squids, tastes so fresh you’d swear the food jumped right onto your plate straight from the water. Try to get a spot outside to enjoy the sunset or the boats as they drive past into the moonlight.

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Phew, well that brings us to the end of this tour! Hopefully, if you packed this all into one day you found things along the way to return to tomorrow to investigate further! Let me know which neighbourhood was your favourite or what you’re most looking forward to visiting!

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post Escape to Venice: Your Ultimate Guide to the Perfect 48 Hours in the Floating City – Steal This Itinerary Today! first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

But if you decide to stay a few nights you’ll be treated to one of the most charming towns where you can take more time to dig into the history and secrets of this lovely city. There are lots of amazing museums to explore so don’t be shy about deciding to extend your stay. Verona is also an art lovers’ dream. The city is constantly featuring a revolving door of art exhibitions. There are heritage fairs, food festivals, operas and music galas as well as near-constant performances in their ancient arena. Truly something for everyone!

Table Of Contents

1. How To Get There
2. History of Verona Italy
3. Map of Walking Tour
4. Castelvecchio Bridge
5. Castelvecchio
6. Arco dei Gavi
7. Palazzo Canossa
8. Basilica di San Lorenzo
9. Porta Borsari
10. Piazza Bra
11. Verona Arena
12. Casa de Giulietta
13. Piazza delle Erbe
14. The Torre dei Lamberti
15. Arco della Costa
16. Piazza dei Signori
17. Palazzo della Ragione
18. Dante Alighieri
19. Palace of the Podestà
20. Palace of Cansignorio
21. Loggia del Consiglio
22. Church of Saint Mary Antica
23. Scaliger Tombs
24. Casa di Romeo
25. Basilica of Santa Anastasia
26. Piazzetta Bra Molinari

How To Get There

If you’re visiting Venice, Milan or Florence, Verona is only a short train ride away. Most of the major high-speed trains stop in Verona if you’re coming in from a big city. But if you are taking the train from a small town along the way, Versona station is also serviced by many local, regional trains.

If you’d instead like to take the bus, there are plenty of options that even run internationally, making stops in Verona.

If you have rented a car, you can reach Verona’s from highway A4 or A22. There are free parking areas in the Porta Palio Parking lot and the Guardini Parking Lot to park. You can also park your car at the tourist bus terminal for free. Paid parking areas can be found along Via M. Bentegodi. It’s always best to avoid driving right into the city unless you have a hotel stay booked and can park in the hotel. Not only is driving in the city’s inner centre difficult, often tourist cars are banned from entering certain parts of the city. So be warned. I always find it’s much less stressful to park away from the city center and enjoy a leisurely walk into town.

History of Verona Italy

What might surprise some people about their visit to Verona is how ancient the city is. Verona became a Roman colony in 89 BC. Verona was one of the more famous cities in the empire. Located at the intersections of various main trade routes and roads, it was a hub for business. Verona was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the ancient Roman monuments in the city centre. The city suffered a massive earthquake in 1117, which destroyed much of the city’s original Medieval architecture. It was replaced by Romanesque buildings, many of which you can still see today.

Shakespeare in Verona

Shakespeare set two of his plays in the city of Verona; Romeo and Juliet and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. One can only imagine that the writer had an affinity for the town as it features so heavily in his plays. Walking the streets, it’s impossible not to imagine Shakespeare himself walking on these very cobblestones. No doubt daydreaming in his head of his next grand production.

Map of Walking Tour

About this Self-Guided Walking Tour of Verona

This walk takes you across the city of Verona, from the west bridge to the east hillside. The tour is doable in one full day. But if you want to take it at a more leisurely pace, and allow yourself time for shopping or popping inside some of the museums, you can easily split it up into two days. Staying overnight in Verona, or just outside the city in one of their charming B&Bs is an excellent idea since the city clears out of the day-trippers and feels more laidback and quiet at night.

Accessibility

Like many places in Italy, the sidewalks in Verona are mostly narrow and made of uneven cobblestones. Scooters will frequently whip around corners out of nowhere, something all travellers need to be aware of. If you’re travelling in a wheelchair, this walk is still relatively doable. The only issue is the staircase at the end of the tour. In this case, you can finish the walk one step ahead of the itinerary. If you have a mobility aid or are someone who needs to take things at a more leisurely pace, seek the advice from above. It’s great to split the tour into different bits to break up the day. There is nothing better than taking a break at a cafe for an espresso, or a refreshing Aperol spritz to sip on while sitting in the Piazza.

Castelvecchio Bridge

Our tour starts on the Castelvecchio Bridge, which spans the great Adige River. This bridge looks so unique, due to its exceptional design. Unlike most bridges that have low barriers to allow unobstructed views across the city, this bridge has large, imposing walls. It was built in 1354 by Cangrande II della Scala. Cangrande II della Scala was the brutal Lord of Verona from 1351 until he died in 1359. He had the bridge explicitly constructed to escape the city in the event of a rebellion. And with the nickname, “Raging Dog,” Scala wasn’t particularly popular with his people or court. The thick brick walls he had hoped would protect him from assassins on his escape from the city.

History of the Castelvecchio Bridge

The original bridge stood for hundreds of years untouched by wars or attacks. It remained steadfast until 1945 when it was destroyed by retreating German troops. Thankfully it was restored to its original appearance in 1949. 

The red-bricked crenellated parapets are iconic of the city of Verona. You can see this design element all over town. This design was called the Ghibelline or the swallowtail battlement. The name comes from the V-shaped notches in the merlon’s tops, which give it the appearance of a bird’s tail. But the shape wasn’t just an aesthetic choice. The crenellations were used to protect the archer in battle. The archer would have a clear shot at the attackers outside the battlements while he remained protected. Stop inside the various lookout points along the bridge as they not only provide beautiful views, but the old keystones on the arches have lovely carvings, and some are from the original 14th-century bridge.

Castelvecchio

Continue along the bridge till you reach the Corso Cavour. Turn left and walk along the Corso. On the left-hand side, you’ll side the exterior of the Castelvecchio. This is the old Medieval fortress built in 1354. The fort was used to house the military and their arsenal from the 1400s to the 1700s. In the 1700s, it was used as the Venetian military academy. There it remained until 1925 when the building was transformed into a museum. Note the same brickwork seen here along the fortress walls, which is continued from the design of the Vecchio bridge.

Arco dei Gavi

Just past the fortress, take a minute to walk towards the river on your left, where you’ll find the imposing white limestone Arco dei Gavi. The Arco dei Gavi is a triumphal arch commissioned to architect L. Vitruvius Cerdo in the 1st century AD. It was built likely during the reign of Tiberius. This large archway once served as the original entrance to the city. Triumphal arches are synonymous with the Roman period. They marked not only the door to the city but were also built in honour of an important event. This could be the death or birth of a significant person or the construction of an essential trade route, which was highly celebrated by the Romans. 

The original archway wasn’t located in this exact spot. In 1805 the original arch was severely damaged due to structural problems and needed to be demolished. Thankfully, enough of the stone was preserved so that in 1932 it could be rebuilt. It was then moved to this more secure location where it can be admired by modern by tourists.

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Palazzo Canossa

Continuing along the Corso, we shortly come upon the Romanquesue Palazzo Canossa. The Palazzo was designed in 1527 by Michele Sanmicheli in the Mannerist style. Mannerism went against the idea of symmetry and balance, which were the primary characteristics of the previous Renaissance era. Mannerists love to play with space and its relationship with buildings. On the ground floor, there are two sets of windows on either side, centred around a dark portico, which runs parallel to the street. The upper floors of the manor have three different sets of windows and varying heights. Study the roof as it features a gallery of mythological creatures craning their heads over the side, to look at the people below.

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Basilica di San Lorenzo

Hidden through a small, almost unassuming archway along the street is the Basilica of San Lorenzo. The pointed-arched doorway is topped with a statue of San Lorenzo. On either side of the columns are carvings of climbing flowers. This Romanesque church dates all the way back to 1177. The striped bands of alternating brick and stone along the columns create a mesmerizing pattern. They almost seem to swallow you up as you walk inside. Since the church is so hidden away, this place is often tremendously sombre and a great spot to come for a moment of solitude away from the crowds.

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Porta Borsari

At the end of the Corso Cavour, just beyond the intersection of Via Antoni Cantore, is the ancient Porta Borsari. This is another one of Verona’s Roman monuments. The gate was used to protect the city and was built in the first century AD. Twelve simple windows carved into the limestone, atop the double-arched gateway, mark the entry into this district of Verona. The original name of the gate was Porta Iovia, as it was located near a small temple dedicated to Jupiter lustralis. “Borsari” refers to the bursarii, which were the duties collected from goods that entered and exited the city. 

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Via Antonio Cantore

From here, we’re heading back down towards the centre of town. While the most direct and accessible route to the Roman Amphiteatre is along Via Guglielmo Oberdan, I prefer to take the scenic route. Walk along Via Antonio Cantore and turn down Via Alberto Mario. These two streets are much more quaint and made up mostly of small houses and apartment complexes. They feel like the Verona of days long past, without as many tourist shops. Take a moment to study the window boxes, which are almost always overflowing in flowers in the spring and summertime.

Piazza Bra

As you come out of the side streets, you’ll exit on the Piazza Bra. If you follow my instructions and started this tour early in the morning, you’ll have a chance to walk into the square without being mobbed with tourists. The Piazza Bra is the largest square in Verona and features some of the most iconic sights in the city. Surrounding the plaza are dozens of cafes and restaurants, but look above them to study the elegant windows and buildings they are located inside—each one a different colour and slightly different design. The square is a beautiful place to stop and have a cup of coffee. Although you pay a premium for the location, its well worth it for the view.

If you’re a tourist on a budget, this is a magnificent place to stop. Bring a little picnic and sit in the large park located in the Piazza. There are many benches to relax on and soak in the scenery. The park is decorated with cedar and pine trees surrounding the Alps’ fountains. In the center of the basin, which dominates the park, is a bronze statue of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of Italy. 

Verona Arena

The most imposing structure on the square is the ancient Roman Arena. If you’ve been to Rome and seen their arena, you’ll be surprised at how well preserved the one in Verona actually is. The arena in Rome no longer has a foundation and therefore is unusable. But the stadium here in Verona is almost immaculately preserved and still in use today! It serves as the venue for local and international opera performances, concerts and plays. This makes the Verona Arena feel more alive and not just a relic of the past.

History of the Verona Arena

This Roman amphitheatre was built in 30 A.D. using white and pink limestone from Valpolicella. Originally it was used to host gladiator games, jousts, and trials. Gladiators were generally slaves, who were trained to fight for the entertainment of locals and nobles alike. They would face-off inside the arena, and competitions included everything from fights to the death, battles against ferocious animals to simple displays of athletic skills.

There are over 25,000 seats throughout the arena up the 44 tiers of marbled benches. Operas started to be performed here in the 20th century when the famous opera tenor Giovanni Zenatello used the stage to practice with friends and realized how amazing the acoustics were! If there is a performance on while you’re visiting, don’t miss seeing it as the acoustics inside this ancient building are surprisingly amazing!

Palazzo Barbieri

Just in front of the arena is the cream yellow collanades of the Palazzo Barbieri. The Palazzo Barbieri is home to Verona’s city council. It was initially built in 1836 as a military base by engineer Guiseppe Barbieri (for whom the building is named after). The palazzo is made in a neo-classical style. During WWII, the Austrian used the building as one of their bases of operations. Because of this, it was severely damaged in the war, and reconstruction wasn’t completed until 1950.

Portoni della Brà

Past the Palazzo, head west along Via degli Alpini until you reach the Portoni della Bra. This grandiose gate is from the 3rd-century AD and was one another Roman gateway to Verona. There is an inscription on the brickworks, which dates to 245 AD with the name ‘Colonia Verona Augusta‘ carved onto the placard. This would have been the entry ancient visitors would also have travelled through to arrive inside this great city. The materials used to create the great gate were Veronese marble and red brick. Once more, we see that crenellated walkway at the top of the archway. A clock sits in the center of the two arches, but this was added in 1872. 

Via Giuseppe Mazzini

Walking back northwards, head up the Via Giuseppe Mazzini. Via Giuseppe Mazzini is the most prestigious shopping street in Verona. This narrow passageway is where you’ll find some of the biggest international brands. Even though they aren’t very unique stores, it’s exciting to see these modern labels crowded into this rather small, ancient space.

Casa de Giulietta

Make your way east along the Via Anfiteatro and Via Stella until you reach Via Giuseppe Mazzini. Turn left and walk until you find the fabled Casa de Giulietta or House of Juliet. This 13th-century house once belonged to the Capello family (which sounds an awful lot like Capulet family). The dwelling is one of the oldest in Verona. Juliet Capulet, along with her lover Romeo, were fictional characters.

Still, this residence is an excellent representation of wealthy families’ living quarters during the time in which Shakespeare set the play. But there is mounting evidence that two rival families did, in fact, perhaps exist here in Verona. Writer Dante himself wrote a poem about the fabled Ghibelline and Guelph feuding families.

On the way into the house, you’ll see the walls of the arched passageway covered in notes. There are so many pieces of paper, the brick wall almost disappears. These are romantic wishes, left by visitors wishing for their own star crossed love.

The building on its own is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture from the 1300s. Once more here, we see the walls topped with those Ghibelline battlements in red brickwork.

Juliet Balcony

Walking into the courtyard, one of the first things people will look at is the famed balcony. This is where the star crossed sweethearts could have indeed fallen in love. But, this balcony is not a part of the original structure. It was added in the 20th century to jump on the Romeo and Juliet tourist train. The balcony was created by piecing together elements of a 17th-century sarcophagus and attaching it to the wall! Rather morbid for one of the romantic icons of the city, don’t you think?

In the center of the courtyard is a bronze statue of Juliette. While the sculpture was added in the 20th century in honour of the famous play set in Verona, she is still a favourite for visitors. Locals claim that if you rub her right breast, you’ll find love and gain fertility! So obviously the right breast is rather more shiny than the left!

Casa Di Giulietta Museum

You can walk into the courtyard for free, but to get inside the house, you must pay admission. This is because the house itself is a small museum featuring images and objects from the time of Romeo and Juliet. The museum can get really crowded, but if you’re a massive fan of this play, it’s an exciting place to explore. You get a sense of the kind of interiors that Roman and Juliet would have lived in. Since this museum gets so busy during the busy summer months, if you can’t get inside, don’t press yourself and simply come back later in the day or early the next morning. It’s not worth getting stressed out over.

Piazza delle Erbe

Continuing along the street outside the Casa di Giulietta until you come upon the gorgeous Piazza Delle Erbe. Piazza Delle Erbe means Square of the Herbs. On the southern side, you’ll see the Casa de Mercanti or House of the Merchants.

This area was once occupied by the original Roman forum. Here, Romans would gather to sell goods, like herbs well as fruits, vegetables and more. Even today, you can still find the square busy with merchants selling everything from food to souvenirs. 

The square now features merchants selling mainly souvenirs for the many tourists who frequent the area. But despite the samey items being sold, the sellers still bring a lively atmosphere to the ancient plaza.

The Torre dei Lamberti

Overlooking the square is the Tower Lamberti, the tallest building in Verona. The Torre Lamberti was built in 1172. However, the structure had to be rebuilt in the 15th century after being hit by lightning. You can see the newer materials on the exterior marked by the variations in the brickwork. The massive clock on the surface was also added in 1779.

Bell Tower

Inside the tower are two large bells; the ‘Marangona‘ signals the various hours of the day. There is also a larger bell, called the ‘Rengo‘ used to call the population to arms or summon the city council. Skip the ride up the tower as it’s pretty expensive, and we’ll get another view across the city later in the tour.

Domus Mercatorum

Across from the tower is the Domus Mercatorum or Casa dei Mercanti. This was the old home of the merchants guild, built in 1210. It was initially made out of nothing but wood. In 1301 it was reconstructed by a wealthy wool trader, Alberto I della Scala, who remade it in stone, which was much more long-lasting. The Scala family eventually became one of Verona’s most powerful families. The Scala acted as judges and presiding over legal issues relating to merchants and manufacturers of Verona. I love the exterior of this building. The red brick is inlaid with limestone carvings and beautiful mullioned windows and crenellated parapets.

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Fontana Madonna Verona

In the center of this long square is a beautiful and delicate fountain topped with Verona’s Madonna. This 14th-century fountain’s sculpture on top actually dates all the way back to 380 AD! The Madonna holds a scroll in her hands. On this, the ancient seal of Verona is written, “est iusti latrix urbs hec et laudis” or “this city is the bearer of justice and lover of praise.”

Mazzanti Houses

Behind the Madonna fountain, is the gorgeous frescoed exterior of the Mazzanti houses. These residences were built in the 13th century for the Scala family. Later in the 1500s, when they sold to new owners, they were renovated for the modern era. It was right here, in front of his own house, that Mastino della Scala was ambushed and murdered in 1277. After this attack, the family decided to move and sold their homes to the wealthy Mazzanti family, another group of merchants.

Mazzanti Frescos

The frescos on the exterior were made in the 16th century by painted Alberto Cavalli. Cavalli has studied under Giulio Roman, who used the same techniques as Michelangelo. All these artists share in the use of Mannerism in their artworks. The frescoes depict mythological and allegorical scenes. Each painting is still surprisingly vibrant after being exposed to the elements outdoors for over 500 years. 

In the 16th century, houses in Verona were painted like this as decorating the exterior with paint cost much less than architectural sculpture. But frescoes were nonetheless as impressive. Visitors to Verona called the city “urbs picta” which meant the painted city. Although very little of these frescoes remain, this gives you an idea of what it once looked like.

Take a Break

The Piazza de Erbe is one of Verona’s most picturesque places to stop and grab a drink. An Aperol Spritz is the drink of choice for most diners. Grab a table outside and soak in the views of the multicoloured buildings and balconies overlooking the square.

Column of San Marco

At the end of the square, you’ll find the large Column of San Marco. The marble column features the winged lion of San Marco, the symbol of Venice. Verona was once under the imperial rule of Venice. As such, there are still symbols of this around Verona today. The Colonna di San Marco was erected in 1523, and sculpted in immaculate white marble. The carving of a lion on the top is a 19th-century addition. The original sculpture which stood here was destroyed in 1797 when the Venetian Republic was dismantled. A new lion was added back in 1866 once tensions around the entire event died down.

Palazzo Maffei

Facing onto the square is the luxurious Palazzo Maffei. This baroque building is covered in statues of Roman gods looking out at the pedestrians on the plaza. The top of the building is host to six statues of divinities: Hercules, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Apollo and Minerva. Hercules’ statuette looks slightly different from the rest. This is because Hercules was stolen from the Roman Capitoline Hill and placed onto the facade of the house! It hundreds of years older than the other baroque statues and is easily identifiable from the others.

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Arco della Costa

In the middle of the Piazza, there is a large archway leading to the alleyway along the Via della Costa. Hanging in the middle of the arch is a huge whale’s rib suspended from two thin wire hangers which has been named the Arco della Costa. This passageway connected the old judge’s residence to the tribunal hall. During the Venetian republic, when the rule of law was harsh and swift, judges were often the target of the people’s hatred. So it was important for the government to protect these nobles. They did so by constructing this walkway, which would allow them to get around their workplaces and residences without having to walk in the public streets. 

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Ancient Whale Rib

The whale rib hanging over the entrance was once thought to belong to an ancient aquatic dinosaur. Although recent investigations have proven that it is indeed merely a whale’s rib. The earliest documentation of when the bone was placed here was in the 18th century, but the rib’s age makes it more probable that it has been here for much longer than that. 

Myth of the Giant Whale

There are several theories as to why the rib was placed in the arch, but no one has any concrete proof of either of these hypotheses. One says that it was a relic brought back by the Venetians republic from the holy lands during the crusades. Another legend goes that it was a fossil found in the mountains of Verona. They thought the fossil might have been from ancient monsters, not a whale, and placed it here to ward off evil spirits. But the most likely cause of its installation is perhaps the dullest, and that was an advertisement.

The Piazza de Erbe was a busy place. To catch the public’s attention, an old apothecary shop placed this rib here to mark their location so people could easily find their way to their store. This is the most probable answer because the bone still belongs to the family who owns a pharmacy located here to this day. So more than like was something passed down to their families after many generations.

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Piazza dei Signori

Passing through the Arco della Costa, and walking along the Via della Costa you’ll exit out onto the Piazza dei Signori. This square is home to so many incredible well-known buildings. The square’s name, “Signore” in Italian, means “minister,” which was the name used for influential political figures who shaped Verona’s history. Many powerful and wealthy families lived in this area, who, despite not being technical royalty, held the real power over the city of Verona. As this area was near the old Roman forum and marketplace, it was one of the hottest real estate location in Verona that only the most influential people could afford. 

The buildings around the square represent a range of Verona’s architectural designs throughout the ages. It almost feels like an open-air museum. Each of the individual structures is gracefully adjoined by a series of arches. Atop each arch is a statue of a famous Veronese personality.

Palazzo della Ragione

The Palazzo della Ragione is one of the oldest buildings in Italy, with construction starting in 1193. It is one of the best examples of Veronese Romanesque architecture. The alternating layers of beige stone and red brick display the typical design of Romanesque Veronese architecture.

History of the Palazzo del Comune

Initially, the building was called the Palazzo del Comune. It served as a public plaza and warehouse for the city’s residents. The entire ground floor was open, and there was a large room in the center where the city council would meet. This allowed members of the public to always have eyes on their city council to see what was going on.

But when the Venetian Republic took control of the city in 1405, they turned the building into a courthouse. It became the seat of judicial offices, prisons, professional colleges and even the health office. The closest tower you can see while standing in the square was where prisoners would be set before their trials. The other tower attached to the building is the Lamberti tower we studied previously in the Piazza del Erbe. The building would have initially had four towers, one located on each of the Palazzo corners, but there are only two which remain.

In the center of the courtyard is a large staircase, called the “staircase of reason.” Prisoners would be lead up the stairs were the accusations against them would be read out in front of the public.

Palazzo as Grain Warehouse

Later in the 16th century, the inner courtyard was used as a warehouse for grain. The grain and flour were sold to Verona’s most impoverished families, almost like the food stamp programs some countries have today. With the fall of the Republic, the ownership of the Palazzo’s upper floors was turned over to a private family while the lowers levels remained state-owned. The exterior of the building facing the Piazza dei Signori features a neoclassical design that was made after one of the many fires that ravaged the building. In the early 2000s, the building was converted into the Achille Forti Gallery of Modern Art.

Dante Alighieri

In the centre of the square is a marble column topped with the figure of Italian poet Dante Alighieri, made in 1865 by Ugo Zannoni. Dante spent seven years living in Verona and is much beloved by Veronese citizens. Dante had supported the Emperor in his war against the Pope. But when the Emperor’s army lost, Dante was cast out of Florence. He took up residence in Verona inside the Palace of the Podesta, which is just across from his statue. 

The Divine Comedy

In the Palace of the Podesta, it is said that he wrote the “Divine Comedy.“During his time in Verona, he often stayed at the Scala family court when Bartolomeo Scala was in power. During Dante’s stay, it is said that he witnessed the real-life inspiration for Rome and Juliette with the tragedy of the two lovers Montecchi and Cappelletti.

Palace of the Podestà

The Palace of the Podestà (or the Palazzo del Governo) was a famous residence for local celebrities. It was initially built for the Scaligeri family in 1277. The Scaligeri were the ruling family of Verona from the 13th to 14th centuries. The word Podestà was a name given to high officials in Italy in the later Middle Ages. It was here that the Podesta had their offices but also where they held residence. The house hosted such famous guests as Dante and artists Giotto. Giotto was once commissioned to cover the exterior of the palace in frescoes. Due to the fact they were located outdoors, this meant deterioration was more severe. As they were not well maintained, they have been lost to the ages.

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Verona’s Renaissance

Once more, we see the iconic Ghibelline crenellations on the top of the building. The entrance structure is a beautiful example of the Veronese medieval style. Highlighted by the semi-circular vaults on the lower level. The incredible marble portal was added in the 16th century by Michele Sanmicheli. He was inspired by the arch of Gavi (which we saw earlier in the tour.) On either side of the archway are two winged victories that lay languidly in the corners. Around this time, Verona’s artists were obsessed with the Roman are and were drawing inspiration for the part to include in their modern Renaissance. On the top of the portal is a statue of the Lion of Venice. This was there to show off the fact that this building was under the control of the Republic of Venice.

The archway that connects the Palace of the Podestà to the Palace of Cansignorio is known as the Arco della Tortura. Since this area of town was where all the judges lived and worked, it was also where the judgement was carried out. Torture instruments were strung up along the arch to put fear into the citizens of Verona.

Palace of Cansignorio

On the southeast side of the square, we find the Palace of Cansignorio.  Cansignorio della Scala was Lord of Verona from 1359 until 1375. The Palace, also called the Palazzo del Capitanio, was built in 1363 for the protection of the Captain of the City of Verona under the scrutiny of the Serenissima (the name for the sovereign state of Venice). The palace once featured three towers on top quipped with armed guards. This was where Cansignorio della Scala lived along with the rest of his administration.

The exterior of the building is divided into the brick tower on the right and the classical white facade on the left. The brick dates back from the original construction whereas the white structure was designed during renovations made in the 16th century. One of the most notable parts of the classical building is the large Corinthian archway which leads guests into the inner courtyard. The coats of arms that are carved into the facade are another iconic feature of the building. All of these works were completed by famed Venetian architect  Michele Sanmicheli. 

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Loggia del Consiglio

The Loggia del Consiglio is a stunning piece of Renaissance architecture located in Verona, Italy. Built in the 16th century, this loggia (an open-air gallery) served as the meeting place for the city council and is now considered one of the most significant landmarks in the city. The loggia is made up of a large central arched opening, surrounded by smaller arches, and supported by a series of Corinthian columns. The detailed carvings and frescoes that adorn the loggia walls are breathtaking, showcasing the skill of the artists of that era.

Church of Saint Mary Antica

The Church of Saint Mary ‘Antica’ in Verona, Italy is a stunning example of Gothic architecture. This medieval church, built in the 12th century, is one of the oldest in the city and is renowned for its intricate carvings, stained glass windows, and beautiful frescoes. The church’s exterior is equally impressive, with its pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and tall spires that create a dramatic silhouette against the sky.

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But the most important sight of the church can be found right above the doors to the side entrance. Atop the trefoil archway is the stone sarcophagus of Can Grande I Della Scala. Cangrande della Scala ruled over Verona from 1308 to 1387 and was notable for being a devoted patron of Dante. Above the arch, look up and on top of the pointed tower is an equestrian statue of the prince.

Scaliger Tombs

Peeking between the iron bars just off to the left of the side entrance to the church is a grandiose series of tombs. These are the Scaliers Tombs, the ornate resting places of the members of the powerful Della Scala family. The Della Scala family ruled over Verona during their golden age in the 14th century. Throughout their reign, they made several large impacts on the development of the city. But perhaps their most impressive and lasting monument was their five decorated Gothic tombs.

Each one of their eternal resting places had been placed atop a tall stone plinth, perhaps meant to keep them looking down on the citizens of Veroa for eternity. Each one of their tombs is richly decorated with religious motifs, reflecting the personality of the deceased. For instance, the tomb of Cangrande della Scala, the greatest lord of Verona, is adorned with sculptures of dogs, as “Cangrande” means “big dog” in Italian.

The entire complex is surrounded by a beautifully decorated wrought iron fence with a stair pattern, symbolizing the family’s coat of arms. The stair pattern was used throughout the Arche Scaligere, as “Della Scala” means “of the stairs” in Italian.

Casa di Romeo

Walking along the Via Arche Scaligere, you will pass #4, which contains a plaque stating it is the “Casa di Romeo.” The old brick walls hid behind what is said to have been the house that once belonged to the Montecchi family. Looking up along the roofline, you can see these classic Ghibelline swallowtail battlements. This symbolic piece of architecture really exemplifies the struggles for power that the Ghibellines and the Guelphs were having. Considering that even their architecture was odd and competing for prevalence. Like Coca-cola vs Pepsi. Today, the building is privately owned but can still be seen from the outside.

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Basilica of Santa Anastasia

Heading towards the river, make a quick stop at the Basilica of Santa Anastasia. The Basilica of Santa Anastasia in Verona, Italy, is a magnificent church that dates back to the 14th century. It is one of the largest and most important Gothic churches in Verona. The basilica’s grand facade, featuring pointed arches and elaborate sculptures, sets the tone for the breathtaking interior. 

But entering inside, you’ll see why this stop is worth taking some time to visit. The nave is lined with elegant columns and stained-glass windows that cast a warm glow over the entire space. The highlight of the basilica is the stunning frescoes that adorn the walls and ceilings, depicting scenes from the life of St. Anastasia and other saints. Visitors will also be impressed by the church’s impressive organ, which is one of the largest in Italy, and its beautiful choir stalls.

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Piazzetta Bra Molinari

To finish off your walking tour, head to the Piazzetta Bra Molinari, where you have a beautiful view over the Adige River. You also have a gorgeous view across to the eastern side of the river and the ancient buildings that crawl up the hillside. This includes the Castel San Pietro, the Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano, the Chiesa dei Santi Siro e Libera and the old convent of Saint Girolamo. Many of these are fantastic places to visit if you have more time in the city. So take a moment to relax and watch the world pass you by from this romantic river side viewpoint.

I truly hope you enjoyed coming with me on this self-guided walking tour of Verona, Italy. Verona was one of my favourite cities in Italy and one I think people know the name of but don’t take enough time to explore! There is so much history and drama to this place, and I hope you find your hidden treasures along the way.

Happy Travels, Adventurers

The post The Ultimate Self-Guided Walking Tour to the Enchanting Streets of Verona Italy first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

My favourite places to shop when travelling are stores that have a history. A rich tapestry of time that makes everything they sell so important! Most of these businesses have been open for multiple generations and represent the best of that country. Things which people have come to love for years and years, so you know it’s the good stuff! It is like taking a piece of history home with you! So come with us now to discover my favourite Historic Shops and the souvenirs to buy which are so much more interesting for your friends and family than any beard oil or robe will ever be! Many of these shops have online stores so even if you’re not travelling there directly, you can still buy something really special for Christmas.

Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy | Florence, Italy

Stepping into the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy is about as close to going back in time as you’ll get. The old shop in Florence prides itself on being the world’s oldest pharmacy, which opened in 1221! Back then, there was a small Dominican Order who lived in the connecting Church of Santa Maria Novella. Like many orders of monks, they had their own herb gardens where they grew a variety of medicinal plants. Using these plans, the monks created herbal concoctions and started selling them to the public. Their treatments actually worked for minor, everyday nuisances like stomach pains and headaches. Even today, many people still use herbal treatments to help with their body ailments. But also created from these herbs and fresh flowers were sensational (literally) perfumes.

The Perfumerie

In 1612 an official retail operation was opened where they began selling items aside from medicine. Everything from perfume to potpourri and other toiletries could be created from their ancient garden. Today, you can still purchase the very same perfumes as medieval Florentines wore back in 1621! The Acqua della Regina scent uses the same recipe the Dominican monks made in 1533 for Caterina de Medici. Caterina de Medici commissioned the perfume when she married Enrico di Valois and moved to France. The fresh citrus bouquet helped remind her of home when she was far away. And as we all know, smell is perhaps the best wall to recall a memory.

Angeli di Firenze is a more recent fragrance inspired by the Florentine people. The “Angels of Florence” were a group of young people who came to the aid of the entire city after a devastating flood in 1966. The banks of the Arno river broke, flooding the city. But the flooding was not just water, but thick destructive mud. Some areas were entrenched up to 22 feet deep. Museums, churches and other historic sites were on the brink of losing precious relics, but these young people worked 24 hours a day to ensure they saved all that needed to be rescued. The fragrance was created on the 40th anniversary of the flood and contains a bouquet of sweet, fruity notes. A polar opposite to those muddy smells the workers must have experienced. I wear this perfume anytime I want to feel like a hero!

Livraria Bertrand | Lisbon, Portugal

Inside the blue Azulejo tiled building in the centre of Lisbon, hides the oldest bookstore in the world! Opened in 1732, in the shopping district of Chiado, Livraria Bertrand welcomed people into their store to browse their incredible selection of books. Sadly, their original store was destroyed in 1755 during a devastating earthquake. They had to move out temporarily but were able to move back into their original location in 1773. It only took them 20 years to restore the store back to its former glory!

For over a hundred years, this place has been a favourite hangout of Portuguese writers. Walking inside, you feel like you’re entering an ancient cave. Look up to admire the ancient brick vaults and arched ceilings. Although most of the books they carry here are in Portuguese, they also have a small English section with popular titles. If you buy a book at the store, they will give you a sticker to place inside the book to show that you purchased it at the oldest bookstore in the world.

Even if you don’t want to buy a book, there is a cute little cafe at the back of the shop where you can sit inside and enjoy looking at all the pretty titles stacked on tall wooden shelves. Bookstores and libraries are some of the most peaceful places in the world and are the best place to come for a bit of downtime amid busy travel days.

Pfunds Molkerei | Dresden, Germany

I’ve been singing the praises of Dresden ever since my first visit! It was such a surprising town and the discovery of this place was just one of the many joyful stops we made along the way. Pfunds Molkieri, covered floor to ceiling in the most incredible tiles and Meissen porcelain, is the oldest dairy shop in East Germany. It was built back in 1879 and was the first place where Germans could buy high-quality, concentrated milk. Although the dairy was mostly destroyed in WWII, the family made sure to rebuild in the exact same fashion as the original. Now, visitors can come to see and taste the extraordinary delicacies inside Pfunds Molkieri. 

Guests can try different kinds of milk and cheeses from farms across Germany. Bringing home cheese as a gift for a loved one might prove pretty difficult. Not only does it requires refrigeration but most international countries will not allow you to bring in dairy products through customs. Luckily, Pfunds Molkieri also carries a wonderful selection of milk soaps made from that same famous herd of German cows. Milk soaps are gentle on the skin, a natural exfoliant, help prevent acne and are rich in nutrients! A wonderful stocking stuffer for your Christmas morning.

Maiasmokk | Tallinn, Estonia

Located in the historic quarter of Tallinn, Maiasmokk (which means ‘Sweet tooth‘) is the oldest café in Estonia. The regal cafe has been in operation since 1864. Inside, the interior feels so sumptuous. Like having a coffee in Versaille! The intricate ornate mirrored ceiling reflects the gorgeous old tiled floors, and rich wooden furnishings. The cafe is a true slice of history as it has remained unchanged for almost a century.

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While Maiasmokk serves all the coffees and teas you’d expect, its most popular item is marzipan. The cafe even features a museum dedicated to the history of marzipan. In the 19th century, this was where the Russian Imperial family came to get their marzipan. The almond-based sugary treat lasts forever, making it a great gift to bring home!

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Tsuen Tea | Uji, Japan

When you think of Japan, one of the first things that you might think of is a cup of green tea. And in Uji, Japan (just outside Kyoto), you can visit the world’s oldest tea shop, Tsuen Tea. Tsuen Tea opened here in 1160, although the building which you can visit today is a later construction from 1672.

The Tsuen family were descendants of a great samurai who was the guardian of the ancient Uji Bridge. The family lived adjacent to the bridge and opened a small tea shop next door where they would greet travellers. And serve them tea. Inside the Edo period shop, you can still see ceramic tea jars that are several hundred years old sitting along the shelves. Be sure to pay your respects to the old Tsuen samurai, whose wooden statues still stands proudly inside on display.

Legatoria Piazzesi | Venice, Italy

Tucked away in on the Campiello Feltrina San Marco is Venice‘s oldest paper shop; Legatoria Piazzesi. This old stationary shop has been making paper-based wonders since 1851. It is still in operation today and offers onsite book-binding services as well as hand-printed sheets of ornamented paper. The ornate handmade papers are so beautiful they could simply be placed in a frame as they look like a work of art. But even better, they can be used by intrepid journalists and scrapbookers.

The owners are pretty strict, and this is a place where you should only enter if you intend to buy something. For those who just prefer to browse, stick to peeking in the windows. They always have lovely displays of their bookbinding, and you can usually poke your head inside the door to at least check out the stock of papers overflowing from all the shelves. This isn’t done out of malice. Handmade paper is super delicate, and now that the shop is somewhat of a tourist destination, they don’t want any overcrowding. The store is tiny and their products can easily be damaged.

Il Marmoraro | Rome, Italy

All along Via Margutta you might spot unique stone signs to mark the various restaurants and shops along the street. These are all created inside Il Marmoraro. The owners have been here making custom-made signs for over 60 years! But the tradition of these stone signs dates back hundreds of years. In ancient Rome, legislative acts were written on bronze tablets and then displayed on Capitol Hill. These old tablets had a very distinct ancient roman style script. This became the defacto “font” used in Rome. It went to be inscribed on stone columns, gravestones and even street sights. And today, Il Marmoraro keeps up the tradition, still making signs using that ancient hand-carved typography.

The owner doesn’t speak much English but happily greets everyone who comes into the shop with a smile. For only €15, he will make you a custom sign in the same style as the ancient ones. You can have pretty much anything written upon as long as it’s not too many characters. If you arrive early, your personalized stone tablet will be ready for you before the end of day!

Caza das Vellas Loreto | Lisbon, Portugal

Happening upon the Caza das Vellas Loreto while in Lisbon was one of the highlights of my trip. My eyes were drawn to the curiously shaped vibrant candles in the window and I poked my head inside. The tiny shop feels like stepping into an old wardrobe. The entire place is only three meters wide! But stuffed within the glass cabinets lining the walls are colourful stacks of wax candles. Above the cashier at the back of the shop is a large golden set of numbers with the date 1789 written upon it. That is the date when the shop first opened. And they’ve been doing things almost the very same way ever since.

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In addition to the multitude of tapered candles, they also have seasonal designs to delight their customers. Their Christmas collection is a personal favourite and a wonderful way to add some unique flair to your dining table. And since the candles only cost a few euros, apiece it’s a great gift to buy for your friends and family.

À la Mère de Famille | Paris, France

The world’s oldest chocolate shop stands on the cusp of the famous Montmartre neighbourhood in Paris. A la Mère de Famille opened in 1761 by Pierre-Jean Bernard. The gold lettering outside the shop shines in the sunlight and beckons visitors from down the road. The stunning typography, against that beautiful bright green paint, has stood the test of time and still looks like a gem in the centre of the neighbourhood.

Today there are 12 other branches of the chocolate store across the city, but this is the only one you should seek! It is by far the most beautiful, with its antique shelves still stacked with vintage jars and lovely old brass fittings that have barely changed in 260 years. One of the best times to visit the shop is during the holidays when the chocolatiers develop unique sweet creations to delight and devour.

The Oldest Sweet Shop | Pateley Bridge, England

There are some places whose name says it all, and the Original Old Sweet Shop in Pateley Bridge, England, is one of those places. They are the official World Guinness record holder for the oldest continuously trading sweet shop, opened in 1827. Glass jars line the shelves, containing brightly coloured sweets with antique labels.

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In addition to holding this record, they lean into the concept of selling retro sweets that bring a wave of nostalgia for many older visitors or for the younger generations are a chance to sample a piece of history. Many of these sweets use the original recipes and are even created using old copper pans.

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Dulceria de Celaya | Mexico City, Mexico

Dulcería de Celaya is a tiny, old shop selling traditional Mexican candies and sweets. It opened in Mexico City in 1874. Walking into the shop, nothing has changed in over 100 years. When the family-run shop opened, the candy was made in a small, improvised factory using wooden shovels, copper saucepans and a minature oven. They could only produce so much daily, often only one candy tray. But the sweets were so popular that they would sell out daily. As the demand rose, they expanded their production to meet the city’s needs.

Even today, they produce candy in the same way it was made in the beginning, out of that tiny kitchen. The smell of fresh pineapples, strawberries, guavas, and coconut fills the air when you walk in the doors. It’s intoxicating. The candy is very well-priced, so even if you don’t recognize anything, just let the smells guide you and try whatever your eye is drawn to.

The post The Best 11 Historical Shops from All Over the World first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

A city as old and as raucous as Venice is bound to have its fair share of dark histories. Along with these ghoulish tales are bound to come stories of ghosts and haunting! I have laid out in the map below all the spots where you can go ghost hunting to see if you can spot a spectre! But even if you’re not lucky enough to see a ghost for yourself, these shadowy stories of Venice’s mysterious history are all the most enjoyable when walking through the real places late at night.

About the Walking Tour

All but one of these spots can be visited so you can touch the same stones the characters in our stories would have walked on themselves. While not all these stories are directly connected to ghosts, they all have a macabre theme and you never know when you might be the first to see a spectre from one of these famous tales.

Table Of Contents

1. Map of Walking Tour
2. Riva de Biasio
3. Death in Venice
4. Campo Dei Morti
5. Palazzo Mastelli
6. Casino degli Spiriti
7. Campo de l'Abazia
8. San Michele Cemetery
9. Campiello del Remer
10. Malibran Theater
11. Calle Bressan
12. Santa Maria Formosa
13. San Francesco della Vigna
14. Campo San Piero de Casteo
15. Viale Giuseppe garibaldi
16. Sottoportego dei Preti 
17. Calle della Morte
18. Chiesa di Sant'Antonin
19. Chiesa di San Zaccaria
20. Pillars of Piazzetta San Marco
21. St Mark's Campanile
22. Rio Terrà dei Assassini
23. Grassi Palace
24. Palazzo Dario
25. Punta della Dogana
26. Poveglia

Map of Walking Tour

Riva de Biasio

We start our tour at the northernmost point on the island, at the Riva de Biasio Vaporetto dock. This was the spot in the 15th were the butcher of Biasio plied his trade. The butcher was known for his delicious sausages, that he served in the inn he ran on the canal. He was known all over Venice for his superior tasting sausages. Until one day, a woman discovered a small piece of a human finger inside, including the fingernail!

When the police raided the butcher shop they found pieces and bones of various children he had killed, and we can assume, turned into food for his restaurant. Biasio was beheaded in St. Mark’s Square and his house was torn down because the memories of what he had done haunted the residents of the area. Residences have been known to hear the voices of crying children late into the night echoing along the canal.

Death in Venice

Before the construction of the San Michele Cemetery, rich aristocrats were buried inside churches in burial tombs. But the cost of being buried inside a church was high and only for the very upper crust of Venetian society. Middle-class people “rented” their final resting place. These people could not afford a single tomb of their own so instead, groups of people would be buried together in a private chapel for a certain period of time. Once their time was up, their living family members could either pay up for another few years or have the corpses removed. There was even a school dedicated to the management of burials in Venice called the Scuola della Buona Morte, or School of the Good Death.

Campo Dei Morti

The poorest of Venetian society were buried in open-air cemeteries or mass graves. The street Campo dei Morti translates into the Street of the Dead. This was where once you’d find one of the largest open-air grave sights in Venice. This graveyard would have been overflowing when the plague first came to the city. And you can only imagine the smell! But in addition to the smell, it was literally unsafe as diseases would spread from the dead bodies to anyone living close by. So in the 19th century, an edict was formed that these cemeteries would be moved off the island for sanity purposes. But walking on these streets today still feels like you’re walking over someone’s grave.

Palazzo Mastelli

The best place to see the Palazzo Mastelli is opposite the house on the other side of the canal (as marked on the map). The most curious part of this building is the carving on the lower right corner which depicts a man in a turban standing beside a large camel. The legend says that this man in the bas-relief is actually the petrified former owner of the palace. The owners were rich silk merchants who made their money by selling low-quality fabrics at high prices to unsuspecting Venetians. When they pulled this scam on an old widow, she was furious.

She cursed the money she used to buy the fabric so that whenever the merchants touched it they would turn to stone. Look closely on the faces of both the merchant and the camel and see if in the moonlight of the night, you can hear them screaming for help!

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Casino degli Spiriti

The Casino degli Spiriti (the House of the Spirits) is made up of a vast complex of buildings consisting also of the Palazzo Contarini Dal Zaffo. In the 16th century when this building was first constructed it began its life as an intellectual meeting place. Philosophers and artists would come from far and wide to meet here. People like Tintoretto, Veronese and Titian were popular attendees. But over the years the palace was abandoned although some locals say that it wasn’t really abandoned after all. They claimed that cults began using the large annex in the Palazzo for dark rituals late at night. After this point in history, it seemed like the spot was cursed.

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Pietro Luzzo da Feltre

Strange noises were heard at night, and voice carried across the canal. Pietro Luzzo da Feltre, a painter of little repute, bought the land since it was cheap. The painter was a romantic soul and was madly in love with one of his models. When she turned down his advances, the love stuck painter threw himself off the building and died in the water. A few days later the painter’s ghost appeared in one of the windows and is still frequently seen wandering the halls. The palazzo was later used as a hospital for plague patients where hundreds of people died. Their bodies were given autopsies here as well and only rowed out to the nearby San Michele Cemetery when they had been torn apart by doctors.

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In the 1920s new owners discovered four bodies inside the building, all of which were missing their heads and right hands. This quickly put them off the property. The last gruesome story from the building’s history comes in 1940 when a rich woman was killed, dismembered and placed in a trunk which was later submerged into the lagoon. The trunk was discovered nearby by some local fisherman who had already known about all the other mysterious events which had occurred near the palazzo. All these spooky incidents have meant that no fisherman will even fish near the Casin degli Spiriti for fear of being its next victim.

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Campo de l’Abazia

The Campo de L’Abazia is where you might find one of the most theatrical ghosts of the city. On May 13th, 1437 there was a terrible fire that spread across the neighbourhood. Families were trying to get these children out of the fire. When Bartolomeo Zenni was asked by his neighbours for help he refused them in order to instead save his jewels and gold. But this cruel action condemned his soul for life. Today, if you see an old man, with a large sack on his back, in the square begging for money – don’t speak to him. People have been known to approach the man, only to have him turn into a burning skeleton in front of their eyes!

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Fondamente Nove

Standing on the main island looking out at the San Michele opposite, see if you can spot a floating casket on the water, lit by four candles. This is thought to be the ghost of a little girl who died in the water in 1904. On a particularly foggy night, a Vaporetto captain and two gondolas set out from the main island to Burano and Murano respectively. Due to the thick fog, the Vaporetto crashed into the gondolas sending almost all the passengers into the water. Despite their best attempts, four women died that night but one little girl remained lost at sea. The floating casket with candles is said to be the ghost of the little girl who was never found and never given a proper burial.

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San Michele Cemetery

Most obviously haunted places in Venice is the San Michele Cemetery. The new cemetery was established in 1807, by filling the canals of the then two separate islands (San Michele and San Cristoforo), to create one larger one. Bodies were carried to the island on special funeral gondolas. The island was formerly used for prisoners, which in itself imbues the island with a storied past. The cemeteries are guarded by large cypress trees whose branches ache and moan with the wind. Thousands of people are now buried on the island, under some of the most lavish monuments you’ll find anywhere in the world. The cemetery is divided into different sections; Catholic, Greco/Orthodox, Protestant, Victims of War, and gondoliers. 

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Gravestones

Most of the graves here were only filled by one individual for 10-12 years, after which their bones were moves to mausoleums or dumped in the communal ossuary. Legend has it that one November 1st, the dead leave the island and make their way back to Venice to visit their old homes. Venetians think it’s bad luck to look out the window, for fear of seeing the dead, on this day. On November 2nd, all souls day, the living return to the island to pay respects to their loved ones and often are seeing bringing Fave dei Morte (“Beans of the Dead”) for their relatives. If you’d like to travel to the cemetery you can take the No. 4.1 or 4.2 motoscafo from the Fondamenta Nove. The ride across the water to the island onlu takes six minutes.

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Campiello del Remer

Here in Campiello del Remer square, you might catch sight of a tormented jealous lover. In the 16th century, a nobleman named Loredan fell in love and married the niece of the Doge. But wracked with jealously, accused her of adultery. She repeatedly denied it but unable to free himself from his jealous rage, beheaded her. Not wanting a nobleman’s blood on his hands, the Doge told the Loredan to go to the Pope and ask for forgiveness. But one caveat, he had to bring his wife’s beheaded head with him on the long journey. Loredan obeyed but the pope would not see him. He carried his dead wife’s decaying head back to Venice and, now wracked with madness, threw himself into the canal near the Campiello Remer. He is still seen today walking around the Campiello with his dead wife’s head in his hands.

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Malibran Theater

The Malibran Theater was once, the old home of Marco Polo. Marco Polo, when travelling in China, met the daughter of a great emperor and fall in love. He married her and brought her back to Venice with him. But she never felt at home in Venice. Marco Polo’s sisters didn’t like her either, and we thought to be very jealous of the affection that Marco paid on her. One day, Marco was captured in battle by the Genoese and instead of telling her that he had been captured, Marco’s sisters told his wife he had died. Feeling more alone than ever, she lit her clothes on fire and threw herself into the canal where she is thought to have died.

Today, people claimed that you can still see her white figure floating in the air and if you listen closely hear the faint sound of Eastern music playing in the wind. While there is seemingly little truth to this story, when the theatre was doing some excavations, they discovered the body of an Asian woman buried in the foundations of the building. Found along with her with a tiara and an imperial coat, so no doubt this was Marco’s princess.

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Calle Bressan

In front of the Basilica of S.S. Giovanni, there is said to be a ghost that haunts the court. The ghost is often seen begging for alms. This is “Bell Ringer” of St Marks Square. The bell ringer was just that, a bell ringer who was once in charge of the huge bells inside St. Mark’s Campanile. Bell ringers back then didn’t make much money, so when an old Venetian scientist approached the boy and offered him a large sum in exchange for his skeleton, the boy jumped at the offer.

The scientist wanted the boy’s skeleton to perform experiments on after his death. Not thinking anything of this, the boy accepted and was handed over the large sum of money. He immediately went about spending it, mostly on alcohol, and eventually drank himself into a very early grave. Perhaps the scientist knew a thing or two and crafted the entire scheme. The scientist took what he had paid for and the skeleton is still on display in Venice’s Natural History Museum to this day. But it is said that the skeletons leave the museum every night, and comes here to beg for money, in the hopes of being able to buy his skeleton back and escape the mortal world.

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Santa Maria Formosa

Belltowers across Europe in the Medieval era were the only way that people know what was going on in the city. The bells tolled for the start and end of the workday. They tolled to mark danger incoming into the city. Of even just to mark a celebration. But whatever they were used for, they had great influence over the people of the city. Therefore many of the belltowers in Venice have a carving sculpted on the door to the tower. These carvings were often grotesque as they were used to “ward off the Devil” to ensure he didn’t enter to ring the bells and cause chaos in the city.

The carving on the church of Santa Maria Formosa‘s belltower is one of the best examples of this. This carving is said to howl out at night when he senses the devil is near. Others say that the cries are something much darker. And that the carving above the door is actually a demon trapped in stone. See if the face’s eyes follow you as you pass.

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San Francesco della Vigna

The church of San Francesco della Vigna is thought to be haunted by not one but a group of ghosts. Years ago, a man was out late walking home, when darkness fell early than the man expected. This was long before the invention of street lamps. As he neared the church, he saw a few glimmers of light in the distance and thought he might ask if the group had a light to spare. When he got closer he saw there was a group of men, around the graveyard of the church, all holding candles. One of the men turned to face him and offered him his candle. The man took it enthusiastically and walked the rest of the way home.

In the morning he was horrified to see that the light he was using the night before wasn’t a candle but a shrivelled hand! He returned the next night, as he felt keeping the hand would have been grave robbery, and therefore a sun. He saw the group of men around the graveyard once more. They all carried candles in their hand. All but one. He passed the hand back to the ghost, who smiled. The man ran off into the night, never being able to forget what he saw. The graveyard is now gone but perhaps the ghosts still frequent the churchyard!

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Campo San Piero de Casteo

On the far edge of the island of Venice lies the Campo San Piero de Castro. Lurking in the shadows is said to be the ghost of a young bride. This is Tosca. Tosca was a poor young girl who was promised to a rich nobleman in order to further her family’s name. But she was already in love with someone else. A young hunter. Before she had to marry the nobleman, she escaped with the hunter. But before they could get away, the nobleman found them. He killed the hunter and cut of Tosca’s ring finger so should never marry anyone! Riddled with loss over her beloved she killed herself. Today her ghost searches endlessly for her wedding ring so she can marry her beloved – even in death.

Viale Giuseppe garibaldi

Standing in the Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi is a large statue of Garibaldi. Giuseppe Garibaldi was the hero of Italian Unification. But standing behind Garibaldi’s grande statue is another figure, Giuseppe Zolli. Giuseppe Zolli was a young red shirt soldier. The solider was such a fan of Garibaldi that he swore an oath to protect him, even after death. The original statue of Garibaldi was designed as a solo piece, and here he stood, alone. But after some time, people began to report seeing a young ghost in a red shirt wandering the gardens asking for Garibaldi. Seeing as this ghost was clearly Giuseppe Zolli and did not plan on leaving Garibaldi alone, designers made him his own statue behind Garibaldi. Since then no one has spotted the ghost but there is most definitely some spirited energy going on here.

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Sottoportego dei Preti 

If you walk under the archway of the Sottoportego dei Preti and look on the opposite side, you’ll find a red heart carved into the brick. Legend has it that once upon a time a poor Venetian fisherman named Orio, was out fishing one night when a Melusine appeared near his boat. A Melusine is a Venetian mermaid, one who has two tails. Orio feels in love with her. And she with him.

They got married and even had three children, but the Melusine died birthing their last child. But unlike humans, Melusine’s turn into snakes when they die. She would return to Orio and the children every day as a snake to clean the house and take care of the children. But Orio didn’t know about this, and when he finally saw the snake, he killed it. Only then did he realize the snake was his wife. Broken-hearted he carved away at the wall in madness to remind future people his sad love story. Today it is thought that if you touch the heart you will find luck in love in the next year.

Calle della Morte

The Calle della Morte translates in Italian literally into the Alley of Death. The alley was the most popular spot for people to be killed but in a rather strange way. When noblemen were condemned to death by the Venetian Council, the council avoided telling them right away. They feared they would escape before the sentence. So they would trick them to coming to this street where they would be killed. The Calle de Morte is extremely narrow and there would be no escape once someone was after you here. You’d think after the first few times someone would have caught on but I guess news didn’t travel as fast back in medieval times.

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Chiesa di Sant’Antonin

If you listen closely when you stand near the Church of Sant’Antonin, see if you can hear the stomping of huge footsteps. These are the ghostly footsteps of an elephant who once went rampaging through the city. In 1819, a travelling circus came to Venice. Animals in this circus where extremely abused and finally the elephant had had enough and escaped its shackles. It ran through the city, running through Riva Degli Schiavoni, destroying houses, staircases and doorways as it went.

It finally ended up here, where its foot got stuck in a tombstone allowing the Venetians chasing it to finally catch and shoot it. But killing it outright wasn’t enough for them. They brought it to St. Mark’s Square and executed the animal with a cannon! The poor elephant was no doubt just really scared and didn’t deserve this horrific end. So, its ghost still tries to take out its revenge on people today, even in death!

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Chiesa di San Zaccaria

The Church of San Zaccaria has a very haunting past. In 1105 there was a great fire in the church. All the nuns living in the convent tried to escape the fire and fled into the crypt for safety. Unfortunately, 100 nuns perished in the fire. They were buried beneath the church, quite haphazardly. Years late, in a horrific flood in the 15th century, the crypts were flooded with water. Suddenly thousands of bones floated to the surface, scaring the daylights out of the priests who hadn’t known they were there. When you visit the church, especially on a rainy night, see if you can hear the sounds of bones swaying in the water underneath. 

But this is not the end of the dark tales haunting his building. This church is where two Doge’s of Venice were murdered. The church was even once better as the La Chiesa Degli Omicidi – The Church of Murders. Pietro Tradonico was murdered on September 13th, 864. He was attacked by a group of malcontents as he was leaving after confession. After he died, they buried him in this very church. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t want to be buried right where I was murdered.

Vitale II Michiel

But, looks like it was a Venetian trend! Because later in May 1172, Vitale II Michiel was also murdered here. Michiel was accused of both the destruction of the Venetian fleet at the hands of Byzantine rebels as well as bringing the plague back into the city. Not a great reputation. An angry mob gathered outside the palace and he tried to escape them by running to the convent here at Zaccaria. But stabbed to death by one of the mob before he arrived. Eight doges in total are buried here, all of whom met a violent end. Probably should have stopped burying them here…seems like the church is well, cursed. Probably by all those nuns who burned to death.

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Pillars of Piazzetta San Marco

Now we come into the Piazzetta San Marco. This time of night the square is so much quieter than when visitors flood it during the day. Standing tall in the square are the two pillars of San Marco and San Todaro. But before you take another step, be warned, it is said that if you stand in between the two columns you’ll be cursed.

The two columns were brought here from Constantinople, along with a third. But the ship carrying them sank to the bottom of the sea, and the third column was lost forever. The area between the two columns was used as the site for public executions for many years embuing the columns with dark memories and no doubt cursing the stones below with the blood of the fallen.

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St Mark’s Campanile

Another way people were punished and sometimes killed in Venice was to hang from the top of the St. Mark’s Campanile locked in a cage. This was called ‘supplizio Della cheba’, or the suspended cage. This method of torture was mainly used prior to the 15th century. The person convicted was almost always a member of the clergy. Often the crimes could be anything from sodomy, murder, forgery to blasphemy. The length of time you were in the cage, depending on the severity of the crime. When in the cage, the criminal could feed himself through a string with which he could drag bread and drinking water. Often this was almost impossible and the person would die. A haunting image of a less than beautiful St. Marks square.

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Rio Terrà dei Assassini

Rio Tera’ degli Assassini translates into the Assassins’ Street and the adjacent Assassins’ Bridge. This bridge connected the more upscale neighbourhood of San Marco to the red light district where you could find all the best brothels. The street is very narrow and often was extremely dark. The most famous story from this street was in 1507. A nobleman was murdered here and his body was discovered by a local baker named Piero Tasca. The baker saw the murder weapon on the ground nearby. Seeing its silver blade and gem-encrusted hilt he grabbed the dagger in the hope of trading it for some money to feed his family. But, as he went to grab it, the authorities arrived and arrested him for the murder.

They promptly sentenced him to death, despite his objections. A few weeks later, the real murderer confessed. From that day forward the saying recorded del polo fornareto (Remember the poor baker) was uttered in council meetings for the Republic of Venice to think twice before making a grave mistake in execution sentencing. Some people have been heard to smell freshly baked bread floating through the air here, even in the dead of night.

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Grassi Palace

The Palazzo Grassi is home to a billionaire and contemporary art collector Francois Pinault. When the Palazzo was being restored in the 80s, a night watchman was walking through the building when he heard a young girl’s voice. The voice screamed, “stop!“. The nightwatchman froze in place and turned on his light. He looked about but couldn’t see anything. He was moving more slowly now in order to keep an eye out for the person whose voice he heard when suddenly he noticed a huge hole in the floor! This voice had been warning him to stop, before falling to his death.

After asking around, the owners discovered that years ago a young girl had been thrown off the balcony into the courtyard below. She had been trapped in an abusive living situation and unfortunately died at the hands of her abuser. It seems that she now tries to protect others around the palace, from any kind of suffering.

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Palazzo Dario

This picturesque house looks like the most idyllic little spot in Venice but Palazzo Dario is a house of two faces. The intricate Istrian stone, richly decorated with marble and circular medallions communicates nothing but beauty. But it’s dark side is really pretty dark. The house also goes by the name the ‘house that kills’ and is thought to be the most haunted house in all of Venice. Almost anywho who has lived here or owned the building has been murdered, died by suicide, been in a terrible accident or went bankrupt, so…keep your distance!

In the 15th century, the house was built and the Dario family moved in. Almost immediately, their daughter committed suicide. Her husband went bankrupt and their son perished in a fight. Rumours are that the house was built on top of an old Templar cemetery who weren’t so happy with a big house being dumped on top of their graves. Outside the house is a plaque that is engraved with the name of the first owner, “Giovanni Dario to the Genius of the City“. But smart sleuths have discovered that in Italians, you can make an anagram out of these letters to make it spell, Sub ruina insidiosa genero (I bring treacherous ruins to those who live under this roof). Pretty spooky right?

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Punta della Dogana

The Punta Della Dogana is located at the end of the island of Dorsoduro and gives visitors a beautiful view of the Grand Canal. While enjoying the view, don’t blink twice if you happen to see something larger than life slithering around in the water. Legend has it that inside these dark waters lives a large sea serpent, like that loch ness monster. If it happens to be a moonless night you might be in luck since the monster favours nights when its darkest. Fishermen swear they have seen the creature although no evidence of its existence has been proven yet. Maybe you’ll be the first to get it on camera!

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Poveglia

We can’t talk about the hauntings of Venice without discussing Poveglia. But unfortunately, the island is pretty inaccessible to visitors. There are reports that you can hire a private boat which will take you there for about 180 euros, and I did manage to find a company which offers tours there for 350 euros! But since the island is officially off-limits to anyone, you are taking a risk by going there yourself. But standing on edge of Dorsoduro, look out into the black waters and imagine for yourself the island of death which is also known as Poveglia.

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Poveglia isn’t just one of the most haunted places in Venice, but one of the most haunted places in Europe! Poveglia was located at the edge of the lagoon and therefore a good spot to quarantine people coming into the lagoon by ship in the 16th century. During this time the plague was ravaging Europe and the Magistrato alla Sanità (Public Health Office) were trying their best to ensure it didn’t enter the cramped city of Venice, where it would spread like wildfire. In 1793 the first of two ships were placed into temporary confinement on the island when the plague was discovered on their ship. Unfortunately, they couldn’t keep it contained here and instead the island was turned into a giant burial ground.

Plague Graves

Over 160,000 plague victims were brought to the island during this period. Bodies were simply piled one on top of the other and even those who were sent here to bury the dead, often met their end here before they finished the job. Once the pile was too large for any new bodies, the whole pile would be burned to ash. It is said that there isn’t an inch of soil on Poveglia that isn’t mixed with the ashes of thousands of bodies.

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Psychiatric Hospital

After lying almost abandoned for years, in 1922 a psychiatric hospital was built on the island. The hospital was run by a cruel doctor who performed horrific experiments on his patients, who he deemed less than human. Located so far away from the prying eyes of the city, the doctor felt like he could do whatever he wanted here. It didn’t even take much to be sent to the asylum here in Poveglia. Understanding the treatment for mental illness was just in its infancy and it seemed like anyone who was even the slightest bit less than normal was sent here to the asylum.

The doctor was thought to have been driven mad, perhaps by the plague ghosts of the island, who were trying to protect the innocent souls he was abusing. The doctor attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the hospital belltower. But, almost in a twist of fate, he survives the jump. His injuries were traumatic and eventually, he would succumb to his wounds, but not without a tremendous amount of suffering. Karma. The hospital closed in 1968 and since then the island has been off-limits for anyone. The buildings have been left to the elements and are literally falling apart. People have heard noises coming from the abandoned island late at night. Is that the sound of the buildings falling down, or ghosts crying out in the night? I’ll let you decide.

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For those of you brave enough to have made it through the entire tour, kudos to you! You’re truly a superior ghost hunter! Let me know in the comment what your favourite story from the tour was or if you were lucky enough to spot a spectre!

Happy (spooky) Travels, Adventurers

The post A Free Self-Guided Walking Tour of the Haunted Canals of Venice first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

There is nothing to compare to watching the gondoliers paddling down the canal at sunrise while you sip your espresso. Or coming home after a long night exploring the city, to sit and enjoy an Aperol spritz on your balcony watching the sunset against the water. But thankfully one of the greatest things about Venice is that there are SO MANY FREE things to do. You’ll be amazed that you could spend an entire weekend away here without spending a dime on entertainment. So whether you want to save a bit of money to splurge on a hotel or are just looking for an all-around cheap way to see the city, this is the guide for you!

Table Of Contents

1. Transportation
2. Guided Walking Tours
3. 1. Hop on a Free Tour of the Grand Canal
4. 2. Grab Breakfast at the Rialto Market
5. 3. Take a break on the Rialto Bridge
6. 4. Soak in the Sights in St Mark’s Square
7. 5. Gaze at the Mosaics of Basilica di San Marco
8. 6. Enjoy Solemn Contemplation at Bridge of Sighs
9. 7. Awe at Artwokrs inside Gallerie dell'Accademia
10. 8. Visit the Baron's Gallery inside the Ca d'Oro
11. 9. Find the Plague Church, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
12. 10. Hop over to San Giorgio Maggiore Island
13. 11. Discover the Rainbow Houses of Burano 
14. 12. Admire Ancient Glasswork in Murano 
15. 13. Find Vivaldi's Music at the Musical History Museum
16. 14. Relax on the Beach
17. 15. Peruse the Famous Mask Shops
18. 16. Stroll along the Zattere at sunset

Transportation

Other than hotel and food, the only other cost involved in your “free” weekend in Venice will be your transportation. A great way to save on this is to buy a multi-day Vaporetto travel card. The Vaporetto is a Venetian public waterbus, or public boat. There are 19 routes that travel all over the main island of Venice. In addition, these boats also service nearby islands, such as Murano, Burano, and the Lido beachfront. While you can get around the city mostly on foot, the vaporettos will allow you to travel to the other island, or get around Venice itself much faster.

Is the travel card worth it? The short answer is yes. A one-way ride will cost you €7,50 and the two-day pass is only €30. So if you plan on just taking the Vaporetto to and from your hotel, you’ve already spent half of what the travel card would cost. The pass allows you to hop on and off as you please! If you’ve invested in a transport card, this will be all you need to spend to enjoy a magical weekend in Venice!

Guided Walking Tours

Many blogs and travel sites will advise taking a free walking tour when visiting Venice on a budget. There are a few different operators who run these “free” tours which depart multiple times throughout the day. While I sincerely don’t have anything against these tours, a word of caution. Despite the word “free” being in the title, most of these companies work on the assumption of getting a tip at the end of the tour. These tips truly do help pay these employees and keep the tours running.

While it’s not mandatory, it really is recommended and you might feel pressured to do so. I’ve seen people tip as much as 50€ for a group of two people, and that is much more than some of the paid tours charge for their services! I wish they would simply charge a flat fee instead since I think this would greatly benefit both the tour guides and the guests. This would prevent people from feeling pressured to pay for something which was advertised to them as being “free”. If you are truly looking for a free walking tour I have a few guided tours on my blog. Simply download the offline maps and save the text to your phone for a little bit of history along your journey!

1. Hop on a Free Tour of the Grand Canal

With your unlimited 2-day Vaporetto pass, hope on Line 1, at any of the stops along the Grand Canal. Jump on, get a seat near the edge of the boat and ride around the entirety of the Grand Canal. This Vaporetto line will take you around the Piazzale Roma, the Rialto Bridge, Piazza San Marco, and the Lido di Venezia. It’s the perfect way to introduce yourself to the city. You can ride this loop as many times as you want. Maybe you want to switch sides of the boat to take in the sights on the other side of the canal!

Don’t skip a ride along the Grand Canal at night time. You can hop on and see all the spectacular sights of the city against a moonlit canal. If you want to know more about the different buildings along the canal check out my blog post for an in-depth guide at some of the most important architecture along this famous waterway.

2. Grab Breakfast at the Rialto Market

Now that you’ve been introduced to the look of the city from the water, it’s time to meet the people of Venice. And there is no better place to get a peek into the real lives of the residences of Venice than to head to the Rialto Market! The Rialto Market is one of the last remaining fresh food markets in the city. As such it is a bustling place for locals to come and buy their food for the day. The fruits and vegetables are always seasonal. If you’re looking for a snack there is nothing more refreshing than a basket of freshly picked fruits! Shopping here helps keep this market alive and running so please come hungry!

Fresh fish is caught just outside the canal, you can’t get much more local than that! The fish market, or Pescheria, is located inside a neo-gothic hall. The hall is a soaring building with richly ornamented columns surrounding the entrance. Fish was the lifeblood for Venetians for hundreds of years and under this great edifice, you truly feel how important fishermen were to the foundation of Venice.

3. Take a break on the Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge is the most famous of all of Venice’s canal bridges. The bridge has become somewhat of a tourist trap, with shops selling souvenirs lining the entire walkway above. But if you arrive early in the morning when the shops are all closed, this bridge still keeps its magic. There are these two little nooks on the bottom of the bridge, where you can sit right under it. The water lapping at your feet. It’s one of the most amazing places to watch the boats and gondolas float by. And with a basket of fruit from the market, the perfect spot for a quick picnic. The bridge is also one of the most iconic spots for pictures in Venice.

4. Soak in the Sights in St Mark’s Square

The Piazza San Marco of St. Marks Square is the largest, and most famous square in Venice. It was been called the “drawing room of all Europe” by Napoleon when he first came to the city. And while some of the buildings and museums which encircle it have admissions at high prices, the square itself is completely free to explore on the outside.

NOTE:

New rules for visiting the square have been instituted to help preserve the city from the flocks of tourists who often overrun it. There is now a limit on the number of people who can enter the square at one time. And officials are stricter when it comes to keeping tourists from sitting on the ground of steps. Remember those iconic pictures of people feeding the pigeons in Venice? Don’t do that! It is now illegal to feed the pigeons and fines will be given out to tourists found doing so. While these rules might seem intense, the city is really just trying to preserve their history and if these small measures help with that, it’s the least you can do as a guest to follow along.

Dominating the skyline of the square is the great Clock Tower of Venice. This clock town has stood here for hundreds of years and once was the main way that citizens would know both the time of day, or could be alerted to fires or attacks on the city.

5. Gaze at the Mosaics of Basilica di San Marco

One of the most stunning sights in Venice is the Basilica di San Marco or St Mark’s Basilica! The basilica is free to enter, the only portion which requires admission is the Museum, the treasury and the Golden Altarpiece. Some tourists pay to get into the church through a special entrance, but as long as you come early in the morning you won’t have an issue getting in. The line moves quickly and in no time you’ll be face to face with this truly awe-inspiring interior.

The church was built during the Byzantine period and is one of the finest examples of Italian-Byzantine architecture anywhere in Italy. The building dates all the way back to the 11th century when mosaics were all the rage! The interior of the church, with its multi-domed ceiling, is COVERED in gold and jewel-tone mosaics. They sparkle and shine in the light of the sun and glimmer and glint against the flickering candles. The mosaics took centuries to be completed and looking at this amazing workmanship is such a dream to experience. And all for FREE!

6. Enjoy Solemn Contemplation at Bridge of Sighs

Beside the Basilica, around the corner from the Doge’s Palace, is the Bridge of Sighs. This bridge was once used by prisoners as the gateway between the city courts and their prison cells. For prisoners sentenced to death, this was their last chance to look out at the blue waters of Venice. The haunting history of the bridge makes it a powerful picture in itself but the bright white marble set against the blue sky and neon teal waters of the canal is what makes it truly superb.

7. Awe at Artwokrs inside Gallerie dell’Accademia

On the first Sunday of every month in Italy, there are over 430 museums that are free to enter. This was a measure by the government to make their great works of art more accessible to every citizen and visitor. One of these museums is the famous Gallerie dell’Accademia. The Accademia is arguably the most important museum in Venice so getting to see it for free feels like a real treat.

This museum would normally cost €12.00 but on the first Sunday of the month, it’s FREE. You will have to get in a free ticket line, which is often very long, but worth it to save a bit of cash! Wake up as early as you can and make this your first stop of the day to ensure you get in as quickly as possible. The Accademia features pre-19th-century art from Venice and beyond. Highlights include paintings by Hieronymus Bosch, Bellini, Tintoretto, and (my favourite) Titian!

8. Visit the Baron’s Gallery inside the Ca d’Oro

While the Accademia might be the most famous, my favourite museum in Venice is the Ca d’Oro. This gorgeous manor with its lace tracery exterior sits along the Grand Canal. It once belonged to Baron Giorgio Franchetti. The Baron was a great art collector and after he died he donated all these works for art and the house they rested inside to the city of Venice. Even in death, he wanted to make sure everyone could enjoy his collection. There is something really special about personal art collections and being able to see them in situ.

The Ca d’Oro is another one of the museums that’s free to enter on the first Sunday of the month. Not only are there great works of art to see here but you can also study the amazing architecture inside the palace. The best part of being there is getting to step out onto the grand terrace with its gorgeous floor tiles and stone balcony looking out over the Grand Canal. One can only imagine what living there must have felt like!

In the court downstairs, look for the sole purple porphyry column. This ancient column contains the Baron’s ashes which were interred here after his death. It’s nice to pay homage to the great collector during your visit!

9. Find the Plague Church, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

The Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is one of the most incredible buildings in Venice, but turn your back to it for a second and you’ll be surprised what you see. Bobbing up and down in the waters are beautiful black lacquered gondolas set against a backdrop of unbelievable Gothic architecture. It’s a rather simple scene but one which I find immensely charming. The church is free to enter to you need to go inside! Since the church was made in honour of the end of the plague, most of the art and symbolism you’ll find throughout the church in some way refers to death or the plague. This makes it a very uniquely themed church. 

10. Hop over to San Giorgio Maggiore Island

San Giorgio Maggiore is an island situated right across from St. Mark’s Square. Although the island also has some incredible places to visit, there is nothing like sitting on the water edge and taking in the view. From here you have a completely clear panoramic view of the city of Venice. This island makes for a phenomenal photo op!

11. Discover the Rainbow Houses of Burano 

Stepping outside of the main island is so important when visiting Venice. Burano is one of the most popular islands due to its multi-coloured fisherman’s village. These dwellings are home to both some of the cities best fishermen as well as the famous lacemakers. During the 15th century, Italy’s finest lace was produced here. The houses along the canals here are each painted a different colour, and bright colours at that. They make for some of the most exciting and dynamic pictures and are well worth the 45-minute boat ride out to the island.

12. Admire Ancient Glasswork in Murano 

Murano, a sister island to Burano, is less popular but no less incredible. The island is most notable for its glass blowing craftspeople. Hidden away from the main canal, you’ll find these secret passageways leading you throughout the rural homes of real Venetians. Discover the ancient craft of turning sand into glass and look at the breathtaking creations that these glassworkers can produce! Window shopping doesn’t cost a thing and it feels almost like a free visit to a great glass art gallery.

13. Find Vivaldi’s Music at the Musical History Museum

As a child, one of the only ways I could fall asleep was listening to a book on tape. One of my favourites I would listen to was all about Antonio Vivaldi and his life in Venice. To my great pleasure, I discovered the Museo Della Musica, located inside the San Giacomo do Rialto Church, features a collection of items and history about Antonio Vivaldi’s life. In addition to the Vivaldi exhibit, there is are also collections of instruments from as early as the 1600s, as well as presentations on the history of violin making. The museum is always free to enter which makes it a great option for those budget travellers.

14. Relax on the Beach

Just on the other side of Venice is a huge island called Lido di Venezia or Venice Lido. This narrow strip of land separates the Adriatic Sea from the Venetian lagoon and is now a large public beach! To get to the Lido beach you can just catch the Vaporetto from the main island and then walk from Lido dock. Even if you don’t want to swim in the water, strolling along or laying out on the sand is a great way to relax and take in the ocean air.

15. Peruse the Famous Mask Shops

Venice is full of amazing shops, but the most unique to the city are the Venetian costume mask stores. Venetian masks are worn primarily during Carnivale, a festival held in February. When the festival was established in the 13th century, the tradition of wearing masks began as people wanted to conceal their identity. This allowed both the rich and the poor to dance and celebrate together without social hierarchies coming into play for the duration of the festival.

Today, masks are sold in shops throughout Venice and are one of the most popular souvenirs. While real ones are fairly costly, exploring the shops which sell them, even if you don’t plan on buying anything, is like walking around a museum. To find one of the most authentic mask shops head to Papier Mache Venezia. There is the meaning behind each different masks and if you want to learn more about them read my mask guide!

16. Stroll along the Zattere at sunset

In the 15th century, the area now known as the Zattere was a delivery dock for the mass amount of timber brought into the city. Zattere in Italian means rafts. The timber would arrive in the city on large rafts, giving the area its name. Timber was not only used to constructed the walls of grand palazzos and houses in Venice, it was literally the ground on which the houses were built on. So timber was one of the most important imports in the city. While the docks have disappeared, the area is now a peaceful promenade. Shipping was a rich man business in the 15th century and many of the timber importers built gorgeous manor houses along this stretch which makes wandering around this street a feast for the eyes. Sunset is one of my favourite times to visit the Zattere. Not only is it a peaceful place to end your day, but the view out to the lagoon reflects the sun as it descends over the city of Venice. Casting that golden light across the water.

Hopefully this tour gives you some great ideas on how to see Venice without spending a dime on your entertainment! There is so many other great things to do if you want to enter into any of the places we admired from the exterior but I really wanted to show how even a city as popular as Venice can still be done on a tight budget!

Let me know in the comments what your favourite thing to do in Venice was or if you have any other free things to do which you’re dying to share!

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post The Best Free Things to do in Venice first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. Hours & Admission
2. Hours
3. Admission
4. Dress code
5. Should You Go Inside?
6. Florence & Marble
7. Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore
8. The Great Dome
9. The Campanile
10. Climbing the Bell Tower
11. The 14th Century Facade
12. The 19th Century Front Facade
13. Portal Maggiore
14. Santa Reparata & St. Zenobius
15. Portal Maggiore Tympanum
16. Right Portal
17. Right Door Niches
18. Left Entry Doors
19. Left Door Mosaics
20. Rosette Window
21. Upper Gallery
22. Gargoyles
23. Porta della Mandorla
24. Cathedral Interior
25. Clock
26. Rose Window
27. Artists Busts
28. Stained Glass Windows
29. The Crypt
30. Equestrian Funerary Monuments
31. Marble Floors
32. The Great Dome Interior
33. The Sacristy Doors
34. Climbing the Dome

Hours & Admission

Hours

The museum will be closed on the first Tuesday of each month.

Admission

While exploring the interior of the Duomo is free you’ll need a ticket if you want to see the inside of the Baptistery, to climb up the bell tower or the dome and visit the Duomo Museum. These attractions are all included in one ticket, so if you want to visit just one, you’ll still have to pay the same price as visiting them all. The best way to buy your ticket inside is online and in advance, so you can assure yourself access into the Duomo’s attractions.

Tickets

Adults: €18 (if booking online there is an extra €2 pre-booking fee)
Children: €3
Audio guides: €2,50 per person

Climbing the Dome: When booking online you need to select the time when you want to do the dome climb. You cannot change this time after booking and must be there within 15 minutes of your pre-selected time-slot.

Dress code

Since this is a religious site, be sure your clothing is appropriate for entry. This means your shoulders and knees must be covered, and you can’t wear your hats inside. I usually keep a long scarf in my knapsack with me in the summer when I’m wearing a dress or t-shirt that doesn’t cover my shoulders. This was I can throw it on when entering these churches but still keep cool throughout the day. If you’re wearing short-shorts or short skirts, you can also use the scarf to tie around your waist to cover up. This is such a common hack that you’ll almost always find women selling scarves outside churches in the summer.

Should You Go Inside?

I honestly prefer the interior of Santa Croce far more to this rather bare interior. While the frescoes on the dome are stunning, the rest of the interior could be skipped. The best interior of the group is that of the Baptistry – whose mosaics are out of this world. Some people love climbing the tower and dome inside the cathedral to get to the view at the top but just be prepared to wait in line. If you’re pressed for time – I would say give the interiors a miss.

Seeing the exteriors are just as impressive and there is so much more to see in Florence which is more important than waiting in line. But if you have time to spare or are immensely interested in the interior artworks then you should make the effort to see it. Wake up early and you’ll find the lines are the least long. My favourite part of your ticketed entry is the museum which features some of the original artwork and sculptures which once stood inside the church. It also features the original Baptistery doors and some of the gorgeous robes the priests wear for various events throughout the catholic calendar.

Florence & Marble

In the Middle Ages, Florence was going through a stylistic period where many of their important buildings were created out of marble. Although few others from this period survive, the Duomo is a reflection of this time. Florence’s proximity to the marble mines meant that getting such large pieces quickly was a possibility other countries didn’t have. But what else did Florence have that others didn’t? Money and lots of it. Marble didn’t come cheap even if it was close by. But using it in such large proportions meant that your city looked like it was worth its weight in gold.

Carrara Marble

The main white marble you see is Carrara marble. Carrara has long been used by artists for sculptures, so it seemed only fitting that the most magnificent artwork of them all – the Cathedral – was itself draped in marble. The green marble which you can see decorating the exterior is actually serpentine stone, which came from Prato, a few miles northwest of Florence. Serpentine is named as such because the texture of the marble resembles that of snakes skin. The pinky-red stone you can see is limestone from mines near Florence. The colour is derived from the prevalence of ammonite fossils in the rock, which imbues the limestone with that stunning pinkish hue.

Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore

Now let’s turn to the other side of the square and the great Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore. This magnificent Cathedral began its construction in 1296 but wasn’t completed until 1436. That’s over 140 years! The temple is named in honour of Santa Maria del Fiore, or “Saint Mary of the Flowers.” Mary is often associated with flowers, especially in Italian culture. Flowers, or roses, in particular, are thought to represent the fleetingness of life, and therefore, of death. Mary carries with her the burden of knowing her son will die and yet even knowing this reality, carries on to raise him with all the love she has in her heart. Like the flower which we know will wilt, we admire its beauty until the day it dies.

The Duomo, as it is mainly called in Florence, was built on the site of the 7th-century Church of Santa Reparata. Remnants of that church can still be found today in the crypt. The Duomo as it stands today is the 4th largest Cathedral in the world and walking around it, you can really get a sense of how huge it is.

Arnolfo di Cambio

The first architect of the church was Arnolfo di Cambio. Arnolfo di Cambio started his career as the assistant to Nicola Pisano. Together they created the marble pulpit inside the Sienna Cathedral. From there, he moved onto creating tombstones and sculptures of Kings around the world. Arnolfo di Cambio’s funerary monuments were so impressive they became the model for Gothic funerary art in Florence. It was a surprise to many when, in 1294, he began work on the Florence cathedral, not as an artist but as an architect. This would be the only building to officially be created in his name. And despite his lack of formal training, the result of his creativity is breathtaking.

The Great Dome

The church was designed in the Italian Gothic tradition. This features pointed arches and cross-ribbed vaults. The overall layout of the Cathedral features a Latin cross design with room for the most iconic feature of the church, the HUGE dome. And while Cambio left space for this dome in his floorplans, the dome hadn’t even been conceived of by the time Cambio passed away. Over the 140 years, the church was being constructed, architects from all over the world attempted to figure out how to achieve such an enormous dome without it falling apart. Giotto di Bondone, Andrea Pisano, and Francesco Talenti all worked on different aspects of the church.

Brunelleschi

Still, none of them could figure out how to build such a gravity-defying dome. It would be Brunelleschi, who would finally solve the problem of the dome. Unlike Cambio, Brunelleschi had many buildings under his belts such as Basilica of San Lorenzo, Basilica of Santo Spirito, and the Pazzi Chapel. He had been working across the street on the Baptistery doors when he decided he wanted to take a stab at the dome’s design, where all others had failed.

Ironically, the key to the structure of the dome was unlocked by using a flower’s composition as a guide. Being a church named after the Lady of the Flowers, that just seems too fitting. The dome used a herringbone brick pattern where the bricks formed a series of inverted arches. And as the blocks grew higher, instead of falling inwards, the inverted form actually used gravity to their advantage to reinforced the structure. The result is this breathtaking, gravity-defying, architectural masterpiece. Being so large, it seems to peak out above the skyline wherever you look in Florence. An icon for the ages. And one of the most significant pieces of Renaissance architecture.

The Campanile

To understand the design of the facade (as it stands today), we must first look at the design of the bell tower or campanile. The facade, as we will learn later, was left relatively plain before the 18th-century redesign. But the tower, designed by Giotto in 1334, was a multicoloured treasure and almost the most impressive feature of the Cathedral before the dome was finished. The tower stands 15 meters wide and over 84 meters tall! But other than its size, the most impressive part of the bell tower is the colours. Giotto said that the different colours were used to exemplify the two fundamental principles of Florentine art: “rectitude (righteousness) and beauty.”

But Giotto died before the tower’s completion in 1387. It was reported that Giotto died of grief over the bell tower’s one design flaw. He made the base of the tower a little too narrow to allow for the effect of vertical momentum, but the decision would haunt him. He said he made “too-small a bed for your feet,” regarding the tower’s design. His fears would prove to be accurate as the tower needed to be later renovated to allow the full height of the construction to be supported at the base. But looking at it now, you’d never know. It took two additional architects, Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti, to fully completed Giotto’s vision after his death.

Exterior Panels

One of the most exciting features of the tower is located on the first floor. Take a close look at the hexagonal panels, which are spread around the base of the tower. The white stone reliefs are framed by pink marble, which is additionally contrasted against green, serpentine marble. Inside these reliefs are depictions of the history of mankind as it was in medieval times. The stories told on these panels blend religious doctrine history as well as liberal arts. In addition to the chronicles, as written in the bible, we also see mankind’s most significant discoveries. On the south side of the tower, we find panels that represent astronomy, medicine, hunting, wool-working, and legislation. On the east side, there are panels relating to navigation, social justice, agriculture, festivals and architecture. The north side panels depict sculpture, painting, harmony, grammar, logic, music and poetry, geometry and arithmetic.

Andrea Pisano

On the second level, we find a row of niches that are filled with fantastic sculptures. It’s almost a share they are so high up since they are wonderfully carved works of art. These niches were created by the tower’s second architect, Andrea Pisano. Pisano dedicated the west side to the planets; Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon. On the south side, we find three sculptures representing theological virtues (faith, hope, charity) and four sculptures representing cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice).

The other statues found in the additional niches represent patriarchs, prophets, Kings of Israel and the pagan sibyls. This includes one beautiful group depicting the Sacrifice of Isaac by Donatello, a splendid example of the naturalism that was so popular in the 1400s.

Francesco Taletnti

Continuing up the tower to the top levels, designed by Francesco Talenti, we find a new mathematical treatment. Each level is slightly taller than the next, which, when you look up from above, gives the tower a sense of being taller than it actually is. This use of perspective was so popular during the Renaissance as they were obsessed with the idea of science and math meets art. Instead of a spire which many other Gothic towers have, the tower finishes with a terrace where people can still today enjoy stunning views of the city. At the top of the tower are seven bells. The largest of the bells is called the Santa Reparata, in honour of the saint to which the original church was dedicated to. Hearing it ring out across the square, the pigeons flying away as it rings is still one of the sweetest sounds of Florence.

Climbing the Bell Tower

If you choose to climb the bell tower, or for those really ambitious people, who want to climb both, head to the northeast corner of the bell tower to find the line up for the entrance. All you need is the same grand ticket for the entry. There are 400 steps to the top but the view from above is well worth the climb.

The 14th Century Facade

Aside from the front facade, which we will talk about later, the other sides of the Duomo are from the 14th century. These sides feature some of the best preserves aspects of Gothic architecture of the time. Many of the niches on these sides are empty, as the original sculptures which once decorated this exterior have been moved into the museum. This means these sides feel rather dull compared to the newer, front facade. Despite the lack of sculptures, something is mesmerizing about the geometric shapes and coloured marble which adorned the sides of the church.

The 19th Century Front Facade

The original facade was built along with the rest of the church, but the one we see now was created long after, in the 1800s. Traditionally, Tuscan churches didn’t have much ornamentation given to their facades, and they were left extremely plain. But the Medici’s, the de facto royalty of the day, weren’t a fan of the dull look. They pleaded with architects to change the facade, but there was never a consensus over what it should look like. When the previous stone facade, designed by Giotto, began to deteriorate, Florence, once more, held a design competition. They wanted to see who could meet the expectations of the city to create a facade as fanciful as the rest of the church. 

Emilio De Fabris won the contest with his proposal. He designed his facade to follow the same structure as Giotto’s but with the addition of sumptuous ornamentation (based on the design of the magnificent campanile). This meant no structural changes needed to be made, which meant it was going to be cheaper to build. It also allowed for the original shape of the church to be maintained and honoured. Unfortunately, Fabris died before construction started, once more leaving his legacy to the next architect. A dark theme that is too often present in the histories of great church architects.

Portal Maggiore

To study the front facade, let us start at the bottom and work our way up, starting at the central portal into the church. Because there is no longer entry through this central portal, you can gaze up at its magnificence and opulent doors.

The 19th-century bronze doors feature beautifully carved reliefs of the life of the Virgin Mary. The doors themselves appear to be set themselves inside an architectural design. The doors were the original entry into the Duomo before it became a tourist destination. They were designed by Augusto Passaglia and Giuseppe Cassioli.

Santa Reparata & St. Zenobius

On either side of the bronze doors are niches containing two of the most influential people to the church: St. Reparata and St. Zenobius. Saint Reparata was the patron saint of the first church built on this site as well as the patron Saint of Florence until the Middle Ages when St. John the Baptist replaced her. Saint Reparata was merely a young woman when she was martyred by the Romans in the 3rd century. Legend has it that St. Reparata was set to be burned alive, but when the Romans set her alight, a shower of rain from the heavens put out the fire. She was then forced to drink boiling pitch but would not die. Finally, the Romans were forced to behead her, which was the final blow.

St. Zenobius was the first bishop of Florence who not only was born in Florence but also made a significant impact in evangelizing the city and its outskirts. He is most notable for his miracles of bringing soldiers and children back from the dead. Just above the bronze doors, you’ll see a series of coats of arms which represent the various Florentine families who donated money towards the building of the front facade.

Niccolò Barabino

Above the bronze doors is a gorgeous mosaic lunette. You’ll find one of these brightly coloured designs over each of the gates into the church. They were designed by Niccolò Barabino and represent the Florentine devotion to faith across multiple disciplines. The mosaic above the central portal depicts Christ enthroned between Mary and Saint John the Baptist, alongside various Florentine saints. Surrounding the lunettes are richly decorative vines and octagonal panels featuring multiple saints.

Portal Maggiore Tympanum

Above the mosaic lunette is the grand tympanum. In the centre of this triangular scene, we have the image of the Virgin Mary. Surrounding her on either side is a chorus of seraphim. At the very top above these sculptures is a bronze dove soaring away from the rest of the angels. Below the seated mother is an altar with a baby lamb, representing Jesus as the sacrificial lamb. On either side of the lower portion of the tympanum are representations of the men from the Florentine Republic who were in charge of the construction of this church as well as images of various Popes and Franciscan monks. Standing guard on either side of the tympanum are two priests with trumpets, announcing the birth of Christ to the people of Florence.

Right Portal

Cassioli, who designed the central doors, is also responsible for the doors on the right. Cassioli led a distraught life. He suffered much misfortune throughout the years and was the definition of a tortured artist. He leaves a self-portrait of himself in the doorway, along the right side. Here we see a man with a snake around his neck, a way of the artists to express the suffering he felt, literally suffocating for his art.

The mosaic above the doorway here represents Florentine artisans, merchants and humanists paying homage to the sculpture of faith. Carved into the archway are various statues of famous angels. From left to right, we have the Angel of the Apocalypse (portrayed with scythe), saint. Michael (portrayed in his classic armour and sword), the Angel that liberated St. Peter, St. Elizabeth welcoming the faithful into the church, the Angel of the Resurrection(seen with the palm leaf and skull), the Archangel Raphael (holding a fish), and the Angel of the Apocalypse (holding the overturned chalice.) The sculpture atop the door is of the Madonna Dolorosa (Madonna of Sorrows). Flying above here is are three angels holding flowering in their hands.

Right Door Niches

Located in the niches on either side of the doorways are a series of statues. They feature from left to right; Cardinal Valeriani, Bishop Agostino Tinacci, Pope Eugene IV, who consecrated the church in 1436 and of Saint Antonino Pierozzi, bishop of Florence.

Left Entry Doors

The last doorway is found on the left. This doorway is now the official entry into the church, and so its old doors are almost always seen open. If you come by when the church is closed, you’ll be able to better understand the designs on the front. On either side of the doorway are niches featuring Cardinal Pietro Valeriani on the left and Bishop Agostino Tinacci on the right.

Left Door Mosaics

The mosaic above the doorway depicts Charity among the founders of Florentine philanthropic institutions. Charity is represented in the centre seated on the throne. At the base of the throne are a series of the coat of arms from charitable institutions. The people kneeling on either side of Charity are founders of the great hospitals in Florence. On either side of the mosaic are two small sculptures that represent Adam and Eve after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Eve is on the left, bare-breasted, her head in her hands, covered in a sheepskin. The snake can be seen resting at her feet.

Rosette Window

Above both the right and left portals are a set of Rosette windows, which compliment the larger Rose window in the centre of the facade. Unlike the large Rose window in the centre, the rosettes are not filled with stained glass. In the centre of the windows is an eight-pointed star, which often refers to wealth and money.

Upper Gallery

The Upper Gallery of the facade is filled with a series of niches. Each one is filled with beautiful sculptures of one of the twelve Apostles.

In the centre of the upper gallery, is a gorgeous statue of the Madonna and child. She sits on her throne, a golden crown on her head and baby Jesus resting on her knee. In her hand is a flowered sceptre designed by Tito Sarrocchi. She holds the sceptre pointed towards the people on the piazza, beckoning them to come inside.

Although we will talk about the Rose Window later as it is more impressive from the inside, take a look at the panels surrounding it. Across the top of the facade are busts of great artists of the past framed inside Gothic quatrefoils.

At the very top of the roofline, we find a small circular panel with the face of the Eternal father. There is a golden background, and the man cranes his head downwards, towards the people below.

Gargoyles

Along the roofline of the Cathedral are warped faces of human, eternally open-mouthed, acting as the gargoyles of the Cathedral. Usually, gargoyles are represented as animals, so seeing the gargoyles are human figures is often an even more disturbing image.

Porta della Mandorla

If you are opting to go inside, before doing so, walk around the left side of the building to the Porta della Mandorla (this is also the entrance you’ll use when you walk up the dome). This doorway was built in 1423, but Donatello! The sculptures above the door are especially significant because it was one of the last important works of art to be created in the time between gothic and Renaissance. The theme of the work is the Virgin on her mission to save humanity. She is centred in an oval, the same shape as almond or mandorla.

Cathedral Interior

To enter the church, go through the left portal, in the far north. The entry into the Cathedral is…well, slightly less impressive than you might imagine when compared to the embellished exterior. While the interior is grand and soaring, it does feel somewhat empty. The interior was purposefully meant to be bare, as it was thought that this would result in a more focused approach to prayer. Many of the pieces of art and sculpture which once stood here have been moved into the museum for restoration and preservation. For this reason, there is a genuinely vacant feeling to space more so now than when it was first built.

Clock

Against the wall opposite the high altar, take a look under the rose window to spot an ancient clock. The enormous clock with bright golden dials was made in 1443 by Paolo Uccello. What you might notice about this clock is that it is set to the ora Italica which is the Florentine 24-hour clock, which starts and ends at sunset, instead of at midnight. On the four corners of the clock are the faces of the four evangelists. The clock still works to this day, but it needs to be wound every 8-9 days to keep it running.

Rose Window

The stained-glass Rose window above the clock presents the crowning of the Virgin Mary as Mary Queen of the World. An archway of angles flies above her. In the centre is the figure of Jesus surrounded by golden rays. He is descending from heaven, holding a golden crown. This piece was designed by Gaddo Gaddi in the early 14th century. This window seems to almost burn with colour. The glass is so bright its hard to imagine the design is over 600 years old.

Artists Busts

On the left nave, upon entering the church, you’ll see various busts along the wall. These feature the artists who helped build the church. We can see the images of Giotto, Brunelleschi and Emilio de Fabris. Eternally looking out at their creation.

Stained Glass Windows

The various brightly coloured stained glass windows you’ll find throughout the church were all made based on illustrations by some of the greatest artists of all time. While they were created by seasoned craftsmen, using pictures by artists such as Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno. The windows along the aisles represent the Old and New Testament, while the circular windows around the top of the church and surrounding the dome, are visions from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

The Crypt

The stairs down to the crypt are located near the entrance to the church, along the right side of the nave. Down here, you can see remnants of the original Roman church and pavements, which once lead into this temple. Near the entrance to the crypt is the modest tomb of Filippo Brunelleschi. It is nothing more than a plain slab of marble where they have also placed two golden crucifixes. For someone who created such beautiful things, it’s an interesting piece of juxtaposition to find his tomb is so humble.

Equestrian Funerary Monuments

Along the northern wall, halfway down the apse towards the dome, are two painted Funerary Monuments. Instead of an elaborate stone-carved tomb, these monuments were painted on the walls of the Cathedral. They were painted in 1436 and 1465 and yet are fantastically preserved. The one of the left is dedicated to Sir John Hawkwood by Paolo Uccello, and one of the rights is the Equestrian statue of Niccolò da Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno. Both Hawkwood and Tolentino were courageous and successful soldiers who made an impact on the city. Each of these great men is portrayed riding their horses triumphantly, as roman leaders were once portrayed. Their images were painted with the newly discovered technique of perspective and foreshortening, making it looks as if these mere paintings were actual three-dimensional monuments.

Marble Floors

The magnificent marble tiles of the church were installed in the 16th century. The Wool Guild was one of the wealthiest guilds in the city and sponsored much of the construction of the church. As such, you’ll find many images of the guild throughout the church, one of the most significant is the ‘OPA’ lettering inlaid into the marble flooring in the center of the church. OPA stands for the Opera del Duomo, which was the name of the group of guild members who were specifically in charge of the construction of the church. The marble on the floor is made up of varying colours of stone, a technique called intarso. The Medici’s crest, another prominent patron of the church, can also be seen on the flooring. Look for their iconic red balls all over the floor, a subtle nod to their patronage.

The Great Dome Interior

The most awe-inspiring part of the church is the magnificent domed fresco by Giorgio Vasari. Originally, Brunelleschi had intended for the dome to be covered in gold. With the light that poured in through the dome’s windows, this would have illuminated the interior like a glowing orb. But after his death, his first project didn’t have the funds to be completed. It was left painted merely white for years until the late 16th century when rich, Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici decided he wanted it painted to feel more ostentatious.

The piece depicts the scenes of the Last Judgement, and when you take a closer look, you’ll be surprised how macabre some parts of the scene genuinely are. While Vasari designed then look of the piece, the actual painting of it was done by his pupil Frederico Zuccari and was finished in 1579. It is for this reason that some elements of the painting are a little less finessed than other works from Vasari. At the centre of the dome are choirs of angels surrounding Jesus. Around the bottom of the cupola are various images representing the capital sins of hell.

Donatello Stained Glass Window

In the centre of the dome is the grand window by Donatello. Once more, we see the image of Christ presenting the crown to his mother. This scene is much more intimate than the one on the Rose Window. There are only two figures here, and they are kneeling together tightly. Almost in an embrace.

The Sacristy Doors

Just past the dome, on either side of the nave, you’ll see the bronze doors which protect the entrance to the Sacristies. These were created in terra cotta by Luca Della Robbia in 1444. The panels which I find the most precious are the ones depicting Mary holding baby Jesus.

Dante Before the City of Florence

Along the left side of the nave, just before the axis crossing, make your way towards a large fresco under the window. This fresco was created by Domenico di Michelino in 1465. It shows Dante in the centre, standing in front of Renaissance Florence as it was when the mural was painted. Like a window into the past, you can glimpse through.

To the left of Dante, we can see Purgatory, and on his right paradise, or Florence itself. In the hands of the writer is his famous book, the Divine Comedy. His hand points down towards the nine circles of hell. Just behind him is the Mount of Purgatory, where you can see Adam and Eve standing on top, representing earthly paradise above the circles of hell. To the right where we can see Florence, take a minute to spot the dome of the Cathedral you’re standing in as well as images of the Baptistry and the Palazzo Vecchio.

Climbing the Dome

There are two options for those who love to climb up buildings; the bell tower and the dome. While the bell tower is slightly less claustrophobic and less busy, the climb up the dome, to the top of the church is the option I would go with. There just isn’t anything like seeing those frescoes up close and personal. The climb is 463 steps up through a narrow passageway once used by the construction workers who built it.

When you book your ticket online, it will ask you to select a time for the climb up the dome. If you can manage an early morning, the rising sun across the city is fantastic! The earliest time is 8:30am, and this is also when you’ll find the entire place to be the least busy. To enter the stairs to the dome climb entre via the Porta della Mandorla.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this walkthru of the Duomo, its dome and tower and the radiant Baptistery! Let me know in the comments what your favourite part of the tour was or what you’re most looking forward to visiting!

Happy Travels, Adventurers

The post The Ultimate Self Guided Tour of the Florence Duomo first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Whether you’re drawn to the grandeur, the history or the spiritual power of these buildings, visiting these sites in Florence is almost a right of passage. But many people come here and gaze upon these buildings without really understanding the context behind their construction and artistry. Through this post, I hope to help illuminate some of those mysteries and perhaps help you appreciate these attractions for more than just their beauty.

Table Of Contents

1. Hours and Admission
2. Hours
3. Admission
   • Tickets
   • Dress code
4. Should You Go Inside?
   • Florence & Marble
5. Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista
   • Florence Artists
6. The Baptistery Portals
7. Pisano’s Southern Portal
   • Ghiberti’s Northern Portal
   • Ghiberti’s Eastern Portal
   • Ghiberti Artistry
8. Baptistery Interior
   • Domed Mosaics
9. Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore
   • Arnolfo di Cambio
10. The Great Dome
    • Brunelleschi
11. The Campanile
    • Exterior Panels
    • Andrea Pisano
    • Francesco Taletnti
12. Climbing the Bell Tower
13. The 14th Century Facade
14. The 19th Century Front Facade
15. Portal Maggiore
16. Santa Reparata & St. Zenobius
    • Niccolò Barabino
17. Portal Maggiore Tympanum
18. Right Portal
19. Right Door Niches
20. Left Entry Doors
21. Left Door Mosaics
22. Rosette Window
23. Upper Gallery
24. Gargoyles
25. Porta della Mandorla
26. Cathedral Interior
27. Clock
28. Rose Window
29. Artists Busts
30. Stained Glass Windows
31. The Crypt
32. Equestrian Funerary Monuments
33. Marble Floors
34. The Great Dome Interior
    • Donatello Stained Glass Window
35. The Sacristy Doors
    • Dante Before the City of Florence
36. Climbing the Dome
37. Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
    • Hall of the Ancient Facade

Hours and Admission

Hours

The museum will be closed on the first Tuesday of each month.

Admission

While exploring the interior of the Duomo is free you’ll need a ticket if you want to see the inside of the Baptistery, to climb up the bell tower or the dome and visit the Duomo Museum. These attractions are all included in one ticket, so if you want to visit just one, you’ll still have to pay the same price as visiting them all. The best way to buy your ticket inside is online and in advance, so you can assure yourself access into the Duomo’s attractions.

Tickets

Adults: €18 (if booking online there is an extra €2 pre-booking fee)
Children: €3
Audio guides: €2,50 per person

Climbing the Dome: When booking online you need to select the time when you want to do the dome climb. You cannot change this time after booking and must be there within 15 minutes of your pre-selected time-slot.

Dress code

Since this is a religious site, be sure your clothing is appropriate for entry. This means your shoulders and knees must be covered, and you can’t wear your hats inside. I usually keep a long scarf in my knapsack with me in the summer when I’m wearing a dress or t-shirt that doesn’t cover my shoulders. This was I can throw it on when entering these churches but still keep cool throughout the day. If you’re wearing short-shorts or short skirts, you can also use the scarf to tie around your waist to cover up. This is such a common hack that you’ll almost always find women selling scarves outside churches in the summer.

Should You Go Inside?

I honestly prefer the interior of Santa Croce far more to this rather bare interior. While the frescoes on the dome are stunning, the rest of the interior could be skipped. The best interior of the group is that of the Baptistry – whose mosiacs are out of this world. Some people love climbing the tower and dome inside the cathedral to get to the view at the top but just be prepared to wait in line. If you’re pressed for time – I would say give the interiors a miss.

Seeing the exteriors are just as impressive and there is so much more to see in Florence which is more important than waiting in line. But if you have time to spare or are immensely interested in the interior artworks then you should make the effort to see it. Wake up early and you’ll find the lines are the least long. My favourite part of your ticketed entry is the museum which features some of the original artwork and sculptures which once stood inside the church. It also features the original Baptistery doors and some of the gorgeous robes the priests wear for various events throughout the catholic calendar.

Florence & Marble

In the Middle Ages, Florence was going through a stylistic period where many of their important buildings were created out of marble. Although few others from this period survive, the Duomo is a reflection of this time. Florence’s proximity to the marble mines meant that getting such large pieces quickly was a possibility other countries didn’t have. But what else did Florence have that others didn’t? Money and lots of it. Marble didn’t come cheap even if it was close by. But using it in such large proportions meant that your city looked like it was worth its weight in gold.

Carrara Marble

The main white marble you see is Carrara marble. Carrara has long been used by artists for sculptures, so it seemed only fitting that the most magnificent artwork of them all – the Cathedral – was itself draped in marble. The green marble which you can see decorating the exterior is actually serpentine stone, which came from Prato, a few miles northwest of Florence. Serpentine is named as such because the texture of the marble resembles that of snakes skin. The pinky-red stone you can see is limestone from mines near Florence. The colour is derived from the prevalence of ammonite fossils in the rock, which imbues the limestone with that stunning pinkish hue.

Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista

The Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista is thought to be one of Florence’s oldest places of worship. The current Baptistery was built between 1059 and 1128. It was named after St. John the Baptist (San Giovanni Battista), the patron saint of Florence. As Christianity was attempting to overtake the Pagan religion, Christians needed to find ways to make this conversation as seamless as possible.

One of these ways was to replace one Roman god for a Christian saint. That’s how we have St. John the Baptist as the patron saint of Florence. He replaced their most worshiped god, Mars. Mars was the god of war, so they needed to find a saint with a similar appeal. Saint John was a rugged saint, not as seemingly “holy” or clean-cut as some others, and this seemed to gel with Florentine sensibilities.

Florence Artists

The octagonal floor plan for the Baptistery was ubiquitous during the first millennium of Christianity, although it is much more rare to find these days. The octagonal design has a beautiful sense of symmetry to it, creating this unified, peaceful design. There is no clear provenance of who designed the structure, but many famous names have been attributed to its design. Pisano, Giotto, Ghiberti, Donatello and even Leonardo da Vinci were all artists who lent their hand in the creation of the Baptistery. Being a place touched by so many master’s hands only makes it more critical in the history of the city.

The Baptistery Portals

In addition to the marble we spoke of before which was used, bronze was the primary material which they employed to create a lush and regal look for the doorways. They called these entrances “portals,” and they were the gateways into the palace of god.

Pisano’s Southern Portal

The oldest set of doors is that created by Andrea Pisano in 1329. These doors now face south, but initially faced east, towards the Duomo. They were moved in 1452, replaced by newer designs. These doors depict stories from the Old Testament. The Merchants Guild of Florence commissioned Pisano to build these doors. They were one of the wealthiest guilds in the city and as such, could afford such an expensive commission. Look closely at the carvings and notice that there is definitely a significant amount of detail paid to the clothing.

No doubt, this was a way for the guild to get a subtle nod to their trade’s manufacturing in there. Subtle advertising if you will. The overall look of these designs is more subdued than the newer doors. Their shapes of the people are less realistic, and the features in their faces don’t show any real emotion. My favourite part of the design is the richly decorated door frames. They are lush with greenery and flowers. They seem to almost be bursting with growth.

Ghiberti’s Northern Portal

The second set of doors, located on the northern side, was designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti in 1422. But Ghiberti wasn’t just hired on the spot, oh no. In 1401 the church held a competition to see who would win the honour of receiving this commission. The church wanted to celebrate the end of the Black Death, which had swept through much of Europe, leaving millions dead. Florence had miraculously been spared, with only a comparatively small fraction of their citizens who ended up dying from the disease. Artists had to submit a small bronze panel featuring the scene of Abraham Sacrificing Isaac to be entered into the competition.

In the end, the committee was stuck between Brunelleschi’s design and Ghiberti’s. They couldn’t choose and asked if the artists would be willing to work together. Brunelleschi refused, saying that anything less than something which was 100% his own work wasn’t worth his time. So the job went to Ghiberti. It took Ghiberti 21 years to complete these doors. The panels in these doors consist of 28 scenes of the life of Jesus Christ from the New Testament. Each of them is richly decorated. The scenes are framed by abundant foliage and gilded busts of prophets and sibyls (women able to foretell the future). These doors are copies of the originals as those ones are now housed at the Cathedral Museum. But the recreations are nonetheless incredible examples of this sculptural art form, which was emerging at the time.

Ghiberti’s Eastern Portal

The third set of doors, created in 1425-1452, was also created by Ghiberti after his first commission was such a success. Michelangelo called them “the gates of paradise,” and therein came the name they go by even today. Michelangelo would often come here as a student to study these works for art. These panels are much larger than the quarterfoil frames of the previous gates. There are only ten frames in total, depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the life of Saint John the Baptist.

Ghiberti Artistry

In this new series, Ghiberti used a technique called schiacciato. This technique allowed him to create a recessed sculpture by carving only millimetres deep. It gives the illusion of greater depth and movement in the scene. The previous panels were mostly focused on the people in the scene and not the environment. In these new renditions, Ghiberti added in the landscape, which brought so much more atmosphere to each panel. Framing the doors are a series of miniatures busts and sculptures. The two busts featured in the middle of the entries are actually a self-portrait of the artist and his father, Bartolomeo Ghiberti.

Above the doors are three marble statues on white pedestals. In the centre, we have Jesus being crowned by John the Baptist, being watched by an angel.

Baptistery Interior

The interior of the small Baptistery is wonderfully embellished, and it feels like no matter where you look, there is something magical to behold. This is in complete opposition to the rather austere interior of the Cathedral across the street.

Domed Mosaics

The interior was inspired by the Roman Pantheon with its grand domed ceiling covered in intricate byzantine mosaics. The roof was created in the 1200s. Millions of tiny gold and glass tiles were used to create the scene of “universal judgement.” The entire piece took over 100 years to complete. Because the section took so long to complete, you can actually see the change in art styles throughout the design as the techniques improved and changed throughout the years. Descending down from the centre of the octagonal dome, there are various rings, which depict specific storylines around the central theme of judgement.

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Life of Joseph, the Virgin Mary and Jesus and St. John the Baptist

The top layer of the octagon, under the lantern, is decorated with plants and animals. Below this is a series of angels who surround and stand in praise towards the image of Jesus is the centre. Below is a set of scenes from the story of Genesis. Following this are images from the Life of Joseph, the Virgin Mary and Jesus and finally the life of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence.

In the center, breaking into multiple rows is the central figure of Jesus. He sits with this hands to either side, the marks of the crucifixion nails still bleeding in the centre of his palms. To the right of his feet are images of damnation and to the left, salvation. The images of damnation are explicitly terrifying, as the representations of the tortures of hell are extremely brutal. The shapes of the various figures here aren’t human figures and look almost alien-like as if hell itself mutates the human form. These terrors were meant to strike fear into the citizens of Florence, to be good in life to not suffer in the afterlife for eternity.

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The Marble Floor

After looking up for long so, give your neck a break and take a look at the ground. The marble floor here is made using the technique called ‘intarso.’ This technique uses multiple colours of marble, which are carefully placed together to create one unified piece. At one time, the lantern in the ceiling was open to the outside air, and the light which flowed in would hit a sundial embedded into this marble floor. Florentine designers used astrological signs, along with the sundial, to tell the time. Although the lantern was closed and the dial removed, the zodiac signs on the marble can still be seen on the floor today.

The Tomb of Guccio de Medici

The tomb of Guccio de Medici, who died in the 1300s, is the first example of the Medicis obsession with their deaths being as opulent as their lives. When he died, Guccio was buried inside an old Roman sarcophagus. Added onto the Roman tomb was a carving of the Medici shield and famous Medici coins.

The Tomb of the Anti Pope

One of the most controversial tombs in the Baptistery is the tomb of Antipope John XXIII. Pope John XXIII was born Baldassari Cossa. Despite being buried in such an illustrious building, this Pope was stripped of his title after his death due to his multiple misdoings and scandalous life. He was widely disliked by almost everyone in Florence, everyone except that is for the Medici’s that is. When Cossa came into power, he gave the financing of the Vatican over to the Medici bank. The Vatican was one of the largest institutions in the world and employing the Medici bank as their primary money lender meant the families rise to fame. They went from being just another Florentine money lender to one of the richest (non-royal) families in Europe.

Donatello and the Baptistry

The Medici’s owed Cossa, and despite the public’s dislike or outright hate for the man, they were still under his thumb. When his dying wish was to be buried in the Baptistery, they made his dream come true, despite the public outrage that ensued. The Medici’s paid Donatello to sculpt his funerary monument in 1420. On top of the tomb is his death mask. Unlike many death masks of the time, Cossa’s faces look out towards the onlooker instead of up towards the sky. Almost daring the public to say a word against him, as he is always looking and listening. Above his coffin is a lunette of the Madonna and child. The entire piece is a stone canopy is embellished with golden fringe. Supporting the coffin on either side are two Marzocco Lions, the protectors of Florence.

Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore

Now let’s turn to the other side of the square and the great Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore. This magnificent Cathedral began its construction in 1296 but wasn’t completed until 1436. That’s over 140 years! The temple is named in honour of Santa Maria del Fiore, or “Saint Mary of the Flowers.” Mary is often associated with flowers, especially in Italian culture. Flowers, or roses, in particular, are thought to represent the fleetingness of life, and therefore, of death. Mary carries with her the burden of knowing her son will die and yet even knowing this reality, carries on to raise him with all the love she has in her heart. Like the flower which we know will wilt, we admire its beauty until the day it dies.

The Duomo, as it is mainly called in Florence, was built on the site of the 7th-century Church of Santa Reparata. Remnants of that church can still be found today in the crypt. The Duomo as it stands today is the 4th largest Cathedral in the world and walking around it, you can really get a sense of how huge it is.

Arnolfo di Cambio

The first architect of the church was Arnolfo di Cambio. Arnolfo di Cambio started his career as the assistant to Nicola Pisano. Together they created the marble pulpit inside the Sienna Cathedral. From there, he moved onto creating tombstones and sculptures of Kings around the world. Arnolfo di Cambio’s funerary monuments were so impressive they became the model for Gothic funerary art in Florence. It was a surprise to many when, in 1294, he began work on the Florence cathedral, not as an artist but as an architect. This would be the only building to officially be created in his name. And despite his lack of formal training, the result of his creativity is breathtaking.

The Great Dome

The church was designed in the Italian Gothic tradition. This features pointed arches and cross-ribbed vaults. The overall layout of the Cathedral features a Latin cross design with room for the most iconic feature of the church, the HUGE dome. And while Cambio left space for this dome in his floorplans, the dome hadn’t even been conceived of by the time Cambio passed away. Over the 140 years, the church was being constructed, architects from all over the world attempted to figure out how to achieve such an enormous dome without it falling apart. Giotto di Bondone, Andrea Pisano, and Francesco Talenti all worked on different aspects of the church.

Brunelleschi

Still, none of them could figure out how to build such a gravity-defying dome. It would be Brunelleschi, who would finally solve the problem of the dome. Unlike Cambio, Brunelleschi had many buildings under his belts such as Basilica of San Lorenzo, Basilica of Santo Spirito, and the Pazzi Chapel. He had been working across the street on the Baptistery doors when he decided he wanted to take a stab at the dome’s design, where all others had failed.

Ironically, the key to the structure of the dome was unlocked by using a flower’s composition as a guide. Being a church named after the Lady of the Flowers, that just seems too fitting. The dome used a herringbone brick pattern where the bricks formed a series of inverted arches. And as the blocks grew higher, instead of falling inwards, the inverted form actually used gravity to their advantage to reinforced the structure. The result is this breathtaking, gravity-defying, architectural masterpiece. Being so large, it seems to peak out above the skyline wherever you look in Florence. An icon for the ages. And one of the most significant pieces of Renaissance architecture.

The Campanile

To understand the design of the facade (as it stands today), we must first look at the design of the bell tower or campanile. The facade, as we will learn later, was left relatively plain before the 18th-century redesign. But the tower, designed by Giotto in 1334, was a multicoloured treasure and almost the most impressive feature of the Cathedral before the dome was finished. The tower stands 15 meters wide and over 84 meters tall! But other than its size, the most impressive part of the bell tower is the colours. Giotto said that the different colours were used to exemplify the two fundamental principles of Florentine art: “rectitude (righteousness) and beauty.”

But Giotto died before the tower’s completion in 1387. It was reported that Giotto died of grief over the bell tower’s one design flaw. He made the base of the tower a little too narrow to allow for the effect of vertical momentum, but the decision would haunt him. He said he made “too-small a bed for your feet,” regarding the tower’s design. His fears would prove to be accurate as the tower needed to be later renovated to allow the full height of the construction to be supported at the base. But looking at it now, you’d never know. It took two additional architects, Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti, to fully completed Giotto’s vision after his death.

Exterior Panels

One of the most exciting features of the tower is located on the first floor. Take a close look at the hexagonal panels, which are spread around the base of the tower. The white stone reliefs are framed by pink marble, which is additionally contrasted against green, serpentine marble. Inside these reliefs are depictions of the history of mankind as it was in medieval times. The stories told on these panels blend religious doctrine history as well as liberal arts. In addition to the chronicles, as written in the bible, we also see mankind’s most significant discoveries. On the south side of the tower, we find panels that represent astronomy, medicine, hunting, wool-working, and legislation. On the east side, there are panels relating to navigation, social justice, agriculture, festivals and architecture. The north side panels depict sculpture, painting, harmony, grammar, logic, music and poetry, geometry and arithmetic.

Andrea Pisano

On the second level, we find a row of niches that are filled with fantastic sculptures. It’s almost a share they are so high up since they are wonderfully carved works of art. These niches were created by the tower’s second architect, Andrea Pisano. Pisano dedicated the west side to the planets; Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon. On the south side, we find three sculptures representing theological virtues (faith, hope, charity) and four sculptures representing cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice).

The other statues found in the additional niches represent patriarchs, prophets, Kings of Israel and the pagan sibyls. This includes one beautiful group depicting the Sacrifice of Isaac by Donatello, a splendid example of the naturalism that was so popular in the 1400s.

Francesco Taletnti

Continuing up the tower to the top levels, designed by Francesco Talenti, we find a new mathematical treatment. Each level is slightly taller than the next, which, when you look up from above, gives the tower a sense of being taller than it actually is. This use of perspective was so popular during the Renaissance as they were obsessed with the idea of science and math meets art. Instead of a spire which many other Gothic towers have, the tower finishes with a terrace where people can still today enjoy stunning views of the city. At the top of the tower are seven bells. The largest of the bells is called the Santa Reparata, in honour of the saint to which the original church was dedicated to. Hearing it ring out across the square, the pigeons flying away as it rings is still one of the sweetest sounds of Florence.

Climbing the Bell Tower

If you choose to climb the bell tower, or for those really ambitious people, who want to climb both, head to the northeast corner of the bell tower to find the line up for the entrance. All you need is the same grand ticket for the entry. There are 400 steps to the top but the view from above is well worth the climb.

The 14th Century Facade

Aside from the front facade, which we will talk about later, the other sides of the Duomo are from the 14th century. These sides feature some of the best preserves aspects of Gothic architecture of the time. Many of the niches on these sides are empty, as the original sculptures which once decorated this exterior have been moved into the museum. This means these sides feel rather dull compared to the newer, front facade. Despite the lack of sculptures, something is mesmerizing about the geometric shapes and coloured marble which adorned the sides of the church.

The 19th Century Front Facade

The original facade was built along with the rest of the church, but the one we see now was created long after, in the 1800s. Traditionally, Tuscan churches didn’t have much ornamentation given to their facades, and they were left extremely plain. But the Medici’s, the de facto royalty of the day, weren’t a fan of the dull look. They pleaded with architects to change the facade, but there was never a consensus over what it should look like. When the previous stone facade, designed by Giotto, began to deteriorate, Florence, once more, held a design competition. They wanted to see who could meet the expectations of the city to create a facade as fanciful as the rest of the church. 

Emilio De Fabris won the contest with his proposal. He designed his facade to follow the same structure as Giotto’s but with the addition of sumptuous ornamentation (based on the design of the magnificent campanile). This meant no structural changes needed to be made, which meant it was going to be cheaper to build. It also allowed for the original shape of the church to be maintained and honoured. Unfortunately, Fabris died before construction started, once more leaving his legacy to the next architect. A dark theme that is too often present in the histories of great church architects.

Portal Maggiore

To study the front facade, let us start at the bottom and work our way up, starting at the central portal into the church. Because there is no longer entry through this central portal, you can gaze up at its magnificence and opulent doors.

The 19th-century bronze doors feature beautifully carved reliefs of the life of the Virgin Mary. The doors themselves appear to be set themselves inside an architectural design. The doors were the original entry into the Duomo before it became a tourist destination. They were designed by Augusto Passaglia and Giuseppe Cassioli.

Santa Reparata & St. Zenobius

On either side of the bronze doors are niches containing two of the most influential people to the church: St. Reparata and St. Zenobius. Saint Reparata was the patron saint of the first church built on this site as well as the patron Saint of Florence until the Middle Ages when St. John the Baptist replaced her. Saint Reparata was merely a young woman when she was martyred by the Romans in the 3rd century. Legend has it that St. Reparata was set to be burned alive, but when the Romans set her alight, a shower of rain from the heavens put out the fire. She was then forced to drink boiling pitch but would not die. Finally, the Romans were forced to behead her, which was the final blow.

St. Zenobius was the first bishop of Florence who not only was born in Florence but also made a significant impact in evangelizing the city and its outskirts. He is most notable for his miracles of bringing soldiers and children back from the dead. Just above the bronze doors, you’ll see a series of coats of arms which represent the various Florentine families who donated money towards the building of the front facade.

Niccolò Barabino

Above the bronze doors is a gorgeous mosaic lunette. You’ll find one of these brightly coloured designs over each of the gates into the church. They were designed by Niccolò Barabino and represent the Florentine devotion to faith across multiple disciplines. The mosaic above the central portal depicts Christ enthroned between Mary and Saint John the Baptist, alongside various Florentine saints. Surrounding the lunettes are richly decorative vines and octagonal panels featuring multiple saints.

Portal Maggiore Tympanum

Above the mosaic lunette is the grand tympanum. In the centre of this triangular scene, we have the image of the Virgin Mary. Surrounding her on either side is a chorus of seraphim. At the very top above these sculptures is a bronze dove soaring away from the rest of the angels. Below the seated mother is an altar with a baby lamb, representing Jesus as the sacrificial lamb. On either side of the lower portion of the tympanum are representations of the men from the Florentine Republic who were in charge of the construction of this church as well as images of various Popes and Franciscan monks. Standing guard on either side of the tympanum are two priests with trumpets, announcing the birth of Christ to the people of Florence.

Right Portal

Cassioli, who designed the central doors, is also responsible for the doors on the right. Cassioli led a distraught life. He suffered much misfortune throughout the years and was the definition of a tortured artist. He leaves a self-portrait of himself in the doorway, along the right side. Here we see a man with a snake around his neck, a way of the artists to express the suffering he felt, literally suffocating for his art.

The mosaic above the doorway here represents Florentine artisans, merchants and humanists paying homage to the sculpture of faith. Carved into the archway are various statues of famous angels. From left to right, we have the Angel of the Apocalypse (portrayed with scythe), saint. Michael (portrayed in his classic armour and sword), the Angel that liberated St. Peter, St. Elizabeth welcoming the faithful into the church, the Angel of the Resurrection(seen with the palm leaf and skull), the Archangel Raphael (holding a fish), and the Angel of the Apocalypse (holding the overturned chalice.) The sculpture atop the door is of the Madonna Dolorosa (Madonna of Sorrows). Flying above here is are three angels holding flowering in their hands.

Right Door Niches

Located in the niches on either side of the doorways are a series of statues. They feature from left to right; Cardinal Valeriani, Bishop Agostino Tinacci, Pope Eugene IV, who consecrated the church in 1436 and of Saint Antonino Pierozzi, bishop of Florence.

Left Entry Doors

The last doorway is found on the left. This doorway is now the official entry into the church, and so its old doors are almost always seen open. If you come by when the church is closed, you’ll be able to better understand the designs on the front. On either side of the doorway are niches featuring Cardinal Pietro Valeriani on the left and Bishop Agostino Tinacci on the right.

Left Door Mosaics

The mosaic above the doorway depicts Charity among the founders of Florentine philanthropic institutions. Charity is represented in the centre seated on the throne. At the base of the throne are a series of the coat of arms from charitable institutions. The people kneeling on either side of Charity are founders of the great hospitals in Florence. On either side of the mosaic are two small sculptures that represent Adam and Eve after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Eve is on the left, bare-breasted, her head in her hands, covered in a sheepskin. The snake can be seen resting at her feet.

Rosette Window

Above both the right and left portals are a set of Rosette windows, which compliment the larger Rose window in the centre of the facade. Unlike the large Rose window in the centre, the rosettes are not filled with stained glass. In the centre of the windows is an eight-pointed star, which often refers to wealth and money.

Upper Gallery

The Upper Gallery of the facade is filled with a series of niches. Each one is filled with beautiful sculptures of one of the twelve Apostles.

In the centre of the upper gallery, is a gorgeous statue of the Madonna and child. She sits on her throne, a golden crown on her head and baby Jesus resting on her knee. In her hand is a flowered sceptre designed by Tito Sarrocchi. She holds the sceptre pointed towards the people on the piazza, beckoning them to come inside.

Although we will talk about the Rose Window later as it is more impressive from the inside, take a look at the panels surrounding it. Across the top of the facade are busts of great artists of the past framed inside Gothic quatrefoils.

At the very top of the roofline, we find a small circular panel with the face of the Eternal father. There is a golden background, and the man cranes his head downwards, towards the people below.

Gargoyles

Along the roofline of the Cathedral are warped faces of human, eternally open-mouthed, acting as the gargoyles of the Cathedral. Usually, gargoyles are represented as animals, so seeing the gargoyles are human figures is often an even more disturbing image.

Porta della Mandorla

If you are opting to go inside, before doing so, walk around the left side of the building to the Porta della Mandorla (this is also the entrance you’ll use when you walk up the dome). This doorway was built in 1423, but Donatello! The sculptures above the door are especially significant because it was one of the last important works of art to be created in the time between gothic and Renaissance. The theme of the work is the Virgin on her mission to save humanity. She is centred in an oval, the same shape as almond or mandorla.

Cathedral Interior

To enter the church, go through the left portal, in the far north. The entry into the Cathedral is…well, slightly less impressive than you might imagine when compared to the embellished exterior. While the interior is grand and soaring, it does feel somewhat empty. The interior was purposefully meant to be bare, as it was thought that this would result in a more focused approach to prayer. Many of the pieces of art and sculpture which once stood here have been moved into the museum for restoration and preservation. For this reason, there is a genuinely vacant feeling to space more so now than when it was first built.

Clock

Against the wall opposite the high altar, take a look under the rose window to spot an ancient clock. The enormous clock with bright golden dials was made in 1443 by Paolo Uccello. What you might notice about this clock is that it is set to the ora Italica which is the Florentine 24-hour clock, which starts and ends at sunset, instead of at midnight. On the four corners of the clock are the faces of the four evangelists. The clock still works to this day, but it needs to be wound every 8-9 days to keep it running.

Rose Window

The stained-glass Rose window above the clock presents the crowning of the Virgin Mary as Mary Queen of the World. An archway of angles flies above her. In the centre is the figure of Jesus surrounded by golden rays. He is descending from heaven, holding a golden crown. This piece was designed by Gaddo Gaddi in the early 14th century. This window seems to almost burn with colour. The glass is so bright its hard to imagine the design is over 600 years old.

Artists Busts

On the left nave, upon entering the church, you’ll see various busts along the wall. These feature the artists who helped build the church. We can see the images of Giotto, Brunelleschi and Emilio de Fabris. Eternally looking out at their creation.

Stained Glass Windows

The various brightly coloured stained glass windows you’ll find throughout the church were all made based on illustrations by some of the greatest artists of all time. While they were created by seasoned craftsmen, using pictures by artists such as Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno. The windows along the aisles represent the Old and New Testament, while the circular windows around the top of the church and surrounding the dome, are visions from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

The Crypt

The stairs down to the crypt are located near the entrance to the church, along the right side of the nave. Down here, you can see remnants of the original Roman church and pavements, which once lead into this temple. Near the entrance to the crypt is the modest tomb of Filippo Brunelleschi. It is nothing more than a plain slab of marble where they have also placed two golden crucifixes. For someone who created such beautiful things, it’s an interesting piece of juxtaposition to find his tomb is so humble.

Equestrian Funerary Monuments

Along the northern wall, halfway down the apse towards the dome, are two painted Funerary Monuments. Instead of an elaborate stone-carved tomb, these monuments were painted on the walls of the Cathedral. They were painted in 1436 and 1465 and yet are fantastically preserved. The one of the left is dedicated to Sir John Hawkwood by Paolo Uccello, and one of the rights is the Equestrian statue of Niccolò da Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno. Both Hawkwood and Tolentino were courageous and successful soldiers who made an impact on the city. Each of these great men is portrayed riding their horses triumphantly, as roman leaders were once portrayed. Their images were painted with the newly discovered technique of perspective and foreshortening, making it looks as if these mere paintings were actual three-dimensional monuments.

Marble Floors

The magnificent marble tiles of the church were installed in the 16th century. The Wool Guild was one of the wealthiest guilds in the city and sponsored much of the construction of the church. As such, you’ll find many images of the guild throughout the church, one of the most significant is the ‘OPA’ lettering inlaid into the marble flooring in the center of the church. OPA stands for the Opera del Duomo, which was the name of the group of guild members who were specifically in charge of the construction of the church. The marble on the floor is made up of varying colours of stone, a technique called intarso. The Medici’s crest, another prominent patron of the church, can also be seen on the flooring. Look for their iconic red balls all over the floor, a subtle nod to their patronage.

The Great Dome Interior

The most awe-inspiring part of the church is the magnificent domed fresco by Giorgio Vasari. Originally, Brunelleschi had intended for the dome to be covered in gold. With the light that poured in through the dome’s windows, this would have illuminated the interior like a glowing orb. But after his death, his first project didn’t have the funds to be completed. It was left painted merely white for years until the late 16th century when rich, Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici decided he wanted it painted to feel more ostentatious.

The piece depicts the scenes of the Last Judgement, and when you take a closer look, you’ll be surprised how macabre some parts of the scene genuinely are. While Vasari designed then look of the piece, the actual painting of it was done by his pupil Frederico Zuccari and was finished in 1579. It is for this reason that some elements of the painting are a little less finessed than other works from Vasari. At the centre of the dome are choirs of angels surrounding Jesus. Around the bottom of the cupola are various images representing the capital sins of hell.

Donatello Stained Glass Window

In the centre of the dome is the grand window by Donatello. Once more, we see the image of Christ presenting the crown to his mother. This scene is much more intimate than the one on the Rose Window. There are only two figures here, and they are kneeling together tightly. Almost in an embrace.

The Sacristy Doors

Just past the dome, on either side of the nave, you’ll see the bronze doors which protect the entrance to the Sacristies. These were created in terra cotta by Luca Della Robbia in 1444. The panels which I find the most precious are the ones depicting Mary holding baby Jesus.

Dante Before the City of Florence

Along the left side of the nave, just before the axis crossing, make your way towards a large fresco under the window. This fresco was created by Domenico di Michelino in 1465. It shows Dante in the centre, standing in front of Renaissance Florence as it was when the mural was painted. Like a window into the past, you can glimpse through.

To the left of Dante, we can see Purgatory, and on his right paradise, or Florence itself. In the hands of the writer is his famous book, the Divine Comedy. His hand points down towards the nine circles of hell. Just behind him is the Mount of Purgatory, where you can see Adam and Eve standing on top, representing earthly paradise above the circles of hell. To the right where we can see Florence, take a minute to spot the dome of the Cathedral you’re standing in as well as images of the Baptistry and the Palazzo Vecchio.

Climbing the Dome

There are two options for those who love to climb up buildings; the bell tower and the dome. While the bell tower is slightly less claustrophobic and less busy, the climb up the dome, to the top of the church is the option I would go with. There just isn’t anything like seeing those frescoes up close and personal. The climb is 463 steps up through a narrow passageway once used by the construction workers who built it.

When you book your ticket online, it will ask you to select a time for the climb up the dome. If you can manage an early morning, the rising sun across the city is fantastic! The earliest time is 8:30am, and this is also when you’ll find the entire place to be the least busy. To enter the stairs to the dome climb entre via the Porta della Mandorla.

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

With your ticket into the other parts of the Duomo and Baptistery, is a ticket into the Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo. The very same guild, which was in charge of the construction of the church when it was first being built, is still to this day overseeing the restoration and preservation of its treasures.

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Hall of the Ancient Facade

One of the most astounding galleries inside the museum is the Hall of the Ancient or the Hall of Paradise. Here you can view a reconstruction of the original facade of the church before the new design. In this white and beige almost life-size replica, you can see the 40 different statues, 100 architectural details and 60 decorations that have now been all but removed from the exterior and yet preserved here.

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The Deposition by Michelangelo

Of all the sculptures inside, my favourite is the Deposition by Michelangelo. Michelangelo started working on this piece in 1546 but never finished it. It was one of the first pieces he made without a commission. He would work tirelessly on the sculpture by candlelight. But over the years, he became frustrated by the imperfections in the marble and abandoned the project. One night he even tried to destroy the sculpture in a fit of rage. But despite Michelangelo thinking it was a failure, even today, it is one of the most moving pieces in the gallery. If you look closely, you might notice that Jesus is missing his one leg, as the veins in the marble made it impossible for parts of the stone to be carved.

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The two women on either side of Christ’s body are the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdelene. Still, the hooded figure behind them is one of the more mysterious characters in art history. Many think it could be his father, Joseph. Still, other historians have argued that it is Nicodemus who was also present at Christ’s death. Whomever the figure is, one can see the great sadness which rests in his eyes.

Penitent Magdalene by Donatello

The Penitent Magdalene by Donatello is a haunting sculpture made of wood from the 1450s. Unlike many other representations of Mary Magdelene, portrayed as a beautiful woman, this image here is of an emaciated woman wearing nothing but rags. She looks as though she is bearly hanging on, praying to God to spare her, or forgive her before her death. In many orthodox legends of Mary Magdalene, she is thought to have been a prostitute but walked the desert for 30 years to absolve her sins. We believe that Donatello ehre is using that same story to depict his image of Mary Magdelene, as she finally makes her way out of the desert and is forgiven.

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Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this walkthru of the Duomo, its dome and tower and the radiant Baptistery! Let me know in the comments what your favourite part of the tour was or what you’re most looking forward to visiting!

Happy Travels, Adventurers

The post The Ultimate Self Guided Tour of the Duomo and Baptistery in Florence (Cattedrale di Santa Maria dei Fiori) first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Whether you’re drawn to the grandeur, the history or the spiritual power of these buildings, visiting these sites in Florence is almost a right of passage. But many people come here and gaze upon these buildings without understanding the context behind their construction and artistry. Through this post, I hope to help illuminate some of those mysteries and perhaps help you appreciate these attractions for more than just their beauty.

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Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista

The Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista is thought to be one of Florence’s oldest places of worship. The current Baptistery was built between 1059 and 1128. It was named after St. John the Baptist (San Giovanni Battista), the patron saint of Florence. As Christianity was attempting to overtake the Pagan religion, Christians needed to find ways to make this conversation as seamless as possible.

One of these ways was to replace one Roman god for a Christian saint. That’s how we have St. John the Baptist as the patron saint of Florence. He replaced their most worshiped god, Mars. Mars was the god of war, so they needed to find a saint with a similar appeal. Saint John was a rugged saint, not as seemingly “holy” or clean-cut as some others, and this seemed to gel with Florentine sensibilities.

Florence Artists

The octagonal floor plan for the Baptistery was ubiquitous during the first millennium of Christianity, although it is much more rare to find these days. The octagonal design has a beautiful sense of symmetry to it, creating this unified, peaceful design. There is no clear provenance of who designed the structure, but many famous names have been attributed to its design. Pisano, Giotto, Ghiberti, Donatello and even Leonardo da Vinci were all artists who lent their hand in the creation of the Baptistery. Being a place touched by so many master’s hands only makes it more critical in the history of the city.

The Baptistery Portals

In addition to the marble we spoke of before which was used, bronze was the primary material which they employed to create a lush and regal look for the doorways. They called these entrances “portals,” and they were the gateways into the palace of god.

Pisano’s Southern Portal

The oldest set of doors is that created by Andrea Pisano in 1329. These doors now face south, but initially faced east, towards the Duomo. They were moved in 1452, replaced by newer designs. These doors depict stories from the Old Testament. The Merchants Guild of Florence commissioned Pisano to build these doors. They were one of the wealthiest guilds in the city and as such, could afford such an expensive commission. Look closely at the carvings and notice that there is definitely a significant amount of detail paid to the clothing.

No doubt, this was a way for the guild to get a subtle nod to their trade’s manufacturing in there. Subtle advertising if you will. The overall look of these designs is more subdued than the newer doors. Their shapes of the people are less realistic, and the features in their faces don’t show any real emotion. My favourite part of the design is the richly decorated door frames. They are lush with greenery and flowers. They seem to almost be bursting with growth.

Ghiberti’s Northern Portal

The second set of doors, located on the northern side, was designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti in 1422. But Ghiberti wasn’t just hired on the spot, oh no. In 1401 the church held a competition to see who would win the honour of receiving this commission. The church wanted to celebrate the end of the Black Death, which had swept through much of Europe, leaving millions dead. Florence had miraculously been spared, with only a comparatively small fraction of their citizens who ended up dying from the disease. Artists had to submit a small bronze panel featuring the scene of Abraham Sacrificing Isaac to be entered into the competition.

In the end, the committee was stuck between Brunelleschi’s design and Ghiberti’s. They couldn’t choose and asked if the artists would be willing to work together. Brunelleschi refused, saying that anything less than something which was 100% his own work wasn’t worth his time. So the job went to Ghiberti. It took Ghiberti 21 years to complete these doors. The panels in these doors consist of 28 scenes of the life of Jesus Christ from the New Testament. Each of them is richly decorated. The scenes are framed by abundant foliage and gilded busts of prophets and sibyls (women able to foretell the future). These doors are copies of the originals as those ones are now housed at the Cathedral Museum. But the recreations are nonetheless incredible examples of this sculptural art form, which was emerging at the time.

Ghiberti’s Eastern Portal

The third set of doors, created in 1425-1452, was also created by Ghiberti after his first commission was such a success. Michelangelo called them “the gates of paradise,” and therein came the name they go by even today. Michelangelo would often come here as a student to study these works for art. These panels are much larger than the quarterfoil frames of the previous gates. There are only ten frames in total, depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the life of Saint John the Baptist.

Ghiberti Artistry

In this new series, Ghiberti used a technique called schiacciato. This technique allowed him to create a recessed sculpture by carving only millimetres deep. It gives the illusion of greater depth and movement in the scene. The previous panels were mostly focused on the people in the scene and not the environment. In these new renditions, Ghiberti added in the landscape, which brought so much more atmosphere to each panel. Framing the doors are a series of miniatures busts and sculptures. The two busts featured in the middle of the entries are actually a self-portrait of the artist and his father, Bartolomeo Ghiberti.

Above the doors are three marble statues on white pedestals. In the centre, we have Jesus being crowned by John the Baptist, being watched by an angel.

Baptistery Interior

The interior of the small Baptistery is wonderfully embellished, and it feels like no matter where you look, there is something magical to behold. This is in complete opposition to the rather austere interior of the Cathedral across the street.

Domed Mosaics

The interior was inspired by the Roman Pantheon with its grand domed ceiling covered in intricate byzantine mosaics. The roof was created in the 1200s. Millions of tiny gold and glass tiles were used to create the scene of “universal judgement.” The entire piece took over 100 years to complete. Because the section took so long to complete, you can actually see the change in art styles throughout the design as the techniques improved and changed throughout the years. Descending down from the centre of the octagonal dome, there are various rings, which depict specific storylines around the central theme of judgement.

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Life of Joseph, the Virgin Mary and Jesus and St. John the Baptist

The top layer of the octagon, under the lantern, is decorated with plants and animals. Below this is a series of angels who surround and stand in praise towards the image of Jesus is the centre. Below is a set of scenes from the story of Genesis. Following this are images from the Life of Joseph, the Virgin Mary and Jesus and finally the life of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence.

In the center, breaking into multiple rows is the central figure of Jesus. He sits with this hands to either side, the marks of the crucifixion nails still bleeding in the centre of his palms. To the right of his feet are images of damnation and to the left, salvation. The images of damnation are explicitly terrifying, as the representations of the tortures of hell are extremely brutal. The shapes of the various figures here aren’t human figures and look almost alien-like as if hell itself mutates the human form. These terrors were meant to strike fear into the citizens of Florence, to be good in life to not suffer in the afterlife for eternity.

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The Marble Floor

After looking up for long so, give your neck a break and take a look at the ground. The marble floor here is made using the technique called ‘intarso.’ This technique uses multiple colours of marble, which are carefully placed together to create one unified piece. At one time, the lantern in the ceiling was open to the outside air, and the light which flowed in would hit a sundial embedded into this marble floor. Florentine designers used astrological signs, along with the sundial, to tell the time. Although the lantern was closed and the dial removed, the zodiac signs on the marble can still be seen on the floor today.

The Tomb of Guccio de Medici

The tomb of Guccio de Medici, who died in the 1300s, is the first example of the Medicis obsession with their deaths being as opulent as their lives. When he died, Guccio was buried inside an old Roman sarcophagus. Added onto the Roman tomb was a carving of the Medici shield and famous Medici coins.

The Tomb of the Anti Pope

One of the most controversial tombs in the Baptistery is the tomb of Antipope John XXIII. Pope John XXIII was born Baldassari Cossa. Despite being buried in such an illustrious building, this Pope was stripped of his title after his death due to his multiple misdoings and scandalous life. He was widely disliked by almost everyone in Florence, everyone except that is for the Medici’s that is. When Cossa came into power, he gave the financing of the Vatican over to the Medici bank. The Vatican was one of the largest institutions in the world and employing the Medici bank as their primary money lender meant the families rise to fame. They went from being just another Florentine money lender to one of the richest (non-royal) families in Europe.

Donatello and the Baptistry

The Medici’s owed Cossa, and despite the public’s dislike or outright hate for the man, they were still under his thumb. When his dying wish was to be buried in the Baptistery, they made his dream come true, despite the public outrage that ensued. The Medici’s paid Donatello to sculpt his funerary monument in 1420. On top of the tomb is his death mask. Unlike many death masks of the time, Cossa’s faces look out towards the onlooker instead of up towards the sky. Almost daring the public to say a word against him, as he is always looking and listening. Above his coffin is a lunette of the Madonna and child. The entire piece is a stone canopy is embellished with golden fringe. Supporting the coffin on either side are two Marzocco Lions, the protectors of Florence.

There is so much more to see around the Baptistery, so once you’re finished here, be sure to head over to tour the famous Duomo! If you’ve visited the Baptistery in Florence, let me know in the comment what your favourite part was!

Happy Travels Adventurers.

The post The Ultimate Self-Guided Tour of the Baptistery in Florence first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. Hours and Admission
2. History of Santa Croce
3. Exterior of Santa Croce
4. Layout of the Basilica
5. High Altar
6. Bardi Chapel
7. Peruzzi Chapel
8. Baroncelli Chapel‎ 
9. Castellani Chapel
10. Sacristy
11. Rinuccini Chapel
12. Medici Chapel
13. The Pazzi Chapel
14. Primary Cloister
15. Cloister Tombs
16. Secondary Cloister
17. The Museo dell' Opera di Santa Croce

Hours and Admission

The entry in Santa Croce is much less of a trial than visiting the Duomo. After viewing the exterior, to enter the interior and purchase your ticket, walk along Largo Bargellini, the street to the left of the church, and you’ll see the single and family entrance along the side.

Hours:

Monday – Saturday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Sundays and Holy Days: 2:00 pm – 5:30 pm (
Closed: New Year’s Day (January 1), Easter, St. Anthony of Padua (June 13), St. Francis (October 4), Christmas (December 25), St. Stephen’s Day (December 26).

Tickets:

Adults: €8
Kids aged from 11 to 17 years: €6
Audio Guides: €4

Access

Santa Croce is located in the heart of Florence. If you are arriving by train, at the Santa Maria Novella railway station, can easily reach it on foot with a walk of about 20 minutes through the historic centre. The visitors’ entrance and ticket office are in Largo Bargellini, along the side of the basilica.

History of Santa Croce

The first stone laid here was said to have been placed by St. Francis himself in 1228 BC. This Basilica has the honour of being the largest Franciscan church in the world! There are 16 chapels inside, many illuminated by the frescos of the legend Giotto himself. Construction on the church began in 1295 by Arnolfo di Cambio, the same architect as the Duomo. Its construction wouldn’t be completed until 1442, when it was consecrated by the Pope.

Exterior of Santa Croce

The exterior, however, is much more “modern” as it was built in 1860, during the Gothic revival period. Looking at the exterior facade, there are several similarities to that of the Duomo. It uses the same combination of white, pale green and red marble but in a more restrained fashion, as was the Franciscan way. The central portal of the church has a large pair of doors with beautiful carvings made out of wood instead of bronze. The architect of the facade was Niccolo Matas, who was, surprisingly enough for a Franciscan church, Jewish. He even designed a large blue Star of David to crown the church’s top as his little signature.

The church has three separate tympanums across the front. A tympanum is a semi-circular or triangular decorative surface over an entrance or door. The central one features an image of the ‘Triumph of the Cross‘ by Giovanni Duprè. The one on the left depicts the ‘Invention of the cross‘ by Titto Sarrocchi, and on the right, we have the ‘Vision of Constantine‘ by Emilio Zocchi.

Layout of the Basilica

The floorplan of the church is designed in the shape of an Egyptian “T” called the tau cross. This differs from the traditional Roman “t” cross design as the Franscians use the Egyptian tau as their symbol. The interior is a three-aisle design divided by two rows of thick octagonal columns. Between the columns are wide, pointed arches, which house the side family chapels. This design was heavily influenced by Cambio’s research into the architecture of ancient Rome, as was the fashion in the Renaissance.

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Timber Ceiling

The ceiling is unique since you can admire the timber roof, replete with geometric patterns. The beams were painted in the 14th century, yet you can still make out the vibrant colours today! Along the walls of the Basilica are a series of tall and thin stained glass windows. Enter through the left portal to explore this part of the church, making your way around the interior clockwise.

The funerary monuments are one of the most macabre yet beautiful elements of Santa Croce. The church also goes by the nickname ‘The Temple of the Italian Glories’ because it is the resting place of so many incredible Italians. Over 300 tombs throughout the church date as far back as the 14th century. There are both tombs for the dead buried here and statues dedicated to those buried elsewhere. Many affluent families wanted to pay tribute to their favourite celebrities. So they would commission a funerary monument to be built for them inside this illustrious temple.

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Galileo Galilei

One of the first of these tombs is Galileo. Yes, THE Galileo! Galileo Galilei, the famous father of modern science, died in Florence in 1642. He was buried here under a grand baroque tomb. Above the monument is a burst of famous scientists in the centre. His head is raised to the sky, always looking at the stars. On either side of him are sculptures which represent Geometry and Astronomy.

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Lorenzo Ghiberti

Further up ahead is the tomb of Lorenzo Ghiberti, one of the most celebrated bronze smiths in Florence. He was the one who created those iconic Baptistry doors, making him a legend. But despite this fame, his resting place is slightly less opulent. There is only a simple stone marker on the floor. It is embellished only with an image of a great eagle surrounded by laurel leaves.

The Incredulity of St Thomas

Most of the large framed paintings which you’ll see as you walk along the side aisles were the curation and sometimes creation of Giorgio Vasari. In 1565, as of the initial construction of the church, Cosimo Medici wanted to redress it to make it a little more opulent. He employed Giorgio Vasari as his artist advisor. Vasari was the one who decided the narrative program of the paintings. He chose the subject of Christ’s passion, and each mural along the wall follows this narrative.

The painting of the Incredulity of St Thomas was done by Vasari himself. Vasari painted it in 1579 in the style of Mannerism which was popular in the late Renaissance. Mannerism exaggerates the qualities that the Renaissance emphasized, such as proportion, balance, and ideal beauty. In the centre of the painting, we find Christ and St. Thomas framed between two arches. The two sides get continuously darker and darker as they fade outwards, keeping the focus on these two central characters.

Pietà by Bronzino

Agnolo Bronzino was the court painter for Cosimo I de Medici. His painting of the Pieta, framed here in a thin golden frame, is fantastically real. The blue-coloured flesh is so lifelike that you feel almost sick looking upon it. Mary’s pained expression is heartbreaking as she looks upon her lifeless child.

Pipe organ

The church’s organ is a rather small, modest instrument compared to some grander organs in Europe. It was built by organ builder Tuscan Onofrio Zefferini in 1579. The case which surrounds the entire organ’s frame was made by Vasari.

Bardi Chapel

Many side chapels were purchased by wealthy families to dissolve their sins through financial transactions to the church. The Bardi family was one of the most prosperous merchants and banking families in Florence and thereby had a lot of crimes to dissolve. But this work of art would not save them from ruin in the mortal realm. In 1343 they lent the equivalent of 100 million dollars to the King of England during the hundred years’ war. When they lost and couldn’t repay the loan, this bankrupted the Bardi’s and left them in complete financial ruin.

But the frescoes and chapels we’re looking at were built during the height of their reign. The chapel was commissioned by a branch of the Bardi family, the Bardi di Vernio. There are two Bardi di Vernio chapels, the most important of which is located on the northern side. While the iconic Bardi Chapel was painted with frescoes by Giotto, this chapel has murals by Maso di Banco. Despite his less household name, Banco’s frescoes were so well done that Vasari mistakenly thought they were by Giotto when he first saw them. The chapel also contains a wooden sculpture of two angels designed by Giorgio Vasari.

Saint Sylvester

The murals inside this chapel depict the story of Saint Sylvester. Saint Sylvester, who became Pope, has a very fantastical legend. In the frescoes, you can see Emperor Constantine being baptized by Sylvester, the miracle of Sylvester’s resurrection of the bull and, most surprisingly, Sylvester’s defeat of the dragon! That’s right, he was said to have slain a dragon. And the resurrection of the two wizards the dragon killed with his breath. Fantastical indeed.

Crucifix by Donatello

But one of the most important art pieces inside the chapel is the Crucifix by Donatello. This crucifix was made in 1408 and imbues within that powerful Renaissance style. Donatello relied on raw human emotion and natural forms to create his cross. This figure does not attempt to be both beautiful and holy. It is more like a real-life portrayal of what it would have looked like to be crucified. Contorted, in agony, mouth open, his body twisted in an awkward position. It made the people who looked upon it react powerfully, as they could see themselves in the sculpture.

High Altar

The high altar is located inside Major Chapel, right in the centre of the church. Whereas the rest of the church doesn’t have the same lofty heights as other gothic churches of the era, the high altar soars above the rest of the building. Wonderfully embellished umbrella ribs in the vaults help this narrow centrepiece keep its structure and shape. Long, thin-mullioned windows stretch up the entire length of the Maggiore Chapel. The colours in these stained glass windows are brilliant and cast rainbow hues across the church.

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Legend of the True Cross

Covering this space are frescoes depicting the Legend of the True Cross by Agnolo Gaddi from 1380. This story is the earliest surviving painting on this subject. The story is based on the legend of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. It’s said that the cross was made from a tree planted over the grave of Adam. The tree grew from the seeds of the original tree of sin. After years of growth, it was torn down by King Solomon to be used to make a bridge. The Queen of Sheba was given a message about the impending doom this wood would be transformed into. Although Solomon would rip it up afterwards, it was still salvaged and eventually became the instrument of passion. The frescoes can be read from top to bottom on the right wall and on the left.

The polyptych of Madonna and Saints by Niccolo di Pietro Gerini was also painted in the same style as Giotto. A polyptych is a panel painting which has been divided into sections. Along the back walls are stained glass windows representing the Deposition from the cross. These were created from drawings made by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the 14th century.

Bardi Chapel

Giotto had previously painted a fantastical masterpiece in the Church of Assisi, and the Bardi’s were anxious to have one of their own. Giotto’s six scenes in this chapel depict the ‘Life and Death of St. Francis.’ This piece was painted in the 1300s but heavily restored in the 17th and 19th centuries. The restoration was poor. It didn’t allow viewers to understand which part of the fresco was done by Giotto and what restoration work was done by less trained hands. So after much consideration, the restoration pieces were removed, and the original artworks by Giotto were the only parts left. This is why the fresco still looks unfinished. Giotto was one of the first artists of the Renaissance to propose a method of painting which focused on accurate proportions and shapes. His face looked like real people that the citizens of Florence could relate to.

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Peruzzi Chapel

Peruzzi Chapel with frescoes by Giotto represents the scenes from the lives of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. Although these are now pretty faded, they retain the artistry and shapes of those medieval principles. The frescoes are in such a state because when Giotto made them, he was experimenting with a new technique called secco. This technique combined lime and an organic binder with the paints to be applied upon the walls as frescoes. While secco was easier to use, it did result in a less long-lasting and pigmented mural. The chapel was known to be one of the significant influences on Michelangelo 140 years after Giotto first painted it. It was said that Michelangelo would come here to be inspired just a few years before he painted the Sistine Chapel.

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Baroncelli Chapel‎ 

Turning towards the southern walls, you face the Baroncelli Chapel‎ in splendour. The chapel was built in 1338 and is covered in frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi. Gaddi worked directly under Giotto as the master’s apprentice. But Gaddi wasn’t one to simply follow the traditional path. He loved pushing the limits, experimenting and trying new and exciting methods. One was his use of geometry and perspective to create almost three-dimensional illusions inside his paintings.

The frescoes focus on the life of the Virgin Mary and Jesus’ presentation at the temple in Jerusalem. Many of these scenes take place at night, a unique choice at the time to present paintings in the evening when the background is dark. But Gaddi loved a challenge, and his scenes at twilight capture a shining brilliance which feels so unique to the art form at the time.

Castellani Chapel

Adjacent to the Baroncelli Chapel‎ , we find the impressive Castellani Chapel, immediately notable for the enormous Byzantine cross which hangs at the back of the chapel. The chapel was built in 1385 and commissioned by Vanni Castellani. The chapel and its frescoes are dedicated to Saint Anthony, the abbot. Anthony is thought to be the father of monks and the monastic lifestyle. They believed his ascetic and isolated life led to a better connection with God.

Sacristy

From the last chapel along the eastern wall, head through the corridor which leads to the sacristy. You’ll pass through a long corridor with various famous works of art that didn’t find their way into a family chapel. Upon stepping into the hallway, take the first left into the sacristy. A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments, other church furnishings, and sacred vessels. The sacristry was built in 1340 and commissioned by the Peruzzi family.

The room is distinctly gothic, with richly painted trusses on the ceiling. Surrounding the rest of the room are large wooden cabinets which contain various vestments and sacred relics collected by the church. But treasures inside the sacristy are overshadowed by an enormous fresco by Taddeo Gaddi. It took over 60 years for the entire piece to be completed, and Gaddi died before seeing it. The richly painted frame surrounding the panels looks straight out of an illuminated manuscript.

Rinuccini Chapel

Inside the sacristy, you’ll find the elaborate Rinuccini Chapel. This is one of the best-preserved parts of the church. The Rinuccini Chapel is in nearly the same condition as it was in the 14th century, with the same furnishings. The golden polyptych is silhouetted perfectly by the light pouring in through the gothic windows. On the right, we find frescoes that present Mary Magdalene’s life. On the left, we have murals depicting the life of the Virgin Mary, both painted by Giovanni da Milano. These frescoes are much paler than some of their counterparts found within the church. Giovanni da Milano found that warmer, softer colours allowed for more delicate storytelling, which felt appropriate for these two women.

Medici Chapel

After exploring the sacristy, continue walking down the corridor before leaving this area to see the famous Medici Chapel. This 15th-century family chapel was designed for the wealthy Medici family, commissioned by Cosimo, the Elder and designed by the family’s favour architect, Michelozzo. Entering this chapel, you’ll immediately find it much less colourful than the other chapels inside the church. It feels more restrained but is very large in comparison, complete with over a dozen pews.

The chapel is dedicated to the Medici’s patron saints Cosma and Damiano. These two saints were doctors, and the word in Italian for doctors is “Medici.” It seems like the Medicis picked a patron saint based solely on vanity. Above the altar is a beautiful terracotta glazed piece of the Madonna and Child surrounded by angels and saints. Above the altarpiece is a stained glass window by Alesso Baldovinetti with the image of the two patron saints. They are notable as each of them holds in their hand a feathered pen, representing their learned profession.

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Annunciation by Donatello

Walking back outside to the main church, we now head down the right side of the nave to study the monuments located there. Along the wall, you’ll notice a small, grey stone bas-relief. This little scene of the Annunciation was made by Donatello in 1433. Donatello had been studying in Rome when he created this piece. The ancient Roman columns on either side indicate the influence of the ancient city upon the artist’s works. The entire scene seems to take place inside a Roman building, almost as if we are peeking at them mid-conversation. I especially love the little rust-coloured cherubs who playfully listen above the entire frame.

Niccolò Machiavelli Tomb

Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat, politician, historian, philosopher, writer, playwright and poet of the Renaissance period. Can you say jack of all trades or what?! He is often referred to as the father of modern political philosophy. Although he died in 1527, his tomb wasn’t finished until 1787. The monument was designed by Alberto Rombotti and sculpted by Innocenzo Spinazzi. The woman in the rich draperies is the figure of Politica, the allegorical symbol for politics. She holds in one hand a portrait of Machiavelli; in the other, she holds scales, swords and scroll – all symbols of politics. The tomb bears the inscription “Tanto nomini nullum par eulogium,” which translates to “No elegy is equal to such a name.”

Pulpit

In such an open space, it’s easy to not get close to things that deserve a little more attention. The pulpit is one of those works of art you might pass right by but needs serious recognition. It was created by Benedetto da Maiano and is thought to be one of the most beautiful pulpits sculpted during the Renaissance. The design of the pulpit tells the story of the Life of Saint Francis. In each scene are fantastically realistic images of animals, landscapes and gorgeously emotive faces, which help describe this narrative. In between the filagreed brackets, which help hold up the pulpit, are tiny little statues set into adorable wooden niches. One of those little touches adds to the entire piece’s incredible details.

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Vittorio Alfieri Tomb by Canova

Count Vittorio Alfieri was an Italian dramatist and poet. He was considered the “founder of Italian tragedy” and died in 1803. His family bought a spot inside the church as his resting place and commissioned neoclassical artist Antonio Canova to create his tombstone. Canova was famous for his baroque-inspired designs, which always had a fair amount of dramatic flair. This would no doubt have been something which Alfieri himself would have appreciated. The allegorical figure in the process of laying a wreath on his tomb is from Italy. She is mourning the loss of one of her children. It was once said of Canova that “as long as Canova exists, immortality can be bought.” His sculptures are so powerful they seem to find a way of stirring people’s souls until time immemorial.

Cenotaph of Dante

The Cenotaph for Dante (buried in Ravenna) is one of the most moving monuments. The poet’s monument is called a ‘cenotaph,’ a tomb without the remains of the deceased. On the front of the tomb are carved the words “Onorate L’Altissimo Poeta,” which translates to “Honor the Poet of the Highest Regard.” On the right of the monument is the sculpture of Poetry, who rests slumped over his tomb, crying out in mourning. Dante was poetry’s greatest treasure, and she is lost without him. On the left, we have the allegorical sculpture of Italy (a figure you’ll see a few times on this tour).

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This symbolic sculpture is often referred to as Italia turrita. Turrita means “with towers,” as the woman’s crown is made up of towers intended to represent the various cities in Italy. In the centre of the crown is a five-pointed star, ‘Stella d’Italia, ‘ which symbolizes the shining destiny of the country. The turrita’s hand gestures towards the central figure atop the rest of the group. This is Dante himself. Immortalized in stone for eternity. Even here, he sits with a hand on his chin, like he is mid-thought. I love to stare at him and wonder if some of that creative genius, frozen in stone, might be transferred to me.

Michelangelo Tomb

But of all the tombs, the most important is Michelangelo’s. Although he died in Rome, he is buried here beneath a monument which looks more like an enormous architectural feature than a simple tomb. Across the memorial are statues of allegorical figures representing Sculpture, Architecture and Painting. Each one of them was lovingly sculpted by his friend Giorgio Vasari. Above the tombstone is a bust o the artist himself. When the monument was unveiled, it became THE masterpiece for anyone planning their funerary monument to reference and attempt to outdo.

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Tomb of Giovan Battista Niccolini

Giovan Battista Niccolini was an Italian poet and playwright during the Italian unification movement. He died in 1861 in Florence, and his tomb lies here under one of the most recognizable monuments in the church. Above his grave is the Statue of Poetry, created by Pio Fedi. This masterpiece almost too closely resembles the iconic Statue of Liberty in America, although at a much smaller scale. Although there is no documented evidence of the creation of the two, the similarities are striking. The drapery of her robe and even her pose are almost identical. Even her crown of sun rays is the same. The main difference is the face. This one is softer and more feminine, while the Statue of Liberty is more severe and almost androgynous-looking.

The other difference is what they carry in their hand. This statue holds a broken chain, a symbol of the defeat of tyranny, while the one in New York holds a burning torch. The Florentine version proceeded with the American design for three years. Still, it’s interesting to wonder if French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi paid a visit to Santa Croce before creating his majestic figure. This brings us back to the front of the church, completing out 360 degrees tour of the interior. It’s not time to head out to the cloisters. The exit towards the cloisters is through a door beside the Dontallo Annunciation.

The Pazzi Chapel

Outside, before your cloisters, you’ll pass under the domed ceiling, which leads into the Pazzi Chapel. The Pazzi Chapel was designed by the master architect Filippo Brunelleschi in 1430. The Pazzi family commissioned him specifically for this chapel; no doubt, he would not have come cheap. But the results are worth it! Before entering the chapel, look up at the small outer dome above the entrance doorway. This dome is covered in gorgeously detailed glazed terracotta flowers. The four seasons’ blue and yellow flowers and fruits stand out against the dull colours of the rest of the exterior stonework. In the centre of the flowers is the coat of arms of the Pazzi family, which is made of two fish and four crosses.

When you walk inside, the most impressive feature is the vaulted dome with round windows surrounding the base. On the top is a lantern which lets more natural light flow into the otherwise darkened chapel. Around the dome’s edges are the figures of four saints; St. Matthew, St. Luke, St. John and St. Mark. Along the walls and even on parts of the dome are various lunettes with glazed terracotta images of Saints on them. What’s shocking to learn about this space is it was once an old piece of the cloisters. Brunelleschi had to work within the original structure to create his new interior. Despite these limitations, the architect still managed to create something beautiful.

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Primary Cloister

Santa Croce is home to three cloisters constructed in different periods by different architects. The first and primary cloister was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio. This is the largest cloister, intended to join the church to the refectory with an open garden in the centre. Arnolfo di Cambio’s cloisters can be identified by his signature use of gothic octagonal pilasters with leafy capitals instead of roman renaissance columns. You can still make out the ancient gardens in the corner of the galleries. The tall cedars of the Atlas and the Himalayas are the most prominent of the remaining plants, giving the stone structure a little more life!

Cloister Tombs

Before entering the cloister yard, take a moment to walk down the tombs. Along the northern wall, against the side of the church, are what is called “the cloister of the dead.” This area was built in 1869 underneath the raised porch. Under here, you’ll find more funerary monuments and gravestones. These stones were moved here from the former cemetery, which had been destroyed to make room for additional constructions.

Secondary Cloister

The second cloister goes by the name “Brunelleschi’s cloister, as it was built by Filippo Brunelleschi. This cloister is much small and older than the previous one. It was built in 1470, located along the opposite side of the refectory (which will be the last stop on our tour.)

Florence Nightingale

The cloister houses a beautiful statue of Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale is thought to be the mother of nursing. But she was English, so what was she doing inside an Italian cloister? When her mother was pregnant, she travelled to Italy with her husband and unexpectedly gave birth in Florence. Her parents had been so taken with the city that they named her after it.

Another oddity in the middle of the cloister is the 20th-century Henry Moore sculpture ‘Warrior with Shield.’ It was initially donated to the British Institute but moved to Santa Croce. Moore’s sculpture might seem out of place, as he was so devoutly a modernist in the middle of a renaissance mecca. But Moore actually found great inspiration when he visited Italy. The quote says, “I had to go to Italy against my will. But thank goodness, now I did go.” He had thought it would be a place of stagnant art, nothing new or inspiriting. But instead, he found a place where art was still alive, where it would ring out everywhere he looked. He fused this passion with his modernist ideals and found a new outlook on the work he began to create.

The Museo dell’ Opera di Santa Croce

The Great Refectory of Santa Croce was the dining room where the monks would eat their meals and share in communion. Interestingly, the words come from the Latin reficere “to remake or restore,” so a refectorium is “a place one goes to be restored.” This is also where we get the name “restaurant” today! For the monks, this room was a place of meditation and sustenance. Today the refectory serves as the Museo dell’ Opera di Santa Croce.

The museum was established after the great floods in Florence in 1966. The water rose in the Arno river and flooded the city, destroying dozens of homes. Inside Santa Croce, the water levels were five meters deep! Hundreds of precious paintings and other treasures were severely water-damaged and needed immediate restoration. The refectory was turned into a de facto art hospital. Here, the pieces could be laid out and worked on since most of the other spaces in the city were occupied with other restoration works. Some of the pieces would need years of restoration work to be completed. In 2006, the city opened this space into a museum where people could see these historical pieces as they were being restored. It was an opportunity to see how the present day was working hard to preserve this treasured past.

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Triumph of Death

The first few rooms of the museum are dedicated to various frescoes which had to be removed from their original locations due to deterioration or damage. They have been preserved inside new panels to ensure their account lasts for eons. One of the most important of these panels is the fragment of the “Triumph of Death” painted by Andrea Orcagna in the mid-14th century. It depicts a scene from hell, as illustrated by Dante. It depicts snakes entangling sinners, dragons, devils devouring the dead, groups of people crammed into tiny spaces trying to breathe, and strange animals prowling the underground. 

The Last Supper

In almost every refectory, you’ll find scenes from the Last Supper, but the one painted on the wall of this Great refectory is genuinely awe-inspiring. This fresco, painted by Taddeo Gaddi, on the wall of the refectory, is made up of six different scenes. The six scenes took over 30 years to complete and finally finished in 1366! Despite the age of the piece, the colours are still shockingly vibrant. In the very centre, we have the Crucifixion. Instead of portraying Christ solely on a piece of wood, the cross here is more like a tree of life.

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Sprouting forth from its branches are inscriptions written on white scrolls. The inscriptions announced to the prophets surrounding the scene the message of salvation, which Jesus died for humanity’s sins, and preached his entire life. Running along the bottom is the seminal scene of the Last Supper. Many areas from this portion of the mural are missing. Those spots were either damaged or destroyed by the great flood. On the left side, we see two panels; the top portrays St. Francis receiving the stigmata and below the St. Louis of Toulouse. On the right, up top, we see an image of St. Benedict’s retreat and below, Jesus dining at the Pharisees. 

Cimabue Crucifix

One of the last pieces you’ll see in the refectory is Cimabue’s Crucifix. Although his historical piece was damaged during the catastrophic flood that decimated Florence in the 60s, we still have a good sample of this religious icon. The cross was made in 1265 by the Florentine painter Cimabue. The cross was made from five primary and eight ancillary timber boards to form the shape of the Byzantine cross. Another difference this crucifix has from others is the humanist painting style in iconography. Structure, posture, and even colour conveyed silent messages about humanity and nature.

The shape of the body on the cross and how he is positioned feel more natural and effective. He seems almost to fall down as if he can’t hold himself anymore. The crucifix was one of the most critical pieces from the church to be destroyed in the great flood. Over 60% of the paint on the surface was damaged, and its restoration became priority #1! As artisans and restorers from all over the world came to its aid, it became the symbol of the flood and hope for restoration. Today you can still see the crucifix on display and admire the work of many dedicated artists.

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I think Santa Croce is my favourite Florence church, despite it perhaps not being the most famous. The histories here run so deep, yet many of the original works of art, furnishings and treasures are still on display, as they have been for hundreds of years.

Happy Travels Adventurers.

The post The Ultimate Guided Tour of the Basilica Santa Croce, a Gothic-Renaissance Masterpiece first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

#1 Don’t Rush!

Italy isn’t a country you want to rush through. Not only will the infrastructure of Italy itself render this impossible, but it just doesn’t do the landscape and culture any justice either. Italy is a place for exploring, for getting lost and discovering something you never knew was there. Lists and guides are essential to make sure you don’t get TOO off track but make sure you don’t overbook yourself. I’m one of the LEAST flexible people in the world. I LOVE making schedules and itineraries and get flustered when things don’t go to plan.

Be Open to Change

But sometimes, being forced into a situation where just those things happen, forces you to change. To become adaptable. To open yourself up to new possibility and just let things flow. Italy changed me as a person. It forced me to slow down, to savour in a mid-afternoon glass of wine under an ancient clock tower. I didn’t ask for the bill or try to rush to my next destination. I just sipped my drink under the literal Tuscan sun and reflected on how lucky I was to be experiencing that moment in time. Rushing meals is a mainly North American thing. We are used to fasting food, even at a slow restaurant.

But in Europe, especially in Italy, everything is relaxed, laid back and at a snail’s pace. Find a way of adapting to this new kind of living. I found I loved to bring my books with me and spent these hours of dining reading. It’s a great time to plan your next adventure or just catch up with old friends or family.

#2 Don’t Drive Inside Big Cities

Driving in Italy is one of the best ways to explore the countryside. Emphasis on the countryside! Driving inside the BIG cities is a nightmare. I witnessed one of the biggest fights between my parents while driving in Florence and that imprinted itself on my brain as “note to self: never drive in the cities in Italy!” Renting a car in Italy is actually one of the cheapest modes of transportation but don’t let that sucker you into using it for the entirety of your trip! You need specific permits for your car to bring it into some major cities. If you haven’t got the right one to expect a HUGE fine when you return your vehicle at the end of the trip. An expensive bill is something no one wants to get after a dream vacation.

In addition to these significant fines, there are also dozens of weird rules of the road in these large cities. You’ll also find heavy traffic, problems with parking and more incidents that you really don’t need to stress about on your vacation. Trains between big cities in Italy are easy to use and a great way to watch the landscape fly by. While they might not always run on time (there is that laid back Italian attitude once more) they get you from point A to point B lickety-split, without any hidden fees. Once you’re finished in the big cities, head just outside town to pick up your rental car for a drive to see the smaller villages across Tuscany. 

Driving TIP

If you are travelling on trains in Italy a word to the wise: be sure to always validate your train tickets. When you buy your tickets on regional trains, there won’t be a time or date on it. This is because you need to validate it before you board the train to mark it as used. Look for a yellow machine on the platform or near the entrance to the station. If you can’t find one, ask any employee to point you in the right direction. If you find yourself onboard without validation and run into a transportation officer expect to pay a BIG fine! They don’t fall for the whole “I’m a tourist I didn’t know any better,” line. They make big money off these fines so won’t hesitate to give you one.

#3 Don’t Assume Food is that Expensive!

Dining out in Italy is cheaper than you’d imagine. When I was a backpacker in my early 20s, I had been anxious about eating out in Italy. It is known as one of the best culinary cities in the world, and I had imagined that all restaurants would cost a fortune. I thought for sure I’d have to resort to buying supermarket food and cooking it back at the hotel. I was SHOCKED to find that by making smart choices, I was able to eat pretty much anything I wanted. And more than that, the prices were way lower than I thought they would be! If you only look at restaurants with English menus, you’ll come away with a totally wrong idea of food prices in Italy.

Avoid English Menus

These restaurants are geared towards tourists who might be swayed by an easy experience to pay more for a less authentic experience. Keep an eye out for menus only in Italian only and always be sure to wander the streets at least five minutes away from the busy areas. Here you’ll find some absolute gems! Also be sure to avoid any restaurant with a greeter outside, yelling in English about their menus. That’s a sure sign it’s not the real deal. In Italy, as long as you stick to those points, you don’t need to worry about checking YELP or TripAdvisor.

I always ended up at places I never had written down, and the food was ALWAYS spectacular. If you can speak even a few words of Italian, try to ask for the daily special or chef’s recommendation. If you don’t have any allergies, give it a try! You never know when you’re next favourite meal will appear out of nowhere. I was shocked to find how much I loved squid ink pasta, a traditional meal in Venice which I had never seen anywhere else in the world.

#4 Don’t Expect to Eat on Your Schedule

Italians eat late. Or at least it seemed pretty late to me when usually eats her dinner around 6 pm. The earliest any self-respecting Italian would have their dinner would be around 8 pm. While many restaurants catering to tourists are open earlier, this is a dead giveaway that the food isn’t authentic. I found waiting for dinner was one of the hardest things to get used to.

Eat and Drink Late

That was until I found out about Aperitivo (more on that later). To get used to this later schedule, I found the best thing that worked for me was to take a nap in the middle of the day. This is the same thing many Italians do. It’s very typical to see restaurants open in the morning and night but closed in the afternoon. Despite being a Spanish name, many (or most) native Italians will go home for a siesta in the middle of the day.

This is just one part of the Italian dedication to a better quality of life. Shop owners will close down in the afternoon to go and make a home-cooked meal in their apartment. They sacrifice any sales they would have made during that time for the chance to eat their own food, maybe see their family or even have a nap. So I did the same. I would head home around 3 or 4 pm after a busy day and take a nice long relaxing nap. It recharged me for the rest of the night and resting always makes me feel less hungry than if I was walking around killing time before dinner.

#5 Don’t Expect Half-Priced Drinks during ‘Aperitivo‘ 

Many North American are used to this thing called “happy hour” between the hours of 7 and 9 pm. This time is usually reserved for half-priced, watered-down drinks. In Italy, they have something similar, but all kinds of different! It’s called ‘Aperitivo‘ (which literally translates to appetizer). Aperitivo is heavily advertised outside bars in the city, and also happens during the hours of 7 and 9 pm. But you won’t find any half-priced drinks here, and if you do see somewhere offering half priced wine, you know its not the an authentic aperitivo.

Free Food NOT Drink

Aperitivo is meant as a time for people to relax after work but before dinner. Locals jovially catch up with friends and family over a few glasses of wine while they wind up their metabolism for dinner (maybe this is why Italians eat so much pasta but remain so thin). But what aperitivo does offer instead of half-priced drinks, is FREE food! These “bonus” snacks are a way to stave off starving before your 9 pm dinner.

Different bars offer up different kinds of snacks. Some offer simple things like nuts, bread and fruit but others have full-on buffets of appetizers all free of charge if you’re drinking. Most big cities charge about 8 and 10 euros for a great glass of wine (reduce this slightly if staying in a smaller, less touristy village). But more than just a glass of wine, you’ll get a real experience out of it! Aperitivo brings out the best in people and a chance for you to meet the locals and ingrain yourself in Italian culture.

#6 Don’t Underestimate Coffee Culture

Coffee culture in Italy is almost a religion. There are many rules and rituals you’re expected to know and follow. One of the biggest don’ts to know, which will help you out financially is, don’t sit to drink your espresso. Often a coffee will have an added “table charge” if you drink it sitting down. This is rarely, if ever listed, so you’ll either have to ask or take your chances. Especially if you’re having a drink near a trendy tourist site, these charges can be as much as 20 euros! My husband was backpacking in his 20s and grabbed a coffee in front of the pantheon with his friend. They unwittingly sat down and had FOUR coffees, which ended up costing them 60 EUROS! A mistake we still laugh about to this day but I’m sure at the time it was anything but funny.

Even at cheaper cafes, drinking the espresso at the counter will always be more affordable and also how real Italians do it. If you have an espresso, don’t miss out on the crema. While you are not supposed to put any milk or cream in espresso, lots of cafes will have crema on the bar. Creama is whipped milk mixed with sugar that you can spoon into your espresso for a deliciously creamy and sweet drink.

Tips on What to Order and When

Another tip for ordering coffee is not to order a cappuccino after 11 am. Cappuccinos are thought to be meant only for breakfast. If you order one after dinner, you’ll either be politely corrected or just simply brought a latte macchiato instead. Speaking of lattes, don’t go up to a coffee counter and order only a “latte“. Latte in Italian means milk, so you might be served up a cup of warm milk. If you’re interested in a North American latte, as for a latte macchiato or caffe macchiato. When ordering an espresso, you can also ask for a caffe (which is what they call an espresso in Italian). If you’re not a fan of strong espresso order a caffe lungo which adds more water for a less intense taste.

#7 Don’t Ask for Free Tap Water

Trying to save a few dollars when travelling is obviously something most people will want to do. And to do this often, you’ll order some tap water to have during your meal. In Italy, this is called “acqua di robinetto“. But if you try ordering it at most restaurants, you might be met with a dirty look. You might also be flat out refused or, on the odd occasion, begrudgingly have it brought out to you. For the most part, I found it wasn’t worth the trouble of asking for it in the end. There are many reasons people don’t think tap water is standard in Italy. One is that although potable, restaurants can’t guarantee the contents of the water they served, which is against health regulations. Others say that it’s because they don’t make a profit from the water.

Another theory is that it merely isn’t a cultural thing for Italians. Whatever the reason, I keep to the saying, “when in Rome” and order the same thing to locals are ordering. Honestly, sometimes it’s cheaper to order a glass of the house wine than a bottle of sparkling water, so take this as an opportunity to live it up and sample some fantastic Italian wines. If you don’t drink alcohol, Italy has a variety of freshly made sodas which I found at most restaurants. Freshly squeezed lemons and oranges with soda water are fantastically refreshing on a hot day.

#8 Don’t Patiently Wait In Line

Even though Italians are so laid back about table service in restaurants, they are outright frantic when it comes to ordering things to go from anything with a counter. I am a pretty shy and orderly person, so when I was in Italy and went to order a coffee, I patiently waited in line. Without hesitation, I found a woman suddenly push her way in front of me to order, and without pause, the barista served her immediately. I thought for sure, him having seen me, he would have asked her to go to the back of the line. But he did not.

After this happened multiple times, I realized that line jumping was just a part of their culture, like yelling or talking with their hands. If an Italian sees a gap in the line, they’ll jump right in. So either be sure to leave no space between yourself and the person in front or find the courage to start line jumping! Or at least being a little pushier and showy when it comes to ordering at counters. Some places have started using a number machine to control this queuing problem, but if you’re stuck somewhere without it, you’ll need to figure out the game. Remember, they’re not trying to be rude, it’s just all apart of that fiery Italian attitude.

#9 Don’t Go in the Summer

Ok, now I know this point will get everyone going! Italy is a fantastically popular place to travel. As it should be, it’s gorgeous! You can’t blame people for wanting to visit it. But summer is especially busy. For many families, the summer is the only time they can travel with their kids, so the cities become overrun with Europeans and international travellers. The weather has been getting increasingly hotter and hotter (thanks global warming) and what once was a relaxing summer vacation on paper, turns into a humid, sticky and sweaty affair. Combine that with the huge crowds, long wait time to get into attractions and you’re in for a horrid equation.

Summer = High Prices, Lots of Tourists

Prices for hotels are also the most expensive during this time as well, and even some popular train route are often booked up well in advance. Summer also has its pests, in this case, mosquitoes, which can have a field day on bare legs. For me personally, Italy is one of those landscapes that look stunning any time of the year. The visual difference between Venice in the Summer and Venice in the Winter is almost non-existent (they rarely get snow).

And if you’re lucky enough to see a snow-covered Italy what a unique and special moment that would be! What is the most different during those months outside of the summertime are the crowds and the costs. In both cases you’ll see a big reduction. The colours along the vineyards in the fall are spectacular, and the springtime blooms along the roadways make driving a joy. So if you can avoid it, skip the summer! If you can’t, just be sure to plan far in advance and make smart choices.

#10 Don’t take Heavy luggage

Italy is known for its gorgeous cobblestone streets and old, historic residences. But what those two things have in common is that they were designed for a different time. A time when luggage was made for being carried in your hands, not huge suitcases being rolled down the street on wheels. Too many of us have a tendency to overpack. And you’re never all too aware of this fact until you’re facing a 20 minutes walk down an extremely bumpy road, followed by a six-storey walk up. With airlines charging more and more for checked luggage, this is your opportunity to save, and scale down all at once. I have a great post about how to pack for 2-weeks in a carry-on which will save you a ton of hassle, exhaustion, stress and, best of all, money!

#11 Don’t wait to Book Tickets to Popular Attractions

Even if you’re not travelling in the super-duper popular months, buying tickets online in advance to busy attractions is highly advisable. If there are a few items on your list which are unmissable, you don’t want to find yourself unable to get in because they’re sold out or the line is too long. Buying tickets in advance also means that that portion of the sightseeing costs is already paid for before you arrive in the city. For those on a tight budget, it means you might have a little bit more to spend once you’re there.

#12 Don’t ONLY Stay Inside the City Walls

So many people, when travelling to a new city, might want to stay right in the centre of town! And while this sounds good in practice, close to sights and all that, in reality it’s a bit more complicated. If you’re someone like me who enjoys a quiet evening, these hotels or apartments in the centre of busy cities are often pretty loud. Not only that, they are expensive! Since transport, even in smaller cities is so prevalent in Italy, it’s easy to stay either just on the outskirts of town or in a nearby village just a few minutes away. If you’re travelling by car, this also means you can park the car at one of these hotels easily and won’t need to worry about bringing it into town.

Look in Bnbs

Often hotels outside the city are a fraction of the cost of the ones in town and come with so much more character and charm. We stayed in plenty or airbnbs, farm stays or just tiny bed and breakfasts on the outskirts of town on our travels through Italy. Every single one was owned by the most interesting characters! Airbnb makes it easy to search for accommodations using their map function so you can find the town you want to visit and then zoom out slightly to explore the options just a few minutes outside the centre.

We even stayed in one place where the owner would drive us into the city in the morning and pick us up in the evening. Like a personal chauffeur or bus service! PLUS staying in these little towns also means you can visit their local restaurants which are often so excited to have visitors. They serve up some of the best authentic food at the lowest prices!

#13 Don’t Forget to Bring cash

Despite the rise of credit cards, tap and, apple pay, it seems like cash money has become something of an ephemeral thing. Even I rarely have cash on me at home, heck sometimes I don’t even walk around carrying my wallet. But especially when travelling I always make sure to bring cash with me. For anyone visiting a marketplace, flea market or even smaller restaurant, you’ll find cash is either the only accepted form of currency or at least the much more preferred option. Especially in small towns which might be a little bit more behind the times, cash is essential. And if you’re interested in doing any haggling at the antique market, you’ll need cash for sure!

#14 Don’t Skip pastries for breakfast

Breakfast in Italy is a sweet affair. If you come to Italy, don’t try to find a restaurant that does a full English or an omelette with hash browns. Along with the mandatory caffe (espresso), you need to pick up your favourite sweet pastry to enjoy alongside. There is the iconic biscotti, brioche or cannoli but my favourite is the cornetti (cornetto if singular). A cornetto is the Italian’s version of a french croissant. It is slightly sweeter (right up my alley!) and eaten dipped into your coffee as you indulge. Pastry shops often have a fantastic coffee counter as well so you can easily get your morning brew and meal all in one place.

Italy is honestly one of the most incredible places in the entire world, and although that’s not really the most original opinion, it’s cliche for a reason. Hopefully, these tips help you out on your next trip over to the city of astounding food, unbelievable architecture and extraordinary people. Let me know if the comment any others tips you might have for first-time travellers to help them out on their future ventures.

Happy Travels, Adventurers!

The post 14 Travel Mistakes NOT to Make on Your First Trip to Italy first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.