Convento di San Francesco del Deserto
Murano, Burano & the Northern Islands
Franciscan friars offer free tours of their secluded island home, which still retains some of its 13th-century elements, including the first cloister. As…
Must-see attractions in The Veneto
Venice
Originally called Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione but fondly nicknamed La Pietà, this harmonious church designed by Giorgio Massari is known for…
Villa Widmann Rezzonico Foscari
The Veneto
To appreciate both gardening and Venetian-style social engineering, stop just west of Oriago at Villa Widmann Rezzonico Foscari. Originally owned by…
Santa Chiara – The Glass Cathedral
Murano, Burano & the Northern Islands
There are authentic glass factories on Murano offering cheaper demonstrations and turning out far finer work, but this furnace – housed within a…
Vicenza
From La Rotonda, a charming footpath leads about 500m to the neoclassical elegance of Villa Valmarana ‘ai Nani’, nicknamed after the 17 statues of dwarves…
The Veneto
When she wasn’t exploring the furthest reaches of the Empty Quarter or negotiating with future Arab heads of state, legendary explorer and travel writer…
The Veneto
Head up steep Calle Madonna della Neve, following an intact section of 13th-century defensive walls all the way to a summit, where the last remaining…
Venice
This hefty-domed 18th-century church contains the body of St Lucy (Santa Lucia), one of the early church's most famous martyrs, who was killed in Syracuse…
Vicenza
The heart of historic Vicenza is Piazza dei Signori, where Palladio lightens the mood of government buildings with his trademark play of light and shadow…
Oratorio di San Giorgio & Scuola del Santo
Padua
Anywhere else, the fresco cycle of the Oratorio di San Giorgio and the paintings in the Scuola del Santo would be considered highlights, but in Padua they…
Il Complesso di Santa Caterina
Treviso
Housed in the 14th-century convent complex of St Catherine, Treviso’s civic museum presents the history of the city from the Palaeolithic era to Roman…
The Veneto
Explore four centuries of Bassano's high-octane libation at this interactive museum, which includes tastings and the chance to tour the distillery of…
Venice
The Schola Canton was built c 1531, with gilded rococo interiors added in the 18th century. Though European synagogues typically avoid figurative imagery,…
Padua
The ground and 1st floors of the early-20th-century Palazzo Zuckermann are home to the Museo d’Arti Applicate e Decorative, with an eclectic assortment of…
The Veneto
Perched on the summit of Monte Ricco and looking down on central Asolo are the hulking ruins of a fortress dating back to the 12th to early 13th centuries…
Treviso
Treviso’s old Habsburg prison has been reborn thanks to Fondazione Benetton and visionary architect Tobia Scarpa (son of Carlo Scarpa). Now its stark…
Venice
The Schola Tedesca has been the spiritual home of Venice’s Ashkenazi community since 1528. By 16th-century Venetian law, only the German Jewish community…
Treviso
Treviso's best-known piece of statuary is the 16th-century naked female torso called the Fontana delle Tette, a snigger-worthy translation coming in as …
The Veneto
Built on a medieval base by Verona’s fratricidal Scaligeri family, the Castello complex encompasses an early-Renaissance villa, grassy courtyards, the…
Feltre
Feltre’s civic museum thoughtfully tells the rich history of this charming town. The display starts with the coats of arms of Feltre’s most noble families…
Vicenza
To better understand architect Andrea Palladio and his legacy, explore the frescoed halls of this modern museum. Artefacts include historical copies of…
Venice
Created by architect and designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte, this foundation aims to nurture the talent of young architects via a series of annual…
Venice
Capped by the lion of St Mark, the Arsenale’s land gate is considered by many to be the earliest example of Renaissance architecture in Venice; it was…
Monument to the Partisan Woman
Venice
Located in the lapping water just along from the Riva dei Sette Martiri – where seven Venetian partisans were publicly executed by the Nazis in 1944 –…
The Veneto
Spanning the river is Palladio's photogenic 1569 wooden bridge. Fragile as it seems, it is cleverly engineered to withstand the rush of spring meltwaters…
Venice
Don't be fooled by the bare brick exterior of this 1388 church, attached to an Augustinian convent. Inside it's a riot of colour, with extraordinary…
The Veneto
The highlight of this cathedral is Giorgione's celebrated altarpiece known as the Castelfranco Madonna. Born in Castelfranco Veneto as Giorgio Barbarelli…
The Veneto
Debuting on the riviera in the 17th century, Villa Barchessa Valmarana was commissioned by Vicenza's aristocratic Valmarana family. You'll find them…
The Veneto
Bassano del Grappa's Museo Civico is beautifully housed around the cloisters of the Convento di San Francesco. Endowed in 1828 by the naturalist…
Teatro Romano e Museo Archeologico
Verona
Just north of the historic centre you’ll find a Roman theatre. Built in the 1st century BC, it is cunningly carved into the hillside at a strategic spot…
Venice
The wooden cupola of the 1575 Italian Synagogue protrudes above private apartments at the centre of the Ghetto's main square. The Italians were the…
Venice
Glowing colours and all-seeing eyes fill this treasure box of some 80 Byzantine-style icons made in 14th- to 17th-century Italy. Keep your own eye out for…
The Veneto
Explore Asolo's Roman past and wander through a small collection of paintings, including a pair of Tintoretto portraits. The museum also includes rooms…
Murano, Burano & the Northern Islands
Literally overshadowed by Torcello's famous basilica, to which it's connected by a colonnaded walkway, this interesting round Byzantine-style church dates…
The Veneto
In the tiny hilltop village of San Giorgio, around 6km northwest of San Pietro in Cariano, you’ll find this fresco-filled, cloistered 8th-century…
Treviso
The small Chiesa di Santa Lucia adjoins the larger Chiesa di San Vito and is an absolute beauty. Its vaulted ceiling and walls are covered with colourful…
Parco Regionale dei Colli Euganei
The Veneto
The Ancient Veneto survives in this 18,694-hectare park in which about a sixth of Italy's botanical species thrive thanks to its unique location and…
Belluno
Belluno's main pedestrian square is the Piazza dei Martiri (Martyrs' Sq), named after the four partisans hanged here in WWII. On the north side various…
The Veneto
Considered one of the most attractive Romanesque churches in the region, this austere place of worship dates back to between the 10th and 13th centuries…
Villa Barbarigo Pizzoni Ardemani
The Veneto
Located in the town of Galzignano Terme, Villa Barbarigo Pizzoni Ardemani is home to one of the finest historical gardens in Europe, shot through with…
