A unique itinerary for few connaisseurs which helps you to discover the soul and the origins of Venice. Far from hasty and superficial tourism, we will take you ‘from island to island’ in the delicate ecosystem of the northern lagoon using traditional boats to go where others can’t and live a unique experience with the fishermen of Burano. We will live the times and the rhythm of Venice: slow, contemplative and in continuous contact with the water and the landscape.
Arrival by own means in Burano
Arrival in Venice and transfer by own means to the island of Burano where you will be accommodated in charming and renovated typical houses of the island. All rooms have a private bathroom.
In the afternoon, an initial orientation tour of the island is scheduled, including the island of Mazzorbo, and the precious jewel of the Church of Santa Caterina, founded in the eighth century.
Dinner on your own and overnight stay in Burano.
Trip to the most hidden northern lagoon, the Andrich Museum and a guided visit to the Archaeological site on Torcello island and the millenary Basilica.
In the morning after breakfast, we go in search of the disappeared archipelago of Ammiana by traditional boats, following hidden channels among the salt marshes: it’s a land sunk in the extreme offshoots of the northern lagoon which used to be the scene of lively human settlements in the Middle Ages. A very fascinating tour, just for few connoisseurs, is represented by the hidden islands of Cura, Santa Cristina and Sant’Ariano. In the afternoon you are guided to the island of Torcello for a private and exclusive visit to the Andrich House Museum, a modern art gallery, where there is a plenty collection of tapestries, sculptures, paintings, engravings, mosaics and evidence of the effervescent Venetian artistic period of the 50s and 60s. The artist’s grandson will be our guide. We continue then our tour with the visit to the millenary Basilica and the bell tower from which you can enjoy an incomparable view of the northern lagoon.
Meals on your own and overnight stay in Burano.
Final tour of Burano island and visit to Lazzaretto Nuovo, Sant’Erasmo Island and return to Venice.
After breakfast, there is a guided tour of Burano Island and the Lazzaretto Nuovo, island located at the entrance of the lagoon in a strategic position on the ancient waterway that connects the city Ravenna with the ancient Roman town Altino. In 1469 a decree from the Senate of the Republic of Venice, established on the island a lazaret, with the aim at preventing from plague contagions. After the Lazareto, our visit involves the Island of Sant’Erasmo, which is also called “vegetable and secret garden of Venice”, dotted with trees, vineyards and organic crops in particular artichokes, thistles and asparagus. Here even a refined wine is produced with a very particular salty taste, derived from the ancient Dorona vine variety. On Sant’Erasmo we meet with some producers, who will tell us about their activities and the horticultural tradition of the island. Accommodation in Venice historic center and overnight stay. Meals on your own.
Free activities and return to the city of origin.
After breakfast, you have a day at disposal to enjoy the city as you like and return to the city of origin. Upon request, we can arrange thematic itineraries of one or more days, with our excellent guides, to deepen the knowledge of Venice. Meals on your own.
– Murano island can be reached from the S. Lucia train station by public boat (7.50 euros one way, not included). Possibility to plan the transfer by private motorboat to be requested at the time of booking.
– The order of the visits may be modified for operational reasons.
– The itinerary includes walking tours and walks with no particular training.
You will be guided in a silent and harmonious landscape, a world made of water, sky, birds and plants. You will be narrated an intense story about traditions, typical lagoon fishermen houses, toponyms, legends of fishermen and hunting tales.
The Lido of Venice is a thin strip of land that divides the Venetian lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. It has been inhabited since ancient times, loved by poets and writers (Mann and Byron came and visited the island). It became a meeting place of the Italian summer Dolce Vita since the twenties: here you can breathe that quiet, elegant and a little “blasée” atmosphere. It’s a destination unknown to the masses, with its elegant Art Nouveau villas, wide white beaches and long walks on the eighteenth-century Murazzi, a special place where you can still live an atmosphere of Belle Epoque.
We will reach Chioggia, the little Venice, a beautiful seaside village that lies on a group of small islands, connected by bridges. Chioggia is located in the southernmost part of the Venetian Lagoon, and has an incredible charm, characterized by elegant buildings overlooking the canals along which are docked many colorful boats.
Venice Lido
Arrival in Lido by own means
Lido of Venice
Today’s itinerary includes a visit to the island with the old Jewish cemetery, the airport built in the typical architectural style of the ‘30s air terminals and the Abbey of San Nicolò. The visit is followed by a walk to the see to admire the typical Art Nouveau villas and the great hotels such as Ungaria, Des Bains and Excelsior Hotel and the Palace of the International Film Festival.
Overnight stay in Venice Lido.
South Lagoon by boat
Departure by boat from Lido. We will visit San Lazzaro degli Armeni and the Lazaret. After this, we will reach Pellestrina Island and meet with local fishermen who will explain us their boats fishing techniques.
In the afternoon the tour involves a navigation through the Sette Morti marsh (with explanations on board about the Lagoon, the legends of the old abandoned fishermen typical houses made from timber and straw, etc.) until you reach the hunting lodge of Valle Zappa. Return to Lido.
Chioggia Pellestrina Ca’ Roman (bike/foot)
In the morning transfer to Chioggia, called also the little Venice. Here we will have a walk and a visit around the town.
In the afternoon boarding from Piazza Vigo and transfer to the island of Ca ‘Roman, where we will visit a park, with dunes and vegetation typical of the Adriatic coast. This shows the true appearance of this area, since the landscape wasn’t artificially modified. Departure by bike in the direction of Pellestrina along the Murazzi path with a wonderful view of the Adriatic Sea on one side and the Venetian lagoon on the other. Short stop on the beach and arrival in Santa Maria del Mare at the end of the island. Re-boarding and return to Lido in the late afternoon.
Departure
departure for the cities of origin.
Venice, an immense heritage of culture and civilization, is also the place where artisans bring to life their masterpiece, which became worldwide famous. We have selected for our itineraries some of these places. For centuries, Venetians have maintained the primacy in the quality of their products and even now Venetian craftsmanship means high quality and value. We will visit the nineteenth-century Orsoni factory to grasp the secrets of how to make gold leaf glass mosaic. As well as for the glass, the lagoon city is famous for the fabrics, now required all over the world, which used to decorate the palaces, the numerous theaters and prestigious residences. We will take you to visit Luigi Bevilacqua’s nineteenth-century looms, and we will witness, once again exclusively, a demonstration of weaving on original looms, which are considered today as then, perfect machines for the creation of masterpieces of design and refinement. We will understand how the ancient artisan workshops have been able to preserve their traditional methods, by seeking the highest quality of materials and innovating techniques.
Day 1: Arrival and lunch on your own. In the afternoon visit to the Rubelli historical archives.
Day 2: Walk through the historic center to discover the unique craftsmanship of Venice.
Day 3: The Textile Museum and the Ancient Looms of Bevilacqua.
Day 4: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi, from which you can enjoy one of the most beautiful view of the city.
Detailed program:
Arrival in Venice by own means, lunch on your own and accommodation in a 4* hotel in the historic center. In the afternoon, the itinerary involves a visit to the extraordinary Rubelli Historical Collection and Archives, where over 6000 textile documents dating from the end of the 15th century to the first half of the 20th century are collected. The collection began to be assembled in the second half of the 19th century, at the same time as the birth of the company. During this age Venice experienced an economic and cultural revival aimed at the recovery of traditional craft activities, in line with the eclectic and revivalist European taste. In more than a century, the collection has been considerably enriched, including not only European fabrics, but also documents from the Orient, Africa and the Americas. We can admire the precious silk velvets made for the Royal House at the beginning of the twentieth century and numerous other fabrics resulting from the creative collaboration with illustrious artists, architects and designers such as Vittorio Zecchin, Guido Cadorin, Umberto Bellotto and Gio Ponti.
In the morning, private visit to the 19th century Orsoni furnace. Right in the historical center: old and high walls hide the charm of an ancient art. Fire and crucibles in which incandescent matter crackles, recall mysterious alchemy, transformation processes that churn out gold leaf glass mosaics and enamels. The furnace is famous for the restoration of important works such as the Trocadero, the Teatro de l’Opéra and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris, Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and many other mosaic masterpieces of Arab and Oriental architectural culture. On the shelves of the Library of Color, adjacent to the furnace, there are exhibited samples of precious collections of glass and enamels, which preserve an infinite number of shades and nuances. It’s a place of great charm which witnesses the history of this city, where the search for beauty is evident even in the details. We will walk through the “sestriere” of Cannaregio and stop in some high quality artisan laboratories, to arrive where Tiziano Vecellio , the famous Italian painter used to live. Here we visit the Battiloro, historical artisan laboratory unique in Europe, where gold and silver are still worked manually, particularly suitable for applications in many fields: artistic decorations, cosmetics, and even food. An intense day full of emotions and exclusive visits to be able to understand and deepen the work of these masters.
We start our morning with a visit to the ancient looms of the Bevilacqua company. Founded in 1735, it has been still owned by the family for five generations. It is a historic artisan company whose refined production has enriched private homes and public buildings, reviving the splendor of the Serenissima Republic of Venice even after its fall. Skilled weavers hand down the secrets of working on twenty-five wooden looms of the nineteenth century. We will have the opportunity to assist – exclusively for our group – to the operation of weaving with ancient techniques and the creation of valuable products completely handmade. This will be followed by a guided visit to the Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo, a research center of Textiles, Costume and Perfume. We will get to know this aristocratic palace, which belonged in the past to the famous homonym family. Numerous members of the family were doges, men of letters, ambassadors and military heroes. Our itinerary in the sumptuous eighteenth century interiors will be dedicated to the fashion, furnishings, art and aromas of the time. Lunch in an osteria/convenience store, dinner in a restaurant. Overnight stay in hotel
Stroll through the historic center and visit to the Fontego dei Tedeschi, overlooking the Grand Canal, built in the 13th century to house goods and merchants from Germany. After the important restoration by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, it is currently a large emporium of international manufacturing excellence. From the new terrace, we will enjoy a unique view of the city and the lagoon. Return to the cities of origin.
– The itinerary involves walking and hiking tours that don’t require special training.
– Lunch stops are made at osterias and “cicchetterie”, which allow you to enjoy traditional local cuisine and are chosen according to the timing and the area in which the itinerary takes place. All the workshops that we will visit are non-tourist activities; if an artisan is not available on the scheduled day, it will be replaced by another of equal cultural interest.
– The order of visits may be modified.