Secret Venice

Day 1
Our flight with BA leaves London Gatwick in the late morning, arriving at Venice airport in the mid afternoon. We transfer directly to the hotel via private water taxi - a delightful way to approach the city. We will stay in a beautiful 4-star hotel, whose décor is inspired by the exoticism of ancient Byzantine traditions since Turkish tradesmen lived in this now peaceful quarter of the city. After a traditional Venetian aperitif, we enjoy a delicious dinner in a local family-run restaurant (dinner and drinks are included this evening).

Day 2
We begin the day with a pleasant vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal. We will look at the architectural development of the Piazza San Marco and the smaller Piazzetta next door, and after passing the Bridge of Sighs we pop into a tiny Romanesque cloister which is unknown to many visitors to the city, but full of charm. We then explore some of Venice’s most beautiful churches including San Zaccaria, Santa Maria Formosa and Santa Maria dei Miracoli and a fascinating painting cycle by Carpaccio in the scuola of San Giorgio degli Schiavoni. Lunch will be arranged if you would like to join the group.

This evening I will arrange tickets to the famous Fenice Opera, for those who would like to join the group.

Day 3
Venice is divided into six districts or “sestieri”, and today we explore the neighbourhood of Dorsoduro where our visits will include the Scuola dei Carmini, richly decorated with Tiepolo frescoes; the sumptuously restored and richly furnished Ca’Rezzonico which is one of the few palaces in the city open to the public, once owned by Robert Browning, and the charming Archangel Raphael church made famous in Salley Vickers’ novel “Miss Garnet’s Angel” (see recommended reading). There will be further visits after lunch, and dinner is arranged for those who would like to join the group this evening.

Day 4
This morning we take a vaporetto to the Accademia bridge and spend the morning in the Accademia museum studying masterpieces by artists such as Bellini, Giorgione, Titian and Carpaccio. After lunch we enjoy a tour of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and see works by Picasso, Mondrian, Calder and many of the other artists whom Peggy knew and sponsored. After lunch we will study a spectacular series of canvases by Tintoretto in the Scuola di San Rocco as well as Titian’s Assumption in the Frari church. Lunch and dinner will be arranged for those who would like to join the group.

Day 5
Cannaregio offers a glimpse of the hidden Venice, well off the beaten track. This is home to the world’s oldest Jewish ghetto which is still a centre of Jewish life in the city, and home to five synagogues. The area was also Tintoretto’s district and we will spend some time visiting the church of Madonna dell’Orto where he is buried and where several of his greatest canvases can be found. This morning we also visit the nearby Ca D’Oro, one of the architectural gems of the Grand Canal, named after the gold decoration which once covered its rich Gothic façade. It was restored by Baron Giorgio Franchetti who left his impressive collection of art to the state upon his death, including works by Mantegna, Tintoretto and Titian, as well as impressive tapestries, furniture, bronzes and other objets d’art

After lunch near the Rialto bridge we enjoy some hidden treasures such as a fascinating spiral staircase, one of the city’s architectural delights, and a specially arranged private tour of Venice’s famous theatre, La Fenice, the site of many famous operatic premières.

Day 6
This morning, we board our privately chartered boat for an excursion to the atmospheric and picturesque islands of the North Lagoon. The main islands such as Murano are well known to visitors, but I have arranged a special alternative tour which will offer us an unusual opportunity of visiting some lesser known places which are havens of serenity and beauty. We end the day with a private tour of a monastic island rarely accessible to the public. Dinner this evening is independent.

Day 7
Located on the Grand Canal, the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi is one of the first great palaces of the Venetian Renaissance, built after designs by the architect Mauro Codussi. In 1882, Wagner rented the entire mezzanine floor of the palace and spent his last winter here in the city with his family, before passing away on February 13 1883. Alessandra Althoff Pugliese is the President of the Wagner Foundation in Venice and has kindly agreed to open the rooms for us and to present a special lecture on Wagner’s relationship with Venice. After some free time for lunch we leave Venice in the early afternoon by private water taxi to catch our flight with BA arriving into London Gatwick.

Accommodation
6 nights’ accommodation in an elegant 4-star hotel, a favourite of mine which I have used many times. It is situated in the peaceful Cannaregio district of Venice, off the busy tourist paths and yet within easy reach of the main sights. This is the quarter of the city where Tintoretto also grew up – we will see his house, on the same street as our hotel, as well as the church where many of his impressive and lesser known canvases are situated. Continental breakfast is included.

Itinerary and Meals
I will lead guided tours on all days, giving you some free time too (please feel free to join the group or be independent). A detailed, confirmed itinerary will be provided nearer the time and all reservations made where necessary. Please note that the flight times and itinerary may be subject to alteration. All will be done to ensure that the details of the trip remain as indicated, but museums and churches in Venice do sometimes close without warning, and if this happens I will always make every effort to organise alternative arrangements. I will always suggest good places for lunch and dinner, so we can either eat together as a group or you can be independent – it’s up to you.

How Strenuous?
Please note that there is quite a lot of walking involved in the trip.

Price
The price will be £1525 per person for those sharing a standard twin or double room, and a single room supplement of £200. (Please note that standard/superior rooms do not have canal views.) There is a supplement of £300 per room for an upgrade to a superior room, or a supplement of £475 per room for a deluxe room with a view of the canal (all our deluxe/superior rooms are now fully booked. Standard accommodation is now available on request only, so please do contact us to check availability before booking, thank you)

The price includes

• scheduled flights and taxes with BA
• 4-star hotel accommodation for 6 nights, taxes and breakfast
• transfers by private water taxi
• a private boat trip to the islands
• fully guided tours
• a weekly vaporetto pass
• a number of specially arranged evening guest lectures and private tours
• dinner with wine on the first evening
• gratuities; reservations and all entrance fees in the itinerary
• accompanying literary notes

It does not include meals other than breakfast; travel to and from Gatwick; insurance, opera tickets and personal spending.

Participation
If you would like to join the trip please complete the online booking form. If you would prefer to send a booking form by post please download a copy here. Please note a £225 non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking. I will send your tickets, full travel details and other practical information approximately 3-4 weeks before travel. Numbers on the trip are strictly limited, so do get in touch earlier rather than later if you would like to join the group, to avoid disappointment.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for booking this trip.

Opera Tickets
For those who would like to go to the opera I shall get in touch nearer the time with further details, and ask what seat category you would prefer. However, I should be grateful if you could let me know when booking if this is something you may be interested in - thank you. We will travel to the Fenice and return by private water taxi.