Visiting Palazzo Ducale, built in the 13th century, is among the top 10 things to do in Venice. Its architectural design is composed of elements from 3 different styles – Renaissance, Gothic and Moorish. The façade of the building is quite impressive, as the lower floor is made up of 36 massive columns, which hold the second tier, consisting of a double row of thin tall columns and the upper, third level, which is a smooth wall with asymmetrical windows of various sizes. It served for many years as the residence of the Venetian government, as well as the Senate, a Ministry, a Secretariat and the Supreme Court. The jewel of this majestic building is the Council Room – which is considered to be the largest room in the world, and its interiors, that were decorated by such geniuses as Veronesse, Francesco Bassano, Tintoretto and Jacopo Palma.

Upon your arrival to Venice, the Grand Canal is perhaps one of the first things you will see, as this is the biggest and most famous canal in Venice that runs through the city in the form of the letter ‘S’. It begins at the railway station and stretches through Venice, ending at the San Marco canal and La Guidecca neighborhood. The best way to see Venice in all its glory, is by travelling around the Grand Canal, either on a river boat, called vaporetto, a water taxi or a gondola.

The main cathedral of Venice and perhaps one of the most popular attractions is the St Mark’s Basilica, built in the Byzantine style and framing the Piazza San Marco. The history of this cathedral is associated with the legend, that tells that in the 9th century, the relics of St Mark were stolen by 2 Venetian merchants, who brought them here from Alexandria, during the Crusades. The relics and art objects, as well as the magnificent mosaics inside the temple portraying various themes from the Bible are breathtaking.

Visiting Palazzo Ca d’Oro, designed by renowned architects Giovanni and Bon in the 15th century is among the top 10 things to do in Venice, and among the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the city. When it was first built, it had a gold leaf finish, then as it changed owners, it was painted in other expensive paints, such as ultramarine and vermilion. It used to be the most beautiful and rich palace in the whole of Venice and now is home to the Franchetti Gallery, comprised of many jewels of fine art and magnificent frescoes and ceramics.

A perfect example of a classic Gothic architecture, is the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa del Frari, which is also one of the most impressive Venetian cathedrals. Built in the 14th century by Franciscan monks, this cathedral not only has a magnificent façade, but also holds a remarkable collection of works by Titian, Bellini and Donatello.

Peggy Guggenheim, the niece of the famous tycoon Solomon R. Guggenheim, moved to Venice in the 1940’s and had one of the most comprehensive collections of paintings of the 20th century in the world. Visiting the Fondazione Peggy Guggenheim is one of the top 10 things to do in Venice, as this is where one can find the paintings by distinguished artists such as Picasso, Dali, Pollock, Kandinsky, Modigliani, Malevich, and more.

In Venice there is a beautiful legend about two lovers who could not find a secluded spot, and so the bright moon had mercy on them and descended from the sky on the surface of the water and turned into a golden gondola. When in Venice, you absolutely must enjoy a ride on this interesting mean of transportation. In the past, these were the main way of transportation around Venice and now are the best way to see the magnificent facades of Venetian buildings, as well as the famous Ponte de Rialto and the Ponte dei Sospiri.

Among the top 10 things to do in Venice is seeing the Murano area, which is where the world-known Murano glass is created. The glassmakers have been keeping their fine technique a secret for centuries, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t visit the Glass Museum and the nearby souvenir shops, where you can buy the original Murano glass creations.

Among the pizza and pasta, Italy is well known for its dolce in form of gelato! Among the various gelaterias around Venice, some serve outstanding gelato that is really worth trying, such as the Boutique del Gelato, Alaska Gelateria-Sorbetteria and Gelateria Lo Squero.

Correr Museum, founded in 1830, owes its appearance to Teodoro Correr - a famous Venetian nobleman and art collector. He had a remarkable talent in purchasing stunning art, jewelry, and other collectors’ items at remarkable prices. When he died, he left all his possessions to the city and clear instructions regarding the layout of the museum. Right now the Museo Correr is home to 33 rooms, containing an impressive collection of paintings, weapons, old documents, navigation tools and other symbols of Venice. It is right here that visitors can see the famous ‘The Crucifixion’ by Hugo van der Goes, ‘Madonna and Child’ by Dirk Bouts, and of course ‘Pietà’ by Antonello da Messina.