Venice, Italy port of call sample Tours & Shore Excursions with Princess Cruises.

	Gondola Ride, Murano Glass Factory & San Giorgio

WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR MOTOR LAUNCH RIDE
Glide through the Giudecca canal and then travel across the Laguna Veneta to the island of Murano. You pass the Arsenale, the Serenissima Republic’s old shipyard, the ancient Church of San Pietro di Castello, and the Island of St. Elena, enjoying views of Lido in the distance. View the entrance of the Grand Canal as you travel through St. Mark’s basin to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore.
WHAT YOU VISIT
Murano Glass Factory - The tiny island of Murano gained prominence as a center for glassmaking when the process was still a guarded one. The 16th century is considered the great age of Murano glass. Tour one of the island’s leading glass factories; watch the artisans at work, and take in the fine displays of the showroom and gallery.
San Giorgio Maggiore - Tour one of Venice’s most remarkable churches, designed by the great architect Andrea Palladio. The superb neoclassical façade is red and white marble; the simple interior boasts two of the painter Tintoretto’s greatest works: "The Last Supper" and "The Gathering of the Manna."
WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR GONDOLA RIDE
Board a sleek black gondola, seating six passengers per boat, and embark on a 30 to 40-minute cruise through some of Venice’s smaller, less-trafficked canals, crossed by scores of stone bridges. The scenery speaks for itself on this non-narrated cruise as you glide past balconied, waterfront buildings.

	The Grand Canal & Hidden Venice Walking Tour

WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR WALKING TOUR
Santa Maria Gloriosa Dei Frari - The façade of this immense 14th-century Franciscan church is a simple, Gothic brick design punctuated with a white marble portico and pinnacles.
Campo San Polo - One of Venice’s oldest squares, the Campo was a staging area for ceremonials, bull running and theatrical performances. Today it is a venue for the film festival-and Venice’s Carnival celebrations.
Riva del Vin - This rare stretch of pedestrian access to the Grand Canal was where wine barrels were offloaded from vessels to warehouses. The Riva offers a superb view of the Rialto Bridge.
Rialto Bridge - The Rialto was built in stone in 1524, following the collapse of several of the city’s wooden bridges. The overhanging porticos housing shops came at a later date. The most famous bridge in Venice, the Rialto offers lovely views of the Grand Canal.
Fondaco dei Tedeschi - This large Renaissance style building was once a warehouse and a large emporium; since 1870 it has served as the main post office.
Campo San Giovanni e Paolo - This monumental square typifies Venetian style: a church sits at the square’s focal point, there’s a central monument, and patrician palaces interspersed with modest houses stand on the periphery.
The Grand Canal - Walk along a short portion of the canal. Just over two miles in length, the Canal is lined with stunning buildings that reflect the city’s unique site and heritage: most feature a waterfront entrance with warehouse or storage space on the first floor. The upper stories are devoted to living space.

	Chorus Pass To Venetian Churches

WHAT YOU VISIT
The Chorus Project, which offers the Chorus Pass, aims to contribute to the safeguarding, conservation and restoration of the architectural and artistic heritage of Venetian churches. Support the group’s efforts by purchasing a Chorus Pass, entitling you to explore the history and faith of the city’s monumental churches and the precious paintings, sculptures, goldsmith’s works and fabrics preserved within them.
THE CHURCHES
Santa Maria del Giglio - A delightful example of Baroque architecture featuring 17th-century works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Jacopo Palma il Giovane, Andrea Schiavone, Peter Paul Rubens and Gian Maria Morlaiter
Museo di Santo Stefano - AFounded in 1294 by the Hermits of St. Augustine, a Gothic-style church featuring works by Bartolomeo Vivarini, Alessandro Vittoria, Jacopo Tintoretto, Nicolò Bambini, Gaspare Diziani and Antonio Canova
Santa Maria - An architectural masterpiece by Mauro Codussi in Renaissance style featuring 16th-century works by Bartolomeo Vivarini, Jacopo Palma il Vecchio, Leandro Bassano, Giulia Lama and Jacopo Palma il Giovane
Santa Maria dei Miracoli - A masterpiece of the early Venetian Renaissance featuring 15th-century works by Tullio Lombardo, Nicolò di Pietro, Pier Maria Pennacchi, Girolamo Campagna and Alessandro Vittoria
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - A masterpiece of Franciscan-Venetian architecture preserves two great masterpieces of Titian's (Tiziano Vecellio), the Assumption and the Pesaro Altarpiece. Also featuring 14th-century works by Giovanni Bellini, Donatello, Baldassarre Longhena and more
San Polo - A warm and cozy ancient church featuring 9th-century works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Giambattista Tiepolo, Giandomenico Tiepolo and Alessandro Vittoria
San Giacomo dall’Orio - An ancient Romanesque church featuring a splendid example of a ship'skeel wooden ceiling and 9th-century works by Lorenzo Lotto, Paolo Veronese, Jacopo Palma il Giovane and Giambattista Pittoni
San Stae - AFine example of baroque architecture featuring 17th-century works by Giambattista Tiepolo, Giambattista Piazzetta, Sebastiano Ricci and Nicolò Bambini
Sant’Alvise - A Gothic monastery architecture featuring three famous canvases by Giambattista Tiepolo and additional 14th-century works by Lazzaro Bastiani, Bonifacio de’ Pitati and Pietro Muttoni Madonna dell’Orto - A late-Gothic building featuring 16th-century works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Tiziano Vecellio, Giambattista Cima da Conegliano, Jacopo Palma il Vecchio, Domenico Tintoretto and Daniel Van den Dyck
San Sebastiano - A sublime example of Renaissance architecture featuring 15th-century works by Paolo Veronese, Tiziano Vecellio, Jacopo Sansovino, Federico Bencovich and Alessandro Vittoria
San Giovanni Elemosinario - AA jewel of Renaissance architecture featuring 16th-century works by Tiziano, Pordenone and Palma il Giovane
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati) - A fine example of Baroque architecture featuring 18th-century works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Giambattista Tiepolo, Giambattista Piazzetta, Sebastiano Ricci and Gian Maria Morlaiter
Santissimo Redentore - A Renaissance masterpiece by Andrea Palladium featuring 16th-century works by Alvise Vivarini, Paolo Veronese, Jacopo Sansovino, Domenico Tintoretto, Francesco Bassano and Jacopo Bassano
San Pietro di Castello - A church of great historical importance and former seat of the Bishop of Venice featuring 16th-century works by Paolo Veronese, Luca Giordano, Pietro Ricchi, Marco Basaiti and Baldassarre Longhena
San Giobbe - A fine example of Renaissance architecture featuring 15th-century works by Pietro e Tullio Lombardo, Bonifacio de’ Pitati, Gian Girolamo Savoldo, Alessandro Vittoria, Antonio Vivarini, Lazzaro Bastian and Luca Della Robbia