Cities of Art - Venice and Beyond

Veneto is so much more than Venice.

Your Cities of Art Tour takes you on a voyage encompassing timeless art and classical architecture throughout the Veneto Region. You will discover that the wonders of Venice are only the beginning of an amazing journey through the artistic beauty of Padua (The Scrovegni Chapel), Vicenza (Palladian palaces and villas) and Verona (The Roman Arena).

The wonders that await you

Detail of Triumph of Venice painting by Veronese

The Triumph of Venice (detail)

INCOMPARABLE PAINTINGS

Paolo Caliari (1528-1588), known as Veronese, was born in Verona. Between 1553 and 1555 he decorated the Sala del Consiglio dei Dieci in the Doge’s Palace in Venice. In 1560 Veronese travelled to Rome where he studied the works of the Renaissance masters. During this period, he worked on the fresco decoration of Palladio’s Villa Maser, near Treviso. Among his masterpieces is The Marriage at Cana (Louvre, Paris). In 1573 Veronese completed another major work, The Feast in the House of Levi (Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice). During the last phase of his career, he worked on the Doge’s Palace in Venice, for which he painted The Triumph of Venice, above.

Arched ceiling and frescoed walls of Scrovegni Chapel

The Scrovegni Chapel in Padua

BREATHTAKING FRESCOES

The Scrovegni Chapel in Padua is a recently declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. Frescoed by Giotto di Bondone in the early 1300s, it is an example of early Italian Renaissance art. Tiny though the chapel is, it required an entire team, headed by Giotto to complete it in just two years. The strict humidity controls necessary for the preservation of the artwork limit the number of observers who can enter at any one time. The small size of our group will enable us to visit the work together with our bilingual interpretive guide.

La Rotonda villa by Palladio, a small group tour highlight

Villa Rotonda in Vicenza

INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE

Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) was an incredibly innovative architect of the late Renaissance.  He completely reinvented the old notion of the villa, updating the ancient plan of Roman villas to the needs of the late 16th century Venetian society.  Palladio produced some of the most stunning examples of modern leisure time housing you will ever see.  Palladio was also interested in religious architecture (visible in Venice) and city palaces (visible in Vicenza).  Palladio’s style has been widely imitated in the United Kingdom and in the United States. (Jefferson’s Monticello and the University of Virginia)

Cities of Art - Venice and Beyond Itinerary

  • Day 1 Sunday - VENICE

    Arrival and Welcome Dinner

    We will meet you at Hotel Antiche Figure, just few steps from the Venice train station. We will host a pleasant welcoming dinner where you will have the first opportunity to taste local delicacies and meet Miriam, your tour guide.

  • Day 2 Monday - VENICE

    Morning free

    Afternoon - Walking tour to major tourist attractions in Venice: St. Mark Square, Rialto Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs. Visit to the Doge’s Palace.

  • Day 3 Tuesday - VENICE

    Morning walk - We call it “the other side of Venice”. You will enjoy a peaceful Venice with fewer people and a more authentic environment.

    Afternoon - Visit to the famous Accademia Museum with its incomparable collection of famous paintings.

  • Day 4 Wednesday - VENICE

    Tour to Burano, a beautiful fishing village, and Torcello where we will view some incredible mosaics.

    Dinner

  • Day 5 Thursday - VERONA

    Morning - Enjoy a pleasant 90-minute private van ride with your companions and your bilingual tour guide to the Hotel Accademia.

    Afternoon - Guided visit to the historic center of town.

    Dinner

  • Day 6 Friday - VERONA

    Morning free

    Afternoon - Visit to the Roman Arena

  • Day 7 Saturday - VICENZA

    All day visit to Vicenza (40-minute private van). See a variety of Palladian buildings, among which we will visit the famous Olympic Theater and the Basilica Palladiana. There might even be a chance to do some jewelry shopping.

  • Day 8 Sunday - Transfer to Padua

    Morning: 60-minute private van ride to lodging at Palazzo Mantova Benavides.

    Afternoon - Guided visit to the city

  • Day 9 Monday - PADUA

    Morning: Capella Scrovegni

    Afternoon: Free

    Farewell dinner

  • Day 10 Tuesday - PADUA

    Departure

    Transfer to Venice airport of Mestre train station

Cities of Art - Venice and Beyond Tour Details

10 DAYS | 9 NIGHTS

Program includes:

  • 10 days 9 nights double occupancy accommodation in first class hotels in Venice, Verona and Padua.

  • Welcome dinner

  • Daily breakfast.

  • 4 dinners in specially chosen gourmet restaurants.

  • Transportation in private van to all locations we visit.

  • Special bilingual tour guide for the entire duration of the tour.

  • Transportation from and to the Venice airport or the Mestre train station.

  • Program price US $6,250 per person

Call us with a date that Fits Your Schedule

September 1-10, 2024 - October 20-29, 2024 - November 10-19, 2024

Your comfort and enthusiasm are our passion

ENJOY YOUR LUXURY ACCOMMODATIONS

Boutique Hotel across the canal from Venice train station

HOTEL ANTICHE FIGURE, VENICE

This boutique hotel occupies a historical 15th century palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal, directly across from the train station Venezia Santa Lucia.

Elegant lounge of Accademia Hotel in Verona

ACCADEMIA HOTEL, VERONA

Hotel Accademia, an 18th-century building, is located in Palazzo Sambonifacio Tedeschi, in in the heart of the historical center of Verona.

Entrance to Benavides hotel with Roman arch and statue of Zeus

PALAZZO MANTUA BENAVIDES PADUA

The Palazzo Mantua Benavides, dating from the late 15th century, was the home of Marco Mantua Benavides, one of the most interesting figures of his time.

Your small group will visit Veneto’s most prestigious cities

  • A quiet canal lined with boats with bright covers

    VENICE! What more is there to say? Canals, gondolas, St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs. Yet, there is so much more about which few travelers know.

  • The domes and spires of the Basilica of St Anthony seen at the end of an urban street

    PADUA, founded in the 11th century BC, is one of the oldest cities in Italy. Padua retains its historically intact city center with several important sites such as the Basilica of Saint Anthony and the Scrovegni Chapel by Giotto.

  • Main piazza of Vicenza with tall clock tower , adjacent buildings and tourists under a bright blue sky

    VICENZA, also known as the “city of Palladio”, is one of northern Italy’s truly enchanting locations. It was one of the most important cities of the Republic of Venice

  • Night view of entry of Verona Arena during evening performance.

    VERONA, much more than Shakespeare’s setting for Romeo and Juliet, visit the Roman Arena and Piazza delle Erbe, site of the ancient Roman forum

Points of interest: Cities of Art - Venice and Beyond

Sightseeing-Your Locations

Your hotels in Venice, Verona and Padua are strategically situated close to all of the major attractions on your itinerary.

  • Our four-day stay in Venice will permit comprehensive exploration.

  • Our three days in Verona will include a visit to Vicenza.

  • Our Padua stop will include the incomparable Scrovegni Chapel.

  • Half day trips to Palladian Villas.

  • Start and finish within an easy pick-up and drop off at the transportation centers of Venice and Mestre.

Call us with a date that Fits Your Schedule

September 1-10, 2024 - October 20-29, 2024 - November 10-19, 2024

Cities of Art - Venice and Beyond Tour

Dusty pink map of Veneto, displaying all its wine regions

10 Days and 9 Nights

1-833-4-VENETO
(1-833-483-6386)