Three contemporary design suite apartments in the very heart of Venice, between the Rialto and St. Mark’s Square, just a short distance from the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. Housed in the Gothic Palazzo Venier, traditional elements are harmoniously combined with innovative materials and hi-tech amenities. The Charming House iQs can be reached via a private bridge to Palazzo Venier in Campiello Querini Stampalia, or by water via the private bridge over the Rio del Mondo Novo canal. Guests are surrounded by water in the magical setting of these luxury apartments near St. Mark’s Square, with a captivating view of typical Venetian canals and a private internal courtyard with a mascaron wellhead and 15th century wooden ceiling porch. Dine in your own suite, relax and enjoy reading, listen to music in the living room, host your friends for a spritz, or get out and admire the wonders of the surroundings.

Just a stone’s throw from Saint Mark’s Square, in the enchanting setting of 18th-century Venice, guests of the 4-star Ruzzini Palace Hotel enjoy the atmosphere of a prestigious luxury hotel with a concierge and charming, exclusive rooms overlooking Santa Maria Formosa square.

Guests of Ruzzini Palace Hotel have the privilege of experiencing a setting that celebrates the aristocratic period of Venice, enhanced by modern luxury and charme. The common areas, reception, lobby, bar, breakfast lounge, blend eloquently with the welcoming environment of the residence lounge where guests may escape during their free time into an oasis of tranquility.

Hotel Ruzzini Palace is housed within an ancient historical residence that once belonged to one of the most prominent Venetian families. During the era of the Serenissima Republic, they inhabited the historic residence for a long period in seamless continuity. The hotel overlooks campo Santa Maria Formosa on one side, and rio del Paradiso on the other, and still maintains a water entrance, which once was the main entry. The hotel’s present day design was entrusted to the architect Bartolomeo Manopola, whose Venetian works includes the marble façade of the clock overlooking the Ducal Palace courtyard.

The church of San Giovanni e Paolo, an example of Gothic architecture, rivals with the Frari’s church in terms of dimensions and magnificence and for the numerous works of art it treasures. It too is made in terracotta and its splendid façade soars towards the sky. From the 14th century portal, with its columns brought from Torcello, you can admire the impressing naves: they are 100 m long and 32 m high. The internal façade contains 3 funeral monuments dedicated to the Doges

Mocenigo, Alvise (around the portal) and Marcello (to the right). In the right aisle you can see, on the second altar, the polyptych of S. Vincenzo Ferreri, an early work by Giovanni Bellini. A bit farther, on the ceiling of the chapel of S. Domenico there is the Glory of St. Dominick by G.B. Piazzetta. On the same side, in the transept, note the Charity of St. Anthony by Lorenzo Lotto, enriched by the light from the wonderful stained-glass windows, and some works by Bartolomeo Vivarini. In the presbytery, behind the grand main altar attributed to Baldassare Longhena, there are other monuments to various doges, such as Leonardo Loredan (right) and Andrea Vendramin (left). The Cappella del Rosario is not always open to the public, but if you have the chance to enter you can see some important works by Veronese.

The Scuola Grande di S. Marco is one of the most ancient ones in Venice.

The building was recently restored and is now possible to visit the interior, as well as admire the harmonious facade. The second floor offers the magnificence of the Sala Capitolare and the altar by Sansovino, where is located the Museum of the History of Medicine, and the Sala dell’Albergo, the historic seat of the Medical Historical Library.

The Scuola Grande di San Marco was founded in 1261 in the church of Santa Croce in Luprio (which was later destroyed).The Scuola was rebuilt in 1487 and in 1488 the sculpture and architectural works were commissioned to Pietro Lombardo and his collaborator Giovanni Buora. The sides were completed between 1533 and 1546 by Jacopo Sansovino. The large vestibule opens with ten Corinthian columns standing on high pedestals decorated with elegant tiles. The two doors to the right lead to the notable two-flight staircase by Mauro Codussi. The Scuola continued to operate till the end of the Republic. The Austrians turned the building into a military hospital and today it hosts the city hospital (Ospedale Civile).

Museo storico navale (historical naval museum) is fundamental to understand why Venice was superior to the other maritime republics. In it you can find nautical instruments, cannons, torpedos and most of all many models of ships including one of the last Bucintoros, the galley on which the Doge took part to the wedding to the Sea on Ascension day, during the festa della Sensa.

How to get: water bus ACTV line 1, 4.1, 4.2 stop Arsenale

Opening Hours: Every day 10.00 – 18.00

Tickets

Museo Storico Navale – Full ticket € 10.00

Museo Storico Navale – Concessions € 7.50

€ 4.00 : Schools (su presentazione della lista su carta intestata della scuola, si applica anche agli accompagnatori)​

€ 1.55 : Residents

In the heart of Venice, the ancient, noble Querini Stampalia Palace welcomes you with its lavishly decorated halls, the Library and the area restored by Mario Botta and Carlo Scarpa.

The Museum of Querini Stampalia Foundation is one of the most important examples of House-Museum in the heart of Venice and it is one of the best preserved in all Europe. The Querini Stampalia Museum preserves furnishings which date back to the XVI-XVII century: porcelains, sculptures, precious furnitures, globes and other objects from Querini’s residence.

The Querini Stampalia Foundation was founded in 1869 by Count Giovanni Querini, the last descendant of the Querini Stampalia family, whose heritage has been kept intact (the residence and furnishings, the library, the archive and the art collections can be appreciated by visitors). The Pinacoteca hold paintings by several well-known artists such as by Giovanni Bellini, Jacopo Palma il Vecchio and il Giovane, Bernardo Strozzi, Marco and Sebastiano Ricci, Giambattista Tiepolo, Pietro Longhi and Gabriel Bella.

The 14th century building, situated between St Mark’s Square and Rialto Bridge, is also seat of the Civic Library where many students come every day.

The ground floor and the garden were redesigned by Carlo Scarpa in the early 60s, while Mario Botta has recently designed the new access, bookshop and cafeteria.

This ancient building also opens its doors to concerts and exhibitions of classic and modern art.

A spectacular Palace Museum near St.Mark Square

Palazzo Grimani is a remarkable building in Venice for the architectural originality, the high quality of its decoration and the history of its development.

At the beginning of the 16th century Antonio Grimani gave his sons the family house then rebuilt by Antonio’s grandsons – Vettore, a Procurator of St. Mark’s and Giovanni, the Patriarch of Aquileia. The rich interior is decorated with outstanding stucco works and frescoes executed by mannerist artists such as Giovanni da Udine, Francesco Salviati, Camillo Mantovano, Francesco Menzocchi and Federico Zuccari.

In 2008 the Palace reopened after a long restoration showing again its preciousness and a great choice of Giovanni Grimani’s archeological collection in the beautiful Tribuna and in the courtyard, a unique place in the city. With the opening of the palace museum, Venice enlarge its worthwhile museum circuit.

The museum host regularly art exhibitions and suggestive events like concerts.