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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 09 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

The unfinished, one-storey Palazzo Venier dei Leoni was the home of eccentric American millionairess Peggy Guggenheim and today still houses her extraordinary collection of modern art.

Guggenheim brought her collection of mainly surrealist and modernist works to Venice in 1949 purchasing the charming Grand Canal-side palazzo to house it and herself. She died here in 1979 aged 81.

From Picasso to Pollock, Brancusi to Max Ernst, Guggenheim’s brilliantly unfailing eye picked out the best of the 20th-century avant garde; this collection gives the city a modernist stamp it would otherwise have lacked.

Gazing across the Grand Canal, with the rambling sculpture garden overlooked by the café, there are few more alluring spots in Venice.

Don’t miss

Look out for Marino Marini’s bronze Angel of the City which stands on the Canal terrace.

For original gifts inspired by the Guggenheim collection, make a stop at the museum shop just round the corner at Dorsoduro 710.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price from: £12
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Gritti Palace

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.2 miles]

The grandest Dame of Venice’s classic hotels and wonderfully opulent, the Gritti lords it over the Grand Canal from a superb spot across from the Salute church and just 10 minutes’ walk from Piazza San Marco.

Official star rating:

Ca Maria Adele

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.2 miles]

Perfect for a honeymoon or other  romantic celebrations, this intimate, stylish and sophisticated bolt-hole lies just across a pretty bridge from the Salute church in artsy Dorsoduro. The rooms are extravagant and sexy, the service personalised and charming.

Official star rating:

Hotel Flora

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.3 miles]

This family-friendly (and family-run), old-fashioned charmer occupies a tall, 17th-century palazzo just a stroll from St. Mark’s Square and the vaporetto stop.

Official star rating:

Hotel La Calcina

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.3 miles]

A three-star, reasonable-priced charmer in the artsy Dorsoduro neighbourhood, close to the Accademia gallery, with glorious views over the Giudecca canal.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Venice

Veneto, Italy

Crammed with picturesque canals, Renaissance palazzos and artistic masterpieces, this unique and alluring city is heaven-on-earth for art lovers and romantics.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Accademia Gallery (Venice)

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.3 miles]

From Titian to Tiepolo, the Accademia’s world-class collection represents the Golden Age of Venetian painting. A dazzling collection of masterpieces but also a voyage through the history of Venice itself.

Best for ages: 18+ | £15

Saint Mark’s Square
Experience

Saint Mark’s Square

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.7 miles]

It’s huge, and often crowded, but St. Mark’s square is one of the most emblematic spots in the city and is lined with over-priced cafés that offer live music. But out of season, on a foggy winter’s evening or at dawn, it’s undeniably atmospheric.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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Doge’s Palace

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.7 miles]

A glittering monument to the Golden Age of Venice – ducal, divine and downright decadent. From Casanova’s rooftop escapade to the twisty tale behind Tintoretto’s enormous Paradise paintings, these walls have seen Venetian history at its most decadent and devious.

Best for ages: 18+ | £25

St. Mark’s Basilica

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.8 miles]

Surely the most exquisite, beguiling and opulent place of worship in Italy, St Mark’s cathedral was built to satisfy the wildest dreams of the Doges and is rich in glittering Byzantine mosaics, Gothic carvings and sumptuous treasures.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Church of Santa Maria della Salute
Experience

Church of Santa Maria della Salute

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.2 miles]

Magnificently located at the entrance to the Grand Canal, this vast pale – and unique – church was built in honour of St. Mary of Health in thanks for deliverance from the plague of 1630-31. The best artworks are in the Sacristy, most notably Tintoretto’s Marriage at Cana.

Best for ages: 18+ | £3

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Pinault Collection
Experience

Pinault Collection

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.3 miles]

Japanese superstar architect Tadao Ando was brought in to convert Venice’s 17th-century customs house on the tip of Dorsoduro and 18th-century Palazzo Grassi into stunning exhibition spaces to house French billionaire businessman Francois Pinault’s vast contemporary art collection.

Best for ages: 18+ | £12

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Opera at La Fenice
Experience

Opera at La Fenice

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.4 miles]

Venice’s magnificent opera house was all-but-destroyed by fire in 1774, 1836 and 1996 and is all faux Baroque opulence. The programme of excellent opera productions and symphonic concerts offers a chance to put on your glad rags. You can also take a behind-the-scenes tour.

Best for ages: 18+ | £50 | 3-4 hours

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Festival of the Redeemer
Experience

Festival of the Redeemer

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.5 miles]

The Redentore church on the Giudecca is showcased each third weekend of July when a pontoon bridge is built across the Giudecca canal. On the Saturday night, boats of all description filled with partying Venetians crowd the lagoon to watch a fabulous fireworks display.

Best for ages: 8+ | Free | One weekend

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