Uncover ancient Venice on board Mediterranean cruise holidays- By: Luke Tricker

Description :
If you choose to voyage there aboard luxury cruise ships as part of Adriatic and Mediterranean cruise holidays, the experience is likely to become even more special.

And you may find the sea legs you have developed during the journey practical for seeing the sights, since the finest way to enjoy Venice is from a gondola.

Sign up for an excursion round the city's famed canals on one of these flat-bottomed timber boats and you'll have a close-up view of many of the most amazing churches, mansions, palaces and bridges that give Venice its rare appeal.

If you are awestruck by the spectacle of the exterior of these magnificent buildings, you ought to be prepared for a few real treats when you get back on shore and start to explore in the interior.

One place you will be guaranteed to want to go to is St Mark's Basilica, that's widely recognised as an architectural work of genius. Constructed as a tribute to Mark the Evangelist after a group of Venetian traders recovered his skeleton from Alexandria in the ninth century, it took over five hundred years to complete.

It is easy to grasp why if you move through the doors and are greeted by the sight of the flamboyant marble decoration throughout and the wonderful golden mosaics on the ceiling. Even the altarpiece, the famed Pala D'Oro, is considered a masterpiece.

You might be forgiven for believing that nothing else in Venice could beat the splendour of St Mark's, on the contrary a tour of Doge's Palace may change your mind.

The imposing 14th century mansion was some time ago residence to the rulers of the Venetian city-state and was bejeweled to match their status. The lavish interior includes a collection of art by Carpaccio, Tintoretto & Titian, which you'll take in during a tour around the structure.

Doge's Palace additionally housed political and court institutions, so the tour will give you a real insight into the history of Venice. It also includes a wander over the Bridge of Sighs, the ornate covered walkway that linked the courts & interrogation rooms to the city's jail .

The intruiging things to view during a excursion in Venice don't end in the city alone, since there are some remarkable places to visit around the islands in the Lagoon. In the midst of them is the Murano glass factory, where you are in a position to pick up a special keepsake of your trip to Italy.

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Author Resource : If you're hoping to view Venice in luxury, get in contact with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines for information of our collection of Adriatic sea & Mediterranean cruises.