Tour of San Giorgio Maggiore
Boat tour to San Giorgio Venice
San Giorgio Maggiore by boat
Overlooking the San Marco Basin, our tour passes by the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where the majestic façade of the namesake church, designed by Andrea Palladio, stands out.
Originally owned by a noble family, the island was renamed San Giorgio Maggiore to distinguish it from San Giorgio in Alga after a church was built in honor of Saint George.
Inside the basilica are artworks of immense artistic value, such as the main altar by Girolamo Campagna, two paintings by Tintoretto (The Last Supper and The Gathering of Manna), and The Virgin with Child and Saints by Sebastiano Ricci.
The bell tower, standing 75 meters tall and modeled after St. Mark’s Campanile, is a popular attraction. From its belfry, visitors enjoy a unique and alternative view of Piazza San Marco and its basin.
The rear cloister was also designed by Palladio and later completed by Baldassare Longhena.
In 1951, the Italian government granted the island’s facilities to the Giorgio Cini Foundation, which now hosts numerous exhibitions, events, and concerts.
Biennale Gardens
At the end of the tour, before docking again at Riva degli Schiavoni, we pass the Napoleonic Gardens, now known as the Biennale Gardens.
Located in the Castello district, this is the largest green area in the historic center and the site of Venice’s International Art Exhibition. The gardens date back to the Napoleonic era, when in 1807 it was decreed that Venice should have public green spaces.