Venice Is a Stage

Designed for first-time visitors who want more than surface-level tourism, this experience reveals Venice as a system of meanings, not just sights. It’s Venice for first-timers — reimagined and elevated. It begins along a familiar path: the mosaics of San Marco Basilica, the echoing chambers of the Doge’s Palace, and Biblioteca Marciana — but soon shifts rhythm with unexpected turns. You’ll move through iconic spaces with a fresh gaze, noticing what’s often missed and tracing a thread of Venetian invention. After the morning’s wonders, pause for lunch at a chic bàcaro. In the afternoon, visit Palazzo Grimani, a Renaissance gem with illusionistic frescoes, then Fondazione Querini Stampalia with its refined collection and Carlo Scarpa–designed garden. Your day ends with Lucia leaving you at a gondola stand, with the chance to arrange your own ride if you're interested, and reflect on a perfect day in Venice.

This is the day to do in Venice if your time is limited — insightful, layered, and deeply felt. What sets this full-day experience apart is how the familiar is recontextualized. Lucia leads with intention — highlighting what’s easy to overlook, linking architecture to smaller gestures, and showing how every corner of the city was designed to say something. Her background in visual culture sharpens how she sees the city — and how you will. Venice has always used light, movement, and framing to shape perception. The Piazza becomes an arena of power. The Basilica, a visual narrative. You'll see that the theatricality isn’t a flourish — it’s foundational. Palazzo Grimani slows the pace, allowing contrast and texture to come into focus. Lucia also shares stories and curiosities about the city’s squares and side streets, as you walk between stops, adding texture to the understanding of the place and culture. With Lucia, you learn to read the city as both structure and performance.

Lucia Bondetti combines deep knowledge of art history and cultural heritage with hands-on experience at the Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia. Her background gives her a sharp, insightful perspective on Venice’s artistic legacy, but it’s her passion for the city that truly stands out. With Lucia, you’ll explore Venice through stories that reveal its many layers—past and present, famous and lesser-known—all brought to life with clarity and warmth.

Comfortable shoes for walking.