9 Spectacular sites worth visiting in Venice for travellers over 60

Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world. It’s the land of artisans and cobbled streets, of waterways and gondolas that glide across the water’s surface. But whether you’re there for the romance or not, there’s so much for travellers over 60 to see in this colourful and exciting part of Europe. Here are just a few spectacular sites worth visiting in Venice while you’re there.

1. The Grand Canals

Gondolas slowly gliding across the water in Venice is one of the most iconic images from this Italian city, and for good reason. With any popular event or activity there are crowds, but it is worth the wait just to get the opportunity to see the Grand Canals of Venice up close. But what’s equally exciting is hearing all the gondola rowers chatting, or rather shouting, at each other in their strong Italian accents. God only knows what they’re talking about, but it does make for an interesting boat ride. The Grand Canal is around 3km long and up to 70m wide, and have your camera ready because there are also a lot of points of interest along this canal, including palaces, churches and other renaissance and gothic-style buildings.

2. Piazza San Marco

You can check a whole lot of sites off your bucket list with one visit to Piazza San Marco. In this square you can see St Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and the Torre dell’Orologio, a clock tower that is not only there for telling the time, but is an historically significant building that was built in 1496. Piazza San Marco is the main public square in Venice, and for that reason it’s a bustling area to walk through. It’s also the best place to people watch. Don’t forget to visit the smaller square towards the north of the church, called Piazzetta de Leoncini.

3. Take in the views of the beautiful rooftops

Built in 888AD, and then rebuilt in 1902, the Campanile is the tallest building in Venice at just 99m high. Climb to the top of the building and you’ll see some wonderful views of the city and the patchwork of terracotta-coloured tiled roofs. The tower is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the city, apart from the gondolas of course, and it is a a spectacular site worth visiting while in the beautiful city of Venice. If you’re worried about the number of steps you’ll have to climb, don’t, there is an elevator that will take you to the top.

4. Burano Island

The further you get from the centre of the Venetian Islands the smaller the crowds get and the more colourful the buildings get, too. At least that’s the case when it comes to Burano Island. There are colourful buildings, which are the perfect background for your Italian holiday photos, and the colours are so bright and cheerful that you simply can’t leave the place in a bad mood. It’s impossible.

5. Murano Island

There might be more people who flock to Murano Island, but it is just as cheerful as Burano. If you’re looking for some Venetian glass souvenirs, then Murano Island is the place to get them. There are many glass factories on the island, with local glass blowers doing demonstrations in their shops for visitors. Seeing how the glass is blown from scratch will give you greater appreciation for the pieces and give you a story to tell when you get back home. If you’re especially interested in the craft, then don’t forget to stop by the glass museum, Museo del Vetro.

6. Rialto Markets

This is one for the food lovers, and, let’s face it, you wouldn’t be in Italy if you weren’t one! Rialto Market is a great opportunity to visit the most popular market in the city and where the locals go to buy their daily fruits, vegetables and fish. Any avid market-goer will know that it’s best to go early, and the same goes for the Rialto Markets. Spend the morning here buying vegetables for your own afternoon picnic, or simply watch as the locals browse through their favourite stalls in search of the best produce.

7. Scala Contarini del Bovolo

After you’re done buying your vegetables in Rialto, find your way to the Scala Contarini del Bovolo, the Snail Staircase of Bovolo. You might get lost trying to find it in the network or narrow pathways, but it is an interesting building. The palace was built in the 14th century and the staircase was a later addition in 1499.

8. Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Not all the art and architecture in Venice is from the 14th century, there is a whole collection of modern art housed in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, located on the Grand Canal in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, an 18th-century palace. It’s one of the most popular attractions in the city and houses a variety of pieces from Peggy Guggenheim’s personal collection, which she accumulated from 1938 to 1946 when World War II broke out. The artists on display include Duchamp, Picasso, Dali, Mondrian and her own daughter, Pegeen Vail Guggenheim.

9. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

The Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is one of the most magnificent buildings you’ll see along the grand canal in Venice. During a particularly deadly outbreak of the plague in the 1600s, the Republic of Venice decided to create a church dedicated to Our Lady of Health. It was designed in the popular baroque style and now the church’s dome is an iconic part of the Venetian skyline.

Have you visited Venice before? What would you suggest travellers over 60 explore while they’re here? Let us know in the comments section below.