The back story 1
In-depth stories behind the list.
-
The back story
Venice, the city of art: the back story
From Bellini, Titian and Tintoretto to the Biennale and the Pinault Collection: Venice’s art, old and new.
28 of the best · Venice, Italy
Arts & Culture in Venice
The Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Pinault Collection, the Biennale, La Fenice, the Film Festival on the Lido, Carnival and the Regata Storica.
Our 28 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
What's onThis week in Venice
Browse by type
Insiders' picks
Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Venice.
-
Venetian painting
Gallerie dell’Accademia
Venice’s great picture gallery, from Bellini to Tiepolo.
Campo della Carità, Dorsoduro 1050, 30123 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
Modern art on the Grand Canal
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Peggy Guggenheim’s collection of modern art in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, on the Grand Canal.
Dorsoduro 701, 30123 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
Fedora opens the season 13 Nov
Teatro La Fenice
Venice’s opera house: the 2026/27 season opens with Giordano’s Fedora, 13–22 November 2026.
Campo San Fantin 1965, 30124 VeneziaExplore View on map
The full list: Arts & Culture, A–Z
Latest film trailers
The newest official trailers and upcoming films, updated automatically as they are released. Each late summer, La Biennale’s Venice International Film Festival brings the year’s premieres to the Lido.
Latest from the film studios
Trailers play from the official YouTube channels of Rotten Tomatoes Trailers and the studios, and update automatically. Use the playlist button in each player to browse more.
Show 22 of 28 places on a map
Neighbourhood
Visual arts
Museums 7
Great collections.
-
18th-century Venice
Ca’ Rezzonico
The museum of 18th-century Venice, in a palace on the Grand Canal.
-
Carlo Scarpa’s garden
Fondazione Querini Stampalia
A palace museum and library, with a ground floor and garden by Carlo Scarpa.
Castello 5252, 30122 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
The golden house
Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’ d’Oro
The Gothic Ca’ d’Oro on the Grand Canal and its collection.
-
Venetian painting
Gallerie dell’Accademia
Venice’s great picture gallery, from Bellini to Tiepolo.
Campo della Carità, Dorsoduro 1050, 30123 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
Seasonal opening
Palazzo Cini
The Fondazione Giorgio Cini’s house museum in Dorsoduro, open seasonally.
Dorsoduro 864, 30123 VeneziaExplore View on map
Modern art and the Biennale 5
The Guggenheim, the Pinault Collection, Ca’ Pesaro and the Biennale.
-
Modern art on the Grand Canal
Ca’ Pesaro – International Gallery of Modern Art
The city’s gallery of modern art in a Baroque palace on the Grand Canal.
-
Biennale Arte 2026 until 22 Nov
La Biennale di Venezia
Art, architecture, cinema, music, theatre and dance: Biennale Arte 2026, “In Minor Keys”, runs until 22 November 2026.
-
On the Grand Canal
Palazzo Grassi – Pinault Collection
The Pinault Collection’s Grand Canal palazzo on Campo San Samuele.
Campo San Samuele 3231, 30124 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
Modern art on the Grand Canal
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Peggy Guggenheim’s collection of modern art in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, on the Grand Canal.
Dorsoduro 701, 30123 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
At the tip of Dorsoduro
Punta della Dogana – Pinault Collection
The Pinault Collection’s contemporary art museum in the old customs house at the mouth of the Grand Canal.
Dorsoduro 2, 30123 VeneziaExplore View on map
Architecture & landmarks 4
Great buildings, old and new.
-
The golden church
Basilica di San Marco
St Mark’s Basilica, with its golden mosaics, the Pala d’Oro, the Museum and Loggia of the Horses and evening visits.
Piazza San Marco 328, 30124 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
The seat of the Republic
Palazzo Ducale (the Doge’s Palace)
The Doge’s Palace on the Piazzetta, with the Bridge of Sighs and the prisons.
-
At the mouth of the Grand Canal
Santa Maria della Salute
The domed basilica at the mouth of the Grand Canal, opposite San Marco.
-
Mosaics in the lagoon
Torcello Cathedral (Santa Maria Assunta)
The ancient cathedral of Torcello, with its mosaics, on a nearly empty island in the lagoon.
Performing arts
Music 1
Concerts in the scuole and churches.
-
Tintoretto’s great cycle
Scuola Grande di San Rocco
The confraternity whose halls are painted by Tintoretto.
Campo San Rocco 3052, 30125 VeneziaExplore View on map
Opera and ballet 1
Teatro La Fenice.
-
Fedora opens the season 13 Nov
Teatro La Fenice
Venice’s opera house: the 2026/27 season opens with Giordano’s Fedora, 13–22 November 2026.
Campo San Fantin 1965, 30124 VeneziaExplore View on map
Film 1
La Biennale’s Venice International Film Festival on the Lido.
-
Each late summer on the Lido
Venice International Film Festival
La Biennale’s film festival at the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido. The 2026 edition ran 2–12 September.
Folk & cultural traditions
Crafts and makers 5
Masks, Murano glass and Venetian textiles.
-
Murano glass since 1295
Barovier&Toso
The Murano glass house that dates itself to 1295, on the Fondamenta dei Vetrai.
Fondamenta Vetrai 28, 30141 MuranoExplore View on map
-
Carnival masks
Ca’ Macana
A mask workshop and shop in Dorsoduro, for Carnival masks made in Venice.
Dorsoduro 3215, 30123 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
Made in Venice since 1921
Fortuny
Fortuny fabrics, made in Venice since 1921 in the firm’s own words.
-
Murano glass since 1397
Seguso
Murano glass from the Seguso family, with a shop in Dorsoduro.
Dorsoduro 723, 30123 VeneziaExplore View on map
-
Velvets on hand looms
Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua
The Venetian silk weavers, making velvets and damasks on historic looms.
Festivals & heritage events 3
The cultural calendar.
-
23 Jan – 9 Feb 2027
Carnevale di Venezia
Venice’s Carnival: the 2027 edition runs from 23 January to 9 February.
-
The historic regatta
Regata Storica
The historic regatta on the Grand Canal, with its pageant of boats.
-
Venice’s rowing festival
Vogalonga
The rowing festival that takes thousands of oars around the lagoon.
