With its intricate system of canals and the very fact that it is a city built on water, what better place to take a sailing holiday than Venice. Located in warm Mediterranean waters with sights such as the Piazza San Marco to see there are plenty of places to moor your boat in the Venetian Lagoon.
Chartering Your Own Boat
We are not all fortunate enough to have our own boat so chartering a boat to sail on holiday is the best solution for sailing fans. By chartering your own boat you have the freedom to sail the area around your destination in your own time and plan your own personalized holiday so that you see the sights that are important to you. If you are worried that you are not an experienced enough sailor to charter your own boat then don’t fret. All types of sailors can be accommodated from beginner to experienced yachtsman, from a couple to a group of friends or family with children. With skippered or an independent bareboat charter yacht available you can improve your sailing skills whilst on your holiday rather than spending days in a sailing school learning without seeing anything.
Main Sights of Venice
When you think of Venice most people think of gondolas and the Piazza San Marco but there are many other attractions to see. There is the Venice Film Festival, Venice Biennale and the Carnival of Venice, which are all great experiences to see with many firework displays out across the Lagoon. There are also many Gothic architecture buildings including the Ca’dOro and Doge’s Palace with many Baroque and Renaissance examples, such as the Ca’Rezzonico and Ca’Pesaro. There are also many shopping opportunities throughout Venice with the chance to buy some traditional Murano and Venetian glass. There are miles of pathways and bridges that you can walk around in the main city as well.
Areas Around Venice
Whilst Venice itself is nice there are also some excellent places to visit in the surrounding area. There are many beaches within the Venetian Lagoon and the many islands spread throughout the Lagoon are also worth visiting. Burano is an island famous for lace making and fishing, however, it also has many quiet parks and museums, which will show you the history of lace making on the island. Torcello is an island with a population of only 100 people although it has been inhabited since the seventh century. There is an 11th century cathedral called the Chiesa di Danta Maria Assunta where you can see Byzantine mosaics which show how important the island once was. Murano is an island famous for its glass. Murano is made up of many small islands that are joined together by bridges. Murano is home to many museums of glass working and small family run factories where you can watch glass being made, including the technique of enamelling glass. The Basilica di SS Maria e Donato is a Byzantine basilica on the island that has an amazing mosaic pavement dating from the 12th century.
In conclusion with all the islands in the Venetian Lagoon, chartering a boat and learning to sail is an ideal way to get around the Lagoon to see the sights whilst learning or improving your sailing ability.
Contributing Author Bio
Daniel Billings writes regularly on sailing holidays for a range of marine and sailing websites and blogs. He has experienced sailing holidays on his own, with his partner and more recently with his children so is very knowledgeable on all types of sailing holidays.