Depart the ship by private motor launch with the guidance of an English-speaking guide. Guests will have the opportunity to visit two of the finest palaces in Venice and admire their architecture and preciously decorated interiors: Ca' Rezzonico and Scuola Grande dei Carmini.
Ca' Rezzonico, the Museum of Eighteenth-Century Venice since 1934, is one of the most splendid Palaces in Venice. It is also one of the few in the city which opens its doors to the public. The building was begun by Baldassarre Longhena (also the architect of La Salute) in 1667, but the funds of the Bon family, who commissioned it, ran dry before the second floor was started. In 1712, long after Longhena's death, the unfinished palace was bought by the Rezzonicos, a family of merchants-turned-bankers from Genoa. A large portion of the Rezzonico fortune was spent on the purchase, construction and decoration of the palace. By 1758 it was finally ready for the Rezzonicos to throw the first of the huge banquets and celebratory parties for which they later became renowned. By 1888 the palace was bought by the poet Robert Browning and his son, Pen, who was married to an American heiress. The most outstanding attraction in the palace today is the Giorgio Massari's ballroom, with rich chandeliers, frescoes and carved furniture.
The Carmini School is the last of eight Grand Schools surviving in Venice that date back to the fall of the Venetian Republic (whether one refers to its founding date or to its recognition under the title of "Grand"). In fact, out of the first six Grand Schools, the Carmini School was the last one to be recognized as "Grand School" (Scola Magna) by the Council of Ten in 1767. The objective of the school consisted of giving religious and economic support to the confraternity brothers, the distribution of alms to the poor and ill, as well as taking part in their funerals. It also furnished dowries for girls either for their weddings or for their monastic professions. With the exception of the members of the nobility and of the religious sector, the confraternity brothers were lay persons and members of society. The original antique furnishings inside the halls of the school have been entirely preserved and consist of important oil paintings, rich stucco ceilings and original embroidered and carved wood.
At the conclusion of your tour, some free time will be given before returning to the ship by private motor launches.
Please note: This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility, as it involves approximately 2 hours of extensive walking or standing. In the event Ca' Rezzonico and Scuola Grande dei Carmini are unavailable for a visit, they will be substituted with a similar palace.