Art & Design Trip to Northern Italy

About this trip

An art lovers dream, experience the sheer beauty of Venice’s canals, bridges and buildings, as well as important collections of art from across the centuries. Visit the stunning Giotto frescoes in Padua and the Achille Forti Gallery of modern art in Verona. Add to this the splendour of the Basilicas of San Marco, San Zeno Maggiore and St Anthony of Padua for an inspiring taste of the Italian art world.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 Find out more

Travel day
Basilica di San Zeno Verona
Achille Forti Gallery Verona

Day 2 Find out more

Day in Padua
Cappella Degli Scrovegni
Basilica of St Anthony of Padua
Pratto della Valle
Orto Botanico

Day 3 Find out more

Day in Venice
St Mark’s Square
Basilica Di San Marco
Gallerie dell’Accademia
Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Day 4 Find out more

Travel via a visit to Sirmione – Lake Garda

Day 5 Find out more

Day 6 Find out more

Day 7 Find out more

Day 8 Find out more

Excursion Ideas

Verona Find out more

Verona

What you’ll experience: Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage city, is famed for its Roman amphitheatre, medieval charm, and its romantic links to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet .

Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore Find out more

Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore

Subject Range: Art & Design, Design, History

What you’ll experience: A fine example of Romanesque architecture, this stunning church was constructed to honour the city’s patron saint, Saint Zeno.

Select Says: Reputed to be the site of the marriage of Romeo & Juliet.

Achille Forti Gallery Find out more

Achille Forti Gallery

Subject Range: Art & Design, Design, History

What you’ll experience: Verona’s modern art gallery featuring works produced between 1840 & 1940. Access the gallery via the striking Scala della Ragioni medieval staircase.

Select Says: View works by Giorgio Morandi, Umberto Boccioni and Francesco Hayez

Cappella Degli Scrovegni Find out more

Cappella Degli Scrovegni

What you’ll experience: The Scrovegni Chapel’s frescoes dating back to the fourteenth century cover the entire internal walls and are regarded as a masterpiece, initiating the Italian Renaissance art movement. The frescoes depict the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary with a colour palate which remains incredibly vibrant to this day. The chapel is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Select Says: Comparable to the Sistine Chapel this is not to be missed!

Basilica of St Anthony of Padua Find out more

Basilica of St Anthony of Padua

What you’ll experience: This immense domed basilica exhibits many architectural styles, originating from the early 13 th century. The stunning interior is highly decorated with gold, marble statues and beautiful artwork.

Select Says: This world- famous Basilica receives around 6.5 million visitors per year

Prato della Valle Find out more

Prato della Valle

What you’ll experience: A focal meeting point throughout the centuries, this city square is a great place to relax and admire the series of 78 statues around its edge representing famous people who have left their mark on the history & culture of Padua, including the astronomer, physicist & mathematician Galileo Galilei.

Select Says: Italy’s largest square at 90,000 square metres

Orto Botanico Find out more

Orto Botanico

What you’ll experience: Another UNESCO world heritage site, the garden was planted in 1545 by members of the university to study the medicinal properties of plants.

Select Says: The oldest academic botanical garden in the world

Venice Find out more

Venice

What you’ll experience: Venice is a unique Italian city built on canals, renowned for its gondolas, historic architecture, and rich cultural heritage.

St Mark’s square Find out more

St Mark’s square

What you’ll experience: Considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world, St Mark’s is a fascinating example of rich Venetian historical, artistic and architectural heritage. Admire the Gothic Doge’s Palace & enjoy views over the city from the top of the Campanile.

Select Says: The ancient & famed Ponte di Rialto is only 600 metres from the Square

Basilica Di San Marco Find out more

Basilica Di San Marco

What you’ll experience: Be bowled over by this awe-inspiring cathedral with its incredibly lavish interior and exterior decoration of over 8,000 square metres of glittering golden mosaics.

Select Says: Don’t forget to look up – the ceiling is one of the most resplendent aspects

Gallerie dell’Accademia Find out more

Gallerie dell’Accademia

Subject Range: Art & Design, History

What you’ll experience: Home to one of the most important collections of Venetian art. View works from the 14 th to the 18 th century by artists such as Titian, Bellini and Da Vinci.

Select Says: Gain an insight into the history of Venice through each painting.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection Find out more

Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Subject Range: Art & Design, History

What you’ll experience: Housed in a Grand Canal Palazzo, this personal collection of twentieth century art includes works by Picasso, Kandinsky and Jackson Pollock as well as a sculpture garden.

Select Says: Visit the home of one of the most influential art collectors of modern times

Sirmione – Lake Garda Find out more

Sirmione – Lake Garda

What you’ll experience: Sirmione, perched on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Garda, is a picturesque Italian town famed for its thermal baths, medieval Scaliger Castle, and stunning lakeside views.

Accommodation Options

M14 Hotel Find out more

M14 Hotel

Our Rating:

Capacity: 100

What you’ll experience: A modern hotel in the centre of Padua within easy walking distance of the main sites. A modern hotel in the centre of Padua within easy walking distance of the main sites.

Accommodation 15 Find out more