Venice is completely packed full of tourists pretty much year round these days, but there are many…read moreplaces where it's possible to get away from the crowds--they are called museums, and this is a great one. It's devoted to 17th-century Venetian painting but also has room-full of fantastic carved furniture, worth seeing all by itself, ceiling paintings throughout, and a separate collection of works donated by Ferruccio Mestrovich, where I wandered through the rooms for a full 45 minutes without seeing another person. This is on the Grand Canal! This is where Robert Browning lived in the 19th century! You can go down to the cafe and sit basically on the water with a glass of wine for as long as you like. Get a museum day pass and a day transportation pass.

Very much enjoyed the quiet and magnificence of this palace turned museum; however, two issues:…read moreaudio tour was difficult to follow from room to room with using a decimal point and title system and poor signage, and no place to sit, despite ample space! On our feet for a full three hours unless seated on the stairs between floors apologizing to other navigating between floors. Otherwise wonderful.

For locals, €5 gets you a season pass (now until 31 OCT 2014) to enjoy the top of the Basilica…read morePalladiana, including the loggia and the upper terrace. €1 for a one-time visit. The reconstruction of the original site began in 1549 by Andrea Palladio and was completed in 1614. Renovated in 2007, the loggia is a beautiful space to enjoy views of Vicenza through the Palladian windows. The clock tower has been around since at least 1172. On the terrace is a bar where you can enjoy an aperol/campari spritz (€4) or vino while relaxing in the afternoon/evening shade provided by the basilica. I believe there is other light fare as well. An excellent place for photographs and watching piazza activity!

This is by far the best spot to view the beauty of Vicenza. There are two decks to walk around and…read moregorgeous architecture to view from every spot. My husband is now working here and we have two of our four children along for the ride. We decided to purchase a seasonal pass for 5 euro. It's totally worth it. Every time we head down to the centro now we have the option to head up top for a gorgeous view. There's a bar on the roof that serves several different drinks and water naturale or frizzante is available as well. The seating is great. The servers spoke excellent English and we very friendly. Most restaurants here add a service fee into the price if the place is nice. Otherwise you might want to leave a couple euro. Italians don't seem to tip based off the cost of the food. It's more of just a thank you.

The 795 Art Gallery is located on Guidecca Island and between the Hilton Molino Stuckey (where were…read morestaying) and Dinner one night at the Ostaria ad Botti. We stopped in on a whim, and particularly enjoyed the performance art provided by a young actress/model and the connected iPad that we was wearing over her face. Gayle and I found ourselves part of the show as our images appeared on the screen at one point. The Gallery is located in an historic 16th century palazzetto known as Palazzo Foscari. It's a reference point for various artists and collectors, representing modern and contemporary art. We also enjoyed the wall art and came away with a few artistic trinkets and huge smiles on our faces.

I love Burano! In turn, I love my unique piece of art from La Buranella. It's my own little piece…read moreof Italy! As you get off the boat in Burano, La Buranella is one of the first places you come across. We walked in to see a father and son painting scenes of Burano, surrounding Murano glass that is placed just so in order to make up the Burano buildings and landscape. We were instantly intrigued, but continued on our way to the town. After perusing the shops and streets of Burano, we found ourselves back in La Buranella. The paintings that the men were originally working on were now dry. We decided that this would be a perfect souvenir to remember our first European vacation by. I look at it daily!

I'm the sort of traveler who wants to take a piece of the trip home. I want to be transported back…read moreto that magical place I visited. So, my souvenir of choice is usually art. With a glance, I'm back - the sounds, the sights, the smells. When I was in Burano (one of the small islands around Venice - another is Murano) last May, it was pouring rain. But that didn't stop it from being one of the highlights of my trip. This little island is full of winding streets, picturesque footbridges, and brightly colored houses with brightly colored skiffs to go with them. We had less than 2 hours to explore Burano as we had to catch the last vaporetto back for the night. As we were heading back to the vaporetto stop, I was desperately looking for that perfect item to take home with me. Yes, I tried their delicious pastries and I bought a handmade lace shawl for my mom, but I needed something special. On the right side of the street, facing the vaporetto stop, there was a tiny shop - La Buranella! We stepped out of the rain and it was like stepping into a painting. Vibrant colors on the walls and the art instantly lifted my spirits. I almost couldn't decide - because Giuliano (the artist) is so talented and really captures the feeling of Burano in all of his work. But I decided on one that combined the colorful houses, the picturesque footbridges, and the little boats into one perfect picture. If you're on Burano, I highly recommend you stop by La Buranella to see Guiliano's work and to pick up a few reminders of your own trip!

Stopped here during our visit and they had some interesting art peices. They ranged from 6 foot…read moregorilla to gold ballons. Would recommend.

The Venice - San Marco contemporary art gallery of the prominent European Bel-Air Fine Art company…read morewas a pleasant and whimsical discovery in Venezia. After awhile, for me at least, all the medieval and religious art in Italy starts to blur together. This makes stumbling upon the hyperrealism, neorealism, neo-pop, neo-surrealism, and modern collection on display (and for sale) at this contemporary art gallery both fun and inspirational. Pieces by French-Israeli sculptor Idan Zareski, American sculptor Carole Feuerman, French sculptor Cévé, French photographer Cécile Plaisance, French sculptor Marie-Paule Deville-Chabrolle, Italian-American photographer Guido Argentini, and Dutch artist Joseph Klibansky all were mesmerizing. Of course, Bel-Air Fine Art is one of the leading contemporary art groups in Europe. Its collection of world-class items on display at this gallery was fun to explore and contemplate without a lot of pressure from overly-attentive sales people or a crowd of tourists.

If you're like me, a lover of contemporary art, you must stop by Palazzo Grassi while in Venice…read more I remember my time "getting lost" in Venice and stumbling across this hidden gem. After seeing and admiring a mind numbing amount of Renaissance art while in Italy, it was refreshing to come across this modern art museum for a change of pace. The museum is owned by François Pinault, owner of Kering, the group that owns Gucci, Balenciago, Alexander McQueen, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Stella McCartney and... Puma, Volcom, and Tretorn among other brands. Pinault owns one of the biggest collections of contemporary art worldwide Check their website for current exhibitions -- http://www.palazzograssi.it/en Good luck finding it!

This 18th century palazzo has an impressive history of its own. At one time it was occupied by the…read moreJesuits. In the 1980s it was bought and restored by FIAT. Currently owned by French fashion mogul Francois Pinault. It holds wonderful, inspiring exhibitions - the recent 'Picasso, la joie de vivre' was magnificent. The building itself is splendid with a wonderful staircase and stunningly ornate gold encrusted ceilings. Gazing out of the windows provides a further brilliant, if slightly distracting, artistic vision. As an avid art collector, Pinault's personal collection is deeply impressive, varied and often quirky featuring notable works by Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons. If you need a breather from the art overload, take a break in the palazzo's cafe run by renowned restaurant Vecio Fritolin. Enjoy a light lunch or just a restorative caffe.