Venice Choir Tour

Day 1

Flight to Venice. Rehearsal time and explore the city

Flight to Venice: On arrival you will be met by your guide and transfer boat to Venice Island. Venice is a unique city and a world heritage site where canals take the place of roads and vaporetti convey you around the city. Venice exudes charm and your students will be enthralled by its iconic sights.

Rehearsal Time: After lunch there will be time to explore the city and for a private rehearsal at one of the city’s churches.

Evening: Dinner this evening will be at a city restaurant.

Day 2

Guided walking tour and first performance at the Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli

Walking Tour: This morning you have a walking tour exploring some of Venice’s most famous and iconic landmarks including the famous white marble Rialto Bridge which spans the Grand Canal. This very symbol of Venice was built in the late 1500’s and continues to draw crowds to this day, all eager for the most famous photo in Venice. The next stop is St. Mark’s Square and Basilica with its 11th century mosaics. The tour ends at the Bridge of Sighs which is so named for the prisoners who once crossed it between sentencing and their cells. It is said that when they took their last look at Venice, they couldn’t help but sigh.

First Performance: In the afternoon you have your first performance in the Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a small but beautiful fifteenth century church built entirely from marble, with an ornate frescoed ceiling. Located in Cannaregio, the church is 500 metres from the Rialto Bridge.

Day 3

Doges Palace and Second Performance at the Church of San Stae

Doges Palace: This morning you have a guided tour of the Doges Palace, one of the most famous buildings in Venice. Situated by St Mark’s Square, the palace was the home of the Doge, the ruler of Venice. Its stunning exterior is decorated in the Gothic style whilst the interior comprises grand audience rooms with ornate gilded ceilings and frescoed walls. The Palace also contained the prisons, accessed by the Bridge of Sighs. Casanova spent time incarcerated here, but he managed to escape and never returned to the city.

Second Performance: In the afternoon you have your Second Performance at the Church of San Stae which fronts directly onto the Grand Canal. This is a prominent Venetian landmark in San Croce and regularly hosts choral and orchestral performances. Situated literally in front of the vaporetto pontoon it offers easy access if transporting instruments.

Evening: Before dinner, visit the roof terrace of the Fondacho dei Tedeschi department store which gives one of the best free views across the city.

Day 4

Mass Participation at St. Marks Basilica followed by Murano and Burano Islands

Mass Participation at St. Marks: This morning you accompany Mass in the wonderful setting of St. Mark’s Basilica. The opportunity to participate in a Latin mass amid the stunning Byzantine architecture of Venice’s most famous landmark s a tremendously rewarding experience. (Normally four pieces of two minutes each are sung at the entrance, offertory, communion and exit).

Murano and Burano: This afternoon you travel by vaporetto to the Island of Murano which is famous for its glass blowing workshops and you visit a workshop to see a glass-blowing demonstration. You can also (carefully!) visit some of the shops which sell the incredible creations. You continue by vaporetto to the Island of Burano, the lace island. Many of the houses on Burano are painted in vivid primary colours and the island is famous as a centre for exquisite lace-making.

Day 5

Fourth Performance at St. Georges Anglican Church. Ascent to St. Marks Campanile followed by Flight Home

Fourth Performance: Your have your fourth and final Performance at St. Georges Anglican Church in the Dorsoduro district, after which you can walk to Salute where you get a fantastic view across the canal. You could also perform an impromptu piece on the steps of Salute church.

St. Mark’s Campanile: Following this you take the vaporetto across the Grand Canal to St. Marks where you can make the optional trip to the top of the Campanile, the famous bell tower which dominates the square and which provides unrivalled views across the city.

Flight Home: There will be free time before you travel to the airport for your flight home.