Is it possible to understand Venice in only one day? That is the goal of this walking tour that uncovers twelve centuries of Venice's glorious history. The starting point is St. Mark's Square. Praised by Napoleon as the most beautiful drawing room in Europe, this spacious square is the only one in Venice to merit the title "piazza." Its graceful Renaissance arches shelter some of the city's most elegant shops and historic cafes.

At the piazza's eastern end rises the St. Mark's Basilica with its multitude of marble pillars and five white domes. Begun by Greek architects in 1063 to house the relics of the patron saint St. Mark the Evangelist, the church is a treasure-chest of mosaic decoration both inside and out. We will climb to the gallery level to admire these glittering, golden mosaics at close range and to see the four ancient gilt-bronze horses stolen from Constantinople in 1204 to grace the basilica's facade.

A short walk takes us to the lively neighborhood around the Rialto Bridge. On the opposite side of the Grand Canal is the fish market, displaying all the rich bounty of the Adriatic Sea, and nearby is the Franciscan church of Santa Maria dei Frari with precious altarpieces by Titian and Giovanni Bellini. In the afternoon we will visit the Ca'Rezzonico, the most magnificent palace on the Grand Canal. With its lacquered antique furniture and frescoed ceilings, it has the authentic atmosphere of a great 18th century house. The day concludes at sunset at an outdoor cafe along the Zattere; here the imposing line-up of Palladian churches across the channel provides a romantic backdrop against which to enjoy a relaxing drink or gelato.