VENICE: CHURCHES, PALACES, MUSEUMS, a wonderful holiday

Today's Venice is more than ever a city devoted to art, in all its forms. Historic art can be seen in its numerous museums, which display the most beautiful original works of art by the artists who gave a major contribution to the history of art. By taking a simple walk you will find yourself surrounded by palazzi and churches whose architectural features turn them into an open-air museum. Moreover, once every two years Venice holds one of the most important exhibitions in the world on contemporary art: la Biennale di Venezia, which acts as a springboard for today's best artists and their work. The Theatre "La fenice" (which has been completely rebuilt at last) and the numerous Auditoriums scattered all over the city offer many shows. Classical music finds in Venice its ideal setting, as the city is a natural choreography that goes perfectly with symphony and chamber music.

Venice is also known as the "City of lovers" because the absence of cars allows people to take long and serene walks, reached only by the sound of water washing the shores. Venice is suitable for the youngest tourists and the more mature ones, as the city itself inspires the rules of intimacy among people. It lacks the amusements typical of all large cities, there are no huge discos (only one, which is very nice actually), but it is rich in places where you can eat the typical Venetian "cicchetti" (small portions of food usually served with aperitives) and drink an excellent "spritz" (aperitif), maybe listening to some great musicians playing jazz. Obviously, the most restless ones can always go to the mainland, at few kilometers from Venice, where some of the most beautiful discos in Italy can be found, and for those of you who love gambling, Venice hosts one of the best Casinos in the world. One of the most extraordinary events is the Carnevale di Venezia which draws in hundreds of thousands visitors from all over the world. For about 10 days the streets are painted with the most incredible colours and masks. In this period Venice is the quintessence of entertainment and music.

Restaurants in Venice are famous for their culinary skills, especially for their fish specialities. Prices are always displayed in showcases outside restaurants so as to allow people to choose places they can afford. Getting into Venice is very easy, no matter how you choose to move. There are large parking lots but it is a good idea to choose and reserve a place before you arrive, just to be sure that you find a place where to park and at a fair price. Another possible solution is to park your car on the mainland, in Mestre, from where you can count on frequent connections all day long, and slightly less frequent ones late at night, and reach Venice in 10 minutes. In Venice there are hundreds of hotels, hostels and B&Bs that offer a wide range of categories and prices. Should all hotels be full up, or if you find Venice too expensive, you may choose to find an accomodation in Mestre because, as already mentioned, it really is very close to Venice. The railway station is located right in the centre so arriving by train is indeed an excellent solution.

Welcome to the San Clemente Palace Hotel & Resort! 5-star Luxury Hotel in the heart of Venice
A private Island, in the heart of the Lagoon, where you can savor the light summer breeze, or admire a colorful Venice, as you were part of a Canaletto painting. An exclusive 5-star Luxury Hotel, with a unique location in Venice; the ideal destination for week- ends and holidays for partners and families, to celebrate weddings and private occasions, or to organize Meetings and International Events. Welcome to the San Clemente Palace Five Star Hotel & Resort, peaceful oasis in the Venice Lagoon, where history, relax and culture are merged together, in a unique ambience exclusive to you.

History Our hospitable Island, from 1131 until nowadays...

Founded in 1131 with the purpose of encouraging the recovery of the soul and spirit, the crescentshaped San Clemente Island served as a starting point for religious pilgrims and soldiers setting sail for the Holy Land.
The original monastery where San Clemente PalaceHotel & Resort now exists was home to a succession of religious orders and rebuilt by the Camaldolesi monks in 1645 with the financial assistance of Venetian nobility. A new pavilion was added in the 20th century, and over the centuries the island has maintained its atmosphere as an inviting and peaceful oasis overlooking the city of Venice to the Giudecca, with the Lido in the foreground.

The restoration of the buildings, executed with the utmost respect for their historical and artistic heritage and the natural beauty of its surroundings, retains the atmosphere of its ancient origins, with frescoes and an impressive Renaissance faade. All traces of the islands history have been preserved in the tradition of a grand hotel for the most discerning traveller.

The centuries-old Park

Two thirds of the Islands six hectars are green, openair spaces which compose our centuries-old park. Great care and respect have been kept to maintain the original typology of green areas: the perfumed linden trees which have inspired San Clemente Palace fragrance by Laura Tonatto cypresses, elms and nettle trees.

Many are the courtyards among the Hotels wings, such as the Clock Courtyard or the Plane Trees Garden, one of the best garden in Venice.

San Clemente Church When history, art and culture merge together.
The Church of San Clemente, founded in 1131, is adjacent to the Hotel and is one of the citys most interesting cathedrals its past tightly woven with the great families of Venice who were its patrons.

As the Island prepared for its new destiny as a heaven for international travellers, the Church has been restored with artistic works that served as evidence of the islands glorious history. Dedicated to a Pope who was lost at sea and very dear to the Venetians hearts, the original structure was built in the Romanesque style with a single cross nave, but was enlarged and embellished in the late 15th century with artistic works that can still be enjoyed today.
The Camaldolesi monks, who lived on the Island until the suppression of religious orders in 1810, supported new projects and improvements to the Church and monastery.

A wealthy and powerful Venetian patron family, Morosini, sponsored the restoration of the Churchs faade in 1452. They entrusted the work to Andrea Cominelli, who placed busts and coats of arms of the Morosini family above the portal, and set statues of Sts. Benedict and Romuald among the soft Renaissance lines and symmetries of the stonework, and added a beautiful Madonna and cherub into the molding to frame the arch.

Francesco and Tommaso Morosini also commissioned sculpture relief battle scenes on the faade celebrating their familys conquests in the war against the Turks. A cedar sculpture of Madonna that has belonged to the church since 1646 resides above the altar. Among the other restored treasures in the Church remaining today are paintings and frescoes by artists, including Giovanni Segala, Pietro Ricci, Francesco Ruschi and others whose names may not be known, but whom experts consider to be among the best pupils of the Venetian school.

Rooms & Suites Spacious, bright and elegant: our Rooms and Suites for you
The San Clemente Palace Hotel & Resort features 200 luxury and spacious rooms and suites, majestically appointed, many of them with a panoramic view of the Lagoon and Venice, others overlooking the park and islands internal gardens. Rooms for disabled Guests are available.

Beauty & Wellness Center Relax and Wellness at our San Clemente Island
Equipped with four cabins for massages and therapies, our Wellness Center in Venice also includes a sauna, a Turkish bath, two Jacuzzi and aromatic showers, a solarium, a gym area and a hair salon on request.Please do not hesitate to contact our Beauty & Wellness Specialist should you need any information or should you wish to reserve your treatment in the Hotel

Sport Wellness in the Lagoon

Sport addicted can find lots of solutions for keeping in shape also during their holidays in Venice doing sport acitivities: outdoor summer pool, three holes pitch and putt golf course, jogging path, fitness area and tennis courses