Take a tour through any of Venice’s winding streets or waterways and you’ll note grand palazzos, opulent churches and ancient buildings. The city has a rich and diverse architectural style with Byzantine and Ottoman influences dating back centuries, the most famous of which feature a blend of grand Renaissance and Gothic construction.

Relish in the Byzantium design of this incredible building, complete with ancient sculptures

Basilica di San Marco

One of the most famous highlights of Venice, this grand cathedral church features an opulent Byzantium design with ancient sculptures, more than 8000 metres of striking golden mosaics, a Greek cross layout and walls clad in marble from Syria, Egypt and Palestine. With a history dating back to 829, the additions of sculpture, mosaics and ceremonial objects over centuries have increased the church’s magnificence.

This Gothic building houses beautiful medieval facades, statues and original furnishings

Doge’s Palace

The Palazzo Ducale, or Doge’s Palace, was the official seat of the Venetian government for centuries. It also housed the Doge’s apartments, the city’s law courts and the prison, until its relocation across the Bridge of Sighs. Inside the imposing Gothic structure you’ll find medieval facades, statues, courtyards and original furnishings.

Also known as the Golden House, this building features incredible gold leafed detail across its exterior

Ca’ d’Oro

Named ‘Golden House’ for the elaborate gold-leafed detail once featured in its exterior, this 15^th century palace sits alongside the Grand Canal with an ornate Gothic facade.  Filled with priceless Renaissance art, sculpture, bronze reliefs and artefacts, the building was commissioned in 1420 by wealthy patrician Marino Contarini to be the city’s most magnificent palace and entrusted to a team of Venetian and Lombard craftsmen.

Modest on the outside, the interiors of this church are amazingly beautiful

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

Commonly known as the Frari, this vast Gothic church stands on the Campo dei Frari in the heart of the San Polo district. Its exterior is intentionally simplistic in accordance with its Franciscan heritage; however, the interior boasts impressive works of art including masterpieces by Titian and Giovanni Bellini. There is also a Monks’ choir consisting of three-tiered stalls, the Tomb of Canova and a rood screen with decorative marble figures.

This building plays home to the Museum of 18th Century Venice, complete with Baroque architecture by architect Baldassare Longhena

Ca’ Rezzonico

Housing the Museum of 18^th century Venice, this striking palace was designed by the master Baroque architect Baldassare Longhena for the aristocratic Bon family. Inside, a marble staircase leads to gilded ballrooms, frescoed salons and ornate boudoirs, while the art collection includes paintings, sculptures and 18^th century furnishings. Not to be missed are two early works by Canaletto; and the Mestrovich Collection, containing works by artists such as Jacopo Tintoretto and Bonifacio de’ Pitati.

The clock face is one of the highlights of this building, with its striking blue enamel and detailed symbols

Torre dell'Orologio

One of the most famous architectural landmarks in Venice, St Mark’s Clock Tower, as it’s also known, is a Renaissance building dating back to the 15^th century. As well as functioning as an elaborate timepiece and central point of focus for the city, the gilt and blue enamel clock face displays phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac – designed with seafarers in mind.

This interesting building was once used for docking and customs

Punta Della Dogana

Built by Giuseppe Benoni in 1677 with completion in 1682 to ensure no ship entered the Grand Canal without paying duties, it sits at the intersection of the Grand and Giudecca Canals and features a striking triangular point once used for docking and customs. The building was restored by minimalist Japanese architect Tadao Ando in 2009 and now houses a rotating exhibition of contemporary art.

One of the city's most famous buildings, this must-see is home to the 'snail staircase'

Scala Contarini del Bovolo

Hidden within Venice’s labyrinth lies the so-called ‘Snail Staircase’, a stunning architectural example of Renaissance, Gothic and Venetian-Byzantine styles. It was commissioned by Pietro Contari around the end of the 1400s to decorate the facade of Palace San Paterniano, which was owned by an illustrious Venetian family. The spiral staircase features large Renaissance arches and is 26 metres high, with the top floor lookout boasting decorative Istrian stone and elevated Venetian views.

This beautifully ornate building is home to the National Library of St Mark

Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana

Designed by Jacopo Sansovini in the 16^th century, this Renaissance palace is home to the National Library of St Mark. Featuring an arcade of Doric columns, Ionic columns and a series of statues of heroes and gods on the roof, the building is finely decorated and contains contributions from Venetian greats Titian, Paolo Veronese, Alessandro Vittoria and Tintoretto.

Peggy Guggenheim Museum

Palazzo Venier dei Leoni is a striking 18^th century unfinished palace residing along the Grand Canal that was once home to American heiress Peggy Guggenheim. One of the great patrons of the arts, she devoted her life to collecting precious works of art and the palace houses pieces by Dali, Picasso and Kandinksy alongside lesser-known artists. The building itself features a magnificent classical facade, made of Istrian stone and framed by lush gardens.