Hollywood hunk George Clooney has tied the knot with British lawyer Amal Alamuddin with the couple’s wedding held in Venice and witnessed by a long list of A-list friends.
Yes ladies, sadly George Clooney has officially said good-bye to his bachelorhood and whilst we are devastated to learn the news we are also happy to hear that Mr Nespresso has finally found true love.
In a star studded wedding ceremony in beautiful Venice in Italy the couple tied the knot in front of family, friends and of course a tonne of A-list celebrities. Even Anna Wintour made it!
A-list celebrities on their way to the wedding reception
Unfortunatley not all of us are lucky enough to marry a Hollywood star in Venice, however you can still visit the ancient Italian city and be swept away by its magic and rich history.
We have listed the top 5 things to do in Venice according to TimeOut.
1. Explore three major sights in one square
The Piazzetta di San Marco, Venice
Standing in the middle of the magnificent piazza San Marco is an experience in itself: Napoleon referred to it as the ‘drawing room of Europe’, apt today as, at times, it appears that much of Europe’s population is crammed into this great square. But it’s St Mark’s basilica (Basilica di San Marco), often seen as the living testimony of Venice’s links with Byzantium; Doge’s Palace, once Venice’s political and judicial hub; and Torre dell’Orologio, a clock tower built between 1496 and 1506, that are, not just the square’s, but some of the city’s main attractions.
See all major attractions in Venice
2. Tour the Venetian masters of art
Gallerie dell’Accademia
Venice is a unique and precious repository of art. From the late Middle Ages until the mid 18th century, artists of the highest caliber left thier mark all over the city and works by Venice’s grand masters Titian (c1488-1576), Tintoretto (c1518-94), Canaletto (1697-1768) and Tiepolo (1727-1804) can still be viewed in situ today. See Titian’s glorious ‘Assumption’ above the high altar atI Frari, Tintoretto’s epic masterpiece ‘Crucifixion’ at Scuola Grande di San Rocco, and Tiepolo’s monumental frescos at the Pietà and Ca’ Rezzonico.
For a one-stop-shop of Venice’s foremost artistic treasures, head for theGallerie dell’Accademia.
See all art museums & galleries in Venice
3. Take some aperitivo time
Italians are assiduous frequenters of their favourite bar for an eveningaperitivi. At aperitivo time Venice’s cool crowd line up drinks and cicheti (snacks) in the bars at the north-western foot of the Rialto bridge. Stake your claim at a Grand Canal-facing table at Naranzaria or Bancogiro. Alternatively, head to Ardidos for the coolest design, Al Marcà for an ombra (bit of shade) on the hoof or Skyline Bar for a drink with a view.
See all bars & pubs in Venice
4. Take a tour of the Grand Canal
Best way to discover Venice is by water.
A wonderful way to take in the Grand Canal is on board a vaporetto (a rounded 230-passenger boat). The canal may no longer be teeming with merchandise-laden cargo boats, but it is still the main thoroughfare of Venice, and only a little imagination is needed to understand its historical importance. The three and a half kilometre (two-mile) trip from the railway station to San Marco provides a superb introduction to the city, telling you more about the way Venice works – and has always worked – than any historical tome. Every family of note had to have a palazzo here, and this was not just for reasons of social snobbery. The palazzi are undeniably splendid but they were first and foremost solid commercial enterprises, and their designs are as practical as they are eye-catching.
Vaporetto tickets can be purchased at most stops, at tabacchi (tobacconists, identified by a white T on a black or blue background) and at Hellovenezia offices (see Tickets & passes). On board, you can only buy single tickets. Tickets are for single trips (€6.50 – valid 60mins on multiple boats), 12hrs (€16), 24hrs (€18), 36hrs (€23), 48hrs (€28), 72hrs (€33) or seven days (€50). The fare for a shuttle journey (ie one stop across the Grand Canal, the hop across to the Giudecca, or from Sant’Elena to the Lido) is €2.
Read our Venice area guide
5. Slip on a mask and join the Carnevale
Join the Venetian Carneval
Carnevale, the world’s largest and most famous masked ball, has existed since the Middle Ages, but it came into its own in the 18th century. Today, visitors to the pre-Lenten event flock to piazza San Marco, where professional poseurs in ornate (and exorbitant) costumes occupy prime spots and wait for the world’s press photographers to immortalise them. Venetians, on the other hand, organise private masked and costumed celebrations, or gather in smaller squares.
Pick up you Carnevale gear at Atelier Pietro Longhi, Monica Daniele andTragicomica.
Read more about festivals & events in Venice