Venice - Golden House Ca' d'Oro with the Galleria Franchetti

Ca' d'Oro is Venetian Gothic at its most perfect. Originally richly painted and gilded - hence its name - it has lost its gilding but the marble filigree-work of Bartolomeo Bon (who also built the Porta della Carta in the Palazzo Ducale dating from between 1421 and 1440 is still of unrivaled beauty. The interior provides a vivid impression of how Venetian nobles lived in the late Middle Ages.

Must-see attractions nearby:

St Marks Square

Doges Palace

Colleoni Monument

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

Basilica of St Mark

Academy of Fine Arts

Rialto Bridge

The mosaic on the ground floor, a copy of the one in the basilica of St Mark, is also worth seeing.

There is a red marble well in the courtyard with allegories of Strength, Justice and Mercy.

The palace houses the Galleria Franchetti art collection, given to the State in 1922 by the savior of the Ca' d'Oro, Baron Giorgio Franchetti. Extensive restoration work (1969-84) has not altered the character of the private collection. The exhibits do not give the impression of being in a museum, but rather complement the historical setting of the palace.