Hotels near Frari Basilica

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is one of the great Gothic churches of Venice, built by Franciscan friars and completed in the 15th century. Above the high altar hangs Titian's Assumption of the Virgin, finished in 1518 and nearly 7 metres tall, its reds and golds glowing even on a grey December morning. Titian himself is buried here, opposite Canova's pyramid-shaped tomb monument.

The sacristy holds Giovanni Bellini's luminous triptych of the Madonna and saints, and the carved wooden choir stalls are among the few in Venice still in their original place. Entry costs around €5, and the church is far quieter in December than in summer. During Advent it sometimes hosts choral concerts, so check the noticeboard by the entrance.

Pro Tip: Come at opening on a weekday and stand at the back of the nave first, where the arch of the choir screen frames Titian's altarpiece exactly as the friars intended.