3 Best Sights in San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice

There's been a church on this island since the 8th century, with the addition of a Benedictine monastery in the 10th. Today's refreshingly airy and simply decorated church of brick and white marble was begun in 1566 by Palladio and displays his architectural hallmarks of mathematical harmony and classical influence. The Last Supper and the Gathering of Manna, two of Tintoretto's later works, line the chancel. To the right of the entrance hangs The Adoration of the Shepherds by Jacopo Bassano (1517–92); affection for his home in the foothills, Bassano del Grappa, is evident in the bucolic subjects and terra-firma colors. Book ahead for a tour of the private rooms to view Carpaccio's St. George and the Dragon (1516) and what is considered to be Tintoretto's final work, The Entombment of Christ (1594). The campanile (bell tower) dates from 1791, the previous structures having collapsed twice. Take an elevator to the top of the campanile for unparalleled 360-degree views of the lagoon, islands, and Venice itself.

Adjacent to San Giorgio Maggiore is a complex that now houses the Cini Foundation, established in 1951 as a cultural center dedicated to humanist research. It contains a beautiful cloister designed by Palladio in 1560, his refectory, a library designed by Longhena, and various archives. In a woodland area you can wander amid 10 "Vatican Chapels" created for the 2018 Architecture Biennale by renowned architects, including Norman Foster. Another stunning feature is the Borges Labyrinth, a 1-km (½-mile) path through a boxwood hedge that allows visitors to take a 45-minute contemplative walk. It was designed by Randoll Coate and inspired by the Jorge Luis Borges short story "The Garden of Forking Paths." An evocative audio guide, composed by Antonio Fresa and performed by Teatro La Fenice's orchestra, may accompany your pensive stroll. Guided tours are given daily (except Wednesday), and reservations are required.

Set in the west wing of a former boarding school within the Cini Foundation complex, these sleek gallery rooms host exhibitions exploring 20th- and 21st-century glass, from art pieces to commercial producers, including Venini.