Fondazione Giorgio Cini

Fondazione Giorgio Cini is a peaceful and elegant retreat on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, offering a refreshing escape from the crowds of Venice. The beautifully restored monastery complex is full of quiet charm, with serene cloisters, manicured gardens, and stunning architectural details at every turn. The atmosphere is calm and contemplative, making it a perfect place to slow down and appreciate art, history, and culture. From the harmonious Renaissance buildings to the occasional exhibitions and cultural events, everything feels thoughtfully curated. The views across the lagoon toward St. Mark’s Basin add an extra layer of magic. A hidden gem in Venice—ideal for those seeking beauty, culture, and tranquility in one place.

Amazing, it's a very short water bus away, (number 2 bus), the 45 minute guided tour was fantastic and didn't appear to be full of tourists, go and experience this amazing island it's well worth the visit just for the glass exhibition, let alone the tour and the bell tower. Double thumbs up from me.

Visited on a weekday. We wanted to visit the library and approached the booking area to buy tickets. We were met with very unprofessional and rude employees at the ticket counter. We informed them we wanted to buy tickets to visit the library. They replied in a very rude and passive aggressive manner stating the library is only available to see through a guided tour and the library portion of the tour is only one minute long. They made no attempt to explain what the guided tour entails or when the next available tour was. Needless to say given the attitude we received we decided to leave as opposed to paying $15 euros for a tour in which we were made to feel dumb and not welcome. This was the only place out of all the times we have to been to Italy that we encountered employees this rude. Only positive of visiting this little island was going to the top of the tower at San Giorgio Maggiore.

The Homo Faber exhibition was absolutely wonderful. One of the high points of our Venice visit !

Great art foundation with imaginative exhibitions right next to Palladio's great San Giorgio Maggiore church. I loved the current show of recent paintings by Alex Katz (born 1927), especially his hommage to American fashion designer Claire McCardell (1905-1958).

If you go to Venice you have to take the time to cross the laguna from saint Marc square and visit the Fondazione Cini, the view from the church tower is the best view in Venice

Homo Faber 2024 celebrates the beauty of life’s stages through the art of exceptional craftsmanship. Every object tells a story, from the sweetness of childhood to the moments that shape us deeply. Under the creative direction of Luca Guadagnino and Nicolò Rosmarini, the “Journey of Life” becomes an immersive experience, where artisans bring emotions and precious memories to life through their skill. A unique opportunity to discover the magic of human creativity in the enchanting setting of the Giorgio Cini Foundation in Venice.

Very important collection most of Tuscan renaissance art (paintings and sculpture)

So we have this magical talent. When we visit a country, we always end up staying each city one-day-too-long. Ever done that? So here we are in Florence. We've done it all, over stuffed with food, needing to walk it off. Somehow our backsides end up on a water taxi and we're now at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini. WHAAAT? It was worth a visit. Lovely little island that is connected to other little islands by wooden and metal bridges. It feels like a magical little city in the middle of the ocean. Little boats are parked along the water as naturally as cars parked along a curb. People are polite and delightful. The food (albeit we were full and not near hungry!!!!) was absolutely stunning. The smells were intoxicating... I was near anger that I could not eat again... despite me having an extra 17 pounds of pasta floating in my belly. Next time you're in Italy and need to burns some time in Florence, hope a water taxi and I'd love to hear what you think of Fondazione Giorgio Cini!